Northville Youth Football Association

Two first-half touchdowns and another shut-out sent the JV Stallions to the Super Bowl. In a rematch from the 2017 Super Bowl, the JV Stallions defeated the Livonia Eagles, 12-0, at home at Tom Holzer Ford Field on Oct. 27. 

The defense set the tone from the beginning, forcing a turnover on downs on the first drive after giving up a few first downs. Tackles by #1 Zane Ader, #5 Ryan Jaafar, #12 Dylan Young, #23 Aiden Kersey, and #98 Hunter Stokes helped stall the drive, topped off by an incomplete pass on fourth and six. 

The Stallions wasted no time on offense. No yards on first and second down did not rattle them, and on third down they helped spring #12 Young free for a 68-yard touchdown with 1:40 left in the first quarter. The extra point was no good, leaving the Stallions with a 6-0 lead. 

The next Eagles’ drive resulted in a turnover, with #12 Young and #25 Austin McGarrow working together to force a fumble and recover it. The Stallions couldn’t capitalize on the turnover though and #30 Brody Grezak punted back to the Eagles. 

The Stallions struck again after forcing a four-and-out. #25 McGarrow picked up a quick seven yards. After a false start pushed the Stallions back a bit, #14 Cooper Derkach delivered a pass to #41 Nathan Brohl between two defenders and Brohl took it to the house. The extra point was no good, giving the Stallions a 12-0 lead heading into halftime. 

The Stallions’ defense stayed tough in the second half. The Eagles recovered a Stallions’ fumble on the kick-off to start the second half, but just two plays later, #24 Tyler Shelide recovered an Eagles fumble. The Stallions turned it back over on an errant pass, but the defense forced a turnover on downs behind tackles by #5 Jaafar, #12 Young, #24 Shelide, and #25 McGarrow and a tackle for loss by #1 Ader after an illegal motion penalty pushed the Eagles back. 

#5 Jaafar intercepted the ball early in the fourth quarter, but the Stallions turned it over on downs. The Stallions had one more chance to score after a huge run by #23 Kersey on a quarterback keeper, but the Stallions graciously took a knee and let the clock wind down. 

The Orange Crush line also played hard. In the first half development game, they forced a turnover on downs, only giving up one yard to the Eagles’ development line. On offense, #11 Koen Raitz picked up a quick nine yards. #19 Collin Kenneally picked up a yard, then #20 Nick Lundberg got the first down. #6 Andrew Shukeireh rushed for another first down on a quarterback keeper, but time ran out before Crush could score. 

In the second half development game, Orange Crush started on offense. #20 Lundberg fought for three yards, then #6 Shukeireh completed a pass to #22 Evan George for a first down. #11 Raitz rushed for nine yards, then #6 Shukeireh picked up another first down on a quarterback keeper after a couple of plays lost yards. #20 Lundberg followed with a five-yard gain on first down, but time ran out before Crush could score. 

The Stallions now have the chance to avenge their only loss this season when they take on the undefeated Walled Lake Braves at Wayne State’s Adams Field on Nov. 2 in the Super Bowl.