Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central scored its only points in the first four quarters on the final play of regulation to send its MHSAA Division 2 semifinal game into overtime against the undefeated Dexter Dreadnaughts on a miserable day – in more ways than one – at Portage Northern High School.
Both teams scored on their first possessions of overtime to make it 14-14. Dexter kicked a field goal to take a 17-14 lead, but the Rangers did something they couldn’t do all game on their final play when Mason McDonald went up the middle for two yards and the game-winning score in a dramatic, hard-fought 20-17 win for the team from Grand Rapids.
The loss ends Dexter’s historical and brilliant season one play short of Ford Field but nothing short of amazing, memorable and simply the best. The Dreadnaughts went undefeated in the regular season, won the SEC Red Division, ended that long losing streak to Chelsea and marched through the playoffs before finally slipping in the snow and cold on a Saturday afternoon in Portage.
Forest Hills Central will play in the Division 2 Championship Game at 1 p.m. on Friday at Ford Field against the winner of the Birmingham Groves-Warren De LaSalle.
Gerzon Herter kicked a 30-yard field goal – after a penalty pushed them back five yards – to give Dexter a 17-14 lead on their second possession of OT. But on third down, McDonald went up the middle and somehow got the ball over the goal line and the Rangers into the state finals.
While the offense couldn’t navigate the snow and cold and slippery field, the Dexter defense dominated Forrest Hills for four quarters. They stopped numerous third downs and four fourth-down plays to end drives.
But just before the clock hit zero, Forest Hills Central scored on a TD pass on fourth down when McDonald tossed a three-yard pass to Sam Sneider for a score to send the game into overtime.
JT Hartman scored a TD on Forest Hills’ first play in overtime and the kick was good to put the Rangers ahead 14-7.
The Dreadnaughts answered on their first possession of OT to tie the game at 14-14 but it wasn’t easy. On third down, senior QB Reeves Taylor hit Brennan Parachek on a slant over the middle and the senior dove into the end zone. Herter booted the extra point to tie the game – no easy feat considering his feet were kicking the ball on ice.
The Dreadnaughts took the opening drive right down the field and looked like business as usual for this high-powered offense – that came into the game averaging 39 points.
Cabana went right up the middle for two yards and Herter added the extra point and the Dreads led 7-0 in the first quarter.
Herter, a senior defensive back, then made a big play on defense when he picked off a pass after a nice drive by the Rangers deep into Dexter territory. The Dreads took over on their own 5-yard line and ended up punting.
Forest Hills moved the ball inside the 5-yard line and had four shots at the end zone just inside the second quarter. They kept trying to go up the middle but all four times the Dexter defense stuffed the play at the line of scrimmage – it would be the closest the Rangers would get to scoring until the final play in regulation.
Dexter had to punt from the back of its end zone and with 4:30 left in the first half, the Rangers again had great field position at the Dexter 37-yard line.
Parachek and Noah Pitts sacked the Forrest Hills QB and the defense forced a Forest Hills punt.
The Dreadnaughts led 7-0 at halftime.
The Rangers, on their first possession of the third quarter, marched down the field but again were stopped deep inside Dexter territory. They lined up for a 32-yard field goal but called a fake. Parachek made a huge play to break up the pass and get the ball back while keeping the Rangers off the scoreboard.
Forest Hills got the ball back again and started moving the ball. Once again, Dexter’s defense made another fourth-down defensive stand at midfield to get the ball back.
After another Dexter punt, the Rangers came marching down the field again. And, one again, the defense made two huge plays to end the drive inside the Dexter 20-yard line. On third and short, Owen Wondrash made a huge play, and on fourth down, Micah Davis made the stop at the 15-yard line to give the ball back to the offense.
The script would repeat itself again midway through the fourth quarter when Forest Hills went for it on fourth and short at midfield but were denied again by the entire front line of the Dexter defense.
But Cabana fumbled on the first play and the Rangers again had another chance at the Dexter 44-yard line. This time, they went three and out and were forced to punt.
Dexter had to kick it away and Davis Taylor made a great play on the punt, pinning the Rangers at their own 2-yard line in search of a game-tying score – one they would reach on the game’s final play.
