Prep football notes: Edison gets ultimate measuring stick in opener

It’s not a regular occurrence when the program with the most state titles in MHSAA history is willing to come to your field and play a season opener.

But that was the case for Detroit Edison when it hosted the gold standard in Division 6, Jackson Lumen Christi, in an opener on Friday, Aug. 28.

Edison head coach Chanterius Brock said over the offseason, his team was trying to fill an open date in Week 1 of the season when he got a phone call from Lumen Christi head coach Herb Brogan, who this year could become the state’s all-time winningest coach.

“I picked it up and it was the legend on the phone,” Brock said. “They were looking for a Week 1 game as well. Shoot, before he could get it out of his mouth, I agreed.”

Brogan likely knew that Edison could be a quality opponent, given Edison returned a good amount of players from last year’s team that reached a regional final in Division 6 before losing to Almont, the team Lumen Christi beat in overtime in a semifinal. 

So as Brock said, there was no hesitation to schedule the game, which Lumen Christi ended up winning, 39-21. 

Even though it was a loss, Brock feels the positives in scheduling the game will far outweigh the negatives as the season plays out. 

Edison definitely got a measuring stick right off of the bat of where it is and the team it could eventually become.

“We were blessed to be able to come out healthy and build on what was a tough loss,” Brock said. “We came away feeling we are a comparable program to that great program. There were some things and moments that we deemed fixable. Now we have to go about the business of what we were going to do anyway, which is get better every week.”

Edison certainly hopes it will get another shot at Lumen Christi later this season in the Division 6 state playoffs. Edison should be led all season by senior running back/linebacker Jai’Von Plowden, senior quarterback Myles Matlock, senior wideout/defensive back Mekhi James-Davis, senior wideout/defensive back Andre Neal, senior lineman London Lester, senior defensive back Demarcus Catlin and freshman running back Ja’Juan Evans. 

Detroit Central head coach Jimmie Macon had one word describe how he felt after his team earned a season-opening win over Pontiac Notre Dame Prep on Aug. 27.

“Exhausted,” Macon said. “But it was a good win to set the tone.”

Indeed it was. 

Central had lost its season opener each of the last three years, but it was hard to get too down on itself the last two years after Central lost the opener to Notre Dame Prep, the Division 5 state champion two years ago and runner-up last year. 

But in what should be a nice springboard, Central left Week 1 with a 1-0 record, not 0-1.

Granted, Notre Dame Prep is retooling this year after seeing much of its core players graduate last year after the consecutive trips to Ford Field.

Still, Central pulling out a win over a Division 5 opponent that has caused some season-opening pain the last two years was a welcome start to the season.

Central will likely compete in Division 6 this year if it makes the state playoffs. 

“It makes a big difference based on momentum,” Macon said of winning the season opener this time. “But we must cut down on penalties and stay healthy.”

Defense ruled the day for Central against Notre Dame Prep, with junior Tyvon Hicks and freshman Ramario Snow each leading the way with 10 tackles. Junior Malik Beavers added eight tackles for Central’s defense, which recorded five sacks and forced three turnovers. 

Offensively, Hicks had a 26-yard touchdown reception and junior Sincere Pettway a 54-yard touchdown reception for Central. 

Things won’t get much easier in Week 2 for Central, which will play at a Warren Lincoln team that earned a 33-0 win over Warren Woods Tower in its season opener. 

Lincoln debuted a new red artificial surface and has a dynamic playmaker at quarterback in senior Corleon Thomas.

It took Harper Woods until the regional final round of the Division 4 state playoffs for it to suffer its first (and only) loss last year. 

This year, Harper Woods already has a loss following a 29-20 defeat at the hands of Chelsea on Aug. 27. 

In his third year as head coach at Chelsea after leading Lowell to three state championships in the 2000s, Noel Dean praised his defense and new defensive coordinator Tyler Santoro for coming up with and executing a plan that for the most part stymied a group of dynamic skill players for Harper Woods, led by wideout and Oregon commit Dakota Guerrant. 

“Anytime you can put a rally nice plan together and make it seem a little bit more complicated than it is and have your kids execute it, it’s the sign of a true leader and educator, which I think Tyler is,” Dean said. 

Chelsea’s defense was led by linemen Cooper Adams and Caleb Fitch, linebacker Sam Forehand and defensive back Cody Cox, while the offensive was paced by junior quarterback Jax Ichesco and senior running back Gibson Ichesco. 

Typical of Dean’s teams at Lowell, Chelsea’s offense kept possession by grinding out yards with a punishing rushing attack. 

A big question now is whether there will be a rematch in the state playoffs. Both teams are expected to be in Division 3 this year.

For now though, Chelsea is just happy to start the year with a win that likely will earn it a lot of playoff points, and move forward. 

“My philosophy has always been continually build and stay flatlined,” Dean said. “We knew that the game was going to be a really tough game and difficult for us to win. But win or lose we knew we would be better today than we were yesterday. That’s why we chose to play the game. Winning the game doesn’t make us any better people or anything else, and neither would losing the game. If we just keep showing up, be better men, work hard, good things will happen.”

Keith Dunlap is a freelance writer.

This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Prep football notes: Edison gets ultimate measuring stick in opener