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FOOTBALL: ML King earns PSL-playoff Spot with a 47-0 victory over Frederick Douglass
DETROIT – Homecoming weekend is a special tradition at M.L. King, and has been long before I attended there four years ago. Whether it’s the parade, the dance or football game, homecoming at MLK has always had something for everyone.
But this year none of that mattered to the Crusaders football players besides the game itself: beating Frederick Douglass would make them a lock to be the #2 seed in the PSL-East, and make the city playoffs.
And that focus paid off, in an impressive 47-0 win over Frederick Douglas on Friday evening.
"We had to win or our city title hopes would have been over", said senior quarterback Da’Vaun Williams after the game.
After a somewhat quiet 1st quarter with King leading 7-0 on a Da’Vaun Williiams touchdown run, the Crusaders defense turned it up a notch when Leon Alexander intercepted a pass inside the endzone to stop a Frederick Douglas scoring drive. 10 plays and 89 yards later, Jerrod Davis scored from 7-yards out with 7:30 left in the 2nd quarter. King’s defense forced turnovers on Douglass’s next four possessions,and capitalized on all of them.
King defensive end Leshawn McGuire made two crucial plays in a row, first intercepting a pass that lead to another Jerrod Davis touchdown run (16 carries,117 yards,2 touchdowns). McGuire then forced Douglass’s star running-back Demetrius Stinson to fumble the ball and Mycial Allen took it in for a 13-yard score with 5:43 left before halftime. Allen also had two interceptions in the game as ML King’s tough defense held Stinson to 35 yards on 13 carries and forced quarterback Cory Peterson into mistakes all game.
King used a 34 point 2nd quarter to blow the contest open and capped the half off with an 83-yard interception return for touchdown by Jalen Embry. They added a 44-yard insurance touchdown from Williams to Alexander late in the 3rd quarter to defeat Douglass 47-0. The win was King’s third consecutive shutout and assured them a spot in the city playoffs versus Cass Tech. That matchup should prove a much more significant test for ML King, but based on their recent play, it will be a game not to miss.
