DETROIT — Walter Camp, often called the “Father of American Football,” created the line of scrimmage, the snap, and the system of downs.
Bronko Nagurski defined the role of a power runner and defender.
George Halas helped introduce concepts like the T-formation offense and weekly film study.
Johnny Unitas set the standard for the quarterback position.
Vince Lombardi was noted for his relentless focus on fundamentals and winning mentality.
These are some of the greatest names in the development of football.
Do we dare add the name of Dan Campbell, coach of the Detroit Lions, known for his aggressive fourth-down strategy, who in the last four seasons has gone for it an NFL-record 151 times?
In the 2024 season, Campbell called the play 33 times, succeeding 22 times. It’s a strategy that's becoming more popular on both the collegiate and high school levels.
“We’ve been doing (the fourth-down plays) all year,” said Allen Park Cabrini’s third year coach RJ Chidester. Unfortunately, the strategy didn't pay off for Cabrini in the wake of a 42-7 defeat to Ann Arbor Fr. Gabriel Richard for the Catholic High School League Cardinal Division championship on Saturday, Oct. 25, at Ford Field.
“The big thing is we didn't really stop them at all on defense. They’re a lot bigger,” Chidester said.
It was Fr. Gabriel Richard’s fourth CHSL championship. The others were in 2012, 2010 and 2009.
“People underestimate FGR all the time,” coach John Robinson said. “They have no idea what we have, and I do. And so I believe in our guys. This is my fifth year. I had these guys as incoming eighth graders. So I planted the seed five years ago and now they're seniors.”
The Monarchs went for it on fourth down seven times, succeeding on three. Fr. Gabriel Richard converted three of the misses into touchdowns.
The first came seven minutes into the game. Cabrini took the opening kickoff to its own 44-yard line, where quarterback Evan Bergdoll was sacked twice for a loss of 13 yards. A fourth down and 23 pass attempt failed. The Irish quickly seized the opportunity. Quarterback Fisher Thomas and wide receiver Nick Wells combined for a 31-yard touchdown for a 7-0 lead.
Gabriel Richard dominated the second quarter to build a 28-0 halftime lead. When Cabrini failed to convert fourth and 2 on its 49-yard line, halfback Jim Milanovich raced 47 yards for a touchdown. Sophomore wide receiver Andrew Castrogiovanni then covered the last four yards of a six-play, 60-yard drive for a 21-0 lead. Senior halfback Matt Hoban carried the ball five times for 28 yards and a touchdown after Cabrini lost possession on a fourth down fake punt after an incomplete pass from its own 28.
The Irish scored six minutes apart in the third quarter. Thomas ran 52 yards for one score and also found Hoban wide open behind Cabrini’s defenders for a 95-yard touchdown.
The Monarchs' only touchdown of the day came with two minutes to play after Fr. Gabriel Richard punted on its only fourth down play of the game. Sophomore Declan O’Connell, who succeeded quarterback Bergdoll when he was injured early in the third quarter, raced for 25 yards.
In the Michigan High School Athletic Association playoffs, Allen Park Cabrini (8-1) will host Southfield Bradford Academy (6-3) on Friday, Oct. 31, at 7 p.m. in a Division 8 district semifinal.
Fr. Gabriel Richard (9-0) will host Detroit Cody (5-4) in a Division 5 district semifinal at 4 p.m. Friday, Oct. 31.
“Really, I want us to focus on us,” Robinson said, “and be the man in the mirror and not really care who we play. It’s playoff football. It’s win or go home, so we’ll focus on ourselves.”
Showcase No. 1: Lumen Christi
The CHSL Prep Bowl LIII also featured a pair of “showcase” contests: Jackson Lumen Christi vs. Center Line, and Novi Detroit Catholic Central vs. Detroit Martin Luther King.
You couldn’t blame Lumen Christi coach Herb Brogan if he felt right at home at Ford Field. That’s where he’s won seven state titles in eight finals, including Division 5 a year ago. When the Pontiac Silverdome hosted the finals until 2004, Lumen Christi won seven championships — five under Brogan, the other two coached by the late Jim Crowley.
Lumen Christi is a perfect 3-0 in the Prep Bowl since the Titans joined the CHSL three years ago. They won each handily as they did this one, 42-7, against Center Line.
Junior quarterback Benny Gaston threw a pair of touchdown passes: 74 yards to junior Wes Learned and 60 yards to senior Amarion Clay. Clay, fullback Sean Walicki and junior Jeff Esterline scored on short runs. Senior Anthony Wetzel kicked the extra points.
Center Line averted being shut out halfway through the fourth quarter.
Lumen Christi hosts Onsted (4-5) in a MHSAA Division 6 district semifinal at 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 31.
Showcase No. 2: Catholic Central
Catholic Central had no notion that the 12-0 advantage it built up over three quarters against Detroit Martin Luther King Jr. would be the margin of victory in a hard-fought 26-14 game.
Junior quarterback Duke Banta hit senior wide receiver Sam Gash in stride for a 30-yard pass play for a touchdown in the first quarter, and senior Josh Peters circled a yard around right end for a touchdown in the third quarter heading into the final 12 minutes of the game.
Banta and wide receiver Gideon Gash (Sam’s brother) connected on a 47-yard touchdown pass. A 2-point conversion gave Catholic Central a 20-6 cushion — which lasted all of 14 seconds when King responded with an 80-yard touchdown pass and 2 extra points to make it a 20-14 game.
Cameron Swearingen’s 1-yard plunge into the end zone with 1:27 remaining in the game decided the outcome in Catholic Central’s favor.
The Shamrocks — 9-0 for the second year in a row — will host Hartland (5-4) in the MHSAA Division 1 district semifinal at 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 31.
Other CHSL teams in action:
Division 2: Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice (5-4) at Walled Lake Western (7-2), Friday, Oct. 31, 7 p.m. … Orchard Lake St. Mary’s Prep (6-2) at North Farmington (6-2), Friday, Oct. 31, 7 p.m.
Division 3: Warren De La Salle (3-6) at Warren Fitzgerald (8-1), Friday, Oct. 31, 7 p.m.
Division 4: Dearborn Divine Child (8-1) vs. Tecumseh (6-3), Friday, Oct. 31, 7:30 p.m. ... Macomb Lutheran North (7-2) at Harper Woods (9-0), Friday, Oct. 31, 7 p.m.
Division 8: Riverview Gabriel Richard (4-5) vs. Melvindale Business Tech (9-0), Saturday, Nov. 1, 2 p.m. ... Clarkston Everest Collegiate (5-4) vs. Waterford Our Lady of the Lakes (5-4), Saturday, Nov. 1, 1 p.m. (at Pontiac Wisner Stadium).
Contact Don Horkey at [email protected].
