Overtime Field Goal Beats St. Mary's in State Title Game

Grand Rapids Christian takes Div. 3 championship in a thriller, 40-37.

DETROIT — The final seconds of the Div. 3 state championship game on Saturday came down to the firepower offense of Grand Rapids Christian against the stout defense of Orchard Lake St. Mary's. That didn't seem to surprise head coach George Porritt. However, Porritt's Eaglets could not keep Christian senior kicker Joel Schipper from making neither a field goal with four seconds remaining to tie the game at 37 points nor the thrilling winner in overtime. St. Mary's had possession first in overtime, but could not convert a pass from senior Matt Linehan to senior Parker McInnis in the end zone on fourth down, forcing a turnover. Christian coach Don Fellows sent his field goal team out on first down and Schipper came through. "They're a big …

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Orchard Lake St. Mary's Routs Avondale in District Football Final

Senior fullback Grant Niemiec leads Eaglets on the ground with 152 yards and three touchdowns.

With an eye toward the goal line and the score tied, the Orchard Lake St. Mary's varsity football team gambled and won on fourth down with a running play up the middle to keep the drive alive against Auburn Hills Avondale. Then, they did it again.  And again.  The defending Div. 3 state champion Eaglets utilized their ground attack to near-perfection on a crisp Saturday afternoon at home to beat Avondale, 49-14, for the district championship. Senior fullback Grant Niemiec, who led the way with 152 yards and three touchdowns on the ground, scored a go-ahead touchdown on fourth-and-one from the Avondale 1-yard-line in the second quarter to take the lead, 14-7. The Eaglets converted two previous fourth-down conversions on the 16-play, 60-yard…

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Niemiec Does It All for St. Mary's in Win Over Brother Rice

Three touchdowns key to 24-14 win over Catholic Central rival.

St. Mary's to Return to Ford Field for Football Finals After 14-10 Win Over Harper Creek

Grant Niemiec led the way for Orchard Lake St. Mary's, scoring both of the team's touchdowns on runs.

JACKSON – Orchard Lake St. Mary's beat Battle Creek Harper Creek 14-10 on Saturday to move on to the state championship against Mount Pleasant at Ford Field next weekend. The star: Junior fullback Grant Niemiec put the team on his back with 129 yards rushing and two touchdowns, including the game-winning score from 11 yards out with less than a minute left in the game, to give St. Mary's the lead for good. The turning point: St. Mary's faced a difficult path to win the game — on the Eaglets' last offensive drive, they had to go 80 yards in about three minutes. After Niemiec converted a fourth-and-1 run, and quarterback Dan Clements ran for a 10-yard gain to set up the score, Niemiec punched it in from 11 yards out with a run on the left …

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St. Mary's Wins District Title in 62-20 Rout

Spencer McInnis (103 yards rushing) and Grant Niemiec (194 yards rushing) led the Eaglets to the win on the road over Redford Thurston.

The score: Orchard Lake St. Mary's 62, Redford Thurston 20 The stars: Junior fullback Grant Niemiec ran for 194 yards on 19 carries and four touchdowns to supply the thunder, while senior tailback Spencer McInnis ran for 103 yards on 12 carries and three touchdowns to supply the lightning. Both carried the Eaglets to their highest point total of the season when the lights were at their brightest. The turning point: Leading 7-6 late in the first quarter and plagued by penalties at that point, St. Mary's faced third-and-20 at the Thurston 44-yard-line. Senior quarterback Dan Clements found sophomore wideout Jalen Watts-Jackson in single coverage and threw a bomb to the Eagles' 5-yard-line. Two plays later, St. Mary's scored in the second of …

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