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Drive for Detroit: Week 7 in Review

October 9, 2017

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Be forewarned: There were more incredible and meaningful finishes in Michigan High School football this weekend than meet the parameters of our weekly “Drive for Detroit” report.

A pair of incredible winning streaks ended on the west side of the state. Another Grand Rapids area game featured record book individual performances from both teams. The Upper Peninsula saw four undefeated teams fall. And the Detroit area had enough great games to fill half our weekly review – but of course we led with a legendary coach tying another for the career wins record.

Below are five results from each region that stuck out most (and we’ll be sure to catch up with the successes of Detroit Martin Luther King, Madison Heights Madison, Clarkston Everest Collegiate and others in reports to come). Drive for Detroit is powered by MI Student Aid. 

Bay & Thumb

Frankenmuth 28, Millington 22

Given the similar numbers these rivals had put up this season, another close finish hardly was a surprise. The Eagles (7-0) took a 20-point lead into halftime and held off the Cardinals’ fourth-quarter comeback to clinch a share of the Tri-Valley Conference East title – and extend their winning streak over Millington (6-1) to three straight. Click for more from the Saginaw News.

Also noted:

Carrollton 26, Alma 14 – A week after Alma knocked reigning champion Freeland out of the TVC Central race, Carrollton (6-1) pushed its way in by handing the Panthers (6-1) their first league loss; both now chase Saginaw Swan Valley.

Fenton 52, Flushing 35 – The Tigers (7-0) clinched a share of their seventh straight Flint Metro League title with their fourth win in four seasons over the Raiders (5-2).

Davison 35, Lapeer 17 – The Cardinals (6-1) knocked Lapeer (5-2) out of a tie for first in the Saginaw Valley League Blue, but will now root for the Lightning to beat leader Midland this week so all three can share the championship.

Bay City John Glenn 28, Bay City Central 24 – John Glenn (4-3) kept its playoff hopes alive by winning the first meeting between these teams since 1990, while Central (3-4) may have seen its hopes dashed by a third loss of seven points or fewer.

Greater Detroit

Farmington Hills Harrison 17, Oak Park 14

It was considered inevitable that Harrison coach John Herrington would get his 430th win and tie Al Fracassa for the most football victories in state history. But maybe not against Oak Park (5-2), which was undefeated in the Oakland Activities Association White. Instead, the Hawks (5-2) moved into a three-way tie for first with the Knights and Birmingham Groves, and only last-place Berkley is left on the league schedule as Herrington looks to break the record this week. Click for more from MLive-Detroit.

Also noted:

Livonia Churchill 21, Grand Blanc 9 – The Chargers (6-1) won a matchup of teams previously undefeated in the Kensington Lakes Activities Association Gold to clinch a share of the league title, while Grand Blanc (6-1) suffered the first loss of what already is its best season since 2013.

Rochester Adams 21, Clarkston 14 – The Highlanders (6-1) cleared what looked to be the last major hurdle in at least sharing the OAA Red title; Clarkston (5-2) was tied for first with Adams and West Bloomfield, and Adams finishes the league schedule this week against winless Troy Athens.

Madison Heights Lamphere 28, Clinton Township Clintondale 20 – The Eagles (4-3) handed Clintondale (6-1) its first loss to finish a perfect run through the Macomb Area Conference Bronze and claim the outright title after going 0-9 last season.

Dearborn Divine Child 14, Ann Arbor Gabriel Richard 13 – Only a point separated these 6-1 teams, but that point gave Divine Child a share of the Detroit Catholic League AA championship. 

Mid-Michigan

DeWitt 28, Haslett 0

It’s impossible to argue DeWitt isn’t the best team in the Lansing area this season, with its Week 2 win over Grand Ledge and now another outright Capital Area Activities Conference Red title with this victory over second-place Haslett (5-2). The Panthers (6-1) haven’t lost a league game since 2008 and will move into the CAAC Blue next season with Grand Ledge and the rest of the area’s largest schools. Haslett, meanwhile, can still finish with its best regular season since 2006 by winning out. Click for more from the Lansing State Journal.

Also noted:

Belding 42, Wyoming Godwin Heights 35 – This win for the Knights (6-1) combined with Kelloggsville’s (see “West Michigan” below) makes this week’s matchup for a share of the Ottawa-Kent Conference Silver title; Godwin Heights (5-2) will turn its attention to earning a third straight playoff berth.

Lansing Sexton 18, Holt 16 – The Big Reds (5-2), with another win over one of the state’s largest schools, are looking powerful again as they project to slot into Division 4; Holt (3-4) must win out to have a shot at an at-large bid as it looks to get back to the playoffs for the first time since 2013.

Vermontville Maple Valley 38, Perry 13 – The Lions (4-3) have a tough road to win out with undefeated Kent City next, but control their ability to earn a first playoff berth since 2005; Perry (3-4) is hanging on to an at-large possibility as it looks to qualify for the first time ever.

Ithaca 51, Ovid-Elsie 16 – We don’t talk about Ithaca much during the regular season because its margins of victory usually are substantial and expected, but this time the Yellowjackets (7-0) clinched a share of another Tri-Valley Conference West title by beating the second-place Marauders (5-2) and while extending their regular-season win streak to 71 going back to 2009. 

Northern Lower Peninsula

Gaylord St. Mary 34, Johannesburg-Lewiston 18

St. Mary improved to 7-0 to set up a matchup with Harbor Springs this week for a share of the Northern Michigan Football League Legacy title – and those seven wins also represent the Snowbirds’ most in a season since 2009. Johannesburg-Lewiston (4-3) still can figure into the league picture as it works to return to the playoffs after missing a year ago; the Cardinals face Harbor Springs in Week 9. Click for more from 9&10 News.

Also noted:

Elk Rapids 23, Grayling 8 – The Elks (6-1) tied their highest win total since 2010 by avenging last season’s 34-0 loss to the Vikings (4-3).

Lake City 26, Evart 14 – The Trojans (7-0) finished a perfect run through the Highland Conference after going 2-7 overall last season and 1-4 in league play; Evart (3-4) remains alive for an at-large playoff bid.

Hillman 35, Oscoda 21 – The Tigers (4-3) have bounced back from an 0-3 start as they try to extend their playoff streak to 12 seasons, but Oscoda (4-3) must bounce back from two straight losses to guarantee qualifying for the second straight.

Gaylord 24, Petoskey 7 – The Blue Devils (4-3) earned themselves a shot at a share of the Big North Conference title this week against first-place Traverse City West by downing a Petoskey team much better than its 2-5 record with a win over Escanaba and close losses to Marquette and Traverse City Central this fall. 

Southeast & Border

Ida 16, Hudson 0

With two league games to play, these two are tied for first in the Lenawee County Athletic Association after sharing the championship a year ago. Ida (6-1) with this win avenged last year’s one-point loss to the Tigers (6-1) and also ran a shutout streak to two straight games; Hudson hadn’t been shut out since 2015. Both teams face Onsted (5-2) over the next two weeks, while Hudson also faces Blissfield (4-3) and Ida has Hillsdale (3-4). Click for more from the Adrian Daily Telegram.

Also noted:

Pinckney 42, Adrian 14 – In its first season in the Southeastern Conference White, Pinckney (6-1) won a share of its first league title since 1995 while sending Adrian (3-4) into at-large playoff territory.

Chelsea 14, Ypsilanti Community 7 – Chelsea (6-1) clinched the other share of the SEC White, getting by Ypsilanti Community (5-2) with a late score.

Pittsford 24, Athens 0 – Four of five teams in the Southern Central Athletic Association are poised to make the playoffs, but Pittsford (6-1) and Climax-Scotts are the leaders in league play although Athens (5-2) still has a shot at a shared title.

Addison 42, Grass Lake 12 – The Panthers (6-1) pulled within one more win of claiming at least a shared Cascades Conference title after going 3-4 in the league a year ago; reigning champ Grass Lake (4-3) needs to win out to guarantee a 13th straight playoff berth. 

Southwest Corridor

Three Rivers 21, Edwardsburg 18

All streaks come to an end, of course, and Edwardsburg’s run of 34 straight Wolverine B Conference victories won’t soon be forgotten. Neither will Three Rivers’ persistence in breaking it. Three times the Wildcats trailed Friday, including late in the fourth quarter before prevailing and putting the league title up for grabs for the first time in a while. Edwardsburg, Three Rivers and Vicksburg all are 6-1 in the league (and overall) with two games to play. Click for more from the Kalamazoo Gazette.

Also noted:

Coloma 32, Schoolcraft 7 – The Comets (5-2) handed Schoolcraft its first league loss since 2014 and after falling to the Eagles (5-2) last season 48-7 and 41-7 in 2015.

Battle Creek Harper Creek 17, Coldwater 7 – The Beavers (7-0) claimed a share of the Interstate 8 Athletic Conference championship for the second year in a row by avenging last season’s only league loss, to Coldwater (4-3).

Cassopolis 45, Hartford 0 – The Rangers (7-0) set themselves up to face undefeated Mendon this week for a share of the Southwest 10 Conference title, while Hartford (5-2) has two chances left to pick up an automatic playoff bid after going 2-7 a year ago.

Watervliet 68, Constantine 24 – The Panthers’ output on offense is simply incredible; Watervliet (7-0) still hasn’t scored fewer than 50 this season, and Constantine (3-4) hadn’t given up more than 41 since facing the Panthers last season. 

Upper Peninsula

Newberry 28, Norway 14

This will be remembered as one of the stunning wins north of the bridge this season. Norway (6-1) had been cruising along with all but one win this fall by at least two touchdowns (and the seven-pointer was against a team from Wisconsin). But Newberry didn’t have a game Week 6, and clearly was ready for a Knights team that could’ve clinched a share of the Mid-Eastern Conference title in its first season in the league. Newberry (4-2) instead has a share for sure, and the winner of this week’s Norway/Lake Linden-Hubbell game will claim one as well. Click for more from the Iron Mountain Daily News.

Also noted:

Escanaba 35, Gladstone 14 – While nonleague, winning this game gave the Eskymos (6-1) the unofficial “Best in the U.P.” title and rightfully so as its only loss was Week 2 to Petoskey and Gladstone (6-1) hadn’t been beaten.

Calumet 22, L’Anse 14 – The Copper Kings (4-3) had to win this one to keep a few playoff options open with two tough games left, and L’Anse (4-3) finds itself in must-win mode as well.

Bessemer Gogebic 14, Bark River-Harris 0 – The Miners (3-4) have put themselves back in the hunt with two straight wins over teams with playoff hopes; Bark River-Harris (3-4) now also must hope for an at-large bid.

Lake Linden-Hubbell 12, Houghton 8 – The Lakes (3-3) keep chipping away after their 0-3 start, with the greatest challenge yet coming this week against Norway. 

West Michigan

Holland West Ottawa 35, Rockford 30

Holland West Ottawa earned a share of the O-K Red championship, an accomplishment with statewide impact regardless of how and against whom. But beating Rockford (4-3) for the first time since 2002 to do so – breaking a 16-game losing streak to the Rams – made this incredibly sweet as well. The Panthers (6-1) have lost this season only to undefeated Forest Hills Central, not bad after two straight 2-7 finishes. Click for more from the Holland Sentinel.

Also noted:

Grand Rapids Catholic Central 57, Comstock Park 50 – Nolan Fugate’s 477 rushing yards for GRCC (7-0) were the fourth-most in MHSAA history and needed to combat an MHSAA record-tying 18 receptions by Hunter Spence to lead Comstock Park (4-3).

Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central 35, Lowell 6 – The Rangers (7-0) earned the opportunity to face Cedar Springs this week with the O-K White title on the line by handing Lowell (4-3) its second straight loss; the Red Arrows must win out to guarantee adding to their 18-year playoff streak.

Wyoming Kelloggsville 36, Grand Rapids NorthPointe Christian 21 – See the Belding entry under “Mid-Michigan” for more explanation, but this win gave Kelloggsville (7-0) a spot in an unofficial O-K Silver championship game while NorthPointe (5-2) will try to make the playoffs against Godwin Heights this week.

Montague 40, Muskegon Oakridge 0 – The Wildcats (7-0) clinched a share of the West Michigan Conference title by handing rival Oakridge (5-2) its first shutout since opening night 2014 and after losing to the Eagles by three a year ago.

8-Player

Rapid River 16, Stephenson 14

These two have ruled the Western Eight Conference this season and were considered by some the best in all of the Upper Peninsula in 8-player. Those reputations were based in part on high-scoring offenses – so of course defense dominated, especially as Rapid River (7-0) held down a Stephenson attack averaging 55 points a game heading into the night (Rapid River had been averaging only 45 per). The Eagles (6-1) had beaten the Rockets 52-8 last season, and now must root for Powers North Central this week and beat the Jets in Week 9 in hopes of gaining a share of the league title. Click for more from the Escanaba Daily Press.

Also noted:

Engadine 30, Cedarville 26 – The Eagles (5-2) are among the few who have had Cedarville’s number lately, with this win their third in two years over the Trojans (6-1).

Kingston 30, Morrice 26 – A week after knocking Deckerville out of their first-place tie in the North Central Thumb League Stars division, Morrice (6-1) fell back into a tie with this upset by the Cardinals (5-2).

Deckerville 56, Flint International Academy 36 – The Eagles (6-1) took full advantage of Morrice’s loss to climb into an NCTL Stars tie for first while sending the Flames (5-2) into third place.

Tekonsha 14, Battle Creek St. Philip 12 – Tekonsha (4-3) had never beaten St. Philip (4-3) in 8-player and had scored 20 total points over five games against the Tigers.

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PHOTO: Newberry defenders swarm a Norway ball carrier in handing the Knights their first loss of the season Friday. (Photo by Jeff Rochefort.)

Livonia Franklin’s Jim Casey (45) plows ahead during the 1975 Class A Final as Traverse City tacklers converge.

Memories Don't Fade for 1st MHSAA Class A Champion Franklin

By Brad Emons
Special for MHSAA.com

November 8, 2024

Even after 50 years, Tim Hollandsworth recalls Livonia Franklin’s run to the first MHSAA Class A football playoff championship like it was yesterday.

Before 5,506 fans at Western Michigan University’s Waldo Stadium, the unranked Patriots capped a season for the ages by upending heavily favored Traverse City for the 1975 title, 21-7.

“It was a once in a lifetime event, and I guess it just brings back great feelings winning that game obviously,” said Hollandsworth, who went on to become an all-Mid-American Conference linebacker at Central Michigan. “What I remember most was carrying that trophy around on the field. Myself, Jim Casey and the whole team ... we paraded it out Stanley Cup-style in front of our fans, and everybody was going crazy. Just a happy time.”

The championship game was played on a frigid Nov. 22 afternoon in Kalamazoo, just 12 years following the assassination of President John F. Kennedy.

“When I think about that game, the first thing that comes to mind is that it was a cold, cloudy day before the game,” Hollandsworth said. “And as the game started, the sun came out; it was really bright. It turned out to be a bright, sunny day, and we didn’t feel the cold at all. The adrenalin was pumping.”

No. 2-ranked Traverse City, coached by Jim Ooley, entered with a high-powered offense averaging 34 points per game. The Trojans featured the running back tandem of Rick Waters (1,300 yards) and Bruce McLachlan, along with tight end Mark Brammer, a two-time All-American at Michigan State who later played five seasons for the Buffalo Bills in the NFL.

Franklin took a 7-0 lead in the first quarter when Dennis Smith, the holder on a 30-yard field goal attempt by Sam Williams, couldn’t secure the snap from center but alertly got up and tossed a 17-yard TD pass to Rick Lee.

The Patriots then went up 14-0 in the second quarter on a 3-yard TD run by Casey, who went on to play four seasons at Ball State as a defensive back.

Traverse City cut the deficit to 14-7 before halftime on a 2-yard TD run by McLachlan, but the Patriots put it away in the final quarter on a 9-yard TD run by Casey, who finished the game with a hard-earned 105 yards on 24 carries.

Hollandsworth, who also starred in the backfield with Casey, severely twisted his ankle in the first half and was limited to playing only defense for the remainder of the game. Fortunately for Franklin, Tom Smith took his place and helped continue the offensive surge.

Franklin coach Armand Vigna, right, shares an embrace with lineman Rick Kruger in the moments after their team’s championship victory.“It was just the fact that everybody was just stepping up when they had to have them,” Casey said. “I think it kind of exemplified everything we did throughout the year to get there. That’s what was so cool about the whole deal.”

Meanwhile, Waters – who later became Hollandsworth’s friend and teammate at CMU – led the Trojans’ rushing attack with 85 yards rushing on 19 carries.

Franklin’s defense played a pivotal role in the win with four interceptions – one each by Hollandsworth, Chuck Hench, Jerry Pollard and Casey (his 10th of the season).

Williams, the Patriots’ star tight end and middle linebacker and the son of former Detroit Lions “Fearsome Foursome” defensive end Sam Williams Sr., also batted down a key fourth-down pass in the end zone to thwart a Traverse City scoring threat.

“It’s funny about the whole game ... you forget about the details, it’s crazy,” Casey said. “It was everybody coming together. There may have been some mistakes along the way. That just happens during the game and we hung in there, did what it took to score enough points to win.”

The game was played on artificial turf, not real grass, which was also a first for both teams.

“I think it had been raining the day before ... anyhow, the field was soaked,” Casey said. “And all it takes is to fall on a field that is soaked on an Astroturf field and everything, and all your clothes are soaked. I remember in the first half – I couldn’t wait for halftime to go inside and warm up.”

During the practice week prior to the title game, the Patriots were able to get acclimated when athletic director and assistant coach George Lovich made a deal to practice on the University of Michigan’s artificial surface.

“We had to get new shoes because nobody had played on artificial turf in high school back then,” Casey said. “They had a bunch of used shoes from the (U-M) team. They threw them in a big old box and they let us practice one night on their Astroturf. We went in and got our shoes and we were ready to play – excited about that. It was just different compared to regular grass. It felt super-fast.”

With only four spots per Class up for grabs in the inaugural MHSAA playoffs, five unbeaten Class A teams did not make the postseason including Warren Fitzgerald and Mount Clemens Chippewa Valley from Region 1, Trenton in Region 3, and Grand Rapids Union and Marquette from Region 4.

On the final Saturday of the regular season at Eastern Michigan’s Rynearson Stadium, No. 1-ranked Birmingham Brother Rice (Region 2) was upset in the Catholic League championship, 7-0, by Dearborn Divine Child, which went on to claim the Class B title.

That allowed the 8-1 Patriots, who had lost to rival Livonia Stevenson 13-9 in Week 2, to sneak into the playoffs just ahead of the previously-unbeaten Warriors.

“We were all in the stands watching that game,” Hollandsworth said. “And our coach, Armand Vigna, had all our points figured out right to the point where he said if Brother Rice were to lose, we were in. So, we’re sitting in the stands and Detroit Southwestern is off to our right a little bit higher in the stands. When Divine Child won that game, we were just going crazy and you could see Southwestern wondering who we were and what was going on.”

During the build-up to the Class A Semifinal game against Franklin, Southwestern coach Joe Hoskins was quoted in the Detroit newspapers as saying, “Livonia who?”

Southwestern was led by all-state QB Mike Marshall (MSU), along with junior tackle Luis Sharpe (UCLA), an eventual first-round NFL pick who played 13 seasons with the St. Louis, Phoenix and Arizona Cardinals.

And in that Semifinal at Pontiac’s Wisner Stadium before 5,000 fans, Franklin upended the No. 3-ranked Prospectors, 12-9, as Casey ran for 145 yards on 27 carries. Hollandsworth added a 1-yard TD to cap a nine-play, 72-yard drive and give his team the lead 9-7 at the half.

Southwestern got an 18-yard TD pass from Marshall to Andrew Williams and scored on a two-point safety when the Patriots fumbled the kickoff to start the second half.

Williams, however, booted a pair of field goals, including the game-winning 28-yarder to break a 9-9 deadlock for the Patriots after they were aided by a pass interference call followed by an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, which took the ball to the Southwestern 18.

In protest, Hoskins took his team off the field and had to be coaxed by MHSAA officials to bring his players back to finish the game.

“I think we were excited about the playoffs because we were undefeated the year before, so were looking forward to getting into the playoffs,” Hollandsworth said. “It was deflating when we lost; it was low-scoring, tough battle versus Stevenson. All the Livonia games (vs. Churchill and Bentley) were tough battles. It was the first game that Sam Williams was out. He got hurt in the (Dearborn) Fordson game before that (the opener) and Sam was not only our tight end, and starting middle linebacker, but he was also our punter and kicker. I think we passed up some field goals in that Stevenson game because we were so unsure of our kicking game.”

PHOTOS (Top) Livonia Franklin’s Jim Casey (45) plows ahead during the 1975 Class A Final as Traverse City tacklers converge. (Middle) Franklin coach Armand Vigna, right, shares an embrace with lineman Rick Kruger in the moments after their team’s championship victory. (Photos courtesy of Hometown Life, which includes the former Livonia Observer).