With the high school football regular season coming to a close in two weeks, week eight will feature a double dose of rivalry games.
Carlson at Allen Park
Both teams enter this one at 6-1, with the lone loss coming to Trenton. While this game is a rivalry game, it will also act as the Downriver League Championship game. Both teams boast great players and will look to take advantage of their heated rivalry.
Carlson got hit with back-to-back rivalry games, and they were able to handle their business with Woodhaven last week as they beat them handily by a final of 49-14. Leading the way for the Carlson Marauders was Quarterback Joe Krolak. In the win, Krolak passed for 130 yards and two touchdowns, and he did that on five of seven passing. He also showed off his speed as he rushed for 115 yards and a touchdown. Izaiah Wright also played a part in the win over Woodhaven. Wright was injured and missed most of the season, and when he came back against Trenton, he was limited in what he could do. In last week’s win, Wright finished with 119 yards and two touchdowns. So if Krolak and Wright can put up another week like that, they will have a great shot of repeating as League Champions.
The Allen Park Jaguars are looking to bounce back after a tough loss a week ago to Trenton. Both of the Jaguar’s star players were held in check a week ago as Quarterback Ben Klos had his worst game as the starting Quarterback, completing 50% of his passes for less than 100 yards and no touchdowns. He also rushed the ball five times for a season-high 57 yards. As for Weston Glei, he had 57 yards on offense and no touchdowns on six receptions, which gave him his lowest yard-per-game output on the season. Glei played a solid defense, recovering a fumble and making three tackles for his defensive back position. Klos and Glei will need to step it up on offense to avoid a third straight loss to the Marauders and to regain their place at the top of the Downriver League.
Bear: Allen Park
Nat: Carlson
Kirby: Allen Park
Plymouth at Salem- Game of the Week
In a game that won’t catch many eyes with the two teams’ records, they are fighting for something more important to the two schools. Plymouth, Salem, and Canton high schools all share the same grounds, and they play to be named the Park Champions. Since both teams beat Canton earlier this season, the winner of this game will be crowned Park Champions. This would be Plymouth’s third straight Park Championship, and it would be Salem’s first since the inception of Plymouth in 2004.
The Salem Rocks are coming off only their second win of the season, and that was against Canton last week. In the win last week, they used Senior Running Back Aiden Moore to rush for 197 yards and two touchdowns; Moore also caught a pass for 22 yards and a touchdown. Throwing him that pass was Junior Quarterback Luke Creighton. Creighton finished the game, completing seven of his seventeen passes for 134 yards and a touchdown. On defense for the Rocks it was Juniors Landon Garrett III and Curtis Crittenton. Garrett had ten tackles and a tackle for loss, while Crittenton had four tackles, two sacks, and forced a fumble.
The Plymouth Wildcats are coming off back-to-back close losses. They will look to finally put it all together in this one. Senior quarterback Logan Pheiffer will look to help them do that. Pheiffer passed for 81 yards and a touchdown on nine of nineteen passing attempts versus Brighton. However, it was Pheiffer’s legs that went a long way in the loss a week ago, as he ran for 311 yards and four touchdowns. Senior Camden Short also scored and ran for 86 yards in the loss a week ago.
With the dynamic running ability of Short and Pheiffer, will the Wildcats look to three-peat as Park Champs, or will the dual threat of Moore running and Creighton throwing be enough to win the Rocks their first Park Championship?
Bear: Plymouth
Nat: Plymouth
Kirby: Plymouth