A New Era for Montabella Football
Montabella’s football program is poised to step back into the 11-player arena for the 2027 season, a move driven by a surge in student enrollment that now tops the Michigan High School Athletic Association’s threshold for the traditional format.
Athletic Director Andrew DeGood outlined the plan before the Board of Education, emphasizing that the school’s growing roster of over 220 students makes the shift not only feasible but necessary to preserve the competitiveness of the program.
The transition follows a breakthrough 8-player season in 2025, when the Mustangs captured their first state-championship appearance in school history, a feat that has heightened expectations among players, families and the broader community.
To re-enter the 11-player ranks, Montabella is seeking a football-only membership in the Central State Activities Association, a league that currently splits its members into Red and White divisions. The school would likely be placed in the White Division alongside Central Montcalm, Kent City, Lakeview, Morley Stanwood and White Cloud.
The proposed move would not ripple beyond the gridiron; all other Montabella athletic teams are set to remain in the Mid-State Activities Conference, ensuring continuity for the broader sports program.
Before the change can take effect, each CSAA member school board must give its blessing, a process that could extend into the spring of 2026. If approved, the new alignment would be official for the 2027 football season, marking the program’s first return to the traditional format since the 2020 campaign.
Montabella’s final 8-player schedule kicks off on Aug. 27 against the defending Division 1 state champion Martin, followed by a matchup with reigning Division 2 champion Portland St. Patrick the following week, giving fans a last glimpse of the historic run before the transition.