Highlight Reel: Saturday Football Finals
November 28, 2015
By John Johnson
MHSAA Communications Director
The 2015 Fall sports season concluded Saturday (Nov. 28), with four more champions crowned at the 11-Player Football Finals – 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 7
Ishpeming 22, Pewamo-Westphalia 16
Smith’s Record Setter – Pewamo Westphalia scored first on this 25-yard run by Jared Smith, his 53rd of the season, a new MHSAA record. He also set a record in 2015 for single-single rushing yardage with 3,243 yards.
Ozzy Does It All – After scoring all three of his team's touchdowns, Ishpeming's Ozzy Corp makes the defensive play of the game by batting away a fourth-down pass in the end zone.
Watch the whole game and order DVDs by Clicking Here.
Division 1
Romeo 41, Detroit Cass Tech 27
Tanner Breaks Free For TD – Romeo's Bradley Tanner rushed for 130 yards and three TDs in the Division 1 Final against Detroit Cass Tech. Here's his second score, in the second quarter.
Cass Tech Gets Back In The Game – Detroit Cass Tech pulls within a score of Romeo midway through the fourth quarter on this 36-yard pass from Aaron Jackson to Donovan People-Jones.
Watch the whole game and order DVDs by Clicking Here.
Division 5
Grand Rapids West Catholic 40, River Rouge 34
Fox On The Run – David Fox rushed for 152 yards and three touchdowns to lead Grand Rapids West Catholic in its Division 5 Final with River Rouge. Here’s the first of those scoring plays – a 64-yard run at the end of the first quarter.
Burgess TD Pass to Vinson – River Rouge QB Antoine Burgess passed for 354 yards and three TDs in the Division 5 Final against Grand Rapids West Catholic. Here’s a third-quarter pass that went 63 yards for a score to Aaron Vinson, who had 162 yards receiving in the game.
Watch the whole game and order DVDs by Clicking Here.
Division 3
Orchard Lake St. Mary’s 29, Chelsea 12
Tabone & Hamler Team Up For Eaglets – The combination of QB Brendan Tabone and WR Kahlee Hamler connected for two TDs in Orchard Lake St. Mary’s Division 3 Final against Chelsea. Here’s the first score in the opening period.
Bulldog Trickery – Chelsea got on the board in the second quarter on a halfback pass covering 47 yards from Graham Kuras to Noah Vanreesema.
Watch the whole game and order DVDs by Clicking Here.
The MHSAA Football Finals are sponsored by the Michigan National Guard.
PHOTO: Romeo's Bradley Tanner makes a move toward the end zone during the Division 1 Final as teammate Paul Hurley appears to signal the touchdown to come.
Be the Referee: Safety in Football
By
Paige Winne
MHSAA Marketing & Social Media Coordinator
October 7, 2025
Be The Referee is a series of short messages designed to help educate people on the rules of different sports, to help them better understand the art of officiating, and to recruit officials.
Below is this week's segment – Safety in Football - Listen
We’re on the football field today, and the defense has sacked the quarterback in the offense’s own endzone, resulting in a safety. That’s two points for the defense, but what happens next?
Following a safety, the team that was on offense must kick the ball back to the team that was on defense.
The kicking team can either punt it, or drop kick it, with the line of scrimmage being their own 20-yard line. The kick must occur from within one step of the line of scrimmage. And the receiving team must have all of their players at least 10 yards from the line of scrimmage.
Once it’s kicked, play continues on as normal – much like a punt or kick return. But if a team chooses the drop-kick, they could recover the ball once it travels at least 10 yards.
Previous 2025-26 editions
Sept. 30: Field Hockey Substitution - Listen
Sept 23: Multiple Contacts in Volleyball - Listen
Sept. 16: Soccer Penalty Kick - Listen
Sept. 9: Forward Fumble - Listen
Sept. 2: Field Hockey Basics - Listen
Aug. 26: Golf Ball Bounces Out - Listen