Novi’s Detroit Catholic Central puts its 22-game winning streak on the line Saturday, Oct. 24, at Ford Field. The 8-0 Shamrocks face Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice at 7:30 p.m. in the Catholic High School League’s (CHSL) Prep Bowl LIV finale, according to the league’s official event guide.
Catholic Central hasn’t lost a divisional game since a 14-7 defeat at Warren De La Salle on Sept. 22, 2023, the Oakland Press reported. Brother Rice hasn’t beaten the Shamrocks head-to-head since a 41-14 win in 2014.
Brother Rice enters at 6-2 after defeating Toledo St. John’s Jesuit 30-25, according to MLive’s Week 8 roundup.
Catholic Central rolled into the matchup after a 42-0 shutout of Toledo St. Francis de Sales on Friday, Oct. 16. The victory extended its winning streak to 22 games, according to USA TODAY’s Oct. 19 regional rankings, which place the Shamrocks fifth in the Midwest.
MaxPreps ranks Catholic Central No. 1 in Michigan and lists senior Gideon Gash with 15 total touchdowns this season. Gash is committed to Texas Tech.
Head coach Justin Cessante set the tone for the season in July, telling the Oakland Press ahead of the Amazon Prep Kickoff Classic that the program had moved past its 2025 championship. He warned against complacency and said the Shamrocks were “working accordingly.”
The Prep Bowl is part of the CHSL’s centennial celebration. Gates open at Ford Field at 7:15 a.m., with CYO championship games at 9 a.m. and 10:45 a.m.
The high school program begins at 12:45 p.m. with a ceremony honoring educators. The Cardinal division championship kicks off at 1:30 p.m., followed by Dearborn Divine Child against Jackson Lumen Christi at 4:30 p.m.
Before the Catholic Central-Brother Rice game, the league will recognize its 100 greatest male athletes and 100 greatest female athletes, according to the event guide.
Catholic Central won the Division 1 state title last November with a 42-19 victory over Detroit Cass Tech at Ford Field, according to the school. Saturday’s Prep Bowl returns the Shamrocks to the same venue.
