Fenton Tigers Football Aiming for State Championship This Season

With two district titles to build on, varsity football coach Jeff Setzke wants his Tigers to reach beyond that this season. After districts, the goal is a regional championship, which Fenton has battled for but lost each of the past two years. And after clinching a regional, it's one more game to the state finals, Setzke said.

Fenton wants to be at, and hopefully win, the state finals in 2012.

"We are working on that," he said. "We have pretty high expectations."

The Tigers have a good team this year with a lot of potential, said Setzke, who has coached the Tigers for seven seasons.

"Time will tell how that potential works out," he said.

The seniors on the team are performing well, as seniors are expected to do and the juniors are working on getting up to speed, Setzke said. The Tigers have 23 returning seniors, including seven starters back on offense and four on defense. There are a good number of players who've been in the Fenton football program for a long time, since grade school and the youth league, Setzke said.

Fenton's toughest opponents this year will include Linden, which is always a formidable foe, Setzke said. In addition, Lapeer West's team looks like it will be very good, and Holly's squad should be good as well. It's a tough league, he added.

Fenton has been working hard to get ready. The Tigers had their at 12:01 a.m. on Aug. 6, a team tradition, Setzke said. They've sweated through some football camps at Fenton High School and bonded at a family bowling event at Grand Blanc Lanes last week. And they've been working year-round on weight training, speed and agility.

Tuesday was the last two-a-day practice date, and Setzke said he believes the Tigers are tired of practicing against each other. The team is looking forward to getting some competition in on Thursday, in a scrimmage against Midland. It will be at Fenton High School, with the seniors playing Midland at 4 p.m. The junior varsity squad is scheduled to scrimmage against Midland at 2 p.m., also at FHS.

After that, the first game will be against the rival Linden Eagles, at Linden High School. The game starts at 7 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 24.

Looking ahead, Fenton is hoping to convert its potential into a trip to the state finals, but it will face a lot of competition. Right now there are 660 undefeated teams in Michigan, Setzke said. After week one, that number will fall to 330 undefeated teams.

"It'll be another long, hard-fought season," said coach Bo McMillan.

Fenton has three team captains, seniors Cody Hocevar, Joe Diller and Connor Davidson.

Junior Brandon VanOver, a defensive end, said he's looking forward to his first year on varsity.

"Hopefully, we win states," VanOver said.