(Photo Credit: King receiver Mycial Allen hope to lead King to its second state title. – Andre Smith photo)
For many years the Detroit Public School League (PSL) teams looked at the City title game as the one to win, and, in many case it still is.
If you could have been at Ford Field for the PSL title game this past Friday and witness the joyousness from the Martin Luther King High fans, players, coaches and alumni, winning the City title over East English Village 51-48 in one of the most entertaining high school games I’ve ever seen, the City title game is still the big one in Detroit.
However, as Detroit has merged and closed high schools, the unexpected result has been that the state’s largest city and school district (PSL) has seen its football talent pool condense.
At one point the PSL had 22 high schools and the talent was so spread out, the PSL could not compete in the Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA) football state title with private schools of choice and towns that centered all its resources on one high school.
So when King High finally broke through in 2007 winning the PSL’s first state football title corralling the MHSAA Div. 2 crown. Coach Jim Reynolds team was enhanced after the closing of Mackenzie High, King got a number of its players including All-American and current Green Bay Packer star Nick Perry.
Then last year at Ford Field in the Division 1 championship the Cass Technicians thrashed Detroit Catholic Central, 49-13 to win the PSL’s second MHSAA trophy.
Also, Detroit Crockett (now East English Village) and King came within one game of joining Cass Tech at Ford Field. It is obvious that the abbreviate PSL has compact the talent pool and the result is the league is has set it vision beyond the City title.
Starting this weekend the MHSAA football Road to Ford Field commences.
DIVISION 1: Cass Tech (7-2) opens up at Grosse Pointe South (8-1) at 7:00 PM.
DIVISION 2: Detroit Cody (6-3) is at Oak Park (7-2) at 6:00 PM and King (6-3) will play at Southfield (6-3) at 4:00 PM.
DIVISION 3: Detroit Central Collegiate (6-3) visits St Clair (8-1) on Saturday at 7:00 PM and Marysville (6-3) comes to East English (7-2) at 7:00 PM.
DIVISION 4: Detroit Country Day (7-2) at Clinton Township Clintondale (9-0) at 7:00 PM; St Clair Shores South Lake (6-3) at Dearborn Heights Robichaud (8-1) at 7:00 PM; and Harper Woods Chandler (6-2) at Grosse Ile (8-1) at 7:00 PM.
DIVISION 5:Allen Park Cabrini (6-3) at River Rouge (9-0) at 7:00 PM and Almont (6-3) at Detroit University Prep (8-1) on Saturday at 3:00 PM.
DIVISION 6: Detroit Consortium (6-3) at Madison Heights Madison (8-1) at 7:00 PM.
DIVISION 7: Royal Oak Shrine Catholic (5-4) at Detroit Loyola (9-0) on Saturday at 1:00 PM at U of D Jesuit HS and Detroit Douglass (5-3) at Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett (7-2) on Saturday at 3:00 PM.
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“We lost in the PSL Playoffs last year and won the state title,” Cass Tech coach Thomas Wilcher explained. “Now we are in the same position this year. Will we have the same result. I sure hope so.”
So do I!!!!
All of the Finals games will be televised live on Fox Sports Detroit or Fox Sports Detroit PLUS and will be contested in Downtown Detroit at Ford Field. All games are on Friday unless otherwise noted.
Leland Stein can be reached at lelstein3@aol.com or at Twitter @lelandsteinIII