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New Coach, Same Standard for SMCC

By Chip Mundy
Special for Second Half

August 27, 2015

By Chip Mundy
Special for Second Half

MONROE – It would be understandable if first-year Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central head football coach Adam Kipf felt like he was taking over for University of Michigan legend Bo Schembechler a year after the Wolverines won the national championship.

Kipf, a graduate of SMCC, said he doesn’t feel that way at all as he replaces his former coach and mentor Jack Giarmo, a local icon who retired after 17 seasons leading the Falcons, including last year when they won the MHSAA Division 6 title.

“I feel I’m replacing Coach Giarmo after a state title,” Kipf said with a laugh. “Coach Giarmo is a good coach. He spent 17 years here, and I spent 11 years of my life with him on a football field.

“It’s certainly not an easy task, but I’m not trying to be Coach Giarmo. I’m trying to be the best version of myself.”

SMCC got off to a winning start Thursday night with a 62-39 victory at Tecumseh, but it will need more than a season-opening victory to live up to the standard that was introduced by the former coach.

Giarmo’s teams were 144-54 in 17 seasons, made the MHSAA playoffs 13 times and captured five Huron League titles. The Falcons made the MHSAA Semifinals eight times and played for the championship four times, finally winning it all last year – when, at Ford Field, they also ended Ithaca’s national-best 69-game winning streak.

Then, Giarmo decided to step down, and Kipf was chosen as the new head coach.

“It wasn’t a total surprise,” Kipf said of Giarmo’s decision. “He had sort of let on that he might be thinking about it, so when it came out, I wasn’t surprised at all.”

“I don’t think there is any other job out there that would mean as much. There are other jobs that would have a lot of meaning to them, but coaching at your alma mater and having the tradition that we have here – having the success we have here – I think that’s just awesome. It’s tough for me to even put into words what it means to me being back at my alma mater coaching football.” – Adam Kipf

It certainly was not an automatic choice for SMCC to promote Kipf from the head coach on the junior varsity to head coach of the varsity. He went through several interviews before landing the job.

“They asked me, ‘How do you determine success?’ ” Kipf said. “I said, ‘There are two ways. One is wins and losses, and that’s OK. But the other way is seeing what kind of men they become, five, 10, 15, 20 years down the road.”

Kipf, a social studies and religion teacher at Monroe Catholic Elementary School, did not set out to become a coach and teacher. He went to Western Michigan University to play football and was pursuing another field, but he left after one year.

“I didn’t know what I wanted to do with my life, and then I got involved in coaching in 2003 with one of my former coaches,” Kipf said. “He was coaching his son in the Monroe Catholic Youth Organization, and he got me into it, and I enjoyed it. The next year, he went to Monroe High as an assistant and I went with him, so I ended up coaching two years there.

“One Friday night after a game at Monroe, two coaches talked me into going into coaching. They said teaching was going to be my best bet to get into coaching.”

With that in mind, Kipf went back to school and attended Eastern Michigan University. In 2010, he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in secondary education. By that time, he was back with SMCC coaching the offensive and defensive lines on the junior varsity.

Kipf had been an offensive lineman and defensive tackle from 1998-99 at SMCC. He played for Giarmo and then joined his coaching staff in 2006, giving him a unique insight into the mind of the man who was most responsible for building the successful program.

“He was a stickler for details,” Kipf said. “He coached every last little detail, and I am finding myself on offense doing the same thing. Jack and I will talk, and I will seek advice on plays and blocking and things like that. We talk probably once a week football-related, and we will talk more than that about other things. We still talk football.

“He isn’t going to distance himself from the program. He has strong roots here. I think he misses football. I don’t know if he would admit it, but he misses football.”

“We’ve basically kept the same concepts that Coach Giarmo kept, but we’ve added a lot of new traditions into it. We’re getting new traditions. We’ve got a couple of new decals on our helmets, and originally we had our straight gold helmets.” – senior running back Justin Carrabino

When Kipf played at SMCC, the helmets were green with decals of yellow birds on them. Lately, the helmets have been without decals, but the birds have returned this year.

“To me, that bird, I worked so hard when I was a freshman to get that bird when I got to varsity,” Kipf said. “It was a thing of honor because you took those birds off at the end of the year and kept them. I still have them in scrapbooks.

“We have brought those back. With the gold helmet we’ve got green birds, but we didn’t put them on until two days before the first game.”

The decals on the helmets might be the easiest change to notice, and Kipf said there won’t be a lot of others made right away.

“I don’t know that I want to bring a whole lot different to the program,” he said. “I’ve added a few things here and there that are a little different than last year, but I’m not prepared to share that.

“We might throw the ball more, but finding people to catch and throw isn’t an easy task, especially since in the last 14, 15 years in the system it has been 95 percent run. I’m a big proponent of, ‘If it’s not broken, don’t fix it.’ ”

Not every change is going to be related to strategy or scheme. Everyone has a different personality, and Kipf’s high-intensity style could light a spark under the Falcons.

“He’s very vocal and gets into it with the players a lot,” senior guard/linebacker Hunter Coombe said. “He gets us hyped. He’s very intense. It’s good.”

The word intense seems to go hand-in-hand when describing Kipf.

“Practices are run with a lot of intensity,” Carrabino said. “There is a lot of physicality, but there is with a lot of defenses. You can tell by the tone of practice that it’s a lot different.”

“I don’t feel pressure coming off a state title because I know what we have and what we are capable of. People have high expectations and expect success. To me, success is more than a state title. If we go 14-0 but don’t get better, it’s a state title but it’s not successful. I want kids who are going to compete and get better every day, and at the end of the season, if they are better football players, better student-athletes, better Catholics, better Christians, than we’ve done our job. That’s success.” – Adam Kipf

Success breeds expectations, and MHSAA championships sometimes breed unrealistic expectations. Teams don’t win an MHSAA title every year.

The Falcons have made the playoffs 14 of the past 16 years with double-digit win totals during nine of them. The program has become not just recognized regionally, but statewide.

The players reflect the attitude of a new season and a new challenge and said they refuse to look back.

“We have to totally forget about last year,” Coombe said. “This is a new team with the same goal, obviously, but we aren’t thinking about it. We’ll just go week-by-week and game-by-game.”

Carrabino, who rushed for 1,300 yards and 17 touchdowns last season, echoed those comments.

“I think you have to prove yourself every year,” Carrabino said. “Nobody has a set spot. You just have to give your all in practice.”

Senior quarterback/defensive back Austin Burger feels the same way.

“We feel no pressure at all,” he said. “We feel like we’re a different team from last year, but we are trying to keep the tradition.”

Tradition is important at SMCC. Giarmo was a player on the 1980 team that went 9-0 but failed to land a spot in the playoffs.

Kipf is one of three brothers who played football for the Falcons. It’s family.

“We’ve got 12 years in my family of playing football at this school, and now this will be my 10th of coaching football at this school,” he said. “Twenty-two years I’ve been a Falcons football supporter either through my family or myself, so it certainly means a lot to me.”

Maybe it’s the tradition – or maybe it’s the “band of brotherhood,” as Burger called it – but something special seems to happen to a bunch of young football players who don’t necessarily look like they should be championship football players.

“We don’t always have the best athletes or the biggest athletes or the fastest athletes, especially in this day and age,” Kipf said. “We have kids who are undersized for the most part, but they have heart and they work hard, and that’s what made our program successful over Coach Giarmo’s tenure. Between him and (former defensive coordinator) Scott Hoffman, they brought out the best in guys.

“They had guys on the field you would think had no business being on a football field. They bring out the best in our kids, and our kids give them everything they’ve got in order to succeed.”

Chip Mundy served as sports editor at the Brooklyn Exponent and Albion Recorder from 1980-86, and then as a reporter and later copy editor at the Jackson Citizen-Patriot from 1986-2011. He also co-authored Michigan Sports Trivia. E-mail him at [email protected] with story ideas for Jackson, Washtenaw, Hillsdale, Lenawee and Monroe counties.

PHOTOS: (Top) Monroe St. Mary’s coach Adam Kipf and his captains stand together earlier this month (from left to right): Hunter Coombe, Justin Carrabino, Kipf, Riley Woolford, Mitchell Poupard and Austin Burger. (Middle) The Falcons’ helmets will feature decals again after going without during the program’s recent past.

Drive for Detroit: Week 5 in Review

September 24, 2018

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Friday night football this past week gave us improbable scores like 6-4 and 6-2.

But they only foreshadowed some of the unexpected we’re celebrating in this week’s Drive for Detroit review – including big-time performances by Jenison, Houghton and newly-clinched league champion Manistee, to name just a few.

See below for our look at 45 results from the weekend that particularly stood out. Some are as you’d expect – significant tilts like Davison/Grand Blanc, Clinton Township Chippewa Valley/Macomb Dakota and Brighton/Canton. But many more will become more noteworthy as well as these next four weeks determine league champions and 288 teams that continue into the playoffs.

“Drive for Detroit” is powered by MI Student Aid. 

Bay & Thumb

HEADLINER Davison 49, Grand Blanc 7 The Saginaw Valley League Blue race, at least for now, is down to Davison and Lapeer after the Cardinals (5-0) came up big in a matchup of previously undefeated teams. It was Davison’s first regular-season matchup with the Bobcats (4-1) since 2011, but extended a winning streak over the new league foe to two including a 2016 playoff victory. Click for more from the Flint Journal and see below for highlights from WJRT.

Also of note: Flint Hamady 46, Swartz Creek 28 The Hawks (5-0) earned some pride for the Genesee Area Conference Blue with a nice win over the Flint Metro League-leading Dragons (4-1).

Remember this one: Beaverton 21, Harrison 0 The Beavers (4-1) held on to first place in the Jack Pine Conference with second-place Clare coming up in two weeks; Harrison (2-3) must win out to guarantee a fifth straight playoff berth.

More shoutouts: Almont 60, Croswell-Lexington 26 The Raiders (5-0) remain tied for first in the Blue Water Area Conference with Richmond after a nice win over the playoff-hopeful Pioneers (3-2). Harbor Beach 36, Ubly 28 The Pirates (4-1) beat Ubly (3-2) for the third time in two seasons (they also met in a playoff opener a year ago) to stay within striking distance of Greater Thumb Conference East leader Sandusky, which they’ll see in Week 8.

Greater Detroit

HEADLINER: Clinton Township Chippewa Valley 24, Macomb Dakota 17 The Big Reds (5-0) are holding down a first-place tie in the Macomb Area Conference Red with Romeo after handing Dakota (4-1) its first defeat. Chippewa Valley broke free in the third quarter and held off the Cougars in the fourth. Click for more from the Macomb Daily and see highlights below from State Champs Sports Network.

Also of note: Detroit Catholic Central 21, Birmingham Brother Rice 0 It looks like the Shamrocks (4-1) and Warren DeLaSalle will determine the Detroit Catholic League Central title with a solid Brother Rice team taking losses from both in back-to-back weeks to fall to 3-2.

Remember this one: Riverview Gabriel Richard 57, Macomb Lutheran North 54 (4OT) The Pioneers (3-2) set themselves up to play for the Catholic League Intersectional 1 title by outlasting the Mustangs (4-1), who already have more wins than all of last year.

More shoutouts: Detroit Mumford 28, Detroit Cody 22 The Mustangs (3-2) stayed atop the Detroit Public School League Green with a Week 7 matchup with Cass Tech likely to decide the champ – but Cody (4-1) gets a chance against the Technicians first next week. Livonia Churchill 41, Livonia Franklin 35 The Chargers (3-2) avenged last season’s playoff loss to Franklin (3-2), which eventually went on to the Division 2 Semifinals after winning that District title meeting by two.

Mid-Michigan

HEADLINER: Brighton 23, Canton 17 (OT) Brighton quarterback Will Jontz (also a member of the MHSAA Student Advisory Council) is piling up highlights this season, and a few Friday might eventually lead to his team locking down the Kensington Lakes Activities Association West title. Jontz threw a touchdown pass to put the Bulldogs (4-1) ahead in the fourth quarter and another one in overtime as Brighton stayed atop the league and sent Canton (3-2) into a tie for second. Click for more from the Observer & Eccentric.

Also of note: Portland 16, Lansing Catholic 8 The Capital Area Activities Conference White lead belongs to the Raiders (5-0), who followed Jacob Veale’s 200 yards rushing and a defense that is giving up four points per game. Lansing Catholic (4-1) was strong defensively as well – a great sign especially if these teams meet again in the playoffs for the third time in four seasons.

Remember this one: DeWitt 37, East Lansing 0 The potential “game of the year” in the Lansing area didn’t turn into a titanic battle this time. DeWitt (5-0) moved into first place alone in the CAAC Blue, but East Lansing (4-1) could have another opportunity if these teams meet in the playoffs as was the case in 2016.

More shoutouts: New Lothrop 28, Ovid-Elsie 10 The Hornets (5-0) have solid footing in the first-year Mid-Michigan Activities Conference after sending the Marauders (3-2) into a tie for second, and having already defeated the other second-place team, Byron. Williamston 28, Haslett 14 The Hornets (4-1) seemed on the outside of the CAAC Red race after falling to St. Johns in Week 4, but might be back in after handing Haslett (4-1) its first loss and with the Vikings taking on the Redwings this week.

Northern Lower Peninsula 

HEADLINER: Manistee 35, Muskegon Orchard View 20 The Chippewas (5-0) clinched a share of the Lakes 8 Conference title as they continue to reverse from last season’s 2-7 finish. The title is Manistee's first in reportedly decades. Click for more from the Manistee News Advocate and see highlights below from MI Sports Now.

Also of note: McBain 12, Leroy Pine River 7 The Ramblers (3-2) fell to reigning champion Lake City 14-12 in Week 3, but are still affecting the Highland Conference race. With this win, McBain knocked Pine River (4-1) out of a tie with Lake City for first place, but the Bucks can take back a share of the top spot this week against the Trojans.

Remember this one: Oscoda 16, Rogers City 0 Since falling to Houghton Lake 30-22 in Week 1, Oscoda hasn’t given up more than eight points in game – and shutting out Rogers City (4-1) put the Owls (4-1) in first place alone in the North Star League.

More shoutouts: Cheboygan 40, Benzie Central 36 The Chiefs (3-2) have won three straight as they seek their first winning record since 2013, and tripping up improved Benzie Central (3-2) should provide additional boost. Traverse City Central 28, Gaylord 0 The Trojans (4-1) bounced back from a seven-point Week 4 loss to Traverse City West by handing Gaylord (4-1) its first defeat.

Southeast & Border

HEADLINER: Adrian Lenawee Christian 14, Athens 12 The Indians (3-1) still have given up only 14 points this season. But the Cougars (5-0) will take posting a season low to earn a key win in a Southern Central Athletic Association that is particularly strong defensively this fall – three teams are giving up fewer than six points per game and the fourth a respectable 22. Click for more from the Adrian Daily Telegram.

Also of note: Jackson 29, Chelsea 20 The Vikings (5-0) are off to their best start at least in modern history, with more wins already than all of last season and now one of their best over reigning Southeastern Conference White champion Chelsea (3-2). Jackson plays league co-leader Ypsilanti Lincoln this week.

Remember this one: Clinton 28, Sand Creek 27 The Redskins (4-1) are back in Tri-County Conference contention for the first time since winning the league four straight seasons from 2012-15. Sand Creek (3-2) can still make some noise as well as both have undefeated Ottawa Lake Whiteford coming up.

More shoutouts: Blissfield 14, Dundee 9 The Royals (4-1) have won four straight to move into a first-place tie in the Lenawee County Athletic Association with Hillsdale, this week’s opponent. Dundee (3-2), however, continued to look capable of earning its first playoff berth since 2012 despite tough competition over the next four weeks. Pittsford 17, Climax-Scotts 16 The other SCAA matchup this week saw Pittsford (5-0) also gain a valuable win against a Panthers team that is 1-3 but with two defeats by a touchdown or less.

Southwest Corridor

HEADLINER: Schoolcraft 45, Delton Kellogg 21 Five of six teams in the Southwestern Athletic Conference Valley have winning records, but Schoolcraft (4-1) knocked Delton Kellogg (4-1) from among the undefeated in their league opener. The Panthers were averaging 42 points per game before Schoolcraft held them to half that. Click for more from FOX 17.

Also of note: Battle Creek Central, 27, Benton Harbor 26 The Bearcats (4-1) bounced back from a tough Week 4 loss to guarantee their best finish since 2015 and edge closer to their first playoff berth since 2008. Benton Harbor fell to 1-3 but can earn a fourth straight playoff berth by winning their last four regular-season games.

Remember this one: Decatur 6, Hartford 0 The Raiders (3-2) avenged a one-point loss from last year and made this one particularly painful as Hartford (4-1) was looking like one of the new contenders in the Southwest 10 Conference.

More shoutouts: Kalamazoo United 77, Watervliet 20 Kalamazoo (5-0) upped its scoring average to nearly 64 points per game in this big win over reigning Valley champ Watervliet (2-3). White Pigeon 18, Mendon 8 White Pigeon (3-2) defeated the Hornets (3-2) for the first time since 1998.

Upper Peninsula

HEADLINER: Houghton 38, Gwinn 0 This might have caught some off-guard; Gwinn (4-1) was undefeated and Houghton opened this fall 0-3. But with two straight wins, the Gremlins have one more than all of last season – and a chance to keep building heading into the second half of their league schedule. Click for more from the Houghton Daily Mining Gazette.

Also of note: Gladstone 28, Maple City Glen Lake 8 The Braves (3-2) broke through last season for their first playoff berth since 2008, and to earn a return needs wins like this one over Glen Lake (2-3). With only eight games on the regular-season schedule this fall, Gladstone must win two of the next three to secure a repeat bid.

Remember this one: Munising 24, Hancock 21 The Mustangs (2-3) looked headed toward a third straight season without playoffs, but started a potential bounce back by handing Hancock (2-3) another tough defeat. The Bulldogs’ three losses came over the last three weeks and by a combined six points.

More shoutouts: Lake Linden-Hubbell 34, L’Anse 8 It’s been a tough start for the Lakes (1-4), but breaking L’Anse’s three-game winning streak was a nice way to begin a rebound. Ishpeming 36, Negaunee 26 The Hematites (5-0) broke a two-game losing streak against the longtime rival Miners (2-3).

West Michigan

HEADLINER: Jenison 20, Hudsonville 12 This wasn’t a league game – but it was a massive win for the Wildcats (4-1). After two straight 5-4 finishes, Jenison is two wins from earning its first playoff berth since 2003 – and after handing a first loss this season to Ottawa-Kent Conference Red contender Hudsonville, the first time Jenison has defeated the Eagles since 2003 as well. Click for more from WOOD TV and see additional highlights below from WZZM.

Also of note: East Kentwood 37, Grandville 30 Back in the O-K Red, the Falcons (4-1) continued to look like the other team to beat in edging Grandville (2-3). East Kentwood faces Hudsonville in Week 8.

Remember this one: Grand Rapids Northview 33, Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central 0 This was among the weekend’s surprises as Forest Hills Central (2-3) had won the last two meetings between these teams by 28 and 35 points. Northview (3-2) has more wins this fall than in its last two seasons combined.

More shoutouts: Hopkins 58, Grand Rapids NorthPointe Christian 21 The Vikings (4-1) sit atop the O-K Silver after avenging last season’s 14-point loss to NorthPointe (3-2). Hudsonville Unity Christian 38, Grand Rapids South Christian 14 Also a nonleague game, but downing the Sailors (3-2) was a great way for the Crusaders (5-0) to get ready for the toughest of their O-K Green matchups.

8-Player

HEADLINER: Wyoming Tri-unity Christian 28, Onekama 26 If Tri-unity Christian wins the Midwest Central Michigan Conference West, this one will be looked back upon frequently. The Defenders (5-0) have handed first losses of the season in back-to-back weeks to Suttons Bay and now Onekama (4-1), respectively, and next up get reigning 8-player Division 1 champion Central Lake. Click for more from the Manistee News Advocate.

Also of note: Deckerville 38, Kingston 20 The North Central Thumb League Blue has five teams with winning records out of six total, and Deckerville (3-2) is tied for first after handing Kingston (4-1) its lone defeat.

Remember this one: Engadine 39, Cedarville 26 The Eagles (4-1) already have lost to Great Lakes Conference East leader Pickford, but will be waiting if the undefeated Panthers trip up – especially against the Trojans (3-2) in Week 9.

More shoutouts: Bellevue 48, Portland St. Patrick 35 The Broncos (4-1) made it two straight over the Shamrocks (3-2), last season’s 8-player Division 2 runners-up. Camden-Frontier 42, Battle Creek St. Phillip 20 The Redskins (4-1) had little time to be disappointed after a Week 4 loss to Bellevue, and came back quickly to hand the Tigers (3-2) their second straight defeat.

Second Half’s weekly “Drive for Detroit” previews and reviews are powered by MI Student Aid, a part of the Student Financial Services Bureau located within the Michigan Department of Treasury. MI Student Aid encourages students to pursue postsecondary education by providing access to student financial resources and information, including various student financial assistance programs to help make college more affordable for Michigan students. MI Student Aid administers the state’s 529 savings programs (MET/MESP) and eight additional aid programs within its Student Scholarships and Grants division. Click for more information and connect with MI Student Aid on Facebook and Twitter @mistudentaid.  

PHOTO: Petoskey's Mason Doe-Nimphie (5) is surrounded by Marquette’s Brady Wright (34), Ethan Hayes (44), and Beau Zorza (56) during the Northmen’s win Saturday. (Photo by Cara Kamps.)