‘We’ll find a way’: Boyne City claws its way to Division 6 football semifinals

REED CITY – Right now, Dan Campbell and the Detroit Lions could be standing on the opposite sideline and the Boyne City football team would love their chances.

Although they had no luck against the Lions on Friday night, the Ramblers met the No. 4 ranked team in Division 6 and didn’t back down at all.

For a fourth straight week, a ranked opponent visited Boyne City, as the Ramblers cruised their way to a Division 6 regional championship trophy with a 34-20 victory over the host Coyotes.

“Maybe one of these weeks we’ll meet our match, but our kids are playing with more confidence than anyone around us and they look good,” Boyne City coach Dave Suttle said afterward . “

From a season that started 2-2 to a one-win win at Campbell and the Lions’ home of Ford Field, Boyne City’s (10-2) 2024 campaign is one for the history books in Boyne.

As Suttle pointed out, his guys just believe.

No giving up there team

In the second quarter of Friday’s game, Reed City took the lead in a 14-0 game and the Ramblers are still looking for their break offensively.

But they just grind and grind until it all comes free, the same way the season went.

“It goes back to the leadership of the kids and my second-to-none coaching staff. They squeak,” Suttle said to explain where that comes from. “The JV guys, the strength and conditioning guys. At the start of the year, we didn’t know who we were or what direction we were going.

Friday against the Coyotes, Boyne broke free on a 61-yard pass and caught Drew Neer from Owen Hewitt, making the score 14-7, matching the situation at halftime. Then the floodgates opened in the second half.

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Hewitt scored from 38 yards, then 13 yards, then six yards early in the fourth to take a 28-14 lead.

When the game had to end, Ryan Spate did the honors with a 9-yard score to make it 34-14.

Hewitt and Spate combined for 183 rushing yards against a big defensive front, which Suttle attributed to his offensive line.

“Our six offensive linemen up there continue to work and they are so courageous,” Suttle said, including tight end Maddox Fitzpatrick in the mix. “Two-headed monster is a great way to describe (Owen and Ryan), but I would rather call it a six-headed monster with an offensive line and a tight end.”

Hewitt finished the night with 11 carries for 96 yards and three scores, then added a 61-yard touchdown run. Spate had 19 carries for 80 yards and a score, then made 15 tackles defensively.

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Mirroring History

This is the third time a Boyne City team has reached the state semifinals, tying a 2014 team and a 2001 semifinal.

Although he wasn’t running the program at the time, Suttle was on the coaching staff for the 2014 season and sees a lot of commonality with that group.

“There are a lot of similarities between the two teams,” Suttle said. “There are a lot of differences, but a lot of similarities. One of the biggest similarities is the courage they want to play with and that no matter what happens, we will find a way. It doesn’t always work, but if you have this belief, you will win more than you lose.

Bring them

As of Friday night, Boyne City didn’t know who would be next on the schedule, with Newaygo and Lansing Catholic meeting Saturday in a regional championship to determine that.

Who it will be and where it will be may be of little importance. Boyne City is likely to show up and be ready to play no matter what. They’ve proven that enough over the past four weeks with wins over Traverse City St. Francis, Negaunee, Kingsley and Reed City.

“We’re going to play tough, physical football,” Suttle said. “No matter what, they’re going to fight and they better be ready to play all four quarters.”

Contact or send game stats/information to Sports Editor Drew Kochanny at [email protected]. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @DrewKochanny, and Instagram, @drewkochanny

This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: Boyne City overcomes two-score gap to top Reed City at regional championships.