Late score lifts Warren Michigan Collegiate over Michigan Center in Division 6 semifinal - mlive.com

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YPSILANTI - With 41 seconds left in the Division 6 semifinal at Ypsilanti Lincoln on Saturday between Warren Michigan Collegiate and Michigan Center, Michigan Collegiate was facing a fourth-and-12 with a one-point deficit, and quarterback Deion Black had completed all of one pass all afternoon, that coming on the preceding play with a check-down on third-and-17 for a five-yard gain.

But on fourth down Black floated a pass into the corner of the end zone, and despite a pair of Cardinals defenders playing it well, found Tre’von Redding for a 25-yard touchdown.

That gave the Cougars a 36-29 win over Michigan Center, sending them to Ford Field next week for the state championship game.

“Actually I came up with that play,” Black said. “I told my coach I was running stop-and-go, and lets bomb it to him and let him jump for it. We did that, and it turns out we get a touchdown.”

That play, followed by Black finding Teshawn Thomas for the two-point conversion, capped off a 10-play, 83-yard scoring drive for the Cougars. Black and Thomas both made plays to get the drive going with runs, Black with back-to-back first down runs to get the ball close to midfield, Thomas with a 16-yard carry to get it to the Cardinals’ 29.

“We had to stay up, we couldn’t let down,” Redding said. “We had to keep our confidence up. We knew it was a tough game. It’s the semis, anything can happen.”

What almost happened was Michigan Center pulling out a come-from-behind win.

The Cougars led 28-22 after a 46-yard touchdown run by Thomas and held on Michigan Center’s next two possessions, with Jay’Len Snead sacking Cardinals quarterback Kaydin Hiland on a third-down play on one drive and Black intercepting him at the goalline on the next.

But Hiland then threw towards Lukas Howard on the following possession, with Redding seemingly breaking the pass up, but instead the ball was tipped directly to Howard, who raced 38 yards up the sideline for a score.

Michigan Center's Lukas Howard (33) makes a ctach that resulted in a touchdown during a MHSAA Division 6 football semifinal on Friday, Nov. 20, 2021 at Ypsilanti Lincoln High School. Warren Michigan Collegiate won the game over Michigan Center, 36-29, to advance to the state finals. J. Scott Park | MLive.com

Hiland, who had burned Michigan Center’s previous two opponents with his rushing ability as much as with his passing skill, was bottled up in the first half, picking up just eight yards on the ground.

“We were focusing on [Hiland],” Redding said. “We knew he was their main player and he was a good player. We stopped him.”

He was able to get the ball moving in the third quarter, getting gains of 12 and 13 yards as part of a 14-play, 70-yard scoring drive he capped off himself with a four-yard touchdown run.

As a team, Michigan Center had 15 carries for 25 yards in the first half and 36 carries for 112 yards in the game.

“Our kids decided to block, decided to move some people,” Michigan Center coach Troy Allen said. “We didn’t make a ton of adjustments. I think we wore them down a bit and I think some of the kids made adjustments of what they were doing out on the field and it opened things up. It gave us an opportunity to do a little passing and run game, which was more pass-heavy to start.”

Both teams were able to take advantage of short fields. Michigan Collegiate scored its first touchdown of the game following a blocked punt, setting the Cougars up at the Cardinals’ 11 with Black rushing it in two plays later.

Late in the second quarter the Cardinals got a short field when Verlandez Williams and Brody Shannon sacked Black on back-to-back plays, the second forcing a fumble which Shannon recovered at the Cougars’ 15.

Two plays later, the Cardinals punched it in, dialing up a reverse to Howard, only to have him throw to Carter McBride for a touchdown.

Michigan Center's Carter McBride (11) celebrates a touchdown during a MHSAA Division 6 football semifinal on Friday, Nov. 20, 2021 at Ypsilanti Lincoln High School. Warren Michigan Collegiate won the game over Michigan Center, 36-29, to advance to the state finals. J. Scott Park | MLive.com

But Michigan Collegiate was also able to stop Michigan Center when the Cardinals had a short field in the fourth quarter. Noah Mast blocked a punt and recovered the ball at the Cougars’ 6, only to have Black intercept Hiland at the goalline two plays later.

“We knew they would try to take a shot at the end zone,” Black said. “We had to do anything possible to keep them out of the end zone. I was just in the right place at the right time and made the great play.”

Black had a pair of interceptions on defense and had 22 carries for 88 yards on offense, including two rushing touchdowns. Thomas added 12 carries for 134 yards and a touchdown. Dehshaun Parkman had seven carries for 68 yards and a score.

Warren Michigan Collegiate's Deion Black (11) throws the ball during a MHSAA Division 6 football semifinal on Friday, Nov. 20, 2021 at Ypsilanti Lincoln High School. Warren Michigan Collegiate won the game over Michigan Center, 36-29, to advance to the state finals. J. Scott Park | MLive.com

Hiland’s 49 rushing yards led Michigan Center and he also had 130 passing yards, 56 of which came on a throw to Daylen Hinkle on the second drive of the game, setting up a touchdown run by Hiland soon after.

The Cougars’ third interception of the game cut short the Cardinals’ one final shot to score, leaping to grab a pass with

“When the ball’s in the air, I go get it like a receiver,” Redding said. “It was great. This is what I dreamed of doing, and we’re taking it to Ford Field now.”

For Michigan Center, the run comes to an end after going farther than any Cardinals team before.

“It’s an unbelievable group of seniors that have been with me since freshmen just busting their tail to be in this moment,” Allen said. “So I’m going to take 11 wins. I’m going to take a semifinal opportunity as a building point for teams moving forward.”

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Late score lifts Warren Michigan Collegiate over Michigan Center in Division 6 semifinal - mlive.com
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