Davison wins homecoming game against Saginaw Heritage High School

DAVISON, MI – Sure, those pancake stickers are nice and make the helmets look pretty.

And nobody’s going to discount the feeling a lineman has watching a back run untouched through a hole.

And there was plenty of both for Davison in its 56-20 manhandling of Saginaw Heritage in a Saginaw Valley League South win Friday at Davison.

But when Davison lineman Cameron McRill intercepted a middle screen pass and returned it 12 yards for a touchdown before halftime …

“That was special, that was crazy,” Davison senior lineman Jackson Rice said. “We were going crazy on the sidelines. For a lineman, we don’t have stats, so when something like that happens for one of us, we’re celebrating.

“You don’t see big guys like us score. We were waiting for him on the sideline to congratulate him. We’re seniors, and it’s homecoming ... it’s a great feeling. I was so proud of him.”

There was a lot of celebrating Friday at Davison’s homecoming game. The 3-1 Cardinals overpowered Heritage, running for 349 yards and five touchdowns. Defensively, Davison held Heritage to 23 yards rushing.

“They controlled the line of scrimmage,” Heritage coach Justin Thelen said. “They made it hard for our offense to get going. They put us in uncomfortable situations as far as down and distance.

“That’s a tremendous team though. They have a legitimate shot at making a run at a Division 1 state title. They’re that good.”

The Cardinals featured two backs that took advantage of the massive holes. Jay’len Flowers ran 15 times for 215 yards, including touchdown runs of 3, 77 and 6 yards. A.J. Hill followed with 15 carries for 122 yards, including touchdown runs of 64 and 9 yards.

“When we see them getting to the second level, that’s big for us,” Rice said. “They were playing a 3-2 box on defense, and that’s easier to block against when you’re running. I had a few pancake blocks. I think I’m getting a few more stickers.

“You see the backs getting to the second level, as a linemen you start trying to get to the second level to get another block in and maybe get them a touchdown. It’s a good feeling.”

Davison led 14-0 after one quarter on a 3-yard TD run by Flowers and a 64-yard TD run by Hill. The Cardinals added 28 points in the second quarter on a 9-yard run by Hill, a 77-yard run by Flowers, a 13-yard TD pass from Braylen Himmelein to Bryce Fortune and McRill’s interception return.

Heritage scored twice in the second quarter on a 10-yard pass from Ethan Mason to Charles Cork II and a 79-yard TD pass from Mason to Braylon Isom.

“We knew we were going to be challenged,” Davison coach Jake Weingartz said. “They had the top offense, the leading rusher (Thomas Churchill), the leading receiver (Isom), the top scorers (Isom and Ty Roberston) in the league.

“But our defense controlled the line of scrimmage against an outstanding offensive team. To beat a team like that, you have to play great defense, and you have to run the ball. We did that.”

Heritage cut the lead to 42-20 on the first drive of the third quarter on a 1-yard TD run by Robertson and a 2-point pass from Mason to Isom. But Davison tacked on a 6-yard TD run by Flowers and a 28-yard TD pass from Himmelein to Hill to finish the scoring.

“I’m the only returning starter on the line,” Rice said. “So I have to do more explaining and helping the other linemen. Sometimes I have to tell them what to do, where to go. They’re all pretty talented, so most of the time as the senior, my job is just to encourage them.”

Himmelein, who transferred from Saginaw Swan Valley, completed 9 of 15 passes for 142 yards, two touchdowns and two touchdowns.

Mason completed 14 of 31 passes for 236 yards, two TDs and an interception. Isom caught four passes for 110 yards, with Carrington Pryor catching five passes for 75 yards. Both had interceptions on defense.

Robertson and Churchill finished with 14 yards rushing each.

“This is a learning moment for our team, and it will be interesting to see how they respond,” Thelen said. “They can learn from it, work together and become a closer team. Or they can let it fracture the team. Knowing the leaders and the character of the players on this team, I believe it will bring us closer.”

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