To Ford Field, and Home Again
August 31, 2012
The last time Lansing Catholic and Pewamo-Westphalia's football teams had suited up, it was under the bright lights of Ford Field for last season's MHSAA Finals.
The reigning Division 5 and 7 runners-up, respectively, returned to the field Aug. 24 in a season opener at Holt Junior High, in what was another first-time experience for leaders on both sidelines.
It was the first time in a coaching career spanning four decades that Cougars coach Jim Ahern started anew after making it to the previous season's final game. Despite numerous near-misses while coaching at Ithaca, last season was his first trip to the title game.
Pewamo-Westphalia's Brad Weber has been leading the Pirates for only five seasons, but his school and community also had never made it to a season finale before last November.
Click to see what each had to say after Lansing Catholic opened with a 45-21 win.
#TBT: Mill Thrills Again at Silverdome
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
November 26, 2014
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Pontiac Silverdome 25 years ago served as the stage for one of the most exciting moments in MHSAA Football Finals history, appropriately performed by an athlete known as "Mill the Thrill."
Mill Coleman, who later would star as a receiver at Michigan State University, scored on a 9-yard quarterback scramble with 1:34 to play to push Harrison even with DeWitt, 27-27. Steve Hill's extra point put the Hawks ahead to stay as they repeated as MHSAA champions.
Below is a "Finals Flashback" to that go-ahead scoring run, part of a collection of flashbacks that formerly ran during breaks at MHSAA football championship games. Click for the full box score from that game and playoff results from the entire 1989 Class B bracket.
The championship was the second of Harrison's now MHSAA-best 13. Coleman currently serves as an assistant coach for the Hawks.
PHOTO: Farmington Hills Harrison quarterback Mill Coleman looks for an opening as DeWitt's Travis Gribble works to get away from a blocker while in pursuit. (Photo courtesy of Gary Shook.)