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2008– The Year in Review
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Looking forward after a great 2007 season, the 2008 Eaglets were picked 7 th in the preseason in the Detroit Free Press' Top 25 teams, and to repeat as Catholic League Champion by the Detroit News, in large part because the number and quality of players returning, including All-State performer Dion Sims.
Traveling to East Grand Rapids to play the Division 3 state champion Pioneers, the Eaglets' performance failed to match the pre-game hype and the team suffered its worst opening game loss in 20 years, losing 49-14. Included in the debacle was the loss to injury of senior TE Dion Sims.
The Eaglets made amends by shutting out Detroit Jesuit, 42-0, and Flint Southwestern Academy , 35-0, in the next two games in preparation for visits to Warren De La Salle and Birmingham Brother Rice.
Down by 16 at halftime to the Pilots, the Eaglets stormed back in the second half to tie the game at 28-28 and send the game into overtime. Failing to score on the opening possession, the Eaglet defense then stood strong, twice stopping the Pilots short of the goal-line, and thought they had again stopped the Pilots on 4 th down, only to have the officials rule otherwise, for a disheartening 34-28 loss. What was also painful was the loss to injury of senior co-captain FB Justin Semmes.
The Warriors and the Eaglets then played a typical hard-fought battle, with the Eaglets holding on to win 31-28.
Catholic Central was the opponent at Homecoming. Points were at a premium, but the Shamrocks made the winning plays down the stretch, and scored with under a minute remaining to take the lead, 14-7. The Eaglets had one final opportunity to score, but came up three yards short as the clock expired. The loss put the Eaglets at 1-2 for the league, and into the wildcard game at the Prep Bowl. More at stake was the necessity of having to win out to make the state playoffs.
The Eaglets made short order of Dearborn Divine Child, 45-7, then traveled to Davison to face the Cardinals. But five turnovers by the Eaglets kept Davison in the game, and the Cardinals kicked a 32-yard field goal as the clock expired to win 22-20 to run the Eaglet record to 4-4 with another game against Brother Rice looming in the Prep Bowl.
Another epic battle between the two team ensued, with Brother Rice making big plays and St. Mary's not. However, the Eaglets tied the game at 14-all early in the 4 th quarter, but Rice came back to take a 7-point lead. With two minutes remaining and St. Mary's moving the ball, an errant pass was intercepted by Rice and returned for a touchdown for a 14-point lead. The Eaglets refused to quit, going the length of the field to score with 47 seconds left. The comeback ended when Rice recovered the Eaglets' on-side kick to secure a 28-21 victory and end the Eaglets' season. It was just the second losing season in Coach George Porritt's 20-year tenure.
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