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DIVISION 5 BONUS COVERAGE: Flint Powers stuns top-ranked Lansing CC for state crown

Dan Stickradt | November 26, 2011 | Comments (2)

BY DAN STICKRADT

SENIOR EDITOR

dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com

DETROIT — Six hours after watching Saginaw Nouvel Catholic score a state finals state record 56 points, Flint Powers Catholic got into the same act.

In a weekend of high-octane offenses and wild upsets, Flint Powers shocked top-ranked and previously unbeaten Lansing Catholic Central, 56-26, in the Division 5 state finals at Ford Field.

The win marked the Chargers’ first state title since 2005.

Lansing Catholic defeated Flint Powers 37-17, part of the Chargers’ slow 2-4 start. Powers closed the season with eight straight wins and did a complete reversal on Lansing Catholic, which had a season predominately of blowouts wins.

Five weeks ago, we had no idea we would be sitting here,” admitted first-year Powers Catholic coach Bob Buckel, who inherited a team that finished just 1-8 last season. “We just had a team that got better every week.”

Powers Catholic became just the third team to enter the postseason at 5-4 to finish as a state champion.

“We were just hoping to get in, to be honest,” lamented Buckel. “We played a bunch of Class A schools, six of them, and I think that helped prepared us. There was a time after a (loss to Davison) that I told the kids that every week is a playoff game from here on out. We can’t lose again.”

Flint Powers responded to that challenge.

After falling behind 6-0 early, the Chargers (10-4) scored on three straight possessions to take a 20-6 lead and extended that advantage to 28-13 by the half. Powers outscored the Cougars 28-13 in the second half to win their second title.

Mike Mackwood put Lansing catholic Central on the board first when he hauled in a 7-yard strike from Cooper Rush. That was the last lead the Cougars would enjoy.

Powers Catholic responded with a pair of touchdown passes from Garrett Pougnet to. Danny Meissner and Spencer Harchick for 52 and 12 yards, respectively, followed by a 69-yard sprint from Pougnet.

“I thought they played extremely well and we played extremely poor,” admitted Lansing Catholic coach Jim Ahern. “I thought they kicked out (butts). I am very disappointed in the way we played.”

Lansing CC cut into the deficit down to 20-13 when Cooper Rush found Connor Bartlett for a 48-yard touchdown pass with 3:32 left in the second quarter. That was as close the cougars would get the rest of the way.

Powers tacked on four more scoring drives in the second half to turn the upset into the route.

Pougnet had 155 rushing yards on 14 carries and scored two touchdowns on the ground for Powers. For good measure, he chewed up the Cougars’ secondary by passing 12-for-15 with four touchdown passes and was never sacked in the contest. Meissner had six catches for 141 receiving yards for Powers. Prescott Myers had two receiving touchdowns for the Chargers.

“You have to give them credit. That was not the same team we played in Week 2,” noted Ahern. “They came out and were more aggressive than us. There were a few plays where we thought we had them for a loss and their quarterback made a play and they ended up with a big play or scored a touchdown. That hurt us.”

Bartlett hauled in 11 catches for 189 yards and two touchdowns for Lansing Catholic. Rush compiled 291 passing yards on a 26-for-41 performance.

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