Football Finals to Re-Air Christmas Day
December 19, 2017
By John Johnson
MHSAA Director of Broadcast Properties
High school football fans will have eight presents under the tree Christmas Day – courtesy of FOX Sports Detroit when it re-airs the championship games from the 2017 MHSAA 11-Player Football Playoffs – presented by the Michigan Army National Guard.
Here’s the complete schedule:
Dec. 25
8 a.m. – Division 8 – Ottawa Lake Whiteford 42, Saginaw Nouvel 21 – The Wildcats were not to be denied this time at Ford Field, roaring to a 34-7 halftime lead. Quarterback Thomas Eitniear ran for three touchdowns.
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10 a.m. – Division 2 – Warren DeLaSalle 41, Livonia Franklin 6 – The Pilots scored 31 points in the second quarter en route to the win. Luke Pfromm three two TD passes.
***Watch & Buy DVD @ MHSAA.tv - Listen & Buy Instant Audio Download @ MHSAANetwork.com
Noon – Division 6 – Jackson Lumen Christi 40, Ithaca 34 – Sebastion Toland and Kyle Minder combine for 450 yards rushing to lead the Titans.
***Watch & Buy DVD @ MHSAA.tv - Listen & Buy Instant Audio Download @ MHSAANetwork.com
2 p.m. – Division 4 - Grand Rapids Catholic Central 42, Edwardsburg 31 – An offense-lovers’ paradise – six touchdowns of 50 or more yards between the two teams, and CC’s Nolan Fugate just missed a Finals game rushing record with 306 yards and four scores.
***Watch & Buy DVD @ MHSAA.tv - Listen & Buy Instant Audio Download @ MHSAANetwork.com
4 p.m. – Division 7 – Pewamo-Westphalia 21, Saugatuck 0 - Not a fancy win – just a dominant one. PW’s Pirates were in control of this one from the get-go, scoring on three of their four first-half possessions.
***Watch & Buy DVD @ MHSAA.tv - Listen & Buy Instant Audio Download @ MHSAANetwork.com
6 p.m. – Division 1 – Clarkston 3, West Bloomfield 2 - A Jermaine Roemer 30-yard field goal proved to be the game-winner in the second-lowest scoring Final game of all time.
***Watch & Buy DVD @ MHSAA.tv - Listen & Buy Instant Audio Download @ MHSAANetwork.com
8 p.m. – Division 5 – Grand Rapids West Catholic 34, Saginaw Swan Valley 7 - Gaetano Vallone led the way again for the Falcons, passing for two touchdowns and running for a third.
***Watch & Buy DVD @ MHSAA.tv - Listen & Buy Instant Audio Download @ MHSAANetwork.com
10 p.m. – Division 3 – Muskegon 28, Farmington Hills Harrison 10 – The winningest high school program in Michigan football history against the winningest coach of all time made for an entertaining finale for the weekend. La’Darius Jefferson scored all of the Big Reds’ touchdowns in this one.
***Watch & Buy DVD @ MHSAA.tv - Listen & Buy Instant Audio Download @ MHSAANetwork.com
DVDs are $24.95, and Instant Audio Downloads are $4.99.
***NOTE – As of Dec. 18, only the Div. 8 Final game was available on DVD. Check the individual event above occasionally to look for the addition of the blue GET DVD button to purchase a video.
Things are winding down for the holidays on MHSAA.tv with School Broadcast Program members heading into a break.
In its ninth year, the School Broadcast Program gives members an opportunity to showcase excellence in their schools by creating video programming of athletic and non-athletic events, with students gaining skills in announcing, camera operation, directing/producing and graphics. Pixellot – the NFHS Network’s automated streaming solution - is used by schools that wish to live stream games but lack the ability to staff the events. The program also gives schools the opportunity to raise money through advertising and viewing subscriptions.
Here’s this week’s MHSAA.tv schedule of video streams being produced by SBP members:
Monday – Dec. 18
Freshman Boys Basketball – Saginaw Swan Valley at Freeland - 4:30 p.m.
JV Boys Basketball - Ontonagon at Calumet - 5:45 p.m.
JV Boys Basketball – Saginaw Swan Valley at Freeland - 6 p.m.
JV Boys Basketball - Coleman at Harrison - 6 p.m.
JV Boys Basketball – Bark River-Harris at Norway - 6:30 p.m.
Boys Basketball - Baraga at Lake Linden-Hubbell - 7:00 p.m.
Boys Basketball - Ontonagon at Calumet - 7:15 p.m.
JV Girls Basketball – Saginaw Swan Valley at Freeland - 7:30 p.m.
Boys Basketball - Coleman at Harrison - 7:30 p.m.
Boys Basketball – Bark River-Harris at Norway - 8 p.m.
Tuesday – Dec. 19
Freshman Boys Basketball - Burton Atherton at Otisville-Lakeville - 4 p.m.
Freshman Girls Basketball – Battle Creek Lakeview at Plainwell - 4:15 p.m.
Girls Basketball - New Lothrop at Montrose - 5:30 p.m.
JV Girls Basketball - Grand Blanc at Novi - 5:30 p.m.
JV Girls Basketball – Muskegon Orchard View at Fremont - 5:30 p.m.
JV Boys Basketball - Burton Atherton at Otisville-Lakeville - 5:30 p.m.
JV Boys Basketball - Baraga at Calumet - 5:45 p.m.
JV Girls Basketball – Battle Creek Lakeview at Plainwell - 5:45 p.m.
Boys Basketball - Burton Atherton at Otisville-Lakeville - 7 p.m.
Girls Basketball – Lincoln Alcona at Alpena - 7 p.m.
Boys Basketball - Davison at Lake Orion - 7 p.m.
Girls Basketball - Grand Blanc at Novi - 7 p.m.
Boys Basketball - Haslett at Fowlerville - 7 p.m.
Boys Basketball - New Lothrop at Montrose - 7 p.m.
Girls Basketball – Muskegon Orchard View at Fremont - 7 p.m.
Girls Basketball – Battle Creek Lakeview at Plainwell - 7:15 p.m.
Boys Basketball - Baraga at Calumet - 7:15 p.m.
Wednesday – Dec. 20
Swimming & Diving - Marquette - 3:30 p.m.
Freshman Girls Basketball – Saginaw Heritage at Freeland - 4:30 p.m.
Wrestling – OK Quad - 5 p.m.
Wrestling - Vicksburg at Plainwell - 5:30 p.m.
Boys Ice Hockey – Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood at Birmingham Brother Rice - 5:45 p.m.
JV Girls Basketball – Saginaw Heritage at Freeland - 6 p.m.
Boys Ice Hockey - Petoskey at Alpena - 7 p.m.
Girls Basketball – Saginaw Heritage at Freeland - 7:30 p.m.
Thursday – Dec. 21
Freshman Boys Basketball - Gladwin at Harrison - 4:30 p.m.
Freshman Boys Basketball - Bay City at Freeland - 4:30 p.m.
Girls Basketball - Webberville at Montrose - 5:30 p.m.
JV Girls Basketball - Brighton at Novi - 5:30 p.m.
JV Girls Basketball - L'Anse at Calumet - 5:45 p.m.
JV Boys Basketball - Gladwin at Harrison - 6:00 p.m.
JV Boys Basketball - Bay City at Freeland - 6:00 p.m.
JV Boys Basketball – Powers North Central at Norway - 6:30 p.m.
Girls Basketball - Brighton at Novi - 7:00 p.m.
Boys Basketball - Webberville at Montrose - 7:00 p.m.
Girls Basketball - Kingsford at Marquette - 7:15 p.m.
Girls Basketball - L'Anse at Calumet - 7:15 p.m.
Boys Basketball - Bay City at Freeland - 7:30 p.m.
Boys Basketball - Gladwin at Harrison - 7:30 p.m.
Boys Ice Hockey - Rochester at Lake Orion - 7:45 p.m.
Boys Basketball – Powers North Central at Norway - 8:00 p.m.
Friday – Dec. 22
Freshman Boys Basketball - Zeeland West at Comstock Park - 4 p.m.
JV Boys Basketball - Zeeland West at Comstock Park - 5:30 p.m.
Boys Basketball - Zeeland West at Comstock Park - 7 p.m.
Boys Ice Hockey - Traverse City at Alpena - 7 p.m.
Thursday – Dec. 28
Varsity Wrestling - Hemlock at Freeland – 9 a.m.
Varsity Wrestling - Montrose - 12 p.m.
Friday – Dec. 29
Girls Basketball - Marquette - 7 p.m.
Boys Ice Hockey - Escanaba at Alpena - 7 p.m.
Boys Ice Hockey - Sault Ste. Marie at Marquette - 8 p.m.
Saturday – Dec. 30
Varsity Boys Ice Hockey - Escanaba at Alpena 1 p.m.
Varsity Boys Ice Hockey - Saline at Marquette 3 p.m.
Tuesday – Jan. 2, 2018
Girls Basketball - Otisville-Lakeville at Montrose - 5:30 p.m.
JV Boys Basketball - Chassell at Dollar Bay - 5:45 p.m.
Hoops on Film: 1961 Class D Boys Final
July 27, 2015
By John Johnson
MHSAA communications director
A battle of undefeated teams from schools both no longer in existence is highlighted this week as part of MHSAA.tv’s Hoops On Film Series.
From the late 1940’s to the mid 1970’s the Michigan High School Athletic Association shot portions of the action at its boys and girls 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 post-game 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. DVD’s may be purchased directly from the MHSAA.tv Website – just click the Get DVD button below the player.
Here’s a look at this week’s game, with recap courtesy of MHSAA historian Ron Pesch:
Marquette Pierce 68, Freesoil 61 – 1961 Class D Boys Final - After 35 years as a coach in the Upper Peninsula, Vic Hurst was rewarded with his first MHSAA title as Marquette Pierce downed a determined Freesoil squad, 68-61, in a Class D battle of the undefeated. Dave Benson led the Warriors with 17 points, while teammates Dennis DeMerse and the Laurich brothers – Conrad and Larry – each added 15. The matchup came after each school's first Regional crown and ended up the only time either school would ever reach the Finals. Pierce would close after the 1961 season, and its only other Regional appearances came back-to-back in 1955 and 1956. Freesoil would win four more Regional titles during its history – three consecutive form 1966-68. The high school closed after the 2006-07 school year and was absorbed into the Mason County Eastern school district.
Previous releases:
1958 Class A Boys Final: Detroit Austin 71, Benton Harbor 68 - Watch
1976 Class D Girls Final: Lake City 58, Perkins 48 - Watch
1971 Class A Boys Final: Flint Northern 79, Detroit Kettering 78 - Watch
1954 Class A Boys Final: Muskegon Heights 43, Flint Northern 41 (OT) - Watch
1973 Class C Boys Final: Detroit East Catholic 50, Saginaw St. Stephen 49 - Watch