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Road to Ford Field: District Final Games of the Week Preview and Picks

After two great Division Three Pre-District games last Friday, we are gearing up for great District Finals matchups, during which the first batch of Mitten Trophies will be handed out. 

Manchester at Riverview Gabriel Richard

This will be the second time the two schools have met, with the last time being a 46-21 victory for Gabriel Richard in the 2020 season. 

Gabriel Richard is coming off a 48-0 victory over Cabrini in the Pre-District game. Joe Calhoun led the way for them, who rushed for 68 yards and two touchdowns. Calhoun was the leading rusher for the Gabriel Richard Pioneers this season, rushing for 852 yards in eight games. Nick Sobush has been the starting Quarterback for the Pioneers this season, and in the playoff game a week ago, Sobush completed four of his seven passes for 64 yards and two touchdowns. If Sobush and Calhoun can keep up their performances, they will be lifting the District trophy on their field on Friday night. 

Manchester is coming off a 20-17 victory over Petersburg Summerfield a week ago. In that game, it was the play of Sophomore Running Back Jayden Johnson, who scored two touchdowns for the Manchester Flying Dutchman. Brandy Reed also played a role for them on offense and defense. While Reed fumbled a ball into the endzone, which could have been bad if not for the quick thinking of Julian Waters, who jumped on the ball for the first score of the game for the first score for the Flying Dutchman. While on Defense, Reed had an interception that helped them stay in the game. 

Bear: Riverview GR

Nat: Riverview GR

Kirby: Riverview GR

Divine Child at Harper Woods- Game of the Week 

This will be the second time that the Falcons of Divine Child will face off with the Pioneers of Harper Woods. The last time was in the 2018 regular season, and the Pioneers won that game by a final of 46-7. 

The Divine Child Falcons come into this game after beating Maddison Height Lampher by a final of 42-6. In that game, they were led by their dynamic duo of Quarterback Drew Sheridan and Running Back Marcello Vitti. In the win last week, Sheridan completed 19 of his 23 passes for 300 yards and five touchdowns, and for Vitti, he played a role on both sides of the ball. On offense, Vitti rushed for 212 yards and two touchdowns, while on the defensive side of the ball, he made six tackles, two of which went for a loss, and he recovered a fumble. 

When you look at the Pioneers of Harper Woods, they still boast players who played a key part in their State Title winning team a year ago. Players like Nate Rocheleau, Dakota Guerrant, and Colby Bailey, who were key to the Pioneers a year ago, have been key to them this year, including in their 46-6 win over Redford Union. In that game against Redford Union, Bailey rushed for 180 yards and two touchdowns. Like Gurrant a year ago, the Pioneers have a stud Freshman Receiver making waves on the field in the form of Deandre Bidden, who caught the lone touchdown pass that Rocheleau threw in the Pre-District win. 

Will the experience of the Pioneers help them win their second straight District Title, or will the dynamic duo for the Falcons help them get their first title since 2022?  

Bear: Harper Woods 

Nat: Harper Woods

Kirby: Harper Woods

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