A Game for Every Fan: 11-Player Finals
November 25, 2014
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
This weekend, the MHSAA 11-player Football Finals will celebrate a decade of calling Detroit's Ford Field home.
And these eight games over two days should provide a draw for every fan as we wave good-bye to another memorable season.
Like a favorite? Clarkston (Division 1), Grand Rapids West Catholic (5), Ithaca (6), Ishpeming (7) and Muskegon Catholic Central (8) are all reigning champions playing to repeat.
Intrigued by history? Ithaca is going for its 70th straight win and an opportunity to challenge the MHSAA record of 72 next fall.
Hungry for a rematch? Ishpeming and Detroit Loyola will meet in the Division 7 Final for the third straight season. The Hematites won the first two meetings.
Ready to root on a rookie? Saline, Muskegon Mona Shores and Lansing Sexton will all make their championship game debuts.
The Division 8, 2, 6 and 4 games are Friday, with the odd-numbered divisions playing Saturday. Tickets cost $10 and are good for all four games on one day. Click for a full schedule.
The first two Friday games will be broadcast live on Fox Sports Detroit’s primary channel (check cable/satellite box listings for your specific channel) with the Division 6 game on FSD’s Plus channel and the Division 4 game tape delayed at 10:30 p.m. on FSD primary. Both will be available live on FoxSportsDetroit.com. Saturday's games are all live on Fox Sports Detroit's main station. Audio broadcasts will be available on the MHSAA Network website.
Here’s a look at all 16 finalists. (Rankings were voted upon by The Associated Press’ media panel. Statistics are current unless noted.)
Division 1
CLARKSTON
Record/rank: 13-0, No. 1
Coach: Kurt Richardson, 28th season (217-77)
League finish: First in Oakland Activities Association Red
Finals history: Division 1 champion 2013.
Best wins: 24-21 over No. 8 Macomb Dakota, 55-41 over No. 5 West Bloomfield, 23-20 over No. 4 Lapeer in District Final, 35-13 over No. 6 East Kentwood in Semifinal.
Players to watch: QB D.J. Zezula, 6-0/190, sr. (2,022 yards/20 TDs passing, 804 yards/13 TDs rushing); WR/DB Austin Egler, 6-3/200, sr. (420 yards/6 TDs receiving, 3 interceptions); RB Nolan Eriksen, 5-8/188, jr. (1,448 yards/20 TDs rushing); LB/TE Jack McKillop, 6-1/220, sr. (96 tackles), OT/OLB Cole Chewins, 6-7/235, sr.
Outlook: The Wolves have turned last season’s run to a first MHSAA championship into a 26-game winning streak that included this fall four wins over other top-10 ranked teams. Zezula also quarterbacked last season’s championship run, and Chewins – who moved to tackle this fall after an injury to the starter on the left side – is a Division I college recruit at linebacker and tight end. He and McKillop help key a defense that’s tightened to give up 15.8 points per game during the playoffs and only 17.3 per game for the season.
SALINE
Record/rank: 12-1, No. 7
Coach: Joe Palka, third season (31-5)
League finish: First in Southeastern Conference Red
Finals history: Has never played in an MHSAA Final.
Best wins: 42-35 over honorable mention Canton in Regional Final, 30-15 over No. 2 Detroit Cass Tech in Semifinal.
Players to watch: RB Kevin Gross, 5-11/200, sr. (604 yards/13 TDs rushing); QB Josh Jackson, 6-2/195 jr. (701 yards/9 TDs rushing, 1,626 yards/16 TDs passing); QB Trent Theisen, 5-11/180, sr. (1,038 yards/13 TDs passing, 234 yards/5 TDs rushing); FL Jeb Palka, 5-10/140, jr. (865 yards/9 TDs receiving), DB Tyrone Miller, 6-1/180, sr.
Outlook: Saline is two games deeper than during any playoff run in its history after making its first Semifinal appearance last week. While the league schedule didn’t provide too many obstacles this fall, the Hornets took on (and fell 31-28) to Division 2 finalist Muskegon Mona Shores on opening night and have continued to raise their performance to that level during the postseason – including locking down a Detroit Cass Tech offense that was averaging 34 points per game. Saline has two quarterbacks who could start for most – Jackson and Theisen have combined for 2,664 yards passing, 935 rushing and 29 touchdown passes.
Division 2
MUSKEGON MONA SHORES
Record/rank: 12-1, No. 3
Coach: Matt Koziak, fourth season (24-17)
League finish: First in Ottawa-Kent Conference Black
Finals history: Has never played in an MHSAA Final.
Best wins: 40-7 and 42-14 (District Semifinal) over No. 4 Caledonia, 41-14 over No. 2 Midland Dow in District Final, 48-27 over No. 6 Muskegon, 25-24 over honorable mention Farmington Hills Harrison in semifinal, 31-28 over Division 1 No. 7 Saline.
Players to watch: QB Tyree Jackson, 6-5/210, sr. (2,235 yards/23 TDs passing, 825 yards/14 TDs rushing); RB/LB DeOntay Moffet, 5-9/205, sr. (1,439 yards/19 TDs rushing); WR/DB Matt Schuiteman, 6-2/180, sr. (879 yards/7 TDs receiving).
Outlook: Mona Shores also is making its longest playoff run after reaching the postseason for the first time only a year ago. Jackson, who has committed to the University of Buffalo, has been a main cog in the Sailors' rise – but left the Semifinal with an injury. With him and Moffet in the backfield, Mona Shores has run for more than 3,000 yards as a team – while the defense has given up only 52 points total in four playoff games against top competition.
WARREN DELASALLE
Record/rank: 10-3, honorable mention
Coach: Paul Verska, 13th season (99-49-0)
League finish: Third in Detroit Catholic League Central
Finals history: Division 2 runner-up 2006 and 2008.
Best wins: 26-21 over No. 1 Birmingham Brother Rice in Regional Final, 31-7 over Southfield in Semifinal, 21-14 over Detroit East English in District Final.
Players to watch: QB/DB Joey Garbarino, 6-2/210, sr. (1,098 yards/10 TDs passing, 441 yards/8 TDs rushing); RB/DB Allen Stritzinger, 6-0/178, soph. (1,183 yards/19 TDs rushing); OL/DL Khary Harris, 6-3/234, sr.; OL/DE Mike Danna, 6-3/233, sr.
Outlook: After opening 3-0 against out-of-state opponents, DeLaSalle lost its first three games in-state – but none by more than seven points, and the Pilots avenged that first loss to Brother Rice. DeLaSalle is giving up only 10 points per game during this seven-game winning streak, with Harris and Danna dominating up front. In addition to taking DeLaSalle to the Finals twice, Verska also coached Ann Arbor Huron to the 1997 Class AA championship game.
Division 3
MUSKEGON
Record/rank: 12-1, No. 6 in Division 2
Coach: Shane Fairfield, fifth season (52-12)
League finish: Second in O-K Black
Finals history: Five MHSAA titles (most recent 2008), two runner-up finishes.
Best wins: 20-0 over No. 1 Zeeland West in Semifinal, 37-7 over No. 7 East Grand Rapids, 29-21 over honorable mention Grand Rapids Christian, 27-14 over No. 8 Cedar Springs in District Final, 42-7 over honorable mention Petoskey in Regional Final.
Players to watch: RB Caleb Washington, 5-8/180, sr. (1,556 yards/15 TDs rushing); DB/WR Alezay Coleman, 5-10/175, sr. (194 yards/1 TD receiving); WR Joeviair Kennedy, 6-3/205, sr. (381 yards/5 TDs receiving); QB Shawn Pfenning, 5-11/185, sr. (1,381 yards/14 TDs passing, 466 yards/14 TDs rushing); LB Taran Smith, 6-1/205, sr.
Outlook: Muskegon’s two runner-up finishes came the last two seasons in Division 2, but the Big Reds moved into Division 3 for this fall’s playoffs – and after falling to Brother Rice in those Finals has drawn another Catholic League power in St. Mary’s. Kennedy and Coleman were among standouts last season as well – Kennedy the team’s leading receiver in the 38-21 loss to Rice and Coleman the leading tackler that game – but they are just two from an athletic group that runs and stops the run especially well.
ORCHARD LAKE ST. MARY’S
Record/rank: 11-2, No. 5
Coach: George Porritt, 26th season (232-66)
League finish: Second in Detroit Catholic League Central
Finals history: Five MHSAA titles (most recent 2011), six runner-up finishes.
Best wins: 14-10 over Division 2 honorable mention Warren DeLaSalle, 51-3 over New Boston Huron in Semifinal, 21-19 over Southfield.
Players to watch: RB/P/K Brandon Adams, 5-11/185, jr. (1,339 yards/16 TDs rushing), RB/LB Justin Myrick, 5-10/180, jr. (1,044 yards/12 TDs rushing), DB/WR Tyson Smith, 5-11/180, sr. (308 yards/4 TDs receiving, 8 interceptions/1 TD return), DE/OT Jared Mosley, 6-2/240, sr.; DB/RB Ross Moore, 5-9/175, sr.
Outlook: The Eaglets are back in the Finals for the fifth time in six seasons and after missing the playoffs in 2013. This St. Mary’s team has a similar look to its 2012 Division 3 runner-up in that it features a group of standout running backs – joining Adams and Myrick is another junior, Pierce Bauer (646 yards/11 TDs rushing. The all-junior backfield is completed by quarterback Brandon Tabone, who has thrown 14 touchdown passes and makes plays to break up the run-heavy attack. Both losses were to Brother Rice – the latter coming down to the end in the Catholic League Prep Bowl.
Division 4
GRAND RAPIDS SOUTH CHRISTIAN
Record/rank: 11-2, No. 4
Coach: Mark Tamminga, sixth season (47-22)
League finish: First in O-K Gold
Finals history: Two MHSAA titles (most recent 2012), four runner-up finishes.
Best wins: 49-14 over honorable mention Whitehall in Regional Final, 50-48 over Division 3 (Division 4 for playoffs) No. 9 Edwardsburg in Semifinal, 33-30 (OT) and 58-34 (District Final) over Hudsonville Unity Christian.
Players to watch: QB Jon Wassink, 6-2/190, sr. (1,210 yards/17 TDs rushing, 2,315/25 TDs passing); RB/DB Geff Plasman, 5-10/180, sr. (1,220 yards/22 TDs rushing); LB/WR Sam Heyboer, 6-4/210, sr. (103 tackles); DB/RB Dylan Brink, 5-11/195 jr. (112 tackles).
Outlook: South Christian is back in the Final for the third straight season, having won in 2012 and fallen to Marine City a year ago. Wassink, who has committed to Western Michigan University, was injured for the 2012 championship game and surely would like to cap his accomplished career by leading the Sailors to a title. They’ve scored 523 points this season – but a combined 192 in the four playoff wins. The losses came during the first weeks of the season to Division 2 Caledonia and Division 3 Grand Rapids Christian.
LANSING SEXTON
Record/rank: 13-0, No. 2
Coach: Daniel Boggan III, 13th season (95-45)
League finish: First in Capital Area Activities Conference Blue
Finals history: Has never appeared in an MHSAA Final.
Best wins: 41-20 over No. 1 Saginaw Swan Valley in District Final, 35-7 over No. 5 Richmond in Regional Final, 35-26 over Detroit East English, 21-12 over Lansing Everett.
Players to watch: RB/LB Avonte’ Bell, 6-1/228, sr. (1,306 yards/16 TDs rushing); QB/DB Malik Mack, 5-9/175, sr. (1,503 yards/19 TDs passing, 471 yards/8 TDs rushing); RB JaVon Wray, 5-6/175, sr. (1,488 yards/19 TDs rushing); WR/LB Rayshawn Wilborn, 6-4/195, sr. (757 yards/12 TDs receiving, 3 interceptions).
Outlook: A roster with 20 seniors has brought the Big Reds to the MHSAA Finals for the first time, with a number of those seniors on varsity for three seasons and four in the cases of Bell and lineman Shain Shannon. Stopping Sexton is difficult because of the number of offensive options with Bell and Wray running the ball and Mack able to take off as well if he doesn't find Wilborn, who has committed to Central Michigan University, or senior Randye Parker. That athleticism plays well on both sides of the ball – the Big Reds have given up only 144 points despite playing a schedule loaded with large Class A schools.
Division 5
GRAND RAPIDS WEST CATHOLIC
Record/rank: 13-0, No. 1
Coach: Dan Rohn, eighth season (86-17)
League finish: First in O-K Blue
Finals history: Division 5 champion 2013 and 2010, two runner-up finishes.
Best wins: 42-24 over No. 3 Menominee in Semifinal, 48-12 over No. 9 Hopkins in District Final, 56-28 over honorable mention Reed City in Regional final, 31-0 over No. 7 Muskegon Oakridge.
Players to watch: QB Travis Russell, 6-2/180, sr. (2,365 yards/35 TDs passing, 1,334 yards/20 TDs rushing); TE/DE Bryce Witham, 6-4/240, sr. (764 yards/16 TDs receiving); WR Conner Nemmers, 6-1/175, jr. (702 yards/9 TDs receiving); OL/DL Drew Doyle, 6-1/235, sr.
Outlook: West Catholic has built quite a run with this its third straight Finals appearance and fourth in five years, and with a chance to win its third title in that time. But a win Saturday would complete the Falcons’ first 14-0 season. Russell has thrown for more than 4,500 yards and 37 touchdowns and run for more than 2,000 yards over the last two seasons, and he has a dominating target in sizable tight end Witham.
LANSING CATHOLIC
Record/rank: 13-0, No. 4
Coach: Jim Ahern, sixth season (55-13)
League finish: First in CAAC White
Finals history: Class C champion 1985, Division 5 runner-up 2011.
Best wins: 21-14 over No. 5 Almont in Semifinal, 27-22 over Division 6 No. 6 Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central, 28-0 over Eaton Rapids.
Players to watch: QB Tony Poljan, 6-7/230, jr. (2,537 yards/32 TDs passing, 953 yards/22 TDs rushing, 89 tackles); RB Tony Palmer, 5-11/175, jr. (836 yards/14 TDs rushing, 866 yards/8 TDs receiving); LB/RB Moses Kone, 5-11/195, sr. (96 tackles/9.5 sacks); WR/DB Zac Baker, 6-0/170, sr. (758 yards/7 TDs receiving, 49 tackles/13 interceptions); LB/RB Ben Rashid, 5-10/175, jr. (101 tackles).
Outlook: Poljan stands tall – literally – among offensive standouts statewide; combined he’s been part of 54 rushing and passing touchdowns. And Palmer has scored 22 times with more than 1,700 total yards – both filling in well the tradition under Ahern, who built Ithaca’s program on a high-scoring offense and took the Cougars to Ford Field with the same three years ago. But don’t sleep on a opportunistic defense giving up 12 points per game – Lansing Catholic has 30 interceptions and has recovered 15 fumbles.
Division 6
MONROE ST. MARY CATHOLIC CENTRAL
Record/rank: 12-1, No. 6
Coach: Jack Giarmo, 17th season (143-54)
League finish: First in Huron League
Finals history: Class B champion 1991, three runner-up finishes.
Best wins: 50-15 over No. 3 Clinton in District Final, 27-26 over No. 2 Jackson Lumen Christi in Semifinal, 40-7 over New Boston Huron.
Players to watch: RB/DB Justin Carrabino, 5-8/160, jr. (1,380 yards/15 TDs rushing, 243 yards/5 TDs receiving); QB/DB Bryce Windham, 6-1/160, sr. (865 yards/15 TDs passing, 171 yards/4 TDs rushing); TE/DB Travis Vuich, 6-4/180, sr. (499 yards/9 TDs receiving); RB/LB John Lako, 6-2/200, sr. (1,048 yards/16 TDs rushing).
Outlook: St. Mary is back in the Finals for the first time since finishing a run of three runner-up finishes between 2005-10 – the last coming against Ithaca in the first of four straight title wins for the Yellowjackets. Defenses know what’s coming but still haven’t had much success stopping it; senior Mitchell Lamour has added another 841 yards and 12 touchdowns rushing to the two 1,000-yard seasons of his backfield mates. The Falcons only loss was by five in Week 9 to Division 5 finalist Lansing Catholic.
ITHACA
Record/rank: 13-0, No. 1
Coach: Terry Hessbrook, 11th season (114-17)
League finish: First in Tri-Valley Conference West
Finals history: Division 6 champions 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013.
Best wins: 20-16 over No. 5 Boyne City in Semifinal, 41-27 over No. 10 Madison Heights Madison in Regional Final, 35-0 over No. 8 Millington in District Final, 33-14 over Division 8 No. 9 (Division 7 for playoffs) Saginaw Michigan Lutheran Seminary.
Players to watch: QB/DB Jacob Smith, 6-1/170, jr. (1,979 yards/26 TDs passing, 1,298 yards/19 TDs rushing); WR/DB Spence DeMull, 6-3/165, jr. (1,080 yards/15 TD receiving); WR/DL Jonah Loomis, 5-9/170, jr. (100 yards/5 TDs rushing, 134 tackles); OL/OLB Jace Demenov, 6-0/205, jr. (154 tackles).
Outlook: Ithaca’s winning streak stands at 69 games, the longest active streak nationally among 11-player football teams. A win this weekend also would make the Yellowjackets the 12th in MHSAA history to win five football titles. They trailed Madison heading into the fourth quarter and held off Boyne City in the final seconds last week – and if they finish with another victory, they should make a run next fall at the MHSAA consecutive wins record of 72. Ithaca has only six seniors.
Division 7
DETROIT LOYOLA
Record/rank: 13-0, No. 2
Coach: John Callahan, sixth season (64-10)
League finish: First in Detroit Catholic League AA
Finals history: Division 7 runners-up 2012 and 2013.
Best wins: 60-26 over No. 3 New Lothrop in Regional Final, 41-21 over Pewamo-Westphalia in Semifinal, 46-18 over Detroit Country Day.
Players to watch: RB/LB Marvin Campbell, 5-10/196, sr. (1,817 yards/30 TDs rushing); LB/TE Darryl Clemons, 6-2/228, sr. (68 tackles); LB/FB Paul Engram, 5-11/236, sr. (68 tackles); OL/DL Devon Hayes, 6-2/315, sr.; RB/CB Mideyin Wilson, 5-10/185, sr. (1,013 yards/15 TDs rushing).
Outlook: Loyola’s recently-annual Finals matchup with Ishpeming has become arguably the best long-distance rivalry in Michigan; the Bulldogs are seeking their first championship after falling to the Hematites by six in 2012 and 10 a year ago. Campbell is finishing a career that’s included 3,936 yards and 53 touchdowns on the ground, and he’s averaging an amazing 10 yards per carry this fall. He and Wilson again run behind a massive offensive line going 305-238-275-240-315 pounds from left tackle to right.
ISHPEMING
Record/rank: 12-0, No. 1
Coach: Jeff Olson, 23rd season (169-78)
League finish: First in Mid-Peninsula Conference
Finals history: Four MHSAA titles (most recent 2013), one runner-up finish.
Best wins: 22-13 over No. 7 Traverse City St. Francis in Regional Final, 20-7 over No. 9 Iron River West Iron County in District Final, 22-18 over Division 8 No. 9 (Division 7 for playoffs) Saginaw Michigan Lutheran Seminary in Semifinal, 20-0 over Division 8 No. 7 Beal City.
Players to watch: QB/DB Ozzy Corp, 6-5/190, jr. (606 yards/6 TDs passing, 731 yards/15 TDs rushing, 4 interceptions defensively); RB/DB Ozzy Hakkarinen, 6-0/205, sr. (611 yards/7 TDs rushing, 5 interceptions); LB/FL Dominic Suardini, 5-8/175, sr. (474 yards/7 TDs rushing); OL/DE Dan Thornton, 5-10/175, sr. (Statistics through regular season.)
Outlook: Most fans outside Ishpeming and its league may not recognize the names leading the charge back to Ford Field this weekend – the Hematites graduated the majority of players who carried them to back-to-back championships. But this group quickly has begun its own legacy continuing a winning streak that now stretches 33 games. Hakkarinen left the Semifinal with an injury and Corp picked up the slack finishing with 198 yards rushing; he may need to answer similarly but has proven more than capable, as has a defense giving up only 8.7 points per game.
Division 8
MUNISING
Record/rank: 12-1, No. 8
Coach: Jeff Seaberg, 10th season (43-53)
League finish: First in Mid-Eastern Conference
Finals history: Class C champion 1980.
Best wins: 10-7 over No. 7 Beal City in Semifinal, 43-14 over No. 4 Crystal Falls Forest Park in Regional Final, 24-6 over No. 3 St. Ignace in District Final.
Players to watch: RB/LB Garrett Blank, 6-1/205, sr. (2,071 yards/29 TDs rushing); WR/DB Andy Cooper, 6-4/175, sr. (410 yards/7 TDs receiving, 6 interceptions); OL/DL Jason Lindbeck, 6-8/250, sr.; OL/DL Ian McInnis, 6-2/270, jr.; QB/DB Austin Kelto, 5-10/175, sr. (977 yards/18 TDs passing, 303 yards/8 TDs rushing).
Outlook: Munising has done just about everything possible so far during its best season in more than three decades. The lone loss came on opening night to Division 7 No. 9 Iron River West Iron County, and the Mustangs have given up only 57 points since and 85 total this fall. The program has five winning seasons over the last 20, but three over the last four years. A strong group of 10 seniors has played a major role in bringing the program back to its first championship game since its coach, Seaberg, was a junior on the team.
MUSKEGON CATHOLIC CENTRAL
Record/rank: 13-0, No. 1
Coach: Steve Czerwon, second season (25-2)
League finish: First in Lakes 8 Conference
Finals history: Nine MHSAA titles (most recent 2013), three runner-up finishes.
Best wins: 42-6 over No. 2 Harbor Beach in Semifinal, 48-7 over No. 6 Mendon in Regional Final, 42-0 over No. 5 Fowler in District Final, 30-0 over Detroit Country Day.
Players to watch: RB/DB Tommy Scott, 5-8/180, sr. (1,944 yards/31 TDs rushing); QB/DB Nicholas Holt, 6-0/185, sr. (859 yards/15 TDs rushing, 438 yards/9 TDs passing); TE/LB Lamar Jordan III, 6-0/200, sr.; OL/DL Jaeden MacPherson, 6-3/245, sr.; K Griffin Seymour, 5-8/140, sr. (80 extra points in 83 attempts, 3-5 field goals).
Outlook: The Crusaders have more than met expectations that they’d dominate again this season after returning Scott, Holt and Seymour among a number of contributors to last year’s run. Holt’s numbers might look low, but he’s missed most of the last seven games with an injury. Junior Christian Martinez has filled in well in his absence, and the defense is combining with Holt to pick up any remaining slack – MCC is giving up a mere 121 yards per game.
PHOTO: Ford Field has been home to the MHSAA 11-player Football Finals since 2005.
1st & Goal: 2024 Finals in Review
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
December 4, 2024
The story of the 50th MHSAA Football Playoffs may have been driven as much by the run-up to the Finals of these last two weekends as by those 10 championship games themselves.
But those games at Ford Field and the Superior Dome left us with their shares of unforgettable moments as we celebrated another special moment of this overall 100th MHSAA anniversary.
Goodrich, Pontiac Notre Dame Prep and Millington celebrated championships for the first time. Jackson Lumen Christi moved into first all-time with its 14th Finals title. The average margin of victory may not have been close this time around – winners did so by nearly 24 points, and we had just one single-digit game out of 10 – but consider as well the excitement generated on the way to these concluding weekends. Of the 20 teams ranked Nos. 1 or 2 by the Michigan High School Football Coaches Association at the end of the regular season, only five reached championship games – and only three won them.
We had senior standouts rewrite the scoring side of our 11-player Finals record book, star quarterbacks face off in an 8-player classic, and an uncountable number of unforgettable moments as nearly 45,000 fans traveled to witness the beginnings of our latest trophy celebrations.
MHSAA.com once again covered all 10 championship games, with quick recaps and links to those stories below followed by notations of performances entered into the MHSAA Finals record books and a report on some of the main storylines to emerge as those championships were being decided.
Finals in Review
11-Player Division 1: Detroit Cass Tech 42, Hudsonville 20 – Read
The Technicians won their fourth championship and first since 2016 by shutting down Hudsonville’s powerful rushing attack and dominating the air with freshman quarterback Donald Tabron II completing 15 of 20 passes for 176 yards and three touchdowns to arguably the top receiving group in the state. Cass Tech built a 35-0 lead by a minute into the second half.
11-Player Division 2: Orchard Lake St. Mary’s 35, Byron Center 19 – Read
Orchard Lake St. Mary’s also won its first championship since 2016 with a mostly second-half burst after trailing 13-7 until the final minutes of the second quarter. Darrin Jones and Bryson Williams both ran for more than 100 yards and a pair of touchdowns as the Eaglets also shut down a Byron Center offense that averaged nearly 40 points per game entering championship weekend.
11-Player Division 3: Zeeland West 42, Detroit Martin Luther King 22 – Read
Paced by a record-setting performance by running back Keaton Hendricks, Zeeland West and its T-formation attack defeated a fourth top-seven ranked team during this playoffs. The Dux presented a look King hadn’t seen in years and turned it into not only a 352-295 total yardage advantage but also a 30:10-17:50 edge in time of possession as it piled up points against a King defense that had given up just 13.6 per game on the way to the Final.
11-Player Division 4: Goodrich 35, Niles 6 – Read
Goodrich won this matchup of finalists seeking their first championship, dominating the line of scrimmage to the tune of a 424-96 advantage in total yardage. Chase Burnett did the most damage of a talented Martians group of playmakers, running for 157 yards and a pair of scores while their defense locked down a Niles attack that averaged 41 points per game entering this matchup.
11-Player Division 5: Pontiac Notre Dame Prep 42, Frankenmuth 7 – Read
This also featured a pair of first-title hopefuls, and Notre Dame Prep took one home coached by Pat Fox, who grew up in and has since moved back to Frankenmuth. Quarterback Sam Stowe starred for the Fighting Irish, throwing four touchdown passes as NDP took a 35-0 lead into the fourth quarter and frustrated a Frankenmuth attack that had outscored its opponents by 31 points per game.
11-Player Division 6: Jackson Lumen Christi 56, Lansing Catholic 18 – Read
Lumen Christi’s record-setting win came on a record-setting performance by running back Kadale Williams, who ended up with a combined 590 yards and eight rushing touchdowns over his last two Finals appearances after also carrying the ball once in the Titans’ 2022 championship game. Lumen’s title was its third-straight with the first two of this string coming in Division 7
11-Player Division 7: Millington 24, Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central 0 – Read
Millington finished its first championship run as also the only undefeated 11-player champion this season. The Cardinals were physically dominant as they posted their fifth shutout and lowered their points allowed per game average to 7.7. In this win, they allowed just 3.2 yards per carry and forced three turnovers, limiting an SMCC offense averaging 36 points per game entering the weekend.
11-Player Division 8: Beal City 43, Riverview Gabriel Richard 14 – Read
Physical play and a strong running game were the story of this championship decider as well as Beal City won its third title and first since 2009 behind 315 rushing yards. The Aggies strung together unanswered runs of 21 and 17 points and held Gabriel Richard scoreless for the final 22 minutes of the first half and final 12 of the second.
8-Player Division 1: Deckerville 30, Pickford 28 – Read
Pickford led until the opening seconds of the fourth quarter as Deckerville came back from a double-digit third-quarter deficit to win its first championship since 2012. Both teams entered the matchup undefeated, and both relied on star quarterbacks who wrote their names into the Finals record book.
8-Player Division 2: Crystal Falls Forest Park 42, Morrice 20 – Read
The Trojans played in their 15th championship game and won for the fifth time after taking a 28-0 lead into the break and running for 184 of their total 291 yards during the first two quarters. Coach Brian Fabbri, who had played for Forest Park in 11-Player Finals in 2004 and 2005, became the fourth title-winning coach in program history.
Records Report
Zeeland West senior Keaton Hendricks scored a Finals record six touchdowns – to also give him a Finals-record 36 points. He rushed for three and caught three scores, and the three receiving touchdowns tied for second-most on that list.
Before Hendricks’ accomplishments a day later, Jackson Lumen Christi senior Kadale Williams briefly sat atop four record book lists. He remains the record holder with 314 rushing yards and five rushing touchdowns and sits tied for second with five total touchdowns and 30 points scored in a championship game. His 314 rushing yards also put him on the total yardage list.
Junior quarterback Sam Stowe directed Notre Dame’s offense during the championship drive, reaching the record book with 293 yards passing and four touchdowns through the air including one score on one of the longest completions in Finals history – 87 yards to Billy Collins. Stowe also ran for eight yards, making the total yardage list with 301.
Lansing Catholic senior quarterback Alex Fernandez earned multiple record listings with 284 passing yards, 21 passing completions and 366 total yards; he also ran for 82. Senior receiver Xavier Luea tied for the fifth-most receptions in a championship game, pulling in 10 for the Cougars.
Four kickers reached the record book list for most extra points in one game. Jackson Lumen Christi senior Andy Salazar tied two others for the record with eight extra points, making all eight kicks he took in the Division 6 Final. Notre Dame Prep junior Owen Fulsher made six extra points in six attempts, and Orchard Lake St. Mary’s freshman Beckett Kiefer, Beal City senior Kyle Martin and Goodrich senior Landon Williams all made the list with five extra points in five tries.
As noted above, Jackson Lumen Christi set a record for championships with 14, breaking its tie with Farmington Hills Harrison (which closed at the end of the 2018-19 school year). Lumen scored 42 points during the first half of its Division 6 win, tying for third-most in one half, and its 56 total points tied for second-most for a full title game. The Titans also tied a record with seven rushing touchdowns total and made the list – with Niles in Division 4 as well – for fewest pass attempts, with three.
Lansing Catholic made the team list for most pass completions with 21, and Notre Dame Prep made the team list for passing yards with 293.
As seems to make sense with some of our winning teams’ offensive successes, four made the list of those to not punt during a Final – Zeeland West, Beal City, Goodrich and Jackson Lumen Christi. West also combined with Detroit Martin Luther King, and Beal City with Riverview Gabriel Richard, to make the list for fewest punts by both opposing teams combined. Both pairs had just one in their games.
Although in defeat, Pickford senior quarterback Tommy Storey was one of the stars of the 8-Player Finals, making lists with four total touchdowns, 304 rushing yards (ranking second), four rushing touchdowns and 312 total yards. His opposing quarterback, Deckerville senior Hunter Garza, also made multiple lists with 323 total yards and 225 rushing.
Crystal Falls Forest Park sophomore Dietrich Rasner made the extra points list, tying for second with six in six attempts, and Morrice senior Joel Fisher had the second-longest punt return in 8-Player Finals history bringing one back 85 yards for a score.
Pickford and Deckerville both reached 300 yards rushing in the Division 1 game, Pickford with 322 and Deckerville just missing the record book yardage list but setting a record with 60 rushing attempts. Deckerville also made the first downs list with 21.
Crystal Falls Forest Park made a rushing list, with six touchdowns running the ball. The Trojans also set a record by not allowing Morrice to gain a yard passing – with the Orioles becoming the first 8-player team to not complete a pass in a Final, attempting just four.
Stories Behind the Scores
Lumen Legend: Of Jackson Lumen Christi’s now-14 Finals championships, 12 came under the leadership of coach Herb Brogan, who took over the program in 1980 after Jim Crowley led the Titans to titles in 1977 and 1979. They finished this season 13-1, putting Brogan’s career record at 421-96. He’s third in football coaching wins in Michigan high school history, trailing Al Fracassa (Royal Oak Shrine Catholic/Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice) by nine and John Herrington (Farmington Hills Harrison) by 22. Brogan’s all-time winning percentage of .814 has him fourth all-time on that list for coaches with at least 200 victories.
Welcome to the Finals: Of the 20 teams that played in championship games (11 and 8-player combined), only Lumen Christi was returning from 2023. Compare that to two years ago, when we had four repeat champions, or last year with six returning teams and two repeat champs. Over the last two weekends, five teams played in championship games for the first time, and as mentioned above, three celebrated their first titles.
Return of the Rush: Wide-open pass-heavy offenses have been a trend going on two decades. But the ground game may be making a comeback. Lumen Christi’s Williams set the individual rushing record in his team’s win over Lansing Catholic, and it’s fair to consider the offenses of at least 15 of the 20 finalists (11 and 8-player combined) as rush-based. Six teams reached 300 yards rushing in championship games, with Lumen leading the way with 435 on 47 carries.
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PHOTOS (Top) This collage shows action photos from all 10 MHSAA Finals played this season. (2) Goodrich's Chase Burnett, middle, celebrates his touchdown with two of his linemen. (3) Forest Park and Morrice players get tangled up jumping near the goal line to pull down a pass. (4) Lumen Christi's Kadale Williams (1) works to get to the edge against Lansing Catholic. (11-player photos by Hockey Weekly Action Photos; 8-player photos by Cara Kamps.)