The Dance

By Dan Ward

“Looking back on the memory of the dance we shared ‘neath the stars above. For a moment all the world was right. How could I have known that you’d ever say goodbye?”

Every football season has its share of memories. Friday night lights, big plays, hard-fought wins, a few tough losses, and all the moments in between. Eventually, though, the season comes to an end. For the St. Johns Redwings, that happened Friday night with a 42-7 loss to the Goodrich Martians, bringing their season to a close at 8-3.

I didn’t make the trip to Goodrich. I watched this one on TV, and I’m going to approach this recap a little differently than I normally would. There’s not a whole lot to say about Friday night’s game that hasn’t already been said. It was a tough night for the Redwings, but one game shouldn’t overshadow everything this team accomplished over the past few months. Rather than spend the entire article breaking down a loss, I want to take a look back at the season. There was a lot to like about this group, and they gave us plenty of reasons to enjoy Friday nights in St. Johns.

Goodrich Stats

Season Stats 2026

The Game

St. Johns won the toss and elected to receive, but the opening possession didn’t get very far. The Redwings were forced to punt into the wind, and Tyler Priest’s kick caught the wind and died. Goodrich took over at the St. Johns 43-yard line.

Five plays later, the Martians found the end zone. With 8:00 left in the first quarter, Goodrich led 7-0.

The Redwings took over at their own 20 following a touchback. The drive showed some promise when Conner Kurncz connected with Archer Gurski. Kurncz then called his own number on third-and-17, picking up enough yardage to get the ball to the Goodrich 48. The Martians’ defense held from there, forcing another St. Johns punt. Goodrich appeared to get a hand on the kick, sending it straight up into the wind before it came down at the Martians’ 39.

Goodrich added another touchdown with 1:05 left in the first quarter to make it 14-0.

The Redwings couldn’t get much going on their next possession, and another punt gave Goodrich the ball back. The Martians found the end zone again with 10:00 left in the second quarter, extending their lead to 21-0.

Another St. Johns possession ended in a punt, and Goodrich took advantage, moving the ball downfield in big chunks before scoring again. The lead was now 28-0.

The Redwings finally put together a drive on their next possession. Starting at their own 35, St. Johns reached into the playbook for a halfback pass. Lucas McCastle looked for Archer Gurski, but the pass fell incomplete. A pass interference penalty, however, moved the ball ahead 15 yards.

Kurncz then connected with Gurski, who made a nice run down to the Goodrich 29. Gurski finished the drive himself, scoring on third-and-one with just 10 seconds left in the half. The Redwings were on the board, making it 28-7.

The second half was mostly about Goodrich controlling the clock. St. Johns had just two possessions after halftime, while the Martians added two more touchdowns, one in the third quarter and another in the fourth.

When the clock finally ran out, Goodrich had a 42-7 win and the Redwings’ season was over.

After the game, Coach Schmitt shared his thoughts on the team and everything they had accomplished this season. Despite the disappointing ending, he wasn’t about to let one Friday night define this group.

“Extremely proud of this team for all of their efforts all season. We didn’t get it done tonight, but this group has so much to be proud of. This group was tough, physical, and fast. They cared about each other, and they truly love the game of football. They had the characteristics that any coach would love in a team. They attacked every day with a great level of toughness, effort, and focus. This was the eighth team to get a playoff win, and it didn’t just happen. They earned it all year long!! From workouts starting back in November, to morning workouts, to player-led workouts, this group was hungry for success.

I couldn’t be more proud of who they are and what they have accomplished.”

The Season

Now, let’s take a look at what this team accomplished.

The Redwings finished 8-3, won several important games, worked through injuries, and made another trip into the postseason. There were some tough nights along the way, but there were also plenty of good ones. This season had a lot more to it than the final score Friday night.

Hamilton (L 42-33)

The season started in August with a game that got away from the Redwings. Hamilton finished 3-6, and this was one St. Johns will probably look back on and wish it had back. The Redwings were right there, but a few mistakes and some struggles up front made the difference.

Coach Schmitt had this to say after the game:

“I thought our guys came ready to play. We played hard tonight, but they controlled the line of scrimmage, which is our goal every game. There were a few key turnovers and mistakes that happened that made a big difference in the game. We will continue to clean things up and improve every week moving forward.”

It wasn’t the start St. Johns wanted, but they still had a lot of football left to play.

Ionia (W 35-6)

Ionia made the trip to St. Johns the first weekend in September, and the Redwings responded with a convincing win.

The Bulldogs finished 0-9, but records don’t mean much when these two teams get together. Ionia is the only opponent remaining on the schedule from the old Mid-Michigan B Conference, and there’s still something special about having this rivalry on the calendar. It’s lost a little of its edge over the years, but it’s always a game worth looking forward to.

St. Johns entered the game leading the all-time series 34-26-1 and added another win with the 35-6 final.

Coach Schmitt summed up the night:

“Our guys came out ready to play from the start. We talked all week about controlling the line of scrimmage, and we were able to do that. Our defense played great assignment football, and we had many explosive plays on offense. It was a great team win for our program!”

This was the start of a nice run for the Redwings, one that continued over the next several weeks.

Lansing Eastern (W 38-0)

Next up were the Lansing Eastern Quakers, and this was the first Friday night game of the season. The Redwings kept things rolling with a shutout, taking a 31-0 lead into halftime and never looking back.

St. Johns improved its all-time record against the Quakers to 7-1.

Coach Schmitt said:

“Our guys came out and played well from the start. We talked about needing to have a strong first quarter this week and limiting the big plays defensively. We were able to do both of those things, which helped us get a 31-0 lead at half. It was another great team win tonight for our guys!”

Williamston (W 28-14)

Williamston started what Coach Schmitt calls The Gauntlet. Williamston, Mason, and Haslett have traditionally been three of the toughest games on the conference schedule, and the Redwings were about to find out where they stood.

Against the Hornets, St. Johns went to work on the ground. Nothing fancy. The Redwings controlled the line of scrimmage, moved the chains, and played the kind of physical football that makes life difficult for an opponent. They also spoiled Williamston’s Homecoming with a 28-14 win.

Coach Schmitt was pleased with the team’s effort:

“We came out and owned the line of scrimmage right away against Williamston. This was the most physical that we have played all year! We had some guys step up into some big roles with a couple of injuries, and we didn’t skip a beat. Proud of how hard we played!”

Mason (L 21-9)

Mason. It seems like every time you think the Bulldogs might finally take a step back, they find another piece of the puzzle.

St. Johns and Mason have met 48 times, with the Redwings holding a 23-24-1 record in the series. This one was a close contest for most of the night. The Redwings battled, but Mason put the game away with a late fourth-quarter touchdown.

Coach Schmitt wasn’t discouraged by the effort:

“Our guys played extremely hard tonight against Mason. Couldn’t be more proud of how they fought and battled throughout the night. We had some costly penalties in critical situations that may have played a difference. But in the end, we will grow from it and move forward. I know we have a tough team of young men who are hungry to get back to work and beat Haslett.”

There wasn’t much time to dwell on the loss. Haslett was next.

Haslett (W 28-14)

Revenge was certainly on the minds of the Redwings. There were last year’s two losses to Haslett, along with the recent loss to Mason. St. Johns entered the game trailing the all-time series 7-10, but this year’s meeting was a different story.

The Redwings came out fast and never let Haslett get comfortable. The Vikings made a run and got close, but St. Johns answered and held on for a 28-14 win.

Coach Schmitt was especially proud of the defensive effort:

“Another great performance tonight by our guys! This group is tough, and they embody everything you want in a football team. We had two goal-line stands, and an incredibly strong effort from all of our guys tonight. We haven’t beaten Haslett in six years, so it was great to come out on top again.”

Those two goal-line stands said plenty about the kind of team St. Johns was becoming.

Fowlerville (W 43-0)

The Redwings entered this one with a 9-3 all-time record against Fowlerville, but the Gladiators had made life difficult for them in recent years. The previous three meetings were decided by just three, seven, and one point. Last year’s 27-26 game was about as close as it gets.

This time, there would be no late-game drama.

Fowlerville finished 3-6, and while the Redwings were a little slow getting started, they eventually found their rhythm. The offense got rolling, the defense kept the Gladiators off the scoreboard, and St. Johns walked away with a 43-0 win.

Coach Schmitt gave Fowlerville credit for the early effort:

“We came out a little slow tonight, credit to Fowlerville. We were able to make some adjustments and get things going in the right direction again. Again, our guys played extremely hard, and it was a great win to finish out conference play!”

Gaylord (W 55-7)

Last year’s trip to Gaylord ended with a 32-28 loss. This time, the Redwings weren’t about to let that happen again.

St. Johns came out ready and put together one of its best performances of the season, rolling to a 55-7 victory. The all-time series now stands at 5-1 in favor of the Redwings.

Coach Schmitt liked what he saw:

“Our guys played extremely well tonight. This was a big week for us after losing to them last year. We had a great week of preparation, and it showed in our execution. Proud of how hard we played again, and how we executed.”

Another game circled on the calendar, another one checked off.

Ypsilanti Lincoln (W 47-9)

The final game of the regular season brought Senior Night to St. Johns. It was a chance to recognize the seniors who had put in the work and represented the program, and the Redwings made sure they went out with a win.

St. Johns took care of business with a 47-9 victory, finishing the regular season on a high note and earning its third straight trip to the playoffs.

Coach Schmitt said:

“I’m proud of how our guys came ready to play tonight. We had a few more penalties than normal, which we’ll need to get cleaned up for next week. We were able to get a lot of guys playing time tonight, so it was a great night overall for the Redwings!”

Ortonville Brandon (W 49-21)

Playoff football is a different animal. There’s no next Friday if you don’t take care of business, and the Redwings knew what was at stake when Ortonville Brandon came to town.

St. Johns wasted little time making a statement. The Redwings put together a dominant first half, building a 42-point lead before halftime. Brandon fought back in the second half, but the damage had been done. St. Johns came away with a 49-21 win, earning its first playoff victory since 2019.

It was also the eighth team in program history to make it past the first round of the playoffs.

Coach Schmitt was understandably proud of the way his team handled the moment:

“I’m very proud of how our guys came ready to play tonight! Our guys were incredibly focused and prepared for this game! It was great to see us execute at such a high level from the start!

This is the 8th team to make it past the first round of the playoffs in our history! So it was a big win for us as a program! These guys have worked hard for this moment, and we are ready to keep competing next week.”

And compete they did. The season ended the following week against Goodrich, but getting there was an accomplishment in itself.

The Dance

And just like that, it’s over.

There won’t be another Friday night under the lights for this group. No more pregame routines, no more trips to the stadium, no more watching the clock wind down on another Redwings victory. For the seniors, it’s the end of their high school football careers. For the rest of the team, there’s another season waiting down the road.

An 8-3 record, another playoff appearance, a playoff win, and plenty of memories along the way. Some games went exactly as planned; others didn’t. There were moments when this team had to dig a little deeper, respond to adversity, and find a way to get the job done. That’s football.

I think that’s what makes looking back on it all worthwhile. If we knew exactly how every season would end, maybe we’d approach it differently. Maybe we’d worry too much about the final score instead of enjoying everything that gets us there. The wins, the losses, the excitement, the frustration, and all those Friday nights that seem to fly by.

The final chapter wasn’t what anyone in St. Johns wanted, but it doesn’t change what this team accomplished or the memories it gave us. And when it’s all said and done, I’d rather have had the opportunity to watch this team play, compete, and give us a season worth remembering than to have missed it altogether.

To the players, coaches, and everyone who made this season what it was, thank you for letting us be part of the ride.

As the song reminds us, sometimes the best memories come with a little heartache. And when you look back, you realize you’d have missed too much by never taking part.

 

And now I’m glad I didn’t know, the way it all would end, the way it all would go.

Our lives are better left to chance. I could have missed the pain, but I’d have had to miss the dance