Country Day wins district championship
Country Day overcomes five TOs to win district championship
MADISON HEIGHTS » One step forward, then two steps back.
That’s how things seemed to go for Detroit Country Day Friday night in its Division 4 district final game against Madison Heights Lamphere. Fortunately for the Yellowjackets, they were able to throw in a few leaps to get things going during a 20-10 victory over the host Rams.
Country Day turned the ball over five times in the win, including three in the second quarter alone, helping the Rams to a 10-7 lead at halftime. All 10 Lamphere points were scored off turnovers.
Senior Connor Selimi tipped a Country Day pass, which was then intercepted by junior Drew Webster and returned to the Yellowjackets 48 yard line. The Rams would turn it into three points early in the second quarter, courtesy of a 47-yard field goal by senior Jake Malak.
Country Day answered back immediately on a six-yard touchdown run by senior Jacob Yarberry to give his team a 7-3 lead.
The Yellowjackets looked like they would take that lead into halftime, but Lamphere once again stepped up and made a play. Junior Nico Hernandez tipped a backward Country Day screen pass and Webster scooped it up and returned it 47 yards for a touchdown with just 49 seconds remaining in the first half.
“At halftime I asked the boys, “Who’s keeping them in the game? Us,’ “Country Day head coach Dan MacLean said. “It was just self-inflicted and we’ve got to get better.”
Country Day’s defense, which helped keep the Yellowjackets in the game throughout, turned the tide of the game early in the third quarter. Backed up inside its own 10yard line, Lamphere attempted a backward screen pass, which was incomplete. The ball rolled into the end zone and was recovered by Country Day senior Nick Warchol. It gave the Yellowjackets a 13-10 lead, one which it would not relinquish.
“They’re amazing, we’re a tough defensive team but many of those same kids are playing on offense so we have to find a happy medium,” MacLean said of his defense. “I’m proud of them. They played hard.”
Lamphere would force two more turnovers, a fumble recovery by senior Ben Johnson and another fumble recovery — off a muffed punt — by Selimi in the third quarter. But it could not take advantage of the turnovers.
Yarberry capped off the scoring for the Yellowjackets, taking one in from 12 yards out midway through the third quarter. And DCD’s defense did the rest.
“They were too physical up front, that’s all,” Lamphere head coach Art Maisano said. “They’re coached well. They’re smart and they realized their advantage and they went to their power I (formation) and ground the clock down and that was it. Like I said it was going to have to be a ‘Miracle on Ice’ (for us to win). But we hung around.”
Lamphere finished one of its best seasons in school history with an 8-1 record, winning the MAC Bronze division. It was the first time a Rams team had started the season 8- 0 since 1984.
“It was a great season,” Maisano said. “These are great kids. I’m really proud of them. They stepped up and bought into it. They earned it.”
Country Day (6-2) now advances to the regional final, where it will play at North Branch (9- 0). The Yellowjackets reached the Division 4 state championship game a year ago.
“Take your hats off to ( Lamphere) because they played very hard, but we just have to be more productive. You’re not going to win too many games with five turnovers,” MacLean said. “I’ve been doing this a long time and they’re not always pretty in the playoffs. You get people’s best. Credit to them. We live to see another day.”