(VIDEO) Wounded Warrior Project: DeWitt vs Portland
October 13, 2011
DEWITT -- The meeting of two state-ranked teams always will ratchet up a typical football night. Both communities, naturally, want to see which is better on the field.
But during the hour before the opening kickoff Oct. 14 of DeWitt’s game against Portland, those teams and their supporters together recognized a grander cause. The night was dedicated to the Wounded Warrior Project, which aids U.S. soldiers (and their families) who have suffered service-related injuries and illnesses.
Rain washed out some planned attractions, but the evening certainly was memorable. Both teams wore camouflage jerseys and each sent its captains to the pre-game coin toss with an honorary captain representing the military. A number of other service personnel were involved – including a local color guard that presented a 30-foot flag for the national anthem.
It’s understandable if people’s visions of wars and our military are focused an ocean away. But connections hit close to home. DeWitt’s honorary captain, Lansing’s U.S. Army Spc. Jacob Shumway, recently returned from a deployment and has been in the service for two and a half years. He’s a 2003 Lansing Everett graduate, and his mother Susan Land is the principal at Lansing Eastern. His cousins Ethan and Collin Rennaker start for DeWitt, and he walked alongside them for the pregame flip. Shumway plans to attend Lansing Community College and study digital graphic design.
Both teams are considered contenders for their respective state titles next month; DeWitt is ranked No. 7 in Division 3, while Portland is No. 4 in Division 5. And they played like it – Portland prevailed 22-20 in overtime.
A great game, no question. But similarly significant was a preliminary figure of more than $11,000 raised for the WWP.
For more about the Wounded Warrior Project visit http://www.woundedwarriorproject.org.
Highlight Reel: Saturday Football Finals
November 28, 2015
By John Johnson
MHSAA Communications Director
The 2015 Fall sports season concluded Saturday (Nov. 28), with four more champions crowned at the 11-Player Football Finals – presented by the Michigan Army National Guard – at Ford Field in Detroit.
Below are highlight clips from every game plus links to watch them in full.
Division 7
Ishpeming 22, Pewamo-Westphalia 16
Smith’s Record Setter – Pewamo Westphalia scored first on this 25-yard run by Jared Smith, his 53rd of the season, a new MHSAA record. He also set a record in 2015 for single-single rushing yardage with 3,243 yards.
Ozzy Does It All – After scoring all three of his team's touchdowns, Ishpeming's Ozzy Corp makes the defensive play of the game by batting away a fourth-down pass in the end zone.
Watch the whole game and order DVDs by Clicking Here.
Division 1
Romeo 41, Detroit Cass Tech 27
Tanner Breaks Free For TD – Romeo's Bradley Tanner rushed for 130 yards and three TDs in the Division 1 Final against Detroit Cass Tech. Here's his second score, in the second quarter.
Cass Tech Gets Back In The Game – Detroit Cass Tech pulls within a score of Romeo midway through the fourth quarter on this 36-yard pass from Aaron Jackson to Donovan People-Jones.
Watch the whole game and order DVDs by Clicking Here.
Division 5
Grand Rapids West Catholic 40, River Rouge 34
Fox On The Run – David Fox rushed for 152 yards and three touchdowns to lead Grand Rapids West Catholic in its Division 5 Final with River Rouge. Here’s the first of those scoring plays – a 64-yard run at the end of the first quarter.
Burgess TD Pass to Vinson – River Rouge QB Antoine Burgess passed for 354 yards and three TDs in the Division 5 Final against Grand Rapids West Catholic. Here’s a third-quarter pass that went 63 yards for a score to Aaron Vinson, who had 162 yards receiving in the game.
Watch the whole game and order DVDs by Clicking Here.
Division 3
Orchard Lake St. Mary’s 29, Chelsea 12
Tabone & Hamler Team Up For Eaglets – The combination of QB Brendan Tabone and WR Kahlee Hamler connected for two TDs in Orchard Lake St. Mary’s Division 3 Final against Chelsea. Here’s the first score in the opening period.
Bulldog Trickery – Chelsea got on the board in the second quarter on a halfback pass covering 47 yards from Graham Kuras to Noah Vanreesema.
Watch the whole game and order DVDs by Clicking Here.
The MHSAA Football Finals are sponsored by the Michigan National Guard.
PHOTO: Romeo's Bradley Tanner makes a move toward the end zone during the Division 1 Final as teammate Paul Hurley appears to signal the touchdown to come.