They play for each other. They play for head coach Brian Lewis.
But they mostly play for the city of Howell.
This may sound a little too homespun for some, but this is what makes the Howell Highlanders excel in football. Every carry by running backs Bryce Kish, Christian Faren and Christian Greene is dedicated to the hard-working people of Howell.
This wasn’t always the case with Lewis. It took him five years to implement teamwork, community dedication and brotherly love. The Highlanders were a pedestrian 22-24 his first five seasons at the helm and some wondered if this young, energetic man could transform that same energy to his players/
The Highlanders admitted team chemistry was a hard thing to come by. They did not always bond. They did not always want to be together.
That all changed after the 2023 season, in which Howell finished 3-6 and lost four of its final five games. That year’s sophomore class went over the heads of older teammates and demanded team chemistry.
The result has been 20 wins in the last 22 contests heading into Saturday’s (1 p.m.) Division I district championship game against East Kentwood. Defensive back Jack Spencer said male bonding played a significant role in Howell’s current success.
“At Howell we don’t have the greatest athletes,” Spencer said. “But we do have guys who go at it knowing you got your brother next to you who cares for you. It’s knowing you are going out to play with your guys. It is everything for a successful team.”
Howell (9-1) is not a favorite to win the D-I state title. Most believe that will come down to a finals showdown between Detroit Cass Tech (10-0) which is riding a 20-game winning streak and Novi Catholic Central (10-0). CC hasn’t lost since a three-point heart breaker to Cass in the state semi-finals last season.
The Highlanders are not in it to play also rans or be spoilers. They talk about winning a state title to add on to their back-to-back KLAA championships.
“If you are not in it for championships why play the game,” quarterback Preston Barb said.