Drive for Detroit: Week 1 in Review
August 27, 2012
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Two months from now, the majority of successes and failures from the opening weekend of high school football won't have made or broken most of the more than 600 teams playing in the MHSAA this fall.
But players, coaches and fans all over the state will still be talking about some of the tremendous matchups that once again marked the first nights of the season.
To identify the best of those games, it was easy to simply point toward Detroit or Grand Rapids. But that would've been too easy; below, the most significant results from every corner of our expansive state.
Greater Detroit
Detroit Cass Tech 25, Birmingham Brother Rice 18
A late start was worth the wait for those who stuck around for the finale of the Prep Kickoff Classic at Wayne State. Not that anyone was doubting Cass Tech’s defense, but it was especially impressive given the standouts the Technicians graduated after last season’s Division 1 championship run. The loss will no doubt pay off for the reigning Division 2 champion Warriors too – they’ve made the playoffs with at least three losses the last four seasons, and made it to at least the Semifinals in two of those four. Click to read more from the Detroit Free Press.
Also noted:
Southfield 21, Martin Luther King 20 (2 OT) – The Bluejays edged another Detroit PSL favorite in the second-best game of the Classic; the teams combined for 17 wins last season.
Pontiac Notre Dame Prep 17, Almont 14 – University of Michigan women’s soccer prospect Taylor Timko drilled a 35-yard field goal for the final lead with 2:48 to play.
Troy 24, Romeo 20 – Romeo has made the playoffs eight straight seasons, so Troy has additional reason to be glad after a losing season in 2011.
Carleton Airport 25, Adrian 24 – After finishing last season with a 28-21 playoff-opening loss to Adrian, Airport edged the Maples in a game that will no doubt have rankings implications.
West Michigan
Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central 59, Zeeland West 58
The Dux hadn’t lost since the 2010 playoffs after going undefeated in winning Division 4 last season. But Forest Hills Central got a start on its drive for a third-straight playoff berth as these teams combined for 117 points – tied for 11th in the MHSAA record book for games in which the losing team scored at least 40. Click to read more from the Grand Rapids Press.
Also noted:
Grand Rapids Catholic Central 33, East Grand Rapids 14 – Interesting “did you know” ... the Cougars were 2-10 against East Grand Rapids going back to 1987 before this impressive win.
Fruitport 21, Muskegon Reeths-Puffer 20 – The Trojans hung on for their fourth straight opening-night win over the Rockets.
Lowell 16, Rockford 6 – Lowell had a new quarterback and Rockford was missing its starter, but both will no doubt be putting up many more points as the fall goes on.
Muskegon 21, Orchard Lake St. Mary 14 – The Big Reds’ first four opponents include three of the best teams in the state regardless of division, but they got off to a quick start by downing the reigning Division 3 champion.
Mid-Michigan
DeWitt 38, Mount Pleasant 14
The Panthers stacked impressive offensive numbers against the reigning Division 3 runner-up Oilers, who had won 32 straight regular-season games. New quarterback Jordan Johnson, a sophomore, threw for 246 yards and three touchdowns and also ran for two scores for DeWitt.
Also noted:
Farwell 61, Coleman 54 – This ranks 13th in the MHSAA record book for total combined points in games in which the losing team scored at least 40.
Mendon 27, Fowler 7 – This replay of last season’s Division 8 Final again went Mendon’s way, but was much closer throughout.
Holt 24, Hudsonville 21 – With its annual game against Rockford no doubt a little on their minds, Holt’s Rams went to Hudsonville and first avenged another 2011 loss.
Lansing Catholic 45, Pewamo-Westphalia 21 – The Cougars look to be the quicker of the two reigning MHSAA runners-up to rebuild, with plenty of points potential despite a new quarterback and a number of other first-year starters.
Bay and Thumb
Richmond 25, Marine City 24
Knocking off the reigning Division 4 runner-up is a great way for Richmond to get rolling after two straight losing seasons. The Blue Devils recovered an on-side kick to get the ball back for the go-ahead drive. Read more from the Port Huron Times-Herald.
Also noted:
Midland 29, Canton 28 (OT) – This big-time matchup might’ve gotten lost in the Detroit and Grand Rapids area slugfests, but Midland’s win was one of the most solid of the weekend as both teams stand to be among the best in Division 1 this fall.
Deckerville 32, Carsonville-Port Sanilac 12 – The Eagles might find themselves fans of the 8-player game quickly after beating the reigning MHSAA champion in their first game since switching from 11 players.
Linden 17, Fenton 15 – These two have been playoff regulars, but this win could be especially key for Linden after it lost to Fenton by three in 2011 and just got into the postseason at 5-4.
Reese 47, Montrose 26 – Both of these teams could find themselves atop league standings when the regular season is done.
Upper Peninsula
Ishpeming 34, Iron Mountain 0
Last season Iron Mountain won this matchup and finished a game ahead of Ishpeming in the Mid-Peninsula Athletic Conference. But it appears the Hematites could be heavy favorites this fall after this dominating performance. Read more from the Marquette Mining Journal.
Also noted:
Rock Mid-Peninsula 26, Bellaire 22 – The Wolverines went 2-8 last season after three years without a team, making this win over an 8-player power all the more significant.
Norway 12, Niagara (WI) Northern Elite 9 – Norway scored with less than a minute remaining to avenge last season’s one-point loss.
Marquette 34, Detroit Denby 12 – The home team prevailed, but the neater part was that this game was played at all between opponents with a nine-hour drive between them.
Iron River West Iron County 19, Pittsford 16 – Opponents from even farther apart than Marquette and Denby met somewhat in the middle Saturday in St. Ignace for a hard-fought contest.
Lower Up North
Kingsley 18, Traverse City St. Francis 0
This was one of the state’s biggest stunners for a few reasons: Kingsley lost to St. Francis 57-8 last season, with the Gladiators then going on to the Division 7 Semifinals; Kingsley then lost an all-state running back early Friday. But the defense didn’t break. Read more from the Traverse City Record-Eagle.
Also noted:
Boyne City 22, McBain 14 – Boyne City bounced back quickly from its 2011 losing season by beating a team that had a combined 19 wins over the last two.
Manistee 36, Ludington 34 – This made two seasons in a row that Manistee won by less than a field goal; in 2011 the score was 40-39.
Johannesburg-Lewiston 28, Atlanta 26 – The Cardinals had beaten Atlanta by an average of nearly 47 points over the last three seasons before having to survive this one.
Southwest and Border
Portage Central 36, Battle Creek Harper Creek 32
The Mustangs had a hard fall last season from 9-2 in 2010 to just 3-6, and were shut out by Harper Creek 24-0; Harper Creek went on to finish 12-1 and advance to the Division 3 Semifinals. But Portage Central again could be in at least its league title mix after coming back from a three-score deficit in this opener. Click to read more from the Kalamazoo Gazette.
Also noted:
Dowagiac 21, Vicksburg 7 – Dowagiac had its best finish in 15 years last season, but lost to Vicksburg 6-3; the Chieftains hope this revenge win is the start of another special run.
Quincy 7, Bronson 6 – The Orioles had lost five straight to Bronson, and missed qualifying for the playoffs last season by just a win.
Lawton 21, Cassopolis Ross Beatty 19 – Lawton made it two straight on opening night over the Rangers; both made the playoffs last season.
Trophy Games
Each week, the MHSAA highlights trophy games around the state. Here's a list of those from Week 1.
- The Sword: Bloomfield Hills Andover and Bloomfield Hills Lahser met on the gridiron for the last time in the regular season. The two schools will merge next year. The teams annually played for The Sword. Final: Lahser 70, Andover 7.
- Brown Jug Games: Two such games were played last week, Mesick at Manton and Brooklyn Columbia Central at Napoleon. Finals: Manton 41, Mesick 6; Columbia Central 28, Napoleon 6.
- Totem Pole: Battle Creek Central was at Kalamazoo Central on Friday. This is said to be the longest running rivalry west of the Allegheny Mountains, with the two schools playing games since 1893. Final: Kalamazoo Central 20, Battle Creek Central 0.
- Addison and Hudson met on Friday in Hudson, and the two teams have played for a trophy for a number of years sponsored by a local insurance company and a local automotive group. Final: Hudson 41, Addison 0
- Cheese Log: A border battle between Ironwood and Hurley (WI) took place at Ironwood on Friday, and a cheese log has historically been on the line in this game. Final: Hurley 49, Ironwood 7.
PHOTO: East Lansing junior running back Kenny Washington took a hand-off and looked to turn the corner during Friday's 38-18 win at Haslett.
Carlson's 'Power-Spread' Piling Up Points Despite Missing Leading Rusher
By
Doug Donnelly
Special for MHSAA.com
October 2, 2024
In Johnny Cash’s song “One Piece at a Time,” the main character collects car parts over the years to build a one-of-a-kind automobile.
At the end of the song, he’s asked what model it is. That’s where he runs into trouble.
“Well, it’s a ’49, ’50, ’51, ’52 …” Cash sings.
That automobile is a lot like the offense that has Gibraltar Carlson’s football team off to a 5-0 start.
“We pride ourselves in running the football here,” third-year head coach Jason Gendron said. “That is our identity. We play power football.”
That’s not the full story, however.
“We are multi-set, really,” Gendron said. “We have Wing-T principles, but we are a spread, Wing-T team that can go tight formations with two tight ends and three running backs. We also can go spread and run some run-pass option things. We also like to run counter off that.
“At the end of the day, power football is where we like to be. We can run that out of multiple sets. Everything we do is based off power.”
Marauders quarterback Joe Krolak agrees. Sort of.
“It’s power-spread,” Krolak said. “It’s hard to describe. We can go under center, or we can go spread.”
No matter what you call it, the Marauders’ offense is clicking in all gears. Carlson is averaging a two-point conversion shy of 50 points a game in their 5-0 start.
That Carlson is having success is not surprising or anything new. The Marauders have won four straight Downriver League championships and have made the playoffs seven years running. The surprising piece this season is they have done it without Division I college recruit Izaiah Wright, the junior running back who rushed for 1,965 yards and 31 touchdowns as a sophomore in leading Carlson to a 10-2 record.
Wright played in Week 1. But on the first offensive series of the game in Week 2, he went down with an ankle injury and hasn’t played since.
“It’s been a slow recovery,” Gendron said. “He’s been week-to-week. He’s getting closer. I do think he’ll play again this year, but I don’t know if he will be 100 percent this year.”
In his place, the Marauders were sharing carries among multiple backs until last week when junior Avery Ortiz got the full workload. He responded with 200 yards rushing and multiple touchdowns.
Gendron said he and the Carlson coaches saw the potential in Ortiz.
“Avery has been the running back who has emerged,” Gendron said. “We feel Avery is one of the best backs in our conference and southeast Michigan.”
Ortiz has been Wright’s backup for a couple of seasons. Last year Gendron asked Ortiz about changing positions to get him on the field, and he started playing safety. This season, with Wright out, Ortiz found himself on the offensive side of the ball again.
“He has great vision and is really good on his cuts,” Gendron said. “Avery is a running back at heart. He’s always wanted to be the running back here, but you have a kid in front of him who is a Division I player who beat him out. That’s just the way it goes. At least he was humble enough to accept that and find another place to play. For him to get that back, seize the moment and run with it, is the credit to the type of kid he is.”
Krolak said the offense hasn’t skipped a beat with Ortiz as the featured back.
“Everybody knows in this program it’s next man up,” Krolak said. “We have a lot of athletes in this program who can do the same things he can do. Avery has really stepped up big. He’s looking phenomenal. He’s a great running back and has carried us through this.”
Gendron called Krolak the team’s first-half MVP. Krolak has completed 44 of 62 passes for 669 yards and six touchdowns and rushed for another 406 yards and nine touchdowns.
“Joe is a very dangerous runner and has gotten better at throwing,” Gendron said. “He’s a dual-threat quarterback. You can’t just key on Izaiah or Avery. You have to have eyes on Joe. He’s been the player of the year for us without question. He’s leading us and doing everything I’ve asked him to do at the position. He’s having a great year.”
Krolak, a senior, said he was ready for his number to be called more with Wright out.
“I knew I would get the ball more,” Krolak said. “Coach told me I was going to run the ball more and throw it around, and I was completely ready for it.”
Carlson has several more weapons, including tight end Drew Sikora and receivers Brendan Stanley and Landon Vida. Everything starts up front, however.
“I tell our offensive line that they are the most important position group on the field, both our offensive and defensive lines,” Gendron said. “They have bought in and embraced that and the fact that we want to be a power, smash-mouth football team.”
Carlson’s been pretty good on defense, too, giving up just six touchdowns all season.
Gendron is a Monroe Jefferson graduate who played for Marc Cisco, who retired after 47 years coaching the Bears. That’s where Gendron learned the fundamentals of the game and about power football.
“It works,” Gendron said. “It worked back then for Marc, and it works for us. It’s good football. I believe in it. The kids buy into it. There’s nothing better from an offensive standpoint when you can get three yards at will and you can call the play again and it works.”
The current offense is a mix of Gendron’s years playing at Jefferson and schematic strategies incorporated by Dan Kalbfleisch, the Carlson athletic director and assistant football coach.
“We’ve blended Dan’s experience with his spread concepts and the things I value about offensive football – the ground and pound, power football concepts – into one offense. Dan brings the pre-snap, tempo, no-huddle offense with motion and getting guys into space. That’s what you see. We both believe in running the football.”
Carlson has some tough games ahead, but Gendron is pleased with how the season is shaping up. With a little luck, they might get Wright back in time for a playoff run.
“We are on schedule right now,” he said. “Our guys have done what they need to do at this point. We take things one week at a time. Trenton is on the clock right now.”
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 Jackson, Washtenaw, Hillsdale, Lenawee and Monroe counties.
PHOTOS (Top) Gibraltar Carlson quarterback Joe Krolak considers his best option during last week’s win over Southgate Anderson. (Middle) Carlson coach Jason Gendron pumps up his team during a practice. (Below) The Marauders’ Avery Ortiz drags a defender downfield. (Game photos by Kim Britt; practice photo by Niles Kruger/Monroe News.)