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.
Broadcast Schedules Set for MHSAA Football Finals Exclusively on NFHS Network
By
Jon Ross
MHSAA Director of Broadcast Properties
November 18, 2025
Over the next two weekends, and for the first time, all 10 MHSAA Football Finals will broadcast exclusively on the NFHS Network.
The two 8-Player Finals will be contested Saturday at the Superior Dome on the campus of Northern Michigan University, while the eight 11-Player Finals will be played Nov. 28 and Nov. 30 at Ford Field in Detroit. The Detroit Lions also host the Green Bay Packers on Nov. 27, and on Nov. 29, Michigan State will host Maryland in a Big Ten matchup also at Ford Field.
A subscription to the NFHS Network is $13.99 per month – subscribe at NFHSNetwork.com. The broadcast teams for each game is below:
|
Division |
Day |
Time |
Play by Play |
Analyst |
Sideline |
|
8P-Div. 1 |
Nov. 22 |
11 am |
Sean Baligian |
Grant Perry |
Patti Cesarini |
|
8P-Div. 2 |
Nov. 22 |
2 pm |
Sean Baligian |
Grant Perry |
Patti Cesarini |
|
Div. 1 |
Nov. 30 |
7 pm |
Evan Stockton |
Grant Perry |
Alexis Ayala |
|
Div. 2 |
Nov. 28 |
7 pm |
Evan Stockton |
Grant Perry |
Cristiana Rosa |
|
Div. 3 |
Nov. 30 |
12:30 pm |
Evan Stockton |
Grant Perry |
Dave Ellis |
|
Div. 4 |
Nov. 28 |
12:30 pm |
Evan Stockton |
Grant Perry |
Cristiana Rosa |
|
Div. 5 |
Nov. 30 |
4 pm |
Joe Jason |
Chris Fritzsching |
Alexis Ayala |
|
Div. 6 |
Nov. 28 |
4 pm |
Joe Jason |
Chris Fritzsching |
Dave Ellis |
|
Div. 7 |
Nov. 30 |
9:30 am |
Ben Holden |
Chris Fritzsching |
Dave Ellis |
|
Div. 8 |
Nov. 28 |
9:30 am |
Ben Holden |
Chris Fritzsching |
Dave Ellis |
You can also listen to all 10 finals via MHSAANetwork.com. The audio call of each game is carried there for both live and on-demand listening.
|
Division |
Day |
Time |
Play by Play |
Analyst |
|
8P-Div. 1 |
Nov. 22 |
11am |
Matt Tjapkes |
none |
|
8P-Div. 2 |
Nov. 22 |
2pm |
Matt Tjapkes |
none |
|
Div. 1 |
Nov. 30 |
7pm |
Eric Vandefifer |
Adam Schihl |
|
Div. 2 |
Nov. 28 |
7pm |
Eric Vandefifer |
Adam Schihl |
|
Div. 3 |
Nov. 30 |
12:30pm |
Eric Vandefifer |
Adam Schihl |
|
Div. 4 |
Nov. 28 |
12:30pm |
Eric Vandefifer |
Adam Schihl |
|
Div. 5 |
Nov. 30 |
4pm |
Eric Vandefifer |
Adam Schihl |
|
Div. 6 |
Nov. 28 |
4pm |
Eric Vandefifer |
Adam Schihl |
|
Div. 7 |
Nov. 30 |
9:30am |
Joe Jason |
Eric Vandefifer |
|
Div. 8 |
Nov. 28 |
9:30am |
Joe Jason |
Eric Vandefifer |
PHOTO From left: Ben Holden, Madison McCarter, Ryan Riopelle and Evan Stockton crew the first "Sunday Selection Show" exclusively on the NFHS Network, Oct. 26 from the Michigan State University School of Journalism Newsroom.