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Return to the Gridiron: Atlanta’s 2012 team

Atlanta quarterback Garrett Badgero

Preseason Outlook: Atlanta coach Troy Cheedie: “I’m excited. I know the kids are excited. I know the offense, the kids know, so I think it should be pretty good for us.”

Final record: 4-5

Season in review: With seven returning starters, the Huskies had high expectations in Troy Cheedie’s first season as coach. Atlanta cruised through the first five weeks of the regular season, defeating Hale, Mio and Central Lake ,losing to Au Gres and narrowly losing to Johannesburg-Lewiston in its season opener.

Things ground to a halt after Week 5 however, when an eligibility issue with a player forced the Huskies to forfeit three wins. This dropped Atlanta to 0-5 with only four weeks left in the season, effectively ending its playoff hopes. Atlanta did finish the season strong, defeating Hillman for the first time in seven years as well as Mayville, Arenac Eastern and Gaylord St. Mary.

Despite missing out on the playoffs, Atlanta’s talent on the gridiron didn’t unnoticed. Senior quarterback Garrett Badgero earned a Division 7-8 special mention from the Associated Press, first team all-North Star League honors and was named the 2012 Alpena News Player of the Year, after finishing the season with more than 2,500 yards of offense and 36 touchdowns, including 25 passing scores. His favorite target–and good friend–Jake Chambers led the area in touchdown catches (11) and receiving yards (594).

Five players–Badgero, Chambers, linebacker Brock Baum, linemen Cody Ryczek and Caleb Cumper–were named to the All-Alpena News team and 11 Huskies were honored by the North Star League.

James’ take: Every so often, a team has the perfect mix of experience, talent and moxie and that’s exactly what the Huskies had here. This team might very well have finished 7-2 in an ideal situation and instead we’re left wondering what might have been.

Badgero is one of the best quarterbacks–and natural athletes–Atlanta has ever seen and cemented his greatness in Week 7 against Hillman. It would’ve been too easy for the Huskies to lie down against their biggest rival, but Badgero put on a show, throwing four touchdown passes and running for a score as Atlanta routed the Tigers by 20.

Atlanta did make the playoffs the next season, but the 2012 team is one of the best collections of talent Atlanta’s had in recent years. Those athletes proved it several months later when many of them were part of an Atlanta baseball team that advanced to the Division 4 quarterfinals.

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