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: 10/9/24

By Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor

October 9, 2024

1. GIRLS GOLF No. 3 Ann Arbor Greenhills won its fourth-straight Regional team title, and Mia Melendez won her fourth individual championship while carding a 64 in Lower Peninsula Division 4 – Ann Arbor News

2. GIRLS GOLF No. 7 Grand Blanc carded a 329, and Okemos’ Alena Li also scored a 64 at their LPD2 Regional – Lansing State Journal

3. CROSS COUNTRY Benzie Central’s girls and boys teams finished a Northwest Conference sweep; Benzie’s girls are ranked No. 4 in LPD3, and the boys are No. 15 – Traverse City Record-Eagle

4. GIRLS GOLF No. 4 Grand Rapids NorthPointe Christian and Ava McConnon swept LPD4 Regional titles – Local Sports Journal

5. VOLLEYBALL Onaway moved into first alone in the Ski Valley Conference with a four-set win over Indian River Inland Lakes – Cheboygan Daily Tribune

6. GIRLS GOLF Sandusky won its LPD4 Regional team title by 21 strokes – Mount Pleasant Morning News

7. CROSS COUNTRY Battle Creek Lakeview’s girls and boys swept All-City titles – Battle Creek Enquirer

8. VOLLEYBALL Division 1 No. 8 Clarkston lost the first set but won the next three against honorable mention Lake Orion – Oakland Press

9. VOLLEYBALL St. Ignace also lost its first set with Brimley before winning in four – MI Sports Now

10. VOLLEYBALL Escanaba swept Bark River-Harris – Upper Michigan Source