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Drive for Detroit: Week 6 in Review

October 6, 2014

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Less than a month remains in the MHSAA football regular season, and 21 percent of the 11-player playoff field is filled after 53 teams earned qualifying wins during Week 6.

A number of others must turn their attention solely to the postseason after the whittling over the weekend of many league races to only a few remaining favorites. 

See below for some of the most significant stories we watched unfold during Week 6: 

Greater Detroit

Detroit Cass Tech 21, Detroit East English 16

Usually it’s the Cass Tech offense that gets the headlines. But in its toughest Detroit Public School League game of this season to date, the team’s defenders were the eventual heroes after the Technicians (6-0) went up two touchdowns early. East English (4-2) held Cass Tech to a season-low in points and scored the most the Technicians had given up since Oak Park put up 26 on opening night, but the Technicians held strong late to remain tied for first. Click for more from MLive-Detroit.

Also noted:

Walled Lake Central 38, Waterford Mott 20 – After two seasons of sub-.500 records, Walled Lake Central claimed a share of the Kensington Lakes Activities Association North title for the first time since 2010 while dropping second-place Mott to 4-2.

Birmingham Brother Rice 28, Orchard Lake St. Mary's 20 – The Warriors (6-0) claimed a share of their third straight Detroit Catholic League Central title in handing St. Mary’s (5-1) its lone loss.

Canton 40, Livonia Churchill 35 – Canton (5-1) claimed a share of its second straight KLAA South championship by dealing 2012 champ Churchill (5-1) its first loss.

Clinton 28, Morenci 26 – Clinton (6-0) stopped a 2-point conversion attempt during the final minute to extend its 24-game regular-season winning streak and deal Morenci (5-1) its first loss after its best start since 1997. 

Upper Peninsula

Ishpeming 20, Beal City 0

These Ford Field regulars have played in different divisions in recent trips, but met in Gaylord for one of the most intriguing games of 2014. The good news for Beal City is the Aggies held Ishpeming (6-0) to its fewest points since 2012. But the Hematites also notched their second straight shutout, holding Beal City (5-1) scoreless for the first time since 2010. Ishpeming’s winning streak is up to 27 straight. Click for more from the Mount Pleasant Morning Sun.

Also noted:

Iron River West Iron County 40, Calumet 26 – West Iron (6-0) pulled within a win of a second-straight West Peninsula Athletic Conference title by escaping improved Calumet (3-3), which is tied for second place.

Crystal Falls Forest Park 36, Felch North Dickinson 14 – This rivalry game was a little less fierce than usual, as the Trojans (4-1) made it three straight over the Nordics (3-3).

Marquette 13, Kingsford 8 – The Redmen (5-1) kept pace in the Great Northern U.P. Conference to set up a Week 9 championship game with undefeated Menominee.

Sault Ste. Marie 28, Gladstone 22 – The Blue Devils (3-3) have stormed back from an 0-3 start, while Gladstone (3-3) has gone the opposite after starting 3-0. 

Mid-Michigan

DeWitt 16, St. Johns 10

The Panthers’ run of 32 straight league wins (dating to 2008) was on the line midway through the fourth quarter as DeWitt trailed by a point. But back-up quarterback Chase McPhee – in for injured starter and Division I college prospect Jacob Johnson – led the Panthers (6-0) on a go-ahead touchdown drive that helped them clinch a share of the Capital Area Activities Conference Red title while handing the rival Redwings (5-1) their lone loss. Click for more from the Lansing State Journal.

Also noted:

Olivet 69, Stockbridge 48 – The Eagles (5-1) are at least partial owners of the inaugural Greater Lansing Activities Conference championship, with second-place Stockbridge (4-2) now needing help from Maple Valley to gather a share.

Jackson Lumen Christi 35, Coldwater 24 – Lumen Christi (6-0) pulled within a win of claiming the inaugural Interstate 8 Athletic Conference title while dropping Coldwater (5-1) into a tie for second place.

Clare 43, Gladwin 36 (OT) – Clare (4-2) hasn’t had too many scares in winning seven straight Jack Pine Conference championships, but survived one from the Flying G’s (4-2) to hold on to a tie for first.

Stanton Central Montcalm 28, Remus Chippewa Hills 27 – The Hornets (4-2) broke open the Central State Activities Association Gold race by handing formerly first-place Chippewa Hills (5-1) its first loss. 

Southwest and Border

Three Rivers 25, Vicksburg 12

The Wildcats’ 0-2 start is becoming a distant memory as they work deeper into the Wolverine B Conference East schedule. Three Rivers (4-2) has won four straight and set itself up to play Plainwell this week to possibly decide the eventual league champion. Vicksburg (4-2), meanwhile, was one of the hottest teams in the state to start the season and beat Three Rivers in 2013, but has now lost two straight. Click for more from the Kalamazoo Gazette.

Also noted:

Berrien Springs 26, Paw Paw 8 – The Shamrocks (4-2) suddenly are in the Wolverine B West conversation, having now won more games this fall than in each of the last two and with this impressive victory over Paw Paw (3-3).

Portage Central 35, Niles 13 – Reigning champion Portage Central (4-1) remains in striking distance in the Southwestern Michigan Athletic Conference West if first-place Stevensville Lakeshore falters, while Niles (4-2) remains in position to make the playoffs with a couple solid wins down the stretch.

Stevensville Lakeshore 21, Portage Northern 13 – This was key for the Lancers (5-1), who fell to Northern (4-2) by two points last season.

Union City 18, Jonesville 16 – The Chargers (6-0) have bounced back nicely from last season’s 3-6 finish and are tied for first in the Big 8 Conference. 

Lower Up North

Cadillac 21, Gaylord 20

The Big North Conference race opened up a bit last week (see next result below), but nearly got a lot more interesting with Gaylord (4-2) continuing to push the traditional favorites. Reigning champion and first-place Cadillac hadn’t had alcall this close (except, perhaps, needing a goalline stand in 2013 against Traverse City Central) over its two-season run atop the standings. Click for more from the Cadillac News. 

Also noted:

Petoskey 16, Traverse City Central 13 – The Northmen (5-1) now get Gaylord, but look best to benefit in the Big North if Cadillac falters; Central (4-2) also is tied for second and gets Cadillac in Week 9.

Boyne City 50, Maple City Glen Lake 0 – Boyne City (6-0) looks good to not only win the inaugural Northern Michigan Football Conference Leaders title, but also finish the regular season perfect for the first time since 2001.

Oscoda 21, Lincoln Alcona 16 – The Owls (3-3) are in position for their best finish since at least 2000 after delivering Alcona (3-3) its third straight loss.

Whittemore-Prescott 26, Tawas 16 – Although not a league game, this was a good measuring stick locally for the Cardinals (6-0), who continued their surge against solid Tawas (4-2). 

West Michigan

Holland West Ottawa 28, East Kentwood 21

While solid, these two haven’t been much in the Ottawa-Kent Conference Red title discussion in a while – but West Ottawa (5-1) has earned the opportunity to match favorite Rockford for the championship in Week 9 if it can survive Grandville and Hudsonville over the next few weeks. East Kentwood (5-1), still off to its best start since 2004, has a similarly tough road as it seeks a sixth win for the first time since that season. Click for more from the Grand Rapids Press.  

Also noted:

Hudsonville 27, Grand Haven 24 – After two straight one-point losses, Hudsonville (4-2) got on the positive end of a close finish and handed Grand Haven (3-3) its third straight defeat.

Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern 44, Greenville 36 – Forest Hills Northern (6-0) earned the opportunity to face league co-leader Cedar Springs this week by dispatching another O-K Bronze contender in Greenville (4-2).

Hopkins 35, Grandville Calvin Christian 27 – Hopkins (5-1) paid back Calvin Christian (2-4) for a one-point loss in 2013 to remain in line for a fifth-straight O-K Silver title.

Lowell 20, Grand Rapids Christian 12 – The Red Arrows (6-0) continued to impress by claiming a close one over another O-K White power in Grand Rapids Christian (4-2). 

Bay and Thumb

Saginaw Swan Valley 14, Freeland 7

In what was and remains likely to be Swan Valley’s toughest regular-season game, the Vikings (6-0) showed plenty of mettle. The defense continues to rank among the most stellar in Michigan this season after giving up only one score to push this fall’s total points allowed to a mere 29 (Freeland, now 5-1, hadn’t scored fewer than 42). And of course standout running back Alex Grace showed, with 261 yards rushing and both of his team’s touchdowns. Click for more from The Saginaw News.

Also noted:

Burton Bendle 41, Flint Hamady 36 – The Tigers (3-3) have bounced back nicely from a 1-3 start, although Hamady (4-2) – itself impressive after going 0-8 a year ago – didn’t make this easy.

Frankenmuth 21, Birch Run 14 – The Eagles (5-1) likely now need help from Birch Run (5-1) against first-place Millington if the three are to share the Tri-Valley Conference East title.

Fenton 41, Clio 20 – The Tigers (6-0) remain tied for first in the Flint Metro League despite a challenge from much-improved Clio (3-3), which hadn’t won a game since 2009 before opening night.

Davison 34, Bay City Western 28 (OT) – The Cardinals kept their playoff hopes alive and also sit just a win back in the Saginaw Valley Association Blue standings. 

8-player

Rapid River 20, Cedarville 19

These two have built quite a rivalry in the Bridge Alliance Conference – Rapid River handed Cedarville its only regular season loss last season, beat Cedarville during the 2012 playoffs after losing to the Trojans by 60 five weeks earlier, and suffered their only regular-season loss to Cedarville during the 2011 season. Add this to the classics. Click for more from the Escanaba Daily Press.

Also noted:

Lawrence 52, Deckerville 20 – Lawrence (6-0) is again looking like a strong possibility to drive to at least the MHSAA Semifinals; Deckerville (5-1) also had entered undefeated.

Engadine 28, Posen 26 – The Eagles (3-3) got a needed boost, especially with undefeated Bellaire up next.  

PHOTO: Detroit Cass Tech improved to 6-0 with a 21-16 win over Detroit East English in Detroit Public School League play. (Photo courtesy of the Detroit PSL.)

'Wakers' Continue Marching Together

November 5, 2019

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

First the local media picked it up, which made sense – it was a great story, and easy to appreciate whether you’ve heard of Maple City or could find Fife Lake on the map.

In what was still perhaps surprising but a logical next step, The Associated Press and then Detroit Free Press and MLive took the story statewide. But then CNN and NPR told the rest of the U.S. – which was followed by interest from The Kelly Clarkson Show and a Skype interview with one of Ellen DeGeneres’ representatives.

There is no way Maple City Glen Lake athletic director Mark Mattson could’ve foreseen any of that publicity as he prepped for his football team’s home game Sept. 27. All he knew was that his high school didn’t have a marching band, and Fife Lake Forest Area – at least this season – didn’t have a varsity football team.

If you pay attention to high school sports in general or statewide news casually, you’ve probably heard some of the rest of this story. Mattson invited Forest Area director Brandon Deike and his band to play at Glen Lake’s game that night against Gladstone. A week later, after their story had been told all over the country, the schools combined for a “Marching for Ellen” spirit video hoping to land on the show.

Things have quieted back down substantially for the two small northern Lower Peninsula communities. But their march together continues.

“We don’t want it to end,” Mattson said. “Sometimes you see these initiatives begin, and it’s really cool, and they fizzle out. We want to work with our kids and their kids and Brandon over there to make cool things happen as we support each other – and at the end of the day to make his program grow and make our program grow over here.”

A little background: Forest Area’s high school and Glen Lake’s are 45 miles away, or about an hour’s drive whether traveling through or around Traverse City. Glen Lake has nearly 250 students in its high school, and Forest Area has about 175.

Glen Lake’s football team is 9-1 and hosts Harrison on Friday in a Division 6 District Final. Forest Area started this fall playing 8-player football, and won its first game against Brethren 64-44. But the Warriors had started with a small roster that got smaller as the season got going – and by Week 3 didn’t have enough players to finish the season, so they canceled the rest of their games.

Meanwhile, Forest Area’s band has rebuilt mightily since the school’s music program was cut in 2011 – while Glen Lake’s band began this school year with one high schooler playing with a 10-member middle school group. In fact, Mattson asked his school’s football players and cheerleaders the last time they were at a home game where there was a band – and they couldn’t remember one.

So the Sept. 27 game happens, and all of the feel-good fanfare that came with it. With a few weeks, the statewide and national attention slowed way down – but the relationship between the schools was just beginning to grow.

A week later after the Gladstone game, Glen Lake hosted Elk Rapids on the night that was supposed to be Forest Area Homecoming – so during that school day, a group of Glen Lake football players and cheerleaders went over for Forest Area’s pep assembly, at first to be part of the “Marching for Ellen” video but then sticking around to take part in the Warriors’ festivities.

Then on a Monday night, Oct. 14, Mattson took a group of students to Traverse City to support Forest Area during the area’s band expo at Thirlby Field. There was some hope the schools might unite their forces again for Glen Lake’s final regular-season home game Oct. 25. But although that didn’t completely pan out, Forest Area did sent over 20 members of its band, who sat in bleachers on the track with Glen Lake’s student section, band and choir – and cheered on the now growing Glen Lake band, which included Mattson on the saxophone he’d stopped playing in sixth grade.

“One of the Forest Area kids called over from the bleachers, ‘Mr. Mattson, come here. I think we need to call our schools ‘Wakers,’” Mattson said (with the student referring to a combination of the mascot names Warriors and Lakers). “It really had gone from literally about zero to what we’ve got, and it’s a really collaborative partnership here."

“This isn’t their band director or myself making it happen. This is by and large kid driven. Our kids keep asking, ‘Are they coming for the game Friday night?’ Or their kids talk to Mr. Deike and say, ‘Can they come to our pep assembly?’ They know they’re welcome back to play with us any time.”

Mattson has recently taken over as administrator as well of Glen Lake’s fine arts department, and rebuilding the school’s band is a high priority. Glen Lake has brought in retired Traverse City West band directors Pat Brumbaugh and Flournoy Humphreys as “artists in residence” to revive the program. They’re teaching a two-day-a-week Intro to Band class, and Mattson said there are about 35 fifth and sixth-graders signed up.

Mattson also noted how the Forest Area band has opened up the perspective of his school’s football players, who have gained a real appreciation for all of the groups – cheerleaders and band especially – who join the players on the field in making for a great football night.

“What started from one simple gesture to help a school out and vice versa turned into, and I think Brandon would echo it, turned into valuable lessons for our society about teamwork and collaboration, and that kindness matters,” Mattson said. “When it’s driven by young people and really executed by our young people, how does it get better than that? They’re the next generation of leaders. To take it from simply, ‘Yeah, that sounds cool,’ to go and play at Glen Lake, to what it’s become, it’s a great lesson for all of us. That when these kids take the initiative and make it their own, special things happen – and that has happened.”