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: Fee Sets Stage with Record Kick
November 5, 2020
By John Johnson
MHSAA Director of Broadcast Properties
In keeping with the theme of 50-yard field goals written in this space earlier this week by MHSAA historian Ron Pesch, let’s take this week’s "Moment" to remember the longest field goal ever in an MHSAA Playoff Championship.
No one has ever gone over 50 yards. Heck, no one has ever tired a field goal over 50 yards that I can remember. But Ben Fee came as close as you could in the 2016 Division 3 Final for Orchard Lake St. Mary’s against Muskegon with a 49-yard boot in the Eaglets’ 29-28 victory.
The call on FOX Sports Detroit was cute – Fee was wearing Number 50, and while his holder straddled the 40-yard line, giving the appearance of a 50-yard attempt – the kicking block was a good half-foot in front of the 40, and by rule making it a 49-yard attempt. The kick broke a record set in the previous game of 47 yards by Liam Putz of Grand Rapids West Catholic and tied a record for most field goals in the final game with three also set by Jake Townsley from Warren DeLaSalle in 2014. Fee also had field goals of 32 and 35 yards in the contest.
The kick gave St. Mary’s a 23-21 lead with 4:47 left in the fourth quarter, setting the stage for one of the most dramatic finishes in playoff history. Muskegon would return the ensuing kickoff to near midfield and then score six plays later, on a La’Darius Jefferson three-yard run, with the extra point making it a 28-23 game in favor of the Big Reds with 1:55 to play.
Starting on its own 20-yard line, St. Mary’s got three runs from Rashawn Allen for 37 yards and reeled off a total of nine plays in 1:51, culminating with Caden Prieskorn’s 18-yard pass to Ky'ren Cunningham for the game-winning score with four ticks left on the clock.