🏈Football returns Aug. 28. Get your calendars ready with the entire season schedule. Vote for which team you think will have the best 2025 record.

HILLSDALE COUNTY — The wait is nearly over.

High school football returns this fall across Hillsdale County as all eight varsity programs prepare for another action-packed season on the gridiron.

Two teams stood out in 2024: Reading captured a Division 8 district championship, riding a physical rushing attack and a defense that outscored opponents by double digits in four of its last five wins. Meanwhile, Pittsford dominated SCAA East play en route to a league title and 8–3 finish, averaging over 40 points per game in its victories while showcasing one of the area's most dynamic offenses.

The rest of the county experienced a wide range of results. From rebuilding efforts at Hillsdale to strong showings from Waldron and Jonesville, each team now enters 2025 with new goals and fresh optimism.

The eight Hillsdale County programs combined for an overall record of 32-45 last fall. Here's a look at each team's 2025 football schedule:

11-Player Teams

Hillsdale Hornets

2024 record: 0–9

Aug. 28: at Jonesville, 7 p.m.
Sept. 5: at Blissfield, 7 p.m.
Sept. 12: vs. Ida, 7 p.m.
Sept. 19: vs. Adrian Madison, 7 p.m.
Sept. 26: at Dundee (Homecoming), 7 p.m.
Oct. 3: at Clinton, 7 p.m.
Oct. 10: vs. Onsted, 7 p.m.
Oct. 17: at Hudson, 7 p.m.
Oct. 24: vs. Blissfield, 7 p.m.

Must Watch Game: Jonesville defeated Hillsdale 22-21 in a decisive victory in the 10th anniversary game of their opening season games. The game came down to a failed two-point conversion for Hillsdale and a big first down conversion for Jonesville late in the fourth quarter. The Hornets look to get their revenge and end their losing streak in game one of the 2025 season.

Jonesville Comets

Jonesville junior John Milks returns as one of the top running backs in Hillsdale County.

2024 record: 5–4

Aug. 28: vs. Hillsdale, 7 p.m.
Sept. 5: at Grass Lake, 7 p.m.
Sept. 12: vs. Napoleon, 7 p.m.
Sept. 19: at Homer, 7 p.m.
Sept. 26: at Hanover-Horton, 7 p.m.
Oct. 3: vs. Addison, 7 p.m.
Oct. 10: at Columbia Central, 7 p.m.
Oct. 17: vs. Vandercook Lake, 7 p.m.
Oct. 24: Cascades Crossover, 7 p.m.

Must Watch Game: Jonesville's 24-22 loss on the road to Napoleon Week 2 of 2024 was one of their four losses by one score last season. Jonesville hosts Napoleon for the rematch Week 3 of this season.

Reading Rangers

2024 record: 7-5

Aug. 28: vs. White Pigeon, 7 p.m.
Sept. 5: at Springport, 7 p.m.
Sept. 12: at Maple Valley, 7 p.m.
Sept. 19: vs. Sand Creek, 7 p.m.
Sept. 26: at Stockbridge, 7 p.m.
Oct. 3: vs. Quincy, 7 p.m.
Oct. 10: at Union City, 7 p.m.
Oct. 17: vs. Bronson, 7 p.m.
Oct. 24: Big 8/Southwest 10 crossover, 7 p.m.

Must Watch Game: Bronson finally got one over the Rangers last season in a 34-12 Week 4 win. Reading football welcomes them back to Ranger country for senior night this season.

8-Player Teams

Camden-Frontier RedHawks

2024 record: 2–7

Aug. 28: at Holgate (OH), 7 p.m.
Sept. 5: vs. Tekonsha, 7 p.m.
Sept. 12: at Waldron, 7 p.m.
Sept. 19: vs. Morenci, 7 p.m.
Sept. 26: at Litchfield, 7 p.m.
Oct. 3: at Burr Oak, 7 p.m.
Oct. 10: vs. Pittsford, 7 p.m.
Oct. 17: vs. North Adams-Jerome, 7 p.m.
Oct. 24: at Britton Deerfield, 7 p.m.

Must Watch Game: The 8-6 loss to their rivals in Litchfield stung for the RedHawks last fall. They will look to return the favor when they visit the Terriers on Sept. 26.

Litchfield Terriers

2024 record: 3–6

Aug. 28: vs. Concord, 7 p.m.
Sept. 5: at Waldron, 7 p.m.
Sept. 13: at Battle Creek St. Philip, 7 p.m.
Sept. 19: vs. Pittsford, 7 p.m.
Sept. 26: vs. Camden-Frontier, 7 p.m.
Oct. 3: at North Adams-Jerome, 7 p.m.
Oct. 10: vs. Burr Oak, 7 p.m.
Oct. 17: vs. Tekonsha, 7 p.m.
Oct. 25: vs. Morenci, 1 p.m.

Must Watch Game: With six home games on the schedule, there's plenty of options Terrier fans can mark on their calendar this season, but the top game might be their road trip to Waldorn on Sept. 5. The Terriers fell 30-18 in a tough loss at home last season. The game will set the tone of the season to come for both programs.

North Adams-Jerome Rams

2024 record: 1–8

Aug. 28: vs. Stryker (OH), 7 p.m.
Sept. 5: vs. Battle Creek St. Philip, 7 p.m.
Sept. 12: at Burr Oak, 7 p.m.
Sept. 19: vs. Waldron, 7 p.m.
Sept. 26: at Pittsford (Homecoming), 7 p.m.
Oct. 3: vs. Litchfield, 7 p.m.
Oct. 10: vs. Tekonsha, 7 p.m.
Oct. 17: at Camden-Frontier, 7 p.m.
Oct. 24: at Colon, 7 p.m.

Must Watch Game: Coach Kody Hodshire and the Rams will look to kick off the new era of Rams football with a big at home game against Stryker High School.

Pittsford Wildcats

Pittsford quarterback Jake Drawe returns to lead the Wildcats after earning offensive player of the year honors in 2024.

2024 record: 8–3

Aug. 28: vs. Britton Deerfield, 7 p.m.
Sept. 5: at Burr Oak, 7 p.m.
Sept. 12: at Tekonsha, 7 p.m.
Sept. 19: at Litchfield, 7 p.m.
Sept. 26: vs. North Adams-Jerome (Homecoming), 7 p.m.
Oct. 3: vs. Concord, 7 p.m.
Oct. 10: at Camden-Frontier, 7 p.m.
Oct. 17: vs. Waldron, 7 p.m.
Oct. 24: vs. Climax-Scotts, 7 p.m.

Must Watch Game: Pittsford looks to line up a revenge win at home in their season opener against Britton Deerfield, which ended its playoff run last year in the 8-player Region 4 championship game.

Waldron Spartans

2024 record: 6–3

Aug. 30: at Lakeside Danbury (OH), 7 p.m.
Sept. 5: vs. Litchfield, 7 p.m.
Sept. 12: vs. Camden-Frontier, 7 p.m.
Sept. 19: at North Adams-Jerome, 7 p.m.
Sept. 26: vs. Burr Oak, 7 p.m.
Oct. 3: vs. Tekonsha, 7 p.m.
Oct. 10: at Adrian Lenawee Christian, 7 p.m.
Oct. 17: at Pittsford, 7 p.m.
Oct. 24: at Stryker (OH), 7 p.m.

Must Watch Game: Can Waldron football build off of its 6-3 record in 2024 to make the playoffs for the first time since 2020? It will have to go through Pittsford, which has beaten the Spartans each of the last three seasons. They will have to accomplish the feat on the road on Oct. 17.

Which Hillsdale County team will rise to the top in 2025? Let us know who you're rooting for this fall in the voting poll. Practice starts Aug. 11, and first games kick off Aug. 28 across the MHSAA.

This article originally appeared on Hillsdale Daily News: Back to the gridiron: 2025 Hillsdale County football schedules for every high school team

Category: General Sports