Wounded Warrior Project: DeWitt vs Portland
December 16, 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.
This Week in High School Sports: 3/5/25
By
Jon Ross
MHSAA Director of Broadcast Properties
March 5, 2025
In this week's edition, we review recent MHSAA championship events for skiing, team wrestling and competitive cheer and award Game Balls to three four-time champions from the Individual Wrestling Finals.
The 5-minute program each week includes feature stories from MHSAA.com or network affiliates, along with "Be the Referee," a 60-second look at the fine art of officiating.
"This Week in High School Sports" is powered by MI Student Aid, a division within the Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential (MiLEAP).
Listen to this week's show by Clicking Here.
Previous 2024-25 Editions
Feb. 19: Antonio Gates selected to NFL Hall of Fame, Scholar-Athlete Award details - Listen
Feb. 12: MHSAA officials in Super Bowls, Ice Hockey Tournament primer - Listen
Feb. 5: MHSAA Tournament broadcasts, growth of girls sports in Michigan - Listen
Jan. 29: 2024-25 Scholar-Athlete Award finalists, 1958 Hall of Fame matchup - Listen
Jan. 22: Salem legend Dena Head, MHSAA's Sam Davis selected to Wrestling Hall of Fame - Listen
Jan. 15: MHSAA.com history, officials recruitment news - Listen
Jan. 8: MHSAA Basketball Tournament schedule, 2023-24 attendance report - Listen
Dec. 18: Ice Hockey season underway, Representative Council presidential succession - Listen
Dec. 11: 2024-25 MHSAA Winter Tournament schedule, inaugural girls wrestling team title - Listen
Dec. 4: 11-Player Football Finals review - Listen
Nov. 27: 8-Player Football Finals review, 1975 Football Finals recollection - Listen
Nov. 20: 8-Player Football Finals history, Southwest 10 Conference Legacy officials - Listen
Nov. 13: "Flashback 100" series, flashback to Escanaba's football championship - Listen
Nov. 6: Boys Soccer Finals, Lower Peninsula Cross Country Finals review - Listen
Oct. 30: 2024 Football Playoffs, Lower Peninsula Boys Tennis Finals review - Listen
Oct. 23: Lower Peninsula Girls Golf Finals, Upper Peninsula Cross Country Finals reviews - Listen
Oct. 16: MHSAA Football Playoffs primer, MHSAA/Farm Bureau Scholar-Athlete Awards - Listen
Oct. 9: National High School Hall of Fame, Upper Peninsula Girls Tennis Finals - Listen
Oct. 2: MHSAA record book, 2024 Boys Soccer Tournament schedule - Listen
Sept. 25: NFHS Network streaming, DeWitt's high-scoring football matchup - Listen
Sept. 18: Cheboygan broadcaster Mike Grisdale, Michigan's national participation ranking - Listen
Sept. 11: MHSAA baseball stars in MLB, 2024 Boys Soccer Tournament - Listen
Sept. 5: Highlighting MHSAA record setters, 50th Football Playoffs - Listen
Aug. 28: MHSAA Summer Olympians, "Century of School Sports" celebration - Listen