Fugate Carries CC On 1 More Trophy Run
By
Paul Costanzo
Special for MHSAA.com
November 24, 2017
DETROIT – As classmates and fans screamed his name from the Ford Field stands Friday night, Nolan Fugate put the focus on his teammates.
“I cannot thank my offensive line and my outside receivers enough,” the Grand Rapids Catholic Central senior running back said. “Without them none of this would be possible, and I just can’t thank them enough. They’re the best offensive line in the state.”
That line paved the way for Fugate, who gained 306 yards on the ground and tied an MHSAA Finals record with five total touchdowns as the Cougars defeated Edwardsburg 42-31 in the Division 4 championship game.
It was the second straight title for Catholic Central (14-0), and the program’s fourth overall. Coach Todd Kolster has led the Cougars to three of them (2010, 2016 and 2017).
“It has nothing to do with me,” Kolster said. “I’m the beneficiary of being the head coach for three of these, but it’s the kids that do all the work. They’re outstanding. This senior class, I love them so much. I’ve been so critical of them, and I say that all the time, because I came back here to Catholic Central with that class when they were freshmen and now they’re seniors. It’s really special to see these guys enjoy this, because they’ve earned every bit of it.”
This year’s title game was in stark contrast to last season’s when the Cougars eked out a 10-7 victory in a defensive struggle against Detroit Country Day. Big plays from both offenses highlighted Friday night’s game as Catholic Central had to battle to hold off a relentless Edwardsburg team down the stretch.
“They all mean the same,” Kolster said. “They all come in the right column, so we’ll take it.”
Seven of the game’s scoring plays were 20 yards or longer, including an MHSAA Finals record-tying 99-yard kick return touchdown by Edwardsburg’s Caden Goggins, and a MHSAA Finals record-tying 90-yard touchdown run by his teammate Nick Bradley.
On the night, the Eddies (12-2) averaged 9.7 yards per play and 10.8 yards per carry, while Catholic Central averaged 7.7 yards per play in managing to outgain Edwardsburg 448-369.
“Our defense, they played well -- we gave up a couple big plays, and Edwardsburg is a heck of a football team,” Kolster said. “We gave up three (big) kickoff returns and three big plays, but we handled them pretty well. That’s what they do, and that’s why they’re so good. That’s why they’re here, because they just keep at it, they keep at it and they’ll pop one, and they have confidence in that. But we have confidence in our guys.”
The Cougars’ defense did stiffen when it absolutely had to, as sophomore Ethan Lott came up with a tackle for loss on a 4th-and-1 play late in the fourth quarter to all but seal the game.
“Our guys did a great job on that 4th-and-1; it’s just a matter of reading their keys,” Kolster said. “I’m really proud of them.”
The game was absolutely put away when Fugate went 58 yards on a 3rd-and-10 in the final minute, barely getting tripped up at the Edwardsburg 10. It was another in a long line of huge plays for Fugate, who had touchdown runs of one, five, 54 and 32 yards, as well as a 20-yard touchdown reception from Jack Bowen.
Fugate also had 86 yards receiving and came down with a 38-yard catch along the sideline on a crucial 3rd-and-28 play midway through the fourth quarter with his team clinging to a 35-31 lead.
“The long third down, I saw (Bowen) leave the pocket and I was running my route and knew I had to get open,” Fugate said. “I just kind of boxed my guy out and said throw the ball, and I just did my best to make a play on the ball, and I was able to come down with it.”
The game put Fugate over 2,900 yards rushing for the season, and capped off a brilliant career that saw him set the school’s all-time career rushing record.
“Fugate is obviously a terrific runner,” Edwardsburg coach Kevin Bartz said. “I thought he ran as hard as I’ve ever seen him. We watched a good portion of film on him, and we knew he was fast, but I guess what I was more impressed with today is how hard he ran. He picked up lots of extra yards after contact. He’s an impressive athlete.”
Bartz was equally impressed with his team, which was playing in the title game for the first time and kept finding ways to hang around despite trailing by 16 midway through the third quarter.
On top of the record-tying touchdowns, the Eddies had scoring runs of 55 and 78 yards from Kyle Shrider, and 64 yards from Chase Sager. Shrider finished with 162 yards rushing, while Bradley had 96 and Sager had 73.
“Just to make it to this point, this was a team that was not expected to be here,” Bartz said. “With the number of kids we lost last year, we were kind of expected, I think, by most to be average at best. For them to come out here and perform against a top-level team like Grand Rapids CC, I’m extremely proud of these kids. They’ve now set the bar pretty high for everybody else at Edwardsburg.”
Bowen finished with 128 yards passing for the Cougars, while Erik Grabow had a 14-yard touchdown run.
The MHSAA Playoffs are sponsored by the Michigan Army National Guard.
PHOTOS: (Top) Grand Rapids Catholic Central players raise the winner's trophy after Friday night’s Division 4 championship game. (Middle) Edwardsburg’s Kyle Shrider pulls away from a Cougars defender.
1st & Goal: 2026 Week 6 Preview
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
October 2, 2026
Fall clearly has reached Michigan this week with temperatures beginning to dive, leaves falling to the ground, and the football regular season driving into its second half with league and playoff races taking shape.
This week’s schedule includes four matchups of 5-0 teams and several others that will further how those league championships could shake out, and also how the playoff field of 288 could unfold at the end of this month.
Games below are Friday unless noted. Tune in to the NFHS Network to watch the majority and follow the MHSAA Scores page for results as they’re submitted.
Bay & Thumb
Harrison (5-0) at Sanford Meridian (5-0)
The winner will claim a share of the Jack Pine Conference Division 2 title, with these two deciding the champion for the second season in a row as Meridian’s 20-6 victory last fall ended up giving the Mustangs the league title by a game over Harrison. Meridian is coming off an impressive 36-29 win over Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood in what was a meeting of undefeated teams, and the Mustangs have scored at least 34 points every week – although that likely will be challenged by a Harrison defense giving up 8.4 ppg.
Keep an eye on these FRIDAY Cass City (4-1) at Caro (3-2), Gladwin (4-1) at Midland Bullock Creek (3-2), Traverse City West (3-2) at Midland Dow (3-2), Ubly (4-1) at Unionville-Sebewaing (3-2).
Greater Detroit
Toledo Central Catholic (5-1) at Detroit Catholic Central (5-0), Saturday
Both teams are off to 2-0 starts in the Catholic High School League Central, but neither has much time to let up the rest of the way. DCC follows this matchup with a road game at reigning Division 2 champion Orchard Lake St. Mary’s in Week 7 and still must face Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice in Week 9. Last week was the first DCC didn’t reach 50 points – scoring a plenty respectable 36 – and it will be interesting to see how matchups translate as TCC is coming off a 49-7 win over Jackson Lumen Christi.
Keep an eye on these FRIDAY Detroit Martin Luther King (4-1) at Detroit East English (4-1), Dearborn Fordson (4-1) at Northville (5-0), Monroe Jefferson (5-0) at New Boston Huron (4-1), Port Huron (5-0) at Macomb L’Anse Creuse North (4-1).
Mid-Michigan
Pewamo-Westphalia (5-0) at Fowler (5-0)
These two started playing each other annually in 1966, and Fowler is the only league team that’s given the Pirates much trouble over the last several seasons. In fact, the Eagles are the only team that has defeated P-W in Central Michigan Athletic Conference play since 2010 – doing so four times. If last week’s 59-14 neutral-site win over Bark River-Harris is an indication, the Pirates are once again continuing to get stronger as the year goes on. But the Eagles already have three shutouts this fall, and as the teams have traded the last four meetings this would be Fowler’s turn on top after P-W won 37-6 a year ago.
Keep an eye on these FRIDAY Hopkins (5-0) at Belding (5-0), Hartland (4-1) at Howell (5-0), Ovid-Elsie (3-2) at New Lothrop (4-1), Montrose (4-1) at Durand (3-2).
Northern Lower Peninsula
Maple City Glen Lake (3-2) at Oscoda (3-2)
Five teams in the Northern Michigan Football Conference are 3-2 or better, and while neither of these leads the league currently (that’s East Jordan), both have a chance to shake up the standings over the next four weeks. Oscoda has rebounded from two losses to already surpass last season’s win total, while Glen Lake is a reigning league champion but can’t afford a misstep after falling to East Jordan by a point in Week 3.
Keep an eye on these FRIDAY Elk Rapids (3-2) at Boyne City (3-2), Evart (3-2) at Manton (3-2), Gaylord (3-2) at Petoskey (3-2). SATURDAY Pontiac Notre Dame Prep (2-3) at Traverse City St. Francis (3-2).
Southeast & Border
Clinton (5-0) at Hudson (4-1)
Clinton and Ida are tied for first in the Lenawee County Athletic Association and meet in Week 7. But Hudson could throw a wrench into that matchup deciding a league championship share by extending its winning streak over Clinton to three. While the Redwolves have been impossible to stop so far scoring 43 or more points in every game and holding opponents to a combined 33 over five weeks, Hudson has reached 48 points three times in four games and given up more than six points just once.
Keep an eye on these FRIDAY Adrian (4-1) at Tecumseh (4-1), Leslie (4-1) at Manchester (4-1), Springport (4-1) at Reading (3-2), Ypsilanti Community (3-2) at Chelsea (5-0).
Southwest Corridor
Decatur (5-0) at Galesburg-Augusta (5-0)
Decatur is attempting to close in on a second-straight Southwest 10 Conference title and has won 14 straight league games over the last three seasons including what’s turned into a significant one in Week 1 this fall, 29-25 over Cassopolis. Galesburg-Augusta is among teams that came over from the Southwestern Athletic Conference for football this season and is enjoying its best run in decades – and a win over the Raiders would be the biggest highlight yet.
Keep an eye on these FRIDAY Schoolcraft (4-1) at Kalamazoo United (5-0), St. Joseph (4-1) at Portage Northern (3-2), Coldwater (4-1) at Battle Creek Harper Creek (4-1), Dowagiac (3-2) at Berrien Springs (5-0).
Upper Peninsula
L’Anse (3-2) at Bark River-Harris (4-1)
L’Anse is one of three teams in the Western Peninsula Athletic Conference Iron chasing Bark River-Harris, which fell last week to Division 7 contender Pewamo-Westphalia on a neutral field but otherwise is undefeated. The Broncos also have won all three recent meetings with L’Anse, but the Purple Hornets bounced back from two straight losses this fall to down Gwinn last week and are working to build on last season’s playoff appearance.
Keep an eye on these FRIDAY Kingsford (5-0) at Hancock (3-2), Negaunee (3-2) at Ishpeming Westwood (2-3), Menominee (5-0) at Gladstone (1-4), Calumet (3-2) at Houghton (1-4).
West Michigan
Middleville Thornapple Kellogg (5-0) at Grand Rapids Catholic Central (4-1)
Middleville has built well on last season’s 7-3 finish, already avenging last year’s one-point loss to Holland Christian and hoping for a similar result in this week’s matchup after falling to Grand Rapids Catholic Central 10-0 a year ago. The Trojans and Cougars are the early leaders in the Ottawa-Kent Conference Black, and Catholic Central is coming off a notable 10-point win over East Grand Rapids – with its lone regular-season loss over the last two seasons in Week 2 to Chicago Kenwood Academy.
Keep an eye on these FRIDAY Rockford (3-2) at East Kentwood (5-0), Zeeland East (3-2) at Zeeland West (4-1), Byron Center (4-1) at Muskegon Mona Shore (4-1), Coopersville (5-0) at Sparta (3-2).
8-Player
Portland St. Patrick (5-0) at Pickford (5-0)
These two won’t meet in the playoffs as they are in different divisions, but they both might end up playing on the last day of the season at the Superior Dome. St. Patrick is a contender in Division 2, undefeated in part thanks to a forfeit win from Blanchard Montabella but also now riding an 18-game winning streak. Pickford is hoping for a title run in Division 1 and like the Shamrocks is annually capable of chasing that high bar.
Keep an eye on these FRIDAY Bridgman (4-1) at St. Joseph Our Lady of the Lake Catholic (4-1), Norway (4-1) at Crystal Falls Forest Park (4-1), Kingston (4-1) at Deckerville (4-1), Climax-Scotts (4-1) at Marcellus (4-1).
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PHOTO Saginaw Michigan Lutheran Seminary sophomore quarterback Mason Krager (13) scrambles to elude Fowler senior linebacker Jack O’Hare (52) during the second quarter of their season opener Aug. 28 in Saginaw. (Photo by Kolleth Photography.)