COLDWATER, MI (WTVB) – Ttoday is the opening day of high school football practice across Branch County and the state of Michigan while tryouts and practices for the rest of the fall sports are set to start Wednesday. Besides football, the fall season includes boys soccer, volleyball, girls golf, boys tennis, cross country and girls swimming and diving. The Michigan High School Athletic Association requires all student-athletes to have a current physical on file in the athletic office prior to any tryouts and in order to take part in practices and competitions.
The first contest for Branch County schools is next week with Coldwater Girls golf on August 19. The varsity football season for most schools, including county teams, kicks off Friday August 28. During the opening week of football practice, only helmets are allowed the first two days, then just shoulder pads can be added on the third and fourth days, and full pads are allowed beginning with the fifth day of team practice.
The first varsity football games on the schedule for Branch County schools are Coldwater at home against Hastings, Bronson at Quincy, and Union City hosts White Pigeon.
On the local sports scene, at last Friday’s 42nd running of the Branch County Fair Road Race, Coldwater high school senior Josh Evers won the men’s event easily in 16:47. And former Coldwater High standout Becca Schott won the women’s race at 18:08, setting a new course record, breaking the former mark held by Connie Stempien set in 1979. Becca Schott, from the CHS Class of 2013, now competes in cross country at Bowling Green State University.
