East Jordan’s Russell helps bring Red Devils back to a title clash

EAST JORDAN — Korbyn Russell is just a natural competitor.

Put the East Jordan junior on a field or in the gym and he’ll handle the rest from there.

“I just love being competitive and sports really bring it out,” said Russell. “You can actually bring that side out.”

That competitive nature is what led to All-Lake Michigan Conference basketball recognition last winter as a sophomore, then All-State baseball honors on the diamond in the spring as one of the best Division 4 pitchers in the state.

It’s also what has East Jordan off to a 6-1 start to his junior campaign and 2023 season.

Coming off a five-touchdown performance over Harbor Springs, Russell, the starting quarterback for East Jordan, has the Red Devil offense humming and averaging 40 points a game this season.

The number jumps to 47 points a game within the Northern Michigan Football Conference Legends Division.

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Russell has spread the ball around the offense this season, though four scores went to senior wideout Braylon Grybauskas Friday night, many hitting him right in stride, including back to back 42- and 49-yard scores.

“Korbyn is a good quarterback and he’s playing good football right now,” EJ head coach Adam Grybauskas said. “It’s nice when you have the weapons around him that he does and tonight happened to be Braylon’s night.”

With a pair of games to go and the playoffs ahead, Russell has thrown for over 1,000 yards and 16 touchdowns, adding another three on the ground. He’s also completed over 63 percent of his passes.

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The 280 points scored are already the most since 1980 in a season and it’s really been a large collection of guys doing the damage with the help of Russell.

“It’s kind of been what teams have given us,” added coach Grybauskas. “William (Webb) has had some touchdowns and Logan (Shooks) has had some touchdowns and Ryder (Malpass).”

The Red Devils are right in the thick of the Legends Division race at 4-0 within the league and will meet a Frankfort (6-1, 4-0) team that’s also unbeaten in conference play Friday night at Boswell Stadium in East Jordan.

The winner will take the conference and finish unbeaten within league play. East Jordan last earned a league title in a 5-0 Legends 2021 campaign.

To be back in the race and in a conference title game that he’s now leading his team into is quite the feeling for Russell.

“It feels amazing,” he said. “The team bonding and everything is just clicking right now. All the work in the offseason and we just have a connection.”

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While it’s his first season as the full time starter at quarterback, Russell played all season at the varsity level as a sophomore a year ago, helping EJ in some pretty big games, including the first playoff victory in 24 years.

“Luckily, last year we got some of those big games under our belt,” said Grybauskas. “We’ve just got to have a great week of practice. Guys know what we can do and we just have to go play a good ball game.”

There’s certainly familiarity there with Frankfort, too. That playoff win last season? That came over the Panthers in a 6-0 final. They also fell to Frankfort during the regular season in 20-14 battle a year ago.

The last time the Red Devils pulled in a conference title, that team standing on the other sideline with a shot at the title? That was Frankfort.

While he didn’t grow up in East Jordan – Boyne City actually – Russell has been well aware of the Red Devil past and how bare winning seasons were for decades. He’s happy to play a part in changing the expectations and goals around the program.

“I just wanted to change the culture,” added Russell. “It used to not be very good, but now it’s starting to click. It feels really good.”

And when the lights come on Friday night, you better believe Russell will show up competing.

Contact Sports Editor Drew Kochanny at dkochanny@petoskeynews.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @DrewKochanny, and Instagram, @drewkochanny

This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: Russell helping put East Jordan football, athletics on the map