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.)
1st & Goal: 2024 Playoffs Week 2 Preview
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
November 8, 2024
One week gone, half the 288-team field remaining, and matchups that much more competitive with trophies on the line.
The first hardware of this season’s MHSAA Football Playoffs will be awarded this weekend, as 64 teams will earn 11-player District championships and eight will celebrate 8-player Regional titles.
Games are tonight unless noted. Tickets for both 11 and 8-player rounds this weekend cost $7, and more than 60 of the 72 games to be played will be streamed live on the NFHS Network. Scores and pairings will be updated all weekend at MHSAA.com.
11-Player Division 1
Saline (7-3) at Belleville (9-1)
These two have collided in the playoffs the last two seasons, Belleville winning last year’s District Final matchup 65-14 and in 2022 by a 62-44 count. The Tigers bounced back from their Week 9 one-point loss to Howell with a 68-0 win over Ann Arbor Pioneer last week, and Saline is here after downing Northville 37-7. Counting on-field scores from three forfeit losses to start the season, the Hornets have allowed just under eight points per game this fall – and no more than seven since Week 4. But they’ll get their greatest challenge again from a Tigers team averaging nearly 44 ppg.
Keep an eye on these FRIDAY Utica Eisenhower (8-2) at Macomb Dakota (9-1), Clarkston (7-3) at Rochester Adams (8-2), Oxford (7-3) at Grand Blanc (8-2).
11-Player Division 2
Byron Center (9-1) at Muskegon Mona Shores (9-1)
Their first meeting, in Week 4, was an Ottawa-Kent Conference Green opener and ended up deciding that league’s championship for Mona Shores with a 14-12 win. The Sailors’ defeat came two weeks ago, to Toledo Central Catholic by just a point 14-13. Otherwise, since that first matchup, Mona Shores has posted three shutouts and won its remaining league games by an average of nearly 35 points per, while Byron Center won its four other league games by just under 22 ppg including 17-14 over Muskegon High – which Shores defeated by 15.
Keep an eye on these FRIDAY Birmingham Seaholm (7-3) at Birmingham Groves (10-0), Warren De La Salle Collegiate (7-2) at Grosse Pointe South (10-0), Saginaw Heritage (7-3) at Midland (9-1).
11-Player Division 3
Zeeland West (9-1) at St. Joseph (9-1)
This will be their second District Final matchup in three years; West won in 2022 36-18. The Dux actually are playing for a third-straight District title and in their ninth playoff games over the last three seasons with a 6-2 record across that string and both losses by seven or fewer points. St. Joseph – which did defeat Zeeland West in 2021 during a Semifinal run – lost only to Mattawan this season and had nonleague wins over eventual playoff teams Niles and Edwardsburg, while West’s loss came to still-undefeated Hudsonville Unity Christian with nonleague wins over playoff qualifiers Grand Rapids West Catholic and Whitehall.
Keep an eye on these FRIDAY Coopersville (7-3) at Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central (8-2), River Rouge (5-4) at Riverview (9-1), Mount Pleasant (6-4) at Petoskey (10-0).
11-Player Division 4
Freeland (9-1) at Goodrich (9-1)
A 21-20 Week 8 loss to Frankenmuth is all that has separated Freeland from an undefeated run so far, and Goodrich shares that opponent having fallen to the Eagles 22-0 in their season opener. The Martians have scored at last 42 points in every game since and given up only 7.3 per game over their last nine. Freeland has given up more than 20 points two other times this fall, but scored more than 50 points both times to win those matchups – including 51-21 last weekend over Lake Fenton, which Goodrich defeated 62-0 in Week 3.
Keep an eye on these FRIDAY Edwardsburg (7-3) at Niles (9-1), Hastings (9-1) at Portland (10-0), Dearborn Divine Child (7-3) at Harper Woods (7-3).
11-Player Division 5
Belding (9-1) at Frankenmuth (10-0)
In addition to Freeland and Goodrich (noted above), Frankenmuth also has turned away a challenge from Gladwin among teams playing for District titles tonight. But Belding is a dangerous foe riding a nine-game winning streak since losing its opener to Division 4 Ionia. The Black Knights rocked the O-K Silver, winning their league games on average by 42 points per, and opened the playoffs with a 52-30 win over Saginaw Swan Valley – which Frankenmuth defeated similarly 63-27 in Week 2.
Keep an eye on these FRIDAY Grand Rapids Catholic Central (6-4) at Grand Rapids West Catholic (7-3), Corunna (8-2) at Pontiac Notre Dame Prep (8-1), Berrien Springs (7-3) at Kalamazoo United (8-2).
11-Player Division 6
Marine City (8-2) vs. Warren Michigan Collegiate (9-1) at Warren Lincoln, Saturday
Warren Michigan Collegiate also is riding a nine-game winning streak since falling 27-24 to Clarkston Everest Collegiate in Week 1. The Cougars will carry a 42-point-per-game average and four straight games reaching 50 into this matchup. Marine City has reached 50 three of its last four games as well, with its only defeats in the season opener to Division 5 Armada – by a point – and 39-20 in Week 6 to Division 4 Marysville.
Keep an eye on these FRIDAY Standish-Sterling (7-3) at Reed City (8-2), Central Montcalm (9-1) at Newaygo (8-2), Ida (9-1) at Jackson Lumen Christi (9-1).
11-Player Division 7
Traverse City St. Francis (7-3) at Menominee (9-1), Saturday
Both of these teams have trips to Ford Field once over the last two seasons – St. Francis as Division 7 runner-up in 2022 and Menominee as the same a year ago. The Maroons are in a District Final for the fifth time in six seasons after rebounding from their lone loss by outscoring Bark River Harris and Houghton Lake by a combined 103-6 over the last two weeks. St. Francis lost two of its last three games, but started the playoffs with a 41-16 win over Charlevoix.
Keep an eye on these FRIDAY Pewamo-Westphalia (8-2) at Ithaca (10-0), Union City (9-1) at Hudson (9-1), McBain (9-1) at North Muskegon (9-1).
11-Player Division 8
Harbor Beach (10-0) at Clarkston Everest Collegiate (9-1)
This is part of one of the most competitive Regionals in the state, regardless of division, as Harbor Beach opened last week against reigning champion Ubly and Everest has won four straight District titles – and with the winner this weekend facing either undefeated Fowler or surging Saginaw Michigan Lutheran Seminary next week. Harbor Beach blanked the Bearcats 35-0 and has two straight shutouts and five total this season. Everest has four including last week’s against Burton Bentley – a bounce-back from a 17-14 loss to Division 4 Macomb Lutheran North to close the regular season.
Keep an eye on these FRIDAY Saugatuck (7-3) at Decatur (9-1), Manchester (8-2) at Riverview Gabriel Richard (8-1), Beal City (8-2) at Maple City Glen Lake (9-1).
8-Player Division 1
Martin (8-1) at Mendon (9-1), Saturday
Whichever team emerges from this side of the bracket to reach the Superior Dome will have conquered an incredible road. Both are one-score losses from undefeated this fall and avenged their regular-season losses last week – with the winner of this matchup to see either undefeated Deckerville or surging Kingston in a Semifinal. The key matchup may be Mendon’s rushing attack – playing the lead role for an offense scoring 65 points per game – vs. Martin’s defense that has allowed at least 20 points six times but more than 24 only once.
Other Regional Finals FRIDAY Indian River Inland Lakes (10-0) at Alcona (9-1), Kingston (8-2) at Deckerville (10-0). SATURDAY Ishpeming (7-2) at Pickford (10-0).
8-Player Division 2
Powers North Central (9-1) at Crystal Falls Forest Park (9-1)
Just two weeks ago, North Central finished a Great Lakes Eight Conference West title run with a 45-34 win over the Trojans. Jets senior Lane Gorzinski ran for 234 yards and five touchdowns and threw for 169 and another score as his team scored more points than Forest Park gave up over their other four league games combined (33). The Trojans bounced back with a 60-0 win over Bellaire last week, while North Central enjoyed a 58-0 shutout of Gaylord St. Mary.
Other Regional Finals FRIDAY Pittsford (8-2) at Britton Deerfield (9-1), Onekama (9-1) at Au Gres-Sims (9-1), SATURDAY Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart (7-3) at Morrice (9-1).
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PHOTO Howell players huddle in anticipation of taking the field before their Week 9 win over Belleville. (Photo courtesy of State Champs! Sports Network.)