U-M defense
a big concern
Michael Shaw
(left) and the offense
are fine, but the Big
Blue defense needs
to get better in a
hurry. PAGE 2C
WEB EXCLUSIVE: Milan football hopes to get back on track against Grosse Ile
What a game!
Milan loses OT
heartbreaker
to Airport
By Don Richter
Heritage Newspapers
ootball is a game of emotion.
F For Carleton Airport kicker
Spencer Machinski, Friday’s
contest against Milan was
personal.
With 42 seconds left in regulation
and the score tied 27-27, Machinski
lined up for a 28-yard field goal
attempt. Earlier in the game, he had
been hobbled trying an extra point
when a Big Red defender took out his
legs during a muffed snap. Despite
a loud and boisterous Milan home
crowd rooting against him and a sore
body, Machinski split the uprights giv-
ing the Jets a 30-27 lead.
Airport would eventually win 37-
36 in overtime, as Machinski’s extra
point proved to be the difference.
“I was in a lot of pain, but I tried
to block it out for a moment,” he
said, his eyes welling up with tears,
the emotion of the night overwhelm-
ing him. “I remembered my dad. He
passed away when I was 4, so I did it
for him. I miss him a lot.”
Friday’s game was like a roller
coaster with multiple ups and downs
on both sides.
“It was a fun game,” Milan coach
Steve Robb said. “Our (spirits) are
down, but hopefully the kids can
bounce back and play like this every
week. If they do that, we’ll have a suc-
cessful season. We rose to the occasion
tonight. We just fell a little bit short.”
Airport coach Adam Barber said it
was a shame somebody had to lose the
game.
“This was exciting,” he said. “This
is a difficult place to play. What makes
it so difficult is that Coach Robb just
gets every ounce of energy out of his
kids. They do a great job over here.
We knew going in it was going to be
tough. We knew it would go down to
the wire. I give our kids a lot of credit,
they came to play.”
The Big Reds (3-1, 2-1 Huron
League) came to play, as well. After
Machinski’s 28-yard field goal put the
Jets (3-1, 3-0 Huron League) up 30-27
with less than a minute remaining in
the fourth quarter, Milan senior Mark
McCrae drilled a 35-yard field goal
with no time left on the clock tying
the game at 30-30 and sending it into
overtime.
In the extra session, the ball is
placed on the 10-yard line. Each team
gets four downs to score. The first
team to outscore the other wins the
game.
Airport received the ball first. On
its opening play of overtime, Jodeci
Mays scored on a 10-yard run up the
gut. Machinski’s extra put was good
giving the Jets a 37-30 advantage.
On Milan’s first overtime posses-
sion, senior Joe Dunn scored on a
2-yard run. McCrae’s extra point was
wide right, ending the contest at 37-36.
The game started innocently
enough as Airport took the open-
ing kickoff and executed an 11-play,
42-yard scoring drive as Mays ran
in from 5-yards out. Machinski hit
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the point after touchdown kick for a
7-0 Jets lead with 7:10 left in the first
quarter.
With 4:49 remaining in the second
quarter, the Big Reds took over on
Airport’s 43-yard line. On the third
play from scrimmage, sophomore
quarterback Jacob Hagemann con-
nected with junior receiver Tory
Martinsen on a deep ball down to the
Jets’ 17-yard line. A couple plays later,
Dunn sprinted around left end for a
6-yard touchdown run with 2:02 left
in the first half. The extra point was
blocked, for a 7-6 Airport lead.
On the Jets’ ensuing drive, Mays
scored on a 3-yard run with 26 seconds
remaining in the second quarter. A
key play in the drive, was Airport
quarterback Brandon Potcova’s
53-yard hook-up with receiver Scott
Baker down to the Big Reds’ 17-yard
line. After Mays’ score, Machinski
kicked the extra point increasing
Airport’s margin to 13-6 as the two
Dexter
at
Tecumseh
teams entered the locker room.
To begin the second half, Milan was
practically unstoppable scoring on its
first three possessions.
To start the third quarter,
Hagemann found Martinsen in the
right corner of the end zone for a 20-
yard touchdown pass. The 6-foot-3, 200-
pound Martinsen used his size out-
jumping the smaller Jet cornerback
for the score. McCrae booted the extra
point tying the game at 13-13 with 8:36
remaining in the third frame.
Airport answered, however, as
Mays exploded for a 52-yard run on
the Jets’ next possession. Machinski’s
PAT was good giving Airport a 20-13
advantage with 6:59 left in the third
quarter.
On the Big Reds’ following drive,
Hagemann connected with senior
receiver Robert Goupill for a 25-yard
touchdown pass. The 11-play drive
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September 23, 2010
www.heritage.com
GAME DAY: Milan
vs. Grosss Ile
Who: Milan vs. Grosse Ile
Where: Milan
When: Friday, 7 p.m.
Outlook: In a key Huron
League match-up, the host
Big Reds look to bounce
back from last Friday’s heart-
breaking overtime loss to
Carleton Airport.
The Red Devils (2-2, 1-2
Huron League) are looking
to win their second straight
game after last Friday’s 38-
26 victory over Riverview.
In Week 2, Milan (3-1, 2-1)
defeated the Pirates 21-0.
Since 2000, the Big Reds
hold an 8-2 edge in wins
against Grosse Ile. Last year,
Milan beat the Red Devils
30-20. The last Grosse Ile
win in the series was in
2004.
Last season, the Red
Devils finished 5-4 overall. In
2008 and 2007, Grosse Ile
was winless both years with
0-9 records. The Red Devils
have made the state playoffs
three times since 2000.
Our Take: Grosse Ile’s two
losses are to Huron League
rivals New Boston Huron
and Monroe Jefferson. The
Red Devils have yet faced a
defense as physical and fast
as Milan’s.
Though Grosse Ile has
shown a potent offense this
season, the Big Reds should
be its stiffest test yet. In con-
trast, Milan’s offense hasn’t
been stopped all year. Two
weeks ago, the Red Devils
gave up 75 points in a loss to
Photo by Hiroshi Monroe Jefferson. The Big
Onuma
Reds could see plenty of open
Big Red sopho- running lanes for its three-
more defensive
headed tailback attack of
tackle Brandon
Yoho makes a seniors Joe Dunn, DeAndre
stop behind the Mitchell and Leo Pittman.
line of scrim- Up Next: At Monroe
mage in last Jefferson, 7 p.m., Oct. 1.
Friday’s game
against
Carleton GAME NOTES
Airport. Overview: In one of the
best football games of the
season, the host Big Reds
lost in overtime to Huron
League foe Carleton Airport.
Milan, which entered the
contest unbeaten at 3-0,
showed great heart and resil-
iency fighting back against
the talented Jets, a perennial
“Our (spirits) are league power.
The game was a back and
forth affair with multiple
down, but hopefully momentum swings.
Key Play: In a battle full of
the kids can bounce big moments, the one topping
them all had to be Big Red
back and play like this senior Mark McCrae’s game-
tying 35-yard field goal with
every week. If they do no time left on the clock forc-
ing overtime.
that, we’ll have a suc- Difference Maker: Airport
running back Jodeci Mays.
cessful season. We The senior speedster finished
with 200 yards and scored
rose to the occasion five touchdowns.
Interesting Stat: Prior to
tonight. We just fell a last Friday’s game against the
Jets, Milan had shut out its
little bit short.” previous two opponents by a
combined score of 42-0.
STEVE ROBB
Milan Coach - Don Richter
www.heritage.com
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at SPORTS ACTION ALL
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