Midland, Mich. - The Heritage Hawks (8-3) avenged their regular season loss to the Midland Chemics (9-2), winning 17-7 behind their best defensive performance of the year. The Hawks won their second straight district championship for the first time in school history.
Midland's opening drive stalled out inside the red zone. Heritage handled back-to-back balls thrown toward the end zone.
The Hawks' first two drives, their second starting at the Chemics 49-yard-line, ended with an interception. Senior Liam Heinz had the first and senior Zach Buschlen made a diving catch off a deflection. Both were picked off within the Midland 20-yard line.
The next three drives, two by the Chemics, were three-and-outs. On the next possession, Heritage started at Midland's 43-yard line. Three Midland penalties aided the Hawks. Junior quarterback Connor Grief on a second attempt from a yard out, lunged in for six.
With 3:06 in the first half, Midland began from their 15-yard line. They got into Midland territory, but back-to-back sacks from the Hawks, hindered the drive to bring it to half,
After two rushes for nine yards from Chemics' running back LJ Gallihugh during Midland's first drive of the second half, the sophomore came back with a 10-yard rush on the second play of the second drive. That opened up the passing game and led to an Eli Kell to Wilson Kloha connection for 38 yards.
With a fast tempo, the Chemics put it back into the hands of Gallihugh who scampered in from 23 yards out, to tie the game on a 4-play, 72-yard drive.
The Hawks had the response. After a Connor Grief one-yard rush moved the sticks, sophomore Jase Behmlander broke off a 33-yard rush to take it to Midland's side of the field.
A standout play got the ball to the five, with Grief rolling to his left and firing to junior tight end Jordan Howard, who made a diving grab. The Chemics stood up defensively to force a field goal from senior Alex Jaffe.
From there down three, Midland set up shop from their 30-yard line. Back-to-back double-digit yard gains from Gallihugh forced it past midfield. Following an injury timeout, Gallihugh would lose four after a pursuit from sophomore Isaiah Burton fresh off the bench. Three incompletions followed, inducing a turnover on downs.
The dagger came from Hawks senior receiver Rhett Klopf. On a 3rd and 13- Grief rolled out and hit Klopf at the 20-yard line, where he stayed in bounds and ran it in, a 59-yard touchdown.
Heritage would seal the deal with two interceptions, one from senior Grayson Byam and sophomore Anthony Fries.
Under first-year head coach Tyler Wellman, the Midland Chemics finished 9-2 and SVL Blue Champions. Justin Thelen, in his fifth season at Heritage, won his fourth playoff game tonight.
Rounding Things Out
Heritage junior wide receiver Daylin Taylor had seven receptions for 73 yards, picking up multiple first downs.
Up Next
Tonight's full game archive is available here.
Our next High School Football Game of the Week presented by the Forward Corporation is to be determined. Stay tuned on 1009themitt.com and our social media platforms!
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