It’s that time of the year as we have reached the State Finals for the High School football season. With games back to their regular Friday and Saturday games. With eight games left in the season we will break down each matchup and give you a look at how each team got here. This will be the Friday edition of the picks and preview article. Remember all games will take place at Ford Field this weekend.
This week our experts are joined by two special guests for the picks in Allen Park High School Head Coach Tom Danosky and Southgate High School Football and Head Baseball Coach Andy Green. Danosky has been the Head Coach at Allen Park since 2016 and Green has been Southgates Running Backs Coach since 2022 and the Baseball Coach since 2023.
Round up
Last week, our experts were joined by Henry Ford College Head Baseball Coach Jacob Pacholski. Here is how everyone did in the picks.
Bear: 6-7 (60-18)
Nat: 5-8 (53-26)
Kirby: 5-8 (52-26)
Guest Picker: Jacob Pacholski: 7-6 (70-9)
Division 2: Orchard Lake St. Mary’s vs Byron Center- 7:00pm
This game will cap off the Friday coverage as it will be the first time the two schools will face off against each other.
This will be the 15th time that Orchard Lake has made the title game. In the last 14 games they hold a 8-6 record, but it will be their first time back in the state title game since they won three straight championships from 2014-16. For Byron Center this is their first time making it to the state finals. Their best finish before this season has been six losses in the Regional Round of the Playoffs.
Byron Center is the true definition of a balanced team. Their Quarterback Landon Tungate completed 119 of 161 passing attempts for 1727 yards and 23 touchdowns. Tungate’s favorite target has been Isaac Lee who brought in 47 receptions for 772 yards and 11 touchdowns. Tungate has also been the teams main runner as he has rushed for 1237 yards and 19 touchdowns on 186 carries.
Orchard Lake St. Mary’s enters their 15th state title behind the might of Quarterback Axel Newell and Running Back Darrin Jones Jr. Newell passed for 1207 yards and 11 touchdowns this season. Jones had over 1000 yards this year with 10 scores for a team that wasn’t on many people’s radar this year after finishing with a 3-6 record during the 2023 season.
In an unlikely match up will Orchard Lake come away with their ninth state title or will Byron Center get their first title in school history.
Bear: OLSM
Nat: OLSM
Kirby: OLSM
Danosky: OLSM
Green: OLSM
Division 4: Niles vs Goodrich-12:30pm
This game will be the first time these two schools have faced off against each other.
Neither of these schools have much history in the state finals. For Niles this is their first trip to the state finals with their best finish coming last year as they lost in the regional game to Portland. Goodrich on the other hand has made it to the finals once before and that game was a 28-0 loss to Grand Rapids South Christian in 2022.
Niles High School sits right off of the Saint Joseph River and they have been running like a river runs. Niles has used three running backs and all three are in the double digits for touchdowns. Paul Hess, Sam Rucker, and Peyton Gordon are the three headed monster for the Vikings. Hess ran for 987 yards and 13 touchdowns, Rucker also went over the 900 yard mark and has the most touchdowns at 19. Gordon scored 12 times on 57 carries.
Goodrich likes to run it also but its all one guy as they use the power of Chase Burnett as he ran for 1340 yards and 22 touchdowns; they also used Jakoby Lagat for another 13 touchdowns. While they like to run the ball they use their quarterback a little more than Niles as Tanner Mazich threw for 931 yards and 11 touchdowns.
While neither team will blow you away with their passing game it will be a battle of who can stop the run and walk away with their teams first state title.
Bear: Niles
Nat: Goodrich
Kirby: Niles
Danosky: Goodrich
Green: Niles
Division 6: Lansing Catholic vs Jackson Lumen Christi- 4:00pm
This will be the first time the two schools have met.
History could be made in this game for Lumen Christi while this game will tie them for second in terms of appearances in the state title game a win would give them the most football titles in state history with 14. The next closest school that is still around is Muskegon Catholic Central who has 12 state titles. This will be the sixth time that Lansing Catholic Central has made it to the finals, their last time in the game was in 2021 as they beat Warren Michigan Collegiate 16-6.
Lansing Catholic is a one show pony that is evident by the play of quarterback Alex Fernandez.On the season Fernandez has thrown for 2664 yards and 28 touchdowns on 194 of 306 passing. While it is Freendez who is the star of the show their kicker Gavin Rabideau has been money in kicking duties making 44 of his 50 PAT’s and knocking in four field goals.
While Lansing Catholic relies on their quarterback to make all the plays Lumen Christi leans on their star running back Kadale Williams. Williams has been phenomenal this year as he has rushed for 2297 yards and 38 touchdowns so far this season. In the CHSL Prep Bowl earlier this year, which was played at Ford Field, Williams set a school record for Touchdowns in a game with six and ran for 200 yards in the game. While Williams is the star of the team they also have quarterback Timmy Crowley who is a two time state title winner and can make a great pass when it’s needed as he passed for 1213 yards and nine touchdowns this year.
Can Lumen Christi walk away with their state leading 14th title or will Lansing Catholic play spoiler?
Bear: Lumen Christi
Nat: Lumen Christi
Kirby: Lumen Christi
Danosky: Lumen Christi
Green: Lumen Christi
Division 8: Beal City vs Riverview Gabriel Richard- 9:30am
This will be the first time the two schools have ever matched up.
This will be Beal City’s 10th time in the State Title game. They are 2-7 in the other games; this will be their first appearance in the game since the 2021 season. They lost that game 14-7 to Hudson. This will be Gabriel Richard’s first ever trip to the State Finals. The best finish for the school was a 35-6 loss in the state semifinals last year to Ottawa Lake Whiteford.
Beal City likes to score and they do it with all different people. Their Quarterback Cuyler Smith passed for 13 touchdowns on 60 completions to at least four different receivers out of those four receivers his favorite target has been Garrison Zuker who pulled in 12 of Smith’s passes for 271 yards and four touchdowns. Zuker would go on to also run for four scores. However, Drew Block and Owen McKenny have been the two main backs for Beal City as they have run for a combined 1600 yards and 22 touchdowns.
For Gabriel Richard it has truly been a real three-headed monster with the likes of Joey Calhoun, Derek Lesko, and Nick Sobush. At Quarterback Sobush has been a great leader on the team as he has passed for 1597 yards and 20 touchdowns with seven of those scores going to his favorite target Derek Lesko. Calhoun has been the main force in the backfield rushing for 1140 yards and 16 touchdowns. What makes this team so dangerous is the fact that back in March of this year Nick Sobush and his brother Antonio along with Derek Lesko made a run to the State Semifinals in basketball which will give three major contributors to this football team an advantage with how to deal with the biggest lights.
Will it be a storybook first time for Gabriel Richard or will Beal City avenge their loss in the 2021 state title game?
Bear: Gabriel Richard
Nat: Gabriel Richard
Kirby: Gabriel Richard
Danosky: Beal City
Green: Beal City