Drive for Detroit: Week 1 in Review
August 27, 2018
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
A new season means new beginnings on high school football fields all over Michigan.
Owosso surely is feeling a resurgence after ending a 35-game losing streak with a 23-18 win over rival Corunna. Same for Memphis, which saw a 26-game losing streak end with a 14-12 win over Burton Bentley. And don’t forget Farwell, which ended a 17-game winless streak by beating Coleman 20-18.
And how about all of 8-player, which saw both MHSAA champions from a year ago defeated this opening weekend? Just like that, those brackets seem a little wider open this fall.
Every team has a chance to create something memorable, and below are some from each region of the state that got off to the quickest starts. “Drive for Detroit” is sponsored by MI Student Aid.
Bay & Thumb
HEADLINER: Ortonville-Brandon 26, Fenton 21 The Blackhawks ended Fenton’s Flint Metro League winning streak at 29, earning their first win over the Tigers since 2011. Fenton has won at least a share of the league title all seven seasons this decade, but hasn’t had to play catch-up since losing its 2012 opener. Click for more from the Flint Journal.
Also of note: New Lothrop 48, Maple City Glen Lake 16 The Hornets have won 72 of their last 73 regular-season games, and this one could end up among the most impressive of the string.
Remember this one: Elkton-Pigeon-Bay Port Laker 36, Hudson 6 These are both annual small-school powers, and last year Laker went on to finish 10-2 despite losing to the Tigers in Week 1.
More shoutouts: Marysville 14, Richmond 0 Beating the playoff regular Blue Devils to start the season always is a good sign, especially after Marysville lost last year and finished 4-5. Grand Blanc 38, Midland Dow 35 The Bobcats have moved to the Saginaw Valley League this fall; although Dow is in the other division, this was an impressive start.
Greater Detroit
HEADLINER: Belleville 40, Brighton 35 Brighton quarterback Will Jontz starred but Belleville prevailed, scoring during the final minute to pull ahead for good. The Tigers are considered MHSAA championship contenders coming off a one-loss season. Click for more from the Detroit News.
Also of note: Oak Park 31, Utica Eisenhower 13 Beating the reigning Macomb Area Conference champ is big, especially after Oak Park lost last year’s matchup 24-7.
Remember this one: Northville 28, Livonia Franklin 14 The Patriots went on to finish Division 2 runners-up after a close win over Northville last year in Week 3. Northville is looking to bounce back from a 3-6 finish.
More shoutouts: Detroit Martin Luther King 52, East St. Louis, Ill. 38 The Crusaders made a statement beating one of the top programs in Illinois. Detroit Cass Tech 40, River Rouge 7 Both made the MHSAA Semifinals last season.
Mid-Michigan
HEADLINER: Pewamo-Westphalia 38, Ithaca 0 The Pirates ended Ithaca's 73-game winning streak in the most unexpected way, dealing the usually high-scoring Yellowjackets their first shutout since 2004. P-W may have graduated some big names from the back-to-back Division 7 championship teams, but there's still plenty of power. Click for more from the Lansing State Journal.
Also of note: Haslett 28, Coldwater 7 The Vikings' vast improvement in 2017 is carrying over, as Haslett won big against a Coldwater team riding five straight playoff appearances.
Remember this one: DeWitt 22, Grand Rapids Christian 10 A year ago, DeWitt lost to Christian in the opener and came back to beat the Eagles in the Pre-District round. Could they meet again?
More shoutouts: Breckenridge 20, Beaverton 19 The Huskies avenged last season's opening-night loss, their only regular-season defeat of the last two seasons. East Lansing 40, St. Johns 6 After a one-point game in 2017, the Trojans more comfortably made it three straight against the Redwings.
Northern Lower Peninsula
HEADLINER: Alpena 30, Escanaba 21 Beating an Escanaba team that made the Division 3 Semifinals a year ago might be the best victory for Alpena since its last playoff season in 2004. The Wildcats had lost eight of the last nine to the Eskymos and are coming off back-to-back 2-7 seasons – but have plenty to be excited about this week. Click for more from the Alpena News.
Also of note: Tawas 48, Lincoln Alcona 24 The Braves are looking to bounce back from a 2-6 finish a year ago, and what a way to start than by avenging last season’s 33-point loss to the Tigers.
Remember this one: Traverse City West 17, Midland 15 The way the maps sort out, these opening-night foes could end up in the same playoff District for the second year in a row – and West owns a 4-2 advantage in their recent series.
More shoutouts: Rogers City 20, Whittemore-Prescott 17 The Hurons fell to W-P by 37 a year ago and had lost all five games of their recent series with the Cardinals. Roscommon 44, Grayling 34 The Bucks also avenged a big 2017 loss, having fallen to Grayling by 46 a year ago.
Southeast & Border
HEADLINER: Jackson Lumen Christi 34, Grand Rapids West Catholic 12 The Titans have now won three of four recent openers against West Catholic, with this one notable as Lumen is the back-to-back Division 6 champion and West Catholic has won five straight Division 5 titles. Both have new contributors taking over key roles, but with aspirations surely high again. Click for more from the Jackson Citizen Patriot.
Also of note: Michigan Center 29, Homer 0 The Cardinals are coming off a shared Cascades Conference title and playoff berth, and shutting out another 2017 playoff team was a great way to restart a run.
Remember this one: Brooklyn Columbia Central 24, Napoleon 0 Columbia Central has opened with four straight wins over Napoleon (another of the Cascades co-champs a year ago) and made the playoffs the last three years.
More shoutouts: Pittsford 28, Morenci 0 Both teams have made the playoffs the last four seasons, but in 2017 Pittsford won their meeting by just a point. Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central 37, Harper Woods Chandler Park 30 The Falcons closed last fall winning six of their final eight games and have to be glad to open with another victory over a Chandler Park program that’s made the playoffs nine straight seasons.
Southwest Corridor
HEADLINER: Benton Harbor 19, Battle Creek Harper Creek 17 With a new coach taking over after a historic three-year run, and Harper Creek entering this season coming off one of its best finishes ever, it was tough to know what to expect for Benton Harbor last week. Expectations surely jumped after this win. Click for more from the St. Joseph Herald-Palladium.
Also of note: Battle Creek Central 34, St. Joseph 27 The Bearcats haven’t made the playoffs since 2008 but enjoyed one of its best recent wins over a Bears team that has made the postseason 10 of the last 12 years.
Remember this one: Niles 32, Battle Creek Lakeview 27 The Vikings were 2-7 last season and a combined 7-20 over the last three, but avenged last season’s 31-0 defeat to a Spartans team that also is a regular in the playoff hunt.
More shoutouts: Kalamazoo United 46, Berrien Springs 7 Eric Wenzel tossed six touchdown passes for United in a meeting of 2017 playoff teams. Dowagiac 54, Vicksburg 14 The Chieftains broke a three-year losing streak against Vicksburg and could be the early pick to push annual favorite Edwardsburg in the Wolverine Conference.
Upper Peninsula
HEADLINER: Iron Mountain 12, Negaunee 9 Half the Upper Peninsula will be watching as the newly-expanded Western Peninsula Athletic Conference sorts itself out this fall. But Iron Mountain quickly made ample noise after winning just one game a year ago. Negaunee is coming off a rare sub-.500 season too but was a regular contender in the old Mid-Peninsula Conference. Click for more from the Iron Mountain Daily News.
Also of note: Norway 54, Lake Linden-Hubbell 30 Coming off two straight nine-win seasons, the Knights will have lots of competition on their side of the new West-PAC, making this opening win over a frequent contender potentially key.
Remember this one: Iron River West Iron County 14, Munising 0 The Wykons are coming off a Division 8 Semifinal run last fall and might be the team Norway sees at the end of the West-PAC Small-school race – at least literally, since they meet in Week 9.
More shoutouts: Gwinn 36, Bark River-Harris 20 The Modeltowners had beaten Bark River-Harris once in the last five season – in 2016, when they made the playoffs for the first time since 1999. Hancock 28, L'Anse 27 Hancock’s best season last fall since 2006 still included a two-point loss to L’Anse, now avenged.
West Michigan
HEADLINER: Muskegon 36, Warren DeLaSalle 21 Not much is needed to build up this game’s significance other than to remind that Muskegon is the reigning Division 3 champion and DeLaSalle last year’s winner in Division 2. The Big Reds’ running game could be in midseason form already. Click for more from the Muskegon Chronicle.
Also of note: Reed City 34, Montague 13 Even as Reed City tied its program record last fall with 11 wins, that run started with a 21-point loss to Montague – which went on to win 11 games as well.
Remember this one: Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central 21, Jenison 19 The Rangers have high expectations after last season’s record 12-win season – which could be good news for a Jenison team looking for its first playoff berth since 2003.
More shoutouts: Zeeland East 36, East Grand Rapids 27 Both won nine games in 2017, and both should be in league and playoff mixes again. Holland West Ottawa 35, Stevensville Lakeshore 10 West Ottawa went from 2-7 in 2016 to 10-2 in 2017 and may not be done after handing the Lancers their first opening-night loss since 2006.
8-Player
HEADLINER: Eben Junction Superior Central 46, Crystal Falls Forest Park 24 The Cougars have made significant strides the last few seasons and won their last three games of 2017. But the Trojans beat Superior Central by 42 during the regular season on the way to winning last season’s 8-player Division 2 title. Click for more from the Iron Mountain Daily News.
Also of note: Onaway 40, Central Lake 28 Last season’s 8-player Division 1 champion also began this campaign in defeat as Onaway held the Trojans to their fewest points in 14 games of this format.
Remember this one: Stephenson 46, Cedarville 40 These two have played their last two games against each other, and Stephenson has won both. A repeat playoff meeting in a few months would make for another intriguing rematch.
More shoutouts: Engadine 64, Powers North Central 34 The Eagles posted their highest point total since Week 4 of 2016 in downing the two-time champ. Hillman 34, Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart 27 This began the 8-player chapter for two proud small-school, formerly 11-player programs.
Second Half’s weekly “Drive for Detroit” previews and reviews are powered by MI Student Aid, a part of the Student Financial Services Bureau located within the Michigan Department of Treasury. MI Student Aid encourages students to pursue postsecondary education by providing access to student financial resources and information, including various student financial assistance programs to help make college more affordable for Michigan students. MI Student Aid administers the state’s 529 savings programs (MET/MESP) and eight additional aid programs within its Student Scholarships and Grants division. Click for more information and connect with MI Student Aid on Facebook and Twitter @mistudentaid.
PHOTO: Lapeer's defense swarms around a Lake Orion ball carrier during the Lightning's 17-7 win Thursday at University of Michigan. (Photo by Terry Lyons.)
Sand Creek's Muck Making His Move
August 16, 2018
By Doug Donnelly
Special for Second Half
SAND CREEK – Alec Muck doesn’t take for granted that he’s one of the fastest athletes in the state.
It just makes him want to become faster.
“I’ve always had speed,” said the Sand Creek senior. “I guess you could say I was blessed with speed. But I train hard, too. I do a lot of stuff on my own, I work with a personal trainer and I lift. It motivates me.”
Muck is a five-time MHSAA Finals track champion and has rushed for more than 2,600 career yards for the Aggies’ varsity football team. As he prepares for his senior season on the football field, he said he’s healthy and ready to go out a winner.
“I just want to go out and play hard and give it my all,” he said. “I’m going to do whatever it takes for my team. High school football is so different than anything else. I want to leave it all out there.”
Muck has a future as a college athlete. He’s just not sure in which sport. This summer, he went on a multi-state, multi-campus recruiting tour during which he blazed to a 4.3-second 40-yard time in Columbus, Ohio.
“That definitely caught the attention of a few coaches,” he said. “I kept my time around that 4.3 all summer.”
Other stops on the tour included Louisville, Cincinnati, Findlay and Western Michigan University. The 5-foot-10, 175-pound speedster doesn’t have any formal offers to play college football, but he expects that to change this season.
“I have a passion for both track and football,” he said. “But, I love the grind of football and everything about the game. If I could choose, I’d probably say football. I’ve always wanted to play at the Division I level.”
Muck was part of the Sand Creek varsity football team as a freshman. He blossomed into a weapon as a sophomore. In the third game that season, against Whitmore Lake, he carried the ball 11 times for 277 yards and five touchdowns. It remains his most productive game of his career. In all seven Tri-County Conference games that year, he rushed for at least 100 yards. He went on to rush for 1,505 yards as a sophomore, racking up nearly 2,000 all-purpose yards and 26 touchdowns.
His junior season saw a slight dip in his carries, but he still averaged more than seven yards per rush and came up two yards short of 1,000. He started the season spending some time at quarterback. That experiment ended early in the season, however, and he expects to line up at several different spots on the field this year – but not quarterback.
“I like running back,” he said. “That’s where I’ve played since my Pop Warner days. I like to run and see the whole field. Running with the football is way different than running the track. You have to know when to go only 50 percent, so you know where to make your cut, then explode. You have to have more lateral movement.”
Sand Creek coach Scott Gallagher said the Aggies need to find more and creative ways to get Muck the football.
“He’s explosive,” said Gallagher, in his second season leading the program. “We have to put him in different positions and get him the football in a lot of different ways. He’s had the best camp he’s had since I’ve coached him.”
Muck causes headaches for opposing coaches. He is a threat to score every time he touches the ball.
“Obviously Alec has tremendous speed; however, his ability to take over and change a game is underrated,” said Ottawa Lake Whiteford coach Jason Mensing. “His imprint on the TCC will be lasting.”
Gallagher said Muck sets high expectations for himself.
“He’s hard on himself,” Gallagher said. “He is very driven to be successful, and he wants to that success to rub off on his teammates.”
Muck’s training has involved a lot of speed drills – often on his own. His weightlifting is for strength and maintaining speed, not bulking up.
“My normal warm-ups are low sprints, not long-distance running,” he said. “When I run the short sprints, I set a goal for each sprint and try and beat that time. I run for time.”
Prior to the Regional track meet this spring, Muck injured his hamstring. He took a week off running before the Lower Peninsula Division 4 Finals, but the break didn’t slow him as he won both the 100 and 200 dashes. He won the same events as a sophomore and won the 200 as a freshman. His championship winning times this spring were 10.98 seconds in the 100 and 22.02 in the 200.
“I was really careful warming up at the state meet and, in the preliminaries, I ran easy, just so I could get to the final,” he said. “Once I got there, I knew I could do it.”
Throughout a summer of football camps and 7-on-7s, Muck also attended physical therapy for the hamstring. He said he’s now at 100 percent and ready to start football – and go out with a bang.
“This is the most dedicated the team has been since I’ve been playing,” he said. “The offseason training, the commitment to the weight room, it’s all there. I’m just ready to go out there and lead by example. It’s time to play football.”
Doug Donnelly has served as a sports and news reporter and city editor over 25 years, writing for the Daily Chief-Union in Upper Sandusky, Ohio from 1992-1995, the Monroe Evening News from 1995-2012 and the Adrian Daily Telegram since 2013. He's also written a book on high school basketball in Monroe County and compiles record books for various schools in southeast Michigan. E-mail him at [email protected] with story ideas for Lenawee and Monroe counties.
PHOTO: Sand Creek running back Alec Muck is a five-time MHSAA Finals track champion with more than 2,600 career rushing yards. He's healthy and ready for a breakout senior year of football. (Photo by Mike Dickie.)