Scott Novak: It’s white knuckle time for our teams

Published 9:34 pm Thursday, September 30, 2010

novakIt’s that time of year when teams have to start casting an eye toward the post season.

With only four games remaining in the regular season, all of our area teams are still alive for a playoff bid.

In Michigan you have to win six games to qualify for the post season.

Three of our teams — Edwardsburg, Cassopolis and Brandywine — are 4-1.

Dowagiac and Niles are both 3-2 heading into this week’s competition.

The game of the week is at Brandywine High School tonight when the Rangers and Bobcats clash.

It’s another match-up between former Dowagiac coaches Bernard Thomas and Mike Nate.

Thomas won more than 100 games as the Chieftains’ head coach, while Nate spent most of those years as the offensive coordinator.

Two weeks ago, former assistant coach Randy Brooks and Edwardsburg got the better of Cassopolis.

This game is huge for both teams as it will put them just one game away from qualifying for the post season.

The teacher gets the better of the student in this one, however, 28-21.

Dowagiac at Plainwell

Dowagiac bounced back after losing two straight games to blow out Comstock this week.

Plainwell is another team that is at the bottom of the Wolverine Conference standings.

The Chieftains need this game to keep their playoff hopes alive and they will get it with a 38-14 victory over the Trojans.

Lakeshore at Niles

Like Dowagiac, the Vikings snapped a two-game slide with a win over Mattawan.

It’s homecoming at Niles tonight, but they will be welcoming a Lakeshore team that lost its first game of the season to Portage Northern last week.

An angry Lancer squad will be looking for redemption against the Vikings, who will put up a great fight, but fall a little short in a 32-21 contest.

Coloma at Edwardsburg

The last place team in the Lakeland Conference comes calling tonight and they will be greated by a homecoming crowd at Edwardsburg.

The Eddies, lost their first game of the season last week to Buchanan 28-27 and are still stinging from it.

I look for Edwardsburg to take it out on the Comets and great the homecoming crowd to a lopsided 42-7 victory.

After the first five weeks of the season I am proud to say that I am 20-3 with a winning percentage of .869.

Scott Novak is sports editor of Leader Publications. He can be reached at scott.novak@leaderpub.com