Three Slept-On Division 2 Teams

Get 30% off your subscription by using Pallone30 in the coupon code area!   Division 2 is filled with great teams. With a few teams like De La Salle and Caledonia being major Ford Field Favorites, it leaves a few teams getting much less coverage. Today, I'll be going in-depth on Byron Center, Reeths-Puffer, and Seaholm, who I feel are all severely underappreciated.   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Byron Center </h2>   This is legitimately one of the most under-appreciated teams in the entire state. Last season, they earned an excellent 7-3 record and a 6-1 league record only behind Forest Hills Central; the D2 Runners-Up. This offseason, I've seen absolutely zero hype around this program, even though they're a legitimate contender in the OK-White. Sure, Byron Center may not have a ton of top-end talent, but they always have a super high floor because of how Head Coach Marc Cisco runs the program. It's one thing to have a team with stars, but I believe it's even more impressive to have a team so disciplined and fundamentally sound that you don't need those stars to succeed.   Strengths   Consistency / Reliability   Byron Center is going to give you a very consistent product on the field. Looking at their 2022 schedule, they consistently won close games against good opponents and played competitively against exceptional teams. I'll note that the playoff performance against Portage Northern is a negative outlier, though you must be impressed by their Forest Hills Central and Battle Creek Central games. I confidently see a 6-7 win regular season with this team, even with a pretty difficult schedule.   Overall Grit / Playmaking   I know grit isn't something you can measure, but I've always felt it whenever I see them play. Byron Center has demonstrated a great will to grind through games and make plays when it matters most. Especially with their pass offense & pass defense, they can stand out. I see players like DB/WR [player_tooltip player_id='602273' first='Isaac' last='Lee'] and DB/QB [player_tooltip player_id='899559' first='Landon' last='Tungate'] setting the tone for this team as great two-way players.   Questions   What is this team's ceiling?   I note that this team has a high floor. Well, I also think they have a low ceiling relative to their high floor. If I had to put on my analyst hat, I'd predict 7-4 season, which includes one playoff win. Overall, I feel their floor is a 1st-round pre-district exit. Though I also don't see them making it out of 2nd-round Districts. So much playoff potential depends on how the bracket is laid out, but they'll very likely have Caledonia in their district.   How will the run defense stack up?   Byron Center's two worst losses last year were 45-27 against Grandville and 44-22 against Portage Northern. The common denominator? Amazing run games from both teams. Both Grandville and Portage Northern had some of their best ground performances of the season against Byron Center. I watched the Portage Northern game, and it was a dominating performance from the Portage Northern O-Line and now Wayne State RB Xavior (Tyus). Byron Center needs to improve on this front. Players like LB [player_tooltip player_id='1255765' first='Luke' last='Laska'], DE Chris Brown, and DT Joseph Hernandez will all be key young players for the run defense.     <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Muskegon Reeths-Puffer</h2>   I'm super excited about nearly every team in the current OK-Green. Reeths-Puffer was honestly a bottom-feeding team before Cody Kater took over the program in late 2021. After a truly horrid 2020 season, RP was a tad more competitive in 2021, going 3-6, but absolutely took off last season, going 6-4. In the context of the OK-Green and RPs recent history, 6-4 is a phenomenal turnaround, also considering a 1-possession loss to Muskegon and 2-possessions to Mona Shores. Reeths Puffer could fly even higher this season, and they have a really intriguing first half of the regular season. I'm especially interested to see them face off against last year's OAA Blue champion, Farmington. Now, let's dive into strengths and questions.   Strengths   All-Around Defense   Reeths-Puffer held Mona Shores to just 15 points while they averaged 43PPG in other regular-season games. They also held Muskegon to 28 points, a feat only Detroit King, De La Salle, and Zeeland West can relate to. It's incredibly obvious that the defensive coaching and overall vision for this defense is outstanding. MLB [player_tooltip player_id='667091' first='Caiden' last='Bolduc'], S [player_tooltip player_id='253314' first='Bryce' last='Ross'], DB Cameron Coleman, and many new Varsity starters should have great years on defense.   Overall Talent   Talent obviously doesn't mean everything, but add college talent to a well-coached team, and you have a phenomenal combo. In terms of talent I currently hold RP in similar regard to OAA teams like Lake Orion or Stoney Creek. RP over the past year or so has proven they can develop players well, and they have a chance to develop some gems as the coaching staff continues to establish itself through a full HS class.   Questions   Offense against good defenses   Against Forest Hills Central, Mona Shores, and Zeeland West, RP scored a total of 18 points. Other games proved to be fine or great for the offense, but against great teams, RP could not score. They have some pieces that I like, such as TE [player_tooltip player_id='862135' first='Travis' last='Ambrose'], RB [player_tooltip player_id='253315' first='Brody' last='Johnson'], and others. What I saw last season was an average pro-style offense that had sometimes boomed but fell apart against the good teams.   Turning the next corner   There's no doubt that RP has turned multiple corners in the past year. After all, they went from one of the worst teams in the OK to a top-half team across the GR / Muskegon area. The question is- how much improvement can we see from last season? I expect to see a good product on the field but I don't yet expect RP to beat teams like Zeeland West, Mona Shores, or Muskegon. The true next step is to compete for a league title, and with the current state of the OK-Green, it's extremely unlikely.     <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Seaholm</h2>   For more on Seaholm - <a href="https://prepredzone.com/2023/07/season-preview-seaholm-maples/">Read my Team Preview!</a>   Granted, Seaholm is a team I've seen some hype around from people other than myself. Still, Seaholm is historically incredibly underrated and may be the most underrecruited team in Michigan. The Maples are usually known for great defensive fronts and overall physicality, but this year they find strength in their skill positions. Ever since 2019, Seaholm has stepped their game up, and they've had multiple teams become regional contenders. If it weren't for De La Salle, I'd say this team has a shot at the State Championship. I see a team that is likely just as good as last year's squad, though they have a few gigantic questions.   Strengths   All-Around Offense   I'm confident that Seaholm will once again have an extremely disciplined Veer offense. More specifically, the skill positions are experienced and will really move the needle. I talked to Head Coach Jim DeWald during Veer camp, and he gave me some insight on the offense. RB [player_tooltip player_id='253291' first='Sean' last='Emerson'] is moving from his SB position to more of a between-the-tackles I-Formation guy. I don't have info on this, but I'd assume the SB position would be taken up by someone like [player_tooltip player_id='253296' first='Kyle' last='Robbins']. This change also allows for [player_tooltip player_id='253292' first='Granden' last='Kinnie'] to be the heavy-set running back, as Granden does a great job at fighting for that extra yard. I am a bit concerned with the O-Line though I still expect that area to work out.   Physicality   Seaholm loves to impose their will onto other teams. Against Avondale last season, I saw Seaholm dismantle the Yellowjackets with physical dominance and better conditioning. Looking at their schedule, I don't see a team that can match Seaholm's physicality except for Groves. You're bound to see a few blowouts thanks to physical dominance.   Questions   Defensive Front 7   I have serious concerns about this front 7. They graduate multiple captains and D2/D1 college prospects in this area, and I haven't seen anything too amazing from their current front. Luke Thurswell is the only name I know from the D-Line, and I thought he was fine at Veer camp, though he was not a standout. [player_tooltip player_id='253292' first='Granden' last='Kinnie'] should have an incredible defensive season, as he's a good linebacker and someone who's not afraid to hit. The Seaholm defense was amazing last season, having pitched 3 shutouts, though I can see the overall defensive unit taking a step back.   Playoff Performances   Over the past 5 years, Seahom has been a good, though not amazing playoff team. One giant component is that the playoff competition is far above their normal OAA Blue schedule. Seaholm usually cruises through pre-districts, but always meets up with crosstown rival Groves later on. Although Seaholm and Groves play each other very close, Groves has a big edge in playing more top-end competition in the OAA White. Seaholm's current schedule doesn't make them as battle-tested for the playoffs as other teams. So once they face some top-end teams, it's much more of an adjustment.

Get 30% off your subscription by using Pallone30 in the coupon code area!