Logo

Football Follies

October 7, 2014

Notice reached the MHSAA office of a so-called “2014 Michigan Youth Football Classic” that invites youth league teams to “a great weekend of youth tackle football.” For $450 per team, youth football teams will bang bodies for two days – Nov. 8 and 9 – with each team guaranteed at least three games. Three!

No level of football but this – for the youngest players who have the most vulnerable skulls – allows the idiocy of three games in a weekend. Most limit competition to a maximum of one game in a week!

In my opinion, this isn’t a football classic. It’s child abuse.

I wish the foolishness would stop there, but even an organization called USA Football seems to have lost its head. Initially and mostly with funding from the NFL, USA Football was focused on teaching youth football coaches and players safe blocking and tackling techniques. Good.

But now this pseudo-national governing body for amateur football is planning events for various age groups that will extend tackle football practices and games throughout what used to be an off-season. Multiple competitions in tackle football are scheduled for high school age players in January, February and July of 2015.

At a time when professional, college, school and Pop Warner football are all reducing contact during practices in-season, USA Football wants to expand the contact experience out of season. It makes about as much sense as three games in a weekend.
Byron Glaspie of the Detroit St. Martin dePorres breaks free for a big gain. The Eagles would win 14-6 over Whittemore-Prescott. (1996 Class CC Football Finals)

Detroit dePorres Rushes to 1995 Class CC Football Championship

August 30, 2024

In celebration of the MHSAA’s 100th anniversary, we’ll be posting a photo each week on our social media accounts, accompanied by a prompt for high school sports fans.

Following each post, we will feature the photo on our website, along with additional details.

This week, we’re sharing a photo from the 1995 Class CC Football Final at the Pontiac Silverdome, where the Eagles of Detroit St. Martin dePorres defeated Whittemore-Prescott 14-6. Detroit St. Martin dePorres went on to secure three more football titles under coach Greg Carter, and though the school closed in 2005, remains tied for seventh in MHSAA 11-player history with 13 championship game appearances and tied for third with 12 Finals titles. 

The MHSAA Football Finals were played at the Silverdome from 1976 until 2004. Since 2005, the 11-Player Football Finals have been played at Ford Field in Detroit.

Be sure to follow us on Instagram, X, Facebook and TikTok for more weekly photo features and other content celebrating our 100th anniversary.