Hall of Fame Coach Passes
Bob Knight, HFC at Portage Central HS 1971-2004, passed away Saturday, October 23. He was 80.
Coach Knight compiled a 216-108 record at Portage Central, winning or sharing 14 league titles. His Mustang teams made the playoffs 11 times including a Class A state runner-up finish in 1977.
He was inducted into MHSFCA HOF in 1988, was West All-Star head coach that same year, MHSFCA President in 1992, and received the Jim Crowley Award in 2007. He also received numerous MHSFCA Regional COY awards.
Before going to Portage Central, he was an assistant at Muskegon HS 1964-70. After retiring as Head Coach, he served as an assistant at Portage Central for another seven years.
He is survived by his High School sweetheart and wife of 60 years Nonie, and five adult children.
*Thank you to Bruce Bendix for providing write up on Coach Knight*
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DETROIT LIONS NAME
TOM MARCHESE WEEK #9 COTW
TOM MARCHESE OF VICKSBURG HIGH SCHOOL NAMED THE DETROIT LIONS HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL COACH OF THE WEEK FOR WEEK #9
Detroit, MI—The Detroit Lions have named Tom Marchese, of Vicksburg High School, the week nine recipient of the 2021 High School Football Coach of the Week Program. Coach Marchese’s Bulldogs went on to win their week nine matchup against Otsego, 49-14, to finish second in the Wolverine Conference with a regular season record of 8-1. Vicksburg is currently ranked No. 6 in Division 4. On Friday, October 29th, Vicksburg hosts Wolverine Conference rival Three Rivers for the second time this season in the pre-district round of the MHSAA Football playoffs.
Marchese is in his 14th season as head coach at Vicksburg where he has compiled a 73-61 overall record. Prior to Marchese’s arrival at Vicksburg in 2008, the Bulldogs made the playoffs just twice in school history. Under Marchese, the Bulldogs are making their ninth playoff appearance in 14 seasons.
Detroit Lions Football Education sat down with Tom Marchese to talk about trophy games at the high school level – and the battle for “The Bone” between rival, Three Rivers. Coach Marchese was also informed of his Coach of the Week selection on Head Coach Hangout. See his reaction and the entire interview by visiting www.DetroitLions.com/coachoftheweek.
High School Football Coach of the Week Program
Each week throughout the 2021 high school football regular season, one coach that best demonstrates success on and off the field, develops players’ character, discipline, and football skill in addition to emphasizing player health and safety in their program, will be recognized for his commitment to the team, school, and community. The winner is selected by a panel of high school football media members—Mick McCabe (Detroit Free Press), Hugh Bernreuter (Saginaw News), Bret Bakita (WOOD Radio-106.9 FM, ESPN 96.1 FM-Fox 17/Grand Rapids), James Cook (Traverse City Record-Eagle) and Scott DeCamp (CatchMark SportsNet).
This season’s program will award $12,000 to aid in the development and promotion of high school football in the state of Michigan, thanks to contributions from the Detroit Lions and the NFL Foundation.
Each winning coach during the regular season will receive a $1,000 donation to his school’s football program. At the conclusion of the 2021 Michigan High School Football season, the Lions will also select the High School Football Coach of the Year. This season’s Coach of the Year will receive a $3,000 donation to his school’s football program. All winners will receive a certificate signed by Lions’ head coach Dan Campbell and NFL commissioner Roger Goodell.
Currently in its’ 25th year, the Detroit Lions High School Coach of the Week program has awarded $467,000 to high school football programs throughout the state of Michigan. For more information on the High School Coach of the Week program, contact Chris Fritzsching, Lions’ Director of Football Education, at chris.fritzsching@lions.nfl.net.
About the NFL Foundation: The National Football League Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the lives of those touched by the game of football – from players at all levels to communities across the country. The NFL Foundation represents the 32 NFL clubs and supports the health and safety of athletes, youth football, and the communities which support our game.
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The West wins the 39th annual Michigan High School Football Coaches Association East-West All-Star Game.
By DOUG DONNELLY
SOUTHFIELD – A couple of unlikely first half touchdowns spurred the West to a 48-14 victory Saturday in the 39th annual Michigan High School Football Coaches Association East-West All-Star Game.
It was a new venue for the game and good-sized crowd watched the West light up the scoreboard in the second quarter with 28 points. It was the first all-star game since 2019 as the game was canceled last year due to COVID-19.
“It was great to see the coaches and players have the opportunity to have an all-star game this year,” said MHSFCA Executive Director Scott Farley. “After everything that happen during Michigan’s high school football season, seeing an all-star game was a fitting way to draw the 2020-21 season to a close.”
The game’s first touchdown came on the opening drive as the West went 70 plays in nine plays. Drew Collins (Montague) connected with Blake Bosma (West Ottawa) on third-and-goal on a play in which the East defender tip the ball and Bosma grab as it as he was falling to the ground.
The second unlikely scoring play came as the first half drew to a close.
The West scored with 14 seconds to go in the half on a 4-yard run by Dorion Riley (Jackson). After kicking off to the East, the West got the ball right back on an interception with seven seconds left in the half by Nate Malinowski (East Grand Rapids).
West quarterback Carson Gulker (Zeeland West) dropped back to pass, was pressured, rolled to his left and, turning against his body, threw a 45-yard Hail Mary into the end zone and Kameron Karp (Marquette) somehow came down with the ball.
“I was just running down the field, running and bumping into players all over the place,” Karp said. “The quarterback (Gulker) made a great throw, and I just went up and pulled it in. I don’t know how I caught it.”
The touchdown pass gave the West, coached by Rob Zeitman (Jenison) a 34-7 lead at the break.
Collins and Gulker both had short touchdown runs for the West in the first half. Collins’ score was set up by a long run by Riley, who would go on to lead all rushers with 84 yards on 10 touches.
The West also scored first in the second half on a 28-yard run by Austin Bills (Traverse City Central). That touchdown, and Mitchell Middleton’s fifth extra point of the day, put the West up 41-7 with 5:49 left in the third quarter.
The East bounced back with an 8-play, 80-yard scoring drive, capped off by a 5-yard run by Maurice Davis (Detroit Eastpointe). The biggest play of that drive was a 40-yard pass from Noah Beaudrie (Erie Mason) to Zack Horky (Blissfield).
The West closed out the scoring with a short touchdown run by Malinowski.
There were several outstanding performances on both sides of the ball.
Jameson Chesser (Adrian Lenawee Christian) led the East with 60 yards rushing on just three carries. He scored the second touchdown of the game on a 55-yard run in which he got the handoff from Beaudrie, burst through the line of scrimmage and hit the outside where he outran everyone to the end zone. The 8-Man Player of the Year scored 40 touchdowns during the regular season in leading LCS to a state title in their first season of 8-Man. Chesser certainly showed he belonged in the all-star game with his touchdown run.
“The coaches made a great call and put me in perfect position for that play,” Chesser said.
Nolan Vanover (Monroe Jefferson) led the East in receiving yards with 50 and return yards with 55.
Bills rushed for 76 yards on just seven carries for the West while Tanner Williams added 49 yards on the ground (Grand Haven).
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