WELCOME HORNET FOOTBALL FANS...

The SHS Football Banquet & Awards Ceremony will be 11/8/11.

BANQUET PORTION:  F, JV, & V players and coaches ONLY will have dinner together from 6PM - 7PM in the HS Commons.

AWARDS CEREMONY PORTION:  Players, coaches and all families report to the HS Auditorium at 7PM for the Awards Ceremony.

PLEASE RSVP YOUR PLAYER FOR ATTENDING THE BANQUET PORTION TO MISSY GORDON BY 11/1/11.

Any questions, contact Missy Gordon

salinefootball10@gmail.com

Hornets Season Ends at Novi, 42-21

Saline's defense couldn't contain the Wildcats.

Salinepatch.com

ByTranLongmoore Saline 21 - Novi 42 

Football season came to an end for the Saline Hornets Friday, in a 42-21 loss to their hosts at Novi High School.

The Hornets (4-5), needed a win to make the MHSAA playoffs. After a defensive stop and a touchdown on their first possession, it looked like the Hornets might live to play another Friday. But Novi (4-5) tight end Michael Jocz (9 catches, 114 yards, two touchdowns) and running back Justin Brooks (8 carries, 106 yards, 3 touchdowns) dashed Saline’s post-season dreams.

For the Hornets, Reece Dils (10-for-17, 1 touchdown, one interception) threw a 54-yard touchdown pass Brandon Gordon and rushed for a one-yard touchdown. Matt Barbu scored Saline’s third touchdown of the night on a 44-yard interception return.

“We just continued to give them points in the first half and it put us behind the eight ball and forced us into doing some different things,” said coach Mike Glennie.

Saline came out firing on defense, forcing a three-and-out. The Hornets began at their own 30 and handed ball off to Justin Barnes, who’d rushed for 11 touchdowns and nearly 600 yards in the two previous games. Barnes rushed the team out to midfield before the Wildcats took plugged up the middle and took it away. On third-and-10 from the Saline 46, Dils threw a short pass to Gordon over the middle. Gordon spun around and sprinted 54 yards for a touchdown. Dylan Mulder’s kick made it 7-0 with 7:53 to play in the first quarter.

It didn’t take long for Novi to answer. Derek Ince (23-for-35, 3 touchdowns) moved the Wildcats up the field with passes to Jocz, Logan Regnier, and Scotty Kempa. Ince completed a big 3^rd-and-10 pass to Jocz for a first down at the Saline 20. Lucas Buck’s 17-yard scamper gave Novi a first-and-goal from the three. Two plays later, Justin Brooks rushed in from a yard out. After the kick, it was 7-7.

Saline’s next drive started at the 29 after a 23-yard return by Gordon. After a couple of passes to Gordon and a run by Barnes, Saline had a first down at the Novi 45.. Barnes tacked on five more yards. But the drive ended two plays later when Derek Cingel picked off a pass at the Novi 33. The Wildcats started at their own 19 after a penalty. Once again, Ince found Jocz on third-and-10 to keep the drive going. A few plays later, Ince connected with Jocz for a 17-yard touchdown. The kick made it 14-7.

Saline’s next drive stared at its 20. A balanced attack that included rushes by Barnes and passes to Derek Owings and Gordon moved the ball up field. Saline pressed as far as the Novi 12, but the drive stalled after Hunter Leslie was dragged down in the backfield. On fourth down, Mulder’s 33-yard field goal attempt was just wide.

Novi’s athleticism was evident on the next drive. Cingel made a great catch along the Novi sideline to move the Wildcats into Saline territory. A couple plays later, Cingel made a diving catch along the Saline sideline in the end zone for a touchdown catch that was disputed by the Hornets. The kick made it 21-7 with 6:41 to play in the half.

Saline climbed back to within seven on a 77-yard drive that was capped with a one-yard keeper by Dils. The big play in the drive was a 47-yard keeper by Dils. An unsportsmanlike penalty moved Saline up to the 17. It appeared that Dils and Owings connected on a great touchdown play, but officials ruled Owings out of bounds. But a few plays later, the Hornets scored on Dils’ keeper. Mulder’s kick made it 21-14.

Saline needed a stop on the next drive, but couldn’t nail it down. On third-and-13, Ince found Kempa for a 13-yard pickup. Novi converted another third-and-five with a pass to Jocz for 21 yards. A few plays later, Ince found Jocz all alone in the corner of the end zone. The kick made it 28-14.

Hopes for a strong start to the second half went unanswered as the Hornets went three-and-out. The Saline defense was equal to the task, holding Novi to zero yards on three plays before Novi punted the ball away. Gordon returned a punt 24 yards to the Novi 39 to give the Hornets great field positions. But the Wildcat defense dropped Dils for a 10-yard loss on first down and Mulder punted three plays later.

Novi delivered the coup de grace on the next play from scrimmage. On first down from the Novi 16, Brooks rushed to his right and was nearly dropped for a loss. He escaped the grasp of a Hornet and seemed to be running into the teeth of the defense when he bounced back toward the middle and then sprinted the rest of the way for an 84-yard touchdown. The kick made it 35-14.

Novi added another touchdown in the third to make it 42-14.

Saline scored its final touchdown late in the fourth when Barbu picked off a pass and returned it 44-yards for a touchdown.

It was a disappointing end to a season that started with promise before injuries and other events wreaked havoc on the roster. Saline was 2-1 when the season took a wrong turn at Pioneer in a 35-14 loss. The Hornets lost a heartbreaker to Bedford in week five. The next week, with a decimated roster, the Hornets were down 27-7 to Monroe at halftime and the season appeared to be a washout. Saline battled back to take a 28-27 lead but fell in the final minute.

Despite the loss, it was a sign that the Hornets weren’t done playing football

“A lot of people questioned us. People in school questioned us. I think we questioned each other. But we answered those questions and we came together as a team. I think we showed that tonight,” said Hunter Leslie, after the Monroe game.

Saline battled back to 4-4 with wins over Huron and Skyline.

“This is a great football team. If you look at the stats and the record, you don’t see it. But this team went through a lot of adversity this year, and they kept their chins up and fought and played well, and I’m proud of them,” said Glennie.

 RECAP WEEK - #8

Barnes Rushes for Six Touchdowns as Saline Keeps Playoff Hopes Alive

Salinepatch.com

ByTranLongmoore  Saline 42 - Skyline 21  

Saline senior Justin Barnes is hitting his stride. And anything else that gets in his way.

A week after setting the school record by rushing for 355 yards, the 6-foot, 220-pound running back ran for six touchdowns and 226 yards on 39 carries as Saline defeated Skyline 42-21. Saline improved to 4-4 and kept its playoff hopes alive.

Barnes has rushed for 11 touchdowns in two weeks.

“I love to get the ball and I love the physical contact when I run. I live for it,” said Barnes, who rarely gets stopped by the first hit these days. “My offensive line is playing great and I’m having fun.”

Coach Mike Glennie said the team is gelling after injuries and other issues plagued the team early in the season.

“Justin Barnes is a powerful running back and we’ve seen him improve. At the same time, our offensive line has stepped up and is playing better than it has all year,” Glennie said.

The Hornets visit Novi (3-5) next week. Novi lost to Canton 35-6 Friday. With a win, Saline has a chance to make the playoffs.

“We just look at next week like it is our playoffs,” said Barnes.

Glennie agreed.

“If we win, then the guys with the calculators can tell us whether we make the playoffs or not. If we lose, we’re done. So it is a playoff game for us,” said Glennie.

Skyline struck first on a brilliant passing play. On 3^rd-and-15 from their own 15, Eagles QB Nelson Hansen zipped a perfectly placed bullet over the Saline defensive back and into the hands of 6’3 receiver Jordan Woods, who streaked down the sideline for an 85-yard touchdown.

The Hornets, thanks to a 60-yard kickoff return by Brandon Gordon, bounced right back. They started at the Skyline 38. In contrast to the flashy, quick-strike Eagles, the Hornets offense went the black-and-blue route, smashing the ball up the middle. Barnes had a couple carries for a first down. QB Reece Dils (2-for-3 passing, 29 yards, 1 Interception) connected with Gordon to convert a big 3^rd-and-10 and put Saline at the Skyline eight-yard line. Two Barnes rushes later, Saline was in the end zone. Dylan Mulder’s kick tied the game at 7.

Skyline started their next drive at the 20 after Mulder’s kick sailed into the end zone for a touchback (all seven of Mulder’s kicks went for touchbacks). A great catch by Theron Wilson gave Skyline the ball at midfield. Then 5’3 running back Torrey Juide scooted 11 yards for first down at the Saline 36. But there, the Hornets’ defense drew a line in the sand. The defense sniffed out a reverse and dropped Woods for a two-yard loss. Joey Zakrasjsek (two tackles, two broken up passes) broke up a long pass on second down. A third down pass fell incomplete and Joel Stroebbe (two sacks, five tackles) sacked the quarterback on fourth down to get the ball back for Saline.

Saline moved the ball up the field on runs by Gordon and Barnes. On 4^th-and-9 from the Skyline 34, Dills scrambled through a maze of Eagles for a 14-yard pickup. Jordan Magenta’s seven-yard run up the gut on 3^rd-and-4 gave Saline a first down at the Skyline two. Barnes rushed it in from there. Mulder’s kick (6-for-6 on PATs) made it 14-7.

Skyline started its next drive at the 20 and went nowhere. The Saline secondary, burned on the first couple drives, adjusted to the speed and the height of the Skyline receivers.

“We watched film, but you can only learn so much on film. Once they got out there and played, they picked it up. Skyline has some very talented athletes and they’re very explosive. You can’t coach height, but I think we did a good job doing the kinds of things you can do to defend against their attack,” Glennie said.

On 3^rd-and-10, Hansen’s pass over the middle was intercepted by Magenta, who returned it 20-yards to the Skyline 11. Three plays later, Barnes rushed from five yards out. Mulder’s kick made it 21-7 to end the first quarter.

Skyline answered on its next drive. On 3^rd-and-10 from the 33, Hansen threw a screen pass to Woods, who cut to the middle and bounced back to the right sideline, sprinting to a 67-year touchdown. Erik Lundberg’s kick made it 21-14 with 9:48 to play in the half.

Saline began its next drive at its own 13. A 10-yard first-down run moved the Hornets out to the 27. On the next play, Barnes burst up the middle for 14 yards. Barnes handled the rest of the drive and capped the 87-yard, 5:09 drive with a one-yard TD rush. Saline led 28-14 after Mulder’s kick.

Skyline closed the gap early in the third. The Eagles began their scoring drive at the Saline 36. The first three plays went a grand total of one yard. Hansen and Woods connected for a 15-yard pickup on 4^th-and-9 to keep the drive going. A screen pass to Wilson moved Skyline to the Saline 3. On 2^nd-and-Goal, Hansen dished a short pass to Joe Clark who stiff-armed a Saline tackler and ran into the end zone. Lundberg’s kick make it 28-21.

Saline’s grasp on the game began to look tenuous when Skyline recovered an onside kick at the Saline 40. Jake Swick dropped Percell Franklin in the backfield for a seven-yard loss. Two plays later, Brandon Gordon intercepted a pass and Saline got the ball back at its own 30.

The Hornets, mostly on carries by Barnes and Hunter Leslie (7 carries, 28 yards) ran the ball up the field, eating time off the clock. Barnes rushed in from three yards out for the touchdown. Mulder’s kick made it 35-21 with 9:25 to play.

Considering Skyline’s quick-strike ability, Saline wasn’t out of the woods yet. And Skyline put a scare into the crowd two plays later with a 65-yard touchdown pass from Hansen to Wilson. The play was called back, however, because of an ineligible receiver down field. The Skyline drive sputtered near mid-field and the Eagles punted the ball away.

Another Skyline drive was quashed by Gordon’s second interception of the night. Gordon returned the interception 15 yards to the Skyline 15. On first down, Barnes rushed in for his sixth touchdown of the game with 2:30 to play. Mulder’s kick made it 42-21.

RECAP WEEK - #7  Barnes Rushes for Five Touchdowns as Saline Defeats Huron

Saline.patch.com

Saline senior Justin Barnes ran 27 times for 355 yards and five touchdowns against Ann Arbor Huron Thursday.

Justin Barnes ran for 355 yards and five touchdowns as Saline defeated host Ann Arbor Huron, 45-25, in varsity football action Thursday night.

The Hornets (3-4, 1-3 SEC Red) overcame early turnovers and found a way to limit speedy River Rat back Parish Thomas as the game went on to crack a three game losing streak and win their first SEC Red game this season.

It was a big win for the Hornets, who recently lost in overtime to Bedford and then lost to Monroe in the final moments after a thrilling second half comeback.

“We had two tough losses. It just feels good to get back to dominating the way we can,” said Barnes.

The senior has played well and gained tough yardage for the Hornets all season. But in Thursday’s game, the 6-foot, 220-pound had a field day. In the third and fourth quarter, Barnes often broke through the line untouched. Other times, he steamrolled whoever was in front of him, even has he carried River Rats on his back.

“It felt great. It felt like I was on top of the world,” said Barnes, who gave credit to his offensive line. “It was wide open. I had too many decisions to make. I just put my head down and ran.”

Coach Mike Glennie said it wasn’t the plan to run Barnes up the middle all game. In fact, the team spent much of the week working on the passing game.

“We take what they give us. We’re going to run jet sweep on everyone and if they take that away from us, there’s something else we can do,” Glennie said. “They tied to stop our jet, so we threw in on Justin’s back and let him carry it.”

Barnes rushed the ball 27 times.

Gage Hammond rushed nine times for 101 yards and a touchdown. Hunter Leslie carried seven times for 47 yards.

Defensively, Derek Owings had seven tackles and three sacks. Matt Goeman had seven tackles and broke up two passing plays. Brandon Gordon made five tackles, picked off a pass and broke up two passes.

It wasn’t the greatest of starts for Saline. After Hammond rushed for 17 yards on the first play from scrimmage, the Hornets fumbled the ball away at the Huron 33. On the River Rats first play, Parish Thomas bounced through the Hornet defense and sprinted up the sideline for a touchdown.  Grant Strickler’s kick made it 7-0.

On the kickoff, Hammond returned it to the 43. Runs by Leslie and Barnes moved the Hornets over midfield. After offsetting penalties, Barnes gave Saline another first down on the ground. Two plays later, Hammond took the hand off from quarterback Reece Dils and zipped through the defense for a 21-yard touchdown. Dylan Mulder’s kick made it 7-7.

The River Rats started their next possession at the 23 and gained 34 yards on the first play with a halfback pass. A few plays later, Huron had first and goal at the Saline five. The Hornets kept the River Rats out of the endzone with big plays by Leslie, Gordon and Alex Kendig. But the River Rats took a 10-7 lead with an 18-yard field goal by Strickler.

Things looked like they might ugly for Saline when, on the first play of the next drive, the River Rats defense stripped the ball from Hammond and recovered the fumble. Huron started at the Saline 26 and after a passing play from Alex Hassan to Demetrius Sims netted 21 yards, the Hornets defense put up al wall. Owings made a tackle on first down and passes fell incomplete on second and third down. Huron settled for a field goal and led 13-7 with 1:23 to play in the quarter.

Gordon returned the kickoff to the Saline 37. Two big runs by Barnes pushed Saline to the Huron 33. From there, it was Barnes again, finding a hole, breaking a tackle and sprinting 33 yards for the score. Saline led 14-13 after Mulder’s kick.

Huron returned the favor with a 79-yard drive that finished with a five-yard keeper by Hassan. The pass on the two-point conversion failed and Huron led 19-14 with 6:59 to play.

The Hornets wasted no time. They began their next drive on the 44.  After a penalty, the Hornets kept the drive alive with a 17-yard passing play between Dils and Joe Zakrajsek, who made a nice sideline catch before stepping out of bounds. Two runs by Barnes moved the ball down to the 15. After a nine-yard gain by Leslie, Barnes rushed it up the gut, spinning off a tackle for a six-yard touchdown run. Mulder’s kick made it 21-19 with 2:52 to play in the half.

Saline’s defense Huron to punt after just three plays on their next possession. The Hornets started at their 48 and seemed like they might stall until Barnes picked up 27 yards on a fourth-and-two. The offense couldn’t get any closer than the 14. Mulder booted a 27-yard field goal with 10.9 seconds left in the half for a 24-19 lead.

Saline’s was nearly as miserly on Huron’s drive to open the second half. After a first down, the Hornets shut down the River Rats. Owings made a big stop on third-and-4 to force the River Rats to punt.

Saline began at its nine. But Barnes gave them room to breathe with a 38-yard rush on first down. He rushed for two more first downs. After a 10-yard scamper by Leslie, Barnes rushed in from six yards out. Mulder’s kick made it 31-17.

Huron was dangerous on their next possession. On first-and-10 from their own 33, Hassan tossed a short pass to Thomas, who looked dead in his tracks five yards behind scrimmage. But Thomas bounced off his tackle, rushed veered back toward the center of the field and then pinballed through the Hornets for a 46-yard gain. But the Hornets ended the threat on the next play when Brandon Gordon intercepted a halfback pass at the Saline four.

The Hornets took over with 5:45 to play in the third. It was nearly all Barnes, who gained 83 of the yards on the 96-yard drive, scoring from the eight-yard line. Mulder’s kick made it 38-19 with 2:19 to play in the quarter.

The River Rats showed promise until a sack by Owings and a tackle behind scrimmage by Craig Smith put an end to it.

Saline started its next drive at its own 32 and quickly moved up the field on the ground. A 13-yard sweep by Hammond put the ball on the Huron 16. From there, Barnes rushed in off tackle. Mulder’s kick made it 45-19. Huron added a fourth quarter touchdown but failed on the two-point conversion.

RECAP WEEK - #6 

Late Drive Spoils Hornet Homecoming Comeback

After fighting back from a 27-7 halftime deficit, Saline was unable to come up with a stop late

ByJustin LadoSaline 28 - Monroe 35  

The Saline Hornets were on the verge of treating their homecoming crowd to a monumental comeback.

Down 27-7 at halftime, the Hornets had climbed back behind a stout defense and led 28-27 with less than six minutes remaining. But the Monroe Trojans, with a late touchdown and two-point conversion, pulled ahead for good and won 35-28 on Friday night.

Saline got off to a tough start, going three and out on offense and then giving up a 61-yard touchdown pass to Monroe’s Marvin Antwih on the second play from scrimmage defensively. The ensuing offensive possession ended with a missed Dylan Mulder field goal from 49 yards out that was pulled just left of the upright. Monroe struck again with another big play, this time when Alec Swindeman wove his way for a 62-yard touchdown run with 3:11 left in the first quarter. After a missed extra point by the Trojans, neither team would score to end the quarter with Monroe up 13-0.

Monroe continued its early pounding in the second quarter behind Alec Stewart, who ran a touchdown in from 11 yards out, dragging Hornets into the end zone with him. The Trojans failed to convert a two-point attempt to go up 19-0. Saline got onto the board with 2:41 left in the half, when Hunter Leslie (11 carries for 101 yards and a touchdown) ran around Monroe’s defense and scored on a 36-yard play. The Trojans would answer back with less than a minute left in the half, however, and they went into the break leading 27-7.

“On film, it did not look like they sustained drives; [Monroe is] a big play team. They have three great backs. They have a drive that will be two first downs and a 60-yard run. That was the tale of the first half,” said head coach Mike Glennie.

The second half was a complete reversal. Saline’s defense came out and completely shut down the Trojan offense, while Reece Dils (15-25 passing for 159 yards) and Justin Barnes (10 carries for 19 yards and 3 touchdowns) led the Hornet offense to three consecutive touchdowns; Barnes pounded the ball in from the one-yard line three times in the second half. The defense, meanwhile, forced two fumbles, both of which were recovered by Will Miller (4 tackles, 2 fumble recoveries). One of the turnovers came directly after Saline had failed to convert a fourth and short deep in the Trojan half of the field. Saline had the lead with 5:39 left in the game after Barnes’ final touchdown run of the evening.

“The defense did their job in the second half; they caused two fumbles and recovered both of them. [The offense] scored on one of them. These are guys that are fighting and playing with their hearts.  I’m very proud of them,” said Glennie.

Unfortunately, the defense got gashed for one final big play. Down one, the Trojans drove the ball effectively late, capped off by Swindeman’s second big touchdown run of the evening, a 33-yard scamper. This time, Monroe succeeded in converting two points, and led 35-28 with 1:38 remaining.  Saline’s final drive of the evening was cut short when Gage Hammond threw an interception to Thomas West on a halfback-pass attempt. 

The Hornets travel to Huron on Thursday, Oct. 6 to face the River Rats.

RECAP WEEK - #5  Saline Drops Thriller to Bedford in OT

Saliine's varsity football team fell to 2-3 in a heartbreaker at home.

Salinepatch.com

The Saline Hornets football team battled hard all evening, capping off a comeback with less than 30 seconds left in regulation to tie the Bedford Kicking Mules at 24 before falling in overtime 30-27.

The Hornets (2-3) had trouble stopping the run at times, but played a clean, aggressive game. The Hornets fell to 0-2 in the SEC Red Division.

Down 24-17, facing a 4th-and-10 from the Bedford 11 with 30 seconds left in the game, quarterback Reece Dils lofted a pass into the corner of the endzone for Derek Owings, who went up and made the catch. Dylan Mulder's extra point kick sent it to overtime.

Mulder kicked a field goal to give Saline with 27-24 lead in overtime, but Bedford's Jonathan Prajzner rushed in from six yards out to seal the victory for Bedford.

Dils opened scoring for Saline on a five-yard run with 6:57 left in the opening quarter. On second-and-goal from the five, Dils dropped back and immediately faced pressure. He ran to his left and then cut back to his right, sweeping into the end zone untouched.

Dylan Mulder (two for three field goal attempts, three for three on extra points) missed his first field goal attempt of the evening, a 49-yard try that had the distance, but was pushed just left of the upright.

Bedford’s Aaron Czesak scored early in the second quarter on a 2-yard run to bring the game even, and Saline’s defense gave up a 71-yard run to Jonathan Prajzner with 4:16 left in the half to put Bedford up by seven. The ensuing kickoff was returned by Gage Hammond for a touchdown. Hammond, who was leaning backwards over the end zone line when he caught the ball to avoid a touchback, returned it 99 yards for the score.

Hammond intercepted Czesak on the following drive, setting up a 36-yard field goal by Mulder with 11.6 seconds left sent Saline into halftime up 17-14.

“In Gage’s mind, he expects to score every time he touches the ball. That’s just how he plays,” said head coach Mike Glennie.

The third quarter was a back-and-forth defensive affair, with Bedford putting the only points on the board with 33.4 seconds left. Jonathan Shepherd ran the ball in from 1-yard out to give the Kicking Mules a 21-17 lead.

Saline’s opening fourth quarter drive would end on an incomplete pass by Dils (8 for 16 passing for 84 yards with one touchdown and one interception) on a fourth and one, but the Hornet defense forced Bedford to turn the ball over on downs themselves by stopping a sweep play on fourth and five. Bedford increased their lead by adding a field goal with 2:10 left after Dils threw his only interception of the night, but Saline was not done. Using the remaining time efficiently, Dils orchestrated a ten play, 60-yard drive that culminated with a Derek Owings 11 yard touchdown grab on a fourth and 10. Owings, who was interfered with by Bedford’s defender, laid out in the corner of the end zone with 26.2 seconds left to send the game into extra time.

“I was proud of their effort. With twenty-some seconds left in the game, they could have quit, but they showed a lot of character and came back and fought to get to overtime. I was proud of that effort and expect them to come back next week with same kind of effort,” said Glennie.

Saline got the ball first in overtime, and the offense was held to a field goal after Andrew Butcko and Justin Barnes (16 carries for 56 yards) combined to gain only four yards and a Dils incomplete pass. Prajzner scored a touchdown on second down from six yards out to end the game on Bedford’s possession.

Saline season continues when they host Monroe on Friday, Sept. 30 in the Hornets Homecoming game.

GLENNIE's CORNER... 

(Important updates...notes...messages and/or reminders for the Saline Football Community...will appear HERE!)

Many of our athletes are just finishing our winter 3D training sessions with Justion Patinoude.  They have done a tremendous job and have made big gains.  Look for Justin to return to work with all of our athletes at morning workouts on Mondays and Thursdays this summer.

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Winter Testing is currently going on in the Fitness Classes.  Lots to be excited about with all of our athletes seeing gains and many goals broken!  Time to redo your personal goals for the Spring trimester.  Great Work!

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Spring time means scheduling for next year's classes.  All rising varsity football athletes should be making sure their counselors have them scheduled into the new zero hour Fitness Class for our varsity football team.  This class is highly recommended for our varsity football players.

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"There are those who travel and those who are going somewhere.  They are different and yet they are the same.  The successful have this over their rivals: they know where they are going." ... Do you know where you are going?

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