Moment: Nick & Nick Go 90, 27 Years Apart

October 30, 2020

By John Johnson
MHSAA Director of Broadcast Properties

The longest rushing play in the MHSAA Football Finals is one of two marks that has two players tied for the top spot.

Nick Williams of Farmington Hills Harrison originally set the standard in 1994, in the Class A Final against Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central, a game won by the Hawks, 17-13.

It took 27 years for the equalizer, when Edwardsburg’s Nick Bradley ripped off a 90-yard scoring run in the Division 4 finale against Grand Rapids Catholic Central, a game in which the Eddies fell to the Cougars, 42-31.

Williams, at 6-foot-2 and 248 pounds, blasted from his fullback’s spot through a hole and went untouched to start the second quarter for the Hawks against Forest Hills Central. Roy Granger followed-up with an 80-yard scoring run in the third quarter to stake coach John Herrington’s team to a 14-0 lead.

“It was the big play.” Williams told the Detroit Free Press after the game. “We’ve got a lot of guys on this team who can make the big play, and everybody wants to make the big play. If you’ve got guys who can make the big play, and they want to make the big play, then they will make the big play.”

Bradley’s 90-yarder was one of two championship game records set in 2017 – the only time that has happened. Caden Coggins had a 99-yard kickoff return for a score in the same game. Bradley's TD cut the Cougars' lead to 35-31 with just over eight minutes left to play.

It was a wild game in the respect that Edwardsburg had five scoring plays in excess of 50 yards, but in the end it was Nolan Fugate, rushing for four touchdowns, who gave CC the victory. Fugate caught a pass for a record-tying fifth touchdown in the game and had 306 yards rushing – one yard short of a Finals game record.


Performance of the Week: Detroit Cass Tech's Alex Graham

October 25, 2024

Alex Graham headshotAlex Graham ♦ Detroit Cass Tech
Senior ♦ Football

Graham, a senior receiver, caught a 28-yard touchdown pass and returned a kickoff 72 yards for a score as Cass Tech downed Detroit Martin Luther King 30-14 at Ford Field to claim the Detroit Public School League Blue City championship. In doing so, the Technicians also avenged an 18-12 overtime loss to the Crusaders from Week 4. They are 6-2 and ranked No. 7 in Division 1 in this week’s state coaches poll.

One of the top college football prospects in the state, Graham has committed to continue his career at Colorado. He has considered studying mechanical engineering but is leaning toward something geared more toward coaching as he’d like to remain in football when his playing days are complete. Graham also ran track previously for Cass Tech.

@mhsaasports 🏈POW: Alex Graham #football #CassTech #score #part1 #highschoolsports #tiktalk #interview #performanceoftheweek #mistudentaid #fyp #MHSAA ♬ original sound - MHSAA

@mhsaasports 🏈POW: Alex Graham #tiktalk #questiontime #trumpet #laughing #emoji #pizza #saucegardner #part2 #performanceoftheweek #mistudentaid #fyp #MHSAA ♬ Monkeys Spinning Monkeys - Kevin MacLeod & Kevin The Monkey

Follow the MHSAA on TikTok.

MHSAA.com's "Performance of the Week" features are powered by MI Student Aid, a division within the Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential (MiLEAP). MI Student Aid encourages students to pursue postsecondary education by providing access to student financial resources and information. MI Student Aid administers the state’s 529 college savings programs (MET/MESP), as well as scholarship and grant programs that help make college Accessible, Affordable and Attainable for you. Connect with MI Student Aid at www.michigan.gov/mistudentaid and find more information on Facebook and Twitter @mistudentaid.

Previous 2024-25 honorees

Oct. 11: Victoria Garces, Midland Dow cross country - Report
Oct. 4:
Asher Clark, Bay City John Glenn soccer - Report
Sept. 26:
Campbell Flynn, Farmington Hills Mercy volleyball - Report
Sept. 19:
TJ Hansen, Freeland cross country - Report
Sept. 12:
Jordan Peters, Grayling soccer - Report
Sept. 6:
Gabe Litzner, Sault Ste. Marie cross country - Report
Aug. 30:
Grace Slocum, Traverse City St. Francis golf - Report

(Top photo by Olivia B. Photography.)