Michigan high school football: Predicting every regional final winner
The play of last weekend’s district finals sent the SOS for a loop.
The play occurred when Detroit Southeastern, trailing Ann Arbor Richard by two with 10 seconds left, attempted a 30-yard field goal, which would have been its first successful field goal of the season.
Richard blocked the kick, but the ball went straight up in the air and came down in the hands of the holder, Antonio Mayo, who pitched the ball to the kicker, Julian Liddell, who ran into the end zone for the game-winning play.
It reminded SOS of a 1989 Detroit Public School League game that ended, 9-6, on a 45-yard field goal by Mackenzie’s Sylvester Wright with 17 seconds remaining.
It was an unlikely field goal because Wright, who played at Kansas and then with Philadelphia, badly missed an extra point earlier in the game.
While interviewing Wright, Walter Smith, who went on to play at Michigan, interrupted Wright, saying: “I was the holder on the kick. I knew if I got the snap down he’d make it. I was 90% of that play.”
Another Mackenzie player, none other than Pro Football Hall of Famer Jerome Bettis, cracked up listening to Smith carry on.
“Aw, come on, Walter,” Bettis said, shaking his head. “Let’s get on the bus.”
Of course, Bettis was The Bus, but that’s a different story.
Before getting to his picks, SOS needs to give a birthday shout out to Ted (Gramps) Wilson, one of the greatest officials in state history.
He was especially terrific in football and basketball. Although SOS didn’t see him officiate many girls basketball games, he did have the Catholic League championship game one year. At the end of the first quarter, Livonia Ladywood coach Ed Kavanaugh started carrying on and walking out onto the court toward Ted, who T'd him up so fast it made Kavanaugh’s head spin.
The big surprise for SOS is that Ted is turning 90. Hell, SOS was under the impression he turned 90 15 years ago, so Happy Birthday, Gramps!
SOS had a decent 47-17 (73.4%) performance in the district finals. He was only 4-4 in Division 4, but was 7-1 in Divisions 3, 4 and 7.
SOS’s overall record is 157-35 (81.8%) heading into this week’s regional finals.
All games at 7 p.m. Friday unless noted.
Division 1
Davison (11-0) at Rockford (11-0), 6 p.m. Saturday. Davis’ Son 44, Rockford Files 41.
Northville (10-1). at Belleville (11-0), 1 p.m. Saturday. Belle Tire 46, Northville Downs 21.
Clarkston (6-5) at West Bloomfield (9-2). West Broomfield 26, Last Train To Clarksville 22.
Southfield A&T (10-1) at Chippewa Valley (9-2). Fire Up Chips 32, AT&T 30.
Division 2
Saginaw Heritage (9-2) at Muskegon (9-2), 1 p.m. Saturday. Muskie’s Gone 27, Heritage Newspapers 22.
Byron Center (10-1) at East Lansing (9-2). Byron McGregor 21, East Izzo 17.
Waterford Mott (9-2) at Gibraltar Carlson (10-1). Apple Sauce 31, Gibraltar Trade Center 24.
Roseville (8-3). vs. Warren De La Salle (9-2) at Wayne State. De La Slappy 23, Rose Bowl 18.
Division 3
Gaylord (11-0) at Grand Rapids Forrest Hills Central (10-1). Sherwood Forest 28, The Gaylords 19.
Zeeland West (8-3) at Parma Western (10-1), 1 p.m. Saturday. Zeeland’s Best 34, Chicken Parm 26.
Mason (11-0) at Walled Lake Western (10-1). Kristin Haynie High 34, Walled Lake’s Bestern 21.
Detroit King (6-5) at River Rouge (7-4). King of the Hill 26, Rouge River 24.
Division 4
Big Rapids (10-1) at Grand Rapids South Christian (8-3). South Kool High 30, Rapid Response 21.
Portland (11-0) at Niles (10-1). Oregon 22, Nils Lofgren 18.
Haslett (8-3) at Goodrich (10-1). Has Less 24, Goodyear 20.
Carleton Airport (10-1) at Harper Woods (8-3), 1 p.m. Saturday. Harper Woods 27, Metro Airport 23.
Division 5
Kingsford (10-1) at Frankenmuth (10-1), 1 p.m. Saturday. Chicken Dinners 35, Charcoal 24.
Grand Rapids Catholic Central (10-1) at Grand Rapids West Catholic (11-0). Catholics West of Grand Rapids 24, Catholic in Grand Rapids? 21.
Macomb Lutheran North (9-2) at Corunna (11-0). Corona 38, Mickey York High 19.
Flat Rock (8-3) at Detroit Southeastern (8-3). Flat Tire 30, South of Eastern 23.
Division 6
Gladstone (9-2) at Kingsley (9-2). Fred Schramski High 35, Man from Glad 20.
Midland Bullock Creek (8-3) at Reed City (8-3). Kali (Itchy) Burch High 23, Kevin Reid City 20.
Ovid Elsie (7-4) at Constantine (10-1), 1 p.m. Saturday. Constantinople 26, Over Easy 19.
Detroit Edison (8-3) at Almont (10-1). Almond Joy 31, Eddie’s Son 20.
Division 7
McBain (7-4) at Menominee (9-2), 1 p.m. Saturday. Nominate Me 26, Mc Pain 23.
Pewamo-Westphalia (10-1) at North Muskegon (11-0), 1 p.m. Saturday. Pewamo Will Fain You 20, North of Muskegon 18.
Montrose (8-3) at Millington (11-0). Corky’s School 31, Monstrosity 24.
Clinton (10-1) at Jackson Lumen Christi (10-1). Aluminum Foil 28, Clinton Inn 20.
Division 8
Iron Mountain (11-0) at Beal City (10-1), 6 p.m. Friday. Bradley Beal 31, Izzo’s Mountain 22.
Ithaca (11-0) at Ubly (11-0), Saturday, 2 p.m. Bubbly 28, Mythical 27.
White Pigeon (11-0) at Ottawa Lake Whiteford (11-0). A White Ford 42, Stool Pigeon 27.
Riverview Richard (7-4) at Clarkston Everest (9-2), 1 p.m. Saturday. Mt. Everest 30, Cardinal Dearden South 19.
Mick McCabe (err, Son of Swami) is a former longtime columnist for the Detroit Free Press. Contact him at mick.mccabe11@gmail.com. Follow him @mickmccabe1. Save $10 on his new book, “Mick McCabe’s Golden Yearbook: 50 Great Years of Michigan’s Best High School Players, Teams & Memories,” by ordering right now at McCabe.PictorialBook.com.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan high school football: Predicting every regional final winner
