As the varsity football season drew to a close, the Grand Ledge High School football team prepared for an emotional and significant event: the last game for the senior players.
The final game represented not just the end of the season, but the culmination of years of hard work, dedication, and memories made on and off the field. For these seniors, it is a moment of reflection and celebration as they prepare to step onto the field one last time in their high school careers.
The senior players have been the team’s backbone, leading by example both in practice and during games. Most of the senior players began their journey as freshmen or even earlier and have now reached their peak with this final game. Each player has a different story, but they all share a common bond made through many hours of training, teamwork, and commitment to the sport they love.
For many of the seniors, this last game was an opportunity to leave everything on the field and create lasting memories. One of the defensive linemen and standout seniors, Logan Cadwell, shared his thoughts on the season.
“This season was the best one I’ve had,” Cadwell said. “We worked really hard as a team, and most of the games were fun regardless of a win or loss”.
The team’s head coach, Joseph Brya, has watched these seniors grow and develop over the years and is proud of their achievements and their impact on the team.
“I thought our players worked very hard in the offseason and during the summer to prepare for the season and practiced and prepared well, especially for our playoff game,” Byra said. “We had a number of seniors who did a good job this season. We had three that made our all-conference team: Logan Cadwell, Tyler Konieczny, and Preston Bohnet, and one that made it as an honorable mention: Jayxlon McAllister.”
As the team had their regular season games, many families came to watch the players. The stands are often filled with families and friends who come to cheer on the Comets. The student section was also consistent throughout the season, always full of spirited classmates of the players on the team.
As the game against Brighton High School kicked off on the night of Nov. 1, it was clear that the seniors were full of determination, scoring a touchdown in the first quarter. For the remainder of the first half, the team showed their will to win as both teams fought hard for every yard gained. The opposing team was strong, but Grand Ledge managed to score a touchdown in the third quarter, bringing up the score to a closer game. However, in the final quarter, the Brghton As the final quarter ended, the Grand Ledge section was quiet from the loss.
The student section hurriedly cleared out, and students began the drive home. The seniors have made their mark on the team, and have been role models for younger players. It wasn’t just the scoreboard that reflected the effort of the seniors—it was the mark the seniors left on the program. Their leadership, work ethic, and commitment to the team have laid a foundation for the younger players to build on in the seasons ahead.
