Ice Man: Skyline's Copp sets football records, leaves legacy
October 27, 2011
Eventually, Andrew Copp may be best-known as a hockey star. His spot on the USA under-18 national team development program squad marks him as one of the top players his age in the country.
But he’ll be remembered as one of Ann Arbor Skyline’s first standout athletes for another sport he simply couldn’t give up.
Bittersweet and heart-breaking are how Copp described the end of this football season. The MHSAA playoffs begin this weekend, and he hoped to be a part -- a possibility that was likely closer than Skyline’s 3-6 record might imply, given four of those losses were by four or fewer points. And that’s not the worst part. Even if Skyline had earned a berth, Copp would’ve been forced to watch after breaking his right collarbone in multiple spots three weeks ago.
Still, there will be plenty to remember fondly for the first quarterback in his school’s four-year history. Two MHSAA records and his school’s first varsity football wins will top the list, even as the combination of football and the injury will force Copp the miss the first half of his USA team’s season.
“It means a lot, starting something new and trying to put your stamp on it,” Copp said. “As the quarterback, it’s a lot of weight on your shoulders to start something that 10, 20 years down the road people are going look at.
“Last year, when I got offered to play (USA) but had to quit football after the first game, I couldn’t do it. I just couldn’t quit on the team.”
That kind of leadership was “worth its weight in gold” for a school and program only just getting started, Skyline athletic director John Young said.
Copp likely would’ve attended Ann Arbor Pioneer -- like both of his parents had -- had Skyline not opened in fall 2008.
The Eagles’ football program started that first fall, but didn’t field a varsity team until 2010. Copp was the quarterback all four years until his he was injured on a run during the first quarter of his team’s Week 7 game against Temperance Bedford.
Two weeks earlier, against Ann Arbor Pioneer, Copp had thrown for an MHSAA record 557 yards and record-tying seven touchdowns. In six games this fall plus a few minutes of that seventh, Copp completed 96 of 156 passes for 1,732 yards and 27 touchdowns. Those season touchdown passes also qualify for an MHSAA record book listing, as do the 31 completions that led to his record-setting numbers against Pioneer.
“Obviously, I can’t throw for 557 yards without my line doing a great job, my receivers catching balls and making plays. And probably the most unsung heroes on our team are the running backs, who were blocking for me,” Copp said. “I just remember everything going our way, almost like a recess football game.”
But it took some flexibility from USA hockey and a tough decision by Copp to make it possible. Usually, USA players aren’t allowed to play other sports, Copp said, but he was granted that exception. He joined USA hockey after his junior football season, and this summer started that team’s workouts at 8 a.m. before then moving on to workouts and film study for football. This fall, after his five classes at Skyline to start the day, he’d work out for hockey from 1:30-4 p.m. every week Monday through Wednesday, then start football practice at 4:30. All while remaining a strong student and adhering to a hockey-imposed 9 p.m. curfew.
Ironically, the 6-foot, 185-pound Copp joined the football team to become more physical for hockey on the advice of his father Andy, a successful youth hockey coach. Andrew has seen some similarities between the two sports -- as a hockey center he also controls play. Hockey helped Copp be ready for a fast pace of play and developed the quick decision-making necessary to thrive at quarterback.
His football mind helped him help the Eagles when he could no longer lead them on the field. “He had surgery on Tuesday, missed Wednesday, and was back at practice the next day,” Skyline coach Rodrek Jones said. “That was the same day my offensive coordinator was not able to come to practice, and (Copp) called the entire practice for me. He stayed very focused.”
Copp still can’t carry his backpack around school, but hopes to play hockey by January. He is almost assured of an outstanding college hockey opportunity, and Jones thinks he has the ability to play college football as well. Young said Copp, along with receiver Jordan Woods (committed to Purdue) and volleyball player Maggie Halloran (committed to Michigan State), has put Skyline on the map. Despite the tough end this fall, it’s a legacy Copp is glad to leave for those who come after him.
“He’s one of the most popular kids in school, on the Homecoming king court ... a typical All-American kid,” Young said. “I’m extremely happy for him. I was disappointed he broke his collarbone, because he was on track for a more spectacular year. But he helped, along with other players, to elevate their play this year.”
PHOTO
Skyline quarterback Andrew Copp (9) takes a snap against Ann Arbor Pioneer on Sept. 23. Copp threw for an MHSAA-record 557 yards and a record-tying seven touchdowns in a 52-49 loss. (Photo courtesy of Jeff Lepley. Head shot by Pete Draugalis.)
Week 5 Football Playoff Listing
September 18, 2012
Here is a list of Michigan High School Athletic Association football playing schools, displaying their win-loss records and playoff averages through the fourth week of the season.
Schools on this list are in enrollment order. An asterisk (*) beside a record indicates that a team has eight or fewer games scheduled. A carrot (^) beside a school’s name indicates that a team is one win away from playoff qualification.
Those schools with 11-player teams with six or more wins playing nine-game schedules, or five or more wins playing eight games or fewer, will qualify for the MHSAA Football Playoffs beginning Oct. 26-27. Schools with 5-4, 4-3 or 4-4 records may qualify if the number of potential qualifiers by win total does not reach the 256 mark. Schools with six or more wins playing nine-game schedules or five or more wins playing eight games or fewer may be subtracted from the field based on playoff average if the number of potential qualifiers exceeds the 256 mark.
Once the 256 qualifying schools are determined, they will be divided by enrollment groups into eight equal divisions of 32 schools, and then drawn into regions of eight teams each and districts of four teams each.
Those schools with 8-player teams will be ranked by playoff average at season’s end, and the top 16 programs will be drawn into regions of eight teams each for the playoff in that division, which also begins Oct. 26-27.
To review a list of all football playoff schools, individual school playoff point details and to report errors, visit the Football page of the MHSAA Website.
The announcement of the qualifiers and first round pairings for both the 11 and 8-player playoffs will take place on Oct. 21 on the Selection Sunday Show on FOX Sports Detroit at 7 p.m. The playoff qualifiers and pairings will be posted to the MHSAA Website following the Selection Sunday Show.
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11-Player Playoff Listing
1. Utica Eisenhower, 2772, 3-1, 72.500
2. Sterling Heights Stevenson, 2766, 3-1, 68.500
3. Clarkston, 2721, 4-0, 90.000
4. Macomb Dakota, 2608, 3-1, 72.500
5. Lake Orion, 2565, 4-0, 90.000
6. Troy, 2502, 3-1, 70.500
7. Clinton Township Chippewa Valley, 2462, 3-1, 74.250
8. Dearborn Fordson, 2442, 3-1, 76.250
9. Holland West Ottawa, 2262, 3-1, 66.500
10. Detroit Cass Tech, 2200, 4-0, 92.000
11. Canton, 2166, 3-1, 62.750
12. Monroe, 2154, 4-0, 82.000
13. Plymouth, 2050, 3-1, 62.750
14. Salem, 2039, 4-0, 88.000
15. Livonia Stevenson, 2005, 4-0, 92.000
16. Hartland, 1932, 4-0, 88.000
17. Warren Mott, 1879, 4-0, 84.000
18. Livonia Churchill, 1877, 4-0, 94.000
19. Walled Lake Central, 1857, 3-1, 64.750
20. Saline, 1849, 3-1, 62.250
21. Grandville, 1846, 3-1, 64.750
22. Flint Carman-Ainsworth, 1772, 4-0, 82.000
23. Grand Ledge, 1743, 3-1, 64.250
24. Rochester, 1725, 3-1, 68.750
25. Traverse City West, 1720, 3-1, 62.250
26. White Lake Lakeland, 1700, 3-1, 64.250
27. Davison, 1664, 3-1, 64.750
28. Grosse Pointe South, 1648, 3-1, 70.500
29. Temperance Bedford, 1581, 3-1, 58.750
30. Brownstown Woodhaven, 1520, 3-1, 64.750
31. Ypsilanti Lincoln, 1520, 3-1, 66.750
32. Midland, 1485, 4-0, 94.000
33. Port Huron, 1473, 3-1, 66.500
34. Traverse City Central, 1429, 3-1, 64.000
35. Oak Park, 1391, 4-0, 94.000
36. Lansing Everett, 1359, 4-0, 96.000
37. Birmingham Seaholm, 1349, 3-1, 62.500
38. Garden City, 1344, 3-1, 64.250
39. Portage Central, 1340, 3-1, 66.750
40. Muskegon Mona Shores, 1337, 3-1, 52.750
41. Birmingham Brother Rice, 1336, 3-1, 70.750
42. Portage Northern, 1328, 3-1, 70.750
43. Caledonia, 1308, 4-0, 90.000
44. Wyandotte Roosevelt, 1304, 4-0, 78.000
45. Farmington Hills Harrison, 1302, 3-1, 68.250
46. Farmington, 1278, 4-0, 90.000
47. Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central, 1278, 3-1, 64.750
48. Taylor Truman, 1253, 4-0, 88.000
49. Swartz Creek, 1223, 4-0, 90.000
50. Fenton, 1202, 3-1, 60.750
51. Grand Rapids Northview, 1180, 3-1, 62.000
52. Lowell, 1177, 3-1, 66.750
53. Bay City Western, 1171, 4-0, 72.000
54. Gibraltar Carlson, 1160, 4-0, 78.000
55. Muskegon, 1144, 4-0, 98.000
56. East Lansing, 1142, 4-0, 76.000
57. Mattawan, 1124, 4-0, 82.000
58. Marquette*, 1112, 3-1, 68.250
59. Redford Thurston, 1088, 3-1, 52.500
60. Auburn Hills Avondale, 1080, 4-0, 82.000
61. St. Johns, 1068, 4-0, 82.000
62. Zeeland East, 1067, 4-0, 88.000
63. Detroit East English, 1030, 3-1, 60.750
64. Lansing Waverly, 1011, 3-1, 54.750
65. St. Joseph, 974, 3-1, 58.500
66. Mason, 969, 4-0, 76.000
67. Milan, 959, 4-0, 78.000
68. Grand Rapids Christian, 954, 3-1, 68.750
69. Cedar Springs, 950, 3-1, 50.250
70. DeWitt, 931, 3-1, 62.750
71. Fruitport, 929, 4-0, 76.000
72. Orchard Lake St. Mary's, 926, 3-1, 66.750
73. Bloomfield Hills Lahser, 925, 4-0, 78.000
74. Linden, 923, 4-0, 92.000
75. Niles, 920, 3-1, 66.750
76. Hazel Park, 909, 3-1, 58.750
77. Stevensville Lakeshore, 906, 4-0, 94.000
78. St. Clair, 901, 4-0, 74.000
79. Tecumseh, 887, 4-0, 82.000
80. Carleton Airport, 868, 3-1, 60.500
81. Detroit Central Collegiate, 868, 3-1, 60.250
82. Hastings, 850, 3-1, 54.750
83. Plainwell, 832, 3-1, 62.750
84. Cadillac, 820, 4-0, 80.000
85. Madison Heights Lamphere, 814, 3-1, 60.750
86. Edwardsburg, 805, 3-1, 52.500
87. North Branch, 803, 3-1, 56.500
88. Hamilton, 801, 4-0, 80.000
89. Marysville, 794, 4-0, 84.000
90. Three Rivers, 760, 3-1, 52.500
91. Goodrich, 748, 3-1, 56.500
92. Dearborn Heights Robichaud, 720, 4-0, 82.000
93. Big Rapids, 706, 3-1, 48.750
94. Croswell-Lexington, 704, 4-0, 82.000
95. St. Clair Shores South Lake, 704, 3-1, 62.500
96. Pontiac Notre Dame Prep, 701, 4-0, 78.000
97. Otsego, 698, 3-1, 54.500
98. Detroit Country Day, 685, 3-1, 66.250
99. Comstock Park, 678, 3-1, 60.000
100. Grand Rapids Catholic Central, 674, 4-0, 76.000
101. Grand Rapids South Christian, 660, 3-1, 56.500
102. Battle Creek Pennfield, 656, 4-0, 56.000
103. Grosse Ile, 649, 3-1, 52.750
104. Saginaw Swan Valley, 642, 4-0, 72.000
105. Paw Paw, 639, 4-0, 68.000
106. Allendale, 636, 3-1, 66.500
107. Williamston, 636, 3-1, 56.750
108. Cheboygan, 631, 3-1, 58.500
109. Marine City, 629, 3-1, 66.250
110. Alma, 614, 3-1, 60.750
111. Saginaw Valley Lutheran, 608, 3-1, 36.750
112. Dowagiac, 605, 4-0, 74.000
113. Livonia Clarenceville, 597, 3-1, 57.417
114. Clawson, 582, 3-1, 46.500
115. Remus Chippewa Hills, 581, 3-1, 50.500
116. Essexville Garber, 572, 3-1, 54.500
117. Clinton Township Clintondale, 570, 4-0, 78.000
118. Lake Fenton, 564, 3-1, 54.500
119. Freeland, 561, 3-1, 54.500
120. Kingsford, 559, 3-1, 50.750
121. Portland, 555, 4-0, 72.000
122. Flint Powers Catholic, 542, 4-0, 78.000
123. Menominee, 539, 4-0, 82.000
124. Macomb Lutheran North, 537, 4-0, 74.000
125. Hopkins, 531, 4-0, 64.000
126. Detroit University Prep, 528, 4-0, 72.667
127. Grayling, 516, 4-0, 66.000
128. Ann Arbor Gabriel Richard, 515, 3-1, 48.750
129. Allen Park Cabrini, 512, 3-1, 42.750
130. Olivet, 509, 3-1, 48.750
131. Frankenmuth, 507, 4-0, 72.000
132. Newaygo, 507, 3-1, 54.750
133. Ida, 503, 4-0, 64.000
134. River Rouge, 495, 4-0, 66.667
135. Carrollton, 492, 4-0, 56.000
136. Lansing Catholic, 487, 3-1, 52.500
137. Reed City, 480, 4-0, 70.000
138. Muskegon Oakridge, 474, 4-0, 68.000
139. Kingsley, 473, 3-1, 40.250
140. Jackson Lumen Christi, 472, 4-0, 74.000
141. Buchanan, 467, 3-1, 50.500
142. Leslie, 467, 4-0, 66.000
143. Roscommon, 461, 3-1, 46.750
144. Kalkaska, 459, 3-1, 38.750
145. Millington*, 459, 3-1, 58.750
146. Warren Michigan Collegiate, 446, 4-0, 66.000
147. Boyne City, 437, 4-0, 66.000
148. Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central, 437, 3-1, 52.500
149. Negaunee, 433, 4-0, 66.000
150. Beaverton, 422, 3-1, 40.250
151. Hemlock, 421, 3-1, 56.750
152. Shelby, 417, 4-0, 78.000
153. Vassar, 416, 4-0, 50.000
154. Clinton, 413, 4-0, 68.000
155. Maple City Glen Lake, 409, 4-0, 54.000
156. Michigan Center, 406, 4-0, 64.000
157. Manchester, 404, 3-1, 44.750
158. Ithaca, 402, 4-0, 76.000
159. Montrose Hill-McCloy, 400, 3-1, 58.750
160. Niles Brandywine, 396, 3-1, 38.917
161. Grass Lake, 395, 3-1, 48.750
162. Hillsdale, 391, 4-0, 70.000
163. Madison Heights Madison, 391, 3-1, 58.000
164. Ecorse, 390, 3-1, 42.500
165. Montague, 390, 3-1, 50.750
166. Sanford Meridian, 388, 3-1, 48.250
167. Saranac, 383, 3-1, 50.250
168. Constantine, 371, 3-1, 44.750
169. Grandville Calvin Christian, 371, 3-1, 46.750
170. Watervliet, 369, 4-0, 48.000
171. Schoolcraft, 366, 4-0, 68.000
172. Byron Area, 364, 3-1, 40.750
173. Reese, 350, 4-0, 54.000
174. Union City, 350, 4-0, 54.000
175. Burton Bendle, 348, 3-1, 40.750
176. Pellston, 347, 4-0, 32.000
177. Saginaw Nouvel, 344, 3-1, 64.750
178. Carson City-Crystal, 337, 3-1, 34.250
179. Hartford, 337, 4-0, 62.667
180. Marlette, 336, 4-0, 56.000
181. Whittemore-Prescott, 328, 3-1, 40.750
182. Lawton, 317, 4-0, 60.000
183. Lake City, 316, 4-0, 48.000
184. Pewamo-Westphalia, 316, 3-1, 46.500
185. Hesperia, 309, 3-1, 38.500
186. Ishpeming, 307, 4-0, 62.000
187. Unionville-Sebewaing, 303, 3-1, 38.500
188. Evart, 302, 3-1, 34.750
189. Homer, 302, 3-1, 36.750
190. Detroit Loyola, 298, 4-0, 76.000
191. Lincoln Alcona, 292, 3-1, 30.500
192. Genesee, 288, 3-1, 34.000
193. Mancelona, 288, 4-0, 50.000
194. Royal Oak Shrine Catholic, 284, 3-1, 56.750
195. Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett, 283, 3-1, 36.500
196. Reading, 283, 3-1, 38.500
197. Decatur, 277, 4-0, 50.000
198. Gobles, 271, 3-1, 38.750
199. Ottawa Lake Whiteford, 268, 3-1, 40.750
200. Waterford Our Lady, 263, 4-0, 64.000
201. Newberry, 260, 3-1, 26.750
202. Mayville, 258, 3-1, 50.500
203. Melvindale Academy for Business & Tech, 254, 3-1, 52.500
204. Marcellus, 249, 4-0, 44.000
205. Harbor Beach, 245, 3-1, 38.750
206. Vestaburg, 242, 3-1, 36.500
207. Coleman, 239, 3-1, 38.250
208. New Lothrop, 237, 4-0, 64.000
209. Bessemer*, 233, 3-1, 38.750
210. L'Anse, 233, 4-0, 54.000
211. Petersburg-Summerfield, 232, 3-1, 40.750
212. Atlanta, 224, 3-1, 30.917
213. Mendon, 216, 4-0, 50.000
214. Beal City, 213, 4-0, 68.000
215. Pittsford, 213, 3-1, 36.250
216. Morenci, 207, 3-1, 40.000
217. St. Ignace La Salle, 207, 4-0, 46.000
218. Pickford, 197, 4-0, 48.000
219. Onaway, 194, 4-0, 38.000
220. Powers North Central, 194, 3-1, 26.250
221. Fowler, 186, 3-1, 48.750
222. Climax-Scotts, 183, 4-0, 44.000
223. Morrice, 171, 4-0, 48.000
224. St. Joseph Lake Michigan Catholic*, 171, 3-0, 46.667
225. Colon, 164, 3-1, 30.750
226. Crystal Falls Forest Park, 164, 4-0, 48.000
227. Mt. Pleasant Sacred Heart, 121, 3-1, 42.750
228. Iron Mountain North Dickinson*^, 112, 4-0, 54.000
229. Ashley, 99, 3-1, 28.500
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8-Player Playoff Listing
1. Deckerville, 194, 3-1, 36.750
2. Battle Creek St. Philip, 182, 3-1, 34.750
3. Kingston, 175, 3-1, 30.500
4. Cedarville, 169, 4-0, 45.333
5. Peck, 156, 4-0, 40.000
6. Eben Junction Superior Central, 132, 4-0, 42.000
7. Rapid River, 115, 4-0, 34.000
8. Portland St. Patrick, 104, 4-0, 46.000
9. Owendale-Gagetown, 60, 3-1, 32.250