FOX Motors Pigskin Party Forest Hills Northern 2025

Rick Berkey hosted the Forest Hills Northern Huskies at FOX Subaru for this week's show.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
It's time for the Fox Motors Pig Skin Party, a
weekly visit with area high school football coaches and players,
brought to you by Sports Play and ninety six to
one the Game. The Fox Motors Big Skin Party is
brought to you by the Fox Motor Group. Now from
the showroom floor of Fox Motors, here's your host, Brick Burkee.

Speaker 2 (00:21):
And welcome to the Fox Motors Pig Skin Party. We
are coming to you live from Fox Subaru on twenty
eighth Street and Cascade. We'll be talking high school football
for the next hour. I'm Rick Burkey. Welcome to you
to the program. We've got a great show lined up
for you. We're gonna run down everything we've got going
this Friday, and it's another big week of action in
high school football across West Michigan. We've got our lineup
we'll get to in just a little bit, but we

(00:42):
are coming and we've got the Foes Hills Northern Huskies
join us. Coachetti Ostapo is here along with some of
his players. We'll talk about their season, talk about how
it's gone so far, and look ahead to the future
for the Huskies here in Cascade. But we are at
Fox Subaru on twenty eighth Street. In cast game, Ryan
co the general manager, is the host and guest. And Ryan,

(01:03):
thanks for hosting the show and thanks for hosting the
Huskies here. I know community involvement's a big part of
what you do here at Fox.

Speaker 3 (01:10):
Absolutely we are certainly glad to be hosts this evening.
I know you and I Rick have done this show
a good number of times here, and we're always glad
to welcome the teams in.

Speaker 2 (01:19):
You know, I know you've heard me say it many
times before. I have to bring it up each time. Ryan,
But what Ryan's father started the show. I'm sorry, you know,
my father, your father started the show almost thirty years ago.
We did it at orsony Coe, Pontiac. We did it
every week every Saturday morning. We did it for about
six seven years. That became eventually this weekly show here.
But the legacy lives on with Ryan and this multi

(01:42):
facility that you have here on twenty eight three. It's beautiful.
I know the one we're in now is still only
what three years old? Is it?

Speaker 4 (01:50):
Yes?

Speaker 2 (01:50):
Who were three years old? But it still looks spanking new,
and I know it's a great thing. And let's chat
a little bit about the things you've got going on
right now. Sure, got a great selection of inventory, that's
the good news we do.

Speaker 3 (02:01):
It's probably about the largest that we've had in the
last five, six, seven years, and so for customers, I
think that really is a good opportunity to take a
look at different colors models. The assortment is good, and
you know, it plays well into the year end incentives
that are offering being offered right now.

Speaker 4 (02:19):
But the manufacturer as.

Speaker 2 (02:20):
Well, what are people asking about right now when they're
coming in? What are you questions are you hearing as
far as what they're looking for in general, smaller, bigger
EV What are they what are they asking about?

Speaker 3 (02:30):
I think right now a lot of the conversation is
around interest rates. We've got some very very good rates
from Subaru right now, so that's one part of it.
And just the difference between the models. I know that
there's been a big push for EV but Subrew's kind
of remained a little slower to develop that, and I
think that's a good strategy. They're now coming out with
some really nice models in the hybrid format and those

(02:52):
are becoming extremely popular. One of the big ones is
the Forester Hybrid.

Speaker 2 (02:55):
Yeah, I heard a little bit about that Forester before
we went on the air here. What is it that
standing out right now? What you're hearing from the customers
that they really like about it.

Speaker 3 (03:03):
I think they like the flexibility, they like the increased
fuel economy, They like the idea of being environmentally more
conscious with that car and being a little greener but
still having the traditional power and performance from the Subaru.

Speaker 2 (03:18):
We mentioned the inventory you've got on twenty twenty fives,
but there's already some buzz coming in a little bit later,
in a couple months from now, maybe maybe even a
little bit less. You've got a new redesigned Outback coming in.

Speaker 3 (03:29):
Yeah, that car is I've seen that car at a
couple of the dealer meetings, and man, it is really
a game changer. The Outback is an iconic model for Subaru,
and they don't refresh and redo their cars very often.
So this is a big deal and it's a big
segment of what we sell here in this in this dealership.
So we're all very excited and we should see those
cars starting to arrive probably in November.

Speaker 2 (03:50):
We should mention that no matter what kind of vehicle
you're looking for, you will take any type of vehicle
on a trade in right.

Speaker 3 (03:57):
Oh, absolutely, yeah, we'd love to.

Speaker 2 (03:59):
What Yah, what do you see the trend right now
going as far as people with in general with that
with models, as far as hybrids versus r V versus
traditional motors. What do you where do you see it
going in the next two to five years.

Speaker 3 (04:14):
Yeah, that's a tougher question to answer. I still think
there's a tremendous demand for the ice vehicles, just the
normal combustion motors that we've been accustomed to. I think
the hybrid technology is really where we're seeing a lot
of our customers wanting to learn more and start adapting
into that space, and I think that I think going

(04:35):
forward that's going to be probably the biggest opportunity for us.

Speaker 2 (04:38):
Well, Ryan, we want to thank you for joining us
and again thanks for hosting the Huskies on the pig
Skin party here. It's always a pleasure coming out and
visiting with your people. Always had wonderful hosts. They're very welcoming,
they have a nice lay out here. We love your
facility and thanks again for doing all that.

Speaker 4 (04:52):
You are certainly welcome. We're glad to host Ahi.

Speaker 2 (04:55):
We're gonna take a break come back and run down
our schedule for this coming Friday, and a little later
on the show, we're going to get to the four
Skills Northern Huskies as you live the Pigskin Party. On
ninety six won the game. Stay with us, we roll
on with the Fox Motors Pigskin Party. We're coming you
live from Fox Subaru on twenty eighth Street in Cascade.

(05:16):
We're talking high school football. We'll have four Skills Northern Huskies.
Join us right now. Why don't we take a quick
look ahead what's coming up this weekend? Week number four?
Already hard to believe. We are over. We are a
third of the way through the regular season in high
school football. Seemed like just a minute ago they were
getting warmed up for the first game of the year,
and here they is already three games in right now.
But this Friday, of course, we've got two big play

(05:38):
by play games ready for you. On ninety six won
the game. Right here, you're gonna hear the big Okay
Red showdown between East camp Win and Rockford East kent
Win perfect three and oh on the season one and
oh in the Red all the Rockford Rams two and
one overall one and oh. Also in the Red after
their impressive win last week and the league opener, so
those teams are square off, but Naked and Buck Gino
will have the broadcast at about six fifty on one

(06:01):
oh seven m US. The Moose our Lake Shore game
of the week is a good one from the West
Michigan Conference as Whitehall and Montague square off. That is
always a great traditional rivalry, and Jason Hutton and Tom
Kender will call the action in that one Whitehall and Montague.
Whitehall's one and zero and in conference play Montague is
one and one and that comes up at six thirty

(06:22):
on one oh seven m US. Then, of course, UH
one of the highlights of our coverage is we send
game reporters out to games across West Michigan to do reports.
They do detailed pregame reports in our Pregame show, they
do live halftime updates during the halftime of our ninety
six to one Game of the week, and then in
the Mayor High School Scoreboard Show, which starts about nine
to twenty nine thirty, they do detailed summaries of that

(06:45):
and we UH not only get the reports on those games,
we get scored from all the games across West Michigan.
We get interviews with coaches and occasionally get a player
in there as well. Here's where we've got our reporters
going this week. East Grand Rapids of Catholic Center. A
good match up there, traditional regional or neighborhood rivals there.
Eastern Catholic Central Catholic Central off to another perfect three

(07:07):
and oh start. East Grand Rapids two and one on
the year. This is the Okay Conference opener for both teams.
Cedar Springs at Kenewa Hills and the River City's Alliance
matchup two of the three teams that are three and
oh in overall and one and oh league plays Cedar
Springs and Kenwa Hills, both undefeated, and we'll have reports
on that game throughout the evening. Looking forward to that,

(07:27):
our Lake Shore Spotlight game is an interesting game. Reese
Puffer at Mona Shores Puffer one and two on the air.
Mona Shores is two and one. But another part of
that big night in Mona Shores this Friday is the
Sailors Salute, and if you've heard us talk about that before,
it is a really a big deal at Mona Shores
where they really bring out the entire community to Muskegan

(07:49):
Mona Shores and they pay a tribute to military and
first responders throughout the night. It's really a big deal.
They have flyovers, they have incredible uh celebration of all
the good things that are involved in both the military
and the first responders in the Muskegon area. But we'll
have reports on the game, pregame, halftime, in postgame. In

(08:10):
that game and another big Okay Conference matchup between two
unbeaten Zealand East and Unity Christian both three and zero
on the year and this is their league openers for
their chance to make a statement right away. We'll have
reports on that game throughout the night. Also going to
get reports an Okay Red matchup between Granville and Caledonia.
Both those teams are two and one and that is

(08:32):
in the last few years, of course, been one of
the key games involving who's going to decide who wins
the Okay Red. We'll also have our weekly pregame show
features Thoughts before the kickoff, where Bill Rohan will take
a look an interesting perspective at high school football in
the area. That's always a very worthwhile thing to tune into.
And then Gino's Gems segment brought to you by Montell

(08:54):
Construction with our own Buck Gino. Buck takes all the
games we're broadcasting, all the games we have reporters, and
he picks three other games that we don't have someone at,
and he takes a closer look at that. Because there's
so many games, and if we had twenty reporters, we'd
find games for him to go to on a given night.
So there's always a few games that we can't get
people out to, and Buck pulls those all in and

(09:17):
he will give us Ginos gems and we will take
an insight of that game. So the thing to do
is to keep in mind in general is if you're
going to a game or anywhere out on a Friday night,
now make sure you tune into ninety six to one
the game on your way out to the game or
twoed out to dinner or to a movie, or out
to the restaurant, wherever you're going on a Friday night,
you're gonna hear previews of games across West Michigan from
six to six fifty on ninety six to one the game,

(09:38):
And if you're on the Lake shore side one oh
seven w US, you'll catch the same thing of that.
So then that leads us up to our games of
the week on both stations. At halftime you get live
updates from games across the area. Of course, the Meyer
Scoreboard Show follows at about nine thirty and we have
game reports, detailed summaries, and interviews with the Meyer High
School Scoreboard Show will tell a break, come back talk

(10:00):
high school football with the Foresails Northern Huskies. Say with us.
We're rolling and rocking on the Fox Motors Pigskin Party
from Fox Subru on twenty eighth Street in Cascade. And
the Fox Motors Pigskin Party rolls on from Fox Subaru

(10:24):
on twenty eight streeting Cascade. Don't forget check them out.
Look at check out these uh the all Forester or
Hybrid that Ryan Coe is telling us about. You want
to check that out as well. So we're now going
to talk high school football. The Forestills Northern Huskies are
our special guests on the Fox Motors Pigskin Party. Looking ahead.
By the way, we'll be over at Fox Mazda one
week tonight, Fox maz will be there. You want to

(10:45):
join us for that program one week from night at
six o'clock pm. Forest Sails Northern started out to drop
to a tight one in the opener to a very
good Kennea Hill squad which is unbeaten right now at
three and oh thirty one to twenty eight. That was
a barn burner, and then fell to Gennison twenty three seven.
Jennison also a fine two and one on the year,
and then bounce back with a big win over neighborhood

(11:07):
rival for Psilstantral forty two to ten last Friday. Eddie
Astapov the seventh year head coach of Forest Northern, but
he's been a head coach for twenty six years. He
joins us right now. Coach, I know, let's kind of
reflect first of all on the first two games. I know,
you know as well as anybody how good Kenawa Hills
this year, and that that's a game that could have
gone either way. That was right down to the wire.

Speaker 5 (11:28):
Yeah, they got a nice team, and they had a
lot of guys back from last year. And you know,
we we had quite a game with him, you know,
a year ago, and so we knew they were going
to be, you know, a really stout opponent. You know,
we had we thought we had him and just you know,
kind of didn't execute a few things in the fourth quarter.
And they've got some really really nice players, especially on

(11:50):
the offensive side of the ball, and you know, we
had a little trouble with that. They made some plays,
but you know, I thought our kids competed. We dealt
with I think we lost our starting slot, both starting
slots and starting receiver in the first quarter and a
half for the seat for pretty much for the season,
and our starting defensive back for the season. So we
had the kind of wheeling right off the bat and

(12:10):
had to kind of scramble a little bit to get
those positions filled. And you know, but at the same time,
you know, injuries are part of football and Kenawa Hill's
did a great job, so I give them a lot
of credit.

Speaker 2 (12:20):
Did you have to pick up pull up any jvs
because result of that.

Speaker 5 (12:23):
Well, we always have fifth quarter kids up, you know,
But it was just, I mean, I've been coaching for
a long time. We had I think in the third
quarter our trainer came to me and said we had
fourteen kids that were out for either injury or cramping. Wow,
So we you know, we were just kind of throwing
kids on the field in the fourth quarter. You know,
just trying to trying to get through. But you know,
I give them a lot of credit. Their coaches did
a great job. They made some nice adjustments, and they

(12:46):
executed when it mattered, and you know, they deserve to win.

Speaker 2 (12:48):
Coach fellow Son, the quarterback's pretty good quarterback. I have
not seen him play, but I hear he's really good.

Speaker 5 (12:53):
Yeah, he's a he's a really good high school player
for sure. I think he's got an offer at Davenport
as well, so he's he's only a junior as well.

Speaker 2 (13:00):
All right, Coach, again, after the falling to Jennison, you
played Forest Hill Central and again, every game counts one
on the standings. But when you're playing your neighborhood rival
to your kids who work with some of these kids,
maybe go to church with some of them, or they
know they hang out with some of them on the side,
that has to be something special when you beat your rival.

Speaker 5 (13:18):
Oh yeah, you know, and I think anytime, you know,
when we get to our season and talk about our goals,
that game always gets a little more attention than the
other ones. So our kids know and have played against
all their kids, you know, from youth football all the
way up and they've had a nice run over the years,
but you know, they think we were due. So I
think our kids came with the right attitude and the

(13:41):
chip on their shoulder and probably played our best game
of the year, and it was it was really exciting
for the kids.

Speaker 2 (13:46):
Four wins last year, but you had two or three
games that came right down to the final final play. Yeah,
so what was that a focus this year is? And
then how do you how do you convey that to
your players? Addy of you know, by three or losing
by three is often one or two plays.

Speaker 5 (14:03):
Well, one of the things I tell him, you know,
and we preach to him, is that more games are
lost than or one. In other words, it means that
we have to execute and not beat ourselves. And I
think that's what we try to focus on every day,
is just you know, taking care of the football and
and you know, not missing assignments and not getting silly penalties,
and you know, those kind of things add up over
the course of a game and you know if if

(14:24):
you're not careful, they can cost you.

Speaker 2 (14:27):
So again, right now, things had to come together with you,
especially on the defensive end. Winning forty two to ten
on Friday night so that was what was the mood
in the locker room afterwards? Had it had to be?
Was it? Was it more relief or was it Well?

Speaker 4 (14:42):
I think it was.

Speaker 5 (14:42):
I think it was a lot of you know, enjoyment,
relief maybe for me and the coaching staff, but I
think the kids really were excited, you know, and I
think really, more than anything, it was great beating their rival,
but it was also great to finally put our best
foot forward and play the game that we're no we're
capable of, and I think that was what was more
you know, prevalent to me and our staff was that
this is what we can be and that's what we

(15:04):
wanted to highlight to the kids.

Speaker 2 (15:05):
Coach Atti Ostipoe Fills Northern head coach join us right now.
You have four head coaching jobs before you took the
Huskies job started out at Charlotte, your very first head
coaching job. What does coach Ostapo at Forestills Northern know
that the coach Ostapoe at Charlotte did not know? You?

(15:25):
We already have about an hour.

Speaker 5 (15:28):
Yeah, there's a lot that I could I could put
in there. I think more than anything that it's you know,
I think when you're a young coach. You're you're about
to prove yourself and you know it's a lot more
and it shouldn't be, but it's a lot more about you.
And I think what I've learned over the years is
it's really about the kids. And what keeps me going
is just those relationships with the kids and being able
to come to work every day and have them in
class and see them at lunch and obviously practice after

(15:51):
school and stuff. That's the the bonds that I think
you build with kids over time, and hopefully those are
lifelong relationships that we continued on beyond high school.

Speaker 2 (16:00):
Eddy coach Tony and Nice of course, who was a
high school coach and then uh it's gone on to
national prominence at Division two. Farris State National Coach of
the Year was a big influencials tell us what you
learned from coach and ee.

Speaker 4 (16:14):
Well, I think you know more than anything. You know.

Speaker 5 (16:15):
I think what I learned was Tony's a relationship guy too,
and you know, seeing him interact with his players, you know,
even back in high school and and seeing him now,
I mean, he's he's a master when it comes to
building relationships with people and kids and making those connections,
and I think that's that's really what what he's good at.
And obviously he's a heck of a football coach to boot,
but I think just how he gets people to all

(16:36):
buy in and to all be on the on the
same page at the same time is really something special
to watch him do that.

Speaker 2 (16:43):
You know, You've got your son who here one of
the players you brought along, and I talked you a
little bit about this summer. I talk to him about it,
about the relationship father to son versus player to coach,
and how sometimes that's a tough line to straddle.

Speaker 5 (16:57):
People wouldn't wouldn't think so, But it's it's tough, you know.
I mean, it's probably tougher on him than it is
on me, you know, being being coach and dad playing,
you know, two different roles, and you know, to him,
I'm just dad, you know. So I think that's the
hard part is he is getting him to understand that
sometimes I got to be coach and sometimes I gotta
be dad, and when those times are it's not always
easy for a fifteen sixteen year old kid to understand coach.

Speaker 2 (17:21):
Eddie Ostipo, our guest on The Fox Motors Pickskin Party
live from Fox Subaru on twenty eighth Street in Cascade.
We'll take a break, come back with moo. Coach Oh,
stay with us here on ninety six to one in
the game. You are listening to the Fox Motors Pigskin
Party live from Fox Subaru on twenty eighth Street in Cascade.

(17:43):
Rick Berkey saying thanks for joining us for visiting with
Coach Eddie Ostapo from Forest Till's Northern again our game
of the week this week on ninety six one. He's
Kent win in Rockford and Whitehall at Montague is our
one oh seven m US game of the week. A
little bit later on, we'll remind you where I sent him.
All our game reporters reports throughout the evening on both stations,
updates in detailed previews, live updates at halftime, and then

(18:06):
extended postgame reports, interviews and stats from across the area.
Coach Eddie Oh joins us right now. Coach, you got
home not only a home game this week, but a homecoming.
It is homecoming at Fourstills Northern. A lot goes into homecoming.
I know some coaches see it as as something special,
some see it as a distraction. Where do you see it?

Speaker 5 (18:27):
Well, I obviously you know, I want to make sure
our players have a great homecoming experience, you know, whether
it's the game, the dance, all those things. But as
a coach, when it's three o'clock, we got to get
zeroed in on the game.

Speaker 4 (18:38):
And that's the thing.

Speaker 5 (18:39):
The message that we have been preaching to the kids
is that we want you to enjoy homecoming week. But
let's remember why there's a homecoming it's because there's a
football game, and nobody wants to Nobody enjoys homecoming dance
when you don't win the game, when you don't go
out and play well. So that's kind of been our
focus this week.

Speaker 2 (18:53):
You mentioned before you've had some injuries very early on
in the season and force you to play some guys
maybe that weren't quite at the point where you want
them to put them out there like that. That's a
tough thing for a coach to decide when you know
when a guy is ready for for varsity football. Actually,
with your experience, what do you look for to tell

(19:13):
you that this guy you said, whether they're a senior
or junior or even a sophomore.

Speaker 5 (19:17):
Yeah, how do you know, I think a lot of
times it really comes down to it. I mean, you know,
as a coach from a you know, an athletic or
a skill perspective, you know if a kid's ready or not,
But you don't always know if they're ready for maturity perspective.

Speaker 4 (19:29):
And sometimes it's a social thing.

Speaker 5 (19:30):
Do kids really want to leave their teammates, you know,
on the on the sophomore JV team and go up
and be with the varsity guys. Sometimes that's a bigger
thing to those kids than you think it is. So
I think there's a lot more to consider than just
the skill level of the athlete.

Speaker 2 (19:43):
What's the personality of this year's team? Are they all business?
Are they goofy? What were do they fit in there?

Speaker 4 (19:50):
I think they're a little bit of both.

Speaker 5 (19:51):
I mean they're kids, so they're goofy sometimes and I
think that's what's makes them. I like it in a
regard of making us loose and confident. But you know,
I think when it's time for them to work, they've
been really good about zero in. We had our best
week of practice last week, and we talked about that
today and what that led to on Friday night, and
so just continuing to make sure that we keep getting
better every single day in practice is really something we're

(20:13):
pushing the kids on.

Speaker 2 (20:15):
Eddie. You told me earlier this summer that philosophically you're
a big believer and letting the guys enjoy their summer
as opposed to trying to occupy them all summer long
with activities.

Speaker 5 (20:23):
Tell us about that, well, I mean, I think it's
you gotta work smarter than harder, you know. I think
kids are going to be excited about football in August
if you make sure that you let them have a
little bit of a summer we go. You know, we
have a lot played for him in the summer. I
don't mean that we're not doing things, but we go Mondays,
Wednesdays and Thursdays. We try to stay away from weekends
so kids can go up north, kids can go to

(20:44):
the beach, they can do other things and that kids
do in Michigan in the summertime. But we make sure
that we get what we need to get done during
the week.

Speaker 2 (20:52):
We are now in the second year of the River
City's Alliance play where they split off and form their
own conference, and I guess want know what what your
thoughts were on on that the the schools that split off,
and and and do you think that that is a
good thing for the Okay Conference? Is it bad? What
are your thoughts?

Speaker 5 (21:11):
Well, I don't know that it's a good thing for
the Okay Conference, and it might have been. It's probably
a good thing for some of those schools. And I understand,
you know, we I have good friends with a lot
of those coaches on those teams and those programs, and
I understand their their perspective, you know, for looking at
it from our perspective, you know, we lose some of
those neighborhood rivalries that we've had at Northern. You know,

(21:31):
we don't play loll anymore. We don't play East Grand
Rapids anymore. Fortunately, we're still playing Central, We're still playing
nor Few, but you know, and now we have to
go out to the Lake Shore and play games as
well that we don't really have connections with those communities.
So I think that's the challenge a little bit, you know,
from what we used to be to where we are now.
And it's always an adjustment and things always kind of
continue to evolve. So I think in another couple of

(21:53):
years you'll probably see a change again. So I'm hoping that,
you know, we can get all those teams back in
the Okay Conference, or at least get them back on
our schedule so that we have those continued rivalries and
those connections with those neighborhood communities.

Speaker 2 (22:04):
The playoff situation changed last year with the MHSAA as
far as qualifying, and they eliminated the six and you're
in automatically, so some teams can get in at four
and five or even if depend on who they played.
What are your thoughts? Was that a good move or
do you like did you like the old way better?

Speaker 4 (22:18):
I don't know.

Speaker 5 (22:19):
I mean I think at the end of the day,
if we're gonna do it this way, then we should
just let everybody in, you know, like basketball and other
and just have eight games and play your ninth game
as your as your playoffs.

Speaker 2 (22:29):
People say, wait, that's not possible. It is very possible.
Sure is, you play eight regular and then then.

Speaker 5 (22:34):
Everybody would have a ninth game still and your ninth
game would be your your playoff game. It certainly can
be done. I don't know that have any information on
whether that's being thought over or considered. I mean, I
just know that coaches talk about it often, but I
think this, this system is probably better in some regards
because you can't always control, you know, your schedule. I

(22:56):
mean people think that you can, well, if you do this,
you'll schedule these teams in these teams. Well, you know,
some schools have six seven game conferences. You know, they
can't they can't only schedule one or two, you know,
non conference games. So I think there are some limitations
when it comes to scheduling for some schools, But I
understand the motive is to try to get schools to

(23:16):
be more willing to play higher competitive schools and not
have to worry about not getting in the playoffs.

Speaker 2 (23:21):
You mentioned Eddie. Coaches talking when you're together with other
coaches in the offseason, Let's say, whether it's on the
golf course or we're gathering or something, or coaching convention,
what do you talk about?

Speaker 1 (23:31):
What?

Speaker 2 (23:32):
What do the coaches talk about with each other away
from their teams, be away from their season.

Speaker 5 (23:36):
Well, I think it depends on, you know, what kind
of relationship you have with those coaches. But the coaches
that I'm close with, we talk scheme, we'll talk program stuff,
we'll talk ideas, you know, with each other, and I
think most coaches that I have connections with are are
always very willing to share things. I'm certainly am, but
I've learned a great deal, even as an older coach,

(23:57):
from other coaches and just getting ideas. And you know,
there's been times when I I'll go and watch practices
if teams are still playing in the playoffs, and we'll
go and watch them, and you'll sit down with them
in the offseason. And I think our coaching fraternity is
very good in West Michigan, and we've got some great
coaches that are always very willing to share things with
other coaches.

Speaker 2 (24:16):
Coachetti Asipo, the veteran coach of the Forestills Northern Huskies,
thanks for joining us. He brought a couple of players.
Why don't we talk with them? And I think they
left a couple of pizzas the pizza for.

Speaker 4 (24:25):
You, all right, all right, thanks a lot, Rick, I
appreciate it, all.

Speaker 2 (24:28):
Right, Coachetti Asapoll, Let's take a break, come back and
talk with some players from Fores Hills Northern here on
the Fox Motors Pigskin party from Fox Super on twenty
eighth Street and Cascade. Don't forget coming up in November.
The Redesigned out Back twenty twenty six is going to
be in here in November. You want to get a
look at a lot of rave reviews already about that
Redesigned out Back to stay with us, don't forget, stay

(24:55):
with us throughout the week. Thursday Night his preview show
with Jason Hutton. You want to catch that at six
pm Thursday night on ninety six to one in the
game preview games across the area. Our game reporters this
Friday night when we going out to East Grand Rapids
at Catholic Central, Cedar Springs at Kenawa Hills, Reese Buffer

(25:15):
at Monor Shores, Zealand. He's a Unity Christian Grandville at Caledonia,
and maybe even a couple more surprises. So we've got
a great lineup of reporters as well as our games.
We're talking high school football now though with the four
Stills Northern Huskies. Colton Sawyer is a senior running back
and linebacker on this team, and Colton, I'm going to

(25:35):
ask you a question that I guess I know the answer.
I don't know this, but let's say coach comes to
you this week and says, you can only play on
one side of the ball. Which one you're going to play?
And why question?

Speaker 6 (25:47):
I really like playing defense, but offense I've been playing
the longest at the highest higher level. I haven't played
defense since freshman year, but it's it's a blast to play.
I got to say offense, so I have most experienced there.

Speaker 2 (25:59):
You think you're better on I Do you also play rugby?
Tell us first of all, where that interest came from.
What what caught your eye about rugby and how long
you've been playing it?

Speaker 6 (26:07):
Well, rugby, I've been playing since my freshman year, so
I'm going on my fourth year. I got into it
because my brothers. So my brothers played in high school
and one women played at the University of Michigan. I
was kind of forced into it. I was going drifting
towards track as my other sport at the time. I
was also wrestling, But so I've narrowed it down to

(26:29):
the two sports, football and rugby. However, I got forced
into it and I ended up loving it a lot,
and now I think it might even be my favorite sport.

Speaker 2 (26:36):
That's cool. How does rugby help you as a football
player or how does football help you? As a rugby athlete.

Speaker 6 (26:42):
Well, I think they kind of go hand in hand.
Football is kind of a derivative from rugby. You know,
the word touchdown even comes from touching the ball down rugby.

Speaker 2 (26:51):
I did not know that. Yeah, well that I know
they always touched the ball down. Yeah, that is cool, So.

Speaker 4 (26:59):
Football all rugby.

Speaker 6 (27:01):
My tackling form improved tremendously from rugby tackling because you
can't you know, you don't have the pads on. But
I also, I mean it translates a lot to a
lot of things from offense and defense, but I think
the most is tackling.

Speaker 2 (27:17):
You know, the colors are starting to turn on the
leaves right now, and you you guys have the advantage
of playing in one of the best settings in West Michigan.
Those leaves start to turn. Tell us about what what
that looks like on a Friday night in the fall
when the leaves turn.

Speaker 6 (27:29):
Oh, absolutely those There's so many trees around in this
and this bowl, and it's such a great scene. When
the sun sets, it's a beautiful scene. Sometimes even see
a rainbow. But the leaves all around it's they all
turn at the same time.

Speaker 4 (27:43):
It's a beautiful setting.

Speaker 2 (27:44):
Math is Colton Sawyer's favorite class at Northern. Why do
you like math?

Speaker 6 (27:47):
I just think it's the most challenging, most interesting, it's
problem solving.

Speaker 7 (27:51):
I don't know.

Speaker 2 (27:52):
You don't know where you're gonna go to school yet.
Tell us about a couple of schools. Maybe you're thinking about.

Speaker 6 (27:58):
Well, Michigan, have I said on mission? I'm gonna apply
to a lot different places, but my top two are
probably University of Indiana, Bloomington and ann Arbor in Michigan.

Speaker 2 (28:07):
Now, you're gonna take business finance wherever you go. That's
what you want to take in school. Yeah, what are
you thinking about right now? Again, things can change? But
what do you think about doing with that degree once
you're out of college?

Speaker 6 (28:19):
Well, I mean that's a that's a really good question.
I mean I can never really know for sure, and
until I get there, I'm gonna hopefully find my passion
when I'm in in school.

Speaker 2 (28:27):
All right. Uh So again, Michigan and is certainly in state.
But Indiana that's a little bit of a ways away.
Will it'd be hard for you to go away if
you go away to school.

Speaker 6 (28:36):
Well, uh, Indiana is unique because it's not too far away. Honestly,
I think Indiana. What I think that school is maybe
six seven hours away driv Yeah, that compared to Anna
Arbury is probably about two and a half three, so
it's it's about double the distance. But I don't think
it's too far.

Speaker 4 (28:52):
I think it's manageable.

Speaker 2 (28:55):
Your favorite meal before the game, tell us about what
it is and what it looks like on that plate
the night before.

Speaker 6 (29:02):
All right, Well, it's kind of plain. I load up
on carves with a lot of a lot of noodles,
a lot of noodles in marinera and then a lot
of meatballs to you gotta get the protein and and milk.
That's uh. I load up on a lot of that
on the night the night before, and then leading up
to the game, I have I have a little pack
of Skittles right right before and on halftime spike the

(29:22):
lucas a little bit.

Speaker 2 (29:23):
Skittles are pretty universal with that. What about after the game?
Would you guys go out? Do you go home? What
do you do?

Speaker 6 (29:29):
I mean it depends. Sometimes I'll go get dinner with
friends or you know, guys on the football team, But
then after that I go home.

Speaker 2 (29:38):
We ask every player that appears on this show to
think back all throughout their education high school, middle school,
elementary school and try to come up with their favorite
teacher of all time. Who would Colton Sawyers.

Speaker 6 (29:50):
Be oh Man, That's a tough question. I have to
think about that a little bit.

Speaker 4 (29:56):
I think.

Speaker 6 (29:58):
My Stem engineering class freshman year, mister Kemperman. He was
a great guy, great teacher.

Speaker 2 (30:03):
What made him special?

Speaker 4 (30:04):
What?

Speaker 2 (30:04):
What what made him that you'll remember him maybe years
after you're out of school.

Speaker 6 (30:08):
He's just such a nice guy. He always just made
everything we learned fun and interesting. And I never thought
I'd even like that class, and he made it. He
made it very interesting and I liked it.

Speaker 2 (30:16):
Your brothers were a big part of your life, Colton.
You mentioned that they kind of forced you into rugby
and that you're grateful that they did that. But tell
us how they're special to you and how old, how
much older they are.

Speaker 6 (30:29):
Than you, well, a little bit older than me. I
think the closest one to me is about fourteen years
older than me. But one's a doctor and one's a businessman.
So they influenced the way I see myself working in
the future and the work ethic, and that they're both
very hard working people and very admirable professions. And I
think their their morals, their work ethic, all all their

(30:50):
accomplishments just inspired me to do more with my life.

Speaker 2 (30:52):
Are they able to come see you play? And what's
that like?

Speaker 6 (30:55):
I think in October they're they're planning on coming out
and seeing me.

Speaker 2 (30:58):
Oh that would be great. Nice as well. Let's talk
a little bit about this team called again, a couple
of losses and a big bounce back last Friday against
Forest Central. That that had to feel especially gratifying with
your neighborhood rival.

Speaker 4 (31:11):
Oh that was great. I upen through middle school.

Speaker 6 (31:14):
We'd we'd beat them, and but this this varsity team,
I mean I had struggle with them for a while.
But it's great to be finally get the job done.
It feels great that our senior class event finally have that.

Speaker 2 (31:25):
You like Rick and Morty TV show?

Speaker 6 (31:28):
Yeah, it's great.

Speaker 2 (31:29):
Tell us why you're like that?

Speaker 6 (31:31):
Well, Rick and Morty is my favoritest sci fi. Just
think it's it's really good. But I think my my
number one is Breaking Bad. I think Rick and Morty
might be a second.

Speaker 2 (31:40):
What is your biggest strength as a football player? What
area do you think you still have to get better.

Speaker 6 (31:44):
At oh Man biggest strength I think I think I'm
pretty gritty. I think when things get tough, I think
it I can find my way out of it and
keep working hard. And then the thing I gotta work
on the most is uh jill leie speed, Probably that
and my catching abilities.

Speaker 2 (32:06):
Well what did you guys talk about team goals much
during the year or is it just sticularly one one
week that actually ext opponent.

Speaker 6 (32:13):
Yeah, we have a lot of team goals. My sophomore
year we made a poster that's hung up in our
locker room included a lot of goals like winning conference, winning,
beating FhG was a big one. That was always that
was a big one. So I'm really glad we get
that done. But playoffs is another big one that we
strive for every year.

Speaker 2 (32:32):
It had been it had been a while since you
beat Actually she wasn't.

Speaker 7 (32:35):
Oh yeah, since two thousand and four, two thousand and four,
one lifetime, so that that had to be a special
celebration at locker room. Oh yeah, all right, Uh, well,
I mean we're gonna take a break and come back
and talk with your buddy Owen. But we'll talk about
his football career. But before you do, tell us about
Owen his person, what what he's like, what he's like.

Speaker 6 (32:55):
Oh, he's a great guy. He's a great leader, a
very good football player. It's great playing with him.

Speaker 2 (33:01):
You mentioned leadership Before you go, I want to ask
you one other thing. Coach mentioned that you had some
injuries very early on in the year, and that's the
time that do senior leaders like yourself have to step up?
What do you what did you have to do and
what do you find yourself doing As far as the
underclassmen and showing helping show them leadership.

Speaker 6 (33:20):
Well, underclassmen not often have the confidence and preparation. It's
it always it takes folly till your first game on
varsity to really acclimate to that stepping up to that role.
But knowing what you got to do and really paying
attention and locking in practice is really encouraging them to
do that and really focus on what they want to
be and playing football and then what kind of player
they want to be. That's that's the most important.

Speaker 2 (33:40):
Colton Sawyer, thanks for stopping by. We've got a nice
T shirt here for you. It was Pigskin Party T shirt,
So best of luck to you this week and the
rest of the season and down the road. Most importantly,
take care sweet thanks for having me. All right, We're
going to take a break, come back with another four
sales Northern Husky. Stay with us. We're at the Fox
Motors Spickskin party from Fox Suberu on twenty eighth Street
in Cascade. The Fox Motors Fixed Skin Party here at

(34:08):
Fox Subaru on twenty eighth Street in Cascade. Great selection,
great inventory on all models right now. They'll take any
model that you have of any vehicle on a trade in.
Check them out on twenty three Cascade. And check out
this beautiful super bo facility just three years old here
that we're broadcasting live from here. Visiting with the Forest
Hills Northern Huskies. Owen Ostipo is a junior quarterback on

(34:31):
this team. Also plays lacrosse at FHN. Tell us about
lacrosse first of all, on and what caught your fancy
with that and what you like about that game.

Speaker 8 (34:40):
I think lacrosse and football are very similar in like
the athletic aspect of it, more of like a side
to side sport, more of a team played sport. I
started lacrosse in about first grade. It's been playing it
every year ever since. I love it and I love
playing my teammates and my coaches. A lot of the
football kids on our team also played lacrosse, so there's

(35:01):
a little bit of connection there.

Speaker 2 (35:02):
How are you better lacrosse player or football?

Speaker 8 (35:04):
Do you think I'm probably a better football player than
I am a lacrosse player?

Speaker 2 (35:08):
But there is a crossover though, right yeah? In terms
of skill set, Yeah, you played quarterback? Right now? How
would you assess your play so far this year? Through
three games? What you've done well, what you haven't done well?

Speaker 8 (35:19):
I think overall, I've played okay. It's something some assets
definitely need to be stepped up in the passing game
and you know, reading defenses and things of that nature.
But I think it's going pretty solid so far. Definitely
not where we want it to be, but serviceable.

Speaker 2 (35:39):
I asked Colton. I'm going to ask you the same too,
because beating your rival le FHC for the first time
in almost twenty years was it had to feel special
on Friday night.

Speaker 8 (35:49):
It's for sure special. Even my brothers group who played
he graduated last year, his team never beat them all
four years of high school, and this is the first
time you beat them in obviously twenty one year. So
I'd say definitely really special moment for our school and
definitely for our football team as well.

Speaker 2 (36:06):
What did you do this summer? What didn't you focus
on for your quarterback play that you focused on in
the summer.

Speaker 8 (36:12):
I did a lot of throwing through with my dad,
a lot my coaches, receivers, things like that. I also
did a lot of lifting training, speedwork. Give myself where
I need to be.

Speaker 2 (36:23):
Where do you still have to go? I mean you've
got you say, you've got another year of high school
after this year. What where do you have to raise
your game? Do you think the most?

Speaker 8 (36:32):
I'd say definitely in the passing game for sure. It's
something I've I definitely need to work on and something
I need to elevate a little bit higher than what
it is right now.

Speaker 2 (36:42):
You know, the night before a game dinner, I asked
of all the all the players on their forms, and
we get Feedicini Alfredo and we get Lisanya and all
kinds of exotic meals and oh in I stuppose favorite
night before the game ham sand with chips. That is
down to tell us about that.

Speaker 8 (37:04):
It's just my lucky meal. I guess you get a
little ham sandwich with some cheese on it. Put the
chips on the.

Speaker 2 (37:10):
Sandwich, chips on the sandwich. Oh, there are your.

Speaker 8 (37:12):
Chips on the sandwich, kettle chips, solid vinegar. It's amazing.

Speaker 2 (37:17):
What about after the game? We asked coldon that too,
What do you like to eat after the game?

Speaker 8 (37:21):
Wherever's open?

Speaker 2 (37:23):
Don't have a favorite place yet. Well, you're still a
ways away from decided where you want to go to school,
but you were thinking about majoring in finance, right.

Speaker 8 (37:34):
I've always liked math. I've always been better at math
than I have in like other aspects of school. And
let's see a good future in it.

Speaker 2 (37:43):
You know, there's a former Forest Hills Northern player who
right now is getting national acclaim with the University of
Mississippi with Trinidad Shamblers, who had an outstanding career at
Fair State and then went out to the whole miss
and suddenly on himself in the line light playing on
national TV. I don't know if he had a chance
to see him play. I did a chance this weekend.

(38:05):
I did have a chance to see him play. What
does that mean to you as a current force fields
Northern player. To see a guy like that who's now
a national name.

Speaker 8 (38:13):
He's always been a huge role model for me, even
back when I was younger and my dad first started
coaching here back when ies and like six or seventh grade,
when I was just a little kid. He's always been
a big role model for me. And obviously he's a
great player. He's going out at old mess right now.
I do try to take aspects of my game for hims,
and uh, I try to almost corporate it into mind so.

Speaker 2 (38:38):
Eve can get Eddie back into a second. I'm I
am remiss on that, Eddie. I meant to ask you
about Twinidad and what that means to you. Uh, to
have a former player like that playing at that level, well, a.

Speaker 4 (38:48):
Lot of pride.

Speaker 5 (38:49):
I mean, you know, it's just it's just great seeing
him excel and do what he loves doing and what
he's good at, and you know, getting the opportunity, you know,
Saturday night against Arkansas and getting the start, and I
watched the whole game.

Speaker 4 (39:02):
Yeah, it was great. You know.

Speaker 5 (39:03):
I text with him afterwards, and I think he's real excited.
Mom and Dad I text with them today and you
know they're obviously very excited. So you know, just just
love seeing any kid from our program gone and have
success in anything that they do. But this is extra
special being someone from from Northern who went to Faris
and had great success there and now he's doing it
on the biggest stage. So just outstanding for Trinidad and

(39:25):
his family.

Speaker 2 (39:26):
All Right, thanks Eddie for jumping back in. It is
found great to see Trinidad Shambliss doing that as well. Oh,
in Ostropolis, think back of your high school, middle school,
and elementary school days and pick out an all time
favorite teacher and why.

Speaker 8 (39:39):
My favorite teacher is from high school. His name is
mister Stefanowski. He's my math teacher. I've had all three
years of high school so far and he's definitely my
favorite teacher by a mile.

Speaker 2 (39:51):
Do you is there? You mentioned Trinidad. Is there another
kind of player that you emulate their style? Maybe you know,
maybe they play away that you say I want to
play like that.

Speaker 8 (40:01):
Definitely a little bit like Lamar Jackson for sure. If
we're talking kids from our school Trendad's definitely one that
I would want to play something like, especially now especially
he's doing that old mess.

Speaker 2 (40:12):
Did you get a chance to work out in the
summer at all with Trinidad or any type of workout there.
In the last couple of years I worked.

Speaker 8 (40:19):
I threw with him once this summer before he transferred
to Old Mess when he's still at Ferris And.

Speaker 2 (40:27):
Yeah, folks, we got to mention that if people aren't
familiar with it, it was just may I think that
he transferred. Wasn't it was me that he transferred from
Farris State to Ole, Miss And it was. It was
done really basically as an insurance policy. They did not
plan and playing all of a sudden, here he is
starting now and playing well for a MISS. That's great
to see that as well. What about what do you

(40:48):
what do you think about this team? What this team
strengths right now? And what what does this team have
to get better at this Northern Husky team.

Speaker 8 (40:55):
I think we got to get a little bit more
disciplined on like our jobs. But I think our team
plays really well together. I think we have good chemistry.
I think we know each other well enough that we
can work things out and make good things happen.

Speaker 2 (41:11):
All right, Well, we want to wish you the best.
Uh owen Ostapo, thanks for joining us. Best of luck
this week and down the road, because I know we'll
catch up with you one down the line. We want
to thank Owen Ostipo, Colton Sawyer, coach Eddie Ostipo, and
of course the good folks here at Fox Subaru for
their assistants. We'll take one more break and wrap up
the Fox Motorspigskin Party here on ninety six won the

(41:32):
game one final segment on the Fox motorspig Skin Party
from Fox Subaru Quick Rundown again. What we've got coming
up this week, We've got game reporters going out to
the following games. He'll follow pregame, halftime and scoreboard show

(41:55):
updates East Grand Rapids at Catholic Central, Cedar Springs at Kennawa,
Reese Puffer at Monor Shores, Zealand East at Unity Christian
Granville at Caledonia. So you'll hear detailed reports on the
J and H Family Stores pregame show and then live
updates on those games in the Hulst Jepson Physical Therapy
halftime show of our Game of the Week which is

(42:17):
on ninety six to one, the game East Can't Win
at Rockford and our one oh seven m US game
of the week is Whitehall at Montagues. We've got a
big lineup set for you and hope you can catch
our action on Friday nights wherever you're out and about.
If you go into a game, and you should go
to a game. It's probably the last week of real
warm weather, but you still want to support your teams.

(42:39):
And whether it's good or bad out there, remember other communities,
whether even the teams that maybe aren't winning as many games,
they deserve that support just as much because they're out
there working just as hard in practice every day, even
if they're not consending for a championship or playoff berth.
So get out there support the community. We've got a
big lineup. One week from the night will be over
at Fox on twenty ninth Street. Unity Christian Crusaders off

(43:03):
to a perfect three and zero start. Coach Craig Tibby
and the Crusaders will join us one week from the
night at Fox Mazda. Thanks again to the good folks
at Fox Suberwl here on twenty three Cascade, GM Ryan
co and all the good folks who came by and
laid off the things and thanks for feeding the guys.
They really appreciate that until next week. Rick Bergercaine, thanks
for joining us for the Fox Motors Thanks.

Speaker 1 (43:23):
For listening to tonight's edition of the Fox Motors Pig
Skin Party. Join us throughout the football season. Mondays at
six pm on ninety six won the game for the
Fox Motors Pig Skin Party. This is a production of
Sports Play producing local sports in West Michigan.