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Kensington Lakes Activities Association preview: Mott enters season with a chip on its shoulder, seeks another division title
Novi – Chris Fahr insists last season’s division championship and state playoff appearance was no fluke.
To prove that the Waterford Mott coach said his team will again be a contender for the Kensington Lakes Activities Association North Division title and a state playoff appearance.
Mott has never been mistaken for a football power. The Corsairs have made the playoffs just four times and the program is still in search of its first playoff victory.
Fahr isn’t interested in those facts. He and his players had no part in much of that history. Fahr concerns himself with more recent history, specifically last season and the work his players have done in the offseason.
Fahr and the other 23 coaches in the KLAA addressed the media on Thursday in the third annual KLAA media day held at Novi High School.
“We worked (hard) to get where we’re at,” Fahr said. “It matters to these players. It matters to the community.
“When I first got here (2012) I had 30 people at practice. I took all the sophomores and brought them together. I wasn’t going to chase those seniors. The sophomores stepped up and from that class we had a number of them get scholarships after last season.
“The biggest thing is to let them know that they weren’t a part of those other years.”
Mott was 2-7 in Fahr’s first season then it went 4-5 in 2014 before finishing 6-4 last season. Mott was 4-1 in the KLAA North and finished in a three-way tie for first place.
Mott returns six starters on offense and five on defense. That represents a solid core but there’s more.
Receiver Dez Fitzpatrick transferred in from Farmington and quarterback Jacob Baldwin is a transfer from Grand Ledge. Both are seniors and are expected to play in college. Fitzpatrick was selected to State Champs preseason Mr. Football top 10 list and he committed to Louisville. Baldwin is being recruited by Division II schools according to Fahr.
Top returners from last year’s team include running back Corbin Moore (985 rushing yards), receiver Avery Carter (25 receptions), linebacker Jimmy McFadden (76 tackles) and linebacker Trey Christian (88 tackles).
Mott is picked (KLAA coaches) to finish fourth in the North behind the three Walled Lake schools, Central Northern and Western. It would appear Mott could be a sleeper in the division.
Fahr doesn’t want to hear that.
“Sleeper?” he said. “We’re not a sleeper. Are we a sleeper, guys? No. We are going to contend for the division title again.”
Mott opens the season with four road games including the opener at Wayne Memorial on Aug. 28.
