Is Detroit-Loyola Really Ready For Ishpeming?
Mike Plourde for Marquette Magazine
Gearing Up For Saturday’s State Championship Game Ishpeming vs Detroit Loyola
Alex Briones (17) quarterback for the Ishpeming Hematites, dies through the Harbor beach defense to gain yardage during their MHSAA semi-finals football game at the Superior Dome in Marquette, MI on Saturday, Nov. 23, 2013. (Marquette Magazine photo by UPsportsphotos.com)
Marquette, MI, Nov. 28, 2013 – I don’t know about you but I can’t wait to see is Detroit-Loyola really ready for Ishpeming?
Detroit Loyola believes they are ready for Ishpeming. The Bulldogs will play the Hematites in a rematch of the Division 7 state championship game at Ford Field in Detroit on Saturday, November 30th. Ishpeming beat them last year in a “David and Goliath” type contest where Detroit Loyola was Goliath. For all of this year, it seems, Detroit Loyola has had “Remember Ishpeming” written on a dry-erase board in their locker room.
Detroit Loyola fully expected to walk onto the field last year and automatically win. Because, after all, they are Detroit Loyola! It didn’t work that way. Even though the Bulldogs were much bigger, the Hematites pushed them all over the field, ran through them, and around them, on their way to a 22 to 14 victory and the state championship. How’d that happen anyway?
Well, to begin with, Detroit Loyola was plenty big as I mentioned. Their offensive and defensive lines averaged above 260 pounds. They were athletic as well and they worked together as a team. That’s what they had. What they didn’t have, was conditioning and fundamentals. They “free-wheeled” a lot and did a lot of chasing.
Bobby Zhulkie (21) of the Ishpeming Hematites runs with the ball to gain yardage during their MHSAA semi-finals football game against Harbor Beach at the Superior Dome in Marquette, MI on Saturday, Nov. 23, 2013. (Marquette Magazine photo by Ronen Zilberman of UPsportsphotos.com)
The Hematites might just be the most fundamentally sound football team in Michigan, and that includes the Detroit Lions. Each member of the team knows their assignment from top to bottom and what to do to carry that assigment out. Footwork, leverage, and positioning are all part of that. They just never seem to get it wrong. The blockers keep their shoulder pads low and under those of the opponent they block. Feet are set exactly where they need to be. Legs constantly drive and push. Contact is maintained throughout the play. In order to accomplish this the players are in peak physical condition.
Alex Briones (17) quarterback for the Ishpeming Hematites, throws the ball during their MHSAA semi-finals football game against Harbor Beach at the Superior Dome in Marquette, MI on Saturday, Nov. 23, 2013. (Marquette Magazine photo by UPsportsphotos.com)
The Hematite players work out together all year around under the supervision of experts. They push themselves and each other very hard. They come together in August already in top shape and very strong. Last year it was quite evident that Detroit Loyola was out of gas in the middle of the third quarter, and Ishpeming still had plenty in the tank. They will show up that way this year for certain.
It will be exciting to see what adjustments the Detroit Loyola Bulldogs have made over the course of the year with the Ishpeming Hematites in mind. I know that the Hematite coaching staff will have made some adjustments as well….along with a few tricks up their sleeves for good measure.
Mike Plourde
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