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.)
Performance: West Bloomfield's Bryce Veasley
November 16, 2017
Bryce Veasley
West Bloomfield senior – Football
The Lakers’ quarterback led his team 80 yards over the final two minutes of Friday’s Regional Final against previously-undefeated Utica Eisenhower, completing 6 of 7 passes during the drive before running in the go-ahead score with 51 seconds to play as West Bloomfield clinched its first MHSAA Semifinal berth with a 28-25 win – clinching Veasley the Michigan Army National Guard “Performance of the Week.”
Total on Friday, Veasley connected on 23 of 37 passes for 319 yards and a touchdown and ran for two scores. This season he has completed 200 of 337 passes for 3,208 yards and 25 touchdowns, with only eight interceptions, and run for 455 yards (averaging 4.2 per carry) and 14 scores. Veasley is a two-year starter at West Bloomfield and also started as a sophomore on varsity as Southfield Lathrup in 2015 before that school closed the following spring. The Lakers went 6-5 a year ago, reaching the District Finals, but started 0-2 this fall before rattling off 10 straight wins to earn Saturday’s matchup with reigning Division 1 champion Detroit Cass Tech at Troy Athens High School.
The 6-foot-4, 230-pound Veasley called baseball his first love – he played first base and pitched last spring and said he throws 85 mph – but he is expecting to enroll early this winter at Bowling Green, where he’ll continue his football and academic careers. Veasley carries a 3.1 grade-point average and is considering studying business management, although he’s still solidifying his academic plans. For now, he has more high school history to help make; West Bloomfield also had never won a District football title before two weeks ago, but is aiming to finish this month with its first MHSAA Finals championship.
Coach Ron Bellamy said: “Bryce is one of the best leaders I have ever been around. What makes Veasley an exceptional leader is his ability to impact his teammates and coaches. He is very passionate about football, and making everyone step their game up a notch has been a strength of his. Veasley is a hard worker who challenges himself to be better every day. He is extremely coachable and usually doesn’t make the same mistake twice. Bryce is one of the main reasons why West Bloomfield has been able to make this amazing run.”
Performance Point: “It was just a great team win for us,” Veasley said of the Regional title victory. “It started off with the defense – they made a great stop on about the 10-yard line giving us the ball, and from there I knew I had to take it upon myself, with my O-line first, to get the ball into my receivers’ hands. … I live for that moment all the time. It was a great feeling. To be honest, every week we work on the 2-minute drill. I give it to the coaches; they prepare us well. We were prepared to go down the field and score.”
Making history, making memories: “We get recognized all the time, by the community, the alumni, the teachers and the students that go here. Everybody’s excited. … The memories, I think they will be just cherished, be just something I remember for my life. It’s more just the guys. We’re all going to keep in communication with each other. It will be memorable.”
Slow start: “We learned a lot (at 0-2). At first, it was just we knew we had to just finish games. That was one. And we just had to make sure when we come out we are ready to play. A lot of it was focus and competition.”
QB1: “I think it starts off with wanting to go out there and just win. That’s me. The other things (are) knowing coverages, knowing what defenses are trying to do, knowing what you’re trying to do as an offense to the defense, having a strong arm and being able to sometimes just know the matchups and be able to get the ball to your best player.”
Ford Field focus: “First off, it starts with preparation. I think the coaches are going to make sure (Saturday) is not just another game, but at the same time it is. We just have to come out and be ready to execute our gameplan and compete.”
- Geoff Kimmerly, Second Half editor
Every week during the 2017-18 school year, Second Half and the Michigan Army National Guard will recognize a “Performance of the Week" from among the MHSAA's 750 member high schools.
The Michigan Army National Guard provides trained and ready forces in support of the National Military Strategy, and responds as needed to state, local, and regional emergencies to ensure peace, order, and public safety. The Guard adds value to our communities through continuous interaction. National Guard soldiers are part of the local community. Guardsmen typically train one weekend per month and two weeks in the summer. This training maintains readiness when needed, be it either to defend our nation's freedom or protect lives and property of Michigan citizens during a local natural disaster.
Previous 2017-18 honorees:
November 9, Jose Penaloza, Holland soccer - Read
November 2: Karenna Duffey, Macomb L'Anse Creuse North cross country - Read
October 26: Anika Dy, Traverse City Central golf - Read
October 19: Andrew Zhang, Bloomfield Hills tennis - Read
October 12: Nolan Fugate, Grand Rapids Catholic Central football - Read
October 5: Marissa Ackerman, Munising tennis - Read
September 28: Minh Le, Portage Central soccer - Read
September 21: Olivia Theis, Lansing Catholic cross country - Read
September 14: Maddy Chinn, Pontiac Notre Dame Prep volleyball - Read
PHOTOS: (Top) West Bloomfield quarterback Bryce Veasley celebrates a touchdown Week 1 against Walled Lake Western. (Middle) Veasley enjoys a moment with teammates on the sideline. (Top photo courtesy of C&G Newspapers, middle photo by HighSchoolSportsScene.com.)