Cass Tech Continues to Inspire
April 13, 2012
The Detroit Cass Tech football team was one of the most-celebrated champions from the 2011 MHSAA Football Finals after winning its first title with a convincing 49-13 victory over Detroit Catholic Central.
The Technicians will be honored again later this month with the Inspiring Story/Event Award from the Governor's Council on Physical Fitness, Health and Sports and the Michigan Fitness Foundation.
The Governor's Fitness Awards annually recognize individuals, public officials and organizations committed to healthy living. The Inspiring Story Award is a special recognition given this season in honor of the Technicians, who entered the postseason unranked and also added to the victory's mystique by walking to Ford Field instead of busing in from the school's campus less than a mile away.
Cass Tech will be honored at the annual banquet April 26 at Ford Field. Click for additional details.
PHOTO courtesy of Terry McNamara Photography.
Moment: Montague, Kater Air it Out
October 1, 2020
By John Johnson
MHSAA Director of Broadcast Properties
A lot of people say in any sport that there’s a play, or a sequence of plays, that swings a game – that locks down the outcome.
You might be able to define “swing” with a defensive red zone stop and the longest pass play in MHSAA Football Finals history during the 2008 Division 6 championship game.
Montague quarterback Cody Kater found Anthony Root down the right sideline for a pitch and catch that went for 98 yards and squashed a potential comeback by Leslie in a 41-20 win for the Panthers at Ford Field.
The swing began just three plays earlier, when the Montague defense stopped Leslie on downs deep in its own territory with about four minutes to play in the first half. The Blackhawks were knocking on the door, looking to cut into a 21-6 lead when a 4th-and-goal pass fell incomplete.
The Panthers were backed up, but they didn’t back down.
“They thought they had us and, boom, we’re 98 yards the other way,” Kater said to the Detroit Free Press. “I think the ball had even gotten tipped a little bit, but Anthony made a great play.” The pair had already connected for a 46-yard scoring pass in the first quarter.
Montague continued the swing moments later with a pass interception by Jordan Degen with a minute to play that led to a TD run by A.J. LaRue, which gave the Wildcats a 35-6 halftime lead.
Kater was an efficient 4 of 6 passing for 175 yards in the game, while Root accounted for 144 of that total with his two scoring catches. The Wildcats defense forced four turnovers.
PHOTO: Montague's Cody Kater launches a pass from his team's end zone in 2008 that turned into a 98-yard reception, the longest in MHSAA Finals history.