Birmingham Detroit Country Day coach Dan MacLean talks to his team after a 20-14 win over River Rouge in the Div. 4 state semifinals Saturday, Nov. 19, 2016.
Birmingham Detroit Country Day’s defense stifled River Rouge’s speedy offense in a 20-14 victory Saturday at Hazel Park.
Country Day (13-0) entered the state semifinals on a 12-game win streak, and had outscored its previous three playoff opponents, 108-27. Rouge (11-2) entered on an 11-game win streak and outscored its past three foes, 152-42.
After Rouge’s first two drives went nowhere, Country Day quarterback Jalen Graham connected with Steve Mann on an out-and-in post route for a 6-0 lead.
Rouge would answer quickly. After a long pass completion by Jairus Grissom, running back Alexander Carter broke the plane on an 8-yard scamper to regain the lead, 7-6.
Country Day wasn’t done, scoring another touchdown before the first quarter ended. This time, slotback Kolin Demens rushed in from 2 yards.
The second quarter commenced with Rouge in the red zone but ended with a turnover on an excellent four-down stand by Country Day.
“Our defense, all year, has been a rallying point,” Country Day coach Dan MacLean said.
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Workhorse back Chris Bergin played receiver on a play-action jet sweep just before halftime. Rouge bit on the fake handoff to the wide receiver in motion, and Graham hit Bergin with a long strike that ended up going for Country Day’s third score and a 20-7 lead.
Country Day’s Bergin opened the second half with a huge return, but his offense would turn it over the ensuing drive, on a fourth down sack.
With 6:34 left in the third, Grissom was pressured but scrambled toward the sidelines and hit Giavonni Turner for the touchdown to bring the game within a score, 20-14, but neither team added to the margin.
A mishandled pitch on a double reverse by Country Day was fumbled to end the third quarter. They began the fourth with the ball on 3rd down and 24 to go. Rouge returned the next play’s punt into Yellow Jacket territory, but it was called back on an illegal block penalty.
With 1:39 left and no time-outs, Rouge put the ball in Grissom’s hands, but the Country Day defensive line collapsed the pocket on all four plays to end to River Rouge’s terrific season.
“Give a lot of credit to River Rouge, they never quit,” MacLean said. “It’s been our focus all year to go 1-0 each week, and we did.”
For the fourth consecutive year, Country Day advanced to the state semifinals, however this year is different from the previous two trips, as they have earned another shot at a Division 4 state title. Their last attempt was in 2012 when the Yellow Jackets lost to Grand Rapids South Christian.
When asked if there were any lessons learned from their previous two playoff trips, Coach MacLean put it simply: “Finish.”
Orchard Lake St. Mary’s coach George Porritt addresses his team following a 49-7 win over Dearborn Divine Child in a Div. 3 semifinal Saturday, Nov. 19, 2016.
Orchard Lake St. Mary’s 49, Dearborn Divine Child 7: Ky’ren Cunningham juked one defender on a 14-yard run into the end zone for Orchard Lake St. Mary’s, securing his third touchdown of the first half at West Bloomfield. The Eaglets (9-4) advanced to the state final for the third straight year.
“It’s all about stepping up as a junior and helping the seniors,” Cunningham said. “They became back-to-back state champs and we want to make them back-to-back-to-back state champs, so I’m giving everything I can for those guys.”
With snowflakes in the air, the Eaglets put their ground game to heavy use, racking up six rushing touchdowns and attempting only one pass. Cunningham had four rushes for 84 yards and three touchdowns, and Rashawn Allen added eight rushes for 134 yards and one touchdown.
“We just outplayed them,” Cunningham said. “Losing in the Prep Bowl set us back, it devastated us. Our offensive line gets all the credit, and they are the reason for all of the touchdowns this season.”
Under pressure was the phrase to describe the Falcons (10-3) under center. Quarterback Theo Day was sacked seven times by OLSM, but did go 13-for-21 passing for 121 yards and one touchdown. Divine Child scored on a 12-yard one-handed touchdown catch by Quinn Blair in the first quarter.
Novi Detroit Catholic Central 17, Romeo 0: Nothing — not 36-degree temperatures, snow flurries, the late move to nearby Howell Parker Middle School due to a power outage at Howell High, or an injury that knocked out its quarterback in the first half — was about to short-circuit Novi Detroit Catholic Central’s quest to return to the championship game.
Shamrocks heat up late, topple Romeo
More than 2 hours in the cold didn’t sap any of the power out of CC’s running game, either, as the Shamrocks blanked defending Division 1 state champion Romeo.
“This is what CC is known for, smash-mouth football,” said junior running back Isaac Darkangelo, who scored on a 3-yard run with 25 seconds left.
After a 29-yard run in the second quarter, CC quarterback Austin Brown had to be helped off the field and did not return.
Detroit King 14, Birmingham Groves 7: Detroit King will have the chance to defend its Division 2 state title and win back-to-back championships for the first time in program history.
King survives semifinal clash with Groves
That opportunity, however, did not come without surviving some anxious moments in Saturday’s semifinal at Dearborn High against Birmingham Groves. The Crusaders soared to a 14-0 halftime leed and held on in the second half as the underdog but highly motivated Falcons put up a huge counterattack only to fall short.
“This is great. It’s something that you want to do every year, and it’s something that is expected of us,” King coach Tyrone Spencer said.
Walled Lake Western 37, Lowell 34: Cody White had nine carries for 104 yards and three total touchdowns, one rushing, one receiving and one passing, for Western (12-1) during a Division 2 semifinals game. Kameron Ford caught three balls for 84 yards and one touchdown. Ford ran for a 7-yard touchdown. Johnny Tracey ran for one touchdown. Lowell finishes 12-1.
Free Press staff and news services contributed.