Picking winners for all 8 divisions in the finals
The Son of Swami has a few simple philosophies he lives by.
One is: “Never give a sucker an even break.” Another: “Forgive and forget ... but first get even.”
After last week’s Belleville-Detroit Cass Tech Division 1 semifinal game SOS spotted former Belleville coach Jermain Crowell, who was suspended for the playoffs (as well as the following two seasons on Tuesday).
SOS has known Crowell since his days as Cass Tech’s defensive coordinator. Following the 2020 season, SOS received a call from Crowell, who asked a simple question: “I know we’re not friends, but where did I go wrong?”
Belleville should have won the state championship that season and SOS told him he sold out his team.
SOS explained that Crowell was so obsessed with getting the diminutive Christian DhueReid the state record for touchdown passes that he never developed a legitimate running game — and everyone knows, in Michigan, you need a running game in the state playoffs.
Belleville now has a serious run game — you’re welcome — but now Crowell blames SOS for his suspension because of a Free Press story in which a player at Detroit King said Belleville first contacted him (an MHSAA violation) and Crowell picked him up and drove him to summer practices and seven-on-sevens (another violation.)
So SOS wasn’t sure what to expect from Crowell last week. When they met Crowell sneered a bit and asked: “How’s your family?” When told they were fine, he added: “Just checking.”
SOS replied by asking about Crowell’s family.
It seemed like such a nice, if not insinceresounding, gesture from Crowell.
But alas, Crowell got into even deeper trouble when a 2018 episode of “Sports Stars of Tomorrow” revealed that standout players Devontae Dobbs and Julian Barnett were living with Crowell when they played at Belleville.
Who knew Crowell was running a bed & breakfast for his players?
The man is a humanitarian.
Since he is so interested in SOS’s family, perhaps SOS will take his family to stay at Hotel Crowell once the playoffs are finished.
Speaking of which, here are SOS’s picks for the state finals after a 12-4 (75%) performance in the semifinals bringing his playoff record to 187-53 (77.9%).
Division 1
Caledonia (12-1) vs. Belleville (13-0), Saturday, 1 p.m.: For most of the season it was Belleville No. 1 and Caledonia No. 2, so this isn’t exactly a surprise. Caledonia has three standouts in QB Mason McKenzie, RB Brock Townsend and H-back Derek Pennington. Belleville counters with QB Bryce Underwood, RB/LB Jeremiah Beasley and a bunch of other dudes who can flat-out play. Belle Tire 37, Macedonia 22.
Division 2
Warren De La Salle (12-1) vs. Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central (13-1), Friday, 1 p.m.:
Hey, where’s Dexter? Forest Hills Central took care of No. 2 Dexter in the semis, but all that is in the way of Central’s first state title is No. 1 (and defending champ) De La Salle. Can the Rangers pull an even bigger upset this week? Not as long as the Pilots have QB Brady Drogosh and offense wrecker DE Mason Muragin. De La Slappy 31, Sherwood Forest 23.
Division 3
Detroit King (9-3) vs. Muskegon (11-2), Saturday, 7:30 p.m.: Muskegon has come a long way since Week 2, when SOS watched the Big Reds get blitzed by De La Salle. That seems like a lifetime ago, especially after QB M’Khi Guy ran for 341 yards and six TDs in the semis. Then you can add Jakob Price and Destin Piggee to the mix. They can hang with King QB Dante Moore, but Sterling Anderson Jr. could be a game-changer for the Crusaders. King of Wishful Thinking 32, Muskie’s Gone 27.
Division 4
Goodrich (12-1) vs. Grand Rapids South Christian (13-0), Friday, 7:30 p.m.:
How strong is the back of Goodrich’s Jace Simerson? All he did was carry the Martians to the win over Riverview by gaining 250 yards on 30 carries and scoring five touchdowns. Can he do it against South Christian? The Sailors have QB Jake DeHaan and he does a lot of carrying of his own. South Steigenga High 23, Goodyear 21.
Division 5
Gladwin (13-0) vs. Frankenmuth (13-0), Saturday, 4:30 p.m.:
This is the first time since 2008 that the D-5 final hasn't featured a private school. Both teams were incredibly impressive, with Gladwin knocking off Grand Rapids Catholic Central, which had won state championships in five of the previous six years. Not to be outdone, Frankenmuth held
Birmingham Detroit Country Day to negative-2 yards of total offense and not a single first down. Man from Glad 24, Chicken Dinners 21, OT.
Division 6
Negaunee (13-0) vs. Grand Rapids West Catholic (12-1), Friday, 4:30 p.m.:
Negaunee is the only U.P. representative this weekend, and it has had a couple of nail-biters the last two weeks. This week Negaunee coach Paul Jacobson may need to bite off more than that while trying to come up with a game plan to stop West Catholic running back Tim Kloska, who has run for 2,182 yards and 35 TDs this season. For a D-6 team, West Catholic has played a killer of a schedule. Catholics West of Grand Rapids 28, Nagging 14.
Division 7
Jackson Lumen Christi (10-3) vs. Traverse City St. Francis (13-0), Saturday, 10 a.m.:
To hear Lumen Christi coach Herb Brogan talk, St. Francis is the reincarnation of the 1972 Miami Dolphins, and he isn’t far off. The Glads are averaging
47.5 points a game, and their defense is stifling. We all know Lumen Christi began the season 0-3, but in Week 2 it lost by only seven to ... St. Francis. So anything is possible, especially if Lumen QB/DB Joe Lathers decides to join the Olympic track team as a hurdler. Majerle City St. Esper 35, Aluminum Foul 29.
Division 8
Ubly (13-0) vs. Ottawa Lake Whiteford (13-0), Friday, 10 a.m.:
What a way to kick off the weekend (as opposed to “The Weeknd”). How similar are these teams? Whiteford has scored 638 points in 13 games while Ubly has compiled 631. The defenses are both good, so what should we expect? A close game in which maybe Ubly’s Mark Heilig gets it going on the ground. Bubbly 36, A White Ford 35, OT.
Mick McCabe (err, Son of Swami) is a former longtime columnist for the Detroit Free Press. Contact him at mick.mccabe11@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @mickmccabe1. Order his book, “Mick McCabe’s Golden Yearbook: 50 Great Years of Michigan’s Best High School Players, Teams & Memories,” now at McCabe.PictorialBook.com