ROCK CONCERT: Salem upends ‘Cats for 1st P-CEP crown

For a few seconds Friday night, Salem senior linebacker Luke Locke thought he was in the middle of a really cool dream.

With the Rocks clinging to a 27-20 lead over Plymouth with just over one minute left, and the Wildcats mounting a drive near mid-field, Salem defensive lineman Curtis Crittenden tipped a pass by quarterback Gabe Christensen high into the air, a couple yards in front of Locke.

“It seemed like the ball was in the air for 30 seconds … it was just floating, like a dream,” Locke said. “I caught it and just fell down because I knew the game was over.”

The sequence wasn’t a dream, but it ended a nightmare stretch by Salem, which hadn’t won a Plymouth-Canton Educational Park championship since it was first possible once Plymouth fielded a varsity football team for the first time in the early 2000s.

Overcoming adversity

Plymouth was looking to win an unprecedented fourth straight P-CEP crown, but the resilient Rocks — who were playing without multiple key players for disciplinary reasons and injuries — won thanks to brilliant quarterback play by senior Luke Creighton (289 yards passing and three touchdown passes), an exceptional goal-line stand with five minutes remaining in the game, and a quality that Head Coach Landon Garrett raved about.

“This group is just different,” said Garrett. “We’ve had some great guys here the past few years — Aidan Moore comes to mind — but this entire team is just so tough, so resilient. We’re never the biggest team on the field — not by a long shot — but we’re usually the toughest team on the field.”

Garrett also had the highest form of praise for his coaching staff — Bryant Satterlee, Don Watson, James Pierce, Christopher Scheffer, Marty Brudzinski, Trent Prister, Chris Robbins, Alex Howie, Brendan Murphy, Rocky Johnson, Tyler Garrett and Zac Summitt.

“Our coaching staff did an amazing job of stepping up and helping us get through the adversity this week,” Garrett said. “I’m tough on my players, but I’m tougher on my coaches and they have been outstanding.

“Those two guys right there (Garrett pointed to captains Creighton and star linebacker Landon Garrett, the coach’s son) stepped up, too, and held the team together. They took over a lot of speaking to the team, they sent me some quotes … I can’t say enough about them.”

Garrett tough as nails

Linebacker Landon Garrett, who may weight 160 pounds dripping wet, ignited the game-chancing goal-line stand when he shot through a gap to make the initial hit on Plymouth’s prolific running back Ethan Sober, who finished the game with 161 yards rushing and all three Wildcat TDs.

The Pink Out game was a thriller from the outset.

Salem scored first on its opening drive when Creighton connected with junior wide receiver Caleb Chinzadza, who scored on a 59-yard bomb later in the game.

Chinzadza’s favorite NFL player is Jameson Williams, thus the Rock junior’s nickname is Jaymo Junior.

“On those touchdowns, Luke sees how the defense is set up and he just gives me a certain look,” Chinzadza said. “We have this great connection between us — a certain chemistry — that comes from staying after practice and working on routes — and we played 7 on 7 together all summer.

‘It was all Luke’

“Honestly, it’s all Luke. I just have to get open a lit bit and catch the ball,  and he does the rest.”

Plymouth deadlocked the game at 7-7 with 4:07 to go in the first quarter on a 13-yard TD run by Sober and extra point by Cesar Flores. (Creighton booted three extra points for Salem.)

On the Rocks’ next possession, Creighton delivered a perfect spiral to Nye Turner who sprinted down the Salem sideline before motoring into the end zone.

Braylen Bowie’s 1-yard TD with 8:26 to play in the first half put Salem up, 20-7.

Sober’s second TD cut Plymouth’s halftime deficit to 20-13.

Salem stretched its advantage to 27-13 on the highlight reel pass from Creighton to Chinzadza before Sober’s third score brought the Wildcats to within seven (the extra point was blocked.”

Parade of big plays, celebration

Then came the goal-line stand, followed by Locke’s victory-sealing pick — and the night was capped by a wild celebration as the Rocks secured the Park’s traveling trophy for the first time ever.

Defensive standouts for Plymouth were Abdel Eldow (six tackles), Brady Scheffer (four tackles, four assists, sack), Max Hornbacher (four tackles) and Drew Kime (one tackle, three assists).

Jordan Green also played well, registering one tackle and three assists.

Salem can improve to 5-4 (and possibly earn an MHSAA playoff berth) next Friday night at Livonia Stevenson as both teams finished fifth in their respective KLAA divisions.

“You go into these games knowing anything can happen,” Coach Garrett concluded. “One thing for sure with us, though: We’re going to keep swinging and fighting to the end.”

Ed Wright can be reached at 734-664-4657 or edwright@socialhousenews.com.