Highlight Reel: Friday Football Finals

November 28, 2015

By John Johnson
MHSAA Communications Director 

Champions were crowned Friday (Nov. 27) in four divisions of the 2015 MHSAA 11-Player Football Playoffs – presented by the Michigan Army National Guard – at Ford Field in Detroit.

Below are highlight clips from every game plus links to watch them in full.

Division 8
Muskegon Catholic Central 7, Waterford Our Lady 0

Senerius To SeneriusWaterford Our Lady threatened several times in the first half, including late, when Clay Senerius hit Devin Senerius for a 30-yard gain. 

Crusaders Go On TopThe only score of the Division 8 title game came early in the fourth quarter when Muskegon Catholic Central's Christian Martinez ran it in from 8 yards out.

Watch the whole game and order DVDs by Clicking Here. 

Division 2
Detroit Martin Luther King 40, Lowell 38

Dean’s Second TD For LowellLowell jumped out to a 24-7 lead late in the first half on this 3-yard run by Max Dean, his second score of the game.

Incredible Finish - Corley Winning TDOn the final play of the game, Detroit King's Donnie Corley hauls in a 40-yard TD pass from Armani Posey to give the Crusaders the win over Lowell for the MHSAA Division 2 title.

Watch the whole game and order DVDs by Clicking Here. 

Division 6
Ithaca 27, Clinton 20

Sexton Takes It To The HouseClinton scored the first 13 points of the Division 6 Football Final against Ithaca. Here's the second touchdown on a 56-yard run by Mathew Sexton early in the third quarter. 

Ithaca Takes The LeadIthaca's run of 27 unanswered points included this 18-yard pass from Jake Smith to Spence DeMull in the third quarter. The Yellowjackets added the PAT and never trailed again.

Watch the whole game and order DVDs by Clicking Here. 

Division 4
Zeeland West 40, Flint Powers Catholic 14
 

Dux Take FlightZeeland West QB Casey Brinks was 4 for 4 passing for 103 yards against Flint Powers, getting half of that yardage on this pass to Tyler Thompson in the first quarter. This pass set up the Dux’ first TD.

Sargent Hits Brcic For SixNoah Sargent makes a nice TD pass on the run to Luke Brcic for Flint Powers Catholic against Zeeland West in the Division 4 Final. 

Watch the whole game and order DVDs by Clicking Here.

The MHSAA Football Finals are sponsored by the Michigan National Guard.

PHOTO: Ithaca quarterback Jake Smith dives ahead for an extra yard during the Division 6 Final.

Record Win Streak Setters Meet in Opener

September 4, 2019

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Friday’s varsity football season opener between Ithaca and Hudson at Alma College was the first time the teams had met on the field.

But the programs have been mentioned in the same conversations concerning record success frequently over the last decade. They are the only programs statewide that have won more than 44 consecutive games during the state’s long history of the sport.

The Hudson teams from 1968-1975 put together a 72-game winning streak that remains the MHSAA record and fourth longest in national high school football history. The Tigers’ streak ended at the first MHSAA Finals with a loss to Ishpeming in the inaugural Class C championship game.  

Beginning on opening night 2010 and until a loss in the 2014 Division 6 Final, Ithaca mounted a serious challenge to Hudson’s accomplishment, winning 69 straight games to rank second in Michigan and tie for seventh on the national winning streak list. The Yellowjackets’ run included four straight Division 6 championships. Coincidentally, both teams won their first MHSAA Finals titles in 2010 – Hudson won Division 7 that fall.

Ithaca won Friday’s first matchup against Hudson, 38-24, and the teams came together after for this photo below (and partially above).

Journalist’s Schools to Remember Him

Southwestern Michigan is mourning the loss of Sturgis Journal sports editor Corky Emrick, who died unexpectedly Aug. 19. 

The high schools he covered for two decades also will be honoring the memory of their ardent supporter.

Bronson, Burr Oak, Centreville, Constantine, Colon, Mendon, Sturgis, Three Rivers and White Pigeon all will be wearing helmet stickers and uniform patches with “CE” in green and yellow during this 2019-20 school year.

Emrick joined the Journal staff fulltime in 1999 and took over as sports editor in 2008, according to the paper’s report after his death. Click to read that Sturgis Journal piece in full.