State Championship Preview: Division 6

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Division 6 was as wide open as any division in the entire state. There were plenty of upsets, Cinderella Stories, and heart breaking losses. At the end of the road, 2 teams are left standing, and ready to put it all on the line for a state title. Almont and Kingsley will be attempting to etch themselves into the history books this Saturday at 4:30. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Almont comes in with an impressive resume. They enter with a 12-1 record with a lone loss to a solid D5 program in Ogemaw Heights, and wins over the likes of Croswell Lexington, Armada, and surviving a scare by another one of the division favorites in Warren Michigan Collegiate. They've outscored opponents 483-192, and shown an ability to throw and run the ball effectively. Keep a close eye on [player_tooltip player_id='899539' first='Chase' last='Battani'], who is a really good RB with home run ability on any given carry. He has great balance, vision and when he gets outside, he's nearly impossible to track down. He can be elusive, but he is typically a 1 cut back who gets upfield in a hurry. He could really do some damage against a Kingsley defense that was prone to giving up some points. [player_tooltip player_id='899538' first='Luke' last='Winkler'] will be another piece as he also has the nose for the end zone, and can also do some damage on special teams. I'm excited to see how this tandem does against a fairly vulnerable defense. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Kingsley is back at Ford Field for the 1st time since 2005. The Stags come in with a loss to Ogemaw Heights as well, and just a 3 point loss to a team 3 divisions higher that made it to their regional championship. This is a tough squad that prefers to run the ball, but can throw it when necessary. Eli Graves is likely going to get the majority of the carries, and for good reason. Eli ran for over 1700 yards and averaged 8.7 YPC. He's also the most popular target through the air, catching 462 yards worth of passes, with 5 touchdowns. Keep an eye on the big boys up front as well. There is going to be a major emphasis on winning in the trenches and being able to keep the ball away from Almont in order to win this game, and I think they've got the horses up front to move the line of scrimmage. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This game is going to display a lot of D3 talent that most colleges likely aren't familiar with. This is going to be a huge stage for these schools that are typically underrecruited, and when the lights are brightest, I think they'll put on a show. Both squads are hungry for a state title, and they both have the kids to get it done. This should be a fun game and I expect there to be a plethora of points! </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->