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Bo Bell carries 40 times, Lumen Christi grinds out 26-14 victory over Glen Lake in Division 6 final
Detroit – Jackson Lumen Christi is one of the most successful programs in state history but there’s been a void recently.
After winning the Division 5 title in 2009, its fifth in 10 seasons, Lumen Christi had been shutout since. The Titans hadn’t reached a final since until this season.
Lumen Christi added to its lore on Friday as the Titans defeated Maple City Glen Lake 26-14 in the Division 6 title game at Ford Field.
It was Lumen Christi’s 11th consecutive victory and ninth state title (5 in Division 5, three in Class B).
Lumen Christi (12-2) kept it simple offensively as it feature running back Bo Bell to ground out 298 yards.
Bell led the way with 238 yards and one touchdown on a season-high 40 carries. Fullback Kyle Minder had 66 yards and three touchdowns on 21 carries.
Bell also carried the ball 40 and 39 times in other games this season so it wasn’t that unusual that coach Herb Brogan would go to his senior so often.
“The kids like each other,” Brogan said. “It’s not always that they like each other. You have to have a special senior group to make it happen.”
Defensively the Titans allowed Glen Lake one big scoring play (57-yard touchdown pass from Cade Peterson to Nick Rice) but other than that it was Lumen Christi that dictated tempo.
“We didn’t convert on fourth-and-1 a couple of times,” Glen Lake coach Gerald Angers said. “Plus we didn’t stop them. (Bell) is as good as we thought he’d be. The kid at Roscommon is real good, too.”
Glen Lake (11-3) defeated Roscommon 36-12 in a district final.
Minder scored on two short touchdown runs (three and one yard) to give the Titans a 13-0 lead with 7:29 left in the first half.
The Lakers closed to within 13-7 on Peterson’s scoring pass to Rice.
Minder’s third short touchdown run with 10 seconds left in the half pushed Lumen Christi’s lead back to 13 points.
Bell’s 3-yard touchdown run completed a six-play, 68-yard drive and gave the Titans a 26-7 lead with 3:36 left in the third quarter.
Uncharacteristically Bell fumbled early in the fourth and Glen Lake capitalized as the Lakers scored on a 9-yard pass from Peterson to Nick Apsey.
For Bell it was his first fumble of the season, which he was not pleased about.
“Coach told us to hold onto the ball,” he said.
Bell made up for this miscue on the next drive, one that did not produce points, but was a significant drive nonetheless.
With 9:47 remaining Lumen Christi took over on its 24 and the titans chewed up 8:04 on the clock as they ran 17 plays, 12 by Bell rushing. Bell gained 45 tough yards.
“The harder I get hit, the harder I want to get back,” Bell said. “All of the hard work is worth it.”
Peterson, a junior, was 15-of-20 for 254 yards and no interceptions. What hurt the Lakers was their lack of a rushing attack. Glen Lake had but four yards.
