Brighton Memories Close to Henson's Heart
By
Steve Vedder
Special for MHSAA.com
November 7, 2017
Drew Henson admits he'll still sneak an occasional peak at the record book.
After 20 years and professional careers in two sports, a quick glance isn't about vanity for Henson. The former Brighton football and baseball star said he's simply curious whether his myriad records are withstanding the test of time.
"Sometimes somebody will send me (a link), and I'll look to see if anybody is getting close," Henson said. "I've got to see who is coming up."
Henson, 37, graduated from Brighton in 1998 having set 11 major hitting records, eight of which he still holds 20 years later. He's also noted among the state football record setters after throwing for 5,662 yards and 52 touchdowns during his Bulldogs career. Twice he threw for more than 2,000 yards in a season during an era right before spread offenses made doing so a much more regular occurrence. In addition, he was a standout basketball player as well at Brighton and his class’ valedictorian.
In baseball, Henson is still the all-time career leader in hits (257), doubles (68), home runs (70), grand slams (10) and RBI (290). The 70 homers is 23 more than those hit by any other Michigan high school player, including eventual major leaguers such as Nate McLouth (Whitehall), Ryan LaMarre (Jackson Lumen Christi) and Zach Putnam (Ann Arbor Pioneer). Henson drove in at least 78 runs every season sophomore through senior years. He's the state's all-time leader in RBI by 87. He also continues to hold national high school records for career RBI and grand slams.
Henson's senior baseball season is unquestionably the best ever amassed by a Michigan prep player. He set single-season records with 22 homers and 83 RBI, batted .605 and went 14-2 as a pitcher, including appearing in an MHSAA tournament game in which he struck out 20 of 21 batters, allowing batters to make contact with a pitch only twice.
Now living in Tampa, Fla., Henson he still views the records the same way he did before he departed to play quarterback at University of Michigan and then eventually sign $3.5 and $17 million contracts with the Dallas Cowboys and New York Yankees, respectively. Henson, who once fielded ground balls beside Derek Jeter and battled Tom Brady for a starting job, played on four Brighton baseball teams that averaged about 30 wins per year.
"A lot of factors created those opportunities for me. You don't set records like that without playing on a good team with good teammates," he said.
"We were a good hitting team from one through nine in the order. Our goal was to try and win state every year. I wouldn't have hit the homers or driven in the runs every year without my teammates. I have a lot of vivid memories of high school that are near and dear to my heart."
Former Brighton coach Mark Carrow said it's no surprise to him that Henson still owns the record book two decades after graduating. Carrow said Henson was the perfect blend of work ethic and natural talent.
"I coached for 34 years, and he was without question the best player I ever saw," Carrow said. "From the time he came to us as a freshman, it took one look at him throwing or one look hitting to know he was special.
"If there was a checklist for what you wanted in a baseball or football player, he checked the top of the box every time. He could throw 97, 98 (mph) and he could hit. He could dominate a game."
Carrow said the records are even more remarkable when you consider Henson every season would draw more than 40 walks, many intentional.
"Scouts used to come to the games, and I mean teams' top scouts," Carrow said. "And they'd say Drew was as good as they had ever seen."
Henson’s parents both were Division I college athletes, and his father Dan coached football at four Division I programs. Still, Drew’s dual sport professional career nearly took a different path as a youngster. While Henson started playing T-ball as a 5-year-old, his first love during his preteen years was basketball. Henson didn't play his first competitive football game until the eighth grade.
Considering he had interests in virtually every sport and at least in part because his father was a football coach, Henson thought of himself as a "gym rat" growing up. He would tag along to his father's practices, devour box scores in the paper and prop himself in front of the television on fall afternoons.
Much of high school athletics today is focused on specialization, but Henson said he never considered narrowing his sports to one. In fact, he encourages his young daughter to play as many sports as she can fit in.
"It never got dull for me," he said. "For a lot of kids today, it's too much for too long. You don't get a mental break. You can start to lose you."
While Henson's high school career was one for the record books, and he helped the Wolverines to a 9-3 record and Cotton Bowl win in 2000, his professional career never took off. He was a third-round draft pick by the Yankees (97th overall) in 1998 and sixth-round pick of the NFL's Houston Texans in 2003.
He stalled at Triple-A in the Yankees system, but did make the major leagues in 2003, singling off the Orioles' Eric DeBose for his only big league hit. He wound up retiring from baseball following the season after hitting .248 with 67 homers and 274 RBI in 501 minor league games. He was 23 years old.
In the NFL, Henson wound up making one start for the Cowboys in 2004 and in 2008 joined the Lions for a season. Henson threw one touchdown pass as a Cowboy, to Jeff Robinson in 2004.
Henson, who in July of 2015 still rated a profile in Sports Illustrated a decade after throwing his final pass in the NFL, has been asked many times about his lack of success in professional sports. Past speculation states he was rushed through the Yankees' chain, while participation in professional baseball may have stunted his football development.
Two decades after leaving Brighton, Henson said he still answers the question of which sport was actually his favorite the same way: with diplomacy.
"I've always said nothing was more fun than to play baseball, but there is also nothing like being in the huddle on the football field," he said. "It's hard to say which I liked more. You can play baseball every day, but you can only play football once a week."
The one regret Henson may harbor has to do with patience. If he had to do it all over again, Henson said he'd force himself to slow down and enjoy the process. Henson said he often felt he had to play catch-up in both sports.
"I would tell my younger self to have more patience. There were so many opportunities after my junior year (of college) that would have still been there as a senior," he said. "Because of that I wish I would've had more patience and let the process play out."
Henson said his message to youngsters who face the same challenge is simple.
"Society is so go, go, go," he said. "You just have to learn to hit the pause button. If you're always on to the next thing, you're not embracing the moment. I wish I had done more of that.
"If you like to work and put in the time, you can be successful. All that goes into it. If you have the heart and desire and pay attention to detail, you will be successful."
PHOTOS: (Top) Drew Henson starred during the fall at Brighton’s quarterback. (Middle) Henson struck out 20 of 21 batters he faced in a 1997 game against Walled Lake Western. (Below) Henson also was a basketball standout, averaging 22 points per game according to a Sports Illustrated profile published in 1998. (Football and basketball photos courtesy of Brighton High School).
1st & Goal: 2026 Week 5 Preview
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
September 24, 2026
It’s halftime, but no one is taking a break. In fact, the pace is picking up even more as we start looking toward the final month of the football regular season.
We’ve reached the midpoint, with four games down, another set to be played over the next 48 hours, and four to go after that. Every week several more eyes are turning toward our Playoff Point Summary page, which lists how every team ranks in its respective playoff division as scores are entered on MHSAA.com.
Teams are moving into and out of the potential fields of 32 for 11-player 16 for 8-player every week – and surely several of the games mentioned below will affect how those rankings stack up moving forward.
Games below are Friday unless noted. Tune in to the NFHS Network to watch the majority and follow the MHSAA Scores page for results as they’re submitted.
Bay & Thumb
Millington (4-0) at Cass City (4-0)
This Big Thumb Conference White showdown pits two of the three teams that shared the championship a year ago, when Cass City defeated Millington 17-14 in overtime. The Cardinals opened league play last week with a 43-16 win over Elkton-Pigeon-Bay Port Laker, the third returning co-champion from a year ago. The Redhawks have put themselves among the undefeated in part with a pair of three-point nonleague wins in Weeks 2 and 3.
Keep an eye on these FRIDAY Marine City (4-0) at St. Clair (4-0), Holly (3-1) at Fenton (3-1), Almont (4-0) at Imlay City (4-0), Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood (4-0) at Sanford Meridian (4-0).
Greater Detroit
Detroit Martin Luther King (4-0) at Detroit Cass Tech (4-0)
Cass Tech has won the last three of what’s almost sure to be a twice-annual series again, as these two also have met in a city championship game the last six seasons. The Technicians’ wins last year came by five and then 16 points, and they enter this matchup with three shutouts over four games and averaging 52 points per contest. King has played the toughest opponent of the two, impressively emerging with a 44-42 victory over Orchard Lake St. Mary’s in Week 2.
Keep an eye on these FRIDAY Grosse Pointe South (4-0) at Romeo (4-0), Orchard Lake St. Mary’s (3-1) at Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice (4-0), Oxford (4-0) at Clarkston (4-0). SATURDAY Ecorse (4-0) at Romulus Summit Academy (3-1).
Mid-Michigan
Portland (4-0) at Lake Odessa Lakewood (4-0)
Lakewood is 4-0 for the first time since 2017 and after winning four games total a year ago, already having avenged a 2025 loss to Charlotte as it points to a potential first playoff berth this decade and title contention in the Capital Area Activities Conference White. The Raiders have owned the division, winning 30 straight league games going back to 2021 with that run including three shutouts of the Vikings since they rejoined the CAAC in 2023.
Keep an eye on these FRIDAY Lansing Sexton (2-2) at Charlotte (3-1), Kent City (2-2) at Lakeview (3-1), Fowler (4-0) at Saranac (4-0), Mason (4-0) at St. Johns (3-1).
Northern Lower Peninsula
Kingsley (4-0) at Elk Rapids (3-1)
Coming off a notable Week 3 victory over 2025 playoff team Mancelona, and after having last week off thanks to a forfeit win from Cheboygan, Elk Rapids is staring down a big-time opportunity to impress as it continues to pursue a first playoff berth since 2022. A low-scoring loss to Traverse City St. Francis in Week 1 also was notable as the Elks take on the Stags, who opened this season with a pair of shutouts and have already conquered one major obstacle in the Northern Shores Conference race with a 39-13 win over Charlevoix.
Keep an eye on these FRIDAY Petoskey (3-1) at Cadillac (2-2), McBain (2-2) at Charlevoix (3-1), Boyne City (2-2) at Grayling (2-2), Midland Dow (2-2) at Traverse City Central (2-2).
Southeast & Border
Ida (4-0) at Adrian Madison (4-0)
Madison earned the spotlight last week with its first win over Hudson, and it’s time to give Ida deserved attention as well as the Bluestreaks join the Trojans and Clinton at 3-0 atop the Lenawee County Athletic Association standings. Ida entered this season coming off a District championship run last fall and has reached 42 points in all of its games during this first half, which should lead to an intriguing matchup as Madison allowed the high-scoring Tigers only 12.
Keep an eye on these FRIDAY Dearborn Divine Child (4-0) at Ann Arbor Father Gabriel Richard (3-1), Dexter (2-2) at Chelsea (3-1), Toledo Central Catholic (4-0) at Jackson Lumen Christi (4-0), Jackson (2-2) at Tecumseh (3-1).
Southwest Corridor
Portage Central (3-1) at Kalamazoo Loy Norrix (3-1)
Loy Norrix is off to its best start since 1998 and facing Portage Central for the first time since 2019, adding a few layers of interest as the neighbors prepare for this get-together. After reaching the Division 2 Semifinals last year, Portage Central opened this fall with a 10-point loss to Toledo Central Catholic before stacking a few wins including over rival Portage Northern two weeks ago.
Keep an eye on these FRIDAY Hartford (2-2) at Cassopolis (3-1), Edwardsburg (4-0) at Otsego (2-2), Three Rivers (2-2) at Vicksburg (4-0), Plainwell (2-2) at Paw Paw (3-1).
Upper Peninsula
Bark River-Harris (4-0) vs. Pewamo-Westphalia (4-0) at Petoskey
While this won’t be played in the Upper Peninsula, it does feature one of the best from north of the Bridge facing a contender from downstate. For the second-straight season these two will meet on a neutral field after losing their previously-scheduled opponents. Pewamo-Westphalia won last year’s matchup 49-0 on the way to ending the fall in the Division 7 Semifinals, while Bark River-Harris finished its season in the Division 8 Semifinals.
Keep an eye on these FRIDAY Kingsford (4-0) at Calumet (3-1), Iron Mountain (2-2) at Manistique (2-2), Escanaba (1-3) at Marquette (2-2), Hancock (3-1) at Negaunee (2-2).
West Michigan
Coopersville (4-0) at Lowell (3-1)
Coopersville made some nice noise last season coming back from an 0-3 start to reach a District title game, and that’s carried over and then some as the Broncos have opened this fall by defeating four 2025 playoff teams that are a combined 10-6. Coopersville avenged last season’s loss to Cedar Springs last week and now has the opportunity to do the same against another River Cities Alliance foe in Lowell, which won last year’s matchup 33-20. The Red Arrows have been similarly impressive this season coming off last year’s run to the Division 3 Semifinals.
Keep an eye on these FRIDAY Wyoming Godwin Heights (3-1) at Hopkins (4-0), Hudsonville (3-1) at Caledonia (3-1), Grand Rapids Catholic Central (3-1) at East Grand Rapids (3-1), Zeeland West (4-0) at Grand Rapids South Christian (3-1).
8-Player
Mendon (4-0) at Colon (4-0)
Mendon has won this matchup the last three years big, but that shouldn’t have any bearing this time as Colon already avenged a 41-point loss to Climax-Scotts from a year ago with a 24-point victory last week. Mendon, meanwhile, handed Mio its first loss with a third-straight 50-point performance and rolls into this Southern Central Athletic Association Red opener as the reigning champion.
Keep an eye on these FRIDAY Mio (3-1) at Bay City All Saints (4-0), Blanchard Montabella (3-1) at Dansville (4-0), Deckerville (4-0) at Dryden (4-0), St. Helen Charlton Heston Academy (2-0) at Rogers City (3-1).
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PHOTO A Detroit Central receiver breaks toward the end zone during the team's 38-0 Week 2 win over Warren Lincoln. (Photo by Olivia B. Photography.)