OT Cass Tech @ Saline Friday Night

Submitted by 1201SouthMain on

If you're in town for the NW game and want to see some future UM guys playing prep ball then considering a short drive to Saline Friday night.  Game is at 7 and it's the 3rd round (elite 8) and Regional Championship in Division 1 Michigan High School Football. 

Should be a great game.  Cass Tech (Defending State Champs) have at least 7 Div I seniors.  Including Jourdan Lewis and David Dawson.  Damon Webb is heavy on Michigan's radar and they have 3 or 4 other Div I guys in that Junior class.  Probably another 3 or 4 Sophomores that will play Div I ball.

Saline has had a great season under new coach Joe Palka who came from Whitmer in Toledo.  Ex UM TE Kevin Koger is on his staff and even though Saline does not have a stud Div I kid .... they do play very well together as a team and should be able to hold their own vs Cass Tech.

It's $5 and a great time.

 

 

 

 

 

 

South Bend Wolverine

November 8th, 2012 at 11:39 PM ^

Amen!  Already this is arguably the greatest season in school history.  First 10 win season ever, 2nd district title ever, SEC Red title.  I got to see us pound Pioneer's face in last Friday (first game I've made it to in years), and I was really impressed.  Coach Palka absolutely has us headed in the right direction.  The defense was dominant until we put in the scrubs late, and the offense was a very sophisticated spread-running attack.  Hope we can keep it going against the Cass Tech machine.

Cold War

November 9th, 2012 at 6:04 AM ^

What is the stadium like there? Will I be standing ten rows back of  the end zone or will everyone get a seat?

1201SouthMain

November 9th, 2012 at 8:48 AM ^

and that was the most people I have seen there .... and everyone had a seat.  The field is dug down which makes it great to watch no matter where you are.  There is a patio area which draws lots of fans that want to mingle during the game and I think that keeps the bleachers from getting packed. 

Student section is impressive.  They do a "out" theme for every game (black out, halloween out, xmas out, etc) and tonight they are going traditional school colors Blue and Gold. 

First 1,000 fans get a rally towel!  Go Hornets!

http://thesalinepost.com/content/d1-regional-football-championship-saline-vs-cass-tech

 

 

 

 

MGoViso

November 9th, 2012 at 12:29 PM ^

Saline seats around 4,000, maybe a few more.

In my totally biased opinion, the highlight of the stadium experience is Saline's version of Carl Grapentine: Jere Hassberger, the incredible AP calc/physics teacher, former wrestling coach, and doctor in nuclear engineering via U-M.

MGoAero

November 9th, 2012 at 2:39 PM ^

Even after going through two degrees at UM, the best teacher I've ever had is still Jere Hassberger, I can honestly say.  Had him for Algebra II, AP Calc AB and AP Physics.  Nothing came as easily to me as math and physics did in his classes, and like almost everyone else, I got 5s on the AP exams.  An amazing teacher.

South Bend Wolverine

November 9th, 2012 at 2:54 PM ^

Goodness, I had completely forgotten that that was Doc up there in the press box!  I am not a math person by any stretch - I'm a liberal arts grad student now - but Doc was a phenomenal teacher.  If you can see me of all people through to a 4 on the Calc BC exam, you've done a hell of a job.  His classes were just so well ordered and organized, he had everything down to a precise science.

kmd

November 9th, 2012 at 4:05 PM ^

I remember starting every day sophomore year with 3 straight hours of calculus/physics in that same windowless room...

I had no idea that Doc was the stadium announcer. Probably because I never have (and never will) go to a Saline football game.

MGoViso

November 9th, 2012 at 12:17 PM ^

I had some correspondence with Saline legend Jack Crabtree a few years ago as part of a project for the SHS newspaper examining the greatest sports seasons in school history. On a whim, I dug through the old email box and found his rankings (this was 2007, but no team between then and now would come close anyway). Direct words of Crabtree:

 

 
  1. 1979 Football Team - (9-0) Only team in school history that will have an undefeated team until a team goes undefeated and wins the state title. 
  2. 1983 Football Team - (9-0) Lost in the first round which would be the district finals today.  Holds the school record for the fewest points scored against a Saline team = 38 points for the season.
  3. 1990 Football Team - (9-0) Lost in the first round of the playoffs.  Most offensive yards for a team until the 200?(Coach Glennis's) team.
  4. 1988 Football Team - (8-1) Lost 1st game of the playoffs.
  5. 1985 Football Team - (8-1) Lost 1st game of the regular season on a fathom TD.  Won the first round against the #1 ranked team in one poll. Second round lost to another #1 ranked team in another poll/they went on to be the State Champions.
  6. 1981 Football Team - (8-1) Didn't qualify for the playoffs/old point system.
FWIW, the SHS newspaper staff wound up going with the early 90s girls golf dynasty (threepeat state champs, IIRC) as #1 for all sports.

South Bend Wolverine

November 9th, 2012 at 2:51 PM ^

Crabtree was a great coach in his day, and did a lot for Saline.  There is no question that the team declined in his later years, as happens with many coaches as the game starts to pass them by.  Coach Glennie definitely moved us forward as a program, including getting us back into the state playoffs for the first time in 13 years during my senior season (class of '04).  I'll never forget our last home game that year - we beat South Lyon on a 50 yard hail mary to a wide open receiver and we all got to rush the field.

For all those coaches did over the years, though, you've gotta love where coach Palko has the team going.  The defense I saw last Friday was dominant, and the offense looked as sophisticated as many D-I college offenses that I've seen.

WolverineHistorian

November 9th, 2012 at 2:40 PM ^

Future Wolverines and a past one as well.  The coach of Cass Tech is Thomas Wilcher, former Michigan tailback who played under Bo.  He scored the game winning touchdown against Ohio State in '86.