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Lansing-Area Football Opens the Season With Plenty to Watch

The high school football season is underway across the Lansing area, and the opening stretch has already given us plenty to talk about.

From the city rivalry between Lansing Sexton and Lansing Everett, to Lansing Eastern’s home opener, to Waverly beginning its season, football is back in the Capital Area.

Sexton vs. Everett — City Rivalry Football

There’s always something different about a Sexton-Everett football game.

These are two Lansing programs with plenty of familiarity, and when they meet, there is more involved than simply putting another game on the schedule. There are bragging rights, former teammates, classmates, families and people throughout the city who have connections to both programs.

This year’s matchup gave Sexton an opportunity to make an early statement.

One of the players who stood out was Willie Brown, who made an impact on both sides of the football. Brown had a big night receiving while also making one of the biggest defensive plays of the game, taking an interception roughly 80 yards back for a touchdown.

It was the type of performance that showed exactly why two-way players can be so valuable at the high school level.

But Sexton’s performance wasn’t about only one player.

The J-Dubbs showed athleticism throughout the field and gave us an early glimpse at a group that has the potential to be interesting as the season develops.

Everett, meanwhile, has plenty of season remaining. Rivalry games can create a lot of emotion, especially early in the year, and the challenge for the Vikings will be using the experience to continue improving as they move forward.

A New Season at Lansing Eastern

There was also football back on the east side of the city as Lansing Eastern hosted its home opener.

For Eastern, this season is about more than one Friday night.

It’s an opportunity to continue building the program.

Early-season games give coaches an opportunity to find out what they really have. Practice can tell you plenty, but lining up against another team under the lights tells you something different.

Eastern’s opener provided that first test.

There were encouraging moments along with areas that will need to improve, but that’s part of building a football program. The biggest thing for Eastern will be continuing to develop from week to week.

For a program trying to establish itself, progress won’t always be measured strictly by the scoreboard.

It’s about competing longer, limiting mistakes, developing young players and creating a culture that carries from one season to the next.

Eastern now has something to build from.

Waverly Has Plenty of Talent to Watch

Over at Waverly, there’s another group worth keeping an eye on this fall.

The Warriors have athletes capable of making plays on both sides of the football, and we’ve already spent time around several of the players who could have an impact this season.

Tre Burton is one of them.

Burton brings more than athletic ability to the program. He’s a multi-sport athlete, a strong student and someone who has an opportunity to take on a larger leadership role.

Then there’s Darren “DJ” Pope, another Waverly athlete looking to leave his mark on the program.

For Waverly, that’s going to be one of the interesting stories to follow: What kind of legacy can this group leave behind?

Winning games is obviously part of it. But so is changing expectations, getting younger players involved and creating something the next group can build upon.

The Warriors will have opportunities throughout the season to show exactly where they stand.

Football in the Capital City

And that’s what makes covering high school football around Lansing interesting.

Every program is in a different place.

Sexton is looking to build on an impressive start and has several athletes capable of making plays.

Everett has an opportunity to respond and continue developing after an emotional city rivalry game.

Eastern is working to build something and establish an identity.

And Waverly has a group of athletes looking to leave its own mark on the program.

These aren’t just football games.

They’re players representing their schools, neighborhoods and families. They’re seniors playing their final season, younger athletes getting their first opportunities and programs trying to establish what the next several years of football could look like.

We’re only at the beginning.

But Lansing-area high school football already has plenty of stories worth following.