In 2015, the Marcus-Meridan-Cleghorn Eagles ran the table towards an eight-player state championship under Head Coach Kyle Oswald. The following season, MMC consolidated with Remsen Union and became an 11-player football program in Class A. That transition has been a rocky one for the Royals who have gone 3-41 since joining the 11-player ranks.
Last season saw a few bright spots for the Royals who lost 22 games in a row when they matched up with MVACOU in week two and got back in the win column with a 20-16 victory.
Those bright spots for the Royals ensure that Coach Oswald’s squad has the drive and motivation to take the 11-man MMCRU program to a level it has never reached.
MMCRU had 35 players on last year’s roster leading to scenarios where players would have to play long stretches without much of a break. Coach Oswald says that one of this year’s strengths will be their depth and ability to keep fresh legs on the field.
Of the seven seniors listed on last year’s roster, five of them were offensive and defensive linemen. That leaves a void that Coach Oswald says the underclassmen are ready to fill for the Royals.
MMCRU will be competing in Class A District 1 this season. This was a district last year that saw two teams make the playoffs in Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn and South O’Brien. In years past, teams looked forward to playing MMCRU. Coach Oswald says that, this year, they welcome that challenge.
[The Royals play three teams on their respective homecoming weeks]
MMCRU opens up the 2021 football season with a non-district matchup at home taking on Cherokee on Friday, August 27 at 7:00 PM.
Click here to listen to the full interview with Coach Oswald.
MMCRU FOOTBALL SCHEDULE:
8/27: CHEROKEE
9/3: HINTON *
9/10: at Akron-Westfield *
9/17: HARTLEY-MELVIN-SANBORN *
9/24: at South O’Brien *
10/1: at Alta-Aurelia *
10/8: GEHLEN CATHOLIC * (KLEM will broadcast this game live)
10/15: at Sidney
* – denotes District Game
