Heading for Gold

In August, I noted the Jackson Citizen Patriot story about the Capital Area Activities Conference realignment that will move Northwest to the Gold Division.

Last night's score against Lansing Sexton re-enforces what a good idea that is.

Sexton has now won four in a row over Northwest by a combined score of 135-21.

Mason is also moving to the Gold, so the Mounties won't be without difficult games.

But opponents such as Eaton Rapids and Charlotte ought to make for more competitive contests than Sexton and St. Johns, against whom the Mounties have now lost six in a row.

When Duane Kaiser took back charge of the Northwest program in 1986, one of the first things he did was get Lumen Christi off the schedule.

Some people scoffed at that and said we were avoiding a natural crosstown rival simply because they were too tough.

The other school of thought was why schedule games you have no chance of winning (Northwest is 0-23 against Lumen Christi).

I'm not saying Northwest could never beat Sexton or St. Johns. But clearly the program is at a point where the players could use opponents who are more their speed.

In my senior year in 1989, the toughest team we played was Charlotte (we lost 14-0). They're looking like a softy compared to some of the teams the Mounties have faced this year.