Dundee Says Good-Bye to Longtime Home
October 25, 2019
By Doug Donnelly
Special for Second Half
DUNDEE – One more memory.
After 85 years of playing prep football in the same location, Dundee will close the doors on its stadium tonight with plans to move into a new athletic complex next fall. Vikings head coach Kyle McElvany called tonight’s game against undefeated and state-ranked Hillsdale one more chance for the Vikings to make an ever-lasting memory.
“There is so much tradition and history here over the course of 85-plus years,” McElvany said. “It’s humbling. We hope to go out and make our alumni and community proud.”
Dundee hasn’t been to the playoffs in seven years, but a victory over Hillsdale would make certain the Vikings are in the 256-team field when the 11-player tournament pairings are announced Sunday. It would make for a memorable way to close out the history of the stadium, too.
Late last month, school officials announced that 1969 Dundee alum John D. Craig, retired chairman, president and CEO of EnerSys, has donated $1 million to be used exclusively toward the creation of the John D. Craig and Family Athletic Complex. The school will begin next week discussing the new complex at a public meeting. The plan is to build the new stadium in time for the 2020 season opener against Romulus Summit Academy North.
The Vikings have been playing football for decades in the current stadium, located behind what once was the high school in the village of fewer than 4,000 people. The new athletic complex will be built on the northwest side of the new high school.
“Our administration has already started to work on the project from a development standpoint, and I hope to get involved as well once our season is wrapped up,” McElvany said.
The new stadium will have a total visitor seating for approximately 2,500, new stadium lights and a new engineered natural grass athletic field. The facility will be capable of hosting football games, track meets and band festivals, and also feature a new scoreboard, new permanent concessions and restroom facilities.
The old stadium has been home to several great memories for Vikings fans over the years. One of them came earlier this season when Dundee’s defense made a goal-line stand during the final seconds to hold on for a 15-14 win over Ida. It was Dundee’s first football win over Ida in six years.
“To see the crowd and community on the field embracing those kids after that game was very special,” McElvany said.
Over the years, Dundee has won championships, completed undefeated seasons and hosted playoff games in the old stadium. In 2011, Dundee was still recovering from a tornado that caused millions of dollars in damage in the community when its football team brought some solace to the area with an 8-3 record and the only playoff win in school history.
“The greatest game ever for us in that stadium was the 2011 District playoff game versus Brooklyn Columbia Central,” said Dylan Williams, a 2012 Dundee graduate. “The field was all torn up from the tornado still. We took the lead in the fourth quarter with about a minute to go and held them.”
The most successful era for Dundee came during the 1960s when the Vikings won both Huron League and Southeastern Conference championships. Dundee didn’t lose for more than three years from 1963-1966 (finishing a combined 32-0-3), an accomplishment that remains the longest unbeaten streak in Monroe County Region history.
“The undying friendship, teamwork and dedication to a goal learned on this field will be with us all forever,” said Bob Busz, who played for those teams and graduated in 1966.
Ted Rath, a 2002 Dundee graduate and current assistant coach with the Los Angeles Rams, recalled several great memories from his time at Dundee. He was a student manager in 1994 and 1995 when his brother was playing quarterback, and then played for the Vikings himself. He met his wife, Robin, on that field while she was attending cheerleading practice.
“So many memories come flooding to mind when I think of my football experiences on that field,” Rath said. “I have been blessed to travel this great country and the world because of the sport of football. I have been to places like Wembley Stadium in London and Lambeau Field in Green Bay and many places in between. When I think about all the places that this sport has taken me, I realize that none are as sweet as that field in Dundee, Michigan.
“If I could stand on that field this week and say one thing it would simply be thank you,” Rath wrote in an e-mail. “Thank you for the memories, thank you for the victories, but also thank you for the defeats. The lessons learned on that field have shaped my life and driven me to become a better Christian, husband, father and person.”
While the new athletic complex is a welcome addition to the district and community, former players and coaches can’t help but recall the great times they made in the old stadium. Thoughts of fans rushing onto the field, wins over rival Ida and simply lining up for the kickoff at games at the stadium will keep the facility alive for Vikings fans for years to come.
Tyler Anson, a 2006 graduate, said he used to find his favorite spot at every home game to quietly reflect right before kickoff.
“My favorite memory from the stadium was always standing in the back of the end zone right before the national anthem,” Anson said. “There was something about being under the lights, looking down the field seeing the crowd, and hearing the anthem knowing you’re about to go to war with your brothers. It’s a feeling that will always give me chills.”
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) Dundee’s football stadium has hosted games for 85 years. (Middle) Vikings fans stretch into the hillside next to the bleachers during a game. (Top team and middle football photos courtesy of Kyle McElvany; press box and field photos by Doug Donnelly.)
Drive Complete: 2019 Finals in Review
December 3, 2019
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Teams that reach the MHSAA Football Finals have been running around in helmets and pads for just short of four months, starting when we’re keeping an eye out for high temperatures and finishing as we watch the snow fall.
Second Half covered all 10 championship games last weekend at Ford Field and two weekends ago at the Superior Dome, with quick recaps and links (click on the game scores) to those stories below followed by notations of performances entered into the MHSAA Finals record book and a report on some of the biggest and best stories to emerge from the 2019 Finals. See also below highlights from the weekend from State Champs Sports Network, and keep an eye on Second Half for a schedule of replays of the 8 and 11-Player Finals on FOX Sports Detroit.
Finals in Review
11-Player Division 1: Davison 35, Brighton 25
The two first-time Finals qualifiers helped fill most of Ford Field’s lower bowl Saturday, and Davison emerged with its first championship. The game was highlighted by the play of standout quarterbacks Brendan Sullivan of Davison and Colby Newburg of Brighton, who both were added to the MHSAA record book for their performances (see more below).
11-Player Division 2: Muskegon Mona Shores 35, Detroit Martin Luther King 26
The Sailors earned the first of the weekend’s “upsets,” never trailing against the 2018 Division 3 champion Crusaders. For the second-straight week, back-up quarterback Brady Rose led the way with all-stater Caden Broersma injured. After King came within two points early in the fourth quarter, Rose led another scoring drive to put the game away.
11-Player Division 3: River Rouge 30, Muskegon 7
River Rouge suffered only one loss this season and played a solid group of opponents, so calling this an upset is tough – but likely still accurate as Muskegon had been considered the state’s best regardless of division (especially after defeating Mona Shores 53-0 during the regular season) and had received national recognition. Rouge scored the final 30 points after an early deficit.
11-Player Division 4: Grand Rapids Catholic Central 44, Detroit Country Day 0
When these two met in the 2016 Final, they combined to score 17 points. This rematch saw many more, at least for GRCC as it scored 44 of the 111 total points Country Day gave up this season. Cougars quarterback Joey Silveri, just a sophomore, cemented himself as a player to watch over the next two years as well, and receiver Jace Williams tied a Finals record as GRCC won its third title in four seasons.
11-Player Division 5: Lansing Catholic 31, Almont 17
The Cougars came back from a bit of an ugly first half offensively to claim their first championship since 1985. Lansing Catholic scored the final 24 points of the game, also earning coach Jim Ahern his first Finals title of a career that began 50 years ago. This was the third Cougars team he had brought to Ford Field this decade, while Almont was making its first Finals appearance.
11-Player Division 6: Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central 7, Maple City Glen Lake 0
The Falcons scored their first Finals championship since 2014 in one of the lowest-scoring title games in 45 seasons of MHSAA Football Playoffs. SMCC put the game’s only points on the board on quarterback Wyatt Bergmoser’s six-yard TD run with 7:17 to play in the first half. The Falcons otherwise dominated defensively and controlled the clock to secure the win.
11-Player Division 7: Pewamo-Westphalia 14, Jackson Lumen Christi 0
The arguably most power-packed of the weekend’s Finals saw Pewamo-Westphalia win its third championship in four seasons and end a 35-game winning streak for Lumen Christi, which had won three straight Division 6 titles. Both teams had fewer than 120 yards of total offense, but P-W was able to get into the end zone with three seconds left in the first half and again during the game’s final minutes to finish an unbeaten fall.
11-Player Division 8: Reading 33, Beal City 6
The Rangers opened the weekend with a repeat championship in Division 8, moving to 27-1 over the last two seasons with only a 14-0 Week 1 loss this fall to Pewamo-Westphalia breaking up the perfection. Reading scored the final 19 points and outrushed Beal City 260-42. The Aggies were playing in the Finals for the first time since 2013 and coming off two-straight sub-.500 seasons.
8-Player Division 1: Colon 26, Suttons Bay 14
Colon also won a Division 1 matchup of two teams seeking their first championship, following two-way standout Brandon Crawford to victory at the Superior Dome. The game was tied into the final minute of the third quarter, but the Magi scored the final 12 points to finish off an undefeated season and their closest of 13 wins.
8-Player Division 2: Pickford 48, Portland St. Patrick 15
The Panthers returned to the 8-Player Finals and claimed their first championship after finishing Division 1 runner-up in 2018. Quarterback Jimmy Storey closed his high school career running for three touchdowns and throwing for two more, helping hand the Shamrocks their second runner-up finish in three seasons and only loss of this fall.
Record Report
Star quarterbacks found the spotlight at both the 11 and 8-Player Finals. The Division 1 game saw Brighton’s Colby Newburg (332 yards) and Davison’s Brendan Sullivan (330) both make the all-time 11-Player Finals record list for total offense and passing yards as well with 290 and 249, respectively. Grand Rapids Catholic Central’s Joey Silveri is ranked 10th in Finals total offense after his 375 yards (236 passing, 139 rushing) in Division 4, and Pickford’s Jimmy Storey ranks sixth on the 8-Player Finals list with 298 totals yards after passing for 152 and running for 146.
Silveri also made the 11-player passing touchdowns list with four, and Jace Williams was the main beneficiary. He tied the 11-Player Finals record with three touchdown catches and was the first to catch that many since 2013.
Colon’s Brandon Crawford made the 8-player records twice for rushing – his 205 yards were the third-most in 8-Player Finals history, and his 94-yard touchdown run was the longest rushing play. Colon as a team ranked fifth with 340 yards rushing.
Muskegon Mona Shores kicker Keegan DeKuiper and Davison kicker Trennor Rhodes both were added to the 11-player list for most extra points in a Final, both connecting on all five of their respective attempts.
Brighton, while in defeat, made the 11-Player Finals list with 23 first downs against Davison. Detroit Martin Luther King and Muskegon Mona Shores in Division 2 joined Hartford and Onsted from the 1993 Class CC Final as the only opponents to go an entire championship game without punting.
Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central became one of eight teams to win a championship by scoring seven points or fewer.
Both Grand Rapids Catholic Central and Reading tied for second on the first downs allowed list giving up only four apiece.
Lansing Catholic’s Zack Stone and Zach Gillespie both snagged two interceptions, joining 31 others tied for third for most interceptions in one championship game.
There previously was not a category for most extra-point attempts blocked, but it was impossible to not add one after Detroit Country Day blocked five tries by Grand Rapids Catholic Central.
Stories Behind the Scores
First-time champions: They reigned again, with Davison, Muskegon Mona Shores, River Rouge, Colon and Pickford matching last season’s total of five first-time winners. That makes 10 first-time champions over the last two seasons, compared with a combined three in 2016 and 2017.
Defense wins championships: After no Finals shutouts in 2018 and just one apiece in 2017 and 2016, this season’s Finals saw Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central, Grand Rapids Catholic Central and Pewamo-Westphalia all hold their opponents scoreless. Total, the 10 runner-up teams scored an average of 11 points. River Rouge saw its season defensive points allowed average fall to 7.6, GRCC’s fell to 8.8, P-W’s to 4.5 and Reading’s to 7.4 points per game. Colon finished the season giving up just 5.5 points per game – perhaps even more notable given the wide-open offensive attack characteristic of 8-player.
Unsung no more: A pair of previously or at least little-known quarterbacks before last week’s 11-Player Finals will certainly be well-known entering next fall. As noted above, Mona Shores junior Brady Rose was forced into action early in his team’s one-point Semifinal win over Walled Lake Western, and he finished an incredible two weeks running for 90 yards and three touchdowns, completing 8-of-11 passes for 122 yards and a score and making a team-high 10 tackles with an interception against King. River Rouge junior Mareyohn Hrabowski burst onto the statewide scene in the weekend’s final game with 175 yards and three touchdowns on the ground and 45 yards passing against Muskegon.
Ahern’s work rewarded: As noted above, Lansing Catholic coach Jim Ahern finished with a Finals championship for the first time, a well-deserved achievement for an architect of multiple programs that have had elite success. Ahern ranks 13th in MHSAA history with a 301-152-6 record at three in-state schools beginning in 1969 (and not counting his seasons coaching in Florida during the end of the last decade). In addition to bringing the Cougars to Ford Field three times over the last nine years, Ahern led Ithaca’s program from 1972-2003. Among his standouts there was current Yellowjackets coach Terry Hessbrook, who is the first to credit Ahern with building the foundation that has led to Ithaca’s five Division 6 titles and two runner-up finishes over the last decade. Ahern pioneered the spread offense in this state, writing a book nearly 20 years ago teaching the scheme that is now used all over the country.
Fun with numbers: Friday’s four-game attendance was just 17,971 fans – the lowest of the decade for one day at Ford Field. But Saturday’s four-game attendance of 30,466 was the highest since 2010 for one day. Together, the 48,437 fans for the weekend fell in line with the five-year average for the 11-Player Finals.
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PHOTOS: (Top) Davison and Brighton fans helped fill the lower bowl of Ford Field on Saturday. (Middle) Pickford celebrates its championship at the Superior Dome two weekends ago. (Top photo by Paige Winne; middle photo by Cara Kamps.)