GAYLORD ― Warm up the buses, load up the caravans and figure out the drivers; it is time for football season, which means it’s time to get travel arrangements in order.
Otsego area schools are gearing up for a lot of driving in 2023, with 15 total road games between Gaylord, St. Mary and Johannesburg-Lewiston.
Wondering which area team is traveling the most? Take a look:
Gaylord
Road games: 4
Total miles traveled (roundtrip): 924 miles
Average road trip distance: 231 miles
Longest distance: Week 7 at Escanaba, 414 miles roundtrip
Shortest distance: Week 2 at Kingsley, 124 miles roundtrip
Gaylord’s shortest road trip will be a nonconference matchup with Kingsley while its furthest distance to travel will be to play new Big North Conference foe Escanaba in the UP.
MORE: How leadership helped Gaylord win a football championship before week one
Gaylord St. Mary
Road games: 5
Total miles traveled (roundtrip): 534 miles
Average road trip distance: 106.8 miles
Longest distance: Week 1 at Pickford, 206 miles roundtrip
Shortest distance: Week 4 at Bellaire, 66 miles roundtrip
The Snowbirds will travel nearly 400 fewer miles than the Blue Devils despite an extra road game on the schedule. Still, they will make a trip across the bridge to face Pickford in Week One before relatively short trips in the remaining four games away from home.
MORE: Excitement for Gaylord Football shown in large turnout for Youth Football Camp
Johannesburg-Lewiston
Road games: 4
Total miles traveled (roundtrip): 528 miles
Average road trip distance: 132 miles
Longest distance: Week 4 at Frankfort, 220 miles roundtrip
Shortest distance: Week 8 at Mancelona, 72 miles roundtrip
Despite a longer average road trip, the Johannesburg-Lewiston Cardinals will travel six total miles less than St. Mary’s this season, making them the least-traveled team in the area for 2023. They are the only team of the three without a UP trip on their schedule while welcoming a team from the Canadian side of the Sault to Johannesburg.
