OT Cass Tech @ Saline Friday Night
If you're in town for the NW game and want to see some future UM guys playing prep ball then considering a short drive to Saline Friday night. Game is at 7 and it's the 3rd round (elite 8) and Regional Championship in Division 1 Michigan High School Football.
Should be a great game. Cass Tech (Defending State Champs) have at least 7 Div I seniors. Including Jourdan Lewis and David Dawson. Damon Webb is heavy on Michigan's radar and they have 3 or 4 other Div I guys in that Junior class. Probably another 3 or 4 Sophomores that will play Div I ball.
Saline has had a great season under new coach Joe Palka who came from Whitmer in Toledo. Ex UM TE Kevin Koger is on his staff and even though Saline does not have a stud Div I kid .... they do play very well together as a team and should be able to hold their own vs Cass Tech.
It's $5 and a great time.
November 8th, 2012 at 10:53 PM ^
November 8th, 2012 at 11:39 PM ^
Amen! Already this is arguably the greatest season in school history. First 10 win season ever, 2nd district title ever, SEC Red title. I got to see us pound Pioneer's face in last Friday (first game I've made it to in years), and I was really impressed. Coach Palka absolutely has us headed in the right direction. The defense was dominant until we put in the scrubs late, and the offense was a very sophisticated spread-running attack. Hope we can keep it going against the Cass Tech machine.
November 9th, 2012 at 1:28 AM ^
for the past 5-6 years, since I was a freshman in high school, they've always had the talent to be a decent to good team, Glennie just wasn't a good coach. I'm so excited to make it back for my first game this year!
November 9th, 2012 at 7:42 AM ^
You obviously never saw the team before Glennie got there.
November 9th, 2012 at 8:06 AM ^
November 9th, 2012 at 12:39 PM ^
Crabbers was my basketball coach. It did not go well. Our offense consisted of 4 'plays' and we were taught to set 'blocks' (not picks). Love the guy.
November 9th, 2012 at 12:21 PM ^
Glennie wasn't so bad, and he cared about the community and his job teaching phys ed quite a bit. He also oversaw the new weightroom installation, making sure Saline had great equipment and a balanced conditioning program mainly centered on BFS.
November 9th, 2012 at 8:05 AM ^
November 9th, 2012 at 10:43 AM ^
Class of 2000, Go Hornets!!
Still sad that they moved the stadium and high school; I loved the old stadium.
November 9th, 2012 at 6:04 AM ^
What is the stadium like there? Will I be standing ten rows back of the end zone or will everyone get a seat?
November 9th, 2012 at 7:43 AM ^
It's a pretty big stadium for high school. I can't say for sure that you'll get a seat because I don't know how many people will be there for the game, but normally it's not an issue.
November 9th, 2012 at 8:48 AM ^
and that was the most people I have seen there .... and everyone had a seat. The field is dug down which makes it great to watch no matter where you are. There is a patio area which draws lots of fans that want to mingle during the game and I think that keeps the bleachers from getting packed.
Student section is impressive. They do a "out" theme for every game (black out, halloween out, xmas out, etc) and tonight they are going traditional school colors Blue and Gold.
First 1,000 fans get a rally towel! Go Hornets!
http://thesalinepost.com/content/d1-regional-football-championship-saline-vs-cass-tech
November 9th, 2012 at 9:09 AM ^
Well, the spring game was said to be closed to the public until it leaked out the morning of that they were letting people in. It was also cold and rainy that day, so I think that even cut down on the people in the area from coming once they heard that it was open.
November 9th, 2012 at 12:29 PM ^
Saline seats around 4,000, maybe a few more.
In my totally biased opinion, the highlight of the stadium experience is Saline's version of Carl Grapentine: Jere Hassberger, the incredible AP calc/physics teacher, former wrestling coach, and doctor in nuclear engineering via U-M.
November 9th, 2012 at 12:44 PM ^
Doc was awesome. He got me a 5 on the BC exam and then proceeded to teach us 3/4 of my Multivariate class in the two weeks of school following that exam. I got a 97 in that class because of him. I forgot about him announcing the games, though.
November 9th, 2012 at 2:39 PM ^
Even after going through two degrees at UM, the best teacher I've ever had is still Jere Hassberger, I can honestly say. Had him for Algebra II, AP Calc AB and AP Physics. Nothing came as easily to me as math and physics did in his classes, and like almost everyone else, I got 5s on the AP exams. An amazing teacher.
November 9th, 2012 at 2:54 PM ^
Goodness, I had completely forgotten that that was Doc up there in the press box! I am not a math person by any stretch - I'm a liberal arts grad student now - but Doc was a phenomenal teacher. If you can see me of all people through to a 4 on the Calc BC exam, you've done a hell of a job. His classes were just so well ordered and organized, he had everything down to a precise science.
November 9th, 2012 at 4:05 PM ^
I remember starting every day sophomore year with 3 straight hours of calculus/physics in that same windowless room...
I had no idea that Doc was the stadium announcer. Probably because I never have (and never will) go to a Saline football game.
November 9th, 2012 at 7:44 AM ^
I haven't been to a game in quite some time. I'm hoping they beat Cass Tech because I am going to the basketball game tonight.
November 9th, 2012 at 8:27 AM ^
Go Hornets!
As evidence that there are some playmakers, here is Gage Hammond - the punter for Saline - turning terror into joy for the Hornets:
November 9th, 2012 at 8:57 AM ^
Go Cass.
Pipeline.
November 9th, 2012 at 9:36 AM ^
I was at the opening round game vs Temperance Bedford, it's a big stadium for high school.
November 9th, 2012 at 11:16 AM ^
Go Hornets! Whatever happened to that bust QB Boisture?
November 9th, 2012 at 12:18 PM ^
Persistent health issues (back) forced him to give up football after a couple years at MSU.
November 9th, 2012 at 12:17 PM ^
I had some correspondence with Saline legend Jack Crabtree a few years ago as part of a project for the SHS newspaper examining the greatest sports seasons in school history. On a whim, I dug through the old email box and found his rankings (this was 2007, but no team between then and now would come close anyway). Direct words of Crabtree:
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1979 Football Team - (9-0) Only team in school history that will have an undefeated team until a team goes undefeated and wins the state title.
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1983 Football Team - (9-0) Lost in the first round which would be the district finals today. Holds the school record for the fewest points scored against a Saline team = 38 points for the season.
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1990 Football Team - (9-0) Lost in the first round of the playoffs. Most offensive yards for a team until the 200?(Coach Glennis's) team.
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1988 Football Team - (8-1) Lost 1st game of the playoffs.
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1985 Football Team - (8-1) Lost 1st game of the regular season on a fathom TD. Won the first round against the #1 ranked team in one poll. Second round lost to another #1 ranked team in another poll/they went on to be the State Champions.
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1981 Football Team - (8-1) Didn't qualify for the playoffs/old point system.
November 9th, 2012 at 2:51 PM ^
Crabtree was a great coach in his day, and did a lot for Saline. There is no question that the team declined in his later years, as happens with many coaches as the game starts to pass them by. Coach Glennie definitely moved us forward as a program, including getting us back into the state playoffs for the first time in 13 years during my senior season (class of '04). I'll never forget our last home game that year - we beat South Lyon on a 50 yard hail mary to a wide open receiver and we all got to rush the field.
For all those coaches did over the years, though, you've gotta love where coach Palko has the team going. The defense I saw last Friday was dominant, and the offense looked as sophisticated as many D-I college offenses that I've seen.
November 9th, 2012 at 2:40 PM ^
Future Wolverines and a past one as well. The coach of Cass Tech is Thomas Wilcher, former Michigan tailback who played under Bo. He scored the game winning touchdown against Ohio State in '86.
November 9th, 2012 at 5:59 PM ^