DeWitt takes the field for its football team

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Senior posters lined up to honor all the hard work and dedication so far this season.

The 2020 Division III state champion DeWitt Football team is leading the Capital Area Activities Conference Blue Division. DeWitt is hoping to make it back into the playoffs this year, after an extraordinary finish in 2020. 

On Oct. 1, the Panthers put a beatdown against Okemos, winning 65-0. On Oct. 8, DeWitt beat Everett, 49-21. On Oct. 15, DeWitt beat Lansing Waverly, 50-0. The Panthers are hoping to have continual success in the pre-district game on Oct. 29. The Panthers have just one loss, against non-conference Portland, 20-17. 

The DeWitt team is special for its  tight connection to the community. Having local people showing up to support the team is one thing, but the stadium is packed every single home game.

Freshman Isaac Sova said he plans to attend every home game. Sova said local support means a lot to the students, “Seeing all the blue and gold on a Friday night under the lights is so special. The Zimm zone is always full.”

The Zimm zone is the student section that hundreds fill each home game. Head Coach Rob Zimmerman is one of the most decorated high school football coaches in the Lansing area and his players can’t praise him enough. 

“Coach demands perfection, but he always supports us and wants us to bring the intensity,” said quarterback Ty Holtz. Holtz is committed to play at Brown University.

Quarterback Tyler Holtz during the 2020 Division III State Championship at Ford Field.

Holtz also thanks those who support the team, “DeWitt is a football community. There’s always a huge crowd no matter if it’s a home game or an away game. When we came home last year after winning the state title, the town was packed with fans. Of course, another state title is the goal, but we just need to take it one week at a time.”

Zimmerman praises the team’s supporters. “We have a very large number of businesses that sponsor the team in some capacity. Probably more than 30 that are involved. Our biggest sponsors are Kyle Laurent Insurance, DeWitt Family Dentistry, Relli’s, and Human Performance Institute,” Zimmerman said.

Student Norea Smitt said  how much the team means to the school. “Being a Panther gives me great pride. Having a well-known football team that plays strong every week is fun to watch,” Smitt said. 

The Panthers play Stevensville Lakeshore Oct. 22. 

Editor’s note: This story was updated with the results of the Oct. 15 game.

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