It’s mid-August and in Oxford that means Coach Bud Rowley is preparing his Wildcats for another football season.
In typical Rowley fashion, he is excited about the season and his team and is telling them he expects great effort and results. Last’s year’s disappointing 5-4 record and failure to make the playoffs will help to inspire this team.
‘Five and four ain’t getting it. Not winning the Flint Metro ain’t getting it. Not making the playoffs ain’t getting it,? Rowley said. ‘Consistency, consistency, consistency and focus is what we need. We will have none of this second or third place. Our goal is to win the Flint Metro League and go to the playoffs.?
Rowley points to his seniors as the backbone of the team and expects them to lead the others.
Senior Jeremy Bukoski will start at quarterback while the very speedy tandem of Vinnie Ives and Nick Collier will share duties at tailback.
Eric Shipman will start as a wideout. Josh Rutkowski will play nose tackle, Mitch Blose will play offensive tackle while Aaron Moore and Phil Labrash will help anchor the line.
Underclassmen Alex Grifka, Zach Line, Zach Tilley and Dustyn Brown are expected to be big contributors.
The Cats kick off the Flint Metro League season on Aug 25 at 6:55 p.m. against Holly, followed by an away game on Thursday, Aug. 31, at Clio.
Oxford has only one non-league game, versus University of Detroit Jesuit High School on September 8 at home. The nine-game schedule includes the league’s newest addition, Swartz Creek. The Dragons will visit Oxford on October 13.
The Cats will host Lapeer West on September 15, and Brandon on September 29, in the other two home games. They will travel to Fenton on September 22 and Lapeer East on October 10 before closing out the season on October 20 at Linden.
Oxford is typically one of the Flint Metro League powerhouses and every league coach and team know they had better be ready when facing a Rowley-coached team.
‘We’ll be ready and we’re coming,? Rowley said.