Detroit dePorres Rushes to 1995 Class CC Football Championship
August 30, 2024
In celebration of the MHSAA’s 100th anniversary, we’ll be posting a photo each week on our social media accounts, accompanied by a prompt for high school sports fans.
Following each post, we will feature the photo on our website, along with additional details.
This week, we’re sharing a photo from the 1995 Class CC Football Final at the Pontiac Silverdome, where the Eagles of Detroit St. Martin dePorres defeated Whittemore-Prescott 14-6. Detroit St. Martin dePorres went on to secure three more football titles under coach Greg Carter, and though the school closed in 2005, remains tied for seventh in MHSAA 11-player history with 13 championship game appearances and tied for third with 12 Finals titles.
The MHSAA Football Finals were played at the Silverdome from 1976 until 2004. Since 2005, the 11-Player Football Finals have been played at Ford Field in Detroit.
Be sure to follow us on Instagram, X, Facebook and TikTok for more weekly photo features and other content celebrating our 100th anniversary.
Moment: Marcotte's Return Sets Record
November 12, 2020
By John Johnson
MHSAA Director of Broadcast Properties
Lake Linden-Hubbell took advantage of a Mendon miscue in the 1991 MHSAA Class DD Football Final to prevent a potential score and extend its lead at the time with one the longest defensive scoring plays in a championship game.
After falling behind 8-0 midway through the first quarter, Mendon marched down the field to the Lakes' 8-yard line. On a 3rd-and-8, quarterback Mike Smith rolled left and under pressure lofted an errant pitch which was picked up by Lake Linden linebacker Rick Marcotte, who ran 79 yards the other way on the final play of the first quarter for the longest fumble return in a title match.
It was the second time that weekend the fumble return record had been broken. In the Class C finale the day before, Nate Cierlak of Muskegon Catholic Central returned a fumble 56 yards for a score against Harbor Beach.
Marcotte's score gave the Lakes a 14-0 lead at the time. Smith, however, would engineer a scoring drive off the ensuing kickoff, negotiating the last 10 yards himself to start the comeback for the Hornets, who would score the next 22 points en route to a 30-14 victory and second championship in three years for coach John Schwartz’s squad.