Lenawee Christian Builds on Historic Win
October 12, 2018
By Doug Donnelly
Special for Second Half
ADRIAN – Adrian Lenawee Christian gave a whole new meaning to Sweet 16 last week.
The Cougars and their roster of 16 strong won their biggest game in program history Friday, beating the No. 1 team in last week’s Associated Press Division 8 poll – Pittsford – to clinch a playoff berth and share of the Southern Central Athletic Association title.
It was the first time Lenawee Christian won a conference title and the first time the Cougars have qualified for the playoffs in back-to-back years.
“It was a big night,” Lenawee Christian head coach Bill Wilharms said. “It was senior night, parent’s night and our last (regular-season) home game. I’m just so excited for the kids. They’ve worked so hard. There were only 16 of them Friday, but they came to play.”
Lenawee Christian never trailed, although the game was tied briefly in the third quarter. The Cougars put up more than 400 yards of total offense against previously unbeaten Pittsford and a defense that had recorded two shutouts and allowed just five touchdowns all season.
Adam Baker, the Cougars’ starting quarterback, was sensational, throwing for 317 yards and two touchdowns, rushing for the game’s opening touchdown and picking up a team-best 70 yards on the ground. What was even more impressive, Wilharms said, was his junior signal-caller’s calling of the plays at the line of scrimmage.
“There were a couple of times where the play would happen, and I’d think to myself, ‘Okay, that was a good play. I don’t know what it was or where it came from, but, hey, it worked.’”
Baker said there were times when he got to the line of scrimmage and saw something different from the defense that warranted an audible.
“When I got to the line of scrimmage, if I saw something, I would just motion to my receivers or tell my line what to do,” Baker said. “I would signal something and change the play.”
It’s a credit to Wilharms and his staff that an experienced quarterback like Baker can make those adjustments on the fly.
“I think Coach has a lot of trust in our team to recognize the things that are happening out on the field,” Baker said. “He trusts us.”
Wilharms said Baker studies film and knows what he is doing.
“We’ve got a lot of things built into our run-pass option offense,” he said. “There are a lot of wrinkles. Adam does a great job of reading the defense. He made some fabulous reads. He went to his second or third option several times. It shows that he is a third-year quarterback.”
On the season, Baker has completed 95 of his 150 passing attempts for 1,289 yards and 17 touchdowns. He’s also rushed for 391 yards. One of his rushing attempts in particular ignited the LCS players and fans Friday night.
“We ran a sweep and Baker lowered his shoulder and got a few extra yards,” Wilharms said. “Plays like that are big for a football team.”
Lenawee Christians runs the spread offense with multiple looks and a deep crew of receivers. In the Pittsford game alone, Baker connected with seven receivers. Some teams go a full season without seven different players catching a pass.
“We’re trying to do some different things out of the spread,” Wilharms said. “As long as our line can give Baker time in the pocket, we can really sling it.”
The line that Baker operated behind Friday did a great job, especially considering senior Jack Leisenring, the team’s biggest player, was out with an injury.
“We have a sophomore that is about 210 and one of our freshman lineman is about 145,” Wilharms said. “The younger kids have really stepped up on the line. We try to do things to take advantage of their quickness because they don’t have a lot of size. Our kids came to play against Pittsford, who is a tough, physical team. They knew they were going to get hit, but they took it on.”
The SCAA has just four teams – Pittsford, Climax-Scotts, Athens and LCS. Climax-Scotts has committed to 8-player football next year while LCS was undecided until this month, when it informed the other SCAA schools it will maintain an 11-player team in 2019. The middle school and junior varsity Cougars already play 8-player, but Wilharms said he believes the numbers will support an 11-player team at least one more season.
“We only have three seniors and a big junior class,” he said. “If we keep who we have, we should be okay. Scheduling might be tough. We will probably have to hit the road to find teams.”
But no one is thinking about next year yet. Lenawee Christian is among the top-five ranked teams in Division 8, and the Cougars could land the first home playoff game in school history. They will travel tonight to play at Blanchard Montabella, and the Oct. 19 game against Detroit Universal Academy will go into the books as a forfeit win. The Cougars have never won a playoff game.
Baker said the team got excited after its win Friday, but he and his teammates know they still have work to do.
“I mean, sure we beat the No. 1-ranked team in the state, but there is always room for improvement,” he said. “You can always get better. That’s what we did when we went back to practice on Monday, just worked and worked to try and get better for this week.”
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) Lenawee Christian quarterback Adam Baker follows his blocker during last week’s win over Pittsford. (Middle) Cougars coach Bill Wilharms checks out his play chart. (Photos by Stacy Kline.)
Kalamazoo United Teammates Personify Program's Friendly Rivalry After Fall is Done
By
Pam Shebest
Special for MHSAA.com
December 17, 2024
KALAMAZOO – Troy Ayotte was cheering on his son, Jack, at Kalamazoo Christian’s rivalry basketball game against Hackett Catholic Prep two weeks ago.
All of a sudden, he felt conflicted.
He found himself cheering for a couple of Hackett players.
Ayotte is head football coach of Kalamazoo United, a co-op team with players from both schools.
Three of those players – Keegan McCue, Gavin St. Martin and Elijah Brooks – were now wearing Irish green on the floor.
“I was like, ‘Oh no, (K-Christian) is getting beat, but then you see someone like Keegan or Elijah or Gavin, any of the football players over there and they make a shot and you go, ‘Yes!’” Ayotte said.
“It’s like, what’s wrong with me? Until you experience it, you don’t know how to explain it. You’re happy for them. They’re playing against kids you coached, and you’re just glad to watch them out there competing.”
Besides Jack Ayotte, K-Christian basketball players who also played for United are Jackson Herder, Carter Manion and Chris Daniels.
Hackett won the game, 79-35.
“It wasn’t the way I wanted (the game) to go, but it was fun,” Herder said. “It was fun to see all my football buddies without their helmets and football jerseys, playing another sport they work hard at.”
McCue quickly chimed in, laughing, “I liked the outcome.”
Continuing the bantering, Herder responded, “We’ve got one more game and maybe the postseason, so we’re coming Keeg.”
Being part of the football family in the fall – then rivals by winter – is no big deal, the juniors agreed.
“We go at each other during the (basketball) game, then after the game you’re talking to each other like best friends,” McCue said. “It’s an awesome place to be.”
The friendly rivalry started in eighth grade when United fielded two middle school teams, one for K-Christian players and the other for Hackett.
“We scrimmaged each other every week, and the one time we had an actual game, they beat us for the only time,” Herder said.
“It was fun. Ever since then, we’ve clicked both on the football field and off the football field.”
Clicking is an understatement.
McCue and Herder led United to a Division 5 Regional Final where the Titans lost to Grand Rapids Catholic Central, 21-14.
Both players put up monster numbers throughout the season.
Herder, a 6-foot, left-handed quarterback, amassed 2,615 total yards, 2,041 of them passing, with 33 for touchdowns including 28 through the air.
Many of those yards were with McCue, a 5-10 wide receiver who compiled 1,500 all-purpose yards and 16 touchdowns.
McCue not only piled up numbers on offense, but was also proficient on defense. The safety recorded 111 total tackles, many for loss, and snagged four interceptions. He also had six pass breakups, four forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries and two blocked punts.
McCue favors defense because “I love making plays on the ball and tackling people and hitting them hard. It’s so fun.”
Last week he was named Michigan Sports Writers Division 5 first-team all-state.
10-year anniversary
United had a bumpy start 10 years ago trying to combine players from two rival schools into one team.
Both Herder and McCue said they think that being faith-based schools helped the team mesh.
“We pray before every practice, after every practice, before games, after games,” McCue said. “Having that religious aspect to it definitely helps.
“It’s actually really awesome because those guys you don’t see every day during school, but you see then every day during practice during the season and it’s like you don’t go to a different school at all. You’re just family, just brothers, so it’s awesome.”
Troy Ayotte said the biggest challenge for him is answering to two schools.
As for the players, faith is an attribute, the coach said. “They all have common goals.
“Both schools share the same faith-based element, and there are a lot of similarities there. Athletically, both schools stand for the same thing, and that’s excellence.”
Ayotte is not surprised at the success of both Herder and McCue and expects even better things from them next season.
“These two take it upon themselves to become the great athletes they are, and it’s an honor to be on the ride for it,” he said.
Herder went through his lumps last year and he learned from them, Ayotte said. “That’s the highest compliment. Everybody’s going to fail; it’s how you succeed,” the coach noted. “He really put in the time and the effort and had a great junior year.”
Ayotte said there are other players in the system who want to play quarterback, which is good to keep people sharp.
For now, Herder is atop the depth chart.
“Jackson’s got great moxie and a boatload of confidence,” he said. “Saying he’s confident doesn’t mean he sits higher than the rest of the team. He’s very humble in the way he does it.
“It’s a unique thing. You just know when somebody’s ‘got that,’ the ability to lead but not be too boisterous, just have that nice combination.”
As for McCue, “Keegan brings the thunder,” Ayotte said. “He’s the vocal, he’s king hype. There’s nothing ingenuous at all. It’s not fake.
“What the kids see is the truth in it. Keegan plays with such heart and passion for the game, it’s undeniable.”
With football season over, Herder is translating those skills from the turf to the hardwood.
“I feel like the Lord has blessed me with the ability to lead,” he said. “All the work and dedication that fits that role fits the personality and attitude he gave me.
“It fits with my character and attitude off the field, too. Leader off the field, leader on the field.”
K-Christian basketball coach Seth Dugan appreciates that skill.
“We have seven seniors on our team and Jackson is a captain as a junior, which says a lot about him,” Dugan said.
“He’s good at getting guys in the right spot and sees the floor very well. He’s a natural leader and, as a quarterback, that comes pretty naturally. He puts the team first and is positive and vocal.”
McCue’s leadership on the football field also has carried over.
“He is a competitor who makes his teammates better by pushing them in practice,” Hackett basketball coach Ryan Basler said.
“He is a leader who is not shy to lead by example. I love that he leads our team in prayer many days; this shows his leadership and faith life.”
Pam Shebest served as a sportswriter at the Kalamazoo Gazette from 1985-2009 after 11 years part-time with the Gazette while teaching French and English at White Pigeon High School. She can be reached at [email protected] with story ideas for Calhoun, Kalamazoo and Van Buren counties.
PHOTOS (Top) Kalamazoo United football teammates Jackson Herder and Keegan McCue are rivals during basketball season playing for Hackett Catholic Prep and K-Christian, respectively. (2) United football coach Troy Ayotte. (3) Herder, right, directs the football offense at quarterback against Berrien Springs, with McCue his top receiver advancing the ball. (4) Herder, top, prepares to inbound the basketball, and McCue gets to the hoop against Constantine. (Top photo and headshot by Pam Shebest. Football photos by Kristin Browning. Herder basketball photo by Travis Long, and McCue basketball photo by Chris Ogrin.)