St. Mary's Repeats in St. Mary's Fashion
November 28, 2015
By Bill Khan
Special for Second Half
DETROIT — Glamorous moments come rarely for wide receivers in Orchard Lake St. Mary's offense.
To play receiver for the Eaglets requires patience, a selfless attitude and a player who doesn't mind doing the little things that only get noticed within the inner circle of the team.
Junior K.J. Hamler would be the primary weapon in many offenses, but he knows his role with St. Mary’s — make the blocks that keep the chains moving for a pound-and-ground attack.
When his number is called, he needs to make the most of it — and he usually does.
Hamler caught four passes for 63 yards and two touchdowns, as the Eaglets repeated as MHSAA Division 3 champions with a 29-12 victory over Chelsea on Saturday at Ford Field.
He hauled in a 34-yard pass from Brendan Tabone on a go route to give St. Mary's a 15-0 lead with 4:09 left in the first quarter. Hamler’s 16-yard catch-and-run of a screen pass from Tabone made it a 22-6 game with 7:31 to go in the third quarter.
"I'm always prepared for anything," Hamler said. "I know we're a running powerhouse team. I've just got to prepare to block better. As soon as coach (George) Porritt gives our team a chance to pass the ball, I try my best."
A year ago, Hamler didn't have a catch in the championship game. Tabone had a minimal role as a passer, going 3 for 11 for 31 yards in a 7-0 victory over Muskegon.
St. Mary's ran the ball on its first 15 plays of this game before Tabone got the green light to go deep to Hamler. The Eaglets ran eight more plays before the next pass was called. They finished with 293 rushing yards on 56 carries, while Tabone went 5 for 9 passing for 79 yards, two touchdowns and an interception.
"I look forward to every pass play, because we don't throw a ton," Tabone said. "We have such great backs. It was really special to be able to have an impact on the game; I'll remember it forever."
Tabone said Hamler has the right mental framework to play wide receiver in St. Mary's offense.
"K.J.'s such a great guy," he said. "He's selfless. Whenever his number gets called, our eyes light up and we do our best to make a big play when we can."
The flashes of brilliance in the passing game added to a championship performance that was typical for St. Mary's — grind down the opponent with the running game and stifle it with defense.
Justin Myrick had 108 yards and two touchdowns on 20 carries, Troy Marks had 105 yards on 17 carries, Rashawn Allen had 55 yards on 13 carries, and Ryan Johnson had 22 yards on three carries to lead the balanced ground game.
"We have depth in our running backs, so if somebody gets hurt we can put in somebody else," said Myrick, who missed the Semifinal victory over East Grand Rapids with an injured hamstring.
Brandon Adams, who ran for the only touchdown in last year's championship victory, missed the game because of an injury sustained on his only carry in the Semifinal.
The Eaglets repeated as MHSAA champions for only the second time in 13 Finals appearances. They won back-to-back titles in 1999 and 2000, missing out on their three-peat bid in a 14-7 loss to Chesaning in 2001.
"At the beginning of the season, we were ranked No. 1 and all that good stuff," said junior linebacker Josh Ross, who had six tackles and an interception. "It was a lot of pressure. We had to come through it. We suffered a bad loss (31-8 to Warren DeLaSalle), which made us bond together as brothers. We came through all that adversity and won the state championship. I couldn't be prouder of our team."
It looked like St. Mary's might run away with it early. The Eaglets were leading 15-0 when they elected to go for a 33-yard field goal on fourth-and-inches from Chelsea's 17-yard line on their third possession. John Kwiecinski missed for only the second time in 10 field goal tries this season, opening the door for the Bulldogs (12-2) to get back in the game.
It took them only four plays to get into the end zone, as Graham Kuras took a reverse and heaved a 47-yard touchdown pass to Noah vanReesema with 8:22 left in the second quarter. Ralph Holley blocked the extra point, leaving the score at 15-6.
"That's our go-to trick play," Kuras said. "I was looking over for Noah. Usually, he's halfway across the field. This time, he wasn't. I was kind of lost on the play. I saw the safety get drawn up, so I knew he'd be open. I stepped up and threw it. I thought I overthrew it. I saw him step into second gear. That was probably one of the biggest plays in the game. Getting down 15-0 right away, we were kind of low on ourselves. Getting a score like that with the crowd behind us and boosting everyone's confidence was key to this game. Without that, it could've been much worse."
St. Mary's took that 15-6 lead into halftime, then expanded it to 22-6 on the 16-yard pass to Hamler following a shanked 11-yard punt.
Chelsea was held to only 13 yards rushing on 22 carries, but was able to do some damage through the air. A 14-yard touchdown pass from Jack Bush to Cameron Cooper with 5:07 left in the third quarter got the Bulldogs within 22-12. A 2-point pass that would've made it a one-possession margin was incomplete.
The response was a vintage St. Mary's drive, a 13-play, 80-yard march made up entirely of running plays. The Eaglets took 6:13 off the clock before Myrick scored on a 3-yard run to make it 29-12 with 8:44 left in the game.
The championship was within St. Mary's grasp once the defense came up with a big goal line stand on the following Chelsea drive. The Bulldogs had first-and-goal at the 3 but ended up with a turnover on downs with 5:39 left.
Chelsea would never touch the ball again, as St. Mary's ran out the final 5:39 with a 10-play, 48-yard drive.
"That's our football," Porritt said. "That last drive was big-time for us. The last drive and the defensive stop were our M.O. for the year. The defense has come up big in some goal line situations. Our offense running clock and having long sustained drives has been our football strategy all year."
Bush was 13 for 21 for 145 yards, one touchdown and one interception. He was sacked four times.
While St. Mary's is a regular visitor to the championship game, it was the first time Chelsea made it this far.
"As sad as it is to be over, I wouldn't want to end it anywhere else with any other guys or any other team," Kuras said. "It was the experience of a lifetime."
The MHSAA Football Finals are sponsored by the Michigan National Guard.
PHOTOS: (Top) K.J. Hamler beats the Chelsea defense for one of his two touchdowns Saturday. (Middle) The Eaglets celebrate their second straight Division 3 championship.
Drive for Detroit: Week 4 Preview
September 13, 2018
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
There are some magnificent comeback seasons unfolding across Michigan this football season.
Holton is 3-0 for the first time since 1999. Leroy Pine River won one game a year ago and is 3-0 for the first time since 2004. We highlight two more 3-0 teams below in Battle Creek Central and Kingsley with similar stories to celebrate – and also big tests this week as we edge closer to the midpoint of the regular season.
Games below are tonight unless noted. Check out the MHSAA Score Center for the full schedule and results as games are completed. MHSAA.tv will broadcast 14 games tonight, including four noted below. Our “Drive for Detroit” previews are powered by MI Student Aid.
Bay & Thumb
Elkton-Pigeon-Bay Port Laker (3-0) at Cass City (2-1)
Laker’s only single-digit regular-season win in 2017 came against Cass City, a 20-14 victory in Week 5 that eventually earned the Lakers the Greater Thumb Conference West championship. They went on to also defeat Cass City 18-14 in a Division 7 District Final – so the Red Hawks no doubt will be amped even more, if possible, as they look to break a nine-game losing streak against their neighbor from the north.
Others that caught my eye: FRIDAY Flint Powers Catholic (2-1) at Davison (3-0), Grand Blanc (3-0) at Flint Carman-Ainsworth (2-1), Croswell-Lexington (3-0) at Richmond (2-1), Carson City-Crystal (3-0) at Merrill (2-1).
Greater Detroit
Marine City (3-0) at Madison Heights Madison (3-0)
Paced by standout quarterback Austin Brown, Madison has outscored its first three opponents by a combined 116-27 in adding to a 15-game regular-season winning streak. The Eagles edged Marine City 28-24 a year ago on the way to winning the Macomb Area Conference Silver title, but the Mariners have been similarly dominant this fall outscoring opponents by a combined 122-37 – including 34-20 over an improved St. Clair Shores South Lake.
Others that caught my eye: FRIDAY Eastpointe (2-1) at Warren Woods-Tower (3-0), Walled Lake Western (2-1) at Waterford Mott (3-0), Dearborn Fordson (3-0) at Livonia Churchill (2-1), Birmingham Brother Rice (3-0) at Warren DeLaSalle (2-1).
Mid-Michigan
Lake Odessa Lakewood (2-1) at Perry (2-1)
The Perry playoff watch has been on again the last few seasons as the Ramblers have finished 5-4 in 2016 and 4-5 last fall while in pursuit of their first postseason berth. Both Perry wins this season came against programs that had winning records a year ago – but the Ramblers are 0-4 against Lakewood since the formation of the Greater Lansing Activities Conference in 2014. The Vikings have never finished lower than second in the league and won it twice.
Others that caught my eye: FRIDAY Holt (1-2) at DeWitt (2-1), Fowlerville (2-1) at Haslett (3-0), Reed City (3-0) at Howard City Tri-County (2-1), Hemlock (2-1) at St. Louis (3-0).
Northern Lower Peninsula
Kingsley (3-0) at Traverse City St. Francis (3-0), Saturday
Kingsley has rebounded from 1-8 by beating two 2017 playoff teams in three games under former-now-new coach Tim Wooer, who returned this fall after a decade at Traverse City West. But this weekend will provide a different level of barometer for the Stags’ rejuvenation. St. Francis has yet to be tested, winning its three games by an average of 38 points per.
Others that caught my eye: FRIDAY Benzie Central (2-1) at Elk Rapids (3-0), Manton (3-0) at Lake City (3-0), Clare (3-0) at Roscommon (2-1), Traverse City West (1-2) vs. Traverse City Central (3-0) at Thirlby Field.
Southeast & Border
Riverview (2-1) at Milan (3-0)
Milan’s work over the last six seasons and beginning of this one is impressive: a 50-17 record with five playoff berths and three Huron League championships. But Riverview took the spotlight last season with the Huron title, 11 wins and a trip to the Division 3 Semifinals. Will Milan take it back this weekend? Senior running back Hunter Aeschbacker ran for 197 yards in a 26-21 Week 2 victory over Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central and has 342 rushing yards total to go with more than 1,200 a year ago. Riverview was tripped up last week by the Falcons, 20-6.
Others that caught my eye: FRIDAY Brooklyn Columbia Central (3-0) at Blissfield (2-1), Dundee (3-0) at Ida (2-1), Whitmore Lake (2-1) at Ottawa Lake Whiteford (3-0), Chelsea (3-0) at Ypsilanti Lincoln (2-1).
Southwest Corridor
Portage Central (2-1) at Battle Creek Central (3-0)
Battle Creek Central’s best start since 2003 has drawn statewide attention, but Portage Central might be the biggest test yet. The Mustangs are coming off a one-point win on the road over rival Portage Northern and own a sizable victory over Richland Gull Lake, which the Bearcats beat by just a point. Regardless of what happens tonight, both teams could end up as league champions in the Southwestern Michigan Athletic Conference – Battle Creek Central plays in the East and Portage Central in the West.
Others that caught my eye: FRIDAY Edwardsburg (3-0) at Dowagiac (2-1), East Lansing (3-0) at Portage Northern (2-1), Saugatuck (3-0) at Schoolcraft (2-1), St. Joseph (2-1) at Stevensville Lakeshore (1-2).
Upper Peninsula
Calumet (3-0) at Iron River West Iron County (3-0)
Calumet earned some valuable close-game experience with last week’s 14-12 win over Ishpeming Westwood, and now will get a look at the Wykons – who just missed making the Division 8 championship game a year ago. Having opened against three opponents with a combined 1-8 record, West Iron will be facing its toughest challenge since that three-point Semifinal loss to Saginaw Nouvel last fall – but did down Calumet 53-20 a year ago.
Others that caught my eye: FRIDAY Gwinn (3-0) at Hancock (2-1), Ishpeming (3-0) at Ishpeming Westwood (2-1), Johannesburg-Lewiston (2-1) at St. Ignace (2-1), Iron Mountain (2-1) at Norway (2-1).
West Michigan
Whitehall (3-0) at Muskegon Oakridge (3-0)
Whitehall’s 28-14 win over Oakridge a year ago was a headline grabber – the Vikings hadn’t come out on top in this matchup since 1999. They fell short in their West Michigan Conference title pursuit thanks to a two-point loss to Montague the next week – but this is lining up as a similar opportunity except this time Whitehall is undefeated heading in. After scoring 50 or more points three times last season, Oakridge has done so in every game so far – but numbers are relative as tonight’s game will be the toughest challenge for both teams to date.
Others that caught my eye: FRIDAY Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern (2-1) at Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central (1-2), Grand Rapids Christian (2-1) at Grand Rapids West Catholic (1-2), East Kentwood (2-1) at Holland West Ottawa (3-0), Muskegon Mona Shores (3-0) at Rockford (1-2).
8-Player
AuGres-Sims (3-0) at Hillman (3-0)
The longtime North Star League foes made the jump together this fall into 8-player football. So far, so good – but Hillman surely hopes the move also includes the end of a two-game losing skid against the Wolverines, who are carrying an 11-game regular-season winning streak. They also haven’t given up a point since opening night – or faced an opponent with a win this season. Hillman’s early competition has been stronger, and things will get tougher after this for both as Onaway (2-1) and Posen (3-0) are among opponents left on both teams’ league schedules.
Others that caught my eye: FRIDAY Bellevue (2-1) at Camden-Frontier (3-0), Onekama (3-0) at Fife Lake Forest Area (2-1), Suttons Bay (3-0) at Wyoming Tri-unity Christian (3-0), Rapid River (2-1) at Pickford (3-0).
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: Howard City Tri-County picks up yardage during last week’s win against Remus Chippewa Hills; Tri-County has a key matchup this week with Reed City. (Click to see more from HighSchoolSportsScene.com.)