2018 Week 6 Football Playoff Listing
September 25, 2018
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Here is a list of MHSAA football playing schools, displaying their win-loss records and playoff averages through the fifth week of the season.
Schools on this list are in enrollment order for 11-player teams, with 8-player teams ordered by playoff average. An asterisk (*) beside a record indicates a team has eight or fewer games scheduled.
Those schools with 11-player teams with six or more wins playing nine-game schedules, or five or more wins playing eight games or fewer, will qualify for the MHSAA Football Playoffs beginning Oct. 26. Schools with 5-4, 4-3 or 4-4 records may qualify if the number of potential qualifiers by win total does not reach the 256 mark. Schools with six or more wins playing nine-game schedules or five or more wins playing eight games or fewer may be subtracted from the field based on playoff average if the number of potential qualifiers exceeds the 256 mark.
Once the 256 qualifying schools are determined, they will be divided by enrollment groups into eight equal divisions of 32 schools, and then drawn into regions of eight teams each and districts of four teams each. Those schools with 8-player teams will be ranked by playoff average at season’s end, and the top 32 programs will then be divided into two divisions of 16 each based on enrollment. The playoff in that division also begins Oct. 26.
To review a list of all football playoff schools, individual school playoff point details and to report errors, visit the Football page of the MHSAA Website.
The announcement of the qualifiers and first-round pairings for both the 11 and 8-player playoffs will take place Oct. 21 on the Selection Sunday Show on FOX Sports Detroit. The playoff qualifiers and pairings will be posted to the MHSAA Website following the Selection Sunday Show.
11-Player Playoff Listing
1. Macomb Dakota, 3114, 4-1, 72.800
2. Dearborn Fordson, 2795, 5-0, 92.800
3. East Kentwood, 2651, 4-1, 77.600
4. Grand Blanc, 2637, 4-1, 79.200
5. Clarkston, 2548, 5-0, 99.200
6. Clinton Township Chippewa Valley, 2462, 5-0, 104.000
7. Detroit Cass Tech, 2432, 5-0, 86.400
8. Howell, 2387, 3-2, 57.200
9. Canton, 2260, 3-2, 58.600
10. Brighton, 2202, 4-1, 79.200
11. Holland West Ottawa, 2190, 4-1, 72.600
12. Oxford, 2170, 3-2, 61.800
13. Ann Arbor Pioneer, 2115, 3-2, 64.200
14. Dearborn, 2106, 3-2, 52.400
15. Plymouth, 2060, 3-2, 55.400
16. Detroit Catholic Central, 2020, 4-1, 87.200
17. West Bloomfield, 2005, 4-1, 79.200
18. Macomb L'Anse Creuse North, 1994, 4-1, 71.000
19. Monroe, 1949, 4-1, 72.000
20. Hudsonville, 1879, 4-1, 74.600
21. Saline, 1834, 4-1, 80.800
22. Romeo, 1779, 4-1, 80.400
23. Detroit Western International, 1773, 4-1, 59.800
24. Lapeer, 1772, 5-0, 89.600
25. White Lake Lakeland, 1740, 3-2, 55.800
26. Davison, 1687, 5-0, 94.400
27. Kalamazoo Central, 1672, 3-2, 58.200
28. Belleville, 1642, 5-0, 99.200
29. Traverse City West, 1634, 3-2, 62.800
30. Brownstown Woodhaven, 1628, 4-1, 79.000
31. Rochester Adams, 1621, 3-2, 58.600
32. Grosse Pointe South, 1593, 5-0, 94.400
33. Warren Mott, 1585, 4-1, 80.800
34. Waterford Mott, 1558, 4-1, 71.000
35. Warren DeLaSalle, 1474, 4-1, 75.200
36. Jenison, 1464, 4-1, 77.000
37. Detroit U-D Jesuit, 1456, 3-2, 50.600
38. Livonia Franklin, 1443, 3-2, 53.400
39. Livonia Churchill, 1435, 3-2, 62.400
40. Dearborn Heights Crestwood, 1424, 5-0, 86.400
41. St. Clair Shores Lakeview, 1399, 3-2, 52.000
42. Traverse City Central, 1391, 4-1, 78.800
43. Okemos, 1381, 3-2, 57.400
44. Birmingham Seaholm, 1376, 4-1, 77.600
45. Wyandotte Roosevelt, 1376, 3-2, 52.400
46. Flint Carman-Ainsworth, 1358, 3-2, 55.800
47. Oak Park, 1349, 5-0, 92.800
48. Portage Central, 1349, 4-1, 75.600
49. Roseville, 1303, 3-2, 47.800
50. Birmingham Groves, 1298, 3-2, 55.800
51. Port Huron Northern, 1295, 4-1, 77.400
52. Midland, 1289, 3-2, 52.000
53. Portage Northern, 1284, 3-2, 55.600
54. Midland Dow, 1277, 3-2, 52.600
55. St. Clair Shores Lake Shore, 1276, 4-1, 69.400
56. Flushing, 1275, 3-2, 63.400
57. North Farmington, 1264, 3-2, 50.800
58. Swartz Creek, 1262, 4-1, 76.000
59. Walled Lake Western, 1258, 4-1, 72.600
60. Jackson, 1229, 5-0, 91.200
61. Ypsilanti Lincoln, 1226, 4-1, 64.600
62. South Lyon, 1225, 5-0, 92.800
63. Muskegon Mona Shores, 1215, 5-0, 96.000
64. Dexter, 1172, 3-2, 47.600
65. Birmingham Brother Rice, 1168, 3-2, 64.667
66. Ferndale, 1162, 3-2, 55.800
67. Fenton, 1160, 4-1, 74.200
68. Mattawan, 1153, 3-2, 55.200
69. Detroit Martin Luther King, 1149, 4-1, 66.400
70. Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern, 1142, 3-2, 51.800
71. Warren Woods Tower, 1126, 5-0, 73.600
72. Auburn Hills Avondale, 1115, 3-2, 52.400
73. Gibraltar Carlson, 1114, 4-1, 79.000
74. Farmington, 1111, 5-0, 96.000
75. East Lansing, 1111, 4-1, 74.800
76. Allen Park, 1105, 4-1, 80.600
77. Grand Rapids Northview, 1096, 3-2, 50.800
78. Garden City, 1080, 3-2, 52.000
79. South Lyon East, 1063, 3-2, 52.200
80. Mt. Pleasant, 1053, 5-0, 86.400
81. Muskegon, 1022, 5-0, 97.600
82. Battle Creek Central, 1014, 4-1, 69.800
83. St. Joseph, 1010, 3-2, 55.200
84. Gaylord, 1002, 4-1, 66.200
85. DeWitt, 1001, 5-0, 102.400
86. East Grand Rapids, 998, 3-2, 54.200
87. Zeeland West, 997, 4-1, 74.200
88. Cedar Springs, 992, 4-1, 76.000
89. Linden, 977, 3-2, 55.400
90. Zeeland East, 955, 4-1, 67.800
91. St. Johns, 955, 3-2, 52.200
92. Petoskey, 948, 3-2, 52.400
93. Detroit Mumford, 943, 4-1, 67.600
94. Trenton, 914, 4-1, 75.800
95. Riverview, 913, 4-1, 66.200
96. Middleville Thornapple Kellogg, 903, 5-0, 81.600
97. River Rouge, 897, 4-1, 61.600
98. Haslett, 895, 4-1, 71.000
99. Ortonville-Brandon, 887, 4-1, 77.200
100. Grand Rapids Christian, 886, 4-1, 71.200
101. Parma Western, 870, 4-1, 60.000
102. Chelsea, 851, 3-2, 61.133
103. Farmington Hills Harrison, 849, 4-1, 72.800
104. Spring Lake, 845, 5-0, 72.000
105. Fowlerville, 842, 3-2, 42.800
106. Edwardsburg, 838, 5-0, 76.800
107. Wayland Union, 829, 3-2, 54.000
108. Plainwell, 825, 4-1, 60.000
109. Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood, 809, 4-1, 70.000
110. St. Clair, 807, 3-2, 44.400
111. Milan, 761, 4-1, 59.800
112. Goodrich, 758, 4-1, 64.600
113. Detroit Cody, 755, 4-1, 71.000
114. Allendale, 749, 3-2, 47.800
115. North Branch, 726, 4-1, 58.400
116. Croswell-Lexington, 724, 3-2, 47.800
117. Center Line, 720, 3-2, 49.200
118. Battle Creek Pennfield, 709, 4-1, 66.200
119. Pontiac Notre Dame Prep, 702, 4-1, 58.200
120. Sault Ste. Marie, 700, 3-2, 42.000
121. Escanaba, 691, 3-2, 54.267
122. Detroit Country Day *, 687, 3-2, 58.400
123. Three Rivers, 682, 5-0, 86.400
124. Holland Christian, 672, 3-2, 47.800
125. Paw Paw, 670, 3-2, 48.000
126. Whitehall, 669, 3-2, 44.600
127. Wyoming Kelloggsville, 663, 3-2, 45.200
128. Grand Rapids Catholic Central, 662, 4-1, 59.800
129. Ludington, 645, 3-2, 29.800
130. Alma, 643, 5-0, 73.600
131. Lake Odessa Lakewood, 643, 4-1, 63.000
132. Williamston, 619, 4-1, 75.600
133. Grand Rapids South Christian, 615, 3-2, 52.800
134. Big Rapids, 613, 3-2, 40.600
135. Grosse Ile, 609, 5-0, 75.200
136. Dearborn Heights Robichaud, 608, 5-0, 75.200
137. Hudsonville Unity Christian, 602, 5-0, 88.000
138. Harper Woods, 594, 4-1, 47.600
139. Freeland, 584, 4-1, 56.800
140. Gladwin, 575, 3-2, 37.600
141. Saginaw Swan Valley, 573, 5-0, 89.600
142. Belding, 572, 4-1, 59.800
143. Muskegon Oakridge, 571, 5-0, 70.400
144. Macomb Lutheran North, 560, 4-1, 58.000
145. Birch Run, 552, 3-2, 47.600
146. St. Clair Shores South Lake, 551, 3-2, 42.800
147. Portland, 550, 5-0, 80.000
148. Clawson, 550, 3-2, 39.000
149. Frankenmuth, 549, 4-1, 66.400
150. Olivet, 542, 5-0, 76.800
151. Detroit Osborn, 537, 4-1, 51.800
152. Lansing Catholic, 531, 4-1, 61.600
153. Cheboygan, 527, 3-2, 47.000
154. Grant, 525, 3-2, 39.400
155. Richmond, 524, 4-1, 62.600
156. Ida, 512, 4-1, 58.200
157. Hopkins, 507, 4-1, 64.800
158. Benzie Central, 505, 3-2, 46.000
159. Reed City, 504, 5-0, 83.200
160. Detroit Denby, 504, 5-0, 69.600
161. Almont, 503, 5-0, 73.600
162. Marine City, 503, 4-1, 64.800
163. Berrien Springs, 500, 4-1, 61.600
164. Dundee, 485, 3-2, 44.400
165. Manistee, 472, 5-0, 67.200
166. Durand, 468, 3-2, 39.000
167. Coloma, 460, 3-2, 46.200
168. Gladstone *, 459, 3-2, 40.800
169. Ovid-Elsie, 453, 3-2, 44.800
170. Kalamazoo Hackett, 450, 5-0, 68.800
171. Clare, 449, 4-1, 53.400
172. Montague, 445, 4-1, 53.600
173. Newaygo, 445, 3-2, 45.800
174. Kingsley, 443, 4-1, 58.400
175. Hillsdale, 441, 5-0, 68.800
176. Tawas *, 418, 3-1, 40.200
177. Michigan Center, 412, 5-0, 54.400
178. Brooklyn Columbia Central, 410, 4-1, 66.200
179. Constantine, 400, 5-0, 72.000
180. Fennville, 400, 4-1, 51.800
181. Warren Michigan Collegiate, 392, 5-0, 75.200
182. Calumet, 392, 5-0, 72.000
183. Ishpeming Westwood, 391, 3-2, 43.200
184. Millington, 390, 4-1, 60.800
185. Ithaca, 388, 4-1, 53.600
186. Ecorse, 387, 4-1, 60.000
187. Blissfield, 383, 4-1, 69.600
188. Byron, 380, 3-2, 46.400
189. Montrose, 379, 3-2, 47.600
190. Delton Kellogg, 378, 4-1, 58.200
191. Hemlock, 374, 4-1, 45.400
192. Morley Stanwood, 369, 3-2, 42.800
193. Quincy, 369, 3-2, 35.200
194. Elk Rapids, 366, 4-1, 46.800
195. Napoleon, 365, 4-1, 47.000
196. Beaverton, 362, 4-1, 52.000
197. Grass Lake, 357, 5-0, 60.800
198. Jackson Lumen Christi *, 356, 5-0, 86.400
199. Traverse City St. Francis, 355, 5-0, 84.800
200. Flint Hamady, 353, 5-0, 73.600
201. Schoolcraft, 353, 4-1, 59.800
202. Niles Brandywine, 352, 3-2, 36.200
203. Kent City, 351, 5-0, 64.000
204. Lake City, 348, 5-0, 65.600
205. Leroy Pine River, 348, 4-1, 45.200
206. L'Anse, 344, 3-2, 41.800
207. Ravenna, 344, 3-2, 36.600
208. Grand Rapids NorthPointe Christian, 332, 3-2, 34.600
209. Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central, 331, 4-1, 71.800
210. St. Louis, 331, 3-2, 41.400
211. Oscoda, 329, 4-1, 38.400
212. Riverview Gabriel Richard, 328, 3-2, 43.200
213. McBain, 327, 3-2, 43.000
214. Hartford, 322, 4-1, 42.000
215. Roscommon, 319, 4-1, 59.800
216. Madison Heights Madison, 316, 5-0, 89.600
217. Pewamo-Westphalia, 315, 5-0, 59.200
218. Clinton, 313, 4-1, 50.200
219. Bad Axe, 311, 3-2, 36.400
220. Detroit Community *, 308, 4-0, 48.000
221. Madison Heights Bishop Foley, 306, 4-1, 58.400
222. New Lothrop, 302, 5-0, 73.600
223. Springport, 302, 5-0, 57.600
224. Sandusky, 300, 5-0, 64.000
225. Allen Park Cabrini, 300, 4-1, 43.800
226. Iron Mountain, 298, 4-1, 56.400
227. Cass City, 291, 4-1, 51.600
228. Elkton-Pigeon-Bay Port Laker, 282, 4-1, 56.600
229. Harbor Springs, 280, 5-0, 56.000
230. Detroit Loyola, 280, 3-2, 47.200
231. Manton, 280, 4-1, 47.200
232. Centreville, 279, 5-0, 59.200
233. Saugatuck, 273, 4-1, 53.400
234. Sand Creek, 266, 3-2, 32.200
235. Cassopolis, 261, 5-0, 65.600
236. Saranac, 257, 3-2, 25.400
237. Concord, 255, 3-2, 38.400
238. Royal Oak Shrine Catholic, 252, 3-2, 34.400
239. Ottawa Lake Whiteford, 250, 5-0, 60.800
240. Carson City-Crystal, 248, 5-0, 49.600
241. Iron River West Iron County, 246, 4-1, 47.200
242. Gwinn, 246, 4-1, 45.000
243. Reading, 244, 5-0, 67.200
244. Dansville, 244, 4-1, 44.800
245. Flint Beecher, 237, 3-2, 43.000
246. Holton, 234, 4-1, 45.200
247. Ishpeming, 233, 5-0, 60.800
248. Ubly, 232, 3-2, 38.200
249. Johannesburg-Lewiston, 226, 4-1, 47.400
250. White Pigeon, 225, 3-2, 32.000
251. Breckenridge, 224, 5-0, 60.800
252. Harbor Beach, 222, 4-1, 53.000
253. Sterling Heights Parkway Christian, 220, 5-0, 59.200
254. Rogers City, 220, 4-1, 48.600
255. Petersburg-Summerfield, 219, 3-2, 36.800
256. Decatur, 216, 3-2, 36.800
257. Detroit Public Safety Academy, 206, 4-1, 41.000
258. Saginaw Michigan Lutheran Seminary, 193, 5-0, 56.000
259. Mendon, 193, 3-2, 28.200
260. Pittsford, 186, 5-0, 54.800
261. Three Oaks River Valley, 186, 3-2, 34.400
262. Athens *, 185, 3-1, 44.000
263. Adrian Lenawee Christian, 183, 5-0, 54.000
264. Martin, 183, 3-2, 34.200
265. Frankfort, 174, 3-2, 33.000
266. Fowler, 170, 4-1, 39.200
267. Detroit Southeastern, 154, 3-2, 43.800
268. Waterford Our Lady, 128, 3-2, 35.200
269. Clarkston Everest Collegiate, 115, 5-0, 56.800
8-Player Playoff Listing
1. Colon, 162, 5-0, 54.400
2. Pickford, 156, 5-0, 54.400
3. Morrice, 182, 5-0, 52.800
4. Wyoming Tri-unity Christian, 173, 5-0, 48.000
5. AuGres-Sims, 160, 5-0, 48.000
6. Posen, 78, 5-0, 43.200
7. Onekama, 131, 4-1, 41.600
8. Suttons Bay, 189, 4-1, 41.200
9. Engadine, 102, 4-1, 40.800
10. Camden-Frontier, 176, 4-1, 39.000
11. Bellevue, 185, 4-1, 37.600
12. Powers North Central, 109, 4-1, 37.400
13. Mayville, 185, 4-1, 36.000
14. Hillman, 140, 4-1, 36.000
15. Stephenson, 159, 4-1, 35.067
16. Genesee, 169, 4-1, 34.800
17. Peck, 136, 4-1, 33.800
18. Mt. Pleasant Sacred Heart, 122, 3-2, 33.400
19. Deckerville, 175, 3-2, 33.200
20. Manistee Catholic Central, 181, 4-1, 32.800
21. Kingston, 187, 4-1, 32.400
22. Brethren, 143, 3-2, 31.400
23. Fife Lake Forest Area, 183, 3-2, 30.000
24. Portland St. Patrick, 102, 3-2, 30.000
25. Eben Junction Superior Central, 121, 3-2, 29.600
26. Crystal Falls Forest Park, 125, 3-2, 29.467
27. Battle Creek St. Philip, 178, 3-2, 28.600
28. Rapid River, 127, 3-2, 28.600
29. Cedarville, 151, 3-2, 26.800
30. Kinde-North Huron, 130, 3-2, 26.600
31. Tekonsha, 121, 3-2, 23.600
32. New Haven Merritt Academy, 154, 2-3, 22.400
33. Bellaire, 131, 2-3, 21.450
34. Webberville, 176, 2-3, 20.800
35. Onaway, 187, 2-3, 20.200
36. Central Lake *, 190, 2-2, 20.000
37. Pellston, 167, 2-3, 19.400
38. Caseville *, 95, 2-2, 18.400
39. Mesick, 202, 2-3, 17.800
40. Marion, 139, 2-3, 17.600
41. Burr Oak, 74, 2-3, 17.400
42. North Adams-Jerome, 146, 2-3, 17.000
43. Rudyard, 159, 2-3, 16.400
44. Bay City All Saints, 77, 2-3, 16.000
45. Ontonagon, 173, 2-3, 15.800
46. Waldron, 65, 2-3, 13.800
47. Bear Lake *, 94, 1-3, 11.000
48. Lawrence, 171, 1-4, 10.800
49. Hale, 122, 1-4, 10.800
50. Atlanta, 74, 1-4, 9.600
51. Owendale-Gagetown, 57, 1-4, 9.600
52. St. Helen Charlton Heston Academy, 156, 1-4, 8.800
53. Ashley, 94, 1-4, 8.800
54. Big Rapids Crossroads Academy, 201, 1-4, 7.800
55. Brimley, 154, 1-4, 7.800
56. Burton Madison Academy, 163, 1-4, 7.250
57. Flint International Academy, 171, 0-5, 2.400
58. Carney-Nadeau, 133, 0-5, 2.200
59. Felch North Dickinson, 83, 0-5, 2.000
60. Litchfield, 81, 0-5, 1.800
61. Baldwin *, 120, 0-4, 1.650
62. St. Joseph Michigan Lutheran, 100, 0-5, 1.600
Leader Re-Energizes Past Power Stevenson
By
Tom Markowski
Special for Second Half
November 22, 2019
Regardless of how one looks at it, Justin Newcomb is the right person for the right job at the right time.
Newcomb, 33, is one of the youngest head football coaches in the Detroit area, and he’s causing a stir. He’s in his second season at Sterling Heights Stevenson and the person most responsible for the Titans playing in an MHSAA Division 1 Semifinal on Saturday for the first time in a decade.
Stevenson (8-4), as an additional playoff qualifier, has played the underdog role to a T throughout the playoffs. There’s an advantage to that role, and Stevenson will take it up again when it takes on Davison (10-2) at Troy Athens at 1 p.m.
Once a football power, Stevenson fell back to the middle of the pack in the highly competitive Macomb Area Conference Red from 2010-18. Four times previously the program had reached an MHSAA Final, the last in 2009 when the Titans lost to Detroit Catholic Central, 31-21, in the Division 1 title game.
That was Hall of Fame coach Rick Bye’s 35th and final season at Stevenson. Since then, the Titans qualified for the playoffs three times and didn’t win a playoff game. That is, until this season.
“You’ve got goals,” Newcomb said. “You set goals at the start (of the season), and you just want to get the most out of (your) team.”
When Newcomb took over, the program had won just three games over the previous two seasons. The Titans were 4-5 overall in 2018, and just 1-4 in the MAC Red, which was won by eventual Division 1 champion Clinton Township Chippewa Valley. The average margin of defeat in those four league losses was 25.5 points.
“We took our lumps (in the MAC Red),” Newcomb said. “The challenge was getting kids to come out. When we first came in there was some interest lost. We had to beg some to come out. Now that we’re winning, kids are saying they want to come out.”
Despite his young age, Newcomb has coached high school football for 14 seasons. He started as an assistant under Mike Powell at Warren Cousino in 2006 when Newcomb was a student at Wayne State University. For 10 seasons he was the head varsity baseball coach at Cousino, but he gave that up when he took over for Powell as Cousino’s head football coach in 2017.
Though Newcomb finds himself in the right position at Stevenson, don’t view Stevenson’s sudden success as luck. Newcomb possesses an insatiable appetite for knowledge. If there’s a clinic to attend, you’ll likely find Newcomb there. And his ego doesn’t prevent him from talking to more experienced coaches to pry loose valuable information. Most often you’ll find Bye on the Stevenson sideline, not as an assistant but someone there whom Newcomb can confide in.
“Justin is positive and energetic,” Bye said. “He’s definitely not a guy who thinks he knows it all. He’s bought into everything, the Stevenson history, everything. He’s up on technology, much more so than I ever was. And he doesn’t let little things bother him. His practices have a tempo, and there’s little time wasted.”
Not lost in Newcomb’s system is his military background. After graduating from Wayne State with a teaching degree, he joined the U.S. Army Reserve in 2011. He continues to serve today in the Individual Ready Reserve (IRR).
“It has a lot to do with the way we coach,” Newcomb said of his military experience. “(Coaching) is a lot more than just what goes on on the field. There’s (teaching) leadership roles and being responsible. In our culture, it’s all about winning. It’s all about playing time. The kids get caught up in that.
“Their attitudes have changed. We had to address the group as a whole. We had guys that first year that said that they play linebacker, and that’s it. Others came in saying they just play one way. That’s not how we do it. You’re here to help the team. Now the kids are doing whatever we need them to.”
A prime example is junior Giovanni El-Hadi. A college prospect (committed to University of Michigan), El-Hadi had been told, by some outside of the program, that he was an offensive lineman and wouldn’t play defense. This season El-Hadi is starting on defense for the first time and said earlier this fall that his time spent on the defensive side has helped improve his speed.
Another two-way starter on the line is senior Sal Madonna. Madonna is a two-year starter, and he and his brother, sophomore Biagio Madonna, are the sons of assistant coach Carmine Madonna – who played for Bye during the late 1990s.
“For me, I’ve been a part of Stevenson football for a long time,” Sal Madonna said. “Last year’s team wasn’t as connected as much. This year we bonded together. We trusted Coach Newcomb’s style. Even last year as juniors (we knew) to be successful, we had to buy in. We didn’t have the same mindset last year. We’re playing with a lot more confidence now.
“This means a lot to me. I remember being in the stands (at Troy Athens) when Jason Fracassa threw a touchdown pass in the (2009) Semifinals. Just like this team, that team never gave up.”
This team rebounded from a 2-3 start with a 13-7 comeback victory over Utica in Week 6. That game, more than others, was the turning point of the Titans’ season. Newcomb made a switch at quarterback, moving Biagio Madonna from linebacker and switching fellow sophomore Jordan Ramsey from quarterback to slot receiver and running back. With Ramsey, Newcomb was running a zone read offense. With Madonna, Stevenson is running an option attack.
In the victory over Utica, Stevenson used a trick play to score the winning touchdown. Last week in the 9-7 Regional Final victory over Detroit Cass Tech, the Titans had a goal-line stand in the first half and scored the winning touchdown on a double pass. Madonna threw to Dylan Kleinedler, who threw to Ramsey for a touchdown early in the second half. A Ramsey interception ended the game with 14 seconds left.
The previous week against Macomb Dakota, Newcomb decided not to go for the tying field goal from 40 yards out, and instead called on Madonna to throw the winning touchdown pass to Ramsey with a minute to play. Stevenson won 38-35 against a team it had lost to, 40-14, during the regular season and before Newcomb had made the quarterback switch.
“We’ve been fortunate the last few weeks with trick plays,” Newcomb said. “(But) getting here is a testament on just how hard these kids have worked.”
Tom Markowski is a correspondent for the State Champs! Sports Network and previously directed its web coverage. He also covered primarily high school sports for the The Detroit News from 1984-2014, focusing on the Detroit area and contributing to statewide coverage of football and basketball. Contact him at [email protected] with story ideas for Oakland, Macomb and Wayne counties.
PHOTOS: (Top) Sterling Heights Stevenson players hoist their Division 1 Regional championship trophy after defeating Detroit Cass Tech last week. (Middle) Jordan Ramsey (5) breaks into the open against the Technicians. (Photos courtesy of the Stevenson football program.)