Even with another conference title, Marine City knows there's work to be done

EAST CHINA — A microcosm of the Marine City football team's season was on full display. It just happened to be in the form of a game.

Early struggles led to various adjustments. Those tweaks gradually paid off, and by the end of the night, the Mariners were firing on all cylinders. That's basically their 2022 campaign in a nutshell.

"It hasn't been as easy as last year, it's been harder," said Marine City coach Daryn Letson, referring to last season's 13-1 record and Division 5 state runner-up finish. "But when you make runs like that, you're going to get everyone's best shot and you're going to take body blows early on. You've just got to be able to sustain those and pull through."

"We're really just battling ourselves," quarterback Jeffery Heaslip said. "We come out flat in the first half every single game. So if we can get over that hill, I think it'll be really good."

Marine City overcame another slow to start and pummeled Clinton Township Clintondale, 47-8, at East China Stadium on Friday. The Mariners improved to 6-1 overall and clinched the MAC Silver championship outright.

"That's been the way it's worked out for us," Letson said. "But we've got to find a way to come out and play better in the first half, obviously, once we get in the playoffs."

Marine City struck first on a 4-yard touchdown run by Cooper Letson at the 6:07 mark of the second quarter. The Dragons responded with a touchdown and a two-point conversion on their next drive to pull in front, 8-6, with 2:59 left before halftime.

The Mariners regained the lead, 12-8, on a 1-yard touchdown pass from Heaslip to Cooper Letson in the closing seconds of the half. That concluded a rough first 24 minutes of play from both teams. But Marine City suddenly clicked and outscored the Dragons in the second half, 35-0.

"Our kids continue to work," Daryn Letson said. "There's never a doubt with how hard they're willing to work or what they're willing to do."

The Mariners have worked diligently to correct their mistakes from Week 1, when they were upset by Armada in double overtime. It was their first loss at home since the 2019 season.

"Our coaches made it clear that it could be the best thing that ever happened to us," Heaslip said. "Everyone took that loss to heart. It really humbled us. A lot. We took that to heart and got the ball rolling after the Marysville game. Other games before that were pretty shaky, but once that game hit — the ball is rolling now."

Heaslip led the way against Clintondale, finishing 9-of-11 passing for 180 yards and three touchdowns in what was Marine City's sixth win in a row. The Mariners have outscored their opponents 274-100 during the streak.

"We're just trying to win out," said wide receiver Parker Atkinson, who reeled in five catches for 156 yards and one touchdown on Friday. "Once we get to the playoffs, there aren't any second chances. You've got to keep going ... I feel like we're going to get better and better as the weeks go by."

"It's just about getting as good as we can before November," said slot receiver Cooper Letson, who is Daryn's son. "That's the time when everything counts and everything is on the line. If you lose, you're done. Let's get as good as we can now and we'll see what happens then."

Of course, the Mariners are already a good team. They're averaging 43.6 points per game while holding opponents to just 17.2. But expectations are always high for a program which just captured its 23rd conference title.

"I think any time you win any championship in any sport, it's a rewarding feeling," Daryn Letson said. "Obviously, there are more (championships) out there to get and we're going to try and get them. But I think it's great for the community and great that we're able to keep this program going.

"We'll just see how far we can go. We're settling in and it's setting us up for an exciting postseason."

Contact Brenden Welper at bwelper@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter @BrendenWelper.

This article originally appeared on Port Huron Times Herald: Despite a conference title, Marine City knows there's work to be done