March to Marquette: 8-Player Preview
November 22, 2019
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
For the second straight season, the majority of teams making the trip to the 8-Player Finals at Northern Michigan University’s Superior Dome will come seeking their first MHSAA football championship.
Colon, Suttons Bay and Pickford will be first-time title hopefuls Saturday. Portland St. Patrick is seeking its first football title since 1992, long before any of these current players was born.
Kickoff for the Division 1 game is 11 a.m., with the Division 2 game following at 2 p.m. Tickets cost $10 and one is good for admittance to both games. Both games also will be broadcast live on FOXSportsDetroit.com and the FOX Sports app, and replayed on FOX Sports Detroit’s primary channel on Nov. 26 – Division 1 at 8 p.m. and Division 2 at 11 p.m. Audio of both games will be streamed live on MHSAANetwork.com.
Below is a look at all four finalists. Team “rankings” are based on their playoff-point averages heading into the postseason.
Division 1
COLON
Record/rank: 12-0, No. 2
Coach: Robbie Hattan, fourth season (28-13)
League finish: First in Southern Central Athletic Association A
Championship history: Has never played in an MHSAA Final.
Best wins: 27-8 over No. 6 Morrice in Semifinal, 56-12 over No. 3 Martin in Regional Final, 60-12 (Pre-Regional) and 55-0 over No. 13 Camden-Frontier, 43-8 over No. 11 Bellevue, 42-0 over Division 2 No. 5 Climax-Scotts.
Players to watch: RB/DL Brandon Crawford, 6-2/240, jr. (1,491 yards/22 TDs rushing); SL/DB/P Jonathan West, 6-2/160, sr. (653 yards/7 TDs rushing, 498 yards/12 TDs receiving); QB/DB Phillip Alva, 5-9/140, sr. (954 yards/19 TDs passing, 903 yards/17 TDs rushing).
Outlook: Colon moved to 8-player before the 2018 season after a nice recent run in 11-player that had included eight playoff appearances over the previous 14 seasons. But the Magi have succeeded at a higher level since making the switch, putting up double-digit wins last season for the first time and again this fall. Last season’s champion Morrice was the first opponent to hold Colon to under 34 points and also the first to come within 34 of catching the Magi this fall. Crawford and West both earned all-state honorable mentions in 2018, and 6-4 junior Brayden Ireland gives Alva another big target in the passing game. West also has scored off interceptions and punt and kickoff returns this season.
SUTTONS BAY
Record/rank: 12-0, No. 4
Coach: Garrick Opie, second season (21-2)
League finish: First in Midwest Central Michigan Conference West
Championship history: Division 6 runner-up 2004 (11-player).
Best wins: 45-14 over No. 8 Kingston in Semifinal, 36-30 over No. 14 Gaylord St. Mary in Regional Final, 36-14 over No. 16 Brimley in Pre-Regional, 20-14 and 29-18 over Division 2 No. 9 Onekama.
Players to watch: RB/DB Lucas Mikesell, 5-11/175, sr. (1,259 yards/29 TDs rushing, 501 yards/9 TDs receiving), QB/DB Bryce Opie, 6-4/194, sr. (1,167 yards/15 TDs passing, 692 yards/13 TDs rushing); OG/DT Gavyn Shananaquet, 6-0/230, sr.
Outlook: Suttons Bay has run its record over three seasons of 8-player to a combined 28-6 after being forced to end its final 11-player season early in 2016. The Norsemen had only three games decided by single digits this fall. The first was a six-point win over Onekama, and Suttons Bay won the rematch by 11, and the other two were against Gaylord St. Mary – a one-point loss on the field that became a forfeit win and a six-point win in the Regional Final. The defense has been especially impressive, giving up 16.7 points per game on the season but more than 18 only twice (both times to St. Mary). Bryce Opie also has five interceptions, and the team had a 23-14 turnover advantage heading into last week’s Semifinal.
Division 2
PORTLAND ST. PATRICK
Record/rank: 12-0, No. 3
Coach: Patrick Russman, 13th season (88-48)
League finish: Does not play in a league.
Championship history: Division 2 runner-up 2017 (8-player), Class D champion 1992, runner-up 1991 and 1997 (11-player).
Best wins: 49-6 over No. 5 Climax-Scotts in Semifinal, 51-16 over No. 11 Kinde North Huron in Regional Final, 45-0 over No. 16 Bay City All-Saints in Pre-Regional, 42-24 over No. 9 Onekama.
Players to watch: RB/DL Ned Smith, 5-10/195, sr. (1,510 yards/24 TDs rushing); QB/DB Connor Cross, 6-2/175, jr. (1,688 yards/36 TDs passing); WR/DB Zach Spitzley, 6-2/180, sr. (1,133 yards/19 TDs receiving).
Outlook: The Shamrocks have made at least the Semifinals the last three seasons and four times since switching to 8-player in 2012, and this has been their most successful run of all four. St. Patrick has won all of its games by at least 18 points (not counting a 2-0 forfeit in Week 3) and by an average score of 52-10. Senior linebacker Alex Kissane, sophomore linebacker Derec Fedewa, senior defensive back Riley Kissane and senior lineman Jeff Davlin are among leaders of a defense that has given up more than 16 points only twice and a combined 22 points over three playoff games.
PICKFORD
Record/rank: 11-1, T-No. 1
Coach: Josh Rader, 16th season (110-55)
League finish: First in Great Lakes Eight Conference East
Championship history: Division 1 runner-up 2018 (8-player).
Best wins: 22-14 over T-No. 1 Powers North Central in Regional Finals, 40-8 over No. 4 Hillman in Semifinal, 57-12 (Pre-Regional) and 58-15 over No. 6 Engadine, 48-16 over No. 7 Crystal Falls Forest Park, 64-20 over No. 12 Cedarville, 46-23 over Division 1 No. 14 Gaylord St. Mary.
Players to watch: QB/LB Jimmy Storey, 6-0/185, sr. (1,400 yards/19 TDs passing, 1,809 yards/24 TDs rushing); TE/DE Nick Edington, 6-7/220, sr. (307 yards/3 TDs receiving); RB/DB Stephen Lamothe, 5-10/175, sr. (752 yards/11 TDs rushing, 813 yards/11 TDs receiving).
Outlook: After reaching last season’s Division 1 championship game with a junior-heavy roster, Pickford is back playing for its first Finals championship with many of the same standouts. Edington, Storey and senior lineman Isaiah May all made the all-state team last season, and Storey was the statewide Player of the Year for 8-player by The Associated Press. The team’s only loss this fall came in Week 3, by six points, to Powers North Central – and the Panthers avenged the defeat in the Regional Final. The Jets also were the only team able to hold Pickford under 40 points this fall. Senior running back Isaac Brown provides another valuable option on offense with 613 yards and 12 touchdowns rushing.
Surge Becoming Storied as Boyne City Continues Memorable Playoff March
By
Tom Spencer
Special for MHSAA.com
November 22, 2024
Not many would say Boyne City’s football team followed the script this season.
After the way the Ramblers started this fall, only a scriptwriter could have envisioned the season they’ve enjoyed.
Boyne City started with just 17 varsity players in August. After moving up some from the JV squad and losing their opener to Standish-Sterling 33-14, the Ramblers picked up a couple of wins. They then fell in Week 4 to Kingsley, last year’s Division 6 champion, 26-20.
But that’s where the losses stopped. Boyne City is on an eight-game winning streak – which included a 21-15 victory over Kingsley in the District Final two weeks ago.
And when the Ramblers found themselves down 14-0 to Reed City midway through the second quarter last week in their Division 6 Regional Final, nobody would have blamed them for abandoning the script.
But if there is one, it called junior Owen Hewitt’s number. He took over, scoring four touchdowns to lead Boyne to a 35-28 win that advanced the Ramblers to Saturday’s Semifinal against Lansing Catholic.
“It wasn’t a dire situation,” said Boyne City coach Dave Suttle. “Our quarterback Drew Neer all year long has run our offense very well, and when we need a big play he’s always there. We threw a little curl, dig route over the middle to Owen and he went 63 yards for the score and kind of rejuvenated our team.”
Neer, also a junior, has connected with Hewitt and senior Jaden Alger the most this season. Hewitt’s first TD came with 1:22 left in the first half. Hewitt’s second was Boyne’s first offensive play of the second half and tied the game at 14-14.
It may have been Suttle scripting Hewitt’s performance.
Suttle expected Reed City to focus on stopping senior running back Ryan Spade, who has nearly 1,800 yards on the ground this season.
“Owen looked too good in practice last week, and we knew Owen was going to have a game,” Suttle said. “They were keying so hard on Ryan. We figured this was going to be the week, and we put some things in the game plan for him.”
Hewitt was extremely fired up coming out of halftime break, the sixth-year coach noted.
“Owen’s been our big-play guy all year,” said Suttle. “He’s got probably 600 yards receiving, and I think he’s scored 15 touchdowns between receiving and rushing. He’s been there but hadn’t had that wow game yet, that ‘Hey, who is this kid?’ And that was his game.”
The tough times this season from the small numbers to early losses united the team and created success, their coach proudly noted.
“From football specifically, we have made lifelong friends,” Suttle said. “We’ve learned how to help other people and depend on each other. The boys keep throwing out there they truly feel like they are all one family now. There’s all kinds of kids in this group. They have each other’s back. They’re not looking to blame anybody or point fingers. They’re just a solid group of gritty kids.”
Defensively, the Ramblers also have been led by Spate. He’s been involved in nearly 100 tackles. Sophomore Hyker McKinney has been involved in more than 70 tackles and Alger, junior Thomas Ager, senior Ryan Chapp, Hewitt and sophomore Ben Stanek are right behind them in solo tackles and assists.
Chapp and senior Leon Xiong have anchored the defensive line for the third straight year, Suttle pointed out.
“They’ve really stepped up this year, and they have pretty good stats,” Suttle said. “They are big-time leaders.”
The offensive line, in particular seniors Wiley Belcher and Zach Herrick, also continue to impress.
“They keep getting better every week and just keep pushing on,” Suttle said.
Win or lose this week or next, this team’s legacy already is solidified.
“I want this group to be remembered as the group that may have been counted out by a lot of other people or may have been overlooked,” Shuttle indicated. “We have a pretty good tradition of having a winning program, and we’ll make the playoffs and things like this, but this team sticks together and gets through the rough times and just never gives up.”
Tom Spencer is a longtime MHSAA-registered basketball and soccer official, and former softball and baseball official, and he also has coached in the northern Lower Peninsula area. He previously has written for the Saginaw News, Bay County Sports Page and Midland Daily News. He can be reached at [email protected] with story ideas for Manistee, Wexford, Missaukee, Roscommon, Ogemaw, Iosco, Alcona, Oscoda, Crawford, Kalkaska, Grand Traverse, Benzie, Leelanau, Antrim, Otsego, Montmorency, Alpena, Presque Isle, Cheboygan, Charlevoix and Emmet counties.
PHOTOS (Top) Boyne City’s Ryan Spade (3) breaks into the open during his team’s 21-15 District Final win over Kingsley. (Middle) Ben Stanek (8) works to break free from a pair of Traverse City St. Francis defenders during a 23-20 Week 9 win over Traverse City St. Francis. (Below) Ramblers coach Dave Suttle, middle, raises the District championship trophy with senior Leon Xiong (11) and junior Owen Hewitt (14). (Photos by Brandon Kish.)