Photo: StudentandAthlete

Dexter senior Braeden Fuson (1) runs for a 54-yard touchdown against Birmingham Groves on Friday.

   Day Two of the 16th annual Xenith Prep Kickoff Classic at Wayne State University in Detroit is in the books.

   In Friday's opener, Dexter rolled past Birmingham Groves 40-8 and in the nightcap, Warren De La Salle Collegiate took down Chicago (Ill.) St. Patrick, 38-13.

   On Thursday, Dearborn Fordson pounded Canton 38-23 in the opener. Clinton Township Chippewa Valley upset favored Detroit Catholic Central 45-20 in the nightcap.

   The Classic concludes Saturday as River Rouge faces Eastpointe at 1 p.m. and Detroit Cass Technical takes on Southfield Arts & Technology at 4 p.m.

   Organized by the Detroit Sports Commission, the Xenith Prep Kickoff Classic is the premier high school football showcase in the Michigan. It was created to provide a unique and memorable experience for players, coaches, fans, cheerleaders, and band members. The event moved from Eastern Michigan University to Wayne State University in 2012.

   Formerly known as the Big Day Prep Showdown, the event has been recognized as the Outstanding Locally Created Event by the National Association of Sports Commissions (NASC) for excellence in all aspects, including attendance, marketing, promotion and community presence.

   Last year's event was canceled due to the pandemic.

   Tickets are available online at gofan.co with a portion of the proceeds benefiting each school. One ticket grants admission to both games on that particular day.

   Xenith is the main sponsor of the event. The company is improving football through protective and performance gear designed, first and foremost, for athletes.

   Below are recaps and the remaining schedule for the 2021 Xenith Prep Kickoff Classic:

Friday, August 27

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   Dexter rolled past Birmingham Groves 40-8 to earn its first season-opening victory since 2011.

   Junior Cole Cabana rushed for three touchdowns, including a 90-yard run to open the scoring.

   Senior quarterback Cal Bavineau rushed for a 42-yard touchdown and connected with senior Braeden Fuson for a 54-yard touchdown.  Junior Nate Baughman ran an interception back 35 yards for a touchdown.

 

> Dexter rolls past Birmingham Groves for first season-opening win in 10 years

> Groves has no answer for Dexter in Kickoff Classic loss

   In the nightcap on Friday, Warren De La Salle Collegiate defeated St. Patrick from Chicago, Ill., 38-13.

   Junior quarterback Brady Drogosh tossed two touchdown passes (junior Triston Nichols from two yards out and junior Chauncy Shaw from 52 yards out). Drogosh also rushed for a 20-yard touchdown.

   Senior Alton McCullum rushed for a 25-yard touchdown. Sophomore Rhett Roeser added a 34-yard touchdown run.

Thursday, August 26

 

 

    Michigan State University commit Antonio Gates Jr. caught a pair of 37-yard touchdown passes from Alex Osman to help lift Dearborn Fordson to an impressive season-opening 38-23 win against Kensington Lakes Activities Association rival Canton. Gates Jr. also intercepted a pair of passes to end Canton threats. He also returned a fumble 34 yards to set up another Fordson touchdown. Lenard Covington rushed for a 32-yard touchdown and finished with 105 yards on the ground. Osman also tossed an 11-yard touchdown pass to Mohammed Sayed. Ahmed Harb scored on a 47-yard run. Fordson finished with 365 total yards, including 200 rushing with Covington running for 105 yards on 10 carries. Fordson added a touchdown on a 71-yard burst up the middle by Hussein Beydoun. Fordson led 13-9 at halftime.

 

> Detroit Free Press: Dearborn Fordson, Antonio Gates Jr. demolish Canton, 38-23

> Detroit News: Two-way star Antonio Gates Jr. leads Fordson to 38-23 win over Canton

Photo: StudentandAthlete

Dearborn Fordson's Antonio Gates Jr. (7) catches a touchdown pass against Canton on Thursday.

   Senior running back Cephus Harris rushed for four touchdowns to lift Clinton Township Chippewa Valley to a dominating 45-20 upset victory over Detroit Catholic Central. Harris accounted for 340 yards of total offense to lead the rout, scoring on a 69-yard touchdown off a screen pass from Ryan Schuster to start the scoring, then a 26-yard touchdown run, a 68-yard touchdown off another screen pass by Schuster and finally a 60-yard touchdown run. Harris also returned a kick 68 yards to set up a 41-yard field goal by Tarik Ahmetbasic. Harris finished the night with 116 yards rushing on 12 carries, along with three receptions for 142 yards. Shamar Heard, who won a gold medal in the 200 meters in the AAU Junior Olympics a couple of weeks ago, returned a kick 85 yards for a touchdown. Schuster was 11-of-14 for 251 yards and two touchdowns without an interception. Chippewa Valley's defense forced three second-half turnovers, interceptions by sophomore Rayshaun Hester and Dee’Shawn Starks, along with a fumble recovery.

 

> Detroit News: Chippewa Valley's Cephus Harris scores four TDs in 45-20 rout of Catholic Central

> Macomb Daily: Cephus Harris leads Chippewa Valley to football victory over Catholic Central

 

Photo: StudentandAthlete

Warren De La Salle Collegiate'junior Hunter Lilla (7) runs for a touchdown against Chicago (Ill.) St. Patrick on Friday.

Saturday, August 28

1 p.m.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   2019 Michigan High School Athletic Association Division 3 champion and 2020 runner-up will battle Eastpointe in the opener on Saturday. River Rouge’s Devonte Miles is an absolute force on the offensive and defensive lines. Five starters are back for a River Rouge defense that shutout five teams last season. Junior defensive backs Markell Gilford and Lamont Gordon highlight an imposing secondary. The three remaining starters are all linebackers: senior Jonathan Marshall, junior Armond Garfield and junior Davon Jackson. Senior wide receiver Jalen Holly is the only returning starter on an offense that averaged 34 points per game in 2020. He’ll likely be the top target for junior quarterback Christian Johnson. Pay close attention to sophomore wideouts Nick Marsh and Jaylen Watson.

   First-year Eastpointe head coach Justin Reed returns five starters from a defense that blanked opponents six times last season in route to their district finals loss against Detroit Martin Luther King, after going 8-0. The front four returns three seniors in Steven Estridge, Kris Boyd, and Ce’Quawan Motley, and juniors Derrick Wallace and Dorian Manley command the linebacking core. Senior wide receivers Darryon Banks and Ronald Jackson headline an offense that tallied 40 or more points in seven of nine games, and will add junior quarterback Marquis Campbell into the mix as well.

Tickets

4 p.m.

   Powerhouse Detroit Cass Technical will play Southfield Arts & Technology in the final game of the Prep Classic. Former secondary coach Marvin Rushing takes over for former head coach Thomas Wilcher, who joins the staff at Michigan State University after 23 seasons, 190 wins and three state titles. Cass Tech is   certain to be a contender in the Detroit Public School League. Junior quarterback Leeshaun Mumpfield was a question mark last season and became a tremendous surprise. An improved line will protect him this season and the running game will be solid again while the receiver corps could be an upgrade.

   At Southfield, new coach Aaron Marshall will assume the reins from Tim Conley. Conley built Southfield into a home for Division 1 talent, and Marshall’s nephew, Isaiah Marshall, leads the offense as the No. 1 quarterback recruit in the 2024 class. Alongside Marshall are a pair of Division 1 recruits in wide receivers Dayvon Young and Darrell Jones. Southfield’s ability to close games will be a pivotal part of their approaching season as three of their four losses last season were by one possession.

Tickets

About the Detroit Sports Commission: The mission of the Detroit Sports Commission is to market and sell metro Detroit as a premier destination for regional, national and international amateur sporting events. The DSC is a not-for-profit charitable organization, IRS 501 (c)(3), and a subsidiary of the Detroit Metro Convention & Visitors Bureau.

About Xenith: Detroit-based Xenith was founded on a mission to put athletes first and improve football safety. Their progressive approach to helmet technology disrupted a long-complacent industry for the better – and season after season, Xenith keeps raising the bar. Designed for the committed athlete, Xenith products enable the athlete's pursuit with advanced fit, feel, style, and an innovative approach to safety & technology. Every Xenith helmet achieves top safety ratings, which enables every athlete to take the field with the confidence to play at their best. This athlete-centric philosophy doesn't stop at safety. Xenith designs for needs that transcend protection, pushing the boundaries of fit, feel, comfort, durability, performance and style.

Photo: D etroit News

Clinton Township Chippewa Valley's Shamar Heart celebrates a kickoff return against Detroit Catholic Central on Thursday.