CANTON - So far, the Division 1 football playoffs aren't much different than the regular season for Canton High School.
The undefeated Chiefs rolled to a 42-6 victory over visiting Belleville Friday night. And just like the last eight games, this one ended with the Canton starters watching the fourth quarter from the sidelines as the game clock continuously ticked away.
When Canton sophomore halfback Deshon McClendon scored the final points of the game, a 1-yard touchdown run with 9:53 remaining, it marked the ninth time the 2004 Chiefs have triggered the MHSAA-imposed mercy rule.
"I can't say we think about getting to that point," said senior halfback Julian Smith, who scored on touchdown runs of 4 and 3 yards and caught a 9-yard TD pass from quarterback Shawn Little. "Really we just work hard, practice hard, do what the coaches tell us and the score ends up that way."
Smith, who rushed for 53 yards, is one of four points in Canton's T-formation backfield that was clicking. Little passed for 92 yards and rushed for 68 more, fullback Chuck Schumacher ran for 91 yards and a touchdown, and halfback Andrew Rossow gained 56 yards.
"I'm here to tell you that is a very good team," Belleville coach Bob LaPointe said. "They do things very well and have tremendous athletes. They've got all the tools."
Canton's defense was similarly dominant, holding Belleville (6-4) to one first down until it picked up two more on their final two offensive plays of the game.
The Belleville offense was never on the field for more than three consecutive plays. That includes a drive early in the third quarter when tailback Isaac Kindell was able to break free for the Tiger's lone highlight, a 55-yard touchdown run.
The Chiefs also got a big special teams play when McClendon recovered a blocked punt in the end zone.
Baechler praised Belleville's defensive effort after the Tigers allowed the big-play Chiefs just two runs of 20 yards or more.
"We thought they'd be sticky and scrappy defensively," he said. "We weren't really getting many big plays, but we were able to wear them down."
Canton will host Novi, a 51-13 winner over Northville, next Friday. Baechler doesn't expect his team to continue its mercy rule streak.
"I think those days are over," he said. "Novi is the real deal."
Rich Rezler can be reached at rrezler@annarbornews.com.