Deckerville Completes Title-Clinching Comeback with Unforgettable 'Drive'
By
Jason Juno
Special for MHSAA.com
November 23, 2024
MARQUETTE — Deckerville was used to being in a tough spot.
The Eagles were behind for the duration of the 8-player Division 1 championship game against Pickford on Saturday until finally taking a 30-28 lead eight seconds into the fourth quarter.
When they got the ball back after a brief Panthers possession, they still had that lead. They were just pinned at their own 1-yard line.
Coach Bill Brown had three thoughts.
The first was, “Oh, no.”
The second centered on getting out of there without surrendering a safety or turning the ball over near the end zone.
The third was “The Drive” from back in 1987 when quarterback John Elway took the Denver Broncos 98 yards in the late stages of the fourth quarter to tie the AFC Championship game, which they eventually won.
“I was like, ‘Hmm, I wonder if we can have the drive and we can call that The Drive,’” Brown said.
Saturday’s drive will certainly be remembered in Deckerville for a long time. The Eagles didn’t score, but they did run out the clock – all nine minutes, 14 seconds of it.
That cemented their 30-28 championship victory at the Superior Dome. After falling behind by two touchdowns early, the Eagles rallied back by holding onto the football and keeping Pickford’s electric quarterback, Tommy Storey, on the sideline.
“It’s a dream come true,” Deckerville senior linebacker Corbin Sharbowski said. “I’ve been dreaming since I was a little kid. I think in seventh grade, we were all on the same team, we had a pretty good season and we were like, ‘Yeah, we might be able to do this.’”
Saturday’s game started out as a nightmare, in part thanks to an epic performance by Storey.
The 5-foot-9, 175-pound senior ran for touchdowns of 44, 70, 57 and 34 yards in the first half to give the Panthers 16-0 and 28-16 leads. He ended the half with 282 rushing yards, just 70 off the record for a full 8-player championship game.
He only recorded 22 yards during the second half. To be fair, he was rarely on the field after halftime.
Deckerville got the ball first in the second half. The Eagles used 15 plays to go 71 yards while taking more than 7½ minutes off of the clock.
They converted two fourth downs, including a 4th-and-9 when standout quarterback, Hunter Garza, ran 17 yards for a first down at the 1. Parker Merriman ran the last yard to pull Deckerville within five of Pickford’s lead, 28-23.
The Panthers followed with a four-and-out, as the Eagles stopped their 4th-and-3 play for no gain.
Deckerville took its first lead on the ensuing possession, with Brandon Salowitz grabbing a 36-yard touchdown pass from Garza. Mark Donker’s extra point kick made it 30-28 Eagles with 11:52 left in the game.
Brown said that was the first time they ran that play all season, and it was likely the only one Pickford hadn’t seen from them during pregame prep.
“I (had) seen Brandon, I knew he was 1-on-1, so I just threw it up and he did the rest,” Garza said.
Storey ran for 12 yards on the first play of Pickford’s next possession. A false start doomed that drive, though, and Pickford took two timeouts before deciding to punt from its own 49 with 9:25 left.
The Panthers executed the punt well, downing the ball at the 1-yard line.
They just never saw the ball again. Seventeen rushing plays by Garza and Merriman – only one of which went for more than 10 yards, an 11-yard gain by Garza – ate up all of that clock. Deckerville converted on three third downs. Garza rushed five yards on 4th-and-5 at the Pickford 30 to seal it.
“There wasn’t, ‘Hey, let’s keep the ball,’” Brown said. “No, it’s let’s go score because we’re going to have to outscore them sooner or later.”
Pickford ran just nine offensive plays during the final two quarters. Deckerville went 5-for-5 on fourth downs and had the ball for 19 minutes, 3 seconds of the 24-minute second half.
“That’s the game we like to play,” Pickford coach Josh Rader said. “We like to keep their offense off the field. They did that to us. They ground and pounded it. They got first downs when they needed to.”
Eagles also defended the physical runner Storey well the few times he touched the ball in the second half. “I thought we could run at him a little more, maybe wear him down a little bit more running at him,” Brown said.
Storey finished with the second-most rushing yards 8-Player Finals history, 304 on 21 carries with the four first-half touchdowns. Pickford ended the season at 12-1.
“Proud of our guys,” Rader said. “Like I mentioned after the game, it hurts right now. As we get time to get away, they’re going to realize how fun it actually was to be in this game.”
Deckerville, meanwhile, finished a perfect 13-0.
“It’s so surreal I can’t even grasp what’s happening right now,” Brown said.
The title was Deckerville’s second in 8-player and first since 2012.
“It’s a crazy experience to even go to the state finals,” said Garza, who finished with 225 yards on 37 carries with two touchdowns, “but to win it is just awesome.”
PHOTOS (Top) Deckerville's Brandon Salowitz celebrates his second-half touchdown reception Saturday at the Superior Dome. (Middle) Pickford quarterback Tommy Storey (8) breaks away for his second touchdown run of the first half. (Below) Deckerville quarterback Hunter Garza (7) begins to cut back during his first-half touchdown sprint. (Photos by Cara Kamps. Click for more.)
Drive for Detroit: Week 1 Preview
August 23, 2017
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Football remains the most played high school sport in Michigan, not to mention the most popular for fans who fill our stadiums every fall weekend.
Finally, it’s time to start talking about it again – and you’ve come to the right place.
Below is the first of 14 “Drive for Detroit” weekly previews aimed at giving you the most intriguing games in your corner of the state every week through November’s 11-Player Finals at Ford Field.
The original motivation of our weekly football previews has been to give fans a few games they can check out no matter where they live or might be visiting in our great state. For that reason, you’ll see the games at University of Michigan this weekend under “Southeast & Border” although those teams playing don’t necessarily call that part of the state home, and you’ll find the rest listed under regions where the home team is located even if the away team is from far away.
With most of the state’s games this weekend split over Thursday and Friday, we’ve also listed which day all of them below will be played – but check out the MHSAA Score Center for the full schedule plus scores all three nights as they come in.
Be sure to check out as well the list of 19 games airing this weekend on MHSAA.tv, including all three from the Vehicle City Gridiron Classic at Flint’s Atwood Stadium, seven games from the Prep Kickoff Classic at Wayne State University and all four games from Saturday’s GRidiron Classic at Grand Valley State University.
The weekly “Drive for Detroit” previews are powered by MI Student Aid. Please click the adjacent linked logo and read below for more information on how MI Student Aid is providing Michigan’s high school students with money to help pay for college.
Bay & Thumb
Marysville (10-1) at Richmond (8-2), Thursday
A 38-21 win over the Blue Devils in last season’s opener was the start to Marysville’s best finish since 2000, as the Vikings’ only loss came in a District Final to eventual Division 4 runner-up Detroit Country Day. Richmond still went on to a perfect run through the Blue Water Area Conference and fifth straight playoff berth, and will look to make it three wins in four years over the reigning Macomb Area Conference Gold champ.
Others that caught my eye: THURSDAY Marine City (4-5) at Algonac (11-2), Flint Carman-Ainsworth (6-4) vs. Grand Blanc (5-5) at Atwood Stadium, Lake Fenton (8-2) at New Lothrop (10-2), FRIDAY Unionville-Sebewaing (9-2) at Ubly (12-1).
Greater Detroit
Macomb Dakota (7-4) at Orchard Lake St. Mary’s (10-4), Thursday
A host of intriguing games will be played this weekend as part of the Prep Kickoff Classic at Wayne State University; four of them are listed below. But it’s tough again to look past this one. The Cougars won the opener with the Eaglets 35-28 a year ago on the way to a 16th straight playoff appearance. St. Mary’s, meanwhile, rebounded to only win a third straight Division 3 championship with a one-point nail-biter over Muskegon in the season’s final game at Ford Field.
Others that caught my eye: THURSDAY Southfield Arts & Technology (8-4) vs. Davison (10-1) at Wayne State University, Walled Lake Western (12-2) vs. West Bloomfield (6-5) at Wayne State University, SATURDAY Oak Park (7-4) vs. Utica Eisenhower (12-1) at Wayne State University, River Rouge (11-2) vs. Detroit East English (5-4) at Wayne State University.
Mid-Michigan
Hudsonville (8-2) at Grand Ledge (7-3), Thursday
Grand Ledge was considered the Lansing area’s best team for most of last season and will vie for that status again with a senior-loaded squad; more on that next week when the Comets take on another contender in DeWitt. Grand Ledge’s only loss through the first eight games last fall was in the opener 21-14 to Hudsonville, which went on to a fourth straight playoff appearance with losses only to Ottawa-Kent Conference Red rivals Rockford and Grandville.
Others that caught my eye: THURSDAY Haslett (4-5) at Fowlerville (7-3), Battle Creek Pennfield (5-5) at Williamston (5-5), FRIDAY Beal City (7-4) at Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart (5-5), East Lansing (6-4) at St. Johns (5-4).
Northern Lower Peninsula
Roscommon (9-2) at Grayling (7-4), Thursday
The Bucks turned a 20-14 opening-night win over Grayling last year into the start of their best season since 2006, including their first playoff appearance since 2012. The Vikings, meanwhile, continued as one of the most consistent programs in the north, putting together their best record in three seasons and seventh playoff appearance in eight seasons.
Others that caught my eye: THURSDAY Big Rapids (3-6) at Cadillac (6-4), FRIDAY Hillman (5-5) at Gaylord St. Mary (6-4), AuGres-Sims (7-3) at Rogers City (4-5), Lansing Sexton (7-4) at Gaylord (4-5).
Southeast & Border
Rockford (7-4) at Saline (11-1), Thursday
A team-wide illness took the Rams out of this much-anticipated matchup a year ago, but it’s a go this week and with no less expectation. After taking a forfeit loss to start and then falling the following week to Lowell, Rockford strung together six straight wins to make the playoffs for a 21st straight season – tied for longest active streak in the state with Menominee. Saline is coming off a second straight 11-1 finish, and with its 2014 run to the Division 1 Final is a combined 34-4 over the last three seasons. The Yellowjackets might have been the second-best team in Michigan in 2016, falling to eventual Division 1 champion Detroit Cass Tech 43-42 in a Regional Final.
Others that caught my eye: THURSDAY Brighton (7-3) vs. Belleville (7-3) at University of Michigan, Constantine (6-4) at Homer (8-3), FRIDAY Clarkston (9-3) vs. Lapeer (7-3) at University of Michigan, Pewamo-Westphalia (14-0) at Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central (4-5).
Southwest Corridor
Dearborn Divine Child (10-3) at Benton Harbor (10-1), Friday
Its former struggles becoming a distant memory, Benton Harbor has proven to not be a one or even two-year phenomenon. The Tigers once again won’t have an easy go as an independent this fall playing teams from all over the Lower Peninsula and one from Chicago. But they started 10-0 last year before falling by a point in a Division 4 District Final, and expectations are high again despite starting out against a Division 3 semifinalist from a year ago. Divine Child bounced back last fall from a sub-.500 record in 2015 to post its best since 1985. This one will be key for the Falcons as well with their nonleague slate also including playoff regulars East Lansing and Warren DeLaSalle.
Others that caught my eye: THURSDAY Portage Northern (5-5) at Battle Creek Lakeview (6-3), Fennville (3-6) at Schoolcraft (10-1), Marcellus (4-5) at Decatur (4-5), FRIDAY Lawton (8-2) at Watervliet (7-3).
Upper Peninsula
Iron Mountain (8-3) at Ishpeming (3-5), Friday
After Ishpeming’s dominance of the Mid-Peninsula Conference for most of this decade, last year belonged instead to Negaunee and Iron Mountain. The Mountaineers opened 2016 by handing the Hematites their first loss since 2014 and ending Ishpeming’s 27-game regular-season winning streak; Iron Mountain went on to its best overall finish since 2011. But Ishpeming, which hadn’t had a sub-.500 season previously since 2001, surely has been looking forward to starting over against this familiar opponent.
Others that caught my eye: FRIDAY Gladstone (3-6) at Gwinn (6-4), Niagara Northern Elite, Wis. (1-0 this season) at Norway (9-3), SATURDAY Marinette, Wis. (0-1 this season) at Menominee (12-2), Hancock (5-4) at Lake Linden-Hubbell (10-1).
West Michigan
Jackson Lumen Christi (12-2) at Grand Rapids West Catholic (12-2), Friday
The Grand Rapids area in particular is loaded this weekend with matchups of some of its best against contenders from the Detroit and Lansing areas, including a replay of last season’s Division 4 Final between Grand Rapids Catholic Central and Detroit Country Day. But West Catholic/Lumen Christi wins out by a step this time because both are reigning MHSAA champions – West Catholic in Division 5 for the fourth straight year and Lumen Christi in Division 6. The teams have split openers the last two seasons, as West Catholic won last year’s meeting 30-13 – and the Falcons might be favorites off the bat again returning star quarterback Gaetano Vallone while Lumen Christi graduated 2,000-yard rusher Bo Bell.
Others that caught my eye: THURSDAY Farmington Hills Harrison (5-4) at East Grand Rapids (8-3), DeWitt (10-2) at Grand Rapids Christian (9-2), Hudsonville Unity Christian (10-3) at Allendale (8-3), FRIDAY Detroit Country Day (13-1) at Grand Rapids Catholic Central (13-1).
8-Player
Battle Creek St. Philip (5-4) at Wyoming Tri-unity Christian (11-1), Friday
Tri-unity broke into the playoffs last season for the first time and drove all the way to the 8-Player Semifinals before falling for the first and only time in 2016. So this likely won’t resemble at all the Defenders’ only other matchup with St. Philip, a 68-0 11-player loss in 2008. The Tigers, 8-player runners-up in 2015, lost four of their last five last season to just miss the playoffs – proof of the improving strength of the 8-player field. That said, it wouldn’t be a surprise if they returned to the elite.
Others that caught my eye: THURSDAY Peck (5-4) at Lawrence (8-2), Rudyard (5-4) at Cedarville (6-4), FRIDAY Rapid River (6-4) at Crystal Falls Forest Park (9-2), Bellaire (3-6) at Pickford (10-2).
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PHOTO: A Montague receiver snags a pass over a Whitehall defender last season. (Photo by Tim Reilly.)