Niles Kruger, Ryan Loren, Doug Donnelly, David Topolewski
| The Monroe News
Brian Booms is leaving his stamp on Flat Rock’s record books.
A month ago, the senior captain set the school record for rushing scores in a game with five. He broke his own record Friday night rushing for six touchdowns along with a personal-best 253 yards on the ground carrying the Rams past Milan 49-21.
Following the record-setting night, Booms took a moment to remember someone who left an impression on him.
“I dedicate tonight to Chris Elliott,” he said.
Elliott was a longtime Flat Rock teacher and spent his teaching tenure coaching various sports between the middle school and high school in Flat Rock, including being the head coach of the Rams 2001 state championship baseball team.
Elliott died in 2021 after battling complications of COVID-19.
“My favorite memory of (Elliott) is him teaching me to respect my lineman,” Booms said. “They’re the guys protecting you every play and they don’t get the credit they deserve.”
Booms played football for Elliott during his seventh and eighth-grade years at Simpson Middle School, earning a perfect 11-0 record over two years.
The two developed a special bond during that time, so much so that Booms had a T-shirt made with the slogan “Elliott for President.”
When Elliott fell ill, Booms traded in his campaign shirt for one that said “Elliott Strong.” Many across the Flat Rock community did, too. The shirts were in Scarlet and Gray colors, an ode to Elliott’s Ohio State loyalties.
“We dedicate every game to him, he’s the one that showed us how to become a team and become a family,” Booms said. “He showed us the way, without him we wouldn’t be as tight as we are now.”
During Booms’ first varsity football game, his mother, Lisa Boomswas in constant contact with Elliott during the game, at one point expressing concern for her son who was struggling defensively.
Elliott’s response seems to be a perfect fit for Booms growth between then and now.
“Stay positive. He will correct whatever happened. I am sure he is nervous beyond words. He will be fine,” he wrote in a text message.
Video: Flat Rock at Milan football
Brian Booms scores one of his school=record six touchdowns for Flat Rock during a 49-21 win over Milan on Friday, Sept. 29, 2023.
Mules learn on the job
Bedford started the season 1-1 but as the injuries started to mount, so did the losses.
The Mules lost key starters at quarterback, middle linebacker, and center. Some of those players are expected back soon and will be joining a battle-tested group.
Bedford lost three straight games before conquering Ypsilanti Lincoln 26-21 Friday.
“It is what it is,” Bedford coach John Phillips said. “We’re still dealing with a lot of that (injuries), but the kids that are filling in for them are really growing.”
Phillips said his team has improved its mental side of the game.
“We had issues where a kid would make a mistake and it would get into their heads instead of letting it go,” he said. “Tonight, they knuckled down and came back for the next play.”
Isaac Henman again filled in well at quarterback. He completed six passes for 86 yards and a touchdown, including the go-ahead score to Lucas Gerber just before halftime.
“Lucas Gerber is just flying around and taking care of both the offensive and defensive side of the ball,” Phillips said. “He likes to put the team on his shoulders and try to carry it and he’s a heck of a leader out there.”
Phillips also praised kicker Jack Decker (3-for-3 PATs, 38-yard field goal), and specialist Jacob Spoonmore.
“We keep switching his (Spoonmore) roles, keeping sending little things at him and changing what we want him to do,” Phillips said. “He did things that kept us in the game and kept us rolling.”
Dundee keeps fighting
Dundee had to endure a power outage, an outstanding Clinton team, and playing on another team’s homecoming Friday night.
But the Vikings kept fighting right to the end of a 54-33 loss.
“Our kids really don’t have a breaking point,” said Dundee coach Steve Ayre. “When we can finally put it all together, it’s going to be fun to watch. Our kids were dialed in and came back and scored right away after (the power outage).”
Dundee, 3-3 overall and 2-2 in the Lenawee County Athletic Association, hosts the first homecoming came on its new field Friday, then travels to Hudson before wrapping up the regular season with a home game against Ida.
“We still have a lot in front of us,” Ayre said. “We’ve got homecoming next week. We still have a chance to right the ship and finish strong.”
Home away from home
Gibraltar Carlson played at Trenton Friday for the second time this season.
Trenton’s field was a home away from home for the Marauders when weather issues forced the season opener against Airport to be moved.
This time, Carlson faced a key Downriver League game against a foe that was celebrating its homecoming.
The Marauders bounced back from an early Trenton touchdown to win 28-23 for their fifth straight win.
“Great atmosphere for high school football,” Carlson coach Jason Gendron said.
The game was deadlocked 14-14 until Teegan Nagy returned an interception 55 yards for a touchdown in the third quarter.
“Our defense stood tall in the second half,” Gendron said. “The interception pick-6 by Teegan Nagy was a huge momentum swing for our team. The next series the defense came up big again getting a stop deep in our own territory and forced a field goal.”
Offensively, sophomore Izaiah Wright continued his amazing season, running for 219 yards, including TD jaunts of 27 and 65 yards. He has run for 819 yards this season with 18 touchdowns and is averaging 8.5 yards per carry.
“The 65-yard touchdown run by Izaiah was a total team effort,” Gendron said. “Well-executed blocks and a big-time player in Izaiah making a big play at a crucial spot in the game.”
Homecoming history
Monroe played its 73rd homecoming game Friday, a tradition that began in 1951.
The Trojans hold a 39-33-1 record in those games.
The first homecoming at Monroe served as a method to select Monroe’s entry into the county-wide beauty pageant that was known as the Miss Red Feather pageant.
Marilyn Meier was crowned the winner in 1951 and was given a scarlet robe made by the home economics class. Students were asked to make their selection based on the formula: 50 percent physical appearance, 20 percent scholarship, 20 percent leadership, and 10 percent personality and talent.
In 1955, the voting was expanded to include a maid of honor, now called a princess.
Video: Ann Arbor Pioneer at Monroe football
Monroe pounds out a first down on three straight carries by Dinato Gandara.
Jefferson’s Cadle busy
Emalie Cadle kicked off for Jefferson’s eighth-grade football team in a 12-0 win over Lincoln Park on Tuesday.
She is a very busy young lady.
She also was part of the high school marching band for homecoming on Sept. 22, plays for the eighth-grade volleyball team and a Monroe United soccer team, and is a member of the National Honor Society, a pre-juvenile synchronized skating team, and 4-H.
Airport’s ‘guys’ do the job
Airport football coach Jim Duffy came into the season praising the talent and toughness of his senior class.
Those are the players the Jets leaned on during a 41-8 win over New Boston Huron, snapping a string of three-straight losses to the Chiefs.
Seniors accounted for all of the scoring until junior David Jankowski tacked on a late touchdown.
Jack Mills ran for a pair of touchdowns, and Cooper Nye threw scoring passes to Brett Moore and Colin Nowak and ran for a TD of his own. Zajac kicked five PATs.
“Our guys who are our guys made plays,” Duffy said. “It was a pretty simple formula.”
Eagles learn lessons
Erie Mason fell to 2-4 after the 58-6 loss to Whiteford, but the Eagles still have a shot at finishing the season above .500.
Coach Steve Bowers told his Eagle squad to learn from the loss to the No. 1 ranked Bobcats.
“The first thing I told them is that Whiteford is a high-caliber football program that has done that for years,” he said. “These games aren’t won on Friday nights. They are not won in the week leading up. They are won in off-season after off-season after off-season. They are won by guys dedicating themselves. We aren’t there yet.”
Finishing above .500 is Mason’s goal right now. Getting to 5-4 could mean a playoff berth, but Bowers says that will take care of itself.
“There are still three games left, all winnable games,” he said.
Masserant picks up interceptions
Kolby Masserant has five interceptions, and seven touchdown catches, in six games for the 6-0 Whiteford.
Friday, he had one of each in the first half as the Bobcats built a 51-0 lead by halftime.
“He and Ryin (Ruddy) do such good things as far as communicating with one another,” Bobcat coach Todd Thieken said. “Kolby pays attention in film and that’s why you see him make plays. He is locked in when we are in the film room.”
BEST OF WEEK 6
RUSHING YARDS
Dean Thomas, Ida 266
Brian Booms, Flat Rock 253
Luke Beaudrie, Jefferson 231
Izaiah Wright, Carlson 219
Dinato Gandara, Monroe 147
PASSING YARDS
Trace Secor, Summerfield 196
Ryan Zanger, Dundee 179
Cooper Nye, Airport 176
Graham Young, Flat Rock 144
William Gaskell V, Milan 110
RECEIVING YARDS
Eli VanHuysen, Summ. 196
Braiden Whitaker, Dundee 143
Jax Betts, Jefferson 79
Brett Moore, Airport 74
Lukas Linzell, Milan 73
Colin Nowak, Airport 73
Video: Riverview at St. Mary Catholic Central football
Blake Kuehnlein makes a nice tackle for St. Mary Catholic Central on Riverview’s first offensive play of the night.
2023-10-03 08:06:00
#stories #final #scores
