Michigan Chronicle

King outscores East English Village, wins city title

Category: Sports Written by Leland Stein, III

Photo: KING HIGH PSL champions. – Andre Smith photo

COMMENTARY

It may have been a dark and rainy evening in Downtown Detroit; however, the insulation of Ford Field allowed two of the Detroit Public School League’s (PSL) most acknowledged football programs – East English Village Prep (a merger of Crockett and Finney High Schools) and Martin Luther King High to unabatedly unleash all its football athleticism.

The result of Ford Field’s indoor environment produced one of the most exciting and wildest PSL championship games I have even seen.

I did not even play in the game, but when the Ford Field clock finally reached zero I was tired. In the end King held on to earn a 58-48 victory over East English.

After an incredible first quarter that saw East English take a commanding 20-0 lead, then I stood incredulous as King reeled off 32 consecutive points to take an eye popping 32-20 halftime lead into the locker room.

Following King’s tremendous comeback, coach Dale Harvel told me on his way to the locker room: “East English came out like a ball of fire and kicked us in the mouth. But, like we have done all season our guys did not get down, they just put their foot on the peddle. The fact of the matter is this game is not over and whoever has the ball last will probably win this game.”

Coach Harvel’s foreshadow was right on point as both team came back and fought and pushed and cajoled and fought in a second half of high school football that will be remembered for a long time.

The fact of the matter, this was a desperation game for King (6-3) as they came into the game with only five win, one short of the Michigan High School Athletic Association’s (MHSAA) requirement of six win for playoff inclusion.

“I feel so good about winning this game,” King senior quarterback Davaun Williams said. “I feel awesome for all the seniors, because this was do-or-die for us. If we lost this game our season was over. We have never gotten over the sting of them beating us in the City title game last year. It does not get much better than this.”

Said Harvel after the trophy presentation: “I have never coached in a game like this. I guess this is high school football at its best. That was a good football team we beat today. Both of these teams really wanted this game, I just think we had the ball last.

The second half was a mirror image of the first half. King came out and scored on its first possession of the second half to take what looked to me to be an insurmountable 39-20 lead.

But of course that was not enough as East English Bulldogs came roaring back and got the score at the end of the third quarter to 45-40 and going into the fourth and final quarter it was anybody’s game.

“I’m proud of how my guys did not quit,” East English coach Rod Oden said. “We started out with a bang, but that King team really showed me they have heart. Still we had our chances to win this game, we just ran out of time.”

King and East English, who have all the same coaches and many of the same players from when they were Crockett High, have started a enduring rivalry.

Coach Oden led Crockett to it second PSL title beating King in last year’s PSL title game 21-19. Oden and Crockett hoisted its first PSL title in 2004 when it beat King High.

This game had everything, interceptions, kickoff run backs, sacks, great runs from scrimmage and efficient passing attacks.

East English (7-2) tailback Desmond King injured his shoulder in the second quarter but came back to gain 146 yards on eight carries in the third quarter alone as the Bulldogs cut the lead to 45-40. He finished with 223 yards on 21 carries. “I knew my team needed me so I got it together and got back out there,” King said. “When I went out we had a 20-0 lead. I could see my team needed me.”

Crusaders junior running back Raymond Mitchell took charge in the second half and senior linebacker Sa’Von Thomas finally closed the door with a game ending interception.

Leland Stein can be reached at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or Twitter @LelandSteinIII

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Last Updated on Tuesday, 23 October 2012 09:41

UM outlast MSU, earn last second win

Category: Sports Written by Leland Stein, III

Photo: CASS TECH’s Thomas Gordon (#30) helps corral Crockett’s Tony Lippett (#14). – Dan Graschuck photo

ANN ARBOR – Michigan State University came to the Big House before 113,833 and unveiled its metallic green helmets for its rivalry game at Michigan. I guess the Spartans were hoping they would also find a shiny new offense to go with those helmets.

They did not find that magical offense as it stayed dull and lifeless, getting shut out in the first half, and eventually losing 12-10.

In the lead up to this in-state rivalry game, much conversation centered around whether the Michigan State contest has become as important to the Wolverines as the Ohio State game.

I think many of those question were answered after UM kicker Brendan Gibbons nailed a 38 yard field goal with only five second left on the game clock, and, most of the sellout crowd stormed the field in a joyful demonstration that their Wolverines had finally knocked the Spartans off their lofty perch.

Sure the Ohio State contest had captivated the Michigan throng for too many years to recount and it is easy to see why. For three decades the Buckeyes and the Wolverines fought for Big Ten and national supremacy. All the while the Spartans were a cute little afterthought.

However, as evident by the Michigan fans unabated expression of pleasure and delight in finally beating Michigan State, after four torturous years of losing to the now every relevant Spartans.

Even if the UM players and coach Brady Hoke would not outwardly over express just how much they really wanted to beat MSU, the fans said it all.

Following the defensive battle produced by MSU’s and UM’s determined defenses, it mattered not to the thousands of fans that stormed the field.

In fact, I was slowly meandering across the stadium field and before I knew it I was caught in a mass of humanity that reminded my just how small we all are compared to a moving living breathing frenzied throng.

At the expense of MSU, Michigan earned its 900 win, becoming the first college to do so. The defensive win over the Spartans also was the Wolverines first victory at home where they did not score a touchdown. The last such victory was a 5-0 win over Purdue in 1995.

It is safe to say the University of Michigan and Michigan State University rivalry has moved into the Hatfields versus McCoys feud lore.

Most predicted that UM had a giant advantage coming into this contest especially after the Wolverines convincing shellacking of Illinois, blasting the Illini 45-0, and, MSU limped into Ann Arbor after losing its Homecoming contest against Iowa in East Lansing.

The winner of the Michigan–Michigan State football rivalry gets to hoist the Paul Bunyan–Governor of Michigan Trophy. The winner retains possession of the trophy until the next year's game. The trophy was first presented in 1953 (Michigan State's first year as a full Big Ten member) and is a four-foot-high wooden statue on a five-foot-high base. The series record for the Paul Bunyan Trophy is 34–23–2 for Michigan.

“Paul’s back,” U-M co-captain Jordan Kovacs said after the game. “It feels good — you feel like you got the monkey off the back. This is a big game year-in and year-out and you don’t want to go 0-and-4 (as seniors) in this game. We won it for those guys who were before us, too. They’re a part of this team. It wasn’t just for these seniors, for these underclassmen, it was for this program.”

Said former Cass Tech star and starting defensive tackle Will Campbell: “Yeah it was good to finally get a win over our state rival. But it was just one game and we have to start preparing for next week tomorrow. I know a lot of players on that Michigan State team and they are indeed a good team, but this is our day.”

The Wolverines improved to 5-2 on the season and 3-0 in the Legends Division. While the Spartans fell 4-4 and 1-3 in the Big Ten.

Leland Stein can be reached at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or Twitter @LelandSteinIII

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Last Updated on Tuesday, 23 October 2012 09:25

Baseball and Tigers are back in the D

Category: Sports Written by Leland Stein, III

Pic: Doug Fister has been clutch for the Tigers. – Dan Graschuck photo

COMMENTARY

This is what all the overly giddy Detroit Tigers fans have wanted, a chance at World Series glory. However, as the Tigers hold a commanding lead over the New York Yankees in the American League Championship Series (ALCS), the players and most baseball people know the deal is not sealed until the Tigers get the final 27 outs in a fourth-game of the ALCS.

After coming up short in the 2011 ALCS versus the Texas Rangers; no matter, because when a team gets that close most fans begin to hope, dream or expect that the 2012 Tigers could or would go one step further.

The fuel that has carried the Tigers to a late season comeback that has seen them overtake the Chicago White Sox -- win a fifth game gem Justin Verlander tossed in the deciding AL Division Series against the red-hot Oakland A’s leading the Tigers to a second straight ALCS, and, now the Motown Tigers cats find themselves within inches of a return to the World Series -- is the starting pitching.

Dominant starting pitching from ace Verlander, Doug Fister, Anibal Sanchez and Max Scherzer has the Bengals on the verge of all’s dreams.

It has been a long and grinding climb for the Tigers, who entered July with a losing record. They were 3 1/2 games back at the All-Star break but went on a timely winning binge that saw the team win 13 of 15 games.

That’s when Tigers President and GM David Dombrowski worked his magic trading perceived top pitching prospect to Miami for starter Anibal Sanchez and second baseman Omar Infante, a trade that addressed two important needs.

Catcher Gerald Laird told reporters after the Sanchez signing: “We're going for it. Dave's always been known for getting big pieces, and he's showing it again this year."

With the blessing of owner Mike Ilitch, Dombrowski, has made noteworthy moves that has energized the Tigers.. Sanchez (in July), Fister in 2011 and Scherzer a wintertime trade acquisition before the 2010 season.

"When I got traded over here," Fister said, "I walked in the door and instantly guys were screaming and yelling or hugging me from every which direction. It was a very warm welcome, and I assure you Anibal got the same treatment."

After coming to Detroit in 2011 Fister went 10-2 with a 2.37 ERA in 14 outings that included wins in each round of the playoff's first two rounds. Meanwhile, Sanchez struggled in three of his first four starts with Detroit, but there was also a good reason for having a lot on his mind -- he changed teams just as his wife was about to give birth to a baby girl. In his last 10 regular season and playoff starts, however, he has a 2.00 ERA in 67 2/3 innings.

"We look for good pitchers that our scouts recommend," Dombrowski said. "They go out, they scout and they do a very thorough job in preparation of doing so. So far our pitching additions have worked out in our favor, and, it is showing in these playoffs.”

When the Tigers took a commanding 2-0 lead winning both games in New York, it was Fister and Sanchez that added to a starting rotation that had not allowed an earned run in 29 consecutive innings, a streak extended by the seven shutout frames from Sanchez in Game 2.

With closer Jose Valverde in the toilet, having blown his last two save opportunities, against the A’s and then the Yankees, the starting the rotation has had to carry the day, with a 0.94 ERA overall in seven postseason games.

The Tigers very pitching talented are pitching to their lofty potential at the right time of year. It's not over, but it's going to take the Yankees breaking up this stretch of starting pitching -- not once, but four times in five games.

"The thing is, we knew with our rotation, if we're able to get in, we knew we could do some damage," catcher Alex Avila said. "We have guys that can strike guys out, which is big in the playoffs."

Leland Stein can be reached at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and Twitter @ LelandSteinIII

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Last Updated on Monday, 15 October 2012 17:31

Hatfields (UM) versus McCoys (MSU) feud

Category: Sports Written by Leland Stein, III

MSU will have to corral Dennard Robinson. – Dan Graschuck photo

EAST LANSING – Following the Michigan State University’s 19-16 double-overtime loss to the visiting Iowa Hawkeyes, my thought immediately moved to this weekend’s contest versus in-state rival the University of Michigan Wolverines.

Michigan is coming off a convincing shellacking of Illinois, blasting the Illini 45-0. In the victory the Maize and Blue piled up 527 total yards of offense.

Conversely the inept Spartans offense continued to struggle under first-years starting quarterback Andrew Maxwell. If he cannot generate a better performance than his 12-of-31 for 179 yards with no TDs and an interception effort, Michigan State will lose this game Saturday.

In the State of Michigan football version of the Hatfield and McCoys famous feud, fuel has been thrown on the game in the pass years as the Spartans have elevated it program and the Wolverines look to regain its once lofty status as a football powerhouse.

The winner of the Michigan–Michigan State football rivalry gets to hoist the Paul Bunyan–Governor of Michigan Trophy. The winner retains possession of the trophy until the next year's game.

The trophy was first presented in 1953 (Michigan State's first year as a full Big Ten member) and is a four-foot-high wooden statue on a five-foot-high base. The series record for the Paul Bunyan Trophy is 34–23–2 for Michigan.

From 1950 to 1969, MSU went 14–4–2 against the Wolverines. However, after the hiring of Bo Schembechler in 1969, Michigan dominated the series for the next four decades going 30–8 from 1970 to 2007. Michigan holds the longest winning streak at eight (1970–77) and Michigan State holds a current winning streak of four (2008–11) in the Paul Bunyan Trophy series history.

The rivalry has heated up in recent years as the Big Ten has divided into Divisions and now compete in a conference football title game.

MSU played in the first Big Ten Conference title game in 2011 losing a close contest to Wisconsin.

Coming into the game this weekend in Ann Arbor UM is tied with Iowa for the Legends Division lead as both teams have two conference victories, while the Spartans have lot to both Ohio State and Iowa.

The MSU versus UM rivalry appears to have taken a giant leap in the Spartans’ favor five years ago, following a Wolverine 28-24 comeback victory and then UM running back Mike Hart called the Spartans football program his "Little brothers."

He had good reason as the Wolverines had won six straight games in the series over the Spartans.

Michigan State coach Mark Dantonio took Hart’s comments personally saying: "If they want to want to mock us, I'm telling them, it's not over. They can print all that crap they want all over their locker room. It's not over. It'll never be over here. It's just starting. They need to check themselves sometimes. Let's just remember pride comes before the fall."

Since Hart’s comments and Dantonio’s retort, the Spartans have now won four straight against Michigan for the first time since 1959-62, equaling Michigan State's longest streak in the series.

However, MSU comes into this version of the Hatfield/McCoys limping. Michigan 4-2, 2-0 Big Ten, is now ranked No. 23 and is playing at home against Michigan State (4-3, 1-2).

The Wolverines may have once looked at Ohio State as its biggest rival, because that just flat out dominated MSU and the Buckeyes gave them a better challenge.

However since Dantonio’s arrival he has put the Spartan program back on the national football landscape and he is competing with Michigan for the state’s top recruits, too.

After MSU beat UM last year Dantonio’s comments following the game show how the Spartans view this rivalry.

"It's a big win, a program win," Dantonio said. "To do that a fourth straight year says a lot about our players. I said all along I thought this is a winner-take-all type of game. As far as bragging rights and everything that goes with that.”

I think second year Michigan coach Brady Hoke is catching on to the MSU rivalry and he for sure will have his team fired up to stopped the Spartans quest for five consecutive victories.

Leland Stein can be reached at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or Twitter @LelandSteinIII

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Last Updated on Monday, 15 October 2012 17:35

Tigers playoff run ignites Detroit Metro community

Category: Sports Written by Leland Stein, III

TIGERS CELEBRATE home victory. – Dan Graschuck photo

By Leland Stein III

COMMENTARY

As the Detroit Tigers try to negotiate the Oakland A’s and looks to either the New York Yankees or Baltimore Orioles in a possible American League Championship Series (ALCS) in the 2012 Playoffs they have presented themselves as more than just a sports team. They are a galvanizing collective that has set the entire Metropolitan Area, the State of Michigan and even Canada on fire.

Talking to fans at Comerica Park, I encountered fans from as far away as the Upper Peninsula, Grand Rapids and Jackson, just to mention a few.

Yeah, sports are just entertainment; however, its civil and communal effects are essential to an area like Detroit that is still trying to recover from the economic downturn that engulfed the entire United States in 2007-08.

Anything that can make the resident collective feel better, move – at least for the now – past their all too real problems is a positive.

Make no mistake about it the Detroit Tigers have been a positive for Detroit and its surrounding areas. Since Opening Day when Justin Verlander followed up a historic season that saw him take home both the Cy Young and MVP honors, after posting an absolutely fantastic 24 wins, a 2.40 ERA and 250 total strikeouts, and, after the Tigers beat Boston 3-2, the Detroit fans have been absolutely giddy about this team.

The fact that the Tigers lost in six games to the Texas Rangers in the AL pennant series in 2011 elevated the expectations in the 2012 season and the hoped for glory never did stop as the Tigers teased all with they play.

The 2012 Tigers stayed in the pennant hunt all season, but took all it fans on a roller coaster ride that was joyful and painful. Win big series over contending teams and then lose to the bottom feeder teams.

No matter, for third time in franchise history and third time under Jim Leyland, the Tigers surpassed the three million tickets sold mark.

"It's unbelievable," Leyland said.

This season, the Tigers have seen 41 percent of games sold out at Comerica Park (33 of 81 games). It started on April 5, when on Opening Day against the Red Sox, Detroit drew 45,027 fans -- the second-largest crowd in Opening Day history and largest at Comerica Park.

Since then, the fans have continued piling in. On Thursday, in the regular-season home finale, the Tigers hit three million fans for the first time since 2008, when a record 3,202,645 tickets were sold. It also happened in 2007, the year after Detroit went to the World Series.

Leyland said he certainly wasn't taking any credit for it, deferring to owner Mike Ilitch's willingness to bring in stars like Ivan Rodriguez, Magglio Ordonez, Miguel Cabrera and Prince Fielder. But he took pride in it happening under his watch.

"I'm proud of that. It's nice to be part of that," he said. "This has been some of the best times in Tigers' history it seems to me. Spirit-wise, fan-wise, emotion, so at least I've been here during that time. That's pretty good.

"Three million, when I thought about three million to be honest with you ... I thought of the Dodgers, the Cardinals, the Yankees. To be honest with you, I didn't think of Detroit. Now that it's happened three times, it's pretty impressive. These people are unbelievable."

With the support of one of the best fan’s base in Major League Baseball (MLB), the Tigers if they can continue their MLB Playoff run will not only be special for the franchise; but, more importantly it will be therapeutic for its fan base.

These Tigers have had to scratch and claw for everything they've gotten. They didn't clear .500 for good until the 85th game of the season and didn't take over first place until the 155th.

But isn’t that the story of Detroit? A city that in recent years has had to claw for everything it has gotten. The Tigers never gave in as they kept plugging along, keeping the White Sox in the front view mirror, just as Detroit has had to do.

With only nine wins from being World Series champions the 2012 Tigers has given the Metro Area an uplift that is in measurable. No matter is they go all the way or not.

Leland Stein can be reached at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or at Twitter @lelandsteinIII

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Last Updated on Monday, 08 October 2012 17:01

King outscores East English Village, wins city title

UM outlast MSU, earn last second win

Baseball and Tigers are back in the D

Hatfields (UM) versus McCoys (MSU) feud

Tigers playoff run ignites Detroit Metro community

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