Romeo Raises 1st Champion's Trophy
November 28, 2015
By Bill Khan
Special for Second Half
DETROIT — With a championship on the line and the margin for error too thin, Paul Hurley couldn't have been faulted if he started looking elsewhere to throw the football.
But Romeo's senior quarterback never lost faith in tight end Mitch Heimbuch, not even after the Western Michigan University recruit dropped two passes while wide open.
"Mitch probably has the best hands on the team, so it was really bizarre for us to see him drop two passes today," Hurley said. "It was never in my head when I was throwing to him. I knew if I was throwing to him, he was catching it."
Heimbuch was sure-handed when it mattered the most, catching three passes for 46 yards on the game-clinching drive, as Romeo beat Detroit Cass Tech, 41-27, in the MHSAA Division 1 championship game Saturday at Ford Field. Heimbuch even grabbed the 2-point pass following Brad Tanner's 16-yard touchdown run with 1:29 remaining in the game.
"Everyone still believed in me. Everyone was still coming up to me telling me to just get over it, forget about it," Heimbuch said. "I just knew I had to make a play if it came back to me. I forget my drops. You can't think too much on them or else they'll kill you."
Romeo scored six touchdowns, blocked a punt and recovered an onside kick to start the second half, but one of the key plays in the Bulldogs' first championship victory was a 12-yard catch by Heimbuch on second-and-13 on the second play of the final drive. That set up a manageable third-and-one and got the drive rolling. He also had catches of 12 and 22 yards on an 11-play, 75-yard march that consumed 5:45 from the clock, leaving Cass Tech little time to produce a miracle comeback similar to Detroit Martin Luther King's in the Division 2 Final on Friday.
Just when it looked like Romeo (13-1) would simply run out the clock, Tanner broke free from 16 yards out for his third touchdown of the game. He finished with a game-high 130 yards on 13 carries.
The drive began after a 36-yard touchdown pass from Aaron Jackson to Donovan People-Jones got Cass Tech within 33-27 with 7:15 remaining.
"I knew I just had to run hard on the play and good things would happen," Tanner said. "On that last drive, the whole time I knew if we just killed the clock, we'd be victorious."
Even before his three key catches on the final drive, Heimbuch made a major contribution to the victory on defense.
He blitzed Jackson and got a sack to force a fumble, which was recovered by Romeo's Austen Malczewski at the Cass Tech 40 with 10:36 left in the second quarter. Four plays later, Tanner's second touchdown run from 31 yards out gave the Bulldogs a 19-7 lead.
"We changed the call at the last second to a two-linebacker blitz," Heimbuch said. "It just opened up. The D-linemen took away their guard and center. I shot the gap. He just lost the ball; he panicked, I think."
Romeo scored on its first three possessions before Heimbuch's first drop on third-and-seven ended the fourth drive. The Bulldogs took that 19-7 lead into halftime.
Taking a page out of Sean Payton's book from the New Orleans Saints' Super Bowl victory in the 2009 season, Romeo's coaches called for an onside kick to start the second half. Kicker Zach Nies recovered his own kick at the Cass Tech 48-yard line. Six plays later, Domenico Bongiorno bulled his way 10 yards up the middle for a touchdown, extending Romeo's lead to 26-14 with 9:49 left in the third quarter.
"They have unbelievable return guys, so we were not supposed to kick it to them at all," Romeo co-coach Curt Rienas said. "We actually thought there was a 70-percent chance we would recover it. When you look at only a 15-yard difference in field position, we thought that was a good gamble on our part."
Recovering onside kicks was a priority in practice all week for Cass Tech (11-3) after it failed to cover three in its Semifinal victory over Canton.
"That really ticked me off the most, out of anything that happened today," Cass Tech coach Thomas Wilcher said. "As far as trick plays or big plays, that one hurt the most, because we taught the kids what to do. We talked about it, met about it; they just froze. We lost three onside kicks, so that was the most important thing going into the game, just making sure we got all the short kicks."
Special teams had another huge impact when John Verellen blocked a punt and Anthony Quas returned the loose ball 18 yards to the Cass Tech 20. Hurley scrambled for a 20-yard touchdown on the next play, putting Romeo ahead 33-14 with 7:00 left in the third quarter.
One day after Detroit Public School League rival King rallied from 18 points down to win the Division 2 title, Cass Tech provided the host city some hope for another miracle comeback.
Jackson threw a 17-yard touchdown pass to Demetric Vance with 2:14 left in the third quarter, following a Khalid Jordan interception, and a 36-yarder to People-Jones with 7:15 remaining to make it a six-point game.
It was only the second start for Jackson, a sophomore who took over in the Semifinal game when junior starter Rodney Hall was injured. Jackson finished 19 for 27 for 194 yards and two touchdowns Saturday.
"These two starts have really been a big confidence booster for me," Jackson said. "I have a great offense, a great defense. I really love my teammates. These great athletes right here did this; I played a really small role."
Jackson wouldn't get the ball back until Romeo had run the clock down to 1:29 and added eight more points to the deficit.
People-Jones caught eight passes for 85 yards and a touchdown, with his first seven catches going for nine yards or fewer.
"They tackled great," the highly-recruited junior receiver said. "They rallied to the football, which made it harder to escape and make big plays."
To win its first championship, Romeo had to knock off three teams that combined for five of the last six Division 1 titles.
The Bulldogs opened the playoffs by ending Clarkston's two-year reign, 28-14. In the Regional Final, they beat a Detroit Catholic Central team that won the 2009 championship and was runner-up three years in a row from 2011-13. Romeo completed the journey against a Cass Tech squad that won the 2011 and 2012 championships.
It was only the second MHSAA championship for the school, the other won a year ago by the volleyball team.
"The Romeo community was a sea of red," Romeo co-coach Jason Couch said. "I would like to see if anybody else brought as many as Romeo did. If they did, I applaud them. The community shut down. They were here. Businesses were closing. That just shows the support.
"The reason they come out and support the boys is because they're busy in the offseason and in season supporting them with community service and doing other events and activities throughout the community. That's why we graduated from Romeo and we're back in Romeo; it sucks you in. We're proud to be Bulldogs."
The MHSAA Football Finals are sponsored by the Michigan National Guard.
PHOTOS: (Top) Romeo’s coaches and players host their first football championship trophy Saturday at Ford Field. (Middle) Quarterback Paul Hurley hands off to Bradley Tanner (21) during the Division 1 Final.
Drive for Detroit: Regional Finals in Review
November 19, 2013
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
We often celebrate teams making deep playoff runs for the first time as they and their communities reach heights never experienced before.
That experience as the toughest levels of the tournament is invaluable. Just ask the 10 teams that repeated as Regional champions in 11-player last weekend, or 2011 8-player runner-up Rapid River – which will play for the championship again this Friday.
See below for some of the stories behind how all of those teams advanced to the neutral-site rounds of the MHSAA football tournament.
Division 1
Detroit Catholic Central 34, Temperance Bedford 33
Detroit Catholic Central (10-2) had a couple close calls on the way to Ford Field in both 2011 and 2012, but none this close. The Shamrocks scored with 25 seconds remaining to edge Temperance Bedford, which was attempting to reach its first Semifinal and made its second Regional Final appearance in four seasons (the Kicking Mules just missed the Semifinals in 2010 as well with a two-point loss to Grosse Pointe South). Click to read more from the Detroit Free Press.
Also noted:
Flint Carman-Ainsworth 27, Hudsonville 20: The Cavaliers (11-1) hung on to earn their first Semifinal trip in their 28-year history. Hudsonville (8-4) did finish its best season since 2008.
Clarkston 56, Rochester Adams 28: The Wolves (11-1) have taken a step deeper into the postseason each of the past four seasons, with this sending them to the Semifinals for the first time since 2009. Adams finished a strong 8-4, impressive especially after the team went 4-5 in 2012 and lost quarterback/linebacker standout Matt Sokol to a season-ending injury in Week 6.
Detroit Cass Tech 32, Macomb Dakota 17: The Technicians (12-0) ended the season of a previously-undefeated opponent for the second straight week, this time halting Dakota (11-1) during its best season since 2007.
Division 2
Detroit Martin Luther King 6, Wyandotte Roosevelt 0
Both teams had showed plenty of offensive firepower to this point this season, but defense set the tone in the Regional Final. King (10-1) posted its fourth shutout and saved its season with a last-minute stand as Roosevelt (11-1) fell short in its drive to make the Semifinals for the second straight fall. Click to read more from MLive Detroit.
Also noted:
Muskegon 24, Midland 7: The Big Reds (11-1) have made the Semifinals five times over the last decade including the last two seasons thanks to wins over Midland (10-2).
Portage Central 42, Farmington Hills Harrison 21: The Mustangs (12-0) have asserted themselves among statewide powers this fall and beat another in Harrison (10-2) to reach the Semifinals for the first time since 1977.
Birmingham Brother Rice 41, Detroit U-D Jesuit 14: Brother Rice (12-0) finished a season sweep of Catholic League opponent U-D Jesuit (7-5) to reach the Semifinals for the third straight season.
Division 3
Zeeland West 62, Mount Pleasant 27
The Dux (11-1) appear to be gaining steam at the right time, with 545 yards of offense against the Oilers. Mount Pleasant led into the third quarter before West scored 36 straight points to make the Semfinals for the second time in three seasons. Mount Pleasant, 2-7 only a year ago, finished 10-2. Click to read more from the Grand Rapids Press.
Also noted:
Stevensville Lakeshore 34, Byron Center 7: Hailing from the same league as Portage Central, Lakeshore (9-3) has battled back from a 4-3 start to make its first Semifinal since 2008. Byron Center (8-4) made Regionals for the first time since 2000.
DeWitt 49, Eaton Rapids 0: Eaton Rapids (7-5) saw its first-ever playoff run end after two wins, but against near-annual semifinalist DeWitt (12-0).
St. Clair 40, Melvindale 14: St. Clair (11-1) added to its best season by earning its first Semifinal berth by beating a Melvindale team (9-3) that should still celebrate making the playoffs for the first time since 2010.
Division 4
Lansing Sexton 26, Saginaw Swan Valley 21
Swan Valley junior running back Alex Grace did run for 246 yards to unofficially set the MHSAA single-season rushing record with more than 2,900 (awaiting confirmation). But the Big Reds (12-0) continued to power through their tough slate by taking the lead in the fourth quarter and then ending the Vikings’ final drive with an interception in Sexton territory. Swan Valley finished 11-1. Click to read more from the Lansing State Journal.
Also noted:
Comstock Park 36, Cadillac 29: Comstock Park (12-0) advanced to the Semifinals for the third straight season, but first as an undefeated team. Cadillac (11-1) gave up the most points it had all season, but also scored the most on the Panthers of any team so far.
Grand Rapids South Christian 35, Battle Creek Pennfield 17: The reigning MHSAA champ Sailors (11-1) now haven’t lost since August and scored the most points Pennfield (10-2) gave up this season.
Marine City 33, Detroit Country Day 28: The lone Saturday night game of the weekend was a classic, with Marine City (11-1) scoring the go-ahead points with less than a minute remaining to eliminate the reigning MHSAA runner-up Yellowjackets (8-4).
Division 5
Livonia Clarenceville 21, Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central 20
There’s no question Clarenceville knows how to pull out the close ones, with now four wins by seven or fewer points this fall and two by 10 or fewer over the last two weeks. The Trojans (11-0) scored on a trick play with under 20 seconds left to edge ahead of Monroe St. Mary (10-2), a Regional champion in 2012. Click to read more from the Detroit News.
Also noted:
Menominee 49, Standish-Sterling 27: Make that 159-47, Menominee (12-0) over its three playoff opponents combined this month. Standish-Sterling (9-2), however, did finish with its best record since 2008.
Muskegon Oakridge 31, Millington 12: Oakridge (11-1) has won seven Regional titles, but this is the first since its MHSAA championship season of 2008. Millington (9-3) finished its longest run since 2010.
Grand Rapids West Catholic 35, Olivet 14: That 1-4 start is fading from memory as West Catholic (8-4) heads to its fourth straight Semifinal. Olivet (10-2) capped its best run since 2010, when it fell to West Catholic in the MHSAA championship game.
Division 6
Montrose 42, Madison Heights Madison 13
The highly-anticipated matchup to earn the right to face Ithaca didn’t end up that close, with Montrose (12-0) leading by enough during the third quarter to switch on the running clock. The Rams do now get to face Ithaca for the fourth straight season in the playoffs, but this time in Montrose’s first Semifinal since 2002. Madison finished 11-1, its fourth one-loss season over the last eight. Click to read more from the Flint Journal.
Also noted:
Ithaca 62, Negaunee 34: The Ithaca (12-0) win streak moved to 54 straight, but not before Negaunee (10-2) scored the most points the Yellowjackets had given up since 2010.
Shelby 33, Schoolcraft 7: Make that five straight seasons Shelby (11-1) has now increased its win total, and two straight it will play in a Semifinal. Schoolcraft (10-2) ended with double-digit wins for the second straight fall.
Clinton 47, Constantine 28: Clinton (12-0) eliminated the reigning MHSAA runner-up Falcons (7-5) to earn a first Semifinal berth since 1990 and its second overall.
Division 7
Harbor Beach 31, Pewamo-Westphalia 14
So far, Division 7 hasn’t posed much more of a challenge than Division 8 did last season for the reigning D8 champion Pirates (11-1). This Regional Final against P-W (10-2) was much closer than Harbor Beach’s first two playoff games this run, but quarterback/linebacker Eli Kraft continued to shine with two touchdowns on offense and a third scored while playing on the other side of the ball. Click to read more from the Saginaw News.
Also noted:
Ishpeming 28, Lake City 13: The Hematites’ 19th straight win put them at 12-0 this fall and removed a familiar and tough obstacle – Lake City (10-2) fell to Ishpeming by a nearly identical score in 2012.
Homer 26, Decatur 15: The Trojans (11-1) tied a school record for wins in advancing to their first Semifinal; Decatur (8-4) ended its season in the Regional Final for the second straight.
Detroit Loyola 50, Southfield Christian 7: The Bulldogs (12-0) improved to 36-2 over the last three seasons by scoring 50 points for the 10th time during that run. Southfield Christian did cap its best season of its eight-year history at 10-2.
Division 8
Crystal Falls Forest Park 24, Felch North Dickinson 20
Look back over the illustrious history of Forest Park football, and close playoff wins are more common than one might expect. The Trojans (12-0) know how to win down the stretch and pulled off another nail-biter to make their eighth Semifinal over the last decade. North Dickinson (8-3) came back from an early deficit but was stopped twice seeking a late go-ahead score. Click to read more from the Marquette Mining Journal.
Also noted:
Beal City 55, St. Ignace 0: Beal City (12-0) has scored 691 points, good already for second-most in MHSAA history; the Saints (9-3) made the Regional Final for the third straight season.
Muskegon Catholic 28, Mendon 12: This now-annual playoff battle of southwest powers went Muskegon Catholic’s way for the second straight season, with the Crusaders (10-2) scoring more points than Mendon (11-1) had previously given up all fall.
New Lothrop 58, Ottawa Lake Whiteford 22: The Hornets (11-0) advanced to their third Semifinal in eight seasons with their sixth game scoring more than 50 points this fall; Whiteford (9-3) capped its longest playoff run since 2000.
8-Player Semifinals
Rapid River 40, Kinde-North Huron 8
The 2011 MHSAA runner-up Rockets (12-0) earned another chance to claim the championship thanks in part to 359 yards rushing by quarterback Jake Pearson. He ran for three touchdowns and threw for two more while Rapid River didn't give up North Huron’s lone score until the fourth quarter. North Huron did tie its school record for wins in finishing 8-4. Click to read more from the Escanaba Daily Press.
Peck 73, Lawrence 34
Peck advanced to its first MHSAA championship game by stopping one of the hottest teams in any division and did so in an even more impressive manner than when they met earlier this season. The Pirates (12-0) had defeated Lawrence 61-38 in Week 4 and put up a season-high point total to fend off the Tigers (8-3) this time. Click to read more from the Port Huron Times Herald.
PHOTO: Detroit Cass Tech quarterback Jayru Campbell breaks away from a Macomb Dakota defender during the Technicians’ Regional Final win. (Click to see more from Terry McNamara Photography.)