Drive for Detroit: Week 5 in Review
September 30, 2013
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
The most significant celebrations of MHSAA football season Week 5 arguably were thrown by Portland and Felch North Dickinson, the first teams this fall to claim spots in the playoffs.
Both won their fifth games and are playing only eight. They'll no doubt be joined in the postseason field by many more expected to win their sixth games (of nine) this weekend.
But the main focus at this point remains on league title races, and most of our significant scores this week either affected those or broke long streaks among annual foes.
Greater Detroit
Birmingham Brother Rice 28, Detroit Catholic Central 21
This could be the final time Brother Rice coach Al Fracassa faces DCC – he will retire after this, his 54th season, and the teams aren’t guaranteed to face each other again in the Week 9 Prep Bowl. But what a way to potentially finish off his part in one of Michigan’s best rivalries. A late touchdown pass gave the Warriors (5-0) its third win in its last five games against the Shamrocks (4-1) and the lead in the Detroit Catholic League Central. Click to read more from the Detroit Free Press.
Also noted:
Southfield 20, Farmington Hills Harrison 19: The Bluejays (4-1) continued to build after an opening-night loss to Cass Tech, handing Harrison (4-1) its first loss.
Wyandotte Roosevelt 17, Melvindale 10: Roosevelt (5-0) gained an edge over the Cardinals (4-1) thanks to what could decide the Downriver League champion.
Detroit Loyola 36, Pontiac Notre Dame Prep 29: The Catholic League AA also has a couple teams capable of reaching Ford Field, with reigning Division 7 runner-up Loyola (5-0) claiming this league opener over the Fighting Irish (4-1).
Temperance Bedford 33, Saline 17: Beating previously-undefeated Saline (4-1) was its best performance so far as Bedford (5-0) has put together its best start since 2010.
Bay and Thumb
Mount Pleasant 50, Midland 42
These teams combined for 49 points during the first quarter alone, with Mount Pleasant (4-1) left trailing with three and then two quarters to play. But a big third quarter put the Oilers ahead for good and earned them a half-game advantage atop the Saginaw Valley Association North standings, while dropping reigning champion Midland (4-1) a game back. Click to read more from the Saginaw News.
Also noted:
Reese 34, Vassar 28 (OT): Beating the Vulcans (3-2) makes Reese (4-1) likely to face Elkton-Pigeon-Bay Port to decide the Greater Thumb League West championship.
Harbor Beach 49, Elkton-Pigeon-Bay Port 6: This nonconference loss didn’t hurt Laker (4-1) in its league race, but it did give reigning Division 8 champion Harbor Beach (4-1) its most impressive win this fall.
Lake Fenton 33, Flint Beecher 14: Beecher (4-1) was beginning to look unbeatable in the Genesee Area Conference Red, but now Lake Fenton (4-1) looks most likely to push Montrose for first place.
Midland Dow 42, Saginaw Arthur Hill 20: At least five SVA North teams look like possible playoff qualifiers, with Dow (4-1) looking much better off after handing Arthur Hill (3-2) its second straight loss.
Mid-Michigan
Holt 24, East Lansing 21 (OT)
The demise of Holt football surely has been overstated. After opening with tough losses to Hudsonville and Rockford, Holt’s Rams (3-2) have won three straight and beaten Capital Area Activities Conference Blue contenders Lansing Everett and East Lansing (3-2) in successive weeks. Next up: impressive favorite Lansing Sexton, which hasn't lost or given up more than 14 points in a game. Click to read more from the Lansing State Journal.
Also noted:
Carson City-Crystal 50, Coleman 48: Go back to 1999 to find the last Eagles team to start 5-0. Coleman (4-1) also should still be proud; its four wins are as many as all of last season.
Charlotte 37, Mason 16: The Orioles (3-2) have been tough to figure out, but there’s no denying this win over the Bulldogs (4-1) was impressive.
DeWitt 35, Haslett 7: Make that 11 straight for the Panthers (5-0) over the rival Vikings (3-2).
Portland St. Patrick 47, Burr Oak 36: The Shamrocks (5-0) have now won all 14 regular-season games since moving to 8-player football last season; Burr Oak at 3-2 already has equaled last season’s win total and its highest since 2005.
Upper Peninsula
Menominee 42, Kingsford 13
The Maroons further avenged last season’s one-point loss to Kingsford, and in a big way. Menominee also had beaten Kingsford (4-1) during last fall’s playoffs after falling to the Flivvers during the regular season, and made it two straight Friday after jumping out to a 21-0 lead. Given that one of these teams has at least shared the Great Northern UP Conference title every season going back to 1999, it’s a good expectation the Maroons (5-0) will come away with the championship later this month. Click to read more from the Iron Mountain Daily News.
Also noted:
Munising 26, Manistique 21: After three losses to open, Munising (2-3) has equaled last season’s win total; Manistique (0-5) is continuing to seek its first this fall with three losses by six points or fewer.
St. Ignace 29, Sault Ste. Marie 21: The Saints (4-1) have stormed back after an opening-night loss to Charlevoix; two of Sault Ste. Marie’s three losses have come by eight points or fewer.
Rapid River 46, Engadine 22: The Rockets (5-0) are firing again, undefeated heading into this week’s matchup with Bridge Alliance rival Cedarville; Engadine fell to 1-4 but with four losses to undefeated teams.
Hurley, Wis. 30, Bessemer 0: This matchup of 2012 co-Great Western Conference champions likely eliminated Bessemer (3-2) from contention this time.
Lower UP North
Maple City Glen Lake 42, Kingsley 14
Glen Lake (5-0) looks strong atop the Northwest Conference as it plays for its second straight championship, with only Kingsley and Suttons Bay now a win back and the rival Stags (3-2) out of the way. The Lakers scored on five plays of 52 or more yards to beat them. Click to read more from the Traverse City Record-Eagle.
Also noted:
Boyne City 27, Traverse City St. Francis 14: The Ramblers (4-1) have followed up a 10-game losing streak to St. Francis (3-2) with two straight wins.
Cadillac 53, West Branch Ogemaw Heights 27: Last season’s three-point loss to Ogemaw Heights (3-2) was one of few obstacles that kept Cadillac from Big North Conference contention; the Vikings (5-0) now are the only undefeated team in the league.
Cheboygan 9, Petoskey 6: The Chiefs (4-1) ended a five-game losing streak to Petoskey (2-3) in one of the state’s lowest-scoring games this season.
Lincoln Alcona 28, Whittemore-Prescott 26 (2 OT): The Tigers (5-0) are lined up favorably to at least their equal their most wins (seven) since 1986, and ending a 19-game losing streak against the Cardinals (3-2) has been the highlight so far.
Southwest and Border
Lawton 25, Decatur 21
Lawton (5-0) remains tied for first in the Southwestern Athletic Conference South thanks to a 42-yard go-ahead touchdown pass with 26 seconds to play against the Raiders (4-1). Four of the formerly six-team league made the playoffs last season, and that looks possible again even as the division now has only five teams. Lawton is only one win away and tied with Watervliet atop the title hunt. Click to read more from the Kalamazoo Gazette.
Also noted:
Watervliet 41, Hartford 17: As mentioned above, Watervliet (5-0) also is in first in the SAC South, with Hartford (3-2) hoping to remain in the mix despite falling in this league opener.
Portage Central 49, Portage Northern 7: The goalposts of these teams’ shared stadium will be painted for Central (5-0) after its second straight win over the rival Huskies (3-2).
Edwardsburg 40, Three Rivers 22: If this season plays out like last, dispatching of Three Rivers (3-2) should allow the Eddies (5-0) to decide the Wolverine Conference West championship in three weeks against Dowagiac.
Battle Creek St. Philip 67, St. Joseph Michigan Lutheran 14: The Tigers (5-0) have one of the most potent offenses in 8-player football, averaging 58 points per game while giving up 29 total; Michigan Lutheran (1-4) scored nearly half of those.
West Michigan
Muskegon Oakridge 31, Ravenna 27
Oakridge (5-0) has had little to fear over the last two seasons aside from Grand Rapids West Catholic, which eliminated the Eagles in last season’s District Final and fell to them by only six on opening night. But Ravenna (2-3) showed plenty of fight as it works to get back to its previous status as a West Michigan Conference contender. Click to read more from the Muskegon Chronicle.
Also noted:
Comstock Park 30, Belding 7: Four teams in the O-K Blue are 4-1 or better including both of these, but Comstock Park is the only one at 5-0.
Grand Rapids Christian 28, East Grand Rapids 17: The Eagles (4-1) continue to impress and now own three wins in their last four games against the Pioneers (3-2) and 27 wins in their last 30 games overall.
Rockford 20, Holland West Ottawa 13: At midseason, these looked like the best of the O-K Red, with Rockford (4-1) now holding a slight edge on the Panthers (3-2) and two others in the title hunt.
Muskegon 26, Muskegon Mona Shores 20: Coming off a disappointing loss to Lowell, Muskegon (4-1) got a scare from the much-improved Sailors (4-1).
Trophy Games
Each week the MHSAA highlights trophy games played around the state. All six of these were contested Friday:
Red, White & Blue Bell: Whitehall vs. Montague. The Wildcats made it seven straight over rival Whitehall. Final: Montague 56, Whitehall 34.
The Silver Football: Coldwater vs. Sturgis. The Cardinals broke a three-game losing streak to reclaim this prize. Final: Coldwater 34, Sturgis 14.
Bobcat-Bulldog Award: Ottawa Lake Whiteford vs. Petersburg-Summerfield. This game was made bigger this season in that both entered 3-1. Final: Whiteford 38, Summerfield 13.
Iosco County News-Herald/Oscoda News-Press Trophy: Tawas vs. Oscoda. Tawas scored its most points in more than two seasons, dating back to its last win over Oscoda in 2011. Final: Tawas 50, Oscoda 14.
Cipriano Cup: Dearborn vs. Dearborn Fordson: Fordson got some revenge for last season's District opener loss to the Pioneers. Final: Fordson 34, Dearborn 7.
WBRN Victory Bell: Big Rapids vs. Remus Chippewa Hills: These two have split their last 22 regular-season meetings. Final: Chippewa Hills 42, Big Rapids 7.
PHOTO: Maple City Glen Lake (white jerseys) shut down Kingsley's offense in taking the Northwest Conference lead and moving to 5-0 last week. (Photo courtesy of Glen Lake athletic department).
Familiar Story Ends With Ishpeming Title
November 30, 2013
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
DETROIT – The knowledge gap covering 466 miles between Ishpeming and Detroit Loyola certainly was bridged when the two met in last season’s Division 7 Final.
Ishpeming – winner that day 20-14 – knew what Loyola had coming back this fall, and heard about a new quarterback coming in. The Hematites watched from afar as the Bulldogs continued to dominate against a beefed-up schedule – and laughed perhaps a little anxiously when 50-0 scores regularly showed up among the Friday night results.
Loyola finished the regular season ranked No. 2. Ishpeming was No. 1. Needless to say, the interest continued to intensify.
“We knew they were going to be in the Finals,” Ishpeming senior quarterback Alex Briones said. “Right when they were doing selection Sunday, we saw Loyola on the other side of the bracket and we kept them in the back of our heads. We knew we were probably going to meet up with them. But we had to take care of our business first.”
The Hematites did again Saturday, in much the same way but with a few twists as when they beat Loyola a year ago.
With similar toughness but a little different strategy, Ishpeming came away with its second straight MHSAA title and fourth overall by downing the Bulldogs 22-12.
“It was the same story. From what a lot of people said, we were still the underdog – and rightfully so,” Ishpeming coach Jeff Olson said. “They’re a good team, big and strong. I think it really came down to we made plays.”
Ishpeming displayed the same toughness as in 2012 in standing up against a much larger Bulldogs team that had beaten its previous playoff opponents by a combined score of 205-14.
But how the Hematites made the deciding plays this time was a little bit different. After running for 236 yards and throwing for only 29 in the 2012 win, Ishpeming managed only 146 yards on the ground – but got a key 76 through the air with Briones utilizing play-action to complete six passes including two for touchdowns against a defense stacked for the run.
The first scoring strike, 17 yards to junior Marcus Antilla, came three minutes after Loyola fumbled the opening kickoff. Briones completed a two-yard scoring strike to senior Mitch Laurin seconds into the second quarter and then scored on a two-yard run a little more than halfway through the third to push Ishpeming’s advantage to 22-0.
“Obviously this was a pretty big thing after last year, coming back to this. And when we turn the ball over like that on the opening kickoff, put them in scoring position and they capitalize … it makes it hard to climb out,” Loyola coach John Callahan said. “It’s not that we couldn’t have done it and shouldn’t have done it. It just wasn’t there.”
There was another unfortunate similarity to last season’s Final for Loyola that certainly played a part this time again. During the first series in 2012, the Bulldogs lost towering offensive tackle KaJohn Armstrong for the game with an injury. Saturday, they lost two-way starting guard Anthony Fitzpatrick, which added salt to the wounds of that fumble plus three interceptions.
Ishpeming hadn’t seen much passing during its regular season. But the Hematites were prepared for Loyola’s air game after getting tastes against Lake City and Harbor Beach the last two weeks, respectively.
They also hadn’t had to resort to the pass much themselves during a season that saw only Negaunee and Lake City get within 30 points before Saturday. But when called upon, Briones and his receivers were ready.
“Sometimes, we’re coming out and trying to pass the ball. We’ll incomplete one and Coach says, ‘That’s it. We’re not passing anymore,’” Briones said. “He’s a little stubborn on that subject, … but we were able to execute it today, so that was good.”
Briones also ran for 60 yards total, and senior fullback Adam Prisk ran for a game-high 77. All four Hematites ball carriers Saturday were seniors, as were four of five who caught passes and the team’s top five tacklers. Total, 16 Ishpeming contributors played their final high school game.
“Over the last two years, we’ve developed a brotherhood. We work together, hang out together, laugh together and we even pick on each other,” Prisk said. “That’s what brothers kinda do, and it’s one thing we’re going to miss.”
Bulldogs senior quarterback Garrett Schaller did throw for 201 yards and two scores, both to senior receiver Keith Graves. They are two of 10 seniors on their team, but Loyola should return a number of standouts in 2014 including leading rusher Marvin Campbell and some of its defensive leaders.
“There’s no loser in this game. You’re either a winner, or you learn,” Loyola junior linebacker Darryl Clemons said. “We’ve just got to come back next year and do better.”
PHOTOS: (Top) Ishpeming quarterback Alex Briones attempts to leap two Detroit Loyola tacklers during Saturday's Final. (Middle) The Hematites pose with their trophy after winning Division 7 for the second straight season. (Click to see more from Terry McNamara Photography.)