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1118/07-Football
A look at the state title games
Macomb Dakota (13-0) vs. Livonia Stevenson (13-0), 1 p.m. Saturday
If you like offense, this is the can't-miss game of the weekend. Touchdown hippies and offensive gurus have been clamoring for a Dakota vs. Stevenson matchup ever since the seeds came out four weeks ago.
Dakota, the defending Division 1 champions, are the complete package. They are big, physical and have weapons all over the field. Dakota has played in only one game that was closer than 10 points this season, a 29-22 win against Utica Eisenhower in week three.
Stevenson will be the best offensive team Dakota has faced all season. The White brothers (Miles, Mitchell and Austin) are explosive for the Spartans and teamed with senior Wade Stahl, Stevenson is quite formidable on offense. Stevenson averages more than 32 points per game.
"I know them by reputation and I know that they are big and aggressive on defense," Stevenson coach Tim Gabel said. "They will probably be the favorites and I hope we can give them a game."
Midland (11-2) vs. Detroit Martin Luther King (13-0), 1 p.m. Friday
Can it finally be done? Can a Detroit Public School League team finally win a state football title?
King is the only public school in Detroit to play for a football state title. It happened twice, in 1989 and '90 -- and King lost both.
There just seems to be something special about this King team, though. This King team knows how to win close games and it wins them in so many different ways. King has a stifling defense behind all-state defensive end Nick Perry and the offense is fueled by running back Darrin Williams (Cincinnati).
Midland barely escaped Lowell in the semifinals, but the Chemics have a great quarterback in Andrew Maxwell and they too know how to win close games. Midland has won by a combined seven points in their last two games.
East Grand Rapids (12-1) vs. Orchard Lake St Mary's (10-2), 7:30 p.m. Saturday
East Grand Rapids is the defending champion and despite losing nearly all of its starters from last year, it isn't a huge surprise to see the Pioneers in their fourth championship game in the last six years.
I can't say the same about Orchard Lake St. Mary's.
St. Mary's started the season 4-0, but lost convincingly to Catholic Central in week five and got blown out by Brother Rice, 45-14, the last week of the regular season. Not a lot of people outside Orchard Lake gave the Eaglets a chance after the Brother Rice game.
St. Mary's has just plodded along in the playoffs and is playing its best football of the season at the perfect time.
Marine City (12-1) vs. Detroit Country Day (11-2), 7:30 p.m. Friday
This matchup pits Marine City's great passing attack under quarterback Brendan Kay (Cincinnati) against the awesome rushing attack of Country Day and Jonas Gray (Notre Dame).
Gray rushed for more than 300 yards and four touchdowns in a semifinal win against Zeeland West Saturday and is a home-run threat every time he touches the ball.
Kay is a big, physical quarterback with great poise and a cannon for an arm.
Whichever star shines brighter Friday will be holding the championship trophy.
Menominee (13-0) vs. Jackson Lumen Christi (12-1), 4:30 p.m. Saturday
Jackson Lumen Christi and Menominee have won five of the last seven Division 5 championships. Christi won in 2000, '01, '04 and '05 and Menominee is the defending champion.
To say Menominee has been dominant over the past two-and-a-half seasons would be an understatement. Menominee hasn't lost a regular season football since Oct. 14, 2005.
Christi running back Mark Gathers is finally healthy after suffering a high ankle sprain in week 8 and rushed for 156 yards in the semifinals.
Menominee has to travel 489 miles and eight hours to Detroit for the finals and with gas prices the way they are, the Maroons aren't looking to make that the trip to leave without a championship.
Saginaw Nouvel (9-3) vs. Blissfield (13-0), 4:30 p.m. Friday
Nouvel lost 90 percent of its starters from last year's championship team, but here the Panthers are again. Nouvel hasn't had three loses in a season since 2001 and has never played for a title with three loses on its record.
Michael Boyd for coach of the year?
But Nouvel will have its hands full with Blissfield.
Blissfield employs a run-based offense that chews up both time and yards. Blissfield averages 28 points per game and their defense is stout against the run and limits opponents to 11 points per contest.
Traverse City St Francis (12-1) vs. Mendon (13-0), 10 a.m. Saturday
There aren't any real superstars in this matchup, just a bunch of really good football players.
St. Francis had 15 players rush the ball in its opening-round playoff win against St. Ignace. They rushed 14 players the following week against Mancelona.
"We run by committee," St. Francis coach Josh Sellers said. "That's how we like to do it."
Sellers might need all of those running backs against a bruising Mendon team that allows less than seven points per game.
"Looking at Mendon is like looking in a mirror," Sellers said. "They don't have any real superstars, just a bunch of guys that can play. Coach (John) Schwartz must be doing something right to have all those titles."
Sellers was referring to Mendon's seven titles since 1991.
Crystal Falls Forest Park (12-1) vs. Fulton-Middleton (13-0), 10 a.m. Saturday
Crystal Falls Forest Park will try to avoid becoming the Buffalo Bills of Michigan high school football. The Trojans have lost the last three Division 8 title games by a combined score of 101-34.
Fulton-Middleton has been beating up on opponents this season and has scored 40 or more points in its last three playoff games.
"This is going to be physical," Fulton-Middleton coach John Winkler said. "We saw them at the Superior Dome in 2005 and we got eaten up 34-18 or something like that. They are a good program."
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