DETROIT, Michigan -- The Detroit Martin Luther King Crusaders led for a total of zero seconds, but a Hail Mary touchdown as time expired gave them a 40-38 victory over the Lowell Red Arrows in the Michigan High School Athletic Association Division 2 State Championship at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan.
The Crusaders (14-0) dug themselves into a huge hole to start the game. Lowell found the board first with a 21-yard field goal from George Gonzalez with 5:08 to play in the first quarter.
It seemed to be a defensive battle until the second quarter rolled around. The Red Arrows (12-2) scored on back-to-back drives to extend their lead to 17-0. First, Max Dean took a one-yard carry to the house. Then, quarterback Ryan Stevens pushed into the end zone on a four-yard quarterback keeper.
Detroit Martin Luther King finally scored with 4:21 left in the first half as senior quarterback Armani Posey squeezed through the defensive line of Lowell to score from 3 yards out. The Crusaders, however, still trailed to the Red Arrows.
Dean was productive all night for Lowell. He scored his first of three touchdowns with 1:53 to play in the first half. The three-yard score gave the Red Arrows a 24-7 lead in the Division 3 State Championship.
Besides the three touchdowns, Dean carried the ball 22 times for 99 yards. He averaged 4.5 yards per carry.
With 25 seconds to play the Crusaders scored on a 12-yard connection from Posey to Lavert Hill, a senior receiver. The touchdown cut the Lowell lead to 24-13 at halftime after Anwar Miah missed the extra point.
Lowell increased their lead to 31-13 on a four-yard touchdown with 8:24 left in the third quarter. Dean, the ball carrier, had no trouble jumping over the pile for six.
Posey and the Crusader offense scored on back-to-back drives. The first was to end the third quarter as Donnie Corley caught a 25-yard pass for a touchdown. With 11:44 to play in the game, Posey found Ambry Thomas for a 41-yard score to cut the Crusader deficit to five after the extra point was blocked.
The scoreboard lit up once again for Lowell as Stevens, the quarterback, scored on a sneak play up the middle to give the Red Arrows a 38-26 lead.
Stevens scored two rushing touchdowns, but failed to throw a touchdown. The senior carried the ball for 68 yards and completed 6-of-9 passes for 186 yards.
With 4:42 left in the game, Hill scored on a two-yard pass from Posey. It was Posey who connected with Detroit King's running back Martell Pettaway for the two-point conversion to make it a four point deficit.
Detroit Martin Luther King had once last chance to score with two seconds left on the play clock. Posey dropped back and found Corley streaking down the near left side of the field for a 40-yard touchdown as time expired to give the Crusaders a 40-38 win over the Red Arrows. The team went 97 yards in 38 seconds for the victory.
Posey finished 19-for-27 through the air for 383 yards and five touchdowns. Corley, his main receiver, caught six passes for 108 yards and two scores and Boyd caught five passes for 126 yards. Meanwhile, Hill and Thomas combined for two receiving touchdowns. Posey also added a rushing touchdown to account for all six Crusader touchdowns.
With the win, Detroit Martin Luther King took home the Division 2 State Championship title and kept their undefeated record.