In a battle between the state’s number one and three teams, top-ranked Sterling Heights Stevenson held on to defeat Macomb Dakota 28-21 before a standing room only crowd of 7,000 at Runkle Field.  The Titans were in control most of the game and forced Dakota to come from behind.  The Cougars could not stop the Titans offensive machine and had trouble getting its own offense in gear.  By the time they had some success offensively, they were down 28-14 and time was running out.   They cut Stevenson’s lead to seven–the final margin–and had a chance late, but Stevenson’s defense stiffened and held Dakota out of the end zone and the game wound down.

Stevenson took the opening kickoff and returned it to the 30 yard line.  QB, Jason Fracassa took the Titans downfield to score in two minutes.  At the 10:00 minute mark, James Deneweth caught a Fracassa 15 yard pass for the score.  David Brown converted the extra point for the 7-0 lead.  Fracassa was 3 for 4 in the drive and the Titans were aided by a key pass interference call.   After three and out series by both teams,  Dakota got on the board with a 1 yard run by Brandon Hughes.  The touchdown play was set up by a 16 yard pass from QB Mark Morris to D’Andre Smith.  The extra point by Kris Selita was good for the 7-7 tie at 1:19 of the 1st Q.  Stevenson almost stopped the Dakota scoring drive two plays earlier as the Titan defender dropped what looked like a sure interception at the Titans 2 yard line.

The tie didn’t last long.  D.J. Mershman returned the ensuing Dakota kick-off 22 yards to the 26 yard line.  Fracassa took over and completed five of seven pass attempts, including a 42 yard pass to Mershman to the Dakota 10 yard line.  At 10:34 of the 2nd Q, Fracassa connected with Marcus Beaurem for an 11-yard touchdown.  It looked to me like the low pass hit the ground before Beaurem scooped it up, but it was ruled a catch and a score.  Brown converted and Stevenson led 14-7.  They would never relinquish the lead.

On Dakota’s next drive, it looked like they would threaten, but a sack by Corey Stone and a 3rd and 11 pass that looked like it was a first down, but the pass was dropped by Gerald Jackson and the Cougars were forced to punt.  Both teams failed to move the ball on their possessions, but on Stevenson’s last drive of the half, they clicked.  Starting the drive from their own 28 yard line with 2:09 left in the half, Stevenson scored one minute later on a 1-yard QB sneak by Fracassa.  The scoring play was set up by two Fracassa completions–a 25 yard pass to Justice Wright to the Dakota 47 yard line and a40-yard screen pass to Wright that took the ball to the one yard line.  Most of the yardage on the screen pass was after the catch.    The halftime score was Stevenson 21  Dakota 7.

It looked like Stevenson had all the momentum and their defense was playing very well.  Dakota couldn’t really get untracked.  Morris had a few nice completions, but most of the short variety.  His long passes were generally off the mark.  Running backs Gerald Jackson and Brandon Hughes were held to short gains for the most part.  Meanwhile, Fracassa was in complete control in the 1st half.  He wasn’t sacked once and completed 14 if 23 for 170 yards in the half, with two touchdowns, plus one rushing touchdown.  A second half remotely close to the first and the game could have turned into a route.

Dakota’s Ryan Spicuzzi would have none of that.  He almost single-handedly brought Dakota back into the game–starting with the opening kickoff.  Brown’s kick traveled to the Dakota five yard line where it was fumbled by Spicuzzi.  It took a while for Spicuzzi to get a handle on the ball.  Meanwhile the Stevenson kick team was closing in on Spicuzzi.  It looked like they overran the coverage and once Spicuzzi corralled the ball, he shot right through the Stevenson defenders into the clear.  With one man to beat in the open field, Spicuzzi turned on the jets and left the last defender on the ground.  After the extra point, Dakota was back in the game 21-14.

The Titans started their first possession of the 2nd Half on their 19 at 11:35.  They went conservative and ran the ball twice, including a planned QB keeper.  A missed third down pass and the Titans were forced to punt from deep in their own territory.  Dakota had great field position when they started their drive from their own 43 yard line.  The Stevenson defense came through again, this time causing a fumble at mid-field.  Carl Davis, Jr. sacked Dakota QB, Morris, causing a fumble that was recovered by Corey Stone.  Fracassa went for the score on the first play and layed a pefect sideling pass down the field in Mershman’s hands.  D.J., who had neatly gotten open deep, dropped the sure touchdown pass.  Dakota held on this drive, but couldn’t do anything on their possession.  Stevenson scored the next time it had the ball.  Justice Wright broke through the line and raced into the end zone untouched on a 33 yard touchdown run at 4:53 of the 3rd Q.

Dakota took to the air to try for a quick score, but had little success.  On a 3rd and long in Titan territory, D.J. Mershman broke up a Morris pass that looked like it was going to be caught for a first down.  On 4th Down, Davis, Jr. sacked Morris and the Cougars turned the ball over.  It was announced that Stevenson had nine sacks on the night.  I only counted five or six–still a big number.  That might have been the difference in the game.

As the game entered the 4th Q, Stevenson was not content with its 14 point lead.  They must have felt they could not move the ball running, so they stuck with the aerial game plan.  They moved the ball up field from their own 18.  A screen pass from Fracassa to Wright accounted for most of the yardage.  Then, Fracassa was intercepted by D’Andre Smith at the Dakota 37 yard line.  That would lead to Dakota’s final score and put the Cougars back in the game.  Faced with a 3rd Down and long, Morris connected with Spicuzzi over the middle for a key completion and first down.  On the next play, Spicuzzi scampered around end for a 28 yard touchdown.  At 8:40 of the 4th Q, Dakota was back in the game.

The ensuing pooch kick-off was fielded at the 30 yard line and fumbled.  One of the up lineman, Michael Wesner, alertly fell on the ball to keep it in Stevenson’s possession.  Dakota’s defense, which was improving as the game went on, stiffened and forced a punt.  Taking possession at their own 15 yard line, Dakota was having success moving the ball until a sack caused a fumble at their own 41.  It was recovered by Stevenson, but a defensive holding penalty nullified the play and returned the ball to Dakota.  There was still four minutes left.  Dakota continued to move the ball, but the clock was moving as well.  They were not using any timeouts.  The Dakota passing game continued to suffer from the Stevenson pass rush.  A key sack in this drive was made by Kyle Kimball and Corey Stone.  Stevenson ultimately moved in for the tying score.  With the ball on the Titans 15 yard line on 4th and 2, Morris threw a short out pass which  was dropped and instead of a first down, the Titans took possession with 1:23 left on the clock.  Stevenson kept the ball on the ground and Dakota used all three of its timeouts and Stevenson was finally forced to punt with :33 seconds on the clock from the Dakota 42 yard line.  The Michael Puzzuoli punt was downed on the Dakota 9 yard line.  Dakota’s last desperation play ended appropriately with a Morris sack at the 5 yard line.

It was a thrilling victory for the state’s number one team and a valiant effort by number three.  To me, it felt like a bigger win for Stevenson than just seven points.  The two Spicuzzi touchdowns–one on the second half kickoff, kept the game close.  But, Stevenson’s offense was far better than Dakota’s.  And, Stevenson’s defense was also far better than Dakota’s.  On another day, maybe in the playoffs, Dakota certainly is capable of beating the Titans.  But, on this day, there was more of a difference between the teams than two ranking spots.

Jason Fracassa is an amazing quarterback.  Apparently, too small to be recruited by Division One schools. Fracassa is about to break the Michigan High School passing record for career yards.  He may have done it tonight.  I had him for 16 for 34 for around 250 yards.   He is extremely mobile and difficult to sack and his ability to throw rifle shots on the run with downfield accuracy makes him very effective.  He is fortunate to have a stable of three or four very good receivers and the running game is good enough to keep defenses honest.  As well as Catholic Central has been playing, it looks like Sterling Heights Stevenson may go wire-to-wire in first place.

The crowd at Runkle field tonight was amazing.  I’d estimate around 7,000.  The stands on both sides were packed.  The aisles were full with people seating.  And, the perimeter fence had people standing five deep all round.