MONTAGUE, Mich. — There is just one week until the high school football season begins and the Montague Wildcats are ready to get after it.
The Wildcats are known for winning on the gridiron. While an eight-win season and a playoff appearance in 2021 is icing on the cake for most schools, Montague wants more.
The team won the Division 6 State Championship in the 2020 season, but lost to Catholic Central in the regionals in 2021 31-13.
Following the state championship victory, legendary head coach Pat Collins retired. Montague then hired Justin Dennett to take over in 2021.
Dennett knows what the expectation is at Montague, and now after experiencing Wildcat football for one year, he believes his culture is established.
"I feel like I am in a lot better position in the second year compared to last year," Dennett said. "Just getting to know my coaches and players. I was new to the area. I didn't know anybody on my staff or anybody in the school. Just a year of getting to know everybody and getting on the same page has helped out a lot."
The players are glad to be gelling with Dennett.
"I feel like we are more together as brothers now," Montague senior quarterback Chase Gowell said. "Coach is a little bit younger. He's able to relate to us a little bit better. We're all friends, basically. We're all brothers here together. I feel like we've become closer as the years gone on."
The Wildcats believe more wins will come now in Year 2 under Dennett.
"He just brought us all together," Montague senior middle linebacker Silas Jancek said. "Everybody has one focused goal. He's responsible for that. He's doing good."
The Wildcats open up the 2022 season against Spring Lake on Friday August 26.
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