Gaylord hosts St. Johns and JoBurg travels to Mancelona on Friday while St. Mary hosts Holton on Saturday. Week 8 high school football previews:
Football season is flying by in Northern Michigan.
We are already at Week 8 of the high school football season, leaving just two regular season games left for Otsego County teams. No. 4 Gaylord hosts its final home game of the season against St. Johns, No. 9 Gaylord St. Mary hosts Holton and Johannesburg-Lewiston travels to Mancelona.
As the start of the playoffs draws nearer and nearer, teams are already beginning to prepare for those tougher opponents as they head into the final weeks of the regular season schedule. Here is what the Blue Devils, Snowbirds and Cardinals are looking forward to this weekend:
Gaylord
No. 4 Gaylord (7-0, 5-0 Big North) vs. St. Johns (4-3, 2-3 CAAC-Red), Friday, Oct. 17
Last meeting: St. Johns 60, Gaylord 7 (2012)
The hype that was building for this game has simmered a bit with St. Johns losing its last three games, but Gaylord vs. St. Johns is still shaping up to be the most competitive game in Otsego County this week.
Gaylord is still undefeated, clinching the Big North Conference title with last week's 34-30 victory over Escanaba. St. Johns, meanwhile, has lost its last three games after starting 4-0 and is on the verge of being knocked out of the Division 4 playoff field, projected now to be the 29th of 32 qualifying teams by Snooze2You.
So, while it is not the battle of unbeatens it was shaping up to be a few weeks ago, there is still a lot at stake for both teams.
Gaylord's Kaven Cole continues to turn heads with his performances in 2025; now up to 1,070 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns through seven games, Cole has run for 200+ yards in back-to-back weeks, rushing for 270 yards and 3 TDs vs. Alpena and 260 yards and 2 TDs vs. Escanaba.
Johannesburg-Lewiston
JoBurg (1-6, 0-4 NMFC-Legacy) vs. Mancelona (4-3, 3-0 NMFC Legacy), Friday, Oct. 17
Last meeting: Mancelona 40, JoBurg 12 (2024)
JoBurg could not turn its first win of the season in Week 5 into its first winning streak since 2020 in Week 6, falling to Maple City Glen Lake to fall to 1-6 overall and 0-4 in the Northern Michigan Football Conference Legacy Division. This week, they have one more chance to pick up a league win and head into the 2026 season with some momentum.
It won't be an easy task; Mancelona is still in the hunt for a league title, with a Week 9 matchup with Glen Lake looking like a de facto conference title game. However, the Ironmen can't get caught looking past the Cardinals.
Win or lose, JL's Joey Smokevitch has been the player to watch for the Cardinals. He leads the team with 1,038 rushing yards and 8 TDs through seven games.
Gaylord St. Mary
No. 9 St. Mary (6-1, 5-0 Ski Valley) vs. Holton (1-6)
First-ever matchup
Gaylord St. Mary got tested for the first time last week and its youth finally showed through in a tough 38-28 loss to Breckenridge in Week 7. This week, they'll have a chance to get back on track and heal up before their Week 9 battle with Inland Lakes.
Holton has struggled this season, its only win coming in Week 5 against Bear Lake. After a long battle that left a few Snowbirds with injuries last week, this figures to be a game that head coach Kevin O'Connell can empty the bench and use the full rotation at his disposal.
Next week, GSM's season truly begins.
Contact GHT Sports Editor Dylan Jespersen at [email protected]. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @dylanjespersen, and Instagram, @dylanjespersen
This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: Week 8 high school football previews for Gaylord, St. Mary and JoBurg
Category: General Sports
