The Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Cranes (3-1) will face the Lutheran High North Mustangs (2-2) in a CHSL Intersectional I division matchup in Week 5 of prep football action. This is the opening of divisional play for both teams.
The Cranes enter the game with three wins on the season, including a 36-21 win over Waterford Our Lady of Lakes (2-2). The Crane victory was the first win over the perennial powerhouse since the Cranbrook entered the CHSL in 2010.
The other Cranbrook victories were a 23-19 win over Hamtramck and a 44-0 win over Detroit University Prep. The only loss was a 26-14 defeat by Harper Woods Chandler Park.
“The team has had to learn to overcome challenges, it’s a sign of positive growth, “said Head Coach Joe D’Angelo. “The boys are learning how to meet adversity with preparation.”
Macomb Lutheran North approaches this game with an even 2-2 record on the season. With a solid 28-0 win over Clarenceville and a 42-6 win Harper Woods, the Mustangs have certainly benefited from steady senior leadership.
“I’ve always believed that seniors are the lifeblood of the team,” Head Coach Ryan Wesley told Miprepzone.com earlier this year. “They do the motivating. They are the leaders.”
But the Mustangs have also lost two games this year- a 47-15 loss to Warren Michigan Collegiate and a 34-13 CHSL crossover loss to Ann Arbor Gabriel Richard.
“We’ve spent a lot of time on mental toughness and the ability to regroup and turn it around. We can’t feel sorry for ourselves. We have to move on and face the tasks ahead,” Wesley said earlier.
As both teams enter their divisional schedule, the prospect of a divisional title looms as the back drop to this game.
Since joining the Catholic League in 2010, neither team has earned a division championship. Lutheran North played in the AA division, finishing 3rd in 2010 as their best performance. Cranbrook finished 2nd in the Intersectional I division last year as their best showing.
The pair was selected first and second in the CHSL Intersectional division in the preseason coach’s poll, with Cranbrook picked to finish first.
Beyond the divisional championship is the possibility of playing in the Catholic League Prep Bowl, the first opportunity to do so for both teams. A trip to Ford Field excites both teams and their supporters.
“The expectations are high for both teams this year. It will be a good game,’ said D’Angelo.
The game will be held Saturday September 24th, 2016 at 1:00 p.m. at the Del Walden Field on the Cranbrook Campus. The field is located at 550 Lone Pine Road, Bloomfield Hills, MI 48304.