Undefeated Niles earns 49-14 Senior Night win over Plainwell
Published 11:35 am Saturday, October 18, 2025
The Niles football team defeated Plainwell Friday night. (Maxwell Harden / Leader Publications)
(Maxwell Harden / Leader Publications)
(Maxwell Harden / Leader Publications)
(Maxwell Harden / Leader Publications)
(Maxwell Harden / Leader Publications)
(Maxwell Harden / Leader Publications)
(Maxwell Harden / Leader Publications)
(Maxwell Harden / Leader Publications)
(Maxwell Harden / Leader Publications)
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NILES — The Niles football team made sure to make the most of its Senior Night.
The undefeated Vikings (8-0,6-0) honored 23 seniors en route to a 49-14 win over visiting Plainwell, clinching at least a share of the Wolverine Conference in the process.
Niles scored seven times on plays of 32, 41, 2, 25, 33, 6 and 15 yards. Will Turnbull (one rushing and two passing), Alex Anderson, Elijah Norris, Brandon Walsh, Brogan Lake and Sheldon Cornelius found the end zone for the Vikings, who led 42-0 at halftime. Plainwell’s two touchdowns, a 61-yard run and a 36-yard pass, came in the fourth quarter against Niles’ reserves.
“I thought we played really well,” said Niles head coach Scot Shaw. “I’m proud of the way we came out of the gate. “It is a fun game when you play hard.”
“We came out strong,” said senior offensive lineman Trenton Scott. “We’ve been scoring early and getting three-and-outs from our defense, props to them for getting after it. Offensively, we’re scoring after three to six plays and just marching down the field.”
Thousands of fans turned out to support the senior class – the winninggest in school history with 36 wins and counting – which has amassed three Wolverine Conference championships, two district titles, one regional title and a Division 4 state runner-up finish on its way toward building a winning tradition at Niles.
“They’ve meant everything to this program, especially the kids that have been here four years that have demonstrated and led by example and been at everything and just great people on top of being good football players,” Shaw said. “I couldn’t be prouder of them for the year they’re having and the last four years that they’ve had, and it’s not over. We talk a lot about that too but I’m really, really proud of them.”
For Scott and his fellow seniors, Senior Night was more than just a game. It was a celebration of memories made and milestones reached together.
“It meant a lot,” he said. “We’ve been playing together since we were five or six years old, so we definitely all have a connection. We all know what we’re going to do. To be honest, it’s going to be sad once it’s all over. Today was sad, seeing all the seniors lined up for our last regular season home game. Playing with each other just means a lot to us.”
Standing in the way of Niles’ first undefeated season since 1979 and an outright Wolverine Conference title is Edwardsburg (6-2,4-2), who fell to Vicksburg 38-35 in a thriller. The Eddies host the Vikings at 7 p.m. Friday.
“We definitely just have to match the physicality we’ve shown all year,” Scott said. “Edwardsburg is a good team that just took a loss but we can’t let that affect us. We’re a little greedy and want to keep the trophy all to ourselves. It’s going to be a good battle at Edwardsburg.”
“We’re gonna go in with the thought that it’s ours to lose and we’re gonna win it,” Shaw said. “We’re gonna play as hard as we can. I told them just now that it’s okay to be selfish, and we don’t have to share.”
