Lowell Football Finalizes 2024 Schedule
The Red Arrow football team running out during 2023’s season opener against Mattawan. Lowell Football’s historical record from 1900-2023 is 630-394-37 with five unknown results. (Justin Scott)
Justin Scott || Sports and School News Reporter
3/18/2024 - To be featured in the 3/21 version of the Ledger.
It’s official, the 2024 Lowell High School Football schedule has been finalized. It was always going to be an interesting one. Lowell’s move from the OK Conference meant a whole new conference schedule. For the first time since the Tri-River days, Lowell no longer is a part of the OK Conference, and instead is forged into the River Cities Alliance with Sparta, Greenville, Cedar Springs, Allendale, Coopersville, and Kenowa Hills. This is the 2024 Lowell Football Schedule with a quick look at each opponent.
Week 1 - Lowell vs. East Grand Rapids
Thursday, August 29th
Series Record - EGR leads 50-26-2
The Pioneers out of the OK Black in football, and Lowell, meet in week one. A blockbuster non-conference showdown to open the football season. The Red Arrows and Pioneers have been competing against eachother consistently for nearly a century, the first meeting in 1927, and both schools seek to continue that tradition despite Lowell’s move to the River Cities Alliance.
Week 2 - Lowell vs. Mattawan
Friday, September 6th
Series Record - Lowell Leads 2-0
For the third straight year, Lowell matches up with Mattawan in non-conference play. The Red Arrows beat the Wildcats 56-28 last year in a game that finished on Saturday due to severe weather. Both prior games between the two sides were high scoring affairs. Lowell will have a new player behind center, with senior Jackson Reisbig graduating this year and playing for Davenport next year.
Week 3 - Lowell vs. Coopersville (Pink Arrow)
Friday, September 13th
Series Record - Lowell Leads 10-9-1
Pink Arrow could have huge implications for the first ever River Cities Alliance football championship. The Broncos had a strong year last season, going 7-2, then knocking off East Grand Rapids in the district opener before falling to Zeeland West. They enter the season on a four-season playoff streak. The perk of this year’s Pink Arrow, it’s not at the start of the year, taking place on September 13th.
Week 4 - Lowell vs. Marquette
Saturday, September 21st
Series Record - This will be their first meeting!
A fourth straight home game to start the season is a welcome sight, but it’s the opponent here that’s the shocker. The Marquette Sentinels will make the 6-hour drive to Lowell High School, in what will be a Saturday game. While that may seem out of left field, note that Marquette’s enrollment is 1059. They have the highest enrollment of any school in the upper peninsula, with Sault Ste. Marie at 758 the second highest.
Traveling is a part of life in the upper peninsula and for Marquette High School who is in a conference with Alpena, Cadillac, Escanaba, Gaylord, Petoskey, Traverse City Central, and Traverse City West. Any nearby high schools to Marquette include Ishpeming (220), Gwinn (279), Negaunee (448), Munising (179), Baraga (87), among others. Being a large school in the upper peninsula is lonely, and for football especially, most teams around Marquette play 8-man. Lowell has not played Marquette in a dual event in any sport.
Week 5 - Lowell @ Cedar Springs
Friday, September 27th
Series Record - Lowell Leads 21-11
If you like running teams, this is the game for you as Lowell’s run-option takes on Cedar Springs’ wing-t offense. Cedar Springs has enjoyed a decade of success in football including playoff berths 8 of the last 10 years. Cedar Springs has a very interesting non-conference schedule with Ypsilanti, Auburn Hills Avondale, and a bye week at this time.
Week 6 - Lowell vs. Kenowa Hills (Homecoming)
Friday, October 4th
Series Record - Lowell Leads 11-0
Homecoming this year will take place on October 4th as Lowell hosts Kenowa Hills. It will be the first time since 2011 the two schools will meet on the football field, the last meeting a non-conference 49-7 victory for the Red Arrows.
The Knights are coming off a 3-6 season last year and will be seeking their first winning season since 2014.
Week 7 - Lowell @ Allendale
Friday, October 11th
Series Record - This will be their first meeting!
It will be the first time ever that Lowell and Allendale will meet on the gridiron. The Falcons finished 6-4 last year, losing in the first round of the division four playoffs to Whitehall. They played a close regular season finale in the OK Blue last year with fellow River Cities member Coopersville, falling 24-21.
Week 8 - Lowell @ Sparta
Friday, October 18th
Series Record - Lowell Leads 38-16
The Red Arrows and Spartans haven’t met in football since 2007. Sparta went 4-5 in 2023, notching wins over Godwin Heights, Kelloggsville, Hopkins, and Comstock Park, and will return three all-conference members from the OK Silver,
Week 9 - Lowell vs. Greenville
Friday, October 25th
Series Record - Lowell Leads 54-26-2
Greenville was much more competitive last season in the OK White, but it didn’t translate into wins, finishing 2-7 with a win over Grand Rapids Christian and new RCA member Kenowa Hills. The Yellow Jackets are 6-44 over the last six seasons. They have enjoyed a bit of a resurgence in their sports programs, and the new River Cities Alliance will feature much friendlier matchups. Lowell is on a five-game win streak in the series, last losing in 2018.
