Week Twelve Recap.

Written Friday November 11th at 10:45 PM

Updated Saturday November 12th at 9:50 AM

CLARKSTON 36, ADAMS 33. In a game that was filled with a ton of emotions this game had everything and then some at Clarkston on Friday night. The Wolves took a big hit before kickoff. They were without starting quarterback Mike Hein whom got hurt but Stephen Kossak has seen a ton of playing time (West Bloomfield, Oak Park, and Lapeer) and has done a very good job in replacing Hein when he has been out. Clarkston started with the football first but had to punt. The Highlanders on their first possession went 84 yards on four plays and had a 45 yard rushing touchdown from Jake Sukkar to give Adams a 7-0 lead. The Wolves went for it on fourth down from the Adams 14 yard line and connected thanks to a Kossak to Brody Kosin touchdown tying the game at 7-7. The Highlanders defense would get a stop after their offense fumbled on a previous drive. Brady Prieskorn blocked a punt which led to Parker Picot throwing a 44 yard passing touchdown to Prieskorn giving Adams the lead back at 14-7. The Wolves would respond with a Desman Stephens 84 yard kickoff return to tie the game at 14-14. Adams would answer off the power read with Sukkar going from 13 yards out to give the Highlanders a 21-14 lead. Sukkar had seven carries for 80 rushing yards on the night. The Wolves would answer off a trick play as Stephens took the hand off and threw a 38 yard passing touchdown to Cole Church tying the game at 21-21. The game would be tied at the half. The Highlanders lost Tait Picot to an undisclosed injury after the Wolves third touchdown and didn't play in the second half. Clarkston got a huge defensive stand to start the second half getting the football back. The third quarter was not much eventful scoring wise heading into the fourth quarter. Ethan Clark got into the scoring column scoring from two yards out and giving the Wolves their first lead of the game at 28-21 early in the fourth quarter. It was Clark’s 64 career touchdown which tied him for the Wolves most career rushing touchdowns at Clarkston with Ian Eriksen. He finished the game with 212 rushing yards on the night. The Highlanders answered Clark’s touchdown when Picot found Prieskorn for a 34 yard passing touchdown but missed the extra point keeping the score 28-27 Clarkston. Picot would answer going 42 yards down the sideline but missed the two point conversion making the score 33-28 Adams. Picot would finish with 182 rushing yards and a touchdown along with completing three passes for 104 yards with three scores all were to Prieskorn. The Wolves drove the football deep into Adams territory with a chance to win the game and they got it with Stephens catching an eight yard touchdown from Kossak along with a two point conversion with the same combination giving Clarkston a 36-33 lead and their second straight win over the Highlanders and their first regional crown since 2018. This is a very tough loss for Adams. The Highlanders went to the Division One State Finals last season, co won the Red, and left everything on the field. The Wolves move onto the Division One State Semifinals as they will play Caledonia in East Lansing next Saturday.

GROVES 32, Livonia Franklin 25.  It was going to be a very interesting matchup in Livonia on Friday night and it lived up to the hype. The Falcons started the game going down the field for an early 7-0 lead. The Patriots answered on their opening drive with a one yard rushing touchdown from Cordell Mabins but missed the two point conversion keeping the score 7-6 Groves. The Falcons would answer on a Cayden Hardy 32 yard passing touchdown to make the score 14-6 Groves. Livonia Franklin would answer with a touchdown but the two point conversion failed again keeping the score 14-12 Falcons in a wild and crazy first quarter. Morris Miller would add a field goal making the score 17-12 Groves. The Patriots would then answer with a 72 yard rushing touchdown from Mabins but missed the two point conversion giving themselves an 18-17 lead. That would be the score heading into the half. The Falcons would answer scoring a 48 yard touchdown from Josh Woods whom somehow kept his knee from going down on the play and added a two point conversion to take a 25-18 lead in the third quarter. The Groves defense has been very good in the second half, they have shut down the high octane Livonia Franklin offense. The Falcons scored an 85 yard rushing touchdown from Woods extending their lead to 32-18 early in the fourth quarter. Woods would get hurt on the play and did not see the field after that. The Patriots would answer by scoring a 17 yard passing touchdown from JD Yates to Dominic Simpson to make it 32-25 Groves with about five minutes left in the fourth quarter. They would be forced to punt giving the Patriots a chance but the Falcons defense would stiffen up late by getting an interception from Aiden Leung to secure the victory for Groves. Leung also recovered the fumble for Coach Brendan Flaherty's program against Seaholm in the district finals. The victory over Livonia Franklin sent the Falcons back to the Division Two State Semifinals for the first time since 2018 and Flaherty's third State Semifinal trip. Groves will have a very difficult matchup with Warren DeLaSalle looming next week at Troy Athens.