09/10/2026
Shepherd collides with Bullock Creek to open Jack Pine Conference play
After opening the season with a pair of non-conference wins, the Shepherd football team kicks off Jack Pine Conference play with a trip to Bullock Creek.
The Bluejays, who opened the season with a pair of wins, face a Bullock Creek squad that has a 1-1 record. Shepherd upped its record to 2-0 with a 42-28 win against Ortonville-Brandon in week two.
In Bullock Creek, the Bluejays face a team with plenty of experience and size along both the offensive and defensive lines.
âBullock Creek is going to challenge us physically,â said Shepherd head coach Owen Russell. âTheyâre big, experienced and they want to control the line of scrimmage. For us, this week is about playing disciplined football, trusting each other and doing our job every snap. Conference play raises the stakes, and we have to be ready to compete for four quarters.â
Bullock Creek opened the season falling to Sanford-Meridian 34-0 before rebounding to claim a 20-0 win against Hemlock.
Bullock Creek comes in with an identity built around size, experience and physical play in the trenches. The Lancers look to control the line of scrimmage, establish the running game and turn the game into a physical battle.
Shepherd will counter by using its speed, discipline and athleticism. The Bluejays will look to force Bullock Creek to defend the entire field. Look for Shepherd to use motion on offense and different formations to create mismatches and get their athletes in space.
When Shepherd is on defense, the Bluejays will face a Bullock Creek squad that will look to pound the ball with the ground game and chew up clock. The Bluejays will try to stifle the Bullock Creek offense by staying disciplined and forcing the Lancers to run laterally. Shepherd will also rely on technique, leverage and gang tackling.
âHistorically they (Bullock Creek) are big and strong and we need to trust our technique, play with leverage and get hats to the football,â said Shepherd defensive line coach Jeremy Payne. âWe have to win the third and short game and force more punts this week. Everybody has a responsibility. If we stay disciplined in our fits and tackle well, weâll give ourselves opportunities to get off the field.â
Senior fullback and defensive end Jayce Dearing (6-2, 225) will be a player to watch for Shepherd both on the offensive and defensive side of the football. Dearing brings another physical presence to a matchup where toughness and ex*****on will matter. Against a Bullock Creek team that wants to establish itself at the line of scrimmage, this is the type of game that doing the little things correctly becomes increasingly important. Dearingâs ability to play disciplined, physical football and contribute wherever heâs called upon could make him an important piece of Shepherdâs effort Friday night.
Senior offensive guard and defensive nose tackle Nick Terwilliger (5-10, 220) is another physical Bluejay to watch for against Bullock Creek. Terwilliger will be right in the middle of one of Friday nightâs most important battles. Bullock Creekâs size up front has received plenty of attention. Friday gives Shepherdâs offensive line an opportunity to answer. For Terwilliger, that means helping establish the run, protecting the backfield and making sure Shepherdâs offense can stay ahead of the chains.
Senior leadership will also be key and both Terwilliger and Dearing are key senior leaders.
Bullock Creek presents a different test than the Bluejays have faced through the opening two weeks â a team determined to establish physicality at the line of scrimmage and make Shepherd earn everything. That makes Friday about more than protecting an undefeated record. Itâs an opportunity to see how the Bluejays respond when theyâre challenged physically.
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