Highlight Reel: Friday Football Finals
November 26, 2016
By John Johnson
MHSAA Communications Director
A pair of repeat champions took center stage Friday at the first day of the MHSAA 11-Player Football Finals, powered by the Michigan Army National Guard, at Ford Field in Detroit.
Division 8
Muskegon Catholic Central 35, Ottawa Lake Whiteford 6
Due to technical difficulties, highlights of this game will be posted at a later date.
Division 2
Detroit Martin Luther King 18, Walled Lake Western 0
Finn Hits Thomas for King TD - Late in the first half, Dequan Finn hit Ambry Thomas with a 9-yard touchdown pass for Detroit Martin Luther King.
Tip Drill Turns Into King TD - A tipped ball turned into a pick-six for Detroit Martin Luther King, as Jesse Scarber came up with this second interception of the game returned this one 56 yards for a score.
More Pick-Six Action By Morton - Detroit Martin Luther King returned a second interception for a score in the fourth quarter when Jay-Veyon Morton took this pick back for a TD.
Division 6
Jackson Lumen Christi 26, Maple City Glen Lake 14
Lakers Back In The Game - Trailing in the second quarter, Maple City Glen Lake gets back into the Division 6 Final when QB Cade Peterson finds a streaking Nick Rice going down the sideline for 57 yards and a score.
Ring The Bell - Jackson Lumen Christi's Bo Bell came up big with 238 yards rushing. Here's his longest run of the day, a 46-yard jaunt in the third quarter which set up a 3-yard scoring run – his lone TD of the game.
Division 4
Grand Rapids Catholic Central 10, Detroit Country Day 7
Yellowjackets Score On The Interception - Trailing in the second quarter, Detroit Country Day seized the lead when Roy McCree intercepted a pass and returned it 82 yards for a score.
Finding Its Offense At The Right Time - Early in the fourth quarter, Grand Rapids Catholic Central gets its lone first down of the Division 4 title game on this 44-yard pitch-and-catch from Jack Bowen to Michael Brown.
The MHSAA Football Finals are sponsored by the Michigan National Guard.
PHOTO: Detroit Martin Luther King players hoist the Division 2 championship trophy Friday at Ford Field.
Performance of the Week: Hudsonville's Brady Van Laecke
October 10, 2025
Brady Van Laecke ♦ Hudsonville
Senior ♦ Football
Hudsonville's quarterback produced one of most notable performances in the state during Week 6, completing 11 of 13 passes for 239 yards and two touchdowns and running 17 times for 85 yards and two more scores as the Eagles held off rival Rockford 35-28 to improve to 6-0 and move into first place alone in the Ottawa-Kent Conference Red.
Van Laecke saw time during last season's Division 1 championship game loss to Detroit Cass Tech at Ford Field, throwing three passes, running five times and punting twice. He also is a sprinter on the track & field team and was part of Hudsonville's O-K Red championship 400 relay in the spring. His final scoring pass against Rockford, to teammate Lawsyn Weber, received national attention as Weber leapt over a defender and pulled down the pass in the back of the end zone.
@mhsaasports 🏈POW: Brady Van Laecke #hudsonville #football #highschoolsports #performanceoftheweek #MHSAA ♬ Bright and fun upbeat pops, Kids, Animals, Pets, Fun, Cute, Happy, Playful, Upbeat(1465232) - SAKUMAMATATA
@mhsaasports 🏈POW: Brady Van Laecke #funfacts #tiktalk #performanceoftheweek #highschoolsports #MHSAA ♬ Girly and cute synth pop - SAKUMAMATATA
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Previous 2025-26 honorees
Oct. 2: Sarah Giroux, Flat Rock volleyball - Report
Sept. 25: Sam Schumacher, Portage Central tennis - Report
Sept. 18: Kaylee Mitzel, Saline field hockey - Report
Sept. 11: Natasza Dudek, Ann Arbor Pioneer cross country - Report
Sept. 4: Kate Posey, Big Rapids golf - Report
(Photos courtesy of the Hudsonville football program.)