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Harris Soars, Eagles Fly to D3 Championship

November 24, 2012

By Bill Khan
Special to Second Half

DETROIT — A funny thing happened on Drake Harris’ way to hoops stardom.

He discovered he’s even greater on the gridiron.

The junior wide receiver didn’t intend to play high school football at Grand Rapids Christian, but now figures that’s his meal ticket in college — and perhaps beyond — after a record-breaking season that culminated with an epic performance in the MHSAA Division 3 championship game against Orchard Lake St. Mary’s.

Harris made three clutch catches in the final eight minutes to keep scoring drives alive and finished with a MHSAA Finals record of 243 yards on eight catches in the Eagles’ 40-37 overtime victory Saturday night at Ford Field.

Twice on the game-tying drive, Harris made leaping catches on fourth down. His 7-yarder on fourth-and-three and 15-yarder on fourth-and-eight set up a 28-yard field goal by Joel Schipper with four seconds left in the fourth quarter.

After the Eagles stopped St. Mary’s on fourth-and-three on the first series of overtime, Schipper came out on first down and kicked the championship-clinching 27-yard field goal.

In the process, Harris became only the 12th player nationally and first from Michigan to rack up 2,000 receiving yards for one season. He finished the season with 2,016.

“It’s a great achievement for me,” Harris said. “I have to thank the quarterback, the line and my coaching staff for putting me in the right position to make plays. All I care about is that state championship.”

It's the first for Grand Rapids Christian, which also made its first MHSAA Final appearance and finished this fall 13-1. St. Mary's, last season's Division 3 champion, ended 11-3.

Harris had hoop dreams coming into high school, figuring he would specialize in basketball to enhance his college opportunities. After getting talked into playing football by Eagles coach Don Fellows, Harris discovered a hidden talent. He wound up making a verbal commitment last summer to Michigan State to play both sports, but football may eventually win out.

“I never realized the talent I had for football,” the 6-foot-4, 180-pound Harris said. “I’m putting it all together. I’m going to keep working hard to achieve my goals.

“(MSU basketball coach Tom Izzo) loves players that play football. He told me that. He encouraged me. He’s with me with the whole situation and loves that I play football. I’m kind of starting to lean more towards football. I just feel like I’m probably better in football and that I can go further in football.”

Grand Rapids Christian quarterback Alex VanDeVusse was 16 for 26 for 307 yards and a touchdown, but deflected any credit for his performance to his outstanding wide receiver. VanDeVusse noted that a couple of Harris’ catches late in the game came on passes that would’ve eluded the grasp of most high school receivers.

“He makes me look really, really good,” VanDeVusse said. “Balls that are behind him, he slows down and catches it with one hand if he has to. Balls that are too high, he jumps and gets flipped. People don’t necessarily think he’s tough or something, but to have a guy go three or four feet in the air to get flipped, catch the ball and land on his back and his head, he’s pretty tough in my book. I’ll take him on my team every single day. He’s amazing.”

VanDeVusse looked to Harris in every clutch situation, of which there were several in a wild fourth quarter.

“We joke around that he’s our toy,” VanDeVusse said. “If you have a toy, you’re going to want to play with it all the time. We use him a lot and he does every bit that we ask of him.”

The Eaglets knew that Harris would be targeted when Grand Rapids Christian needed a big play, but even double coverage couldn’t stop him.

“He makes you shift,” St. Mary’s coach George Porritt said. “You have to bring more people to him. You can’t guard him with one. It might leave somebody else open. He forces you to bring two, maybe three.”

A 42-yard run by VanDeVusse gave Grand Rapids Christian a 20-7 lead with 4:42 left in the first half, but St. Mary’s rallied behind a ground game that rolled up 459 yards to take its first lead at 30-27 with 9:37 left in the fourth quarter.

Harris made a 38-yard catch on third-and-27 with 8:00 remaining, one play before a 32-yard touchdown run by Seth McIntosh put the Eagles ahead 34-30 with 7:45 to go.

St. Mary’s then marched 80 yards in 12 plays to grab a 37-34 lead with 2:06 left on a 3-yard run by Grant Niemiec.

Harris made four catches for 47 yards on the ensuing drive, which culminated in Schipper’s game-tying field goal.

St. Mary’s got the ball first in overtime. A pass by Matt Linehan intended for running back Parker McInnis in the end zone fell incomplete on fourth-and-three.

Grand Rapids Christian didn’t hesitate to bring in Schipper to end the game with his right foot on first down.

“I knew it was a big kick starting off, but I just tried to block it all out,” Schipper said. “It felt just like at practice. Coach puts a lot of pressure on us during the week so these situations don’t come as big in the games. That really helped me. I’m just glad I could get the win for the team tonight.

“He’s got the whole team screaming in my ear in practice when I’m trying to make field goals. That really helps in this environment.”

St. Mary’s lost, despite setting a finals record with 579 yards of total offense. The teams combined for a record 1,033 yards.

McInnis ran 25 times for 269 yards, while Niemiec carried 28 times for 168 yards and three touchdowns for St. Mary’s.

Click for full statistics and to watch a replay of the game.

PHOTOS: (Top) Grand Rapids Christian receiver Drake Harris runs away from two Orchard Lake St. Mary's defenders for some of his record-breaking yardage Saturday. (Middle) The Eagles celebrate their first MHSAA championship. (Click for more from Terry McNamara Photography.)

A Pine River ball carrier looks for an opening during McBain’s 46-0 win Friday, 10/7/22..

1st & Goal: 2022 Week 7 Review

By Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor

October 10, 2022

The home stretch is here, and with it more of the unexpected even as we continue to learn a few new details every week about this season’s contenders.

MI Student AidSeveral more league champions were rewarded this week, but nearly as many races seemed to re-open thanks to unpredicted performances.

Bay & Thumb

HEADLINER Elkton-Pigeon-Bay Port Laker 32, Bad Axe 14 The Lakers (7-0) finished an outright championship run in the Greater Thumb Conference West, defeating Bad Axe in a winner-take-all league finale. Those two and Reese had shared the championship a year ago. Bad Axe entered scoring 37 points per game, but Laker still hasn’t given up more than 15 to any opponent this fall. Click for more from the Huron Daily Tribune.

Watch list Armada 37, North Branch 28 The top of the Blue Water Area Conference is shuffling weekly, and suddenly Armada (6-1) finds itself on top alone after knocking the Broncos (6-1) off their former solo perch.

On the move Marine City 47, Clinton Township Clintondale 8 The Mariners (6-1) haven’t lost again since falling to Armada by a point in their season opener, and they finished a Macomb Area Conference Silver outright title run. Lapeer 42, Grand Ledge 28 The Lightning (7-0) turned away another strong challenge from the Comets (5-2) with Clarkston and Davison coming up to close the regular season. Fenton 28, Linden 21 This combined with Swartz Creek’s win over Flushing ended the Flint Metro League Stripes schedule with a shared championships among the Tigers (5-2), Eagles (5-2) and Dragons (6-1).

Greater Detroit

HEADLINER Riverview 18, Carleton Airport 13 The Pirates (6-0) ran their regular-season winning streak to 26 and Huron League streak to 21 in clinching a third-straight conference championship. The Jets (5-2) entered averaging 32 points per game but were held to their second fewest this season.

Watch list Grosse Pointe North 50, Warren Fitzgerald 0 After going a combined 7-27 over the last four seasons, North is 7-0 and the Macomb Area Conference Green champion. The Norsemen have given up 32 points this season and allowed only six over five league wins.

On the move Grosse Pointe South 20, St. Clair Shores Lakeview 16 After two seasons in the MAC Red, South returned to the MAC White this season – and after an 0-2 nonconference start won all five league games to take back the title after previously winning the White four straight seasons from 2016-19. Redford Union 40, Melvindale 6 The Panthers (7-0) ran their Western Wayne Athletic Conference winning streak to 17 and clinched a share of a second-straight league title. Southfield Arts & Technology 35, Oak Park 12 In addition to guaranteeing its first overall winning record since its first season in 2016, A&T (6-1) clinched an outright Oakland Activities Association White title while no league opponent got closer than 14 points.

Mid-Michigan

HEADLINER Durand 54, Chesaning 8 This combined with Ovid-Elsie’s 14-13 win over New Lothrop earned the Railroaders (7-0) a share of the Mid-Michigan Activities Conference title. The seven wins are the team’s most since winning seven in 2009, and tied their most since 1983 according to Michigan-football.com. Click for more from the Flint Journal.

Watch list Laingsburg 27, Fowler 14 Coming off a Week 6 win over many-season reigning champ Pewamo-Westphalia, the Eagles (6-1) looked to be control in the Central Michigan Athletic Conference. But Laingsburg, which opened its CMAC schedule with a loss to P-W, instead guaranteed itself a share of the championship with Fowler and the Pirates able to earn the same with wins this week. 

On the move Ithaca 50, Saginaw Michigan Lutheran Seminary 18 The Yellowjackets (6-1) claimed the Tri-Valley Conference West 2 title, their 14th straight league championship, while handing MLS (6-1) its only loss. Ovid-Elsie 14, New Lothrop 13 In avenging four MMAC losses to New Lothrop over the last four seasons, Ovid-Elsie (5-2) also gained an opportunity to claim a share of the league title if the Hornets (6-1) defeat Durand this week. Olivet 42, Lake Odessa Lakewood 7 The Eagles (6-1) ended their (and Lakewood’s) time in the Greater Lansing Activities Conference by clinching a sixth-straight league championship while sending the Vikings (5-2) into second place.

Northern Lower Peninsula

HEADLINER Boyne City 34, Elk Rapids 0 The Ramblers (6-0) clinched a share of the Northern Michigan Football Conference Leaders championship, with the opportunity to earn it outright this week against Tawas. The shutout was the team’s second in three games and the championship is their second straight. Elk Rapids moved to 5-2. Click for more from the Petoskey News-Review.

Watch list Cadillac 24, Belding 6 The Vikings (5-2) not only are Big North Conference champions but now own a win over another league leader as the Black Knights (6-1) sit atop the Ottawa-Kent Conference Silver standings.

On the move Tawas 44, Maple City Glen Lake 14 Tawas entered the season with 15 straight losses and added five more, but now has won two straight and this time with its best offensive performance since 2019. Traverse City St. Francis 35, Sault Ste. Marie 7 The Gladiators (7-0) finished a repeat title run in the NMFC Legends and ran their regular-season win streak to 19. Lake City 45, Roscommon 6 The Trojans (5-2) equaled their 2021 win total and with two regular-season games to play against opponents that could significantly improve their postseason possibilities as they sit No. 24 in Division 7 playoff points.

Southeast & Border

HEADLINER Tecumseh 50, Chelsea 34 The Tecumseh dream season continues and now includes the program’s first win over Chelsea since 2013 and a Southeastern Conference White championship to go with a 7-0 start. Chelsea (5-2) provided the stiffest challenge this season, but Tecumseh’s offense continued to churn going over 50 points for the fifth time this fall. Click for more from the Ann Arbor News.

Watch list Temperance Bedford 7, Saline 0 The Kicking Mules (5-2) had given Saline (6-1) some of its closest games over the last eight years. But their first win over Saline since 2013 not only ended a personal losing streak but the Hornets’ run of 50 straight SEC Red wins since that last Bedford defeat.

On the move Napoleon 29, Michigan Center 27 Napoleon (7-0) is the Cascades Conference champion, and outright thanks to some help from Grass Lake (see below). Adrian Madison 14, Erie Mason 8 The Trojans (3-4) need to make up 12 spots to get into the Division 6 playoff field, but two straight wins is the right start especially with Mason at 5-2 this fall. Grass Lake 34, Addison 18 The Warriors (4-3) have pushed to the No. 26 spot in the Division 7 playoff field with Addison sitting No. 27 on the Division 8 list.

Southwest Corridor

HEADLINER Buchanan 26, Niles Brandywine 24 The Bucks are the first football champions of the Lakeland Athletic Conference, and they earned that historic title by avenging a 2021 loss to Brandywine (4-3). The Bobcats made a run at the lead late, but Buchanan (6-1) held on and sits No. 15 in Division 5 playoff points with tough games to go against Benton Harbor and Centreville. Click for more from the St. Joseph Herald-Palladium.

Watch list Lawton 49, Schoolcraft 14 The Blue Devils (6-1) remain on a roll, with this win clinching a share of the Southwestern Athletic Conference Valley title and their fourth straight scoring at least 42 points and giving up no more than 16.

On the move Decatur 37, Delton Kellogg 22 The Raiders (5-2) guaranteed their winningest season since 2018 and against a Delton team eying a third-straight playoff appearance and sitting No. 12 in Division 7 playoff points. Niles 49, Paw Paw 8 The Vikings (3-4) had a rough stretch midseason, but with a second-straight win are sitting just one spot outside the Division 4 playoff field. St. Joseph 42, Stevensville Lakeshore 14 The Bears (6-1) continued to push toward a possible Week 9 decider in the Southwestern Michigan Athletic Conference while sending Lakeshore (3-4) into a tie for third.

Upper Peninsula

HEADLINER Negaunee 24, Gladstone 6 The Miners (7-0) fortified their status as the Upper Peninsula’s top team this fall, adding this win to another over Iron Mountain – the two opponents that also have been in the mix for that praise. The Braves were averaging 36 points per game entering the contest, but Negaunee brought its points-allowed average down to nine per game this season. Click for more from RRN Sports.

Watch list St. Ignace 20, East Jordan 14 The Saints (6-1) clinched a share of the NMFC Legacy championship and can claim it outright Week 9 against winless Harbor Springs. East Jordan (3-4) is hanging on to a spot in the Division 8 playoff field.

On the move Calumet 35, Houghton 12 The Copper Kings (4-3) bounced back from a Week 6 loss with a must-win against the Gremlins (5-2) and are holding onto the No. 32 spot in the Division 6 playoff field.  Ishpeming Westwood 14, L’Anse 6 The Patriots (4-3) ran their winning streak to four as they prepare to finish with a pair of potential league champions in Bark River-Harris and Negaunee. Marquette 21, Menominee 6 After a 1-4 start, Marquette has won two straight including this one to avenge a 2021 loss to the Maroons (4-3).

West Michigan

HEADLINER North Muskegon 28, Ravenna 7 The Norsemen (6-1) drew another important win closer to a possible West Michigan Conference title with this win over second-place Ravenna (5-2) to go with an earlier victory over third-place Hart. The Bulldogs are the highest-scoring team in the Rivers division this fall, but North Muskegon held them to well below their previous average of 39 points per game. Click for more from CatchMark SportsNet.

Watch list Fruitport 28, Grand Rapids West Catholic 20 This was the stunner of the weekend, but maybe shouldn’t have been as Fruitport is enjoying its best season in a decade after finishing below .500 the last eight. West Catholic (6-1) hadn’t had an opponent come within two touchdowns since opening night.

On the move Big Rapids 27, Howard City Tri County 27 The Cardinals (5-2) shook up the Central State Activities Association Gold and ended up on top with a guaranteed share of the title with Tri County and Reed City also with one loss in league play. Reed City 52, Kent City 0 The Coyotes (6-1) won big over the CSAA Silver champ Kent City (6-1), a nice bonus to getting back into the Gold title race. Sparta 34, Hopkins 14 The Spartans are 4-1 over their last five games and back in the Ottawa-Kent Conference Silver mix after pulling the Vikings (5-2) out of a tie for the top spot.

8-Player

HEADLINER Peck 46, New Haven Merritt 6 The Pirates clinched the North Central Thumb League Stripes title and haven’t lost since Week 1. Peck has won its league games by an average of 37 points per, with one more to play. Merritt (4-3) is part of a three-way tie for second place.

Watch list Au Gres-Sims 50, Alcona 34 The Wolverines (6-1) are tied for first in the North Star League Little Dipper with a Week 9 matchup against Posen likely to decide the championship, and Alcona (6-1) playing Rogers City next for the Big Dipper title.

On the move Tekonsha 62, Burr Oak 6 Tekonsha (6-1) finished a second-straight perfect run through the Southern Central Athletic Association B. Indian River Inland Lakes 36, Pellston 6 The Bulldogs (5-2) finished an outright title run in the Ski Valley Conference and have yet to lose a league game over two seasons. Brown City 64, Mesick 62 The Green Devils (6-1) went over 60 points for the second-straight week to lock up their closest win of a strong first season of 8-player.

Second Half’s weekly “1st & Goal” previews and reviews are powered by MI Student Aid, a part of the Office of Postsecondary Financial Planning 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. MI Student Aid administers the state’s 529 college savings programs (MET/MESP), as well as scholarship and grant programs that help make college Accessible, Affordable and Attainable for you. Connect with MI Student Aid at www.michigan.gov/mistudentaid and find more information on Facebook and Twitter @mistudentaid.

PHOTO A Pine River ball carrier looks for an opening during McBain’s 46-0 win Friday. (Photo by Tonya Holmes.)