On a cloudy, rainy and windswept day, the Detroit Public School League (PSL) football championships commenced at William Hill Field on the campus of Renaissance High School. Doing battle were Central vs. Fredrick Douglass and Martin Luther King Jr. versus Cody.
When the referees ran off the field and pocketed their whistles and flags, standing in the middle of the field celebrating championships were Central and King.
For Central (8-1) it was a celebration that was a long time coming. The Trailblazers last won a PSL football title in 1972 where they outlasted King 8-0.
Central last played in a title game in 1983, and, ironically its coach, Eric Smith, played on that team that was coached by the late Woodrow “Woody” Thomas, and they lost to Bernard Hall and Henry Ford in a memorable PSL title contest.
COMMENTARY
It was a long time coming, but Smith and his Trailblazers found redemption with a 14-6 win over Douglass (6-2) and its coach Andre Harlan in the PSL Division B title game.
It was a closely matched contest as Douglass took an early 6-0 lead that could have been even greater if not for a couple dropped passes in the first half.
“Central earned the win,” said Harlan, “but we made a too many mistakes that hurt our chances. We had our opportunities and it hurts to see them celebrate. The bottom line is we have come a long way and we still have a ways to go to get to the level we expect.”
With only a little more than three minutes left in the first half, a trick play produced Central’s first score. Quarterback Devote Brown threw a lateral to Jaylyn Massenberg that hit the ground, but he picked it up and threw a bomb to Maurice Casteel and he out fought a Douglass defender for the ball and the result was 75-yard touchdown. The Trailblazers made the two-point conversation and held an 8-6 lead throughout the defensive struggle.
“I’m not surprised we won,” junior defensive and offensive tackle Eric Crume said. “We put in the work in practice and we were well prepared.”
Added senior linebacker and fullback Ramon Stokes: “It feels great to be in this position. I could tell from our effort all year that this team could get it done, and, we did.”
Senior offensive and defensive back Darnell Marshall understood that history had been made.
“Hey!” he exclaimed. “It’s been 37-years since this school has won a title, and we are the team that made it happen again.”
Smith said at the end it was divine intervention. With about one minute left in the game, the sun suddenly broke through and Brown tossed a 25-yard touchdown pass to Massenberg with 30 seconds left to put the game on ice.
“Did you see the sky open up and the sun come out?” Smith questioned me. “I knew it was coach (Thomas) and my dad looking down on us. They shined their light on us one last time and I could feel them.”
Douglass’ only score came on a 56-yard punt return by Marquise Phillips in the first half.
In the PSL Division A championship King (7-2) held on to overcome a gallant Cody squad, 19-14.
All held their breath in anticipation of what many considered one of the better title contest in recent years, King versus undefeated and defending champion Southeastern. But a supposedly ineligible players knocked out the Jungaleers and gave Cody its first ever PSL title appearance.
The Comets took advantage of the gift and gave King all it could handle. They were prepare and tough.
“I give a lot of credit to Cody,” King’s coach Dale Harvel said. “This was the most physical game we have played all year. Guys were flying around and putting their hat on the ball, this was a tough game.”
King sophomore running back Dennis Norfleet’s 2-yard touchdown run in the second quarter opened the scoring for King. Before one could say hallelujah, Robert Daniels returned an interception 9 yards for another King score.
It looked like King was getting ready to rout the Comets, but on the ensuring kickoff Cody’s Foley Mitchell blasted 92 yards for a touchdown, and, the stage was set for a tough physical game.
King held a commanding 19-6 fourth quarter lead, but Cody’s Eric Campbell recovered a King fumble and running back Tyerell Reed scored on a 4-yard run with 4:11 left, making it 19-14.
Cody stopped King on three straight plays and got the ball at midfield with about two minutes left in the game. Poised to pull off the upset, King’s Larry Steppes stopped Cody’s momentum by intercepting a La Rolans Joliffi pass to seal the deal.
“I’m proud of how our boys played,” Cody coach Calvin Norman said. “They showed character by coming back and battling King till the end.”
For Harvel and King it was an unbelievable year. First, James Reynolds retired right before the season started because of health problems. Harvel replaced him and had to refocus the team and arrest the emotional roller coaster the kids felt in losing their coach.
“It was hard at first (without Reynolds),” said Harvel, who coached under Reynolds for 22 years. “I told the kids this is still King football.”
Harvel said that this title is extra special because it was his first one as a head coach.
“This feels excellent,” King linebacker Dontavias Bryant said. “We had an off year last year, but this is my third PSL title. Being a senior makes it that much more special.”
Added Norfleet: “This team earned this title. We worked hard in practice every day and we started to believe that something special was going to happen for this squad, and, it did.”
Senior linebacker Martell Goodson said words cannot explain how happy he is. However, senior quarterback Derond Crawford cautions everyone saying, “We still have the States (playoffs) and we feel we can compete and make a run at a state title, too.”
King won PSL titles in 2006 and 2007 under Reynolds. Southeastern won the 2008 Division A title.