Possibly the most surprising team to miss the playoffs this season is the Muskegon Big Reds.
Just a season ago these Big Reds were state champions in division two. A season where they faced losses in both weeks one and two against powerhouses in Rockford and De La Salle. Legendary head coach Shane Fairfield and his troops rallied the rest of the regular season to finish with seven straight wins on its way to a (7-2) season. The momentum did not stop there, Muskegon ran the tables in the playoffs and eventually avenged its loss to De La Salle and defeated them 33-21 in the state finals.
Muskegon opened the new champaign with perennial top programs Zeeland West in week one and Rockford the following week. Both schools are contenders for a state title in their respective divisions. Both games did not go in favor of the Big Reds however, losing 28-13 and 28-21. Muskegon picked up a few clutch wins down the stretch against FHN, GR Union, and Reeths-Puffer.
In the long run, these wins didn’t matter much as the Big Reds ended its season with what would be a disappointing record for Muskegon at (3-5).
The Muskegon Big Reds’ season came to an end last Friday night with a loss to Archbishop Moeller 51-27. A game in which Muskegon posted a total of 406 yards on offense. The nationally ranked powerhouse from Ohio was just too much to handle.
Heading into the 2024 season, the Big Reds had some key positions to fill including the most important position in football, Quarterback. Former North Muskegon QB, James Young, transferred to Muskegon after a memorable playoff run with the Norse. Young ultimately had a solid season with the Big Reds having multiple performances with 200+ passing yards.
Explosive playmakers such as Keshawn Drummer and Michael Piggee showed how dynamic this team was any given Friday.
Looking back on the five losses Muskegon had this season, Zeeland West, Rockford, Mona Shores, BC and Archbishop Moeller were all very winnable games through three quarters. A few of which had Muskegon leading at the break.
The offensive scheme this season for Fairfield and his staff was something Muskegon hasn’t typically seen in previous seasons. Picking up a field general quarterback in Young who could also burn you deep, forces you to open up the playbook.
The Big Red defense for most of the season was lock down. A few games however, including Mona Shores and Archbishop Moeller exposed them to an extent giving up 40+ points in each of them.
MONA SHORES – MUSKEGON RIVALRY
Dating back to the 2012 season when these two schools transition into the same division of the OK-Conference, Muskegon owned the rivalry eight games to three. This year’s game holds a different story with Mona Shores coming into Hackley Stadium and defeated the Big Reds 42-27.
Even with the Big Reds underperforming its expectations this season, there will be a new season and another chance for Muskegon and its fans to rejoice the storied program and make a deep run in the playoffs.
Myles Welch joined CatchMark in February 2024 as a CatchMark SportsNet Intern. He would like to become a sports broadcaster or analyst. He currently attends Whitehall High School and will graduate in 2025.