The battle cry in Livingston County is simple.
Beat Brighton.
I did an informal poll of area athletes and asked if they could beat one team in football or boy’s basketball which would it be.
Beat Brighton. It was the response from about 90 percent of the kids I talked to from Howell and Hartland.
Brighton seeks its second KLAA West Division crown in four years. The Bulldogs (10-2 in league play) are currently tied with Canton for division league heading into Friday’s first place showdown at Canton. Winner clinches at least a share of the division crown. The loser is grasping for straws.
“I think having a target on your back is a good deal,” said Brighton boys’ basketball coach Mike Griest. “They (opponents) are paying attention. If thy stop talking about you that’s not good for you. I like that and that is how we feel. That’s why we have to play harder, smarter on most nights. If we don’t, we won’t be successful.”
Brighton does not run roughshod over its cross-town rivals in basketball. The Bulldogs are 7-8 against Hartland and Howell since 2019. They have beaten Harland twice this season and lost to Howell twice.
Brighton (8-2) rebounded from two lean years in football to win the KLAA West last season. It beat both Howell and Hartland in two bitterly contested games. The Bulldogs are 12-2 against their rivals since 2017.
Most of the games went down to the bitter end.
“I mean it’s a cross town rival, right?” Griest said. “I think with Brighton on the chest they want it a little more. All these kids grew up playing against each other since they were six years old. I think it is that competitive nature. Hartland kids are super tough. And it is going to be a battle.”


FENTON IN CHARGE

Fenton (10-0 in conference play) is running away with the Flint Metro League Stripes Division race. The Tigers are two games up on Holly in the loss column.
Friday’s home game (7 p.m.) is against a struggling rival. But the Tigers remain concerned because Linden is a back yard rival. Some of the Fenton might remember what happened during the football season. Fenton carried a 10-game winning streak against Linden during a late season home game.
Linden turned the tables and embarrassed the Tigers 35-7. Can Linden spoil things again for Fenton?
Fenton won the first game at Linden with ease, 60-42.
There is an important game earlier in girls' basketball Friday (5:30 pm). Fenton (6-3) must beat Linden (7-2) to pull into a second-place tie. Linden has already beaten Fenton twice in Linden’s home gym.