After one winning trip to Ford Field, Harbor Beach football coach Troy Schelke will make another.

This time, he already owns the victory.

The Detroit Lions named Schelke their 2025 High School Football Coach of the Year, honoring the Harbor Beach coach after he led the Pirates to a 14-0 season and the Division 8 state championship.

“We have such great support here,” Schelke said. “It starts with teachers at school, administration at school and all the support staff. We’re really blessed. The outpouring of support from community is outstanding.

“The backing at Ford Field … we really felt the energy of the crowd at Ford Field. We really did feel it in a positive way.”

The state championship was the second for Harbor Beach and Schelke, who claimed the state title in 2012. The Pirates outscored their opponents, 546-124, claiming the Big Thumb Conference Black Division title and the state championship with a 31-20 win over Hudson.

“Almost first thing Monday morning, we had the guys out in front of the entire school,” Schelke said. “The whole community shares in this. Mrs. (Lorene) Dillon, the widow of the previous long-time coach (Jack Dillon) … we let her take the trophy home. The fieldhouse is named after him. A lot of the plays we ran were the plays he ran years ago.”

The Pirates finished off the regular season at 9-0 with a 41-7 win over defending Division 7 state champion Millington, then went on a tournament run that included wins over Beal City and Bark River-Harris.

“Our 9-0 regular season is a little bit more of an accomplishment because we had injuries all year,” Schelke said. “Guys were stepping up left and right. Making it through our tough regular-season schedule was almost more incredible than winning the state championship.

“We were probably at our healthiest since Week 1 or 2 in the final game when we really needed it.”

Harbor Beach and Hudson were both undefeated going into the Division 8 state final and both finished the regular season tied at No. 1 in the Associated Press poll.

“Our guys were not awed by Ford Field … they weren’t just happy to be there,” Schelke said. “For three days we went over to the Laker Dome (Laker Legacy Center in Pigeon), which is an indoor turf facility. Those three days were instrumental in us having a great week and helping our preparation.

“I felt we were the underdog. I was telling people we were 15 to 30-point underdogs. We like that role. I asked one of the officials if they were beatable. The official said they were pretty unbeatable. The overall strategy was to challenge them every step of the way. We weren’t going to shut them out, so just try to make them work for everything they get.”

Schelke, a Harbor Beach graduate, has coached 37 seasons, including the last 29 as the Harbor Beach head coach. He owns a 222-90 record and has reached the playoffs 20 times, including the last nine seasons. He has won 12 conference titles, nine district championships and six regional titles.

“I’m overwhelmed,” Schelke said. “To be able to coach this long, you have to have a supportive wife and get divorced. I have a supportive wife.

“To see our young men grow and develop, then come back … it’s awesome. This is a team award, a school award, a community award.”

The Lions and National League Foundation will donate $3,000 to the Harbor Beach football program and invite Schelke to the Sunday, Dec. 21 game again the Pittsburgh Steelers to honor him and the Pirates.

Schelke will also represent the Detroit Lions in the Don Shula National High School Coach of the Year voting, with the NFL picking one AFC and one NFC winner.

Schelke also serves Harbor Beach as the athletic director and physical education teacher.

“I feel really blessed,” Schelke said. “You have to have support from the administration. You have to have the support of the community, so they don’t get the pitchforks out too often. I think I have the best coaching staff in the business.

“You can’t do it alone.”