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.
Performance of the Week: Grand Ledge's Shawn Foster
October 7, 2022
Shawn Foster ♦ Grand Ledge
Football ♦ Senior
The name “Shawn Foster” is well-known in the Lansing-area football community, and the Grand Ledge senior quarterback added to its prestige Friday with a performance that made many recall his father Shawn Foster, who starred at Lansing Sexton until graduating in 1998 and played at Michigan State.
The Comets’ Shawn Foster, a spread offense quarterback, ran 27 times for 396 yards and seven touchdowns as Grand Ledge defeated DeWitt 56-49 – with his 75-yarder with 51 seconds to play the game-winner. Foster’s yardage was a school and family record, and his seven rushing touchdowns are tied for third-most in one game in MHSAA history. The win put Grand Ledge at 5-1 and was its first over the Panthers since 2016. Foster has committed to continue his academic and football careers at Grand Valley State University.
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2022-23 Honorees
Sept. 30: Hannah Smith, Temperance Bedford swimming - Report
Sept. 22: Helen Sachs, Holland West Ottawa cross country - Report
Sept. 15: Nina Horning, Lake Orion volleyball - Report
Sept 8: Arturo Romero, Muskegon Oakridge soccer - Report
Sept. 1: Austin King, Midland Dow tennis - Report
Aug. 25: Olivia Hemmila, Troy Athens golf - Report
(Photos courtesy of the Grand Ledge athletic department.)