high school football JACKSON CITIZEN PATRIOT/ThE ZONE38 TuESdAy, AuguST 24, 2010

f r i d a y n i g h t s i g h t s

CITIZEN PATRIOT fIlE PhOTO

Concord quarterback Jordan Bulloch fires a

pass against homer last season. Bulloch

helped lead the Yellow Jackets to a

postseason berth last season but has

graduated and will be replaced in 2010 by

senior Derrick Brown.

Concord yellow Jackets Date Opponent 2009 Last10Aug. 27 HANOVER-HORTON W 24-7 5-6Sept. 2 at Springport W 34-28 4-6Sept. 10 QUINCY W 21-14 4-6Sept. 17 UNION CITY L 39-22 0-10Sept. 24 at Homer W 42-13 4-6Oct. 1 at Jonesville L 54-28 3-8Oct. 8 READING L 60-13 1-9Oct. 15 at Athens W 62-37 5-5Oct. 22 at Bronson DNP 0-0

“Last year, we were the worst team in the country at stopping the run. This year, we only have 16 guys, but you can only play 11 at a time, so we’ll be OK.”

Coach Joe Williamson, the former hillsdale high School quarterback, brought a lot of enthusiasm to the Concord sideline last year. The kids bought into it, and the program got off the mat. The days of winless seasons in Concord are history.

WIllIAmsON

thE sChEDULE

COaCh’S QUOtE

OUr tAKE

• lAsT YEAR: 6-4, 4-3 Big Eight• COACh: Joe Williamson (2nd season at Concord; 11-8)

• BIg EIghT TITlEs: 0 (league member since 1973)

• lAsT lEAguE TITlE: 1964 (Cascades)• All-TImE PlAYOff RECORD: 3-3

• lONgEsT PlAYOff RuN: 2001, division 7 semifinals

Concord easily captured the title of Jackson-area team with the biggest turnaround in 2009. After winning just one game the previous four years, the yellow Jackets won their first four games under first-year coach Joe Williamson and went on to the playoffs. The quick exit at the hands of hudson in the first round did little to dampen the celebration of a nice season in Concord.

a LOOK At 2009

Offensively speaking, it was a banner year at Concord, where the team put up 258 points.

The production marked the fouth consective year of improvement in that category.

Concord mixed the run and pass as well as any school in the area last year.

n The quarterback: derrick Brown (6-1, 160, sr.) will be a first-year starter for the yellow Jackets. Christian Anderson (6-2, 205, sr.) is listed as the back-up quarterback.

The question mark is Anderson, who is an able quarterback, but he’s also the area’s best returning wide receiver. he was an

all-state pick by one detroit newspaper.

n The ones to watch: WR Zach Brigham (5-11, sr.) and WR Anderson.

Anderson had 41 catches for 794 yards, and Brigham (42 catches, 706 yards) is also one of the area’s top place-kickers.

n Other returning starters: RB devin Matteson (sr.), OL Travis detgen (sr.), OL Trevor detgen (sr.), OL Kyle Martin (sr.), WR david Rett (sr.).

n Other top returning letterwinners: RB drew Philson (soph.), TE Matt dehaven (soph.), OL Christian Riske (sr.), OL Rayce Randall (jr.), RB Louis Fraser (sr.).

The yellow Jackets defense struggled to stop the run last year and really seemed to run out of gas by season's end.

Concord allowed 54, 60 and 56 points its last three games of the season.

For the season, the yellow Jackets allowed more than 300 points for the third consecutive season.

This year, the challenge will be to trim those point totals and do it with a roster of just 16 varsity players. That will cause just about everyone to go both ways and challenge their fitness level all season.

"We have high expectations," coach Joe Williamson said. "A lot of

people think last year was a fluke. Our guys are using that talk as motivation."

n The one to watch: LB Matteson. “devin was one of those guys who really hit the weight room hard since last season,” Williamson said.

“he’s always been intense, and this year he’s really bringing it this summer. No. 24 is really flying around the field.”

n Other returning starters: LB Trevor detgen (sr.), LB Travis detgen, FS Brigham, dL Martin, dL Randall, CB Rett, CB Fraser.

n Other top returning letterwinners: LB Philson, SS dehaven, dL Riske, dL Jordan Earl (sr.).

thE OFFENsE thE DEFENsE

high school football TuESdAy, AuguST 24, 2010 39JACKSON CITIZEN PATRIOT/ThE ZONE

S E n i O r t O W A t C h

CONCORD — Wide Receiver

Chri

stia

n a

nde

rson

As a 6-foot-3, 200-pound junior a year ago, Christian Anderson was next to unstoppable as a wide receiver while

helping Concord reach the postseason for the first time since 2002.

Anderson caught 41 passes for 794 yards and eight touchdowns. his 19.4-yards-per-catch average helped earn him all-state honors by the detroit Free Press and an honorable mention all-state nod by The Associated Press.

Anderson moved to split end last year after playing quarterback his sophomore season at Concord.

The three-sport athlete is also a stand-out on the basketball court and in track.

n favorite high school sports mem-ory so far? “The day that I learned I made all-state for football. That same day I made a basket to send it in OT against Michigan Center and we won the game.”

Anderson made a game-tying put-back as time expired in regulation and then made the game-winning layup with 30 seconds remaining in overtime for a 76-73 victory.

n hobbies away from football? “hang out with friends, work out and go fishing.”

n favorite sporting event you’ve at-tended? “Pistons games are my favorite to go to. I went to a few games last year.”

n If your teacher says you hAVE to be in the school talent show, what’s your talent? “I would probably go out and sing. I like to sing all the time.”

n favorite pro football player? “(In-dianapolis Colts QB) Peyton Manning. I just like the way he controls the game and reads the defense.”

n favorite college football team? “Ohio State. I get blasted all the time. My family is from Ohio, so it just kind of runs in our blood.”

n Do you have any sports supersti-tions? “I have a lot of rituals. I go home, get something to eat, take a nap, get stuff together and go to the school. I also write stuff on my cleats to remember both my grandpas throughout the game.”

n What’s the most memorable game you’ve been a part of? “Sophomore year against Quincy in football. It was our first win in a really long time.” Concord scored the game’s final 20 points in a 48-36 vic-tory over Quincy that snapped a 35-game losing streak.

n favorite part of friday night under the lights? “When the pressure’s on, we need to score and when they call on me. Coming through with a touchdown is probably the best feeling there is.”

n Team motto? “The focus is on fam-ily — a lot about bonding and believing in each other.”

sPECIAl TO ThE CITIZEN PATRIOT • ERIk hOllADAY