By Frank Vajcner
We stay in the Huron League with a short drive to the corner of Merriman Road and Huron River Drive to do the Huron 2020 schedule analysis. New Boston Huron was one of the most improved teams on the blog, as they improved to 4-5 from 2-7. Will their schedule allow them to take another step forward?
2020 Schedule:
Aug 28: Melvindale
Sept 3: @ Riverview
Sept 11: Jefferson
Sept 18: @ Airport
Sept 25: Grosse Ile
Oct 2: @ SMCC
Oct 9: Milan
Oct 16: Flat Rock
Oct 23: @ Dearborn Heights Crestwood
Gut-Check Game: at Riverview. If Year 3 under Chad Smith is where the Chiefs make a big leap, knocking off the Pirates on the road is a time and place to show you’re a force to be reckoned with. Since their last win over Riverview in 2016, the Chiefs have been shut out twice in the last three years by the Pirates. Both teams do return a boatload of talent, but it’s the Pirates who are considered the favorite in the Huron League.
Trap Game: Jefferson and Grosse Ile. The Chiefs have not one, but two potential land mines in September, and both happen to be at home. Jefferson comes the week after the trip to Riverview, which is a potential spot for a letdown. A visit from Grosse Ile lies between road trips to Airport and SMCC. The Devils knocked off the Chiefs last season in a thriller, and the Chiefs need to not look ahead to a trip to Navarre a week later.
Snoozer: Melvindale. The Chiefs blanked the Cardinals 41-0 last season. See Airport analysis for more info.
Non-Conference Challenge: The out of conference slate doesn’t have a lot of sizzle, as Dearborn Heights Crestwood replaces Garden City on the schedule. The Chargers went 4-5 last season.
Notable: The Chiefs played Crestwood to end the regular season four straight years from 2009-2012. Huron won all four meetings, outscoring the Chargers by an average of 22 points…This will mark the third straight season that the Chiefs will have both non-conference foes from the Western Wayne Athletic Conference.
Thoughts from Frank: Games against Airport (28-21 loss), Grosse Ile (41-38 loss), and Milan (22-21 loss) spelled the difference between a postseason trip and staying home for the Chiefs, as all three losses were by a combined 11 points. If the Chiefs can avenge those losses, a return to the postseason is a strong possibility.
Thoughts from Chris: We will find out what the Chiefs are made of in week 2 as they travel to Riverview. The rest of the schedule seems manageable. I wouldn’t be surprised to see the Chiefs back in the playoffs for the first time since 2017.
Thoughts from Gary: Big down river showdown in week 2 might decide the Huron League. Road game at Airport will go a long way in deciding Huron’s fate on the season. It wouldn’t surprise me at all to see the Chiefs in the mix all year for a Huron league crown.
I drove by Huron on the way to the store today and it looks like construction started on Huron’s new field and track.
I’ve heard from an assistant coach that this will be the best team Huron has had since 2014. Big, strong, loaded at the skilled positions. Depending on how quickly the Chiefs adjust to a new defense will be everything for them but I could easily see them going 7-2.
I think this team will be in the playoff hunt for sure. They have alot of talent coming back from a team that was real close in a few games last year. I remember they jumped out quick on Airport 14-0. Airport tied it and it was a dogfight the rest of the way with Airport winning in the final seconds. Then I remember keeping up with the Milan game on the blog. Huron led the whole way till Milan got a TD and 2 pointer late to steal a win. Hopefully they can turn a couple of those heartbreakers into victories. And with Huron being my wife’s alma mater I will be rooting for them every game, well except Airport of course 😁
I’m not drinking the Huron kool-aid just yet. They have some talented players, but let’s face it, it is still Huron. They have to find a way to win the close ones. With the exception of a few years under Kabflesh, they rarely find a way to win.