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Malzone throws four TD passes to lead Rice
~~Detroit – Alex Malzone threw for 363 yards and four touchdowns to lead Birmingham Brother Rice to a wild 40-34 victory over Chicago Brother Rice in the finale of the Prep Football Classic on Saturday at Wayne State.
The Warriors have now won 23 straight. Their last loss was to Orchard Lake St. Mary’s on Sept. 28, 2012.
The Warriors trailed 21-13 before Malzone completed a 69-yard touchdown pass to Grant Perry with 10:10 left in the first half.
Perry’s 80-yard touchdown reception brought Brother Rice to within 27-26 with 6:25 left in the third.
The Warriors took the lead for good on a 27-yard touchdown run by Bobby Dixon III with 3:07 left in the quarter.
“The first half we went through some adversity,” Malzone said. “The offensive line, we made some adjustments. We set the tone with the beginning of the third quarter.”
The major adversity was the loss of receiver/defensive back/kick returner Delano Madison. The senior suffered a knee injury in the second quarter and did not return. While in there Madison was electrifying. He scored on a 29-yard touchdown pass to give Brother Rice a 6-0 lead. Madison had an interception and he returned a kickoff 75 yards for a touchdown.
This was Dave Sofran’s first game as head coach at Brother Rice after serving 10 years as offensive coordinator under legendary Coach Al Fracassa.
“The first win is great,” he said. “I’m proud of the guys. It’s about them, not about me being here.
“It was normal Alex today. We went through some adversity in the first half.”
Sofran said Madison, who missed his junior year with a leg injury, might have suffered an ACL injury.
Malzone completed 20 of 34 attempts and Perry had eight receptions for 213 yards.
For Chicago Brother Rice quarterback Alex Alarcon was 13-for-26 for 172 yards and Marcus Jones carried 12 times for 77 yards and two touchdowns. Jones also had a touchdown reception.
