Criminally Early Look WMC Lakes Conference Final Rankings

I’ve spent most of this summer thinking about football. Honestly, I’ve probably thought more about this season than I’ve actually written about it. Having a newborn in the house has given me a little more time to reflect—well, in between diaper changes and power naps.

So I thought, why not kill two birds with one stone? Let’s take a criminally early look at the 2025 West Michigan Conference Lakes Division football season. Team previews are coming soon, but this felt like the perfect way to kick things off.

Let’s dive in—ranked from seventh to first, based on how I think the standings will shake out this fall.

7) Fremont Packers

Fremont enters 2025 with some promising offensive pieces, including senior running back Karter Frens—who rushed for nearly 1,300 yards and 13 touchdowns last season—and junior quarterback Brayden Crosley, who gained valuable experience as a sophomore. The Packers return four starting linemen, which could help them build on their ground game, but they’ll need serious improvement on defense after allowing over 300 points in 2024. Depth remains an issue, especially with many offensive players expected to play both ways. They’ve got a favorable midseason stretch with four straight home games, but after going winless at home last year, they’ll need to show they can capitalize if they hope to move out of the WMC Lakes bottom half.

You can read Myles in-depth preview here: https://catchmarksports.com/west-michigan-conference-football-preview-2025-fremont-packers-season-outlook/

6) Manistee

Manistee finds itself in a similar spot: not much lost, not much gained. They’ve got talent, but no one that jumps off the page—yet. This is their final WMC Lakes ride (for now), but we haven’t seen much out of them in the past few seasons. They could make a push but I am doubtful of the idea.

5) Orchard View

Here’s where things get interesting—OV is on the rise. Payton Babbitt might be one of the best quarterbacks in all of West Michigan, and the Cardinals made a massive leap from 2023 to 2024. I think that momentum continues. I could easily see them finishing anywhere from second to fourth, but cracking the top two still feels like a stretch this year. The success they’re starting to see across multiple sports is lifting the entire athletic department, and football is clearly benefitting from that surge.

4) Oakridge

Hot take alert… Oakridge enters the 2025 season with a new voice at the helm, as former defensive coordinator Tim Parker steps in for the legendary Cary Harger. More than half the roster returns, giving the Eagles a hopeful foundation after last year’s modest four-win campaign. Senior quarterback Logen Huston is back with varsity experience, having guided big wins over Manistee and Fremont. The run game should again be a strength, led by Jayden Dailey and Jordan Guerrero-McGrady, with all-conference linemen Dylan Cunningham and Brett Kroll clearing the way. On defense, linebacker-captain Preston Six brings leadership and poise, though the secondary and trenches remain question marks. Still, Parker’s history of navigating roster turnover inspires confidence.

Here’s why I don’t see them cracking the top three: even with Parker’s familiarity, any coaching change brings uncertainty—culture shifts, tweaks to the gameplan, and intangible factors that can rattle a program. Add in the fact that Oakridge hasn’t brought in much new firepower (at least that we know of) and you’re looking at a team that, while experienced, didn’t do a lot of winning last year. Without a major talent infusion, it’s tough to project a big jump in the win column.

You can read Myles in-depth preview here: https://catchmarksports.com/west-michigan-conference-football-preview-2025-oakridge-eagles-season-outlook/

3) Whitehall

For the first time in a long time, I think we’ll see some regression from the Vikings. That’s not a knock—it’s just tough to reload right away after losing a generational talent like Camden Thompson. They still return Osborne and a few other key pieces, but questions at quarterback and other skill positions loom large. If they find an answer under center, they could absolutely be in the title conversation. But that’s a big “if.”

2) Montague

This is the most improved team in the WMC Lakes, no question. The Wildcats made a major splash in the offseason by hiring Phil Koops, who brings big-school experience from Hamilton. They also feature one of the best offensive lines in the area and a backfield duo in Fletcher Thommen and Devlin Dean that might be unmatched in the conference. The air attack could be their Achilles heel—but who knows, maybe an underclassman steps up and slings it. Add in Peterson, likely back at QB, and things are looking up on the other side of the bridge.

As I said around Oakridge’s new coaching hire, a new coach, epsecially from a different area, leaves people with question marks. From what I can see, via his resume of coaching experience, this guy knows what he is talking about and knows what winning looks like at the big level. The real question is…can it translate?

1) Ludington

Ludington enters 2025 as a clear favorite in the WMC Lakes after a strong 7-3 campaign last fall, bringing back nearly its entire starting lineup, including star quarterback Cam Gunsell. The senior dual-threat is coming off a monster season with over 2,000 passing yards, 27 passing touchdowns, and nearly 1,500 rushing yards with 21 scores on the ground—drawing college interest from GVSU, Ferris, and Davenport. He’s joined by returning receivers Taj Williams, Zach Graham, and Messiah Himes, along with a stacked offensive line headlined by All-State talent Walt Autrey. Defensively, the Orioles bring back playmakers like Cooper Holmes, Messiah Himes, and Gunsell—who led the team with 66 tackles from the safety spot. The defensive front may be the biggest question but Ludington looks balanced and more importantly dangerous.

You can read Myles in-depth preview here: catchmarksports.com/west-michigan-conference-football-preview-2025-ludington-orioles-season-outlook/

Let me know your thoughts. Who did I overrate? Who did I overlook? I already know this’ll stir the pot, but hey… we ball.

Let us know. Can’t wait to get out and start the 2025 fall sports season. Stay tuned folks, lets run it back.

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