PEWAMO-WESTPHALIA: The scoreboard said 56–28, but numbers never tell the whole story. On a sunny but cold Saturday afternoon in Pewamo-Westphalia, the Norsemen’s season ended not with resignation, but with resolve.
North Muskegon entered the Division 7 District Final short-handed, missing senior running back and inside linebacker Hunter Wilder for medical reasons. His absence was a blow, yet the sideline still buzzed with the same grit that has carried the Norsemen through four straight conference titles and a program streak of nine consecutive playoff appearances.
The Pirates of Pewamo-Westphalia took control early, jumping to a 14–0 lead after the first quarter and stretching it to 34–6 by halftime. But North Muskegon never stopped fighting.
Senior quarterback Bryce Colbert kept pushing, connecting with Beckett Hoppa on several key plays, including a fourth-down touchdown that put the Norsemen on the board.
Video by Jeff Burel | CatchMark SportsNet
Later, Cullen Bartos took a handoff and delivered a perfect throw to Hoppa for another score, a reminder that this group’s creativity and heart never faded.
Video by Jeff Burel | CatchMark SportsNet
Even as the clock wound down, the Norsemen played with pride, embodying the same toughness that defined their 7–3 season.
After the game, Colbert reflected on what the moment meant:
“Obviously, this loss is going to stick with me for probably a month or two,” he said. “But after that’s gone, all I’m going to think about is the good times with my teammates and how good a time this program has been. I told the underclassmen in the huddle, Remember this feeling, because it really sucks. So I hope they use that to fuel them in the weight room.”
That message captured the heart of North Muskegon football, a standard built on commitment, community, and belief.
Photos by Jeff Burel | CatchMark SportsNet
Head coach Larry Witham spoke softly after the game, his voice heavy with emotion as he reflected on his players and the journey they’ve shared.
“Finality is hard,” Witham said. “But these kids have played at a high level for a number of years. What they’ve accomplished doesn’t go unnoticed. They’ve set the table for future North Muskegon football players.”
He added that this group’s impact reaches beyond the season’s final score.
“Our kids are very proud of what they’ve done, not just for themselves but for their teammates and their program. I’ve been around North Muskegon a long time, and I want them to understand how proud they should be to wear those colors every Thursday and Friday night.”
The Norsemen will graduate 12 of their 39 players, a senior class that helped define one of the most successful stretches in program history. The program reached the state semifinals in both 2023 and 2024, falling to Menominee and Millington, respectively.
As helmets came off and hugs replaced huddles in the crisp November air, one truth was clear: North Muskegon’s 2025 season ended, but its story did not. The seniors leave behind more than numbers; they leave a legacy of excellence that future Norsemen will carry forward, ready for the next challenge and the next kickoff.
For full postseason results, view the MHSAA Division 7 Football Playoff Bracket.
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