Drive for Detroit: Week 8 in Review
October 23, 2013
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
The last week of the MHSAA football regular season is upon us. But Week 8 featured some significant firsts.
At Ypsilanti, visiting Lincoln beat the home team 27-20 to win the Southeastern Conference White for the first time. The league formed in 2000 and the Railsplitters were 0-9 only three seasons ago – and hadn't won a league title in any conference since 1987.
Further east Detroit Allen clinched its first playoff berth with a win over Ecorse. To the south, Adrian Lenawee Christian beat North Adams-Jerome for its sixth win, its most ever.
And those are just the program milestones. For the many high school players who enjoy just two seasons on varsity, every championship or playoff-qualifying win could be a first.
Here’s a look at some that surely were as we wrap up league title races and prepare for Sunday’s playoff selection.
West Michigan
Lowell 35, Grand Rapids Christian 34 (2 OT)
This season’s O-K White championship likely came down to a pair of overtimes between two teams that played at Ford Field last season. Reigning Division 2 runner-up Lowell (8-0) stopped a two-point conversion try by reigning Division 3 champ Grand Rapids Christian (6-2) after the game’s final score. The Red Arrows had fallen in two straight to the Eagles. Click to read more by the Grand Rapids Press.
Also noted:
Hudsonville 20, East Kentwood 9: Not only did the Eagles (5-3) give themselves an outside chance at sharing the O-K Red title, but they took a major step toward securing a first playoff berth since 2008. East Kentwood (5-3) can earn a league share too and also qualify for the playoffs by beating first-place Rockford this week.
Muskegon Reeths-Puffer 32, Muskegon Mona Shores 28: Reeths-Puffer (7-1) kept pace with Muskegon atop the O-K Black heading into their league-deciding matchup this week, while Mona Shore (6-2) fell out of contention but can prepare for its first playoff appearance.
Belding 35, Sparta 14: Belding (5-3) kept its playoff hopes alive as it works to secure its first birth since 2007, while Sparta (5-3) is left to beat O-K Blue frontrunner Comstock Park this weekend to qualify.
Byron Center 16, Holland Christian 9: Byron Center (6-2) earned its first playoff berth since 2010 and set itself up to face Zeeland West this week for the O-K Green title. Holland Christian (4-4) fell to third place and hopes to make the playoffs with an at-large bid.
Lower Up North
Traverse City St. Francis 28, Maple City Glen Lake 21
St. Francis (5-3) kept its playoff hopes alive by edging the Northwest Conference champion and avenged a heavy blow dealt last season by Glen Lake (7-1); the Lakers’ 26-20 win over St. Francis in 2012 was among the most painful reasons the Gladiators didn’t make the playoffs for the first time since 1989. Click to read more from the Traverse City Record-Eagle.
Also noted:
Boyne City 28, Elk Rapids 12: Boyne City (7-1) needed this one to set up this week’s Lake Michigan Conference-deciding game against Grayling; Elk Rapids (5-3) is tied for third, this week’s game in a must-win to automatically make the playoffs.
Grayling 33, East Jordan 26: See above for the Lake Michigan Conference race explanation, with Grayling now also 7-1 and East Jordan (4-4) hoping for a strong finish and at-large postseason bid.
Lake City 41, Evart 21: Lake City (7-1) looks good to finish second in the Highland Conference and Evart has locked down at least third, with a chance they’ll see each other again in the playoffs for the second straight year.
Traverse City Central 28, Ogemaw Heights 20: Four Big North Conference teams are 5-3, and these are two of them. Central faces Cadillac and Ogemaw Heights faces Petoskey this week in hopes of earning automatic playoff berths.
Southwest and Border
Portage Central 49, St. Joseph 28
Portage Central took advantage of a bevy of turnovers and got rolling during the second half to win the biggest game of the regular season in the southwest corner of the state. The Mustangs (8-0) clinched a share of the Southwestern Michigan Athletic Conference West title with the win and can finish their first perfect regular season since 1993 by beating winless Benton Harbor this weekend. St. Joseph (7-1) remains among the top teams by playoff point average of those projected to make the Division 3 playoffs. Click to read more from the Kalamazoo Gazette.
Also noted:
Cassopolis 35, Niles Brandywine 12: This turned the Lakeland Athletic Conference championship into a shared title between these two, with Cassopolis (5-3) dealing Brandywine (7-1) its first loss of the fall.
Edwardsburg 36, Dowagiac 0: This deciding game in the Wolverine B West turned into a big win for undefeated Edwardsburg (8-0) over Dowagiac (6-2), last season’s champion.
Battle Creek Lakeview 33, Battle Creek Harper Creek 14: Lakeview (8-0), which began the season with five straight shutouts, has given up just a few points over the last three games on the way to earning a share of the SMAC East title; Harper Creek (6-2), with 14 points, tied for the most success against the Spartans’ defense.
Battle Creek St. Philip 68, Portland St. Patrick 14: St. Philip (8-0) handed St. Patrick (7-1) its first regular-season 8-player loss in winning the Southern Michigan League title outright.
Upper Peninsula
Lake Linden-Hubbell 16, Felch North Dickinson 8
Lake Linden-Hubbell’s quest to return to the playoffs for the first time since 2010 looked in doubt with the Lakes (5-3) needing two wins and North Dickinson and Crystal Falls Forest Park left on the schedule (they were a combined 13-1 entering last week). But the Lakes put the defensive clamps on North Dickinson (6-2), holding the Nordics to its fewest points since the 2010 playoffs. Click to read more from the Houghton Mining Gazette.
Also noted:
Crystal Falls Forest Park 38, Bessemer 20: The Eagles (8-0) avenged last season’s loss to the Miners (5-3) and in the process clinched a share of the Great Western Conference title.
Negaunee 38, Marquette 14: Negaunee (7-1) bounced back nicely after falling to Ishepming in Week 7, claiming the Diamond Jubilee Trophy, while Marquette (5-2) finishes with another tough one this week against Menominee.
Sault Ste. Marie 27, Kingsley 13: Sault Ste. Marie (5-3) has kept its playoff hopes alive over the last two weeks by beating teams with a combined record of 11-5. Kingsley (5-3) also needs a win this week to qualify.
Cedarville 21, Bellaire 16: Bellaire (5-3) looked like one of few that could beat Cedarville (7-1) this season, and the Eagles got close in a defensive battle.
Greater Detroit and Southeast
St. Clair 43, Marine City 33
St. Clair’s first win over Marine City since 2005 – and second in 22 seasons – earned a number of riches. The Saints (8-0) claimed the traveling Bell Trophy and also an outright Macomb Area Conference Gold championship, and guaranteed their best record since at least 1982. Marine City (7-1) still remains only a win away from its 16th straight season with at least eight. Click to read more from the Port Huron Times Herald.
Also noted:
Macomb Dakota 52, Clinton Township Chippewa Valley 7: The battle for the MAC Red title – and traveling Superintendent’s Trophy – ended up more of the same for Dakota (8--0), which has given up only 42 points this fall. With one more win, Chippewa Valley (7-1) still can equal its most since 2006.
Birmingham Seaholm 28, Birmingham Groves 22: Seaholm (8-0) earned its second straight Oakland Activities Association Blue title by defeating second-place Groves (7-1) in the final league game of the season.
Northville 42, Canton 30: This was significant for a few reasons for Northville (7-1), which moved on to the Kensington Lakes Activities Association championship game be beating Canton (7-1) for the first time in its last eight tries.
Waterford Mott 26, Port Huron 20: The Marauders (8-0) flipped last season's finish, when Mott lost to Port Huron by three and finished second in the MAC White; this time Mott is first and the Big Reds (5-3) are runners-up.
Mid-Michigan
Lansing Sexton 27, Lansing Everett 14
Sexton (8-0) won the Capital Area Activities Conference Blue outright and the traveling Oak Chest trophy, and needs to beat its other city rival, Eastern High, to finish the regular season 9-0 for the first time since 1999. The Big Reds, a Class B schools with wins over seven Class A opponents, also has the highest playoff point average of teams projected to fall into Division 4 for the playoffs. Everett (5-3), last season’s CAAC Blue champion, must beat two-win Jackson this week to ensure a playoff spot. Click to read more from the Lansing State Journal.
Also noted:
DeWitt 13, Portland 7: DeWitt (8-0) no doubt was up for this one after losing two straight to the Raiders (7-1). Both are champions of their divisions of the CAAC, DeWitt in the Red and Portland in the White.
East Lansing 3, Grand Ledge 0: The Comets (4-4) needed to win out to make the playoffs automatically after an 0-3 start, but instead East Lansing (4-4) kept its slim hope alive after three straight losses.
Olivet 28, Constantine 14: The Eagles (7-1) kept themselves in the three-team mix atop the Kalamazoo Valley Association, with reigning Division 6 runner-up Constantine (5-3) now needing a win this week to qualify automatically for the postseason.
Ovid-Elsie 21, Freeland 15: The Marauders (6-2) quietly have bounced back from a 3-6 finish in 2012 to finish second in the Tri-Valley Conference Central. Third-place Freeland (6-2) also has made the playoffs, and they could meet again.
Bay and Thumb
Harbor Beach 56, Marlette 7
The deciding game for the Greater Thumb Conference East title belonged to Harbor Beach (7-1) early, as it scored the first two touchdowns and after Marlette’s score ran off 44 unanswered points. The Pirates pushed their league winning streak to 16 straight, while Marlette (7-1) still can equal its best finish of at least the last half century, 8-1 in 1975. Click to read more from the Port Huron Times Herald.
Also noted:
Millington 15, North Branch 7: The Cardinals (6-2) were at risk of missing the playoffs for the first time since 2003 before edging already-qualified North Branch (6-2).
Richmond 42, Yale 28: The Blue Devils (7-1) finished a perfect run through the Blue Water Area Conference and forced Yale (5-3) into a must-win situation to qualify for the playoffs automatically.
Flint Powers Catholic 48, Climax-Scotts 13: The Chargers (4-4) are hanging on to a hope of making the playoffs with an at-large bid, and handing Climax-Scotts (7-1) its first loss should help.
Vassar 35, Cass City 8: The Vulcans (5-3) moved one win closer to a fifth straight playoff berth, while dropping Cass City (4-4) into a much less favorable position.
Trophy Games
Each week, the MHSAA highlights trophy games around the state. Here are a few more in addition to those mentioned above:
Little Brown Jug: Warren Lincoln vs. Center Line. Lincoln made it two in a row and five of six over its MAC Bronze rival. Final: Lincoln 26, Center Line 19.
Sugar Bowl: Unionville-Sebewaing vs. Reese. The Rockets have owned this series of late, winning every season dating to 2006. Final: Reese 47, USA 0.
Spirit Bell: St. Louis vs. Ithaca. This one changes hands every time these schools meet in any varsity sport – which means the Sharks’ highly-ranked volleyball team could win it back tonight. Final: Ithaca 76, St. Louis 0.
Battle of the Panthers: Detroit University Prep vs. Detroit Plymouth Educational Center. This one is relatively new, with Detroit PEC playing football only since 2010 and University Prep since 2006. Final: University Prep 37, PEC 6.
The Curb: Berkley vs. Royal Oak. A piece of pavement was first awarded to the winner of this matchup in 2012. Final: Berkley 20, Royal Oak 18.
Ted Heusel Bowl: Ann Arbor Huron vs. Ann Arbor Pioneer. This trophy is named for the late longtime area broadcaster who also served as the district's school board president. Final: Pioneer 9, Huron 6.
Kiwanis Trophy: Madison Heights Madison vs. Madison Heights Lamphere. A quick 2-mile drive down John R Road is nearly all that separates these MAC Silver rivals. Final: Madison 30, Lamphere 0.
Colvin Cup: Grosse Ile vs. Riverview. Not since 1998 and 1999 has either team won this game two seasons in a row. Final: Riverview 45, Grosse Ile 42.
PHOTO: Lowell (in gray) needed two overtimes to edge Grand Rapids Christian 35-34 in Week 8. (Click to see more from High School Sports Scene.)
Carlson's 'Power-Spread' Piling Up Points Despite Missing Leading Rusher
By
Doug Donnelly
Special for MHSAA.com
October 2, 2024
In Johnny Cash’s song “One Piece at a Time,” the main character collects car parts over the years to build a one-of-a-kind automobile.
At the end of the song, he’s asked what model it is. That’s where he runs into trouble.
“Well, it’s a ’49, ’50, ’51, ’52 …” Cash sings.
That automobile is a lot like the offense that has Gibraltar Carlson’s football team off to a 5-0 start.
“We pride ourselves in running the football here,” third-year head coach Jason Gendron said. “That is our identity. We play power football.”
That’s not the full story, however.
“We are multi-set, really,” Gendron said. “We have Wing-T principles, but we are a spread, Wing-T team that can go tight formations with two tight ends and three running backs. We also can go spread and run some run-pass option things. We also like to run counter off that.
“At the end of the day, power football is where we like to be. We can run that out of multiple sets. Everything we do is based off power.”
Marauders quarterback Joe Krolak agrees. Sort of.
“It’s power-spread,” Krolak said. “It’s hard to describe. We can go under center, or we can go spread.”
No matter what you call it, the Marauders’ offense is clicking in all gears. Carlson is averaging a two-point conversion shy of 50 points a game in their 5-0 start.
That Carlson is having success is not surprising or anything new. The Marauders have won four straight Downriver League championships and have made the playoffs seven years running. The surprising piece this season is they have done it without Division I college recruit Izaiah Wright, the junior running back who rushed for 1,965 yards and 31 touchdowns as a sophomore in leading Carlson to a 10-2 record.
Wright played in Week 1. But on the first offensive series of the game in Week 2, he went down with an ankle injury and hasn’t played since.
“It’s been a slow recovery,” Gendron said. “He’s been week-to-week. He’s getting closer. I do think he’ll play again this year, but I don’t know if he will be 100 percent this year.”
In his place, the Marauders were sharing carries among multiple backs until last week when junior Avery Ortiz got the full workload. He responded with 200 yards rushing and multiple touchdowns.
Gendron said he and the Carlson coaches saw the potential in Ortiz.
“Avery has been the running back who has emerged,” Gendron said. “We feel Avery is one of the best backs in our conference and southeast Michigan.”
Ortiz has been Wright’s backup for a couple of seasons. Last year Gendron asked Ortiz about changing positions to get him on the field, and he started playing safety. This season, with Wright out, Ortiz found himself on the offensive side of the ball again.
“He has great vision and is really good on his cuts,” Gendron said. “Avery is a running back at heart. He’s always wanted to be the running back here, but you have a kid in front of him who is a Division I player who beat him out. That’s just the way it goes. At least he was humble enough to accept that and find another place to play. For him to get that back, seize the moment and run with it, is the credit to the type of kid he is.”
Krolak said the offense hasn’t skipped a beat with Ortiz as the featured back.
“Everybody knows in this program it’s next man up,” Krolak said. “We have a lot of athletes in this program who can do the same things he can do. Avery has really stepped up big. He’s looking phenomenal. He’s a great running back and has carried us through this.”
Gendron called Krolak the team’s first-half MVP. Krolak has completed 44 of 62 passes for 669 yards and six touchdowns and rushed for another 406 yards and nine touchdowns.
“Joe is a very dangerous runner and has gotten better at throwing,” Gendron said. “He’s a dual-threat quarterback. You can’t just key on Izaiah or Avery. You have to have eyes on Joe. He’s been the player of the year for us without question. He’s leading us and doing everything I’ve asked him to do at the position. He’s having a great year.”
Krolak, a senior, said he was ready for his number to be called more with Wright out.
“I knew I would get the ball more,” Krolak said. “Coach told me I was going to run the ball more and throw it around, and I was completely ready for it.”
Carlson has several more weapons, including tight end Drew Sikora and receivers Brendan Stanley and Landon Vida. Everything starts up front, however.
“I tell our offensive line that they are the most important position group on the field, both our offensive and defensive lines,” Gendron said. “They have bought in and embraced that and the fact that we want to be a power, smash-mouth football team.”
Carlson’s been pretty good on defense, too, giving up just six touchdowns all season.
Gendron is a Monroe Jefferson graduate who played for Marc Cisco, who retired after 47 years coaching the Bears. That’s where Gendron learned the fundamentals of the game and about power football.
“It works,” Gendron said. “It worked back then for Marc, and it works for us. It’s good football. I believe in it. The kids buy into it. There’s nothing better from an offensive standpoint when you can get three yards at will and you can call the play again and it works.”
The current offense is a mix of Gendron’s years playing at Jefferson and schematic strategies incorporated by Dan Kalbfleisch, the Carlson athletic director and assistant football coach.
“We’ve blended Dan’s experience with his spread concepts and the things I value about offensive football – the ground and pound, power football concepts – into one offense. Dan brings the pre-snap, tempo, no-huddle offense with motion and getting guys into space. That’s what you see. We both believe in running the football.”
Carlson has some tough games ahead, but Gendron is pleased with how the season is shaping up. With a little luck, they might get Wright back in time for a playoff run.
“We are on schedule right now,” he said. “Our guys have done what they need to do at this point. We take things one week at a time. Trenton is on the clock right now.”
Doug Donnelly has served as a sports and news reporter and city editor over 25 years, writing for the Daily Chief-Union in Upper Sandusky, Ohio from 1992-1995, the Monroe Evening News from 1995-2012 and the Adrian Daily Telegram since 2013. He's also written a book on high school basketball in Monroe County and compiles record books for various schools in southeast Michigan. E-mail him at [email protected] with story ideas for Jackson, Washtenaw, Hillsdale, Lenawee and Monroe counties.
PHOTOS (Top) Gibraltar Carlson quarterback Joe Krolak considers his best option during last week’s win over Southgate Anderson. (Middle) Carlson coach Jason Gendron pumps up his team during a practice. (Below) The Marauders’ Avery Ortiz drags a defender downfield. (Game photos by Kim Britt; practice photo by Niles Kruger/Monroe News.)