Highlight Reel: Saturday Football Finals

November 28, 2016

By John Johnson
MHSAA Communications Director

The final day of the MHSAA 11-Player Football Finals at Ford Field in Detroit – powered by the Michigan Army National Guard – produced a first-time gridiron champion and a game-winning play that will be talked about for a long time.

Division 7

Pewamo-Westphalia 28, Detroit Loyola 14

Logan & Lehman Go Long - The Pewamo-Westphalia combo of quarterback Jimmy Lehman and receiver Logan Hengesbach connected for two touchdowns in the Division 7 title game against Detroit Loyola. Here's the second TD in the third quarter, with Hengesbach winning the jump ball to complete a 37-yard scoring play.

Johnson Powers Into the End Zone - Detroit Loyola gets on the board midway through the fourth quarter, when TE Keith Johnson makes a great play to catch a pass from Price Watkins and then power into the end zone to complete the 18-yard score.

Division 1

Detroit Cass Tech 49, Detroit Catholic Central 20

CC Takes the Early Lead - Detroit Catholic Central led 14-7 at the end of the first quarter, taking the lead on this 35-yard pass interception return by Jack Morris.

The Peoples' Choice for Cass Tech - Detroit Cass Tech QB Rodney Hall tied a Finals record with five touchdown passes against Detroit Catholic Central - two going to Donovan Peoples-Jones, including this 49-yarder in the third quarter.

Division 5

Grand Rapids West Catholic 43, Menominee 7

Meyers Off to the Races - Grand Rapids West Catholic scored its first TD against Menominee on a pitch and catch from Gaetano Vallone to Brett Meyers covering 91 yards.

Hass Records a Finals First - Menominee uses special teams to get on the board in the third quarter. Sam Larson blocks the West Catholic field goal attempt, and Hunter Hass returns it 76 yards for a TD – the first time in Finals history a blocked field goal has been returned for a score.

Division 3

Orchard Lake St. Mary’s 29, Muskegon 28

Pimpleton's Second Score - Lined up in the slot, Muskegon's Kalil Pimpleton gets his second 18-yard rushing touchdown of the Division 3 Final against Orchard Lake St. Mary's on the end-around to give his team a 21-20 lead early in the fourth quarter.

A Catch for the Ages - In the closing seconds of the Division 3 Final, Orchard Lake St. Mary's QB Caden Prieskorn hits Ky’ren Cunningham in the end zone with an 18-yard touchdown strike to give the Eaglets the win.

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

PHOTO: Orchard Lake St. Mary's Chris Bean celebrates during Saturday's Division 3 Final. 

Today in the MHSAA: 2/18/25

By Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor

February 18, 2025

1. BOWLING Bay City John Glenn’s girls and boys teams swept Bay County Championship victories; the John Glenn girls are ranked No. 3 in Division 2 – Bay City Times

2. GIRLS BASKETBALL Oscoda claimed its seventh-straight league title with a 51-27 win over Rogers City in the North Star League Big Dipper – Bay City Times

3. BOYS BASKETBALL Petersburg Summerfield clinched a share of the Tri-County Conference championship with a 67-32 win over Sand Creek – Monroe News

4. BOYS BASKETBALL Levi Stambaugh became Mason’s all-time leading scorer during the Bulldogs’ 72-36 win over Parma Western – Lansing State Journal

5. GIRLS BASKETBALL Essexville Garber’s Audrey Ball reached 1,000 career points during a 59-32 win over Birch Run – Bay City Times

6. GIRLS BASKETBALL Utica Eisenhower downed Armada 62-37 in a matchup of teams with a combined three losses – Macomb Daily

7. HOCKEY Regional play began Monday – with Ann Arbor Pioneer, Novi and Grandville victorious – and the Oakland Press previewed 11 brackets including area teams – Oakland Press

8. GIRLS BASKETBALL Sault Ste. Marie defeated Alpena 69-57 – Alpena News

9. BOYS BASKETBALL Norway followed Bryce Adams to a 75-53 win over Bark River-Harris – Upper Michigan’s Source

10. BOYS BASKETBALL Saginaw Swan Valley downed Carrollton 72-53 – WNEM