The Macomb High football squad got an unexpected week off and MHS head coach Tanner Horrell believes his team made the most of it.
“It was a little different,” he said. The week nine opponent for Macomb, the LVC Miners (Lewistown/Valley/Cuba coop) announced on social media that it was forfeiting the contest due to the low number of players available.
The Bombers attempted to find a replacement game, but by Monday afternoon announced that it was taking the forfeit victory over LVC in finishing the regular season with an 8-1 record that included a 6-1 record in LincolnLand Large School Division play.
LVC finished the regular season winless at 0-9 overall, 0-7 in division play.
In their four years as a coop, LVC has won just one game, a 36-6 victory over Oblong/Hutsonville/Palestine in week seven of the 2023 season.
The Miners have lost their last 20 games. Horrell noted that he gave the team Tuesday off before returning to the field for 90-minute practices Wednesday Friday.
He noted that defensively, the team worked against a wing-T offense one day and a spread offense one day, “You never really know who you’re going to see,” said Horrell.
But he loved what he saw from his players on the field in those three days.
“Our guys were really focused,” said Horrell. “Teams getting a bye week sometimes get a little lackadaisical or a little distracted in practice. But our guys did a really good job of being locked in for the hour and a half.”
Of course this time of season, teams are dealing with a number of bumps and bruises that come with sport, so a chance to rest and recover was also an added plus for the squad.
“It was really beneficial for us,” Horrell added. Then came Saturday’s announcement of the playoff pairings.
The Bombers captured the No. 3 seed in the northern half of the Class 4A bracket, earning a home contest against the No. 14 seed Hillcrest (Country Club Hills) who finished the regular season with a 5-4 record.
“I didn’t see this one coming,” said Horrell of the matchup with Hillcrest. “I don’t know if they were not projected in the field or what, I didn’t see them on our radar until Saturday morning honestly.”
“Playing someone brand new, it will be really exciting,” he added.
That game will be played Saturday at 2 p.m.
“The last couple years we’ve had playoff games at home,” said Horrell. “Our crowd does a really good job of showing up. It will be a great atmosphere. Saturday afternoon in November, you can’t beat it.”
After bowing out of last year’s playoffs, the focus for the program changed entering 2025.
“At the end of last year, we talked about wanting to take that next step. Winning playoff game or two and making a little run,” said Horrell. “Now it’s here and it’s time to figure out if we’ve had a successful off-season.”
“I think we did. I think we’ve had a successful season,” he added. “But we still want to try to make that run now. Our guys are focused. They’re itching to get back on the field.”
“We have an outstanding group of kids,” said Horrell. “They’re a group that’s really locked in and together. That’s what’s made this season so much fun. We just want to keep it going as long as possible.”
