Edwardsburg community celebrates football title

EDWARDSBURG, Mich. - Just days after the Edwardsburg Eddies captured the school's first state championship, the community gathered at the high school gym to celebrate the accomplishment.

Players from the current team were recognized one-by-one before head coach Kevin Bartz and other members of the staff and administration thanked the athletes for their efforts and the community for its support.

“It’s just a long time coming," said district athletic director Kevin Dean. "I’ve been here 16 years so I’ve kind of seen the program grow. Like (Coach Bartz) said, knocking on the door, getting to the semifinals or not quite getting over the hump. It’s just a testament to the community like a lot of people said tonight. We have great people, great kids which come from great families, so we’re truly lucky here.”

The Eddies beat Chelsea 28-7 in the state finals at Ford Field in Detroit over Thanksgiving weekend. The team completed a 14-0 season, in which it set a Michigan state record for most rushing yards in a single season with 5,232.