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11/30/2009--Football
Tom Markowski -- The Detroit News
There were a few duds at the 2009 state football championships at Ford Field this weekend, but what most will remember most is the last game, and what a game it was.
There's something about watching, as a fan or a reporter, the last football game of the season that brings out the best in the competing teams. There's no explanation for it. The other seven (three before 1990) title games have all the makings of an exciting and competitive matchup, but for some reason the Division 3 and Class BB (Class B before '99) championship games are something special and this year was another case in point. The '89 Class B title game won by Farmington Hills Harrison over DeWitt, 28-27, remains one of the best championship games in the history of the state playoffs.
Here's a look back at some of the high points and some of the lows of the eight state finals:
The best was saved for last when East Grand Rapids somehow converted a fourth-and-long late in the game on its way to the winning touchdown in its 24-21 victory over Orchard Lake St. Mary's in the Division 3 final.
Many in the crowd had to be wondering if the teams would go into overtime, as they did two years ago. And before St. Mary's lost a fumble with 39 seconds left on the East Grand Rapids 44-yard line, it looked like St. Mary's would move into position to at least try a tying field goal.
There were five lead changes, relatively few mistakes were made (three turnovers and nine penalties) and the level of play was considerably high.
Robert Bolden 's 83-yard touchdown run on a quarterback draw that gave St. Mary's a 14-10 lead comes to mind. A.J. McEwen 's 68-yard touchdown reception where he cut across the field to avoid three or four tacklers that gave East Grand Rapids a 17-14 lead is another play that made this game so exciting.
Coaches Peter Stuursma of East Grand Rapids and George Porritt of St. Mary's spoke with class and respect for the opposition and one knew their words were not media-generated.
Unlike some playoff games this season, the finals were void of any controversial calls by the officials. Sure there were some close calls and some could have gone either way.
Granted, five of the games weren't close so an official's call wasn't going to determine the outcome in those, but all in all the games were decided by the players and coaches, not the officials.
When there's a touchback, the ball is placed at the 20-yard line. It's not placed an inch behind or beyond the 20. It should be easy to determine, as an official, if a team gains a first down. All it needs to do is reach the 30. Seems simple, right? So why is it necessary to bring the chain gang out to measure whether a team has gained a first down? Trust your eyes. The ball either touches the line or it doesn't.
Coach Porritt could have moaned and complained about the calls that went against his team in the Division 3 final, but he didn't. He congratulated East Grand Rapids and praised the effort of his players.
The officials made a call, a close one that went in favor of East Grand Rapids. With two minutes left, East Grand Rapids, trailing 21-17, faced a fourth-and-14 from its 47. Quarterback Ryan Elble 's pass was intended for tight end Colin Voss but was tipped by safety Corey Lucas , and running back Kirk Spencer made a diving catch.
Replays showed Spencer caught the ball with both hands but it was unclear whether the ball skimmed the turf or he caught it cleanly.
Porritt brushed off the notion that the officials missed the call.
"I was hoping it was incomplete. But it wasn't," he said. "It was a tough call."
The much anticipated matchup between two undefeated teams in Division 1 was just about all we could ask for. Sure, Sterling Heights Stevenson could have added to the drama had it scored one more time, but so be it. Again, Detroit Catholic Central failed to do what its opponents always hope it will, and that's make major mistakes. C.C. did not lose a fumble -- recovering all three it did fumble -- and did not throw an interception but did commit seven penalties.
It was C.C. that forced Stevenson into making game-changing mistakes. The punt block by Anthony Seling with 2:18 left in the first half was probably the biggest play of the game. It gave C.C. a first down at the Stevenson 14 and led to C.C.'s third touchdown and a 21-3 halftime lead.
Sorry to say some of the games were over by halftime. Traverse City St. Francis led Hudson, 28-0, at halftime, then 42-0 before winning by the score of 42-8 in Division 7.
Jackson Lumen Christi jumped all over a shell-shocked Clare club and had a running clock throughout most of the second half, winning handily, 42-7in Division 5.
Beal City had an easy time with Crystal Falls Forest Park, taking a 21-0 lead before settling for a 41-23 victory in Division 8.
And Marshall proved too big and too physical for Three Rivers, winning the Division 4 title, 49-28. Marshall a finals-record 71 times for 485 yards.
Central Michigan fans have to be pleased with the performance of Cody Kater of Montague.
Kater, fourth on the list of QBs in the preseason behind Devin Gardner of Inkster, Dan Boisture of Saline and Bolden of St. Mary's, was most impressive in Montague's 24-21 victory over Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central in the Division 6 final.
In an offense similar to what Central runs, Kater had 120 yards rushing and one touchdown on 17 carries and was 18-for-26 passing for 251 yards and one touchdown.
It's never wise to form an opinion of a player after watching just one game, good or bad. So it was odd to hear some disparaging remarks about Gardner after his team's 27-6 loss to Lowell in Division 2.
First, his mobility has been hampered most of the season by a groin pull. Two, he suffered a left shoulder injury in the 12-3 semifinal victory over Warren DeLaSalle. And third, this was a tired Inkster team. There is nothing anyone can compare what Inkster went through this season to any other team. No team has played 13 road games before.
If these same media had seen Gardner's performance at Steubenville, Ohio, on Oct. 23, they would be better informed. In that game, Gardner completed 14 of 25 attempts for 275 yards and four touchdowns with no interceptions. He rushed 11 times for 55 yards and one touchdown. He also passed for two conversions and rushed for a conversion to account for all 36 points in a 36-29 victory.
The effort the players showed, particularly those who played with injuries, was remarkable.
Running back Justice Wright of Stevenson suffered a torn ACL in the first quarter of the first playoff game against Roseville. Surgery is scheduled for Dec. 11. Wright returned to the lineup on Saturday and had three receptions for 56 yards and one touchdown. Stevenson coach Rick Bye said Wright, according to the doctors, couldn't do any more damage to the knee and was cleared to play.
Gary Hunter of St. Mary's played with a broken wrist and no one noticed. He had three kickoff returns for 94 yards, two receptions for 60 and an interception.
Spencer of East Grand Rapids suffered a strained right knee in the first quarter. He left the game to have it taped and returned to make one of the biggest catches of the game, setting up the winning score. Spencer had 98 yards rushing on 23 carries and recovered a fumble with 39 seconds left to end St. Mary's last drive.
9 Combined state titles won by the eight teams that lost this weekend
42 Combined state titles won by the eight teams that won titles this weekend
1,195 Yards rushing by the eight losing teams
1,908 Yards rushing by the eight winning teams
“It's good to know that we're one of the best. It's something special here at C.C. To share this moment with my teammates, we have a bond forever now.”
-- Niko Palazeti, Detroit Catholic Central senior, on his team winning the school's 10th state championship.
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