6 Sports Two-A-Days: Fowler brings back key players; Bath has size on both sides

LANSING, Mich. (WLNS) – No. 7 and No. 8 on the 6 Sports Two-A-Days tour around mid-Michigan features a pair of teams from the CMAC.

If you’re a fan of touchdowns, then any Fowler game was the place to be on a Friday night. In 2023 the Eagles scored 50 or more points in six of their eight wins. They also scored 49 points in another victory.

Fowler did lose a heartbreaker to Ithaca in the first round of the playoffs and will now have to replace a few starting roles on the offensive side of the ball. But as for the skilled positions, the Eagles have plenty of returning talent in that department.

Asher Koenigsknecht and Ben Kohagen return for their season year, as does starting quarterback Jacob Halfmann, who spent this offseason in the weight room.

“I’d say my footwork,” Halfmann said when asked about what he’s improved on. “Last year I got pretty sloppy and this summer and winter we really pounded like fixing it and being more disciplined.

“He’s just been hit the weight room,” Fowler senior linebacker Nate Spicer said. “He can pull the ball, run the ball more and his arm strength has grown too.”

Fowler head coach John Spicer added, “With the kids that were ahead of him, the seniors last year, they took more of the leadership role, and this year he’s the guy that’s telling everybody where to go and correcting a few of the routes.”

As for another CMAC team, Bath is looking to keep the momentum rolling after reaching the playoffs in three of the last four years.

The Fighting Bees went 7-4 last season and won their most games since winning eight in 2000. They also made back-to-back postseason appearances last season for the first time since 2000.

One of those wins Bath had in 2023 came against rival Laingsburg in the first round of the playoffs and the mindset of head coach Shane Lorenz has helped this group improve.

“Personally, when we completed that game, you know, we won by a couple of points and I was very frustrated with the game because of the outcome,” Lorenz said. “We were winning by a couple of touchdowns and giving up late scores. I wanted our kids to see when we don’t execute, that’s the kind of result you get. Even though we won by a couple of points, we should have won by more. So I’m telling them we need to be better with execution, to be able to step to that next level.”

Bath senior quarterback Jay Kreisler said, “We have a lot of seniors, a lot of people in our grade. We’ve been playing together our whole life. We’re finally seniors so we have to be the captains of the team.”

Bath junior wide receiver Aden Briggs agreed with the leadership the senior has brought and said, “They’re a disciplined class. They’re fun. They’re good at teaching us in a fun way, but also in a way to make sure we understand stuff.”

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