NORTON SHORES – After a strong (8-1, 8-0) regular season, Mona Shores fell to Byron Center in the district final, ending its storybook campaign.
Byron Center avenged its loss from Week 4 and defeated Mona Shores 30-23 on Friday night. BC scored 17 unanswered points in the first half, which proved to be too much for the Sailors to overcome.
Veteran head coach Mike Koziak has built an absolute powerhouse in Division 2. In his tenure with Mona Shores, Koziak has led the team to the playoffs in 11 of the 14 seasons he’s been there, along with two state titles under his belt.
The Sailors were dominant offensively, with explosive playmakers leading the way.
Tomarion Steward, a Division I-bound player out of the backfield, proved his electric touch this season.
Jonathan Pittman, a physical quarterback who is not afraid to run through you. Micah Carefelle was THE go-to guy in the passing game and Pittman’s number one target.
Taking a trip down memory lane begins in Week 1.
Mona Shores opened with Grand Blanc, a Division I program. Grand Blanc is still dancing in the MHSAA playoffs and will face Rochester Adams on Friday. Against Grand Blanc, Pittman ran for three touchdowns and 192 yards. Mona Shores held on late to pick up a huge road win to start the season, 28-26.
The Sailors didn’t see a home game until Week 4, when they faced Byron Center for the first time. This was also Mona Shores’ first conference game of the season. The game went under 30 points and was a defensive standstill until Pittman threw a strike to Dominic Piggue to make the score 14-6. With just over five minutes left in the game, Byron Center’s Landon Tungate ran into the end zone from five yards out. The two-point conversion, however, was no good, which kept Mona Shores in the lead 14-12. BC got one more chance with a minute and 30 seconds left on the clock. Carefelle intercepted a pass from Tungate, sealing the game for Shores.
Fast forward one week, and we arrive at the Muskegon rivalry, with the Sailors traveling to Hackley Stadium. Heading into this game, Mona Shores had lost the previous four meetings against Muskegon. This became what I like to call the Micah Carefelle Legacy Game. Carefelle exploded onto the scene with seven catches for 168 yards and three touchdowns. Mona Shores jumped out to a 7-0 lead that turned into a 28-14 ballgame. Muskegon cut the deficit to eight points with just over four minutes left, but the Sailors would add some insurance late, ultimately winning 42-27.
After the win against Muskegon, Mona Shores was sitting at (5-0, 2-0), a record that would soon extend to (8-0, 5-0) with wins over FHN, GR Union, and Reeths-Puffer.
In Week 9, Mona Shores hosted Toledo Central Catholic (9-1). A valiant effort from the Sailors wasn’t enough, as they dropped their regular season finale 14-13.
In Round 1 of the playoffs, Mona Shores defeated Traverse City West 28-0. The Sailors won the turnover battle decisively, with three interceptions.
A season full of hope and hard-nosed football ended quicker than expected.
However, with Coach Koziak at the helm, there is no doubt the Sailors will be back next year, aiming for a deep playoff run.
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