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Drive for Detroit: Semifinals Preview
November 18, 2016
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Ford Field is only one more win away for 32 teams playing in MHSAA Semifinals on Saturday.
Five of eight reigning champions are playing to get back. Twice as many teams are playing to reach the final round for the first time.
Below is a look at all 16 Semifinal games, powered by MI Student Aid. All games will be broadcast, four on FoxSportsDetroit.com and 12 on MHSAA.tv; click for the schedule. And stay connected all Saturday for scores as they come in on MHSAA.com.
Division 1
Romeo (9-3) vs. Detroit Catholic Central (12-0) at Howell Parker Middle School
Reigning Division 1 champion Romeo seemed out of the running for a return run with two losses over the first five weeks (although by just a combined three points) and then a big one in Week 8 to Macomb Dakota. But a defense that has given up more than 16 points only once since opening night has given up just 17 total over three playoff games. Leading rusher and receiver Kade Messner (617 yards/6 TDs rushing, 229 yards/1 TD receiving) averages 10 yards per carry. DCC fell to Romeo in a Regional Final last year, 40-29, but has churned out a perfect season to earn a rematch, with senior Nick Capatina (996 yards/13 TDs rushing) and junior Cameron Ryan (748/14) carrying a good chunk of the load.
Utica Eisenhower (12-0) vs. Detroit Cass Tech (12-0) at Troy Athens
The Eagles are making their first Semifinal appearance since 2011, when they fell to Cass Tech 6-3, and already have secured their winningest season since 2003. Junior quarterback Max Wittwer (1,574 yards/19 TDs passing, 768 yards/8 TDs rushing) and senior running back Jack Provencher (1,434 yards/24 TDs rushing) make it impossible for defenses to stack in trying to stop an offense that has scored at least 42 points in every playoff game. Cass Tech is more familiar with this round than most; this will be its seventh straight Semifinal. The Technicians feature some of the best-known playmakers in the state, including senior quarterback Rodney Hall (2,125 yards/22 TDs passing) and senior receiver Donovan People-Jones (889 yards/15 TDs receiving).
Division 2
Walled Lake Western (11-1) vs. Lowell (12-0) at Brighton
This is a rematch of a 2015 Semifinal won by Lowell 49-34 – and the Red Arrows also beat Western 42-35 in a 2011 Semifinal. The Warriors reaching their first MHSAA championship game since 1999 likely will rest in part on the arm of senior quarterback Johnny Tracy (2,050 yards/23 TDs passing) and senior receivers Kameron Ford (1,013 yards/12 TDs receiving) and Cody White (669 yards/9 TDs receiving, 443 yards/6 TDs rushing). Lowell also follows a talented quarterback, junior David Kruse (1,573 yards/8 TDs passing, 1,438 yards/23 TDs rushing), and his leading running back, senior Nate Stephens (1,402 yards/21 TDs.). And trust the Red Arrows are extra motivated to get back to Ford Field after watching last season’s title slip away to Detroit Martin Luther King on the final play of the game.
Birmingham Groves (11-1) vs. Detroit Martin Luther King (10-2) at Dearborn
The reigning champion Crusaders have lost only to Division 1 semifinalist Detroit Cass Tech, twice, and are playing in their fourth Semifinal in six seasons. After the sudden death of coach Dale Harvel in July, King has rallied behind new coach Ty Spencer and followed sophomore quarterback Dequan Finn (1,986 yards/33 TDs passing) with major contributions by senior running back Kevin Willis (1,003 yards/13 TDs rushing) and senior receiver Ambry Thomas (766 yards/13 TDs receiving) among many others. After making its first Regional Final since 2004, Groves is playing in its first Semifinal ever. The Falcons have given up more than 15 points only once since opening night and 25 total over three playoff games while getting balanced offensive power from senior quarterback Beau Kewley (909 yards/12 TDs passing) and senior running back Ernest Allen (924 yards/11 TDs rushing).
Division 3
Edwardsburg (12-0) vs. Muskegon (11-1) at East Kentwood
Edwardsburg will play its third Semifinal in seven seasons seeking its first championship game berth and coming off a two-point win over Chelsea, last season’s Division 3 runner-up. And this might be the most impressive team of the Eddies’ recent run. Edwardsburg gave up only 38 points over the first 10 weeks of the season before allowing 60 total over the last two; the Eddies also have run for 4,473 yards, led by juniors Nick Bradley (1,363 yards/18 TDs) and Kyle Shrider (843 yards/15 TDs). After making only the Regional Final last season, Muskegon is back in its fourth Semifinal over the last five years. The Big Reds already have set a program record with 634 points (52.8 per game) keyed by their dual quarterbacks – senior Kalil Pimpleton (714 yards/14 TDs passing, 1,314 yards/21 TDs rushing) and junior La’darius Jefferson (863 yards/9 TDs passing, 709 yards/15 TDs rushing).
Dearborn Divine Child (10-2) vs. Orchard Lake St. Mary’s (8-4) at West Bloomfield
This is the first meeting between these Detroit Catholic League contenders since 2008. The Falcons have built their strongest effort since 1985 with a six-game winning streak after suffering back-to-back losses in Weeks 5 and 6. Divine Child avenged one of those, to Division 7 semifinalist Detroit Loyola, in Week 9, and last week handed Allen Park its only loss of the season. Junior quarterback Theo Day has thrown for 1,508 yards and 21 touchdowns to lead the way. Reigning Division 3 champion St. Mary’s advanced to its seventh Semifinal in eight seasons with a comeback win at DeWitt last week. The Eaglets move the ball with junior running backs RaShawn Allen (1,833 yards/21 TDs rushing) and Ky’ren Cunningham (860 yards/13 TDs), who both average at least eight yards a carry.
Division 4
Hudsonville Unity Christian (10-2) vs. Grand Rapids Catholic Central (11-1) at Greenville
Unity Christian’s best season ever moves on to its first Semifinal, thanks to an overtime win over previously undefeated Benton Harbor last week. The Crusaders won’t be intimidated by the annually successful Cougars after navigating the Ottawa-Kent Conference Green, one of the most competitive leagues in the state this season. They cover a lot of ground with senior running back Parker Scholten (1,353 yards/14 TDs rushing) and senior quarterback Mitchell Dykstra (924/15). GRCC is making its first Semifinal appearance since winning Division 4 in 2010. But the Cougars have a chance to do some great things next year too with juniors the top playmakers this fall. Quarterback Jack Bowen has thrown for 2,329 yards and 24 touchdowns and running back Nolan Fugate is the leading rusher with 1,359 yards and 11 scores on the ground.
River Rouge (11-1) vs. Detroit Country Day (12-0) at Hazel Park
River Rouge just missed its first MHSAA championship a year ago, falling to Grand Rapids West Catholic by six in the Final, and hasn’t really been slowed this fall. The Panthers at one point shut out seven straight opponents and eight over nine games including the first of the playoffs, and they’ve gone over 600 points for the second season in a row led by senior quarterback Jairus Grissom (1,369 yards/18 TDs rushing, 1,967 yards/23 TDs passing). Country Day is playing its fourth Semifinal in five seasons seeking its first championship game berth since 2012. The Yellowjackets are incredibly balanced on offense, with a pair of quarterbacks (senior Steven Mann and sophomore Jalen Graham) both having success. But the defense stands out most; led by senior linebacker Kolin Demens, Country Day is giving up only 8.6 points per game and has allowed more than 14 only twice.
Division 5
Frankenmuth (11-1) vs. Menominee (11-1) at Northern Michigan’s Superior Dome
The Eagles have had only four sub-.500 finishes over the last 32 seasons, and 22 playoff appearances during that time. But they broke through again for their first Semifinal berth since 1997, handing Ithaca last week its first loss not in an MHSAA Final since 2008. Senior running back Kris Roche (1,005 yards/16 TDs rushing) and senior quarterback Jared Davis (922 yards/16 TDs rushing, 1,169 yards/11 TDs passing) give Frankenmuth multiple threats. As it has done for decades, Menominee is again trampling opponents, although lead back Keifer Rasner (1,372 yards/20 TDs rushing, 410 yards/3 TDs passing) was reportedly hurt two weeks ago and isn’t expected to play. Ethan Mileski (584 yards/5 TDs rushing, 1,066 yards/14 TDs passing) is another offensive standout to watch.
Algonac (11-1) vs. Grand Rapids West Catholic (10-2) at Battle Creek Harper Creek
Algonac’s best two seasons in program history have been this one and last, and they’ve taken the next step with their first Semifinal appearance. Senior quarterback Brendan Piper is a two-way threat, throwing for 1,086 yards and 13 touchdowns this fall and running for a team-high 903 yards and 14 scores. Three-time reigning champion West Catholic has had to play three road games this playoff run, but outscored those opponents by a combined 78-20. Veteran duo David Fox and Gaetano Vallone are again big reasons why; the senior running back sometimes quarterback Fox had thrown for 1,286 yards and 17 touchdowns and run for 689 yards and eight scores, while junior quarterback Vallone has thrown for 889 yards and seven TDs.
Division 6
Leroy Pine River (9-2) vs. Maple City Glen Lake (10-2) at Traverse City Thirlby Field
Pine River’s first run to a Semifinal has included a ninth win for the second time ever and first time since 1999. Senior quarterback Mason Powell has had quite a final campaign, bringing the Bucks back from 4-5 last season by throwing for 1,047 yards and 15 touchdowns and running for 1,259 yards and 17 scores. The Lakers have had a little more recent success but still are making their first Semifinal appearance since 1996. Junior running back Nick Apsey carries a lot of the load offensively and has scored 22 times. But the defense also has been outstanding, giving up more than 14 points only twice and 112 points total this fall.
Jackson Lumen Christi (10-2) vs. Millington (11-1) at Lansing Catholic
Lumen Christi is back in the Semifinals for the first time since winning Division 5 in 2009; the Titans have won nine straight games to get here. Running back Bo Bell was the star in last week’s Regional Final win over Napoleon, and all season as well; he’s run for 2,200 yards and 29 touchdowns. Quarterback Troy Kutcha has added 1,313 yards and 10 scores through the air and run for six touchdowns. Millington is playing in its fifth Semifinal and seeking to reach the championship round for the first time. Junior quarterback Bryce Bearss (2,212 yards/25 TDs passing) and senior running back Brady Payne (1,196 yards/14 TDs rushing) give the Cardinals a strong 1-2 punch as well.
Division 7
Ubly (12-0) vs. Pewamo-Westphalia (12-0) at Mount Pleasant
Reigning Division 7 runner-up Pewamo-Westphalia will face its third straight undefeated opponent after handing first and only losses to Saugatuck and Traverse City St. Francis the last two weeks. Senior running back Jared Smith fell short of 100 yards rushing last week for the first time since his sophomore year, but continues to inch toward the MHSAA career rushing record and now has 2,403 yards and 36 touchdowns on the ground this season and more than 8,000 yards rushing for his career. Ubly also is a recent visitor to the Finals, its last trip coming in 2008. The Bearcats have controlled the ball with a rumbling ground game as well; senior Derek Brown has run for 1,226 yards and 19 touchdowns and senior Jonathan Brandel has gained 980 yards and 15 scores rushing.
Detroit Loyola (10-2) vs. Cassopolis (11-1) at Jackson
Loyola is another regular in this round, playing in its fifth straight Semifinal. The Bulldogs have beaten a league champion every week of the playoffs this time, and Cassopolis would be the fourth. Loyola averages 34 running plays per game and brings three 1,000-yard rushers – Malcolm Mayes (1,240 yards/14 TDs), D’Anthony Robinson (1,208 yards/18 TDs) and quarterback Price Watkins (1,010 yards/8 TDs rushing, 659 yards/7 TDs passing). Cassopolis is playing in his first Semifinal after setting a program record for wins last week. The Rangers roll with a loaded backfield; senior quarterback Shane Los has thrown for 1,320 yards and 17 touchdowns, while junior Brandon Anderson has run for 956 yards and 11 touchdowns and scored six more receiving. Sophomore Tyrese Hunt-Thompson has run for 811 yards and 10 scores and is the leading receiver with 533 yards and five TDs.
Division 8
Muskegon Catholic Central (12-0) vs. St. Ignace (11-1) at Petoskey
This is a rematch both of last season’s Semifinal (33-20 MCC win) and Week 2 of this fall (Crusaders 21-6), as St. Ignace gave MCC easily its closest game this season. The Crusaders have won three straight Division 8 titles and after facing mostly bigger schools during the regular season have given up only seven points over three playoff games. Senior LaTommy Scott (820 yards/8 TDs rushing) has starred for a few seasons and is one of five who have rushed for at least 370 yards. The Saints attack in multiple ways; senior running back Mitchell Peterson has run for 1,275 yards and senior quarterback Steve Seccia has thrown for 1,530 and 23 touchdowns.
Ottawa Lake Whiteford (12-0) vs. Saginaw Michigan Lutheran Seminary (10-2) at Dearborn Edsel Ford
Whiteford’s best two seasons also were the last two, with the Bobcats winning 10 games for the first time in 2015 and this their second straight Semifinal. Whiteford has set school records with 545 points, 222 first downs, 552 carries and 3,729 rushing yards this fall. Leading the way are running back Jessie Kiefer (1,057 yards, 27 touchdowns rushing, 287 yards/5 TDs receiving) and freshman Conner Hoogendoorn (811 yards/15 TDs). Michigan Lutheran Seminary is playing in its second Semifinal in three seasons to reach its first championship game since 1986. The Cardinals have given up only 13 points over three playoff games and force an average of two turnovers per game. Senior Casey Williams is the main scorer with 24 touchdowns, with 19 on the ground (and 1,226 yards).
Second Half’s weekly “Drive for Detroit” previews are powered by MI Student Aid, a part of the Student Financial Services Bureau located within the Michigan Department of Treasury. MI Student Aid encourages students to pursue postsecondary education by providing access to student financial resources and information, including various student financial assistance programs to help make college more affordable for Michigan students. MI Student Aid administers the state’s 529 savings programs (MET/MESP) and eight additional aid programs within its Student Scholarships and Grants division. Click for more information and connect with MI Student Aid on Facebook and Twitter @mistudentaid.
PHOTO: Muskegon Catholic Central's LaTommy Scott (20) breaks away for a touchdown against Frankfort in last week's Regional Final. (Photo by Tim Reilly.)
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Flashback: Midland Makes '68 Title Play
August 26, 2018
By Ron Pesch
Special for Second Half
It was a sunny, cool late August morning as high school football practice kicked off around the state. The Detroit Tigers were in the midst of a four-game losing streak, their longest to date that World Series-winning season. With 32 games to go, their lead over the Baltimore Orioles was cut to five in the race for the 1968 American League pennant.
Hal Schram, Michigan’s revered prep sports writer, kicked off the start of the season with a trip north. He was on a mission designed to tie up loose ends.
Schram had been covering high school sports in the Great Lakes State since 1941 and began his days at the Detroit Free Press in January of 1945. He had named the 1967 Bay City Central team Michigan’s top Class A squad the previous November. After posting a 9-0-0 season, the school was scheduled to receive a trophy from the newspaper signifying the achievement. However, in mid-November, Detroit’s newspapers began a 267-day strike – the longest in history at the time – that interrupted a planned presentation.
So on Monday, August 25, 16 days after the end of the strike, Schram headed to Bay City. There, he visited with coach Elmer Engel and his staff, then handed off the impressive award before a group of 220 football hopefuls who reported for practice.
“It should give us added impetus in the weeks ahead,” said the veteran coach, accepting the trophy. This wasn’t a first for Engel and his squads. Entering his 19th year as head coach at Bay City, he had turned the Wolves into a state powerhouse. Back in the days before a postseason tournament, Central had edged unbeaten Battle Creek Central and seven other unbeaten and untied teams in the annual Free Press poll for the 1965 gridiron championship. In 1958, The Associated Press had named his squad the mythical state titlist. His teams had posted 129 wins against only 29 defeats and four ties since his arrival in 1950.
At age 25, Engel had enlisted in the Marines. As a 25-year-old second lieutenant he led his troops “in one of the most desperate, and bloody, battles of World War II – Iwo Jima.” Previously, he had earned three football letters at the University of Illinois and was the team’s MVP in 1942.
In baseball circles, 1968 has been called “The Year of the Pitcher.” On September 14, Detroit’s Denny McLain became the first hurler to win 30 games since Dizzy Dean in 1938. Bob Gibson, star of the St. Louis Cardinals rotation, turned in a 1.12 earned run average, the lowest in the Major Leagues since 1914.
The year 1968 also has been called “The Year that Shattered America.” With the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in April in Memphis, riots broke out in more than 100 cities across the United States. Protests continued to rage across the country over the war in Vietnam. Demonstrations, peaceful and violent, were raised around the world in support of civil rights.
The world was changing; by year’s end, Shirley Chisholm had become the first black woman elected to U.S. Congress. At Yale, moves were made to finally admit female undergraduates. In December, three astronauts aboard Apollo 8 became the first humans to orbit the moon.
High School football season began tragically in Michigan. Only a day before prep season openers, 17-year-old senior Jerry Knight died from a brain injury suffered in a scrimmage. Jerry and his twin brother, Pat, were scheduled to start in the backfield for Grand Rapids Catholic Central. It was reported that this was the first reported football death in the city of Grand Rapids since 1926. In total, 26 football players in middle school or high school across the nation would die that season, a peak that would spur slow changes within the sport.
The reigning Class A champs began the 1968 season at No. 1 in the state’s three prep football polls, published by Schram in the Free Press and the state’s wire services, The Associated Press (AP) and United Press International (UPI) following the second game of the season.
Only days before, the Tigers had clinched the pennant. Three weeks into the high school season, Bay City Central, with victories over a pair of Flint area schools and Saginaw Arthur Hill, remained firmly planted at the top. Battle Creek Central, winner in 32 of its last 33 games, was ranked No. 2, while Detroit Denby, the 1963 Free Press champion, was ranked third.
While the Tigers and St. Louis, the National League pennant winner, were preparing for their World Series opener, Schram was dealing with an overzealous fan as prep teams readied themselves for the fourth week of the season.
“This is the week we make your ratings look sick,” said a long-distance caller from Midland. “I’m telling you we’re going to run down your No. 1 team at Bay City Central. We’ve run three-straight and you’ve never even given us a courtesy call.”
“The man’s right about one thing,” said Schram in his weekly column highlighting the top contests from around the state. “The Midland-Bay City Central game Friday night certainly rates a top berth among Top Ten Games of the Week. … While Friday’s game with the defending state champions is of primary importance, the Midland team can’t be blamed for taking a quick peak on their TV sets at the World Series. One of their former All-State quarterbacks, Larry Jaster, just might be pitching for St. Louis against the Tigers.”
No doubt to the joy of the caller, Midland ruined Bay City’s homecoming with a 12-7 win before a crowd of 7,000. With the loss, the Wolves fell to seventh in Schram’s rankings while Midland’s Chemics made their first appearance, entering the Free Press list at No. 4. With Bay City’s loss, Battle Creek Central, the 1966 Class A champ, moved to the top spot across the state’s three polls.
Just a year before, Battle Creek had been in the same position. Like Bay City, the Bearcats had followed their 1966 title by opening the next season ranked No. 1. Riding a 27-game win streak dating back to November of 1964, Battle Creek saw the run end in the eighth week of the 1967 season when 6-A Conference rival Kalamazoo Central nipped the Bearcats, 7-6, on a rainy, windy night at Kalamazoo College’s Angel Field.
“We’re not a holler team,” Battle Creek Central coach Jack Finn said to the Free Press sports editor, Joe Falls, prior to that Kalamazoo game. “We try to keep our kids at an even keel. No, we try to keep the emotion out of it.”
Following the contest, “Finn was pacing the room like a grizzly bear,” wrote Falls.
“‘That’s part of growing up’ he said.
“’Look at these kids – they never lost before. They don’t know how to take it.’”
“Finn consoled one player, then walked back across the room. ‘A test for the kids?’ he said, finally managing a weak smile. ‘This is a test for me. The last time we lost I woke up in the morning and vowed I’d never coach again.’”
Both Finn and Falls knew that defeat was an integral part of kids growing up.
But with Battle Creek’s loss, Bay City moved to the top spot. A week later, the Wolves picked up their ninth win, and with it, the 1967 mythical state crown.
Finn’s 1968 Bearcats had started the season slowly, downing Benton Harbor 14-0 in the season opener and then surviving an early-season scare on the road with Ann Arbor Huron, 6-0, before knocking off conference foe Lansing Eastern in the season’s third week, 27-6. Grinding out 455 yards on the ground, the Bearcats mauled East Lansing, 41-0, in Week 4.
“We were a very balanced team with lots of very good players, but no great ones,” recalled Terry Newton, a first team all-state choice at center in 1968. “We were kind of unheralded with a very tough defense.”
“This is perhaps the best balance squad (Coach) Finn has ever led into a season,” wrote Schram at the time, announcing the change at the top of his Class A poll. “Against East Lansing, Battle Creek used eight running backs almost of equal stature. John Simms, a junior who doesn’t even start, has rushed for 233 yards in 21 carries in his last two games. He’s one of southern Michigan’s foremost breakaway runners.”
On Thursday, October 10, the Detroit Tigers clinched Game 7, 4-1, to win the World Series. The following evening beneath the lights of Memorial Stadium, the Bearcats had their hands full in a game played in Lansing.
“For at least one night, Sexton was the equal of Michigan’s No. 1 prep football team, Battle Creek Central,” wrote Dave Matthews in the Lansing State Journal. “It didn’t work out quite that way on the scoreboard, Battle Creek rallying for a 14-13 decision … but the final tally could not erase a stirring upset attempt by the Big Reds.”
Late in the contest, Battle Creek took advantage of an injury to Lansing Sexton’s all-city tackle, Tom Bush. According to the Journal, the Bearcats pounded the left side on nine out of 10 plays, driving 65 yards, with Simms scoring from two yards out with 2:01 remaining in the contest to knot the score. Ernest English kicked the extra point to give Battle Creek its first lead of the game. Prior to Bush’s departure, the Bearcats had been held to a single first down in the second half.
Midland, with a convincing 48-6 triumph over Saginaw Arthur Hill, was now entrenched at No. 2 and nipping at the heels of the Bearcats in the Associated Press and United Press polls. The AP rankings were based on a “10 points for first, nine for second, eight for third, and so on” voting system by state sportswriters and sportscasters. The UPI rankings were compiled based on the votes of a panel of 17 football coaches from across the state. Schram still ranked Midland at No. 4, trailing Battle Creek, but noted that the Chemics and their coach Bob Stoppert had an outside chance at their second state title in 11 years.
“That would be nice, but we’re not ready to debate such matters,” the 51-year old Stoppert said to Schram as teams headed to Week 6 of the season. “I’m too old to be impressed by the polls. I know the fans and the kids like them, but they’re a nuisance as far as a coach is concerned. If you fellows would wait until the end of the season to rate your teams, I wouldn’t have any objections. But I know you’re not going to listen to that.”
No changes occurred that week, as the Bearcats trounced 6-A conference foe, Jackson, 56-0 and Midland rolled over Saginaw Valley Conference opponent Alpena, 38-0. A loss by Grand Rapids Union boosted the Chemics to third in Schram’s rankings.
Battle Creek squared off against Ann Arbor Pioneer, ranked No.5 in the polls by both AP and UPI in Week 7.
With Battle Creek trailing the Pioneers 7-0 at the half, Jim Roebuck nailed a 34-yard field goal in the third quarter to make it 7-3. A huge goal-line stand late in the fourth quarter by Pioneer appeared to seal an upset, but three successive stops by the Bearcats’ defense prevented Ann Arbor from running out the clock. Following the punt, Battle Creek took over on the Pioneers’ 42 with 2:30 to play. A touchdown by Simms with 1:18 left gave the Bearcats a 9-7 victory.
United Press voters were impressed with the comeback and kept Battle Creek at No. 1, rewarding the Bearcats with a widening point gap between first and second place in their poll. Midland had downed league opponent Flint Northern, 28-12, and, in the eyes of AP voters, the Bearcats and Chemics were now tied for No. 1 as the season headed for the finish line.
“In those days, the Saginaw Valley was considered perhaps the toughest conference in the state,” said Peter Aseritis, who captained the Chemics in 1968. “Back then, eight of our nine games were against conference opponents.”
The Bearcats avenged the previous year’s loss to Kalamazoo Central, 31-7, while Midland downed Bay City Handy 27-7 in Week 8. While the Free Press and UPI kept Battle Creek on top, AP voters pushed the Chemics to No. 1 in their list by a single poll point.
Prior to season’s end, Schram set the stage for football fans across the state.
“While close to 7,000 fans are expected at Post Field for this (week’s) intra-city showdown (between Battle Creek Central and Battle Creek Lakeview), Midland goes after its first perfect season since 1957 at Saginaw where another crowd of 6,000-plus is anticipated. At stake will be the Saginaw Valley League title. Midland holds the No. 3 rating in the state and Saginaw is ranked No. 4.”
“This is the greatest gang of seniors we ever have had at Central … they never gave up … yes, I definitely feel that we are No. 1 in the state,” said Coach Finn to Bill Frank of the Battle Creek Enquirer “as he came dripping out of the shower, clothes and all” following Central’s 19-7 win over Lakeview. It was the third perfect season for the Bearcats in four years, and only the fourth perfect campaign in school history.
Midland defeated Saginaw 20-13.
“There was some violence after the game,” noted Aseritis. “Some fans were upset. Rocks were thrown at our bus; some windows were broken.”
Both the Detroit Free Press and the United Press International season-ending polls named Battle Creek at No. 1. The Associated Press saw it differently, awarding Class A’s mythical crown to Midland while placing the Bearcats tied for third with Ferndale. Unbeaten in eight games, Detroit Denby finished second in the AP rankings, compiling 131 poll points to Midland’s 135. Midland received seven first place votes to three for Denby. Battle Creek ended with 129 points and five first-place votes.
Without the structure of a playoff system, there was no chance that the two top-ranked teams would meet on the gridiron.
“There is a certain level of charm to the time of mythical state titles. Winning a conference championship was much more important back before the arrival of the playoffs and today’s focus on six wins,” said Newton, who went on become athletic director at Battle Creek St. Philip, a member of the Battle Creek Parks and Recreation department and the radio voice of prep sports in Battle Creek as host of ‘Coach’s Corner’ on WBCK for more than 25 years.
“It was a great time at Battle Creek Central. We had a lot of winning tradition,” continued Newton. “For five or six years, Bay City and Battle Creek dominated (Class A) football. I think that some voters fell in love with Midland that year, and that split the vote. But we were the champs according to Hal Schram. That was the big one. He really was the state’s top prep sportswriter.”
“On the weekend of October 12th and 13th back in Midland, the team will reunite to celebrate the 50th anniversary of their title. On Friday, the school plans to honor us during the game,” said Aseritis, who also earned first team all-state honors in 1968. “I won’t make it back for that. My son is a senior at Elk Rapids. He has a game and I plan to be there, but I expect to be in Midland on Saturday for our reunion. As players we got a piece of it.
“Back then, it was ground and pound; a real physical game. Today, the game is wide open and space. Of course, back then we only had to play nine games. You got to hand it to those who get to the state title game today. Now, kids have to play 14.
“We had it easy,” he added, laughing.
Fifty years down the road for both men, the camaraderie and chance to learn to work with others toward a common goal still stand out from those days.
“Yes, I recall certain days from my career,” added Aseritis, a former Marine Corps captain who traveled the world as a financial analyst and consultant. “My times playing high school football, college football and my years in the military are the days that mean the most. Those are lifetime memories.”
“Within the football program, the issues of the times never really came up,” said Newton reflecting on his days at Battle Creek Central. “The coaches never talked about it. They were focused on blocking and tackling. The players were focused on school and football. Our team came together from four different junior high schools at Central; it was a mixed community, maybe 50 percent black and 50 white.
“We had to come from behind a few times that season. That’s where you learn to work with other people; how to handle adversity and success, and deal with challenges. We had great camaraderie, and that allowed us to have the success we had.”
After stints at Dansville, Hudson and Coldwater high schools, Finn held the football reigns at Battle Creek Central for 11 years. He stepped aside following the 1968 season to take on the dual role of athletic director and head football coach at Northwood Institute in Midland. At Northwood, he helped found the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. He retired as the school’s football coach following the 1986 season and as AD in 1989. He died in 2013.
Elmer Engel and his Bay City squad again would grab the Class A title in 1969 and in 1972. He retired after the 1972 season with a 165-34-8 record and five mythical state titles. In 1973, the school chose to rechristen its football stadium in his honor in recognition of his incredible success. The classic concrete structure was built in 1925. Engel died in 2006 at age 86.
Stoppert stepped aside following the 1974 season. A Flint Northern graduate, he had coached briefly at Flint Bendle and Rockford before being named head football coach at Midland in 1953. The Chemics posted 128 victories, 58 losses, six ties and two mythical gridiron championships during that span. He died in 2003.
Ron Pesch has taken an active role in researching the history of MHSAA events since 1985 and began writing for MHSAA Finals programs in 1986, adding additional features and "flashbacks" in 1992. He inherited the title of MHSAA historian from the late Dick Kishpaugh following the 1993-94 school year, and resides in Muskegon. Contact him at [email protected] with ideas for historical articles.
PHOTOS: (Top) Battle Creek Central’s Terry Newton (53) and Jim Roebuck tackle Battle Creek Lakeview’s Dave Roberts during their 1968 game. (2) Hal Schram presents Bay City Central with the 1967 Detroit Free Press Class A championship trophy. (3) Bay City Central coach Elmer Engel and a player during the 1967 season. (4) Battle Creek Central coach Jack Finn. (5) Battle Creek Central’s Terry Newton. (6) Midland coach Bob Stoppert. (7) Midland’s Pete Aseritis. (8) Battle Creek Central’s 1968 championship team. (9) Midland’s 1968 championship team. (Photos gathered by Ron Pesch.)