This was the scene following Ishpeming’s 22-18 victory over the Saginaw Michigan Lutheran Seminary Cardinals last Saturday afternoon in Marquette’s Superior Dome.MARQUETTE, MI – 11/24/2014 – History has been made. While it isn’t the first time a team has made the state championship three times in a row, the Ithaca Yellow Jackets (Division-6) are poised to win their fifth straight championship. A match-up of the same two teams three years in a row in the title game? That’s just unheard of. Literally. Since the current divisional playoff format began (1999), there has never been the same title game for three consecutive seasons. There have only been four cases in all eight divisions where there were repeats of the previous year’s title game. So this truly is a historical event coming up at Ford Field this weekend.
DIVISION-7
- Ishpeming Hematites vs. Detroit Loyola Bulldogs – Saturday 11/29/2014 @ 10am
- This is the grudge match of the playoffs thus far. Detroit Loyola has been relishing a potential rematch with the Hematites, who have had to walk off of the turf at Ford Field while the Hematites were the ones raising the trophy the past two seasons. The Bulldogs have been playing angry all season long as a result. They’ve scored an astonishing 655 points this year (50.38 ppg), and have only allowed 116 (8.92 ppg) defensively, including five shutouts. While the defense is still on par with the 2013 Bulldogs (119 total points allowed), the offense has blown open the doors compared with last year’s version by 156 points (12 ppg more)! Still, the Hematites were able to stop that train the past two seasons, holding the Bulldogs impressive offenses to just 14 points in 2012 and 12 points in 2013. Will the Hematites be able to pull off the upset one more time? Or will the Bulldogs finally get to raise that trophy they so desperately want? If you’re not going down to Detroit this weekend, be sure to follow along with us here at Great Lakes Radio. Mike Plourde & Bob Nadeau will have the call for you on 98.3 WRUP and online at WRUP.com! In an effort to make the game more accessible to the rest of the U.P., we’ll also be broadcasting the game on 103-FXD and WFXD.com! Pregame will begin at 9am with a 10am kickoff. GO HEMATITES!
Mustang fans poured into the Superior Dome last Friday Night as Munising advanced to their first state championship game in 34 years with a 10-7 win over Beal City!DIVISION-8
- Munising Mustangs vs. Muskegon Catholic Central Crusaders – Friday 11/28/2014 @ 10am
- The only other team left from the Upper Peninsula, but 2/8 isn’t too bad considering we only go as high as Division-3 up here (Marquette). The Mustangs are riding a 12 game win streak and putting on the line after a great defensive win against the two-time runner up Beal City Aggies in the Superior Dome last Friday 10-7. The Mustangs are going up against a juggernaut this Friday though in the Crusaders. Muskegon Catholic Central is coming in undefeated, and are coming in off of a 42-6 win in the semifinals vs. Harbor Beach. The Crusaders are Division-8’s version of Detroit Loyola. They’ve scored a staggering 610 points (46.9 ppg), and have only allowed 91 points defensively all season (7 ppg)! The Mustangs are up to the task though. They’ve cooled some strong offenses this season, not allowing a single opponent to break 20 points since their week 1 (and only) loss, and only have allowed double digits twice during that span. This game could be one of the best games this championship weekend. Another Great Lakes Radio team to make the state championship, you can catch the game here with us! We’ll be broadcasting in multiple facets this Friday night. The game will be available to listen to in many facets as well: AM1400 WQXO, WQXO.COM, 103-FXD, and WFXD.COM! Join Charlie Nebel from Ford Field this Friday as the Mustangs look to upend the Crusaders in the Division-8 state championship game. Pregame will begin at 9am with a 10am kickoff! GO MUSTANGS!
No matter what your allegiances are during the regular season and conference play, it’s time to don the blue & white along with the orange & black. The U.P. is coming Detroit…. brace yourselves. U.P. POWER!
-Carl Leander Johnson