Ann Arbor, MI (6-1-2017): The Michigan High School Football Coaches Association has announced the rosters for the 2017 MHSFCA All-Star game. The DeWitt Panthers are proud to announce that JD Ross has been chosen to be on the West Roster. The game will be played at Saginaw Valley State University Saturday June, 24 at 1:00pm. Tickets are $5.

Ross is the twelfth player from DeWitt to play in the all-star game.

Ross is a three year varsity player for Coach Rob Zimmerman's Panthers. This past season he was named Associated Press Special Mention as a running back, Detroit Free Press receiver and Lansing State Journal Dream Team running back. The versatile Ross showed his prowess in the last game of the season by scoring four touchdowns against Orchard Lake, a team laden with D-1 players. It included a 90 yard run from scrimmage, a 90 yard kick off return, a 6 yard blast bowling over several defensive players and a 27 yard pass reception. He also tallied nine tackles.

For his career, Ross had 108 tackles, seven interceptions, nine batted passes and two blocked kicks. Offensively, he rushed for 1,977 yards and 27 touchdowns, hauled in 49 receptions for 1,007 yards and 12 touchdowns. Special teams included 17 punt returns for an 8.0 average and returned 26 kickoffs for 806 yards (31 average) and four touchdowns. And, a school record for smucks at 32 for one of the most physical players to play for DeWitt.

After the game, Ross will be attending Ferris State University to play football.

Good luck, JD.

DeWitt, MI (4/30/2017): As May rolls around the Tigers are in season, hockey and basketball are in their never ending playoff seasons, the Kentucky Derby is coming up along with the Indy 500. The April showers are giving way to the May flowers. Panther baseball, softball, track and field are in mid-season schedules.  And the clink clink clink you hear driving by the high school are the football players pounding the weights and getting ready for the 2017 season, just a little over three months away.

The 2017 football schedule has been finalized and what a season it will be. The two year stint with Menominee is over and a couple of great games the two played and a great experience traveling to the UP two years ago in the snow to play at the historic Walton Blesch Field.

Week One: 8-28. At Grand Rapids Christian. That's right. Division 3 parochial powerhouse Christian will be the Panther's first foe of the season at Grand Rapids. After a realignment in the OK conference two years ago, The Eagles are in the OK Gold conference with powers East Grand Rapids, Grand Rapids South Christian and Forrest Hills Eastern to name a few. The Eagles are coming off a 9-2 record last season. The schools met once before in the 2012 Division 3 Semi-Finals when Christian defeated the Panthers 52-28 before defeating Orchard Lake 40-37. Who was that guy? Yep, wide receiver Drake Harris. The 6'6" Harris hauled in nine passes for 221 yards and three touchdowns.

Week Two: 8-31. Grand Ledge. Last season the two Lansing area powers met and it was a great game and a great crowd with the Comets coming from behind to give the Panthers their only regular season defeat, 28-21. The two schools went onto claim their CAAC conference divisions with GL finishing 7-3 . The Comets had a Panther flavor as Jacob Umholtz moved from DeWitt to Grand Ledge and scored a TD with a 29 yard burst to ignite the Comet offense. What about the JVs coming up? DeWitt defeated GL 32-12 last season.

Week 3: 9-8. Mason. The Panthers start their quest for a twelfth consecutive CAAC Red Division crown hosting last season's runner up Mason. Last season, DeWitt handed Mason their only losses, week 3 and in the pre-district round of the playoffs. Mason finished the season 9-2.

Week 4: 9-15. At Charlotte. You thought we'd say Owosso. Nope. A slight alignment in the CAAC divisions has Charlotte moving into the CAAC Red in place of Owosso. Charlotte was not in a conference last season and was in the Interstate 8 conference the two years before that. Last season the Orioles were 2-7. Owosso is moving to the Flint Metro conference for the 2017 season. Shhh... the last CAAC team to beat the Panthers in the regular season was Charlotte in 2008.

Week 5: 9-22. At Lansing Waverly. These two teams have played some fascinatingly weird games the past few years. Always athletic, the Warriors, a disappointing 2-7 last year,  are one of the more dangerous teams to play with their team speed. Waverly always has plenty of offensive firepower and looks to tighten the defense up a bit for 2017.

Week 6: 9-29.  St. Johns. The last three seasons these two teams played for all the CAAC Red marbles on the final night of conference play. This year, St. Johns moves to week four of the conference schedule. Always a great game as these two teams know each other so very well. The Redwings beat DeWitt in the districts of the 2015 playoffs. Last season, they finished 5-4.

Week 7: 10-6. At Haslett. Yep.

Week 8: 10-13. At Linden. Linden and DeWitt have opened the season for the past few years after a couple of incredible playoff games. The Flint Metro league has nine teams in it and Linden's only open slot for non-conference play is week eight and Linden slides into the slot vacated by Menominee. Last year they were 7-4 and lost to Orchard Lake the week before DeWitt lost to Orchard Lake.

Week 9: 10-20. Portage Northern. Last season the Panthers went to Northern and what a track meet it was. 860 yard of total offense while the Panthers broke their single game rushing record in a 49-14 win. Northern finished 5-4 last season and made the playoffs.

 2016 Capital Area Activities Conference Champions (11 in a row)

*Click on icon to view team  information, 2009-2016.

Panther Profiles:

DeWitt, MI (Fall 2015): Many players have had the opportunity to move on from high school football to the college game from DeWitt High School. Recently, DeWittFootball.org had the opportunity to catch up with Ryan Anderson. Ryan was a receiver for the DeWitt 2011 and 2012 teams. Ryan was accepted to play football for Saginaw Valley State University, following in the steps of several other Panthers, including Caleb Higbie and Jason Fleet. Ryan played at SVSU for two seasons and now plays for Olivet College.

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DeWitt, MI (Winter 2015): Recently DeWittFootball.org had the opportunity to catch up with Paul Jorgensen. Paul was one of the most talented players to play for DeWitt and was an integral part of the success of the program from 2007 through 2009. A two way lineman for the Panthers, he played the “blind side” left tackle on offense and end on defense. 

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The DeWitt Panthers have played a lot of great games over the years, but perhaps none as exciting at the 2012 Division 3 District Championship game at Linden.

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