Preview: New 8-Player Champion Shall Reign
November 18, 2014
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
A first-time MHSAA 8-player football champion will be crowned Friday at Greenville's Legacy Field, and for the first time that champion won’t hail from Michigan’s thumb region.
This season’s title will be decided by the Upper Peninsula’s Cedarville and Lawrence, from the southwest corner of the Lower Peninsula, after thumb teams Carsonville-Port Sanilac, Deckerville and Peck claimed the first three MHSAA titles for the 8-player format.
Tickets for the 8-player Final cost $8. Can’t make the trip? Watch the game live on FoxSportsDetroit.com, with live audio streaming on MHSAANetwork.com. The game will be broadcast on delay on Fox Sports Detroit at 3:30 p.m. Saturday and again on Nov. 27 at 7 p.m. The on-demand video will be available shortly after the game’s conclusion at MHSAA.TV.
Here’s a look at the finalists:
CEDARVILLE
Record: 11-1
Coach: Scott Barr, seventh season (62-14)
League finish: Second in Bridge Football Alliance
Championship history: Has never appeared in an MHSAA Final.
Best wins: 57-14 and 39-0 (Regional Semifinal) over Bellaire, 28-0 over Rapid River in Regional Final, 36-20 over Deckerville in Semifinal.
Players to watch: QB/CB Joey Duncan, 6-1/170, sr., (57-100, 1,002 yards, 19 TDs passing; 959 yards, 15 TDs rushing); FB/LB/K Mike Bailey, 5-11/190, sr. (1,281 yards, 11 TDs rushing); SE/CB Brad Causley, 6-3/180, sr. (677 yards, 11 TDs receiving, 2 kickoff return TDs, 4 punt return TDs); SE/LB Mike Haske, 6-1/180, jr.; C/DE Brett Masuga, 6-5/240, sr.; OG/DE Blake Melvin, 6-0/230, sr.
Outlook: Including 11-player football, Cedarville made the playoffs 10 straight seasons before breaking through to the Semifinals during this 11th consecutive run. But Duncan and Causley in particular have plenty of crunch time experience; they were the leading scores for Cedarville in its Class D Basketball Semifinal in March. The defense has been especially impressive, considering also in context of the high-scoring 8-player game; the Trojans didn’t give up a point until the fourth game of the regular season and then not in the playoffs until last week’s Semifinal. Causley is dangerous whenever he touches the ball – in addition to his 17 combined receiving and special teams touchdowns, he’s also brought back two interceptions for scores. Melvin, a two-way all-league selection in 2013, had 19 tackles in the Semifinal. Cedarville’s lone loss came Week 6 to rival Rapid River, 20-19, and the Trojans avenged with a 28-0 win in the Regional Final.
LAWRENCE
Record: 12-0
Coach: Cody Caswell, fifth season (24-27)
League finish: Does not play in a conference.
Championship history: Class D 11-player champion 1997, Class D runner-up 1990.
Best wins: 52-20 over Deckerville, 40-19 and 50-14 (Regional Final) over Battle Creek St. Philip, 50-6 over Portland St. Patrick in Regional Semifinal, 66-40 over Peck in Semifinal.
Players to watch: QB/FS/K/P Derek Gribler, 5-9/170, sr. (114-180, 2,343 yards, 41 TDs passing; 1,601 yards, 21 TDs rushing); WR/CB Mike Cammire, 6-0/185, sr. (1,179 yards, 25 TDs receiving); RB/CB Hunter Coombs, 5-10/165, jr. (663 yards, 12 TDs rushing, 7 TDs receiving); WR/CB Jacob Alburtus, 5-8/145, jr. (442 yards, 6 TDs receiving); OL/LB Jimmy Phelps, 6-0/200, sr.; C/DL Jared Frank, 5-11/225, sr.
Outlook: Lawrence’s ascension to 8-player elite has been speedy; the Tigers were 0-9 and 1-8 in 11-player in 2011 and 2012, respectively, made the switch and advanced to the Semifinals in 8-player in 2013. Only St. Philip in their first meeting and reigning champion Peck in the Semifinal came within 32 of beating Lawrence this season. Gribler’s Semifinal performance was simply incredible – six passing touchdowns and three rushing – and Cammire has been the team’s top target during both seasons of 8-player. St. Philip in that first meeting also was the only team to keep Lawrence under 50 points. And don’t forget about the defense; the Tigers have five shutouts, and only Peck scored more than 20 points against them this fall.
Playoff Experience Paying Off as Menominee Pursues Return Trip to Ford Field
By
John Vrancic
Special for MHSAA.com
November 14, 2024
MENOMINEE – Survive and advance.
The Menominee Maroons did just that Saturday as they escaped with a 35-32 overtime football triumph over the Traverse City St. Francis Gladiators in a Division 7 District Final.
Menominee sealed the verdict on junior quarterback Tanner Theuerkauf’s seven-yard scoring pass to junior Dawson Bardowski, helping the Maroons (10-1) move a step closer to what they hope will be a return visit to the Finals later this month.
They host North Muskegon (10-1) in Saturday’s Regional Final at noon (CST) – and defeated North Muskegon 32-21 in a Semifinal last season to book their trip to Detroit. Menominee eventually finished last fall as Division 7 runner-up, dropping a 34-30 decision to Jackson Lumen Christi at Ford Field.
But the Maroons have stormed back, thus far improving on their performance from 2023. Their only loss this time has been 13-12 to Division 5 Kingsford in Week 8, and even after St. Francis scored 32 points, Menominee is still giving up only 9.8 per game – and scoring 45.5 per contest, making for an average margin of victory about six points more than this time a year ago.
On Saturday, Menominee trailed 14-0 after St. Francis’ first two possessions but took a 21-17 lead into halftime thanks to a 35-yard interception return by junior defensive back Landen Daigneau with 17 seconds left before the break.
“I’m very proud and excited,” Menominee coach Chad Brandt said after the St. Francis win. “They had a very good football team. Going down by 14 points is not recommended. Our guys missed some assignments, and they got a jump on us.
“I’m proud of our guys for being resilient. That’s a great football team we beat and I just love the way the guys battled until the final play. The kids will never forget playing in this game, and the fans will not forget being at this game. Their fortitude and will to win were the keys.”
The Maroons led late before St. Francis forced overtime with a touchdown with 22 seconds left in regulation. The Gladiators then scored first in overtime on a 21-yard field goal, before Bardowski hauled in the game-winner.
“Holding them to three in the overtime was huge,” Theuerkauf said. “That opened things up for us.
“The effort we gave today was unbelievable. That has been our strength all year. We had our backs against the wall, but knew we couldn’t give up. Our defense did a great job. Lot of our guys have been in big games. We knew what we had to do.”
Theuerkauf gained valuable experience last season as the top receiver for older brother Trevor Theuerkauf, now playing at Northern Michigan. Tanner also was a starting defensive back last fall, as was Bardowski.
Senior offensive lineman Lucas Thoune also was part of the starting lineup last season at Ford Field. His Saturday included snagging his first varsity reception – a 13-yarder off a deflection during the second quarter that helped set up a scoring run two plays later.
“That was a heads-up play,” he said. “You just do what’s got to be done. It’s exciting. We’re here for each other.
“I think last year’s run helped us out. I’m willing to be a play-maker for Menominee 10 times out of 10. I’ll never stop being the player I can be. I’m going to do everything I can while I can. I love this team. I love this sport. I don’t know what I’d do without Menominee football.”
The Maroons finished with 318 yards in total offense against the Gladiators. Theuerkauf hit 6-of-14 passes for 76 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. Sophomore Dylan Beal, who filled in after Theuerkauf was shaken up on a play in the third quarter, completed both of his passes for 56. Bardowski caught four for 79 yards and a TD, and junior running back Clayton Miller gained 87 on 16 carries.
John Vrancic has covered high school sports in the Upper Peninsula since joining the Escanaba Daily Press staff in 1985. He is known most prominently across the peninsula for his extensive coverage of cross country and track & field that frequently appears in newspapers from the Wisconsin border to Lake Huron. He received the James Trethewey Award for Distinguished Service in 2015 from the Upper Peninsula Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association.
PHOTOS (Top) Menominee junior Landen Daigneau returns an interception for a touchdown during Saturday’s District championship game against Traverse City St Francis. (Middle) Menominee junior Tanner Theuerkauf celebrates a touchdown against the Gladiators. (Photos by Mitch Vosburg/Escanaba Daily Press.)