Defending Division 1 state champion Detroit Catholic Central travels to Clarkston High School on Friday, Nov. 13, for a regional final with a state semifinal berth on the line.
Both teams enter at 10-1. Kickoff is 7 p.m., as listed on Catholic Central’s school calendar.
The Shamrocks, based in Novi, are ranked No. 1 in Michigan by MaxPreps. The site’s league standings list Catholic Central with 465 points scored and 127 allowed.
Catholic Central opened the playoffs with a 43-6 win over Lake Orion, then beat Oxford 40-27 in the district final Nov. 6.
Clarkston advanced by rallying from a two-score deficit in the third quarter to beat Grand Blanc 27-26, The Oakland Press reported. Senior Malachi Switzer blocked an extra-point attempt that would have tied the game in the fourth quarter.
Senior quarterback Alex Waszczenko gives the Wolves options through the air and on the ground. Before the district final, he had completed 64% of his passes for 1,116 yards, 11 touchdowns and two interceptions. He also had rushed for 404 yards and 11 touchdowns, The Detroit News reported Nov. 5.
Catholic Central is seeking another championship run after finishing 14-0 last season. The Shamrocks defeated Cass Tech 42-19 at Ford Field in the 2025 Division 1 final, according to the school’s championship announcement.
This season’s only defeat came against Brother Rice, which won 31-25 in overtime in Week 9, according to the MHSAA. That loss ended a 22-game winning streak, MLive reported.
Head coach Justin Cessante, a 1999 Catholic Central graduate, played on the school’s 1997 and 1998 state championship teams, according to his official coaching biography. He became head coach in January 2023, Woodward Sports Network reported.
Friday’s winner advances to the state semifinals Nov. 21. The Division 1 championship is scheduled for 7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 28, at Ford Field in Detroit, according to the MHSAA’s tournament schedule.
