Pewamo-Westphalia’s Dominance on the Gridiron Passes the Eye Test and the Numbers Test

The 2010s have been kind to the Pewamo-Westphalia football program, putting it lightly.

Since 2010 the Pirates have lost only 14 games overall, with almost half of those coming in the postseason. Meaning their recent regular season dominance (51-8 going into week 6 of 2016) is one of the best in the area and possibly the state.

Look no farther in the history books for this era of dominance than in the here and now. Through five games in 2016, the Pirates have yet to give up a point in CMAC play winning those games by an average of almost 64 to nothing. Their only out of conference game this year was a win when they took care of business against State powerhouse and 2014 State champion Monroe St Mary's Catholic 30-20.

That means this year, mathematically speaking, the Pirates defense gives up four points a game.

What makes this dominance even more impressive is doing it under two different head coaches. Brad Weber left the head coaching job after the 2012 season to spend more time with his family. His work laid the blueprints out for what we now see in the Mid-Michigan area as a program among the most dominant ever.

Weber compiled a 44-14 record in his five years (36-6 CMAC record) and took the Pirates to a state title game, losing to Saginaw Nouvel Catholic in 2011.

His successor, Jeremy Miller has taken those blueprints and been even more impressive. Miller, now in his fourth season has a 38-6 record (24-1 CMAC). He has also taken the Pirates to a championship game, losing to Ishpeming in 2015.

There seems to be one final item on the P-W checklist, winning a state title. Their two appearances in the final game this decade are their only appearances in program history.

This season might be their best shot to win a state title given their All-State running back Jared Smith is in his senior season.

Smith's numbers are video-game like to put it mildly. His junior season he set state records with 3,243 rushing yards and 53 touchdowns in 14 games en route to the state title game, according to MaxPreps. According to that service Smith was 3rd in the country by rushing yards and the number one junior by rushing yards in the country.

This year Smith has been sitting just as much as he's been playing for the most part, due to the blowout nature of P-W's games so far. This season he has 978 rushing yards with 17 touchdowns in five games of abridged work. His yards per carry number is 13.4 this season. Three yards better than his previous two years of varsity work.

With Smith's amazing play on the field and Coach Miller's great record as a head coach and the overall dominance of the 2016 Pirates, it seems very likely they make a return trip to Ford Field. You can hear the Pirates in action on Friday in a battle of CMAC unbeatens. The Pirates travel to Laingsburg to take on the 5-0 Wolfpack and the WVFN crew will be there for Dean Trailway's Presentation of High School Football, pregame starts at 6:00 P.M. with post game coverage going all the way to 11:00 P.M.