By Jason Wesseldyk
Sports Editor
The 2024 season saw Saugatuck qualify for the playoffs—and win a playoff game—for the second straight season.
If the Trailblazers are to make it three postseason berths in a row, then they’ll need to get some solid production from some of their younger players.
Gone due to graduation are 10 players from last year’s squad, including the likes of quarterback Cass Stanberry, tight end Carter Miller, kicker Cam Lewis, fullback Chris Foley and running backs Norm Bos and Jaxon Green.
“We have a young team and we need to stay healthy in order to have success,” said Bill Dunn, who enters his 23rd season at the helm in Saugatuck.
Given the overall youth of the team, it should come as no surprise that Dunn will rely heavily on this year’s seniors to lead that way.
That group includes six players, led by co-captains Max Page (fullback/linebacker), Sam Bos (tight end/linebacker) and Seth Garfinkel (tackle).
“We have excellent senior leadership, and those leaders need to be play makers on both sides of the ball,” said Dunn, a 2025 National High School Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame inductee.
Also part of that senior contingent are Jordan Hoshor (guard/defensive end), Pete Mitchell (tight end/defensive back) and Jack Drummond (running back/defensive back).
The junior trio of Will Soule (running back/defensive back), A.J. Gosler (tackle), Mason Leslie (running back/defensive back) also return after playing at the varsity level a year ago.
Newcomers who could make an impact include Walt Bos, who was named a co-captain and is expected to take over at quarterback for Stanberry. On defense, Walt Bos will play defensive back.
Junior kicker Dante Holley, meanwhile, hopes to fill the void left by the graduation of Lewis, who was one of the best kickers in school history. Like Lewis, Holley is also a member of the boys soccer team at Saugatuck.
“The system is our strength,” Dunn said. “We will be fundamentally sound on both sides of the ball, but we need to execute to be successful and limit the mistakes.
“Special teams will be a plus again for us this year.”
When looking at the SAC portion of the schedule, Dunn believes the usual suspects will once again be the teams to beat.
“Lawton and Schoolcraft have been the top teams the last few years and will be the teams to beat again this year,” he said. “Our focus will be improvement each and every week and looking to get better week to week.”
Wednesday, August 20, 2025
