Our Terms & Conditions | Our Privacy Policy
CHEBOYGAN – Lucius Munger remembers his days as a youth.
Back then, his family didn’t encourage him to play football, but eventually, he participated.
Moving from downstate up to Cheboygan decades ago, he eventually became a father of two boys. As they grew, he wasn’t sure he wanted them playing football at a young age.
“Other people wanted the boys to play, and I really couldn’t keep it away from them,” Lucius said.
POWDER PUFF GAME RECAP: Cheboygan juniors unleash defense on seniors in powder puff football shutout victory
TEAM-FIRST PLAYER: ‘Always team first’: Benson a quality player Cheboygan football can count on
Those boys – Luke and Mark – got their football feet wet in third and fourth grade, respectively.
“The minute they hit the field, you could tell they were hooked,” Lucius said. “It was a done deal.”
All these years later, Lucius has been blessed to watch his two sons grow up and develop into some of the most talented and impactful players in the Cheboygan program.
Called up to the varsity as a freshman, Luke is now a Northwood University-bound star and senior leader for the Chiefs, while Mark was making his presence known before suffering an injury at Boyne City a few weeks ago. Before Mark went down, he and his brother were playing together on Cheboygan’s offensive line.
The football relationship is what you would expect between a couple competitive brothers.
“Sometimes we get a little chippy at practice, but other than that, it’s good,” Luke said. “When we’re doing 1-on-1 drills, we get a little chippy. It’s pretty fun having (Mark) right next to me.”
Describing his sons, dad knows exactly what they’ve been like since their elementary days.
“Luke’s a violent player,” Lucius said. “He’s played like that for a long time. Both were like that. With Mark, I remember the first days of third grade, he was out on the field and he came home the third day and was like, ‘I don’t like football. All I do is run, run, run,’ and then the fourth day they got to hit and it was like, ‘Oh, wait a minute, this is fun.’”
CHEBOYGAN AT KINGSLEY: Cheboygan football’s postseason chances take hit in road loss to Kingsley Stags
TY KOLLY: ‘He’s really smart’: Kolly could be Inland Lakes football’s next star quarterback
VOTE FOR ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Cast your vote for the Daily Tribune’s Athlete of the Week for Oct. 7-12
Lucius, who helps on Cheboygan’s junior varsity, hasn’t truly coached Luke since fourth grade. Luke was up on varsity as a freshman in the blink of an eye and it’s been that way ever since. He’s made the most of his opportunity, transforming into an elite two-way player who committed to Northwood last summer. As for Luke interacting with his dad on the gridiron over the years, it’s gotten a little testy – but it’s all justified.
“It’s a love-hate relationship,” Luke said. “Sometimes, he gets on me, which I need, and sometimes it’s an atta-boy, and both are great. Both were needed to get where I am now.”
Dad would also agree.
“Both get a little pouty mouthed because dad talks to them, and I am a lineman coach,” Lucius said of his sons. “I don’t really have to motivate them a whole lot. Football is in their blood.”
On Friday, all three will be together one final time on their home field when the Chiefs host Grayling in a 7 p.m. Homecoming clash. While Mark can’t play because of injury, Luke will lead the Chiefs, who are still in the playoff race.
“The last Friday night lights. It’s going to be amazing,” Luke said. “I’ve had a blast.”
No matter what happens, both Munger brothers have football futures, as Luke moves down to Midland and Mark plays again for the Chiefs as a senior next fall.
One proud dad, Lucius is amazed by what his boys have accomplished since their football journey started.
“We’ll obviously miss Friday nights, but we’re looking forward to Saturday mornings and Saturday afternoon games, too,” Lucius said. “I played the game myself, and I realized about (Luke’s) sophomore year that it’s not going to be long and he’s going to be better than I ever was.
“I live through both. You live through your kids and it’s special.”
Contact sports editor Jared Greenleaf at jgreenleaf@gannett.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter @sportsCDT
Images are for reference only.Images and contents gathered automatic from google or 3rd party sources.All rights on the images and contents are with their legal original owners.
Aggregated From –
Comments are closed.