A Game for Every Fan: Week 5
September 20, 2012
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Some of the strongest followings of high school football in this state take place in some of our smallest communities.
And some of Michigan's smallest towns should see some of the best games of this week, the midpoint of the 2012 regular season.
See below for this observer's picks of the best matchups from your corner of the state. And remember to visit the MHSAA Score Center all weekend for updated scores and standings.
(All are tonight unless noted. Go to Score Center for additional dates and kickoff times.)
Bay and Thumb
Vassar (4-0) at Reese (4-0)
A move into the Greater Thumb Conference West five years ago, from the Tri-Valley Conference East, has paid off for Vassar. The Vulcans are 30-14 in that time, including a 4-0 start this fall during which they’ve outscored opponents 127-6. The only league team they haven’t beaten since the move: Reese, which handed Vassar its only GTC West losses the last two seasons and is averaging 45 points per game.
Others that caught my eye: Merrill (2-2) at Carrollton (4-0), Saginaw Swan Valley (4-0) at Freeland (3-1), Mount Pleasant (2-2) at Midland (4-0), Essexville Garber (3-1) at Millington (3-1).
Greater Detroit
Livonia Churchill (4-0) at Canton (3-1)
Churchill is lining itself up well for its best season in decades. The Chargers have the most playoff points in the state through four games, have scored at least 35 points in each, and with a another win over Canton – Churchill beat the Chiefs by a point last season – the Chargers will be heavy favorites to win their first league championship since 1979. What about Canton? Its only loss this season was by a point to undefeated Midland.
Others that caught my eye: Detroit Cass Tech (4-0) at Orchard Lake St. Mary (3-1), Farmington (4-0) at Oak Park (4-0), Warren Michigan Collegiate (4-0) at Detroit University Prep (4-0), Wyandotte Roosevelt (4-0) at Taylor Truman (4-0).
Upper Peninsula
Cedarville (4-0) at Eben Junction Superior Central (4-0)
In no other division is the importance of playoff points as cut and dried as in 8-player. The top 16 teams, based on playoff points, make the postseason. Simple as that. These two are in fine shape so far; Cedarville is second only to Portland St. Patrick in points, and Superior Center is third. And they’re also two of three 4-0 teams atop the Bridge 8-Man Football Alliance (Rapid River is the third.). Cedarville and Rapid River shared the title in 2011.
Others that caught my eye: Powers North Central (3-1) at Crystal Falls Forest Park (4-0), Iron Mountain (2-2) at Ishpeming Westwood (2-2), Hurley, Wis (2-2) at Bessemer (3-1), Engadine (2-1) at Rapid River (4-0).
Southwest and Border
Watervliet (4-0) at Hartford (4-0)
No league’s teams have enjoyed more nonconference success than the members of the Southwestern Athletic Conference South. Five of the six have started the season 4-0, with these two perhaps the most impressive so far. Watervliet has followed its 10-win season of last fall by outscoring its first opponents in 2012 by a combined 204-13. Hartford hasn’t been far behind that pace, winning all of its games by at least 28 points.
Others that caught my eye: Lawton (4-0) at Decatur (4-0), Three Rivers (3-1) at Edwardsburg (3-1), St. Joseph (3-1) at Portage Central (3-1), Stevensville Lakeshore (4-0) at Niles (3-1).
West Michigan
Whitehall (2-2) at Montague (3-1)
These West Michigan Conference rivals have played annually for the “Bell” since 1906, with Montague winning the last five meetings. Despite a big loss to Muskegon Oakridge, the Wildcats have won their other three games this fall by a combined score of 152-0. But don’t count out Whitehall; after a 2-0 start, its losses were by eight and four points to Shelby and North Muskegon the last two weeks, respectively.
Others that caught my eye: Caledonia (4-0) at Grand Rapids Christian (3-1), East Grand Rapids (2-2) vs. Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central (3-1) at Fifth Third Ballpark, Hudsonville Unity Christian (2-2) at Grand Rapids South Christian (3-1), Muskegon Oakridge (4-0) at Ravenna (2-2).
Mid-Michigan
DeWitt (3-1) at St. Johns (4-0)
Both coming off of one-point wins last week, these Capital Area Activities Conference Red rivals either will be worn down, or more likely raring to go against what has arguably become the biggest rival for both. These teams haven’t had to play this many close games in a while, and this one should be tight too – all four Redwings wins this season have come by six or fewer points, and DeWitt has scored as many as it has given up. The Panthers hold a 4-3 edge since the series was renewed in 2005.
Others that caught my eye: East Lansing (4-0) at Holt (2-2), Charlotte (2-2) at Mason (4-0), Portland (4-0) at Williamston (3-1), Comstock Park (3-1) at Belding (2-2).
Lower Up North
Pellston (4-0) at Pickford (4-0)
Pellston is arguably the biggest surprise of the northern Lower Peninsula – the Hornets had won a combined four games over the last three seasons, and last won four in one season in 2002. But Pickford also has to be excited about its best start since 2005, especially in its first season in the Ski Valley Conference, which added teams and split into the North and South this fall. The Panthers are just two more wins from their first playoff berth since 2007.
Others that caught my eye: Traverse City Central (3-1) at West Branch Ogemaw Heights (2-2), Onaway (4-0) at Mancelona (4-0), Lake City (4-0) at McBain (2-2), Boyne City (4-0) at Traverse City St. Francis (2-2).
PHOTO: Saginaw Swan Valley (white jerseys) defeated Alma last week to remain atop the Tri-Valley Conference Central standings. (Click to see more from HighSchoolSportsScene.com.)
Guy Delivers Champion's Trophy This Time After Sparking Muskegon's Comeback Win
By
Paul Costanzo
Special for MHSAA.com
November 26, 2023
DETROIT – M’Khi Guy was going to get his hands on the championship trophy no matter what happened in Saturday night’s Division 2 Football Final.
Handing out the championship and runner-up trophies is one of the perks of being part of the MHSAA Student Advisory Council, of which the Muskegon senior is a member. As much of an honor it would have been either way, Guy wanted to do everything he could to make sure he was handing the bigger wooden mitten to his coach, Shane Fairfield.
After rushing for 215 yards, throwing for 159 and accounting for four touchdowns, Guy got to do just that, placing the Division 2 championship trophy into Fairfield’s hands following Muskegon’s 33-21 victory over Warren De La Salle Collegiate at Ford Field.
“It’s awesome,” Guy said. “Last year wasn’t too fun for me, because I had to give it to the opposing team, Detroit (Martin Luther) King. But this time, I got to give it to my coach, my guy right here, and it made me feel great.”
Muskegon prevented De La Salle from winning a third straight Division 2 title while claiming its seventh Finals championship. It was the first since winning it all in 2017, and in between then and now Muskegon had finished runner-up three times, including a year ago to King.
“Everyone was wanting us to give up and quit and not get here,” Fairfield said. “‘You’re going to lose when you get there.’ And, like I said before we left, people want us to fall apart, people want us to break. I said we will not be broken today. We keep telling these guys to follow us and trust us. As much as they get the naysay, for these young men to believe in this coaching staff and their school district, in each other – words do not describe it.”
Muskegon (13-2) had to muster up some extra belief at halftime as it was down 21-7, and outside of an 80-yard touchdown run by Guy had gotten next to nothing going on offense.
That changed almost immediately in the second half, as Guy ran for a 52-yard score on the first possession of the half, and Muskegon wound up out-scoring the Pilots 26-0 over the final 24 minutes.
“They made plays and we didn’t,” De La Salle coach Dan Rohn said. “We went out there on that first drive and went three and out and gave them the opportunity to have the field. Then we did pin them deep, they hit us with a 90-yard touchdown pass, which is what we want them to do is throw the ball. Then we get an opportunity to get a drive going, we drop a pass, we have a fumble – uncharacteristic of us. We didn’t make those plays in the second half; they did.”
The 94-yard touchdown pass was what tied the game up, as Guy hit Destin Piggee down the middle of the field. Piggee had broken open, and Guy lofted the ball for him to run under. Piggee accelerated toward the ball, somehow kept his feet at midfield, and ran the rest of the way for the score, turning the game on its head midway through the third quarter.
“Really, at first I thought it was overthrown, so I was thinking I was going to dive for it,” Piggee said. “But I was able to keep my ground. As I was running, I was looking up at the screen and I saw (De La Salle defensive back James Wallace) gaining ground on me, so I swerved to the left a little bit and just kept on running.”
The Big Reds didn’t take their first lead of the game until the 2:16 mark of the third quarter, when Guy hit Da’Carion Taylor for a 28-yard score, making it 27-21.
Taylor had set the drive up with a fumble recovery in Muskegon territory and was tended to for an injury afterward. He returned, however, to make the leaping grab in the end zone.
A 12-yard TD run by Jakob Price gave the Big Reds a two-score lead at 33-21 with 10:43 remaining, but it was a later drive that didn’t provide any points that essentially put the game away.
After forcing a turnover on downs at their own 20, Muskegon drove 61 yards on 11 plays, taking 6:36 off the clock. While the score remained 33-21 when the drive ended, De La Salle was left with just 1:26 to score twice.
Even with that, though, Fairfield wasn’t satisfied until the final seconds ticked off the clock.
“When there was 11 seconds on the clock, I still wasn’t ready,” Fairfield said. “I’ve been here before. We were four seconds away from beating (Orchard Lake) St. Mary’s in (2016), and they threw a Hail Mary pass. I was re-living that again.”
Price finished with 86 yards rushing and the one touchdown for Muskegon.
De La Salle was led by Sante Gasperoni’s 249 yards passing and 41 rushing. He had two touchdowns on the ground, and one through the air to Damion King IV. King finished the game with 103 yards on five catches for the Pilots (12-3).
PHOTOS (Top) Muskegon’s M’Khi Guy (3) pulls away on one of his long runs during Saturday’s Division 2 Final at Ford Field. (Middle) The Big Reds’ Destin Piggee (5) stretches to snag the ball on his 94-yard touchdown catch. (Below) Guy presents the championship trophy to his coach Shane Fairfield as part of his duties as a member of the MHSAA Student Advisory Council. (Photos by Hockey Weekly Action Photos.)