The Niles varsity football team will open the 2014 season tonight at Kalamazoo Loy Norrix with heavy hearts.

On Monday, senior Sean Craig’s father Jim, a former Niles assistant principal, died at the age of 58.

Craig and the Vikings plan on honoring Jim’s memory tonight against the Knights.

The Vikings are looking to get off on the right foot for the 2014 season.

Niles was 2-7 last year and has won jut six of 18 games over the past two seasons.

Offensively, the Vikings have been able to put up some big numbers, but have struggled to stop the other team’s offense.

Niles averages 22.3 points four game and with the speed the Vikings have at the skill positions, that number should only increase this season.

Returning for the Vikings are all-state wide receiver Ra’Quon Glenn, who caught 53 passes for 834 yards and seven touchdowns last season. He also rushed for 190 yards.

Also returning are running back Warren Smith, Craig and Joe Avance, who shared time at quarterback last season. The two combined for 950 yards and eight touchdowns.

Avance missed the end of the 2013 season with a broken wrist.

Neither will play quarterback this season as they move to wide receiver.

Replacing them at quarterback is Alex Harpenau, who threw for 171 yards and two touchdowns last season.

Niles also returns tight end David Kennedy.

With the offense expected to provide plenty of points, it will be up to the Niles defense to tighten up.

The Vikings have allowed 31.3 points per game and allowed opponents to score more than 40 points six times in two seasons.

Hoping to change the fortunes of that unit are returners Braulio Sosa (72 tackles), Fred Kemp (49 tackles) and Craig (72 tackles). The Vikings also have Jalen Alexander, Josh Buckingham, Kennedy and Anthony Younger returning on defense.

Loy Norrix is coming off a 1-8 campaign in 2013.

The Knights do have some playmakers on offense, including quarterback Traver Parlato, Davon Mitchell and Malyk Thomas. Kalamazoo Central transfer Simeon Smith, who is 6-foot-7, could pose a problem for the Niles defensive backs.

Like the Vikings, Loy Norrix must shore up its defense. The Knights allowed 3-3 points last season.

Kickoff is slated for 7 p.m.

 

Brandywine at Bridgman

The Bobcats hope to kick off a new era in style tonight when they travel to Bridgman for their inaugural game in the BCS Athletic Conference.

Brandywine is a member of the Red Division, while the Bees are in the Blue Division.

Brandywine, who was 8-2 last season and a playoff qualifier, has won six of the last seven meetings with the Bees, but the 27-26 loss in 2012 still stings.

The Bobcats were able to avenge that defeat last season with a 26-18 victory.

Despite the Bobcats losing about half of its 2013 roster to graduation, Brandywine still has plenty of firepower, but not much depth.

Leading the Bobcats offensively will be senior quarterback Andrew Duckett, who ran and threw for nearly 1,500 yards and 25 touchdowns.

When Duckett isn’t throwing or running, he will be looking to hand the ball off to Marty Ward — who rushed for over 1,000 yards in 2013 — or Charlie Rodriguez. Both Ward and Rodriguez will be factors on the defensive side of the ball as well.

Due to a lack of numbers, veteran coach Mike Nate has all but abandoned the two-platoon system. That could hurt the Bobcats late in games.

Third-year staring quarterback Dan Koziel, who threw for better than 1,500 yards last season, will lead Bridgman.

The Bees face the task of trying to replace Cooper Mojsiejenko, who was a three-time all-stater, who caught 48 passes for 1,124 yards and seven touchdowns.

Bridgman returns seven players from last year’s 6-4 squad, which averaged 28.6 points per game.

Running backs Julian Sheriff and Ryon Tym combined for more than 1,300 yards rushing.

Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.