Five Teams I'm Excited for in 2025

Just like that, the offseason is nearly over. Team camp is in full swing, and our season kicks off next month. Now's the time to begin transitioning from offseason coverage to in-season coverage! This is undoubtedly where I personally thrive most, and I think it's easily the most fun time of the year.   Here are five teams that I'm excited to follow this season. I believe all of these teams have a chance to go far this season!   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Macomb Dakota - Division 1 - MAC Red</h2>   When talking about the top contenders for this season, I feel like most people will default to Cass Tech, Detroit Catholic Central, and Belleville. I hope people don't forget just how close Macomb Dakota was to defeating Cass Tech in the regional round.   This year, I expect Dakota to be even better. Yes, they do lose a few pieces. Justin Bell, DiMari Malone, Brady Hamby, and a few others will be sorely missed. Although Dakota lost some talent in the class of 2025, I'd argue that they'll be even better this year. With improvements from [player_tooltip player_id='1615770' first='Brayden' last='Henson'], [player_tooltip player_id='1157440' first='Elijah' last='Goins'], [player_tooltip player_id='1620243' first='Rashad' last='Wilson'], [player_tooltip player_id='1337362' first='Santino' last='Lucci'], and [player_tooltip player_id='1398745' first='Jeramiah' last='Aaron'], both sides of the ball, particularly the skill positions, will be upgraded. Better yet, this is a deep team. Yes, there is star power, but there are also plenty of role players that will push Dakota to its ceiling.   X-Factor: QB [player_tooltip player_id='1225800' first='Nikkos' last='Davis']   Having watched a couple of Dakota games last season, I thought they had clear strengths and weaknesses. They had one of the best defenses in Michigan and a bruising, clock-chewing run game. In my view, their biggest weakness last season was pushing the ball downfield through the air. Here's where transfer Quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='1225800' first='Nikkos' last='Davis'] comes into play. Dude's a baller. A phenomenal career at University Liggett through three seasons, and he's absolutely looked the part this offseason. Nikkos seems to have the accuracy, mechanics, confidence, and overall consistency to perform against Michigan's toughest programs. Nikkos raises the ceiling of this offense immensely, and he's a huge reason why I consider Dakota to be a state championship favorite.   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Brother Rice - Division 2 - Catholic League </h2>   The Warriors have been extremely active this offseason. Last season, they were an extremely young but extremely talented team with a first-year head coach.   Going into year 2 of the Aaron Marshall era, Brother Rice is more talented and more experienced. Seniors [player_tooltip player_id='1225746' first='Jacob' last='Johnson'], [player_tooltip player_id='1256278' first='Alex' last='Wall'], and [player_tooltip player_id='566978' first='Brady' last='Thomas'] should be key pieces, especially when it comes to leadership. Then, you've got the young guys. [player_tooltip player_id='528080' first='Deondre' last='Hill'], [player_tooltip player_id='977789' first='Jayden' last='Bell'], [player_tooltip player_id='1689089' first='Kelaien' last='Elem'], [player_tooltip player_id='977460' first='Tyler' last='Trusel'], [player_tooltip player_id='1524859' first='Christian' last='Marshall'], [player_tooltip player_id='1158729' first='Kameron' last='Lowe'], and SEVERAL others who are considered Division 1 prospects. You simply cannot find a team with better freshman and sophomore talent. That said, Brother Rice should absolutely be an improved team. Their record will show improvement, and I could see them dealing massive damage in the postseason. I do still think this team is a year or two away from State Championship Contention, and I beleive they're still a couple steps behind DLS, St. Mary's, and DCC.   X-Factor: LB [player_tooltip player_id='528080' first='Deondre' last='Hill']   I'm expecting a massive step forward from [player_tooltip player_id='528080' first='Deondre' last='Hill']. His offers suggest he'll be a game-wrecker this Fall. He's absolutely a good enough athlete to produce on both sides of the ball. Offensively, he could be a field-stretcher. Defensively, I'm expecting Hill to be a sideline-to-sideline defender. I'm also expecting a great deal of physicality. If [player_tooltip player_id='528080' first='Deondre' last='Hill'] makes the leap that I'm expecting him to make, Brother Rice will be a much-improved team.   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">East Kentwood - Division 1 - OK Red</h2>   East Kentwood quietly had a very successful 2024 season. Under first-year head coach Tyrone Spencer (formerly at Detroit MLK), East Kentwood scraped together an unassuming 4-6 record and snuck into the playoffs. In the postseason, they ran into eventual state runner-up Hudsonville, and it took a game-winning field goal to send the Falcons home.   This season, East Kentwood should be much more competitive against its elite OK-Red opponents. A ton of returning talent, including [player_tooltip player_id='570285' first='Kayd' last='Coffman'], [player_tooltip player_id='1291369' first='Donavan' last='Jones'], [player_tooltip player_id='466870' first='Dallas' last='Moody'], [player_tooltip player_id='1613657' first='Kinyonn' last='Battle'], [player_tooltip player_id='1244363' first='Ahman' last='Edmonds'], and [player_tooltip player_id='1331349' first='Austin' last='Nelson']. Aside from their star power, I'm expecting East Kentwood to be much more well-rounded. I thought the offensive and defensive line were lacking last season, and it's already looking like a much-improved, more experienced group this season. Lastly, East Kentwood is the most populous school in Michigan by nearly 500 students. They already had good numbers last season, and I expect even better numbers on the sidelines this season. In my experience, a big sideline = great depth = fewer weak links.   X-Factor: QB [player_tooltip player_id='570285' first='Kayd' last='Coffman']   The Michigan State commit should take another step up this season. Last season was absolutely his breakout year- a ton of extremely promising flashes and moments of jaw-dropping play. Though there were some growing pains and inconsistencies he fought through. Now, Kayd knows what to expect from OK-Red defenses. Kayd only improved throughout the course of last season, and I expect him to pick up where he left off. If Kayd is taking care of the football and consistently making high-level throws, East Kentwood could make a run in the postseason.   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Kenowa Hills - Division 3 - River Cities Alliance</h2>   Continuing the trend of young teams with a relatively new Head Coach is Kenowa Hills. Now firmly in the Don Fellows era, Kenowa Hills has an opportunity to build on its 2024 success. To recap, Kenowa Hills went a respectable 6-3 during the regular season before losing to rival Coopersville in the playoffs. This was a huge jump from their 3-6 season in 2023, where they faced an inferior schedule.   Now, they've got experience, they've got structure, and they've got some talent. This is a team that's going to put up a boatload of points. The biggest make-or-break for them will be the defense.   X-Factor: RB/LB [player_tooltip player_id='1688162' first='Zander' last='Yost']   Zander has been putting in the work, and he should be a plug-and-play upgrade to both sides of the ball. At running back, he'll provide Kenowa Hills with much better offensive flexibility and allow the Knights to be more balanced. I'm expecting him to be one of the better RBs in the RCA. Defensively is where I think Zander could have the biggest impact. This offseason proved that he can drop back into zone coverage pretty well. I'm also expecting big things when it comes to stopping the run.   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Boyne City - Division 6 - Northern MI Legends</h2>   A little bit of a curveball here. Boyne City had a standout 11-win season last year, and they retain a good amount of talent. With the one and only D6 Powerhouse (Lumen Christi) losing more talent than usual, a team like Boyne City could steal a State Championship.   X-Factor: QB [player_tooltip player_id='1617508' first='Drew' last='Neer']   Neer was a massive reason for Boyne City's 2024 success. Having a quarterback who can air it out like Drew is an extreme rarity in Division 6. His deep balls are a thing of beauty, and he tends to get the ball out quickly. With another jump in production, he'll be one of the best QBs in Northern Michigan and he could lead Boyne City to Ford Field.

Just like that, the offseason is nearly over. Team camp is in full swing, and our season kicks off next month. Now's the time to begin transitioning from offseason coverage to in-season coverage! This is undoubtedly where I personally thrive most, and I think it's easily the most fun time of the year.