CANTON -- With 105 points in its two playoff games this
season, Canton looked to continue the offensive production in the
regional final.
The Chiefs didn't match last week's 63-point performance, but
scored on their first seven possessions, en route to an impressive
48-21 victory over Detroit King in a Division 1 matchup Friday
night.
The victory gave Canton (10-2) its first-ever regional title and
a showdown with Macomb Dakota in a state semifinal next Saturday at
Troy Athens.
"We expected to play well," Canton coach Tim Baechler said.
"We've been here three times and had not gotten over the hump."
The Chiefs' wing-T offense was the story of the game, as Deshon
McClendon had 22 carries for 170 yards and three touchdowns and
Canton totaled 50 carries for 433 yards before sending in the
reserves late in the fourth quarter. The Chiefs didn't attempt a
pass in the game.
McClendon took the opening kickoff 63 yards and scored two plays
later on a 6-yard run for a 6-0 lead. King drove on its first
possession but sophomore quarterback Donovan Dickerson was
intercepted in the end zone.
On the ensuing possession, the Chiefs drove 80 yards in seven
plays, capped by quarterback Shawn Little's 23-yard scoring run.
King (9-3) stayed in the game, behind sophomore running back
Darrin Williams, who scored on a 2-yard run on a pitch from Samuel
Lilly, who was hit at the line of scrimmage. The Crusaders trailed,
13-7, but couldn't find an answer for the wing-T.
"I thought we had to score, but it's hard to win when you can't
get a stop," King coach Jim Reynolds said. "We played everything
(defensively), everything imaginable."
Canton had an answer, though, driving 80 yards in 13 plays and
taking a 20-7 lead on McClendon's 29-yard scoring run with 6:33 left
in the first half.
"We came out pumped. We knew we had to play defense and run the
offense to perfection and we did that today," McClendon said. "It
makes things a lot easier when everything is working. It helps take
stress off the defense."
Canton led, 27-7, at halftime after Andy Rossow's 25-yard run
with 49 seconds left.
Williams finished with 12 carries for 125 yards and two
touchdowns and Dickerson was 15-of-25 passing for 205 yards and a
touchdown.
You can reach Rod Beard at (313) 222-2578 or
rod.beard@detnews.com.