Football Classics Featured Friday on FOX
June 4, 2020
By John Johnson
MHSAA Director of Broadcast Properties
FOX Sports Detroit on Friday will air a series of “Classic” games from the MHSAA Football Finals, including the longest game in Finals history.
Here’s the complete schedule:
Noon - 1998 Class AA Final: Detroit Catholic Central vs. Rockford – Catholic Central repeats in Class AA with a 27-23 victory. Rockford took a 23-14 lead into the fourth quarter before the Shamrocks got a nine-yard touchdown run from Casey Rogowski on the first play of the segment. With 5:04 to play, a 70-yard pass play from Dave Lusky to Derek Anderson scored the winning points.
2:30 p.m. - 2000 Division 1 Final: Grand Ledge vs. Utica Eisenhower – One of the most dramatic finishes in the history of the Finals, as Grand Ledge scores twice in the final minute to capture the Division 1 title, 19-14. The Comets drove 80 yards in eight plays, capped by a five-yard scoring run by quarterback Matt Bohnet with 53 seconds to go, but failed on the two-point conversion which would have given them the lead. Grand Ledge recovered the ensuing onside kick, and two plays later, Bohnet hit Tim George with a 45-yard touchdown pass with 22 ticks left on the clock for the game winner.
4:30 p.m. - 2006 Division 2 Final: Muskegon vs. Warren De La Salle Collegiate – These two teams went back and forth, with the fourth lead change going Muskegon’s way en route to a 32-30 win for the Big Reds. Ronald Johnson opened the scoring for Muskegon by returning a De La Salle fumble 36 yards for a touchdown in the first quarter, and then delivered the winning blow on the first play of the fourth quarter, catching a Chris Crawford pass for a 47-yard scoring play. Crawford rushed for 228 yards and passed for 137.
7 p.m. - 2007 Division 3 Final: East Grand Rapids vs. Orchard Lake St. Mary’s – After ending regulation tied at 14-14, these two teams went for five overtimes before East emerged as a 46-39 winner. During regulation, Joe Glendening scored twice on runs of 68 and eight yards; and in overtime, he scored in the fourth and fifth extra periods.
Some portions of the games may be edited out due to time constraints.
Hoops on Film: 1954 Class A Boys Final
July 2, 2015
By John Johnson
MHSAA communications director
This week's installment of MHSAA.tv's Hoops on Film series features the first championship victory for one of Michigan's most accomplished boys basketball programs.
This is the second of 10 games being brought back to MHSAA.tv this summer. From the late 1940’s to the mid 1970’s the Michigan High School Athletic Association shot portions of the action at its basketball finals on 16mm film. The films were loaned out, primarily to the participating schools, to help them relive the moments of playing in a championship game.
While many of the old films have wandered astray over time, about 60 games still exist in the MHSAA archives. Anyone in possession of such a film is encouraged to contact John Johnson at the MHSAA Office ([email protected]) to discuss having the film converted to a digital format.
Some of the films only have portions of the second half and the postgame awards; some have most of the action. None of the films have sound. They range in length from 10 minutes to about an hour. A new film will be posted online each Monday through the week of August 17.
The game recap below is courtesy of MHSAA Historian Ron Pesch of Muskegon.
Muskegon Heights 43, Flint Northern 41 (OT) – 1954 Class A Boys Final - After three visits to the MHSAA Semifinals, Muskegon Heights grabbed its first-ever title with a 43-41 overtime win over Flint Northern at Jenison Field House in East Lansing. Tied at 41-41 at the end of regulation, the Vikings opted to hold the ball for nearly three minutes of the extra period, after the Tigers missed two shots following the opening tip-off. But as Vikings guard Bob Failing drove in for the final shot, he was called for a charging foul. Under the rules of the time, Murt Johnson of the Heights stepped to the line, and calmly sank two free throws for the only points of OT. Future University of Michigan star M.C. Burton scored 22 points to pace the Heights.
Previous releases:
1973 Class C Boys Final: Detroit East Catholic 50, Saginaw St. Stephen 49 - Watch