Jeff Chaney
Sports Scene
DETROIT — Playoff football for the Flint Powers Catholic football team didn’t start during week 10 of the season.
It started after a week six loss to Davison.
“We ended that game at Davison in the rain and snow and couldn’t feel our hands,” Flint Powers coach Bob Buckel said. “I told the kids I know we are frustrated, but can’t lose another game.”
The Chargers didn’t.
After winning the last three regular season games, Flint Powers stood with a 5-4 record. And thanks to enough playoff points, were invited into the Michigan High School Athletic Association Division 5 playoffs.
From there, the Chargers got stronger and stronger, beating Frankenmusth, Millington, Hemlock and Almont to earn a trip to the state finals at Ford Field and a rematch with Lansing Catholic Central.
During week two of the regular season, Lansing Catholic beat the Chargers 37-17.
“The first time we played them, five days earlier we played Novel and gave up 55 points (in a loss) and suffered two concussions,” Buckel said.
That wasn’t the case in the finals, as Flint Powers came out and pounced on the Cougars and beat them 56-26.
“We don’t know what to say,” Buckel said. “A few weeks ago we didn’t even know we would be here. But we just got better every week. Since the playoffs we took a giant leap.”
It was a beautiful display of offensive football by the Chargers in the finals, as they out-gained Lansing Catholic 568-359.
Flint Powers junior quarterback Garrett Pougnet out-played Lansing Catholic all state quarterback Cooper Rush.
Pougnet finished with 258 passing yards and four touchdowns. He also ran for 155 yards and two touchdowns.
Rush, who will be playing at Central Michigan University next year, threw for 291 yards and three touchdowns. He also ran for 30 yards and a touchdown.
“Cooper Rush is a great quarterback,” Pougnet said. “This week in practice I just tried to worry about my game and our offense.Their defense was giving us opportunities and our receiver stepped up. And our run game stepped up, which helped the passing game.”
Senior defensive tackle Danny O’Brien, who will be playing at Tennessee next year, said having to win out since week six helped his team mental makeup.
“We knew had to win out, and nobody shied to that competition,” O’Brien said. “we really started getting after it in practice, We just started getting it done on Friday nights.”
It is that kind of attitude that made Buckel’s first year as coach of Flint Powers a pleasant one. And a championship one.
“I’m blessed with the work ethic these kids have,” said Buckel, whose team ends its year at 10-4. “It was a great year.”