The Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Cranes (3-0) (1-0) push past the Royal Oak Shrine Knights (1-2) (0-1) 42-7; remain undefeated on the season.
The Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Cranes (3-0) (1-0) defeated the Royal Oak Shrine Knights (1-2) (0-1) 42-7 in their CHSL opening game. The Cranes move to a 3-0 overall record on the season.
The Cranes got off to a fast start.
At 10:01 in the first quarter, senior QB Trevor McConnell found senior WR Marqis Stokes for a 22 yard pass play for a TD. On the very next possession, McConnell took a bootleg run into the end zone for a rushing TD.
A few minutes later on defense, Cranbrook junior CB Kobi Russell picked off a Shrine pass and took it in for a touchdown. Three successful Pierson Cooke PAT’s made the score 21-0 with 5:01 left in the 1st quarter.
In the second quarter, McConnell found Stokes again on an 11-yard pass for a Cranes TD.
McConnell would next find Russell on a deep route. They would connect for a 55-yard pass play with 7:36 left in the second quarter.
A 50-yard TD scamper by sophomore RB Tariq Muhammad would bring the score to 41-0 with 6:33 left in the 2nd quarter.
The Knights would find the end zone on a 5-yard Anthony Massucci pass to Jacob Whitmore before the half to give us the final score 41-7.
“We got off to a good start offensively, “said Cranes Head Coach Joe D’Angelo. “We were able to connect on our pass routes and move the ball.”
McConnell finished the day 7 for 9 with 133 yards and 3 passing TD’s. Kobi Russell finished with 2 receptions for 68 yards and 1 TD. Marqis Stokes had 2 receptions for 33 yards and 2 TD’s.
The Crane defense allowed their first score of the season to Shrine today. Their previous games were shutouts.
“Our defense played well today, taking away Shrine’s strong running game,” said D’Angelo. “But Shrine is a well-prepared team, and we knew they would be tough. They never quit.”
Defensively, sophomore LB Jack Fairman led the team with 8.5 tackles. Senior DE Chris Smith, senior DE Jackson Ponicall and junior DT Danny Files each had a sack. Junior CB Kobi Russell and junior CB Dylan Schwartz each had interceptions with Russell returning his for a TD.
Pierson Cooke was 6 for 6 in PAT's and averaged 42 yards on 3 punts.
The Cranes move on to face Dearborn Divine Child on the road in a CHSL crossover game next week.