Elite Eight - Ford Field Bound

8. The Birmingham Detroit Country Day Defense
The Country Day defense put together as impressive of a performance as you will find, shutting out a Swan Valley offense, which had scored 30 points or more nine different times this season. The shutout performance followed strong efforts in the district and regional finals, where the Yellowjackets limited opponents to just 26 points in the two games. The Country Day defense seems to be playing its best football at the right time.

7. Brian Walker/Shon Powell - Birmingham Brother Rice 
The two-headed backfield monster was at it again for the second straight week as the two backs combined for nearly 250 yards as Walker rushed for over 130 yards, while Powell rushed for over 100 yards as well in the semifinal win over Wyandotte Roosevelt. Both scored a touchdown each, as Powell helped increase the Brother Rice lead to 14-0, while Walker's score iced the game away in the fourth quarter.

6. The Novi Detroit Catholic Central Defense
Led by defensive back Jon Malone (See Below), the Shamrock's defense was dominant in every way imaginable as they held Rockford to just six points in the Division 1 semifinal on Saturday. On top of allowing just six point to Rockford, Catholic Central limited the Ram's offense to less than 80 yards rushing on the afternoon to advance to Ford Field for the second straight year.

5. Chris Carter - Birmingham Brother Rice
Carter was a one man wrecking crew for the Brother Rice defense in Saturday's blowout win over Wyandotte Roosevelt as the junior defensive back tallied 13 tackles from his safety position to help lead the Warriors back to Ford Field. Carter also picked up a sack in the Division 2 semifinal as well to help keep Brother Rice's repeat hopes alive.

4. Parker McInnis - Orchard Lake St. Mary's
McInnis did a little bit of everything on offense for the Eaglets as he picked up a touchdown on the ground and through the air as he totaled nearly 180 yards rushing and receiving as he paired with Grant Niemiec (See Below) to account for over 350 yards of total offense. McInnis first got St. Mary's on the scoreboard with a one yard run at the end of the first quarter and later scored on a 19 yard pass from Matt Linehan in the second half to increase the OLSM lead to 21-0.

3. Richie Wilson - Birmingham Detroit Country Day
Wilson found the end zone on four separate occasions on Saturday afternoon as he helped lead Country Day to a convincing 38-0 win over Saginaw Swan Valley in the Division 4 semifinals. Wilson also made the most out of the few touches he had on the day as he rushed for 80 yards and his four scores on just eight carries to lead the Yellowjackets to the state title game on Friday.

2. Grant Niemiec - Orchard Lake St. Mary's
Niemiec was a force on the ground on Saturday as the senior running back and recent Miami (OH) commit rushed for over 180 yards and a pair of touchdowns, including a 56 yard score late in St. Mary's win over Battle Creek Haper Creek to seal the win. Niemiec also had a first half interception on defense to set up the Eaglet offense inside the Harper Creek 45 to help St. Mary's to return to Ford Field for the fourth straight year.

1. Jon Malone - Novi Detroit Catholic Central
What didn't Malone do on Saturday? Touchdown catch? Check. Interception return for touchdown? Check. Kickoff return for touchdown? Check. Malone literally did it all for the Shamrocks as Catholic Central hammered Rockford in the Division 1 state semifnals and advanced to the finals where it will face Cass Tech for the state title for the second straight year.