Flashback: Traverse City Does It All
June 30, 2016
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
A fine performance by the Traverse City High football team in all facets of the game led to the 1988 Class A title win over Detroit Catholic Central – this week's "80's Finals Flashback" on MHSAA.tv.
Great game-winning shots, monumental comebacks and late-game touchdown drives will be featured for nine weeks this summer as part of the Flashbacks series. See the link below for last week's installment, and click to watch this week's on MHSAA.tv.
This week's game: Traverse City 24, Detroit Catholic Central 14 – 1988 Class A Football Final - In Class A, Traverse City notched a 24-14 win over Detroit Catholic Central. The Trojans took the opening kick and drove 80 yards on 20 plays en route to their first touchdown of the day. A 46-yard field goal by Josh Wuerfel, breaking the championship game record of 42 yards by Jeff Fisher of Ann Arbor Pioneer in 1984, gave TC a 10-0 lead at halftime. The Shamrocks cut the lead to 10-7 late in the third quarter on a 3-yard run by Dave Owens. However, a pair of fourth quarter interceptions by Trojan linebacker Andy Baillie set up Traverse City TDs. Mike Nadlicki paced the winners with 85 yards on 27 carries and two touchdowns.
Previous Flashbacks
June 28: Saginaw Buena Vista 33, Flint Beecher 32 – 1986 Class B Boys Basketball Final - Watch
More Football Classic on FOX Sports Detroit
July 7, 2020
By John Johnson
MHSAA Director of Broadcast Properties
Another series of MHSAA Football Finals “Classics” will be shown on FOX Sports Detroit on Friday.
Here’s the complete schedule:
Noon – 2012 Division 1 Final: Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice vs. Muskegon – A wild fourth quarter ended with Brother Rice scoring on a 91-yard gadget kick return by Jason Alessi to claim a 35-28 win. With the score tied at 21-21, Rice scored on a 77 yard flea-flicker pass from Alex Malzone to Corey Lacanaria. The Big Reds returned the favor just three plays later with Deshaun Thrower hitting Keondre Craig on a 51-yard scoring play to set the stage for the ensuing kickoff and the win for the Warriors.
2:30 p.m. – 2012 Division 3 Final: Grand Rapids Christian vs. Orchard Lake St. Mary’s – This game had three lead changes during the final period before Christian’s Joel Schipper sent it to overtime at 37-37 with a 28-yard field goal with four seconds left in regulation. When St. Mary’s failed in overtime, Schipper came right back out and nailed a 27-yard kick for the 40-37 victory. Key was the play of Drake Harris, who had eight catches for a Finals-record 243 yards and one score.
5:30 p.m. – 2015 Division 2 Final: Detroit Martin Luther King vs. Lowell – In the only MHSAA Football Final decided as time expires, Armani Posey’s 40-yard Hail Mary pass was caught in the end zone by Donnie Corley to give King a 40-38 victory. Posey directed the Crusaders 95 yards in six plays over 37 seconds during the game-winning drive. Lowell led all the way until the final snap, with Max Dean scoring three times and Ryan Stevens scoring once. Posey completed 19 of 27 passes in the game with no INTs and five touchdowns – two to Corley and two to Lavert Hill.
8 p.m. - 2018 Division 1 Final: Clinton Township Chippewa Valley vs. Clarkston – It all came down to a 2-point conversion attempt by Clarkston which was foiled by the Chippewa Valley defense in this thriller. The Wolves pulled to within a point at 31-30 with 23 seconds to play when Matt Miller took in a seven-yard scoring pass from Jake Jenson; Clarkston decided to go for the win. Chippewa Valley QB Tommy Schuster was a perfect 14-for-14 passing for 209 yards and two touchdowns.
Some portions of the games may be edited out due to time constraints.