Strong defense helps Stevenson top Dakota, 12-7
Stevenson’s bid for a state football championship last year stalled with a Division 1 semifinal loss in overtime to Davison, but the Titans are still feeding off that thrilling run.
“It’s everything. That run changed the mindset of our kids,” said coach Justin Newcomb after Friday’s 12-7 victory against Dakota in a Macomb Area Conference Red Division game. “When they take the field
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they feel like they’re the better teamand they’re going to win.
“Regardless of if they are or not, they feel it and they’re going to come through and compete and perform. That’s what we’ve seen from them the last two games and the last five games going back to the run.”
Linebacker Jordan Kwiatkowski, who has been a big part of the defense that has held Eisenhower and Dakota without an offensive touchdown this season, agreed with his coach that last season’s playoff run is still having an effect on the current team.
“It was huge,” Kwiatkowski said. “We made our run and wanted to finish it but didn’t. Now we’re coming back for our revenge.”
The Cougars came into the gamewith a formidable running
attack led by De’Javion Stepney and Caiden Sloan. They both picked up yardage, however, the Titans kept them out of the end zone.
“When you face great players, you never really stop them,” Newcomb said. “You try to contain them. We did that. When they had their runs — and they did because they’re special players — we were able to bounce back, keep going and keep hats on them. Because if you keep the contact on them, they have to
feel it in the fourth quarter.”
Kwiatkowski gave credit to defensive coordinator Carmine Madonna for having the Titans in the right defense.
“We knew (Stepney) was one of the best running
backs in Michigan. We knew he liked to cut back,” Kwiatkowski said. ‘ We knew what he liked and we just played the defense right and got him stopped.”
Stevenson scored both touchdowns in the first half, one on the opening drive and the other on the final play of the half.
Jordan Ramsey capped an 11-play, 80-yard drive after the opening kickoff with a 12-yard run. Ramsey had 60 yards in the drive, including a 39-yard burst that set up the touchdown.
The touchdown as time expired in the second quarter was what Dakota coach Greg Baur called “a killer.”
On fourth down fromthe Cougars’ 25-yard line, quarterback BiagioMadonna hit Dominic Rayes in the corner
of the end zone to give Stevenson a 12-0 halftime advantage.
Ramsey finished with 85 yards on 17 carries and made two important defensive plays, intercepting a pass to endDakota’s final drive of the game, and earlier breaking up a pass in the end zone.
“He’s tremendous,” Newcomb said. “He has to be
in the conversation for Mr. Football with what he does on both ends. He’s electric. He’s a tough runner, tough to bring down and he played his heart out on defense.”
Dakota’s only touchdown came early in the fourth quarter when Jack Murray blocked a punt and fell on the loose ball in the end zone.
“We never got anything going offensively,” Baur said. “Every time we drove we stalled. We just weren’t in sync offensively. Defensively, we played well in spots but we gave up that big play before halftime. They’re a good team, extremely big and physical, but we just didn’t block well enough or tackle well enough. That’s why we lost.”