Last Update: 12-04-2013

Please check back over the next couple of weeks for end of season information and articles. There will be many reviews on the game in the Lansing State Journal, Grand Rapids Press, Detroit News,  Detroit Free Press and MLIVE.

Panther News & Notes:

East Lansing, MI (12-04-2013): The Associated Press Division 3-4 All-State team was announced today and Jacob Johnson was named All-State quarterback, Christopher Ruby All-State defensive back and Christopher Bukoski All-State honorable mention lineman. Congratulations guys.

2013 Division 3 State Finalist

2013 Division 3 Region 3 Champs

2013 Division 3 Region 3 District 1 Champs

2013 Capital Area Activities Red Conference Champs

DeWitt, MI (12-02-2013): The sense of Community Pride runs deep in DeWitt, Panther Pride. There were so many thousands on the Panther side of Ford Field cheeiring the boys on. So many had a hand in the season contributing in some way. Picture if you will, the entire community sitting in Memorial Stadium, filled top to bottom and from goal line to goal line with the team and coaches standing on the sideline in front. Please stand and be recognized as you are called, no names, however. Hold your applause until everyone is recognized.

Thanks to:

• The DeWitt Public Schools Administration and Board of Education for running of our school system in these very tough times. Imagine how wonderful life would be if  Auto-Owners were in our neighborhood?
• The Athletic Director and Athletic Secretary for your long hours to make sure everything runs smoothly. A tireless and thankless job.
• The Administration, Educators and staff of DeWitt High School.
• The Administration, Educators and staff of all of DeWitt Public Schools.
• The DeWitt Touchdown Club.
• The maintenance and grounds staff for demonstrating their Panther Pride in making our field one of the most beautiful in the area.
•  Ray Unger for creating “that damned thing on top of the scoreboard” (as describe by a rival fan). Oops, sorry, right no names. And the maintenance guys that kept “that damned thing’s” fuel tank filled and kept it in perfect working order.
• The bus drivers who took our teams to away destinations and returned them safely home; transportation staff for juggling and balancing bus schedules; the mechanics for keeping our buses in safe working order that transport our kids.
• The “Spirit of DeWitt”, whom we simply call the cheerleaders and their coaches, for your Panther enthusiasm at the games. And, to those that donated the mini-footballs the cheerleaders whipped into the stands after all those touchdowns.
• The ZimmZone.
• The DeWitt Marching Band for the great entertainment before the games and at half time.
• The DeWitt Schools Booster Club for staffing and running the concession stand.
• Volunteers who worked the concession stand, cooked hot dogs, sold beverages and delivered pizza.
• Those who sold 50/50 tickets; Those who bought 50/50 tickets or concessions that helped the Boosters financially
• Volunteers who sold tickets or worked the pass gate and warmly welcomed everyone to our Stadium.
• Those businesses who are Sign Sponsors to the DeWitt Touchdown Club.
• The businesses who made donations to the fall sports program.
• Anyone who bought Gold Cards, organized the Gold Card program or donated products or services to the Gold Card Program.
• Anyone who bought DeWitt Football Gear and wore it with Pride throughout the season; Those that designed, made and sold DeWitt Football Gear during the season.
• Mercy Ambulance and DeWitt City Fire and Rescue for being there so we never have to use them.
• DeWitt City and Township police whose presence made us feel safe and for directing us home out of the parking lots safely.
• The doctors and trainers on the sideline with the hope they are never needed.
• The press box volunteers who ran the clock, scoreboard, spotted and announced the games keeping everyone well informed. We have the best “Typical Mom and Pop Organization” pressbox around.
• The chain gang, who looked into the sun from the opposite sideline, sweated on the hot nights, froze on the cold nights and got soaked on the rainy nights and loved every minute of it.
• The area businesses that donated food and beverage for the press box and workers during games.
• Anyone who attended a game and cheered with Pride.
• Those that took pictures that helped capture the moments so we could go back and relive them time and time again.
• The TV, internet and newspaper reporters who gave us great coverage during the year.
• Jessie and Doc for broadcasting our great ride through the playoffs
• Those who held the Banner, Banner Dads, Moms-Grandmas-Aunts Tunnel.
• Those who sponsored and hosted the Thursday meals.
• Those moms that kept us up to date with timely and informative emails.
• The scouts and those that filmed games so our coaches could develop their game plans.
• Parents. For your love, support and inspiration to your young men. And for sharing them with all of us each Friday night. You are the ultimate cheerleaders.
• Coaches. For your dedication and passion to the sport and sharing it with our young men.
• Coaches. For being not only coaching football but also being role models and educators beyond the classroom.
• Coaches. For challenging our young men to dream, dedicate, prepare and motivate as individuals and as a team.
• The Coaches Wives. For your patience and understanding while your husbands pursue their passion; holding up suppers, rearranging schedules for them to attend meetings and listening. You should at least get coaches wives shirts.
• The Seniors. For demonstrating to the Juniors, JVs and Freshmen and Junior Panthers what team work and dedication is all about.
• The Seniors, For your special bond to each other; something you will always have inside of you. Remember the hot night at Mt. Pleasant to the bone chilling cold at Goodrich, the incredible elation after St. Clair game and how it hurt at Ford Field. That special bond is Panther Pride.
• The 2013 Team. For your dedication off the field, for your dedication on the field, for your dedication to each other.
• The 2013 Team. For hoisting this community onto your broad shoulders and carrying us with you during the fall of 2013. WOW, what a ride !

Everyone hopefully should be standing by now. So, let us take the opportunity to give this team, these young men, one last standing ovation and to say “Thank You”. Mr. Stone, if you would, hit that little red button and “Light The Fire” on the scoreboard for these guys one more time.

Guys, raise your helmets with Pride and sing for us one last rousing chorus of “DeWitt Forever” as the 2013 Ford Field team. Remember to always “Keep The Fire Lit!"

 Detroit, MI (11-30-2013):  J1M. Just one more... Just one more stop on fourth down. Just one more time out. Just one more chance with the ball. Just one more foot diving for the ball. Just one more mistake by the Dux. Just a few more inches on the punt rush. Somewhere in the vastness of Ford Field, the Panthers needed just one more...  

The Zeeland West Dux powerful running game ran over around and through the DeWitt Panther defense Saturday night in the Division 3 Football Finals, leaving the Panthers just one more win from that elusive championship. The Dux racked up 441 rushing yards against an out-manned Panther defense. But, like a wise coach once told his team, "keep playing hard and something good will happen, keep at it". And they did. The Panther defense was on the field for 32 minutes of the 48 minute of the game, but they battled and battled and when a host of Panthers pushed the Dux running back Cole Hession out of bounds for a two yard loss at the Dux 48 on a third and five play  with 42 seconds to play and stopping the clock, the Panthers had life left. The Panthers were out of timeouts and the play left Zeeland West with their last big decision of the night. They opted to punt for the first time of the night and the Panthers put a mighty rush on and Ben Heinritz JUST missed blocking the kick by inches but his momentum JUST brushed the punter's leg and down in a heap he went, along with the referree's flag. With the automatic first down the Dux took a knee and once again the Panthers came up just short, just one more time.

With a crowd reported at better than 28,000, most of which on the DeWitt side, the Division 3 game could not been a more stark contrast in offenses. The Panthers with nearly 5,000 yards of offense this season, balanced within a couple of hundred of pass and rush. Zeeland West had over 5,000 rushing yards and just over 500 passing on the season. The Dux had only passed 28 times all year, DeWitt had 44 touchdown passes on the season. Such a marked difference.

Cameron West started the game by booming the opening kickoff deep into the end zone for a touchback. On second and 10 from the Panther 20, Dux speedster Danny Bauder took a student body left pitch around the end and sprinted 80 yards on the second play of the game to give the Dux an early lead. A two point conversion pass from Casey Brinks to Grant Potsma and the  Dux led 8-0 just 45 seconds into the game. Zeeland forced DeWitt to punt on its first possession and the Panthers held the Dux on their next possession deep in Panther territory with three minutes to go in the first quarter.   

The next seven minutes doomed the Panthers. Hession stepped in front of Jacob Johnson pass to Josh Borta and gave Zeeland a first down at the Panther 26. It was only the second interception thrown by Johnson on the season on over 150 passing attempts. Six plays later, Brinks completed a seven yard pass to Cole Hession and the Dux led 14-0 early in the second quarter. On the next Panther possession, Zach Vanvalkenbur put his helmet right on the ball as Heinritz had made a nice gain and caused a fumble recovered by the Dux at mid field. Seven plays later, Potsma ran it in from 18 yards out and DeWitt had spotted Zeeland with a 22 point lead.   

The next possession, the Panther offense started to click and marched 71 yards on seven plays with Johnson hitting Shankel for a four yard touchdown pass and West's extra point made it 22-7. The drive included several hard runs by Heinritz and several passes by Johnson to Ruby, Ray Stein and Nate Trevino. Zeeland answered with a seven play 80 yard drive with Potsma again running up the middle for a 12 yard score, making it 28-7 Zeeland with just over two minutes to play in the half. DeWitt roared back down the field, and had one shot at the end zone with a second left in the half. Johnson's pass to Borta was just a bit high in the corner of the end zone and Borta was able to get his hands on it but not bring it down. Stein nearly made a great catch of the deflection by laying out for the ball but it was just inches beyond his outstretched hands. Just one more foot.

DeWitt had the ball to start the second half and moved the ball quickly to mid-field. A Johnson pass to Shankel was caught simultaneously by Shankel and Zeeland defender Johsuha Tran, but Tran was able to come away with the ball for a second interception on the night. The Panthers held with a great defensive stand, taking the ball over on downs. The first play, from the Panther 44, Christopher Ruby took the ball on a sweep to the right. The Dux flocked to that side and had Ruby hemmed in, but he reversed his field and scampered untouched around the left end escorted by Johnson and Borta and scored on a 56 yard run, giving DeWitt life and some much needed momentum and closing the gap to 28-13. 

Zeeland made their only offensive mistake of the game by fumbling the next possession and Brandon Martinez recovered the fumble at the Dux 29. Johnson wasted no time and on the first play hit Borta in the end zone for a touchdown pass and it was a whole new ball game with DeWitt trailing 28-20 with six minutes to play in the third quarter. Zeeland responded with a nine play 80 yard drive with Brinks running in the last 25 yards giving the Dux a 34-20 lead late in the third quarter.   

Trevino breathed Fire back into the Panthers with a 50 yard return on the ensuing kickoff. The Panthers moved the ball to the Dux 21 but then a holding penalty and fumble pushed the Panthers back to near mid-field and forced DeWitt to punt. Zeeland went on an agonizing 12 play, 74 yard seven minute drive that was aided by two Panther offside penalties and drove to the Panther 6 before the Panthers got the ball back on downs at 4:41 of the fourth quarter. "keep playing hard, something good will happen, keep at it". Bang, Johnson it Shankel for a 19 yard pass to the 25. The next play, with Johnson rolling to the left and throwing on the run, he found Borta all alone behind the Dux secondary and hit him perfectly in stride and Borta ran it in for the touchdown. The Panthers were somehow within a touchdown of the mighty Dux.

The Dux were able to convert three third and short plays to keep their final drive alive as the Panther defense tried in vain to get the ball back but were unable to. The Panthers needed just one more stop to give Johnson and company a chance to drive the field in the last minute, but were unable to.

When your safety has a lot of tackles, then the other team is running well. Ben Zamiara played stellar defense registering 20 tackles from his safety position, saving several touchdown runs. Zachary Deak had 13 tackles, Ruby 10, Connor Grice 9 and Shankel 9. Zeeland ran 71 plays, 66 running and five passing. Bauder, the lightning speedster in the Dux backfield ran the ball eight times for 144 yards and the opening touchdown. Hession was the thunder carrying the ball 26 times for 122 yards, Potsma six for 71 and Brinks, 11 for 66 yards and Zeeland ended with 461 yards in total offense. With the exception of the one fumble, Zeeland played a perfect game as they were not flagged for a single penalty.

For DeWitt, Ruby had one run for 56 yards, Heinritz seven carries for 45 yards and Johnson had 31 yards. Johnson passed for 289 yards on 15 of 24 passing with the two interceptions. Borta had five of the catches for 183 yards and two scores and Shankel four catches for 50 yards, Trevino had three catches for 29 and Stein two catches. West made three of four extra points, with one blocked. All five if his kickoffs sailed deep in the end zone for touchbacks. The Panthers had 430 yards on 45 plays.

Wow. What a ride. What a season. Just one more...

 Lansing, MI (09-16-2013): The CAAC announced the alignment for the 2014 season. DeWitt will be losing Fowlerville from the conference since the days when DeWitt changed from the Capital Area Circuit to the Ingham County League in 1988. Next season, DeWitt will be in a league with Haslett, St. Johns, Owosso and will add Mason and Waverly. Ionia and Fowlerville will be changing to other leagues.         

South Bend, IN (6-22-2013): The DeWitt Panther 7-on-7 football team won the prestigious University of Notre Dame High School football 7-on-7 tournament. Over 70 schools from across the nation participated. DeWitt played teams from Ohio, Indiana, Minnesota, an All-Star team from Indiana, the hands down favorite from Arizona and a multi-state champion from Illinois. The final game was played in the stadium on the hallowed ground of Knute Rockne, Notre Dame Stadium in front of Touchdown Jesus. Coach Zimmerman said it was one of the most memorable events in his football career. Last year, the Panthers finished 8th. Congratulations, Panthers.

Detroit, MI (6-20-2013): The DeWitt Panther 7-on-7 football team won the Detroit Lions high school 7-on-7 tournament at Ford Field. The Panthers went undefeated in the double-elimination tournament defeating Chippewa Valley in the finals. Congratulations, Panthers.

  Eight Conference Championships in a row!

Inquiries and comments can be sent to info@DeWittFootball.org