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Last Update: 11-21-2024 |
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Spectator Information: Ticket prices are $10 per person. No league or school passes are valid for MHSAA playoff games. Gates open at 6:00pm Watching Games: Visit www.NFHSnetwork.com and search DeWitt High School. There is a subscription required. This will allow you to watch games from your easy chair. But, we'd rather have you with us at Memorial Stadium. Listening to games: Games are on the DeWitt Panthers Network by Zach Surdenik live or recorded. Accessing the broadcast can be done by going to www.HighSchoolStreaming.com and click on DeWitt at the top. |
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DeWitt, MI(11/18/2024): The DeWitt Panthers will meet the Zeeland West Dux on Saturday at 1:00 pm at Grand Rapids Forest Hills Eastern high school for one of the semi-final games in Division 3. On the other side of the bracket, #4 Mason Bulldogs will be playing #8 Detroit Martin Luther King. But this time of year, rankings don't mean a lot as the teams are so good. The Panthers and Dux have met once before on the gridiron in the 2013 Division 3 State Finals at Ford Field. The Dux won that game 34-27 earning them their third of four State Championships. They have been to the playoffs every year since their inception in 2005 except 2008 and 2009. Their most recent trip to Ford Field was a 2015 thumping Flint Powers 40-14. Last year they made it to the semi-finals losing to Forest Hills Central, the eventual state champ, 18-14. Forest Hills Central defeated Mason in the Finals 27-10. The Dux finished second in the OK-Gold Conference, losing only to Hudsonville Unity Christian 20-8 and enter this week's game 11-1 and ranked #3 in Division 3 according to the final Associated Press Poll. Their enrollment is 986 and DeWitt is 985. They have scored 410 points and allowed 192. Only once have they allowed more than four or more touchdowns in a game. That was in week three in a win against Whitehall 60-43. Whitehall is coached by 2002 DeWitt graduate Tony Sigmon. The DUX are coached by MHSFCA Hall-of-Fame coach John Shillito who has been their only coach since 2005. Their road through the playoffs have been impressive. After disposing of Zeeland East (5-5) 32-6 in the pre-district, they whomped St. Joseph (9-2) 42-0 in the district final and handled Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central (9-3) 36-20 in the regionals. Last week against Forest Hill Central they converted 10 of 11 on third downs. Defensively, they are typically in a traditional 4-3 like DeWitt or will jump into a 5-2. They move about on defense and are very active and physical. Look for LB Brandon Maas to spy the Panther QB. They have eight interceptions during the playoffs dropping seven or eight into the deep zone coverage to keep everything in front of the deep backs. Offensively they run the %$-(*&@<^ Full House T offense. You know, the one where the QB turns around and the three backs go in every direction and you don't know who has the ball. Yeah, that offense. All four backs pretend to be running with the ball with their arms in front of them and all of a sudden one keeps running for a TD. And they do it as well as if not better than anyone in the State. The Along with tough and fast backs, they are very big up front and great blockers. Trey Sloothaak is the QB that dishes out the ball to fast and rugged backs, #1 Keaton Hendrix, #34 Jonah Leslie and #5 Isaac VanderZwaag. Hendrix may be the fastest of the backs. It will be very important for the defensive players to play disciplined defense and read their keys. They wil have to watch a particular player each play and tackle everyone. And it will be very important for Panther Nation to show up and cheer on the Panthers loud and proud, as Ken tells us. We can't make a prediction the weather as this is a MHSAA neutral site game, but, it won't be like two years ago at Greenville for the 2022 semi-final. Here is the Division 3 Playoff bracket after the regional championships. We would also like to wish Morrice well at the 8-Player State Finals at the Superior Dome in Marquette. Morrice is coached by former DeWitt Panther player and coach Kendall Crockett. Go Orioles.
* Denotes Playoff Qualifier |
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Please send inquiries and comments to info@DeWittFootball.org
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TCP Photography
