GOODRICH, MI – They’ve been playing football at Grand Blanc for 102 years and no team has won more games in a single season than the 2021 Bobcats.
The Bobcats set a school record Friday with their 11th victory against no defeats but more importantly their 49-28 win over Howell moved fourth-ranked Grand Blanc into next week’s regional championship game against No. 1 Rockford.
Both teams are 11-0 and they’ll square off at 1 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 13 at Rockford.
“It’s a relief,” said Grand Blanc coach Clint Alexander. “We worked hard to get here, really wanted it for the kids. I didn’t know they had never gone 11-0 so that kind of was hanging over my head. I wanted to make sure we can finish the deal. We had to do some different things.
“They were a tough, tough, tough team. We were a little banged up in the box and we were (using) duct tape and baling wire to finish it out. The offense bailed us out when we needed it.”
The win over Howell gave Grand Blanc the third district football championship in school history and first since 2011.
“It feels great but obviously that’s not our main goal,” said quarterback Hunter Ames.
Although nobody used the actual words “state championship,” that’s what the Bobcats are aiming for after seeing the school’s basketball and baseball teams win state titles in 2021.
“It’s realistic,” said offensive lineman Andy Hartman. “It’s our goal, it’s our mission. Just keep grinding and make it happen. We’re happy. We worked all summer for (a district title) but we’re not done yet.
“We’ve got a mission and we’re going to keep going. Celebrate it tonight but then we’re back to work.”
Grand Blanc was in control the entire game, scoring the game’s first three touchdowns to go up 21-0 less than four minutes into the second quarter.
Howell countered by scoring two of the next three TDs to make it 28-15 but that score lasted just 12 seconds as Nas Carson returned a kickoff 78 yards for a touchdown to put the Bobcats in front 35-15.
But Howell wasn’t finished.
After Grand Blanc made it 41-15, Howell scored two quick touchdowns, recovering an onside kick after the first of those TDs and going down the field in four plays to score again. Then the Highlanders recovered yet another onside kick but this time they came up inches short on fourth down-and-1.
The Bobcats took control of the ball and Ames hit Jack Goldie for an 8-yard TD to finish the scoring with 1:44 left.
“We told them, ‘They’re not going to stop, they’re not going to quit. They just played triple overtime last week. So, if you think they’re going to relax, they’re not,’” Alexander said. “That last drive, that was big.”
The Bobcats got contributions from virtually everyone who played.
Elijah Jackson-Anderson rushed for three touchdowns, Ames ran for another, Jalen Johnson caught a TD pass, the Bobcats got interceptions from Joe Nemecek and Ryan Deibis. And don’t forget the kick return by Carson that accounted for the winning points.
“We focus on combined arms warfare, all phases working together,” Alexander said. “That’s saved us all season. If one of the phases isn’t working, the other two come through and carry us.
“Tonight, the offense really showed a strong effort and then some critical turnovers, an interception down to the 6 was huge and then then the kick return. That was an amazing return.”
Jackson-Anderson made the play of the game when Ames threw a pass in his direction that looked as if it might be out of his reach along the left sideline. Instead, Jackson-Anderson reached up and caught it with one hand before zig-zagging across the field to the Howell 4-yard line.
One play later, Ames scored to make it 14-0.
Jackson-Anderson led the offense with 172 total yards. He rushed 18 times for 127 yards and caught one pass for 45 more. That was the aforementioned play of the game.
Ames was 8 of 11 passing for 141 yards.
Jackson Kovarik, Ashton Hill, Noah Ramonaitis and Arvin Yang scored touchdowns for Howell, which finished with an 8-3 record.
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Grand Blanc football team makes history with 49-28 win over Howell in district finals - MLive.com
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