Moment: Menominee Achieves Finals 1st
December 4, 2020
By John Johnson
MHSAA Director of Broadcast Properties
Menominee’s march from the southern tip of the Upper Peninsula to Ford Field had some storybook feel about it – a team which overcame injuries – and mixed in a grinder of a Semifinal victory to bring the chants of “U.P. Power” to the Motor City and the MHSAA Football Playoff Finals in 2016.
The Maroons’ good fortune ran out that Thanksgiving weekend against a superior Grand Rapids West Catholic squad in the Division 5 championship game, but Menominee’s trip will long be remembered for a state championship game record set during the second half.
Liam Putz, who had earlier in the game set a Finals record with a 47-yard field goal for the Falcons, was lined up to attempt a 42-yard placement midway through the third quarter. Sam Larson broke through and blocked the kick. Hunter Hass picked up the ball with nothing but green turf and yard stripes in front of him and returned it for a touchdown, the first time that had ever happened in the Finals. The return went for 76 yards, which became the record for the special teams play.
“All week we were practicing to block their punt, and it just so happened that we blocked their field goal,” Hass said after the game. “I saw the ball. I just picked it up and ran into the end zone, just trying to get some points to get some momentum going for our team.”
West Catholic won the game, 43-7.
Performance of the Week: Waterford Mott's Kalieb Osborne
November 17, 2023
Kalieb Osborne ♦ Waterford Mott
Senior ♦ Football
The 6-foot-5, 200-pound Osborn completed 13 of 21 passes for 240 yards and three touchdowns and ran 16 times for 73 yards and two more scores as Mott defeated Gibraltar Carlson 40-19 in a Division 2 Regional Final – clinching the Corsairs’ first Regional championship in this sport. Mott (10-2) faces two-time reigning Division 2 champion Warren De La Salle Collegiate in a Semifinal on Saturday at Troy Athens.
For the season, Osborn has completed 224 of 307 passes for 3,532 yards and 34 touchdowns (with just six interceptions) and run 214 times for 1,865 yards and 25 scores. The passing yardage ranks 10th in MHSAA history for a single season, and the completions, attempts and throwing TDs all rank on record book lists as well. A three-year starter at quarterback, he’s committed to sign with Toledo and also plays basketball at Mott.
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Past 2023-24 Honorees
Nov. 10: Tekalegn Vlasma, Muskegon Western Michigan Christian soccer - Report
Nov. 3: Colton Kinnie, Birmingham Seaholm football - Report
Oct. 27: Lauren Timpf, Macomb Lutheran North golf - Report
Oct. 20: Alena Li, Okemos golf - Report
Oct. 13: Seth Norder, Grand Haven cross country - Report
Oct. 5: Paige Anderson, Muskegon Reeths-Puffer golf - Report
Sept. 29: MacKenzie Bisballe, Lake City volleyball - Report
Sept. 22: Jhace Massey, Gladwin football - Report
Sept. 15: Kaylee Draper, Sturgis swimming - Report
Sept. 8: Owen Jackson, Traverse City St. Francis tennis - Report
Sept. 1: Rachel Forsyth, Ann Arbor Pioneer cross country - Report
(Photos courtesy of the Waterford Mott athletic department.)