Drive for Detroit: 11-Player Finals Preview
November 27, 2019
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
There will be no appetizers for this weekend’s MHSAA 11-Player Football Finals at Ford Field.
Show up early and stay late – every game both days has a story, ranging from two first-time finalists playing for the Division 1 title to two of the most successful programs of this decade matching up for the first time in the Division 7 championship game.
Total, five teams will travel to Ford Field this weekend looking to finish as a champion for the first time. Joining hopefuls Brighton and Davison in Division 1 are Muskegon Mona Shores in Division 2, River Rouge in Division 3 and Almont in Division 5 – Brighton, Davison and Almont also playing in Finals for the first time.
Mona Shores and neighbor Muskegon High also will be returning to Ford Field after finishing as Finals runners-up a year ago, while three reigning champions will seek to win again – Reading for the second-straight season in Division 8, Detroit Martin Luther King in Division 2 after winning Division 3 in 2018 and Jackson Lumen Christi in Division 7 after winning three straight in Division 6.
FRIDAY
D8: Beal City (12-1) vs Reading (12-1), 10 a.m.
D2: Muskegon Mona Shores (11-2) vs Detroit Martin Luther King (10-2), 1 p.m.
D6: Maple City Glen Lake (12-1) vs Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central (11-1), 4:30 p.m.
D4: Grand Rapids Catholic Central (12-1) vs Detroit Country Day (13-0), 7:30 p.m.
D7: Pewamo-Westphalia (13-0) vs Jackson Lumen Christi (12-0), 10 a.m.
D1: Brighton (11-2) vs Davison (11-2), 1 p.m.
D5: Lansing Catholic (12-1) vs Almont (13-0), 4:30 p.m.
D3: River Rouge (12-1) vs Muskegon (13-0), 7:30 p.m.
See below for a look at all of the finalists taking the field, powered by MI Student Aid. Tickets cost $15 and are good for all four games on one day; only cash will be accepted at the door. Click for a full schedule. Also, Ford Field again will host Special Olympics Unified flag football games prior to the start of Saturday’s four 11-Player Finals. Teams will take the field at 9 a.m. and play 30-minute exhibitions. Unified Sports programs combine students with and without intellectual disabilities on competitive athletic teams.
The first two Friday and Saturday Finals will be broadcast live on FOX Sports Detroit’s primary and PLUS channels (check cable/satellite box listings for your specific channel) with the third and fourth games both days available live on FOX Sports Detroit PLUS only. All eight games also can be viewed live on FOXSportsDetroit.com and on the FOX Sports app. Games will be archived for on-demand viewing on MHSAA.tv, which also will live stream the first three postgame press conferences each day. Audio broadcasts will be available on the MHSAA Network website live both days.
Rankings below were voted on by The Associated Press’ media panel. Statistics are current except where noted. The “playoff era” began with the first MHSAA postseason in 1975.
Division 1
DAVISON
Record/rank: 11-2, honorable mention
Coach: Jake Weingartz, second season (18-5)
League finish: Second in Saginaw Valley League Red
Championship history: Has never played in an MHSAA Final.
Best wins: 42-21 over No. 9 Lapeer in District Final, 35-21 over No. 10 Romeo in Pre-District, 35-27 over honorable mention Utica Eisenhower in Regional Final, 34-27 (OT) over Sterling Heights Stevenson in Semifinal, 48-0 over Division 4 No. 8 Flint Powers Catholic.
Players to watch: QB Brendan Sullivan, 6-3/180, jr. (2,754 yards/32 TDs passing, 366 yards/9 TDs rushing); RB/DB Caleb Smith, 5-10/210 sr., (961 yards/16 TDs rushing, 434 yards/1 TD receiving, 41 tackles/4 interceptions); FB/LB Logan Pasco, 6-0/207, sr. (148 tackles/20 tackles for loss/5 interceptions); WR/DB Latrell Fordham, 6-4/180, sr. (866 yards/11 TDs receiving).
Outlook: Davison had reached Semifinals four more times before breaking through for the first time Saturday, and the historic run also was made possible by avenging a three-point Week 9 loss to league rival Lapeer. Pasco, an all-state honorable mention linebacker last year, leads a defense that doesn’t get a lot of attention but gives up only 14 points per game. The lights shine much more brightly on the Sullivan-led offense that has set a school playoff-era record of 553 points and counting. Smith could go over 1,000 yards rushing early Saturday, and in addition to Fordham, Sullivan also has found senior Harrison Terry for 10 touchdowns through the air. Fordham has committed to Ball State.
BRIGHTON
Record/rank: 11-2, honorable mention
Coach: Brian Lemons, fifth season (37-15)
League finish: Second in Kensington Lakes Activities Association West
Championship history: Has never played in an MHSAA Final.
Best wins: 22-19 over No. 2 Belleville in Semifinal, 35-20 over Hudsonville in Regional Final, 48-26 over East Kentwood in District Final, 26-7 over Holt in Pre-District, 21-7 over Livonia Churchill.
Players to watch: QB Colby Newburg, 6-0/190, sr. (1,335 yards/18 TDs passing, 1,242 yards/18 TDs rushing); RB Nicholas Nemecek, 5-10/185, jr. (1,010 yards/9 TDs rushing, 3 TDs receiving); LB Cole Riddle, 6-1/215, sr. (99 tackles/19 tackles for loss), DE Luke Stanton, 6-4/235, sr. (44 tackles, 11 sacks).
Outlook: The Bulldogs showed they were on the verge with close losses to No. 9 Plymouth (14-7) and No. 5 Dearborn Fordson (46-35) during the regular season. They’ve surged in the playoffs, with last weekend’s win over Belleville making one of the loudest statements from the Semifinals. Newburg is a dangerous two-way threat with the ball, and seven receivers have caught at least one touchdown pass with 6-3 senior Ruben Salinas the leader with six scores. But the defense – giving up 14 points on average – is just as big a reason the Bulldogs will play for their first title. Only Fordson in Week 9 scored more than 26 points on Brighton, and eight teams were held to 14 or fewer. Riddle earned an all-state honorable mention as a junior.
Division 2
DETROIT MARTIN LUTHER KING
Record/rank: 11-2, No. 3
Coach: Ty Spencer, fourth season (46-8)
League finish: First in Detroit Public School League Division 2
Championship history: Four MHSAA titles (most recent 2018), two runner-up finishes.
Best wins: 27-6 and 32-14 over Detroit Denby, 47-7 over Detroit Cass Tech, 60-17 over Birmingham Seaholm in the Semifinal, 49-21 over Detroit U-D Jesuit in the Regional Final.
Players to watch: RB Peny Boone, 6-1/220, sr. (1,085 yards/19 TDs rushing); QB Dante Moore, 6-2/165, fr. (2,522 yards/32 TDs passing); WR Marshawn Lee, 5-7/155, sr. (847 yards/12 TDs receiving); LB Jaylen Reed, 6-0/195, jr. (108 tackles/11 tackles for loss/6 forced fumbles).
Outlook: King has raised championship trophies three of the last four seasons, in Division 2 in 2015 and 2016 and then in Division 3 a year ago. The Crusaders have made it back to Ford Field in part on a powerful offense led by a returning all-state running back in Boone and one of the most anticipated quarterback talents in Moore, who has competed at least 30 passes to three receivers – Lee, senior RaShawn Williams and sophomore Lynn Wyche-El. They operate behind a line led by 6-foot-4, 280-pound senior Deon Buford. And that’s not to mention a defense giving up just a bit above 12 points per game. King’s only losses came the first two weeks to Detroit Catholic Central and Division 3 finalist Muskegon. Boone will continue collegiately at Maryland, Williams at Indiana and Buford at Kentucky.
MUSKEGON MONA SHORES
Record/rank: 11-2, No. 4
Coach: Matt Koziak, ninth season (71-29)
League finish: Second in Ottawa-Kent Conference Black
Championship history: Division 2 runner-up 2014 and 2018.
Best wins: 57-56 over No. 2 Walled Lake Western in Semifinal, 28-23 over Portage Northern in Regional Final, 35-12 over Midland Dow in District Final, 20-13 over No. 9 Midland in Pre-District, 28-7 over East Kentwood.
Players to watch: RB/SS Tre’shawn Hatcher, 5-10/180, sr. (1,432 yards/15 TDs rushing); WR/DB Jaylen Hopson, 5-10/152, sr. (304 yards/5 TDs receiving). QB/DB Brady Rose, 5-7/150, jr. (332 yards/1 TD passing, 585 yards/11 TDs rushing, 5 interceptions); LB/SL Kolbe Trovinger, 6-0/181, sr. (335 yards/5 TDs rushing, 209 yards receiving – does not include Semifinal).
Outlook: Mona Shores is seeking to take the final step after falling in last season’s championship game to Warren De La Salle Collegiate, 29-16. The Sailors reportedly will not get back 2018 all-state quarterback Caden Broersma (908 yards/11 TDs passing, 486 yards/10 TDs rushing), who left the Semifinal during the first series with an injury. But Mona Shores still will be confident; Rose moved over from slot receiver after the injury and ran for five touchdowns, including the game winner. Mona Shores’ only losses this season were to a pair of league champions, Rockford and Division 3 finalist Muskegon, and the Sailors beat four league champions in the playoffs on the way to Ford Field (Midland and Dow shared the SVL Blue title). Trovinger was one of the team’s leading tackles in last year’s Final and continues to contribute in a variety of ways on both sides of the ball.
Division 3
MUSKEGON
Record/rank: 13-0, No. 1
Coach: Shane Fairfield, 10th season (113-19)
League finish: First in O-K Black
Championship history: Six MHSAA titles (most recent 2017), five runner-up finishes.
Best wins: 28-21 over DeWitt in Semifinal, 49-10 (Regional Final) and 28-23 over East Grand Rapids, 48-10 over No. 9 Cedar Springs in District Final, 53-0 over Division 2 No. 4 Muskegon Mona Shores, 41-18 over Division 2 No. 3 Detroit Martin Luther King, 41-7 over Warren De La Salle Collegiate.
Players to watch: QB Cameron Martinez, 5-11/190, sr. (1,258 yards/11 TDs passing, 2,016 yards/35 TDs rushing); RB Tommy Watts, 5-8/175, sr. (852 yards/17 TDs rushing – does not include Semifinal); WR/DB Quentin Reynolds, 5-10/180, sr. (421 yards/4 TDs receiving); DE/OT Billie Roberts III, 6-4/280, sr.
Outlook: Martinez was named statewide Player of the Year by MLive for the second time this week and will attempt to finish his high school career with a second Finals championship after helping Muskegon Catholic Central to the Division 8 title as a freshman. He’s run for more than 4,500 yards over the last two seasons and will continue next year at Ohio State. The Big Reds have scored more than 600 points for the fourth season in a row, but lost to a degree is a defense giving up only 8.2 points per game – in fact, Muskegon gave up only 10 points over six league games, with five shutouts. Senior center/nose guard D’Andre Mills-Ellis (6-1/300) joins Roberts as a valuable two-way starter on the line.
RIVER ROUGE
Record/rank: 12-1, No. 5
Coach: Corey Parker, 10th season (96-29)
League finish: First in Michigan Metro Athletic Conference Blue
Championship history: Division 5 runner-up 2015.
Best wins: 14-7 over No. 6 Chelsea in Semifinal, 49-14 over No. 3 Orchard Lake St. Mary’s in Regional Final, 16-3 over Detroit Catholic Central, 31-24 over Southfield Arts & Technology.
Players to watch: RB Deandre Bulley, 6-2/245, sr. (1,820 yards/20 TDs rushing); QB Mareyohn Hrabowski, 6-3/205, jr. (1,000 yards/11 TDs passing, 1,000 yards/11 TDs rushing); WR Xavier Smith, 5-10/170, sr. (800 yards/10 TDs receiving); CB David Carter, 6-1/170, sr. (Statistics do not include Semifinal).
Outlook: With Muskegon a main topic of football discussion across the state all season, River Rouge quietly has won 12 straight games since falling to Division 4 finalist Grand Rapids Catholic Central 17-14 in Week 1. Including wins of 53-0 over Detroit Mumford and 38-8 over Redford Thurston, the Panthers have outscored their four playoff opponents by a combined 154-29. Carter – an Eastern Michigan recruit – is among standouts on a defense that gives up just 7.6 points per game. Bulley is another Division I college talent, and behind him junior Charles Daniels has run for 11 more touchdowns.
Division 4
DETROIT COUNTRY DAY
Record: 13-0, No. 1
Coach: Dan MacLean, 22nd season (172-77)
League finish: Does not play in a league.
Championship history: Three MHSAA titles (most recent 1999), five runner-up finishes.
Best wins: 21-0 over No. 8 Flint Powers Catholic in Semifinal, 24-6 over No. 4 Milan in Regional Final, 37-12 over Division 6 No. 9 Warren Michigan Collegiate, 27-3 over Detroit Mumford.
Players to watch: RB/DB Anthony Ammori, 5-10/185 (971 yards/15 TDs rushing), sr., QB/DB Ahlon Mitchell, 5-10/175, sr. (734 yards/9 TDs passing), WR/DB Saborn Campbell, 5-11/195, jr. (344 yards/6 TDs receiving, 8 interceptions). WR/DB Marcus Sheppard, 5-10/185, sr. (376 yards/5 TDs receiving).
Outlook: The last time Country Day played Grand Rapids Catholic Central, in the 2016 Final, the teams combined to score 17 points as the Cougars won 17-10. Country Day’s defense this season would seem to indicate a similar game is possible. After the Semifinal shutout of Powers, the Yellowjackets are giving up 5.2 points per game – having surrendered a high of 12 and more than eight only twice. A rushing attack averaging nearly 200 yards per game, meanwhile, has been the key to the team’s 35 points per contest while no doubt also helping Country Day control the ball. Sheppard has committed to Bowling Green.
GRAND RAPIDS CATHOLIC CENTRAL
Record: 12-1, T-No. 2
Coach: Todd Kolster, eighth season (86-14)
League finish: First in O-K Blue.
Championship history: Four MHSAA titles (most recent 2017), two runner-up finishes.
Best wins: 56-17 over Hudsonville Unity Christian in Semifinal, 33-7 (District Final) and 44-0 over No. 7 Sparta, 38-0 (Pre-District) and 20-19 over Allendale, 17-14 over Division 3 No. 5 River Rouge.
Players to watch: QB Joey Silveri, 6-0/180, soph. (2,609 yards/31 TDs passing, 910 yards/17 TDs rushing); RB Nick Hollern, 5-6/190, jr. (756 yards/9 TDs rushing – does not including Semifinal), WR/DB Jace Williams, 6-4/185, jr. (715 yards/9 TDs receiving – does not include Semifinal); LB/TE Ethan Lott, 6-1/192, sr.
Outlook: The Cougars are seeking their third championship in four seasons after winning Division 4 in both 2016 and 2017. Lott is one of three two-way starters and leads a defense giving up only 9.5 points per game – and only 8.5 per game not counting the Cougars’ lone loss to Niles Notre Dame of Illinois. On offense, seniors dominate the line with the majority of the team’s playmaking coming from standouts who should be back again next fall. Williams earned all-state honorable mention as a receiver as a sophomore, and senior tight end Drew Gommesen has a team-high 11 touchdown catches for the balanced attack.
Division 5
ALMONT
Record/rank: 13-0, T-No. 5
Coach: James Leusby, fifth season (45-11)
League finish: First in Blue Water Area Conference
Championship history: Has never played in an MHSAA Final.
Best wins: 22-20 over No. 3 Marine City in District Final, 30-20 (Pre-District) and 28-10 over Richmond, 36-8 over Detroit Denby in Semifinal, 25-14 over Saginaw Swan Valley in Regional Final.
Players to watch: QB/DB Josh Hellebuyck, 5-11/165, sr. (1,226 yards/23 TDs passing), RB/LB Jack Paupert 5-11/180, sr. (877 yards/15 TDs rushing, 363 yards/7 TDs receiving), RB/OLB Mason Smith, 5-11/165, soph. (907 yards/11 TDs rushing), SE/CB Colby Schapman, 6-5/190, sr. (673 yards/14 TDs receiving).
Outlook: Almont faced road games during the first two weeks of the playoffs and another for the Semifinal, making this historic run even more incredible. But the Raiders surely are glad to be traveling one more time to the Finals, for the first time. This is their 10th-straight playoff season and 13th over the past 14 years, and few programs statewide have been so consistently strong on defense – Almont has given up 150 points or fewer eight times over the last decade, including 131 (10 per game) this fall. But the Panthers also have scored their second-most points of the playoff era this fall – 536 – behind a line with four senior starters among eight senior starters total on that side of the ball.
LANSING CATHOLIC
Record/rank: 12-1, No. 4
Coach: Jim Ahern, 11th season (103-24)
League finish: Second in Capital Area Activities Conference White
Championship history: Class C champion 1985, Division 5 runner-up 2011 and 2014.
Best wins: 28-14 over No. 2 Kingsley in Semifinal, 21-0 over No. 8 Portland in District Final, 40-13 over Kalamazoo United in Regional Final, 28-21 over honorable mention Olivet in Pre-District.
Players to watch: QB/DB/P Zach Gillespie, 6-1/180, sr. (2,481 yards/24 TDs passing, 557 yards/18 TDs rushing); WR/DB Alex Watters, 5-11/170, soph. (997 yards/14 TDs receiving, 298 yards/3 TDs rushing); WR/DB Vince Salquist, 6-5/190, sr. (631 yards/4 TDs receiving); TE/OLB Sam Edwards, 6-0/190, sr. (164 tackles, 14 tackles for loss).
Outlook: The Cougars will play in their third Final this decade, and give their league a team in the Division 5 championship game for the second-straight year. A major win came over last season’s runner-up Portland in the District Final after the Raiders had dealt Lansing Catholic all three of its losses over the last two years and five of six over the last three seasons. Gillespie is the latest star quarterback in a long line coached by Ahern, who went over 300 career coaching wins this playoffs. Mitch Raphael with 563 yards (and nine TDs) is the team's leading rusher, but the Cougars have totaled more than 2,000 yards on the ground behind a line that has four two-way starters. Lansing Catholic has had only two single-digit games– both against Portland – a credit as well to a defense that surrenders only 13 points per game.
Division 6
MONROE ST. MARY CATHOLIC CENTRAL
Record/rank: 11-1, No. 1
Coach: Adam Kipf, fifth season (39-16)
League finish: Second in Huron League
Championship history: Two MHSAA titles (most recent 2014), five runner-up finishes.
Best wins: 36-7 over No. 4 Montrose in Regional Final, 44-14 over No. 9 Warren Michigan Collegiate in District Final, 17-14 over Onsted in Semifinal, 33-16 over Riverview.
Players to watch: RB/LB Alex Morgan, 6-0/175, sr. (1,680 yards/16 TDs rushing); RB/LB Sam Cousino, 6-3/225, sr. (727 yards/11 TDs rushing, 73 tackles/5 forced fumbles); QB/DB/K/P Wyatt Bergmoser, 5-7/170, sr. (939 yards/10 TDs rushing, 60.5 tackles); OL/DL Brendan Sloan, 5-10/205, sr.
Outlook: St. Mary is returning to the Finals for the first time since its 2014 title run, with just a loss to Division 4 Milan from perfection so far. After opening with three of their tougher opponents, the Falcons haven’t given up more than 16 points in a game since, led by 2018 Division 7-8 all-state honorable mention Cousino. Morgan leads a rushing attack with more than 4,200 yards this season – and more than 500 attempts, to go with only 32 passes thrown this fall. But while Bergmoser rarely throws, he’s another weapon running the ball – and kicking it, as his 25-yard field goal on the game’s last play won the Semifinal.
MAPLE CITY GLEN LAKE
Record/rank: 12-1, No. 5
Coach: Jerry Angers, 11th season (73-42)
League finish: First in Northern Michigan Football League Leaders
Championship history: Class DD champion 1994, two runner-up finishes.
Best wins: 31-30 (OT) over Montague in Semifinal, 15-14 over No. 10 Calumet in Regional Final, 42-18 over Charlevoix, 28-7 over Traverse City St. Francis.
Players to watch: QB/DB Reece Hazelton, 6-6/190, sr. (1,207 yards/16 TDs passing, 477 yards/6 TDs rushing); WR/DB Finn Hogan, 6-4/190, jr. (602 yards/11 TDs receiving – does not including Semifinal); RB/LB Jonathan Wright, 6-1/195, sr. (1,112 yards/17 TDs rushing – does not include Semifinal); OT/DL Ben Kroll, 6-3/270, sr.
Outlook: Glen Lake earned its way back to Ford Field for the first time since finishing runner-up in 2016, bouncing back from a lone loss to Division 5 semifinalist Kingsley with six straight wins. Hogan and Wright are playmakers on both sides of the ball, and Wright also has three kickoff return touchdowns. Senior running back Isaac Sterzer is another key offensive option – he had 768 yards and seven touchdowns rushing heading into the Semifinal. Kroll was an all-state honorable mention lineman as a junior last fall. After winning eight games during the regular season all by at least 15 points, Glen Lake has won all of its playoff games by 11 or fewer, including by just one point both of the last two weeks – although that experience could come in handy if this finale also is close.
Division 7
JACKSON LUMEN CHRISTI
Record/rank: 12-0, T-No. 2
Coach: Herb Brogan, 40th season (368-83)
League finish: First in Interstate 8 Athletic Conference
Championship history: 11 MHSAA titles (most recent 2018), two runner-up finishes.
Best wins: 35-30 over No. 7 Schoolcraft in Regional Final, 27-0 over honorable mention Cass City in Semifinal, 42-14 over No. 9 Riverview Gabriel Richard in District Final, 38-21 over Division 3 honorable mention Coldwater, 14-12 over Kalamazoo United.
Players to watch: RB/DB Walker Plate, 5-10/180, sr. (2,404 yards/33 TDs rushing); FB/LB Johnny Teachout, 5-8/200, sr. (503 yards/9 TDs rushing); WR/DB Jack Kelley, 6-0/170, sr.; OL/DL Keegan Smith, 6-3/315, sr.
Outlook: Lumen Christi has won three straight Finals championships and 35 straight games, with the slight difference about this Ford Field trip that the Titans are in Division 7 after winning those consecutive titles all in Division 6. A standout running back sets the tone for the Lumen Christi offense, and Plate is the latest after playing a significant role on defense the last two seasons. Smith also is a multi-year mainstay up front on both sides of the ball, and he’ll continue his career at Central Michigan. He made the Division 5-6 all-state team last fall.
PEWAMO-WESTPHALIA
Record: 13-0, T-No. 2
Coach: Jeremy Miller, seventh season (84-8)
League finish: First in Central Michigan Athletic Conference
Championship history: Division 7 champion 2016 and 2017, runner-up 2011 and 2015.
Best wins: 36-35 over No. 1 New Lothrop in Regional Final, 43-7 over No. 5 Iron Mountain in Semifinal, 41-7 over Division 8 No. 7 Fowler, 14-0 over Division 8 No. 1 Reading, 41-0 over Williamston.
Players to watch: RB/DB Tanner Wirth, 5-9/170, soph. (1,591 yards/25 TDs rushing); QB Ethan Thelen, 6-0/180, sr. (1,059 yards/16 TDs passing, 381 yards/11 TDs rushing); OL/DL John Martin, 6-4/230, sr.; OL/LB Jacob Pung, 6-0/220, sr.
Outlook: The Pirates earned their return to the Finals with two straight wins over previously-unbeaten teams, including reigning Division 7 champion New Lothrop. That gave P-W wins this season over two 2018 champs – they also opened with the shutout of Division 8 title winner Reading. Especially given the strong schedule, the Pirates allowing just 63 points over 13 games (4.8 per game) speaks volumes. Martin made the all-state first team last season and Pung the second, and they play major roles on both sides of the ball. Senior Carter Thelen is a starter at linebacker as well and showed again last week (94 yards/3 TDs rushing) that he can carry some of the offensive load along with Wirth – Thelen has now run for eight scores this fall. Wirth meanwhile, while just a sophomore, is averaging 9.1 yards per carry.
Division 8
READING
Record: 12-1, No. 1
Coach: Rick Bailey, 32nd season (222-105)
League finish: First in Big 8 Conference
Championship history: Division 8 champion 2018.
Best wins: 26-21 over No. 5 Adrian Lenawee Christian in Regional Final, 28-6 over Cassopolis in District Final, 62-18 over No. 7 Fowler in Semifinal, 38-0 over No. 8 Mendon in Pre-District, 51-6 over Addison.
Players to watch: QB/LB Porter Mauk, 6-0/175, jr. (950 yards/9 TDs passing); RB/DB Hunter Midtgard, 6-1/176, sr. (1,360 yards/17 TDs rushing, 8 interceptions); FB/LB Ben Affholter, 6-2/287, sr.; OL/DL Nick Affholter, 6-3/307, sr,
Outlook: The team’s only loss the last two seasons was 14-0 to Division 7 finalist Pewamo-Westphalia in Week 1. The Rangers were the only team this season to hold P-W to fewer than 35 points, and since that night Reading offensively also has been back to unstoppable. The Rangers have won the last 12 games by an average score of 47-7. Both Ben and Nick Affholter were all-state first-team selections last season, and they along with Mauk, Midtgard, senior TE/LB Jayson Scoville and junior WR/DB Dilon Denison are two-way starters. Senior fullback Elijah Strine is another major contributor both ways; he starts at defensive tackle and has run for 879 yards and 22 touchdowns.
BEAL CITY
Record: 12-1, unranked
Coach: Brad Gross, fifth season (34-19)
League finish: Tied for first in Highland Conference
Championship his
Muskegon's Quest: 800 Wins & Counting
By
Ron Pesch
MHSAA historian
September 24, 2015
Editor's note: The Muskegon High School football program became the first in Michigan high school history to win 800 games when it defeated Grandville 39-12 on Sept. 11.
Longtime MHSAA historian Ron Pesch is the foremost expert on Muskegon Big Reds football; he even wrote the book celebrating the program's first 100 years in 1994. Below, he recounts his start in uncovering Muskegon's rich past and notes many of the highlights on the way to this season's milestone victory – as well as his "journey" starting with instructor's criticisms and finishing with the publishing of "Muskegon Big Reds: 100 Years of Football."
“This is all very interesting, but what good is it? What can you tell from all this data? Are there any patterns you can ascertain? Changes in size of the schools played?”
So began the journey to 800.
The newest version of a high school in Muskegon opened in the fall of 1893. Two years later, in the fall of 1895, the Muskegon High Athletic Association was organized with the goal of assembling a football team “fully capable of sustaining Muskegon’s reputation in athletics.”
Under the guidance of Mr. Edward Taylor, a teacher at the high school, whose influence led to the creation of the organization, the club was formed, with Louis Udell named to serve as president, while John Miller acted as vice-president, Louis Brock as secretary and Vernor Page as treasurer. “A committee of three … was appointed to select from pupils of the High School a sufficient number to form a Foot Ball Team.”
Practices were scheduled and challenges quickly came from teams in Grand Rapids, Ann Arbor, Big Rapids, Ionia, and the Ferris Business College in Muskegon. The first game was scheduled against the Business College for Saturday, November 2 at the baseball grounds, at the terminus of the Pine Street railway line.
A stiff breeze had to be contended with, but good straight play was a feature of the game. The high school was defeated by the heavier squad assembled by Business College, 12-8. It was a start.
The next two contests were cancelled due to weather. On November 23, 1895 at 12:35 p.m., Muskegon boarded a train for Grand Haven. At 3 p.m., the contest, featuring two halves of 30 minutes each, was played. When the final whistle blew, MHS had its first-ever victory.
The details of what occurred over the next 80 or so years were then buried in yearbooks, newspaper accounts and in the memories of hundreds of Muskegon athletes.
As it turned out, no one was compiling the wins. No one had tried to see the forest through the trees.
“A disappointing paper. Very little narrative and practically no analysis or insight. I realize it must have been difficult to put together the team records, but what use are they?”
Like most schools, Muskegon did produce a yearbook, and, in the early days, a monthly magazine that detailed the success and failures of individual games and seasons. Unfortunately, there were years where magazines or annuals simply didn’t exist, or results weren’t listed.
For 11 seasons, I couldn’t find the scores. Scanning the forest of newsprint on microfilm from those early years, when the results of sporting events were mixed in with the news of the day, often proved of little help.
“You do not even total them up for an overall record. Services are not understood.”
Larry Harp inherited a talented squad from his predecessor, after head coach Roger Chiaverini opted to jump across town to lead the Crusaders of Muskegon Catholic in the fall of 1971. In Harp’s first year as head varsity coach, the Big Reds won a huge victory over previously unbeaten Traverse City before 10,000 fans at Hackley Stadium, ended the year undefeated, and were proclaimed Michigan’s Class A football state champions by the statewide media at season’s end. I was as proud as a 10-year-old could be that the high school that would be mine had won the crown.
But while I loved the game, I never played a down of football at Muskegon High School. Coach Harp was my gym teacher, but he understood, as a 4-foot-11 senior, I was as far as one could be from being all-state material.
Instead, fate had a different role for me. As a college student, I enrolled in a local history class. There I was assigned a term paper that would alter my path in life.
My paper would focus on football at Muskegon. By all accounts, the delivered product was limited in scope, comprised of hundreds of scores and some details on important people, games and interesting notes I found along the way.
I had 15 weeks, start to finish, molding a paper that was enlightening to me, but a major disappointment to my professors.
"What about comparing trends in Muskegon sports to trends elsewhere? Distance traveled to play opponents as roads improved, etc. Changes in Strategy? Use of specialized teams? What about even a listing of all-staters from Muskegon? Anything to make it worth your trouble."
I learned that in 1901, Dr. J.L. Williams was hired as the school’s first coach. Prior to that time, the team’s captain, fullback, or a volunteer served in the role. A parade of others followed Williams, including Robert Walker, a player on that first team who led Muskegon to its first undefeated season in 1904, and Mortimer Jones, a star in Muskegon’s backfield before the turn of the century, who in all likelihood was the first African-American to coach a high school team in Michigan, and perhaps beyond.
Within the collection of coaches was Robert Zuppke, who had accepted his first coaching job at Muskegon. His success led to a move to Oak Park High School in the suburbs of Chicago, where he won a pair of mythical national gridiron crowns before moving to the University of Illinois where his football squads totaled 131 victories, seven Big Ten titles and four mythical national championships over 29 seasons. With players like Harold "Red" Grange, George Halas and Potsy Clark, his innovative mind is credited with creating the screen pass and the “flea flicker” that advanced the game.
As a sophomore at Muskegon, I had led tours through the school’s newly opened gymnasium building. Thanks to the research, I now better understood why the district had named the complex the Redmond/Potter gymnasium. Coach C. Leo Redmond guided Muskegon to seven mythical state football titles and a basketball crown, while his longtime assistant and successor, Harry Potter, led Muskegon to a gridiron championship in 1951. The quarterback of that team was Earl Morrall, later an All-American at Michigan State University and a 21-year veteran in the NFL.
The 1920s were Muskegon’s most successful decade, as the team won more than 85 percent of its games thanks to the leadership of J. Francis Jacks, who guided Muskegon to its first mythical state football title in 1920, then additional titles in 1921 and 1923. Like Potter years later, Jacks’ team in 1923 featured the skill of a future University of Michigan All-American, Bennie Oosterbaan, who is considered the greatest all-around athlete in the long rich history of the university. Following the sudden passing of Coach Jacks in the spring of 1924, the school hired Redmond, who would compile a 156-29-13 record as head coach over 22 seasons before retiring in 1946. Muskegon posted 28 straight winning seasons between 1919 and 1946.
The first instructor completed his assessment and graded the paper with a "C” ... The second added his note, tacked on a minus sign to the “C” and altered the score. Final grade – 70. Unlike most assignments from high school and college, when the semester ended, I did not toss this one out.
The final entry in the paper noted that Muskegon had finished the 1979 season with a 7-2-0 record and a Lake Michigan Athletic Conference championship. It was Coach Harp’s final year. He stepped down to become the school’s athletic director.
On the gridiron, Muskegon’s fortunes had begun to slip. Over the next three years, the team set school passing records galore, but posted a disappointing 8-19 record. A lone highlight was a 19-15 regular-season win over cross-town rival Muskegon Catholic Central in 1980. The Crusaders would go on to win the MHSAA Class B championship that year. It was Muskegon Catholic’s single loss during an otherwise flawless season, and Muskegon’s single victory that year.
I continued digging into microfilm, and researching the history of football at Muskegon. Coach Harp cheered me on during my research, assisting where possible. Staff at our local library knew me by name.
As I neared completion of the list of scores, a pair of phone calls would lead to a startling discovery.
A call to Kalamazoo Central High School designed to cross-check scores of games played against the Maroon Giants guided me to a resident of the Kalamazoo area. My second call was to Dick Kishpaugh. Unknown to me, I had reached the state authority on high school sports.
Kishpaugh quickly recognized that Muskegon’s win total topped Michigan in all-time football wins and ranked among the top teams in the nation.
In the fall of 1983, Dave Taylor was named head coach at Muskegon, and quickly righted the ship. In 1985, I was presented with a chance to write a series of articles, based on my research, covering the history of high school football at Muskegon for the local newspaper.
The timing was remarkable, as the Big Reds scored their first appearance in the MHSAA football playoffs that same season. A year later, Taylor’s team won the school’s first playoff title. Led by an undersized defense, Muskegon upset Sterling Heights Stevenson 10-0 for the Class A title – its first since the MHSAA began a playoff system in 1975.
Taylor’s Big Reds won a second title in 1989. He spent 17 years at the helm, second in longevity to only Redmond, and compiled a 112-51-1 mark over the span.
In the fall of 1994, the project that began as a term paper hit the press. A fundraiser for the school’s Athletic Association, 100 Years of Muskegon Big Red Football, told the story of Muskegon’s gridiron past. Still offering little analysis, it did contain much more narrative, and a comprehensive look at the names and faces that guided the teams to success.
Taylor retired from teaching, but at the request of school administrators, remained in charge as the district sought a replacement. In 2000, Tony Annese, took the reins and, to the astonishment of many across the state, pushed the program to an even higher level. In nine seasons, his squads won three MHSAA Division 2 titles and totaled 92 victories in 107 games.
Perhaps the most surprising aspect of the road to 800 is the fact that a single school district has been able to sustain success on the football field for so long. In an environment of constant economic, demographic and personnel change, where the number of school districts serving students in the Muskegon area has ballooned in size beginning in the 1950s, the Big Reds continue to rack up victories against strong opponents.
Matt Koziak took charge of the Muskegon program for a year before moving over to Mona Shores, where he has put together a squad that has emerged as a playoff contender after years of silence. Shane Fairfield was named head coach of the Big Reds beginning in 2010, and hasn’t missed a beat. His teams have earned three straight trips to Detroit’s Ford Field, where all three finished as runners-up to the MHSAA crown. Entering the season, Fairfield’s Big Reds have scored 52 victories against 13 defeats.
In the state of Michigan, Muskegon entered the 2015 season with a 798-273-43 record over 120 seasons of football. Ann Arbor Pioneer first started playing in 1891 and ranked second in wins, with a 714-422-38 record, while Menominee began the current season tops in the Upper Peninsula and third in the state with a 634-283-40 mark dating back to its start in 1894.
Muskegon picked up win number 800 on Friday, Sept. 11, with a 39-12 victory over Grandville, making the school only the 10th in the nation to reach the landmark. Victory 700 came in 2005, with Annese in charge, while victory 600 was earned by Taylor’s 1991 squad versus cross-town rival Mona Shores. Unbeknown at the time, Harp’s 1975 team scored the school’s 500th win. Redmond’s 1935 team tallied the school’s 250th, while Louis Gudelsky’s 1912 team was the one that grabbed win number 100. In total, the school has won 17 state titles, 12 mythical when a team with an unblemished season-ending record could lay claim, and five MHSAA crowns.
In the end, they are only games, but the educational value and impact on lives can be far reaching. Certainly for those who play and coach the game, and sometimes, even for those who simply play witness.
Ron Pesch has taken an active role in researching the history of MHSAA events since 1985 and began writing for MHSAA Finals programs in 1986, adding additional features and "flashbacks" in 1992. He inherited the title of MHSAA historian from the late Dick Kishpaugh following the 1993-94 school year, and resides in Muskegon. Contact him at [email protected] with ideas for historical articles.
PHOTOS: (Top) The Muskegon football team readies for its entrance at Ford Field before last season's MHSAA Division 3 Final. (Middle top) The 1944 team was among those considered a "mythical state champion" before the introduction of MHSAA playoffs in 1975. (Middle) A number of Big Reds legends, clockwise from left: Bennie Oosterbaan, Earl Morrall, coach Robert Zuppke, coaches C. Leo Redmond and his rival, to the right, Muskegon Heights' Oscar E. "Okie" Johnson, over an action shot from their 1943 game. (Middle below) Marcus Longmire celebrates a touchdown during the 1989 playoff against Escanaba. (Below) Pesch's book, co-authored with Marc Okkonen, detailed the first 100 years of Muskegon football.