Drive for Detroit: Week 9 in Review
October 26, 2015
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Week 9 of the football regular season brings with it a Twitter feed full of gems like these:
Enjoy perfection? Northville finished 9-0 for the first time since 1961. Portland did so for the first time since 1969. Birmingham Groves posted its first flawless regular-season finish since 1978. For Buchanan, it was the first since 1988.
How about streaks? Rockford continued a 20-season playoff streak, and Stevensville Lakeshore clinched 18 years in a row heading to the postseason. And of course there was at least one stat line worth a double take – like Pewamo-Westphalia running back Jared Smith finishing the regular season with 2,065 rushing yards and 38 touchdowns for the undefeated Pirates.
Those are just highlights. As we begin to focus on the first week of the playoffs, let's not forget the rest of the best from the final week of the regular season.
Bay & Thumb
Fenton 30, Linden 27 (OT)
Fenton upped its Flint Metro League winning streak to 29 straight games and its league title streak to five seasons either sharing the championship or winning it outright thanks to this victory over second-place Linden. The Tigers ended the regular season at 8-1 while Linden is 7-2; Fenton’s lone loss came on opening night to Davison by three points. Click for more from the Flint Journal.
Also noted:
Freeland 42, Frankenmuth 7 – The Falcons (9-0) won the only matchup between undefeated teams in the state this weekend, but could see Frankenmuth (8-1) again in a Division 5 District Final.
Midland Dow 49, Midland 28 – The Chargers (8-1) won this crosstown rivalry game for the second straight season … and earned a rematch with the Chemics (7-2) in a Division 2 opener.
New Lothrop 41, Montrose 0 – The Hornets (9-0) completed their sixth straight undefeated regular season and in the process gave Montrose (5-4) a boost that helped the Rams into the playoffs as an at-large team.
Saginaw Swan Valley 28, Bay City John Glenn 21 – The Vikings (6-3) secured a fourth-straight playoff berth, but John Glenn (5-4) also made the postseason for a second straight season.
Greater Detroit
Detroit Martin Luther King 27, Detroit Cass Tech 25
It wouldn’t surprise many if both of these teams ended up back at Ford Field in five weeks playing for MHSAA titles in Division 2 and Division 1, respectively. This Detroit Public League Division I Final was their second matchup this season and both were decided by a field goal or less; King won the Sept. 25 meeting 31-28. The Crusaders (9-0) locked down Cass Tech’s passing game in this one, holding the Technicians (7-2) to their season low in points. Click for more from the Detroit Free Press.
Also noted:
Orchard Lake St. Mary's 38, Warren DeLaSalle 0 – The Eaglets (7-1) look like strong favorites in Division 3 after defeating reigning Division 2 champ DeLaSalle (6-3) big in the Prep Bowl to avenge their only loss this season.
Utica Eisenhower 17, Romeo 14 – The Eagles (6-3) are one of the state’s hottest teams, beating opponents the last three weeks that are a combined 21-6 including handing Romeo (8-1) its only loss.
Detroit Collegiate Prep 26, Detroit Central Collegiate 12 – The Colts (9-0) won the PSL Division II title game to register their first perfect regular season in at least 65 years; Central Collegiate (6-3) is headed to the playoffs for the second straight season after going 0-9 in 2013.
West Bloomfield 20, Farmington Hills Harrison 14 – The Lakers (9-0) tied their school record for wins set last season with their first perfect regular season since going 8-0 in 1960; Harrison (7-2) is headed back to the playoffs for the ninth time in 10 seasons.
Mid-Michigan
Lansing Catholic 35, Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central 10
Reigning Division 6 champion Monroe St. Mary (8-1) has looked ready for another run since putting up 62 points on Tecumseh on opening night, but Lansing Catholic (8-1) reminded the rest of Michigan it’s one of the dangerous teams in Division 5 by going on the road and handing the Falcons their first regular-season loss since 2013. The Cougars rattled off 28 unanswered points during the second half. Click for more from MLive-Lansing.
Also noted:
Portland 25, Marshall 16 – The Raiders finished 9-0 for the first time since 1969, which was a lot easier said than done considering Marshall (7-2) was one of five playoff teams on the schedule.
Harrison 40, Clare 20 – The Hornets (7-2) locked down second place in the Jack Pine Conference with their first win over Clare since 2010, and in the process kept the Pioneers (5-4) out of the playoffs for the first time since 2005.
Grand Ledge 42, Holt 0 – The Comets (9-0) completed their outright Capital Area Activities Conference Blue title, finished their third perfect regular season over the last eight and in the process kept rival Holt (5-4) from making the playoffs (although the Rams did improve from 3-6 a year ago).
Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart 13, Mendon 7 – The Irish (6-3) ran off six straight wins after opening 0-3 against teams that finished a combined 25-2 to return to the playoffs for the eighth straight season; Mendon (5-4) also earned its ninth straight postseason bid despite the loss and after starting 1-3.
Northern Lower Peninsula
Harbor Springs 22, Charlevoix 20
The winner was guaranteed a playoff spot. And Harbor Springs had plenty to celebrate with its move to 6-3 earning both the first playoff berth since 2000 but also its first winning record in 16 years. Senior Mitch Hoffman drilled a last-second field goal to put his team over the top – and keep the Red Rayders out of the playoffs as they did not end up with enough playoff points to qualify as an at-large team despite finishing 5-4. Click for more from the Petoskey News.
Also noted:
Boyne City 35, Grayling 20 – Boyne City may have finished behind Traverse City St. Francis in the Northern Michigan Football Conference Leaders standings, but beating third-place Grayling (6-3) helped the Vikings (8-1) secure up to two home playoff games – with St. Francis likely awaiting in the Regional Final.
Lake City 28, Newberry 21 – The Trojans made quite a bounce-back from last season’s 2-7 finish and beat two straight playoffs teams in Lincoln Alcona and Newberry (6-3) the last two weeks to get back to the playoffs at 5-4.
Oscoda 48, AuGres-Sims 22 – The Owls (6-3) also are back in the playoffs for the first time since 2000 after finishing the regular season with two straight wins.
Onekama 21, Frankfort 8 – Before last season, Onekama hadn’t beaten Frankfort since 1994; now, the Portagers (8-1) have won two straight over the Panthers (7-2) and could see them again in a Division 8 District Final.
Southeast & Border
Jackson 35, Jackson Lumen Christi 34 (OT)
This season just keeps getting better for Jackson. By moving to 7-2, the Vikings equaled their wins from 2010-2014 combined. And although they didn’t play most seasons in between, it’s worth noting this was Jackson’s first win over Lumen Christi since 1988 – and after 27, 29 and 34-point defeats to the Titans (6-3) the last three years. Click for more from the Jackson Citizen-Patriot.
Also noted:
Grass Lake 19, Union City 16 – The Warriors (5-4) survived a three-game losing streak midseason to earn an at-large playoff bid, and with this win knocked Union City (4-5) out of the running.
Clinton 36, Ottawa Lake Whiteford 18 – The Redskins (9-0) finished their fourth straight perfect regular season and fourth straight Tri-County Conference title by beating Whiteford (7-2), one of three other playoff teams from the league.
Manchester 45, Homer 38 – The Flying Dutchmen (8-1) claimed this meeting of first-place teams in the Cascades and Big 8 conferences for the second straight season, putting up a season high points total while also giving up their most this season to Homer (7-2).
Parma Western 28, Dexter 0 – After missing by a win twice over the last six seasons, Western (6-3) finally has its first MHSAA playoff berth thanks to two straight victories to close the regular season.
Southwest Corridor
Benton Harbor 29, Portage Northern 23 (OT)
Benton Harbor is one of the best stories of this season. The Tigers (5-4) didn’t win a game in 2013 or 2014 and went a combined 4-68 over the last eight seasons, but with a new coach and new athletic director posted their first winning season since 1989 – and earned their first playoff berth ever. It took this overtime win over Portage Northern (4-5), which hadn’t lost to Benton Harbor since 1996. Click for more from the St. Joseph Herald-Palladium.
Also noted:
Dowagiac 49, Paw Paw 46 – The Chieftains (6-3) reversed their record of a year ago but needed a second straight win by three points or fewer to return to the playoffs.
Constantine 21, Hartford 6 – The Falcons kept their playoff streak alive for a 17th straight season by bouncing back from a Week 8 loss to finish 5-4; Hartford also made the playoffs at 5-4.
St. Joseph 22, Portage Central 6 – The Bears (8-1) gained a share of the Southwestern Michigan Athletic Conference East title by breaking a three-year losing streak against the Mustangs (8-1).
Schoolcraft 41, Delton Kellogg 15 – The Eagles (9-0) finished a perfect regular season for the second time in four and won all but one of their games by at least 18 points; Delton (5-4) still made the playoffs for the first time since 2001 with its first winning record since 2009.
Upper Peninsula
Escanaba 18, Kingsford 14
Escanaba was riding high this fall after opening with two wins under a new coach. Then came four straight losses against a string of opponents that ended up including three playoff teams. But the Eskymos (5-4) didn’t fold, instead finishing with three wins including two over playoff teams to earn their first postseason berth since 2011. Kingsford (6-3) ended up with a home game this week despite the loss. Click for more from the Iron Mountain Daily News.
Also noted:
St. Ignace 14, Fowler 7 – The Saints (8-1) deserve a lot of credit for stacking their nonleague schedule with undefeated Ishpeming last week and annual Division 8 power Fowler (6-3).
Negaunee 35, Ishepming Westwood 0 – Westwood (5-4) claimed a playoff spot for a second straight season despite the loss, but Negaunee (7-2) hopes it regained some momentum after two straight defeats by a combined seven points.
Munising 41, L'Anse 8 – The reigning Division 8 runner-up Mustangs (7-2) bounced back from a Week 8 loss by ending the playoff hopes for L’Anse (5-4).
Lake Linden-Hubbell 34, Crystal Falls Forest Park 28 – The Lakes (9-0) broke a five-game losing streak against Forest Park (5-3) to finish perfect for the regular season for the first time since 2009 … and earn a rematch with Forest Park this week.
West Michigan
Rockford 28, Hudsonville 27
At stake Friday was a share of the Ottawa-Kent Conference Red title – four teams were tied for first place, guaranteeing multiple champions. But also at stake was Rockford’s 20-season playoff streak, the longest-running in Michigan and third-longest in MHSAA history. A blocked extra point by a back-up quarterback and a pair of field goals by the back-up kicker were among contributions that paid off nicely for the Rams (6-3), who could see Hudsonville (6-3) again in a Division 1 District Final. Click for more from the Grand Rapids Press.
Also noted:
Grandville 18, East Kentwood 8 – This decided the other half of the O-K Red title, with the Bulldogs (6-3) not only earning a share but posting a sixth win for the first time since 2006; East Kentwood also is 6-3 and gets also third-place Hudsonville in the playoffs.
Lowell 28, Grand Rapids Christian 14 – The Red Arrows (8-1) finished a perfect run in the O-K White for the second time in three seasons and won their fourth straight against the Eagles (5-4).
Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern 26, Ada Forest Hills Eastern 24 – The Huskies (7-2) fell shy in the O-K Bronze after a 5-0 start, but forcing rival Forest Hills Eastern (8-1) to share the title probably lessened any lingering disappointment.
Big Rapids 20, Morley-Stanwood 10 – After seasons of three and one win over the last two, Big Rapids is back in the playoffs thanks to two straight wins, this one over a Mohawks team also 6-3.
8-Player
Battle Creek St. Philip 47, Lawrence 44
St. Philip (9-0) got the better of Lawrence for the first time in their last four meetings, handing those Tigers (7-2) their first in-state loss since 2013 and cementing the top spot overall in the 8-player tournament with the highest final playoff-point average. The two could meet again in a Regional Final next week. Click for more from the Battle Creek Enquirer.
Also noted:
Pickford 62, Onaway 28 – It was this simple: Pickford (6-3) won and got into the playoffs, and Onaway (5-4) fell out of the top 16 with the loss.
Morrice 58, Portland St. Patrick 42 – The Orioles (8-1) still aren't getting much mention as a contender, but they haven’t lost since falling to St. Philip on opening night and clinched the Central Michigan 8-Man League title with this win over the Shamrocks (6-3).
PHOTO: A Detroit Martin Luther King ball-carrier follows his blocker during the Crusaders' Detroit Public School League Division I championship win. (Photo courtesy of the Detroit Public School League.)
Farewell Silverdome; Our Memories Live On
By
Ron Pesch
MHSAA historian
November 28, 2017
Farewell Pontiac Silverdome.
In early December, more than 15 years after the Detroit Lions played their last game beneath its air-supported Teflon-paneled roof, the “Dome” will take a last breath and then depart.
Finally.
The last few years have been cruel to the stadium that was once a gem and the home of dreams.
The Lions arrived at the newly opened “Pontiac Metropolitan Stadium” (or “Ponmet” as it was called by enthusiasts of the new structure) in August 1975. It was renamed “Pontiac Stadium” later in the year by the city council, and in October of 1976 the Pontiac council again re-christened the building as the “Pontiac Silverdome.”
“We feel the new name better conveys the image of our facility,” said Charles McSwigan, Jr., stadium executive director, at the time. “It certainly lets everyone around the country know we have a modern year-round domed stadium.”
The move was primarily marketing motivated. “The other three giants, Super, Astro and King, get all the publicity,” added McSwigan, further explaining the change. “Promoters call them, but they don’t even come near us.”
Launched in 1975, the MHSAA football championship games were played outdoors at college stadiums that first year on the Saturday before Thanksgiving. While deemed a success, the games were played at two different sites. That had presented challenges.
Following that first year, consideration was given to the new structure in Pontiac.
“There are some problems,” remarked Al Bush, MHSAA executive director, explaining the logistics of a possible move to the NFL stadium. “For instance, it would be difficult to play four games on the same day. We would have to start early in the morning, and the last game would have to start late at night.”
Competition for attendance with various events, including deer hunting season, and college football – especially the televised University of Michigan-Ohio State game – were factors to be considered. The high school football playoffs were still a new product without a tradition. Finances also were an area of worry. It was estimated that a crowd of between 20,000 and 25,000 would be needed to make the jump economically feasible.
So, it was with great caution and trepidation that the move was made indoors to Pontiac. Initially, the contract was for a single year. The games would be played on the Saturday following Thanksgiving. By all measures, to the delight of all involved, the 1976 championships were a huge success.
“The four state championship games, which were played in the Silverdome in two sessions on Saturday, drew a paid attendance of 29,423 fans,” said Associated Press writer Harry Atkins in a follow-up piece following the games, “bringing smiles of relief and joy to MHSAA Executive Director Al Bush and his assistant, Vern Norris. The attendance figure was almost double the number of fans who turned out last year in ice box-like weather at two sites – Western Michigan University and Central Michigan University.”
With that, a new contract was signed, and for 29 years the city of Pontiac served as home to the MHSAA 11-player football championships. “Goin’ to the Dome” soon became the goal of every high school in Michigan that offered the sport.
Following a 15-10 victory over the Dallas Cowboys in early January 2002, the Lions departed the Silverdome for Ford Field, located in downtown Detroit. The high school Finals stayed put for three more years before moving to Ford Field.
Twelve seasons after following the Lions from Pontiac to Detroit, countless memories and several MHSAA championship game records still stand from those years under the Dome.
Four championship games were played at the Silverdome to close each season from 1976-90. In 1991, the playoffs were expanded to eight classifications and the Finals expanded to eight games over a two-day showcase.
For many across Michigan, those 176 high school state title games were their first live exposure to the building many had only seen on television. For football fans, the MHSAA Finals provided an affordable and unique chance to visit the stadium and watch the game between the 20-yard-lines at ground level. An NFL game, concert, or in later years a Pistons basketball game at the Silverdome was far from an intimate experience for most. Seating 80,311, it was the largest stadium in the NFL until 1997.
For thousands of athletes and coaches, the playing surface was their first exposure to artificial turf. It was an honor to set foot on the field. After all, who didn’t want to run on the same canvas on which Lions legend Barry Sanders painted?
Who can forget the Mill Colemen-led comeback drive to title glory in the final minutes as Farmington Hills Harrison downed DeWitt for the Class B title in 1989, or “The Catch” by Muskegon Reeths-Puffer’s Stacy Starr that broke the hearts of Walled Lake Western players and fans in the final seconds in Class A in 1992? Who remembers the wild 91 points (and 883 yards in total offense) posted in Belding’s 50-41 victory over Detroit Country Day in Class B in 1994, when Belding trailed by 19 points at the half? The combined final score remains the record for most points tallied in a title game by two teams.
Farmington Hills Harrison and coach John Herrington won five consecutive finals in Pontiac (1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001), and 12 of their 13 MHSAA Finals titles at the Silverdome. A total of 12 of Detroit Catholic Central’s 17 trips to the Finals meant a bus ride to Pontiac.
One record performance set in the opening game of the 1976 championships still stands in the MHSAA championship record book. With the evolution of the game, it may never fall.
Despite the climate-controlled environment afforded by moving indoors, Crystal Falls Forest Park threw only three passes against Flint Holy Rosary in the Class D title game, completing one for a net -3 yards. By default, that total established a record for pass defense in a title game. It remains the zenith.
Forest Park had little need for the pass that day. The Trojans rolled up 234 rushing yards on 48 carries, including a 74-yard touchdown run off left tackle by all-state running back Marty Ball with 4:36 to play in the first quarter. Less than two minutes later, a fumble recovery by Forest Park’s Charlie Davis was returned 25 yards for a score, and the Trojans led, 14-0. Holy Rosary passed for 204 yards including an 18-yard pass from Ron Fray to Dan Lehoux in the second quarter, but couldn’t overcome that first quarter deficit, falling 14-6. A crowd of 14,879 attended the day’s first session, comprised of the Class D and Class A games.
Other long-standing record performances at the Dome still can be spotted in the record book.
Josh Wuerfel’s 46-yard field goal in the second quarter gave Traverse City a 10-0 halftime lead and aided the second-ranked Trojans’ 24-14 defeat of top-ranked Detroit Catholic Central in the 1988 Class A contest. The kick stood for 28 years as the title game record before finally being exceeded (twice!) at the 2016 championships played at Ford Field. Liam Putz of Grand Rapids West Catholic shattered the mark with a 47-yarder against Menominee in the Division 5 title game, before Ben Fee of Orchard Lake St. Mary’s topped the kick in the eighth game of the weekend. Fee’s 49-yard field goal late in the fourth quarter helped St. Mary’s down Muskegon 29-28 in the Division 3 thriller. The boot was his third field goal of the game. Combined with two extra points, he finished as the Eaglets’ top scorer.
Paul Gross of Jackson Lumen Christi established a new mark for extra points against Livonia Clarenceville in the 2001 Division 5 game, connecting accurately on all seven of his attempts. The record has been matched twice since the move to downtown Detroit.
Nick Williams’ 90-yard touchdown dash on Farmington Hills Harrison’s first play from scrimmage in the 1994 Class A game, a 17-13 victory over Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central, still tops the record book category for longest run play in a title game. An 89-yard TD run by Constantine’s Jim Schragg sits directly behind the Williams’ mark. Schragg rolled up 307 yards in a 34-13 win over Suttons Bay in the 2004 Division 6 game, during the final year at the Silverdome. His total established the pinnacle for rushing yards in a game.
Ravenna’s Benny Clark carried the ball 49 times (including 29 rushes in the second half) for 212 yards as the Bulldogs topped Morenci 30-14 in the 1996 Class C contest. The total, which exceeded the previous mark of 40 set by Dan Lato of Crystal Falls Forest Park in 1977, has yet to be matched or exceeded.
The fastest championship game passing touchdown came 15 seconds into the 2003 Division 5 Final, when Jackson Lumen Christi‘s Tyler Aldridge found wide-open Matt Russell on a reverse pass on the second play from scrimmage. The Titans defeated Muskegon Oakridge 23-0 for the title.
Quarterback Tony Koshar tossed a short pass to Jim Steinman, “who shed a tackler and managed to stay in bounds as he took off for the end zone on a 96-yard scoring play,” as Gobles grabbed a 31-22 upset victory over top-ranked Crystal Falls Forest Park in the 1984 Class D title game. The reception for the longest pass play lasted 24 years before it was finally topped in 2008.
Kirk Williams’ 15 pass receptions for DeWitt against East Grand Rapids in the 2002 Division 3 contest still stand the test of time, as does Brad Johnson’s 87-yard punt return for a touchdown for Schoolcraft against Frankfort in the 1988 Class D championship game.
The 1991 title games saw two defensive marks set, both on the same day. On Saturday, November 30, Rick Marcotte of Lake Linden-Hubbell scooped up a fumble and dashed 79 yards for a touchdown and a new Finals record versus Mendon in Class DD. Less than 16 hours earlier Nate Cierlak of Muskegon Catholic Central had set the mark with a 56-yard return for a TD against Harbor Beach. In that year’s Class CC Final against Negaunee, Jason Livengood of Battle Creek Pennfield set the one mark that statistically can never be topped when he returned a pick-six for 100 yards.
Eight punts by Muskegon’s Jason Crago in the Big Reds’ 16-13 victory over Detroit Martin Luther King in the 1989 Class A title game was unmatched until 2007, when Aaron Hudson of Blissfield equaled the total. On Saturday, Clarkston’s Jermaine Roemer also tied the record in the Division 1 Final.
Between 1976 and 2004, more than 1.5 million fans attended the games in Pontiac, with a peak of attendance of 71,156 in 1995.
Soon the site will be cleared, with plans for redevelopment. Not far down the road, The Palace of Auburn Hills, once home to the MHSAA Basketball Finals and longtime home to the MHSAA Individual Wrestling Finals, will be scrubbed from the earth. Along with them, the structural evidence of the home of countless accomplishments will disappear.
Change is constant, and time moves on. Still those achievements, and several others, live on in the pages of the MHSAA record book, in the memories of those who competed and the recollections of those who played witness.
Ron Pesch has taken an active role in researching the history of MHSAA events since 1985 and began writing for MHSAA Finals programs in 1986, adding additional features and "flashbacks" in 1992. He inherited the title of MHSAA historian from the late Dick Kishpaugh following the 1993-94 school year, and resides in Muskegon. Contact him at [email protected] with ideas for historical articles.
PHOTOS: (Top) Constantine and Suttons Bay played in the Division 6 Final at the Silverdome as part of the last weekend of MHSAA games in the building in 2004. (Top middle) The 1976 program welcomed Finals fans to the Dome for the first time. (Bottom middle) The author's children during a trip to the Silverdome before the Finals moved to Ford Field. (Below) The 1986 Finals ticket got fans into two games at the Silverdome for $4. (Photos courtesy of Ron Pesch and MHSAA files.)