Photo: Curtis Schuelke
Detroit Martin Luther King senior quarterback Dequan Finn (5) runs for a gain Saturday against East St. Louis (Ill.).
The Xenith Prep Kickoff Classic at Wayne State University concluded Saturday, Aug. 25, with three dominating performances.
Madison Heights Madison took down Center Line 60-6 in Saturday’s opener. Detroit Cass Technical pounded River Rouge 40-7. And Detroit Martin Luther King beat East St. Louis (Ill.) 52-38.
Trenton beat Allen Park 27-21 in the opener on Friday, Aug. 24, and Davison downed Southfield Arts & Technology 28-6 in the nightcap.
In Thursday’s games, Oak Park convincingly avenged last season’s loss to Utica Eisenhower in the Classic’s opener, as the Knights rolled past the Eagles, 31-13. Novi Detroit Catholic Central opened its season by pounding Walled Lake Western 28-7 in the nightcap.
The event was operated by the Detroit Sports Commission and sponsored by Xenith football helmets.
The event was launched in 2005 as the Big Day Prep Showdown and hosted by Eastern Michigan University. The event moved to Wayne State University in 2012.
Below are results from the 2018 Xenith Prep Kickoff Classic:
Thursday, Aug. 23
Photo: StudentandAthlete
Oak Park senior Philip Stewart runs for a gain on Thursday against Utica Eisenhower.
With a lineup filled with Division 1 talent, the Knights powered past the Eagles. Ohio State commit Dwan Mathis rushed for two touchdowns. He also connected with Jesse Brown for a 26-yard touchdown pass. Defensive back Enzo Jennings recovered a fumble and returned it 49 yards for a touchdown. Phillip Stewart rushed for a 29-yard touchdown. It was Oak Park’s sixth appearance in the Classic.
> Oak Park dominant in victory over Utica Eisenhower: three takeaways
> Top recruit Justin Rogers overshadowed by speedster Phillip Stewart
> Oak Park's Mathis still committed to Ohio State
> Oak Park QB Dwan Mathis remains committed to Ohio State amid turmoil
> Oak Park beats Utica Eisenhower
Photo: Detroit Free Press
Davison's Caleb Smith runs for a gain against Southfield Arts & Technology on Friday.
Saturday, Aug. 25
The Cardinals beat the Warriors for the second-straight season at the Classic. It wasn’t as close this year under new head coach Jacob Weingartz. Davison won a triple-overtime thriller 56-54 last season. Quarterback Cannon Hall scored twice on the ground, each on one-yard runs. Hall tossed a 53-yard touchdown pass to Brendan Sullivan and found Dylan Johnson in the endzone for a two-point conversion. Hall finished with 139 passing yards and 102 rushing yards.
> Raw Davison dumps Southfield A&T, 28-6
Photo: Curtis Schuelke
Madison Heights Madison's Troye Williams runs for a gain against Center Line on Saturday.
Photo: Observer & Eccentric
Novi Detroit Catholic Central running back Keegan Koehler gains 55 yards against Walled Lake Western on Thursday.
Photo: Curtis Schuelke
Detroit Cass Technical's Jaren Mangham runs for a touchdown against River Rouge on Saturday.
Senior Keegan Koehler rushed for 244 yards on 25 carries and scored two touchdowns (seven yards and 16 yards) and to lead the Shamrocks past the Warriors. Senior Bryson Trantham (10 yards) and junior Jack Birks (one-yard) each added touchdowns. The Catholic Central defense was stellar in holding down the potent Western offense.
> Koehler makes amends as Detroit CC steamrolls Walled Lake Western
Friday, Aug. 24
Photo: Detroit News
Trenton's Gabe Doree runs for a touchdown against Allen Park on Friday.
The Trojans used a goal-line stand in the final seconds to come away with a win over the Jaguars. Trenton senior quarterback Jay Solano threw for 355 yards and four touchdowns, including scoring strikes of 36 yards to Tyler Rehbein and 29 yards to Gabe Doree during a 2 1/2-minute stretch in the fourth quarter to turn a seven-point deficit into a 27-21 lead with 4:39 left.
> Trenton stuffs Allen Park on last stand
The Technicians powered past the Panthers in Saturday’s second game. Lew Nichols rushed for 105 yards on 11 carries and two touchdowns. Jaren Mangham gained 80 yards on the ground and two touchdowns.
> Nichols, Mangham help Cass Tech crush River Rouge
Photo: Curtis Schuelke
Detroit Martin Luther King senior quarterback Dequan Finn (5) throws a pass on Saturday against East St. Louis (Ill.).
