Drive for Detroit: Playoff R1 in Review
October 31, 2016
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Arguably the greatest comeback season in MHSAA football history came to an end during the first round of the playoffs this weekend.
But although Breckenridge's turnaround celebration is over, courtesy of Saginaw Nouvel, there are plenty of others that extended rebound runs for at least another week.
Redford Union, Adrian, Kent City and Norway are just a few which have experienced similar climbs this fall. Read about their latest steps and many more from the first week as we look at some of the most intriguing results from all nine divisions.
Division 1
Rockford 24, Hudsonville 7
The Rams (7-3) avenged their Week 9 loss to Hudsonville that cost Rockford the Ottawa-Kent Conference Red title outright and awarded the Eagles (8-2) a share. Rockford now plays Grandville – the third team to earn a share of the league title with the Week 9 result – in a District Final this week. Click for more from the Grand Rapids Press.
Also noted:
West Bloomfield 31, Bloomfield Hills 14 – The Lakers (6-4) just made the playoffs with an at-large bid but ended a dream season for Bloomfield Hills (9-1), which was undefeated during the regular season after going 1-8 in 2015.
Southfield Arts & Technology 24, Warren Mott 23 – The first-year Warriors (7-3) have added a first playoff win to a shared Oakland Activities Association Red title, while ending Mott’s best season in the last three at 7-3.
Clarkston 45, Lapeer 21 – The Wolves beat Lapeer 28-7 in Week 1 at Michigan Stadium and ended up responsible for two of three losses for the Lightning (7-3) this fall.
Detroit Cass Tech 35, Dearborn Fordson 7 – These teams had one loss between them coming in, but Cass Tech (10-0) will play for a seventh straight District title after handing Fordson (8-2) its second loss in three weeks.
Division 2
Traverse City Central 13, Traverse City West 12
A pair of field goals and the go-ahead extra point by Central kicker Gabe Pickett were difference makers as West wasn’t able to succeed in similar circumstances in the first playoff matchup ever between these rivals. The Trojans (9-1) scored their lone touchdown midway through the fourth quarter to add this victory to a 10-8 win over West (6-4) in Week 3. Click for more from the Traverse City Record-Eagle.
Also noted:
Fenton 49, Flint Carman-Ainsworth 19 – The Flint Metro League champ Tigers (8-2) won this matchup of title winners over the Saginaw Valley League Blue champ Cavaliers (6-4).
Oak Park 26, Detroit U-D Jesuit 17 – The Knights (7-3) bounced back from a Week 9 loss to hand the Cubs (6-3) their second defeat in three weeks.
Pinckney 28, Walled Lake Northern 17 – The Pirates (8-2) downed Northern (6-4) for the second straight week, this time to guarantee their best record since 1989.
Birmingham Brother Rice 35, Warren Cousino 16 – The Warriors (7-3) won their fourth straight and second in three weeks over a league champion, but the Patriots (8-2) can celebrate their best record since 2007 to go with the Macomb Area Conference Blue title.
Division 3
Redford Union 41, Warren Fitzgerald 34
This continues to be a banner season for Redford Union (7-3), which has its most wins since 2005, made its first playoff appearance since 2006, and now has its first playoff win in program history. Union scored the winning points with less than two minutes to play to add to its first winning season since 2007. Fitzgerald finished 8-2, its best record since 2008, and with its only other loss by two points to Madison Heights Madison in Week 7. Click for more from the Observer & Eccentric.
Also noted:
Coldwater 35, Battle Creek Harper Creek 14 – Harper Creek (7-3) may have won a share of the Interstate 8 Athletic Conference title, but in the end third-place league finisher Coldwater (8-2) took two games off the Beavers and will play for a District title.
Mason 35, Fowlerville 28 – What was supposed to be a rebuilding year for the Bulldogs (9-1) has turned into its most successful since 2011, while Fowlerville (7-3) enjoyed its best record since 2009.
Romulus 40, Trenton 14 – The Eagles (9-1) have made the playoffs three straight seasons, but this was their first playoff win since 1999; Trenton ended its third straight playoff season at 6-4.
Grand Rapids Christian 35, Zeeland West 32 – This was the kind of finish expected from traditional west side powers, with the Eagles (9-1) winning a ninth game for the first time since 2012 and West (7-3) suffering its earliest season end since not qualifying for the postseason in 2009.
Division 4
Marysville 46, St. Clair Shores South Lake 38
The Vikings (10-0) are enjoying their first double-digit wins season since 2000, but will continue to face also-undefeated Detroit Country Day this weekend only because they survived the pesky Cavaliers. South Lake (7-3), which claimed a share of the MAC Silver title this fall, stayed close throughout – but the MAC Gold champions hung on to earn a second District title game berth in three seasons. Click for more from the Port Huron Times Herald.
Also noted:
Escanaba 48, Whitehall 27 – The Eskymos (8-2) earned their first playoff win, since 2011 to give them eight total for the first time since 2009, while leaving Whitehall at 6-4 for the second straight season.
Allendale 35, Wyoming Kelloggsville 19 – The Falcons (8-2) have enjoyed a momentous two weeks, first earning a share of the O-K Blue title with a Week 9 win and this weekend downing O-K Silver champion Kelloggsville (8-2).
Flint Powers Catholic 20, Lake Fenton 19 – Powers (6-4) scored during the final seconds to move on to a third straight District Final and end Genesee Area Conference Red champion Lake Fenton’s season at 8-2, its best record since 2013.
Adrian 27, Grosse Ile 20 (OT) – The Maples (6-4) have enjoyed one of the state’s best rebound seasons as well, with this playoff victory adding to their first winning season since 2011; Grosse Ile also bounced back from 4-5 a year ago to finish 8-2, their best since 2012.
Division 5
Almont 28, Richmond 27
The upset of the week statewide arguably came in this Blue Water Area Conference rematch, as the Raiders avenged a 34-21 Week 6 loss to the champion Blue Devils. Almont (7-3) has advanced to a District Final three years in a row and now will face Algonac, the BWAC runner-up which beat the Raiders 14-7 in Week 2. Richmond (8-2) hadn’t lost since falling to Marysville on opening night. Click for more from the Port Huron Times Herald.
Also noted:
Remus Chippewa Hills 32, Clare 27 – The Warriors (9-1) made their third straight District Final (and earned a rematch with rival Reed City) by edging the Jack Pine Conference champion Pioneers (8-2).
Grand Rapids West Catholic 28, Lansing Catholic 6 – The reigning Division 5 champion Falcons (8-2) are on the road to start this playoffs, but didn’t seem to mind traveling to down Lansing Catholic (8-2) for the fourth straight postseason.
Dowagiac 28, Buchanan 25 – The Chieftains (7-3) guaranteed their best record since 2013 and will play for their first District title since 2011 after handing Buchanan (5-4) its second loss in three weeks.
Southfield Bradford 38, Brooklyn Columbia Central 33 – In their first playoff game ever, the Bulldogs (8-2) earned their first postseason win as well, ending the Golden Eagles’ second straight playoff run at 7-3.
Division 6
Kent City 20, Montague 19
The Eagles’ turnaround season just keeps getting better as well. They’ve gone from 1-8 in 2015 to 8-2 with their first playoff berth and win since 2001 after also clinching a shared Central State Activities Association Silver championship. Montague (7-3) ended its season with three losses by a combined 12 points after finishing second in the West Michigan Conference. Click for more from the Local Sports Journal.
Also noted:
Calumet 42, Boyne City 8 – The Copper Kings (9-1) added a ninth win for the first time since 2009 by holding Boyne City (6-4) to only 159 yards.
Montrose 52, Laingsburg 21 – The Rams (7-3) secured their most wins since 2013 by earning their fourth straight while handing Laingsburg (8-2) only its second defeat.
Napoleon 25, Michigan Center 24 – The Pirates stayed alive in their first playoff run since 2005 by edging Michigan Center (6-4) for their first playoff win since 2000.
Detroit Central Collegiate 12, Byron 7 – The Trail Blazers have bounced back from a 1-4 start to move to 6-4 for the fourth time in five seasons; Byron finished its fifth playoff season over the last six at 7-3.
Division 7
Gobles 50, Lawton 12
Count Gobles among the handful that have battled back from a regular-season loss to claim a playoff rematch. The Tigers (8-2) had fallen to Lawton 31-21 in Week 5 and actually had dropped four straight to the Blue Devils (8-2). Gobles now will play for its first District title since 2005.
Also noted:
Iron Mountain 46, Gwinn 32 – The Mountaineers (8-2) continued their best season since 2011 by ending the best for Gwinn (6-4) since 1999.
Unionville-Sebewaing 18, Cass City 14 – The Patriots have built from 1-8 in 2014 to 5-5 last fall and now 9-1 after defeating Cass City (6-4) for the second time this season by four or fewer points.
Concord 21, Springport 14 – A Week 6 loss to Springport cost Concord (8-2) the outright Big 8 Conference title, but this avenging ended the Spartans’ best season since 2011 at 7-3.
Detroit Loyola 45, Madison Heights Madison 12 – The Bulldogs (8-2) firmed up further their status as favorite on their side of the Division 7 bracket by eliminating the MAC Silver co-champ Eagles (6-4).
Division 8
Saginaw Nouvel 21, Breckenridge 6
The greatest turnaround in MHSAA playoff era history came to an end with Nouvel’s ousting of Breckenridge, which finished 9-1 and was undefeated during the regular season after not winning a game in 2015. No team dating to at least the first playoff season of 1975 had accomplished a winless-to-undefeated turnaround. The Panthers (7-3) held the Huskies to their fewest points this fall. Click for more from the Saginaw News.
Also noted:
Royal Oak Shrine 21, Fowler 14 – Shrine (8-2) earned a chance at its first District title since 2008 by handing Fowler (6-4) its first playoff-opening loss since 2010.
Clarkston Everest Collegiate 22, Waterford Our Lady 21 – Everest (8-2) set a program record for wins by avenging a three-point Week 6 loss to Our Lady (6-4).
Newberry 16, Gaylord St. Mary 14 – The Indians (8-2) held on for their first playoff win since 2004, ending St Mary’s first playoff season since 2009 at 6-4.
Norway 15, Iron River West Iron County 14 – The Knights (8-2) continued to put last year’s 2-7 into distant memory with their first playoff win since 2006.
8-Player
Engadine 38, Cedarville 30 (OT)
Their Week 7 meeting – a 52-42 Engadine win – was one of the top 8-player games statewide this season. So it made sense they’d follow with a classic. Engadine moved to 10-0 for the first time as an 11 or 8-player program after trailing by 14 points during the fourth quarter, and the Eagles also are now 3-1 against Cedarville (6-4) in playoff games over the last six seasons. Click for more from 9&10 News.
Also noted:
Portland St. Patrick 34, Camden-Frontier 28 – The Shamrocks (10-0) have won only two games by single digits this season, and becoming the latest opponent to make that push was not a bad way for Camden-Frontier (8-2) to end its first season of 8-player.
New Haven Merritt 52, Owendale-Gagetown 14 – Merritt (10-0) continued the best season of its five-year history with its first playoff win; the Mustangs handed Owendale-Gagetown (8-2) both of its losses this fall.
PHOTO: Pinckney defenders close in on a Walled Lake Northern ball carrier during Friday's Pirates win. (Photo by John Johnson.)
TC Fans Enjoy 50 Years of Familiar Voices
October 21, 2015
By Dennis Chase
Special for Second Half
TRAVERSE CITY – For 50 years, John Sonnemann and Don Wiitala have put their hearts, souls and voices into Traverse City athletics.
The two, who are still going strong, were recognized this fall for their contributions – Sonnemann as the public address announcer for Traverse City Central, Wiitala as the radio broadcaster for Traverse City St. Francis.
"It keeps us young and involved," Sonnemann said. "I think Don feels the same. We feel like we're part of the program - and that's important to us."
Credit two former football coaches/athletic directors for bringing two unmistakable voices to the microphone. Elk Rapids' Don Glowicki and Traverse City Senior High's Irv Menzel started Wiitala and Sonnemann on their journeys back in 1966.
That was the year Glowicki approached radio station WLDR, which had just gone on the air in July, about broadcasting high school sports.
"We weren't thinking about doing sports," Wiitala said. "We were just trying to keep our heads above water."
After some discussion, though, WLDR took the plunge.
"We said we'll give it a try," Wiitala recalled. "I wasn't even a broadcaster. I was the sales manager."
WLDR started covering Elk Rapids and St. Francis football that fall, and Gladiators basketball that winter. Soon after, the station began broadcasting all St. Francis football games. WTCM was covering Traverse City Senior High football and basketball, so now both schools had an outlet on radio.
It remained that way until about eight years ago when WLDR dropped its game coverage. But WLJN stepped in, picked up football, and Wiitala continued on as the Voice of the Gladiators.
"Who would have thought that 50 years later I'm still in the broadcast booth," Wiitala said. "I never realized how close I would grow to the St. Francis community. It's been a wonderful (association)."
Wiitala, 79, was inducted into the Grand Traverse Area Catholic Schools Hall of Fame this month.
"Don's a class act," St. Francis athletic director Tom Hardy said. "He does things the right way. He's part of our family. When you talk about St. Francis football, one of the first names to come up is Don Wiitila. He's brought St. Francis games into so many homes. We are so fortunate, so lucky for his dedication."
Back in 1966, Sonnemann had just graduated from Michigan State University when he landed a job as a social studies teacher at Traverse City Senior High. He had done his student teaching at the school the previous year and worked the chain gang during the football season – so his indoctrination into Trojans football had already started.
Soon after he was hired, Menzel called him into his office.
"He grabbed me by the knee and said, 'I want you to announce on Friday.'" Sonnemann said. "That was it."
To this day, the 72-year-old is synonymous with Traverse City Central sports.
"It's been a pleasure," the Voice of the Trojans said. "I've enjoyed all 50 years, although it doesn't seem like it's been that many,"
Sonnemann was honored for his work during the Central-West game in September.
"Remarkable," Central athletic director Mark Mattson said in describing Sonnemann's career. "The best part is that John is one of the most gentle, kind human beings that you'll ever meet. To have that legendary voice be part of your program for 50 years is special."
Sonnemann, who retired as the school's athletic director nine years ago, still announces a number of school and community events. On any given day in the fall, he can be seen and heard at Central football, soccer and volleyball games.
He said he has a hard time remembering when he retired because he's still so active doing what he loves.
"Some people would say I flunked retirement," Sonnemann said, laughing.
He, of course, does not see it that way. Neither does Wiitala. Their jobs, they say, energize them.
So when people ask how much longer they'll keep announcing, their answers are similar.
"As long as I feel good – and I do feel good – I want to keep doing it," Wiitala said. "Vin Scully (Los Angeles Dodgers announcer), what is he, 87?"
On fall weekends, Thirlby Field is their home away from home.
"We've seen a lot of great athletes, a lot of great teams, a lot of great games," said Sonnemann, who in 2001 received an Allen W. Bush Award from the MHSAA for his many unsung contributions to high school athletics.
Sonnemann recalled a game in 1970 when the Trojans lost 2-0 to Bay City Central, coached by the legendary Elmer Engel.
"They were the cream of the crop in the state," he said, "and that's where Traverse City wanted to be."
It didn't take long. Traverse City reached the inaugural MHSAA Finals in 1975, and then claimed championships in 1978, 1985 and 1988.
St. Francis was going strong in those days, too, claiming mythical state championships in 1973 and 1974. The Gladiators were able to maintain their success when the MHSAA playoffs began, capturing crowns in 1992, 1999, 2003, 2005, 2008 and 2009. They were MHSAA runner-ups in 1983, 1998 and 2007.
Wiitala recounted the 28-26 loss to Detroit dePorres in 1983 – the school's first trip to the Pontiac Silverdome – when the Eagles scored late to pull out the victory.
"To this day I still remember this kid from Detroit dePorres, with about a minute and a half left, laying out horizontal to catch a pass in the end zone for a TD," he said. "That play has run through my mind hundreds of times over the years. I don't know why. Had he not caught the pass, St. Francis would probably have won the game."
Sonnemann witnessed two of the most dramatic last-second wins in Trojans history – 21-20 over Muskegon Catholic in 1975 and 22-21 over Muskegon in 1985. The Muskegon game was on the road so Sonnemann was there in another role – as the advisor, he had taken the school's pep club to the game. The Big Reds had surged to a 21-14 lead on an interception return for a score in the final minute. It seemed like that would be the play that would decide this battle between the two 5-0 heavyweights.
But on the last play of regulation Central quarterback Chris Hathaway connected on a pass to Jeff Durocher, who then pitched the ball to Doug Lautner, catching the Muskegon defense by surprise. Lautner raced the final 33 yards to the end zone to pull the Trojans to within a point. Coach Jim Ooley opted to go for the win, and Hathaway hit Durocher on the winning two-point conversion.
Trojans fans who were there reveled in the win, except the bus driver.
"The bus driver had gone out to warm up the bus and missed the end of the game," Sonnemann said. "When we got on the kids were hootin' and hollerin' and just having a good time. They were so excited. The bus driver looked at me and said, 'If they're this excited after a loss I would hate to see what they would do after a win.' I had to tell him, 'We won it.' It (the suddenness of the win) felt a lot like that MSU game the other day."
Wiitala has been a fixture at the MHSAA Finals – football and basketball – covering St. Francis, as well as other area schools.
"When St. Francis got beat (in the tournament) we would pick up the next team that was going well," he said. "People in those communities appreciated that."
Wiitala said when he first started broadcasting games there were a number of radio stations doing likewise. That's not the case now.
"Stop and think about it," he said. "When St. Francis was in the North Central Conference (in the 1980s) five schools had radio stations broadcasting games. Now we hardly ever see another station at a game."
Wiitala became the majority owner of WLDR in 1972. He would remain the owner for nearly 30 years. When he sold, the station continued to broadcast St. Francis football games with Wiitala on play-by-play. He’s continued in that role now that WLJN has taken over the broadcasts.
The Mesick graduate has never strayed from the hometown feel of his broadcasts. He still conducts pre-game interviews with the coaches, profiles other school activities at half, and has several players come up to the booth for postgame interviews.
"I know people who get in their cars after the game and then turn the radio on to hear the kids (comment on the game)," he said.
WLJN also offers an internet broadcast, which allows St. Francis fans across the world an opportunity to listen. Wiitala often asks fans to send him e-mails during a game and he's always stunned when he learns the locale of his listeners.
"We've received emails from alumni in Iraq, Iran, Hawaii," he said. "It's unbelievable."
Wiitala has had numerous analysts on the broadcasts over the years. For the last five years, Sonnemann has served in that capacity when there's not a conflict with a Central home game. When there is?
"Don always says, 'John's on assignment," Sonnemann said with a chuckle.
Well, often times, Sonnemann is on assignment. Once fall sports end and winter sports begin, he'll switch to boys and girls basketball, wrestling, hockey and every so often downhill skiing. In the spring, it's on to track and field, girls soccer and graduation, which takes advance work to make sure it's done right.
"One of the things I pride myself on is pronouncing names correctly," he said. "Mine has been mispronounced enough times that I think it's important to get those names right the one time they get to shine up there on stage."
Sonnemann, who always has the best seat in the house, also takes pride in how he presents himself. He wants to make sure that he's always fair and objective.
"I try not to be partial to one team or another, although certainly I bleed black and gold," he said. "I try to call the games in as fair a manner as possible. Some announcers will try to emulate what you hear in the pros, especially the NBA, and I feel that has no place in high school sports. You should treat the visiting team as equally as you treat the home team."
Wiitala has a belief he stands by, too.
"I've never been controversial," he said. "I'm broadcasting sports about kids 15, 16, 17 years old. I'm not going to say, 'Oh, No. 88 is terrible out there.' I don't do it that way. That's not me. I like to treat people the way I would like to be treated."
Like Wiitala, Sonnemann plans to continue keeping fans abreast of who's doing what on the field, the court, the pitch, the ice, the mat, the track and the slopes.
"As long as I still enjoy it, as long as I'm still healthy, I'd like to keep doing this," he said. "I'm not setting any timetable."
For Sonnemann and Wiitala, it's 50 going on 51.
Dennis Chase worked 32 years as a sportswriter at the Traverse City Record-Eagle, including as sports editor from 2000-14. He can be reached at [email protected] with story ideas for Manistee, Wexford, Missaukee, Roscommon, Ogemaw, Iosco, Alcona, Oscoda, Crawford, Kalkaska, Grand Traverse, Benzie, Leelanau, Antrim, Otsego, Montmorency, Alpena, Presque Isle, Cheboygan, Charlevoix and Emmet counties.
PHOTOS: (Top) John Sonnemann, left, and Don Wiitala provide the radio broadcast for a Traverse City St. Francis football game. (Middle) Wiitala interviews St. Francis' Luke Popp at Ford Field after the Gladiators' Division 7 championship win in 2009. (Below) Sonnemann announces a variety of Central sports played both indoors and out. (Photos courtesy of Traverse City St. Francis athletic department and Traverse City Central High School.)