THE PLAY OF ALL PLAYS!
Every now and then we witness a moment in sports that seems to stand out among the rest. It seems to capture us, amaze us and even in many ways temporarily stop time. Friday night at Port Huron’s Memorial Stadium we saw a special moment. It was that one special play that makes it possible for us to one day look back and say WE WERE THERE! I’m happy to say I called play-by-play for it. BIG RED QB – MARK CHAPMAN DID IT! He won the District Title for Port Huron with one big run! In doing so, #5 put an all time stamp on the greatest season in Port Huron football history, not only assuring yet another playoff game for the Big Reds this Friday Night but also assuring his place among the all time GREAT PORT HURON HIGH BIG REDS! One play sealed the 2011 fate of the Rochester Adams Highlanders. One play won the 2011 District Championship for Port Huron. One play said everything. The Big Reds pulled away with a 27-21 comeback victory over the Highlanders and they’re now moving on yet again in the MHSAA playoffs. This time they’ll take on Walled Lake Central (also 10-1) but first things first. Here’s how THE BIG D saw this playoff game for the ages…
Finally a team shut down Big Red RB – Winslow Chapman (10 carries for 40 rushing yards, 2 catches for 22 and 1 pass for 25). I wasn’t sure it could be done but clearly, Rochester Adams did their homework. Everytime Winslow got passed the line of scrimmage it seemed that Adams was more then ready for him and did what few teams could do on a consistent basis against him…FINISH THE TACKLE. There wasn’t just 1 Central Michigan recruit playing in this game. Like Winslow, Highlander QB – Tony Annese is Central Michigan bound and he got a lot of hype before this game! Believe me, he was as good as advertised. MAYBE BETTER! I was amazed at Annese’s athleticism and his uncanny ability to avoid the pass rush, escape trouble and make something out of nothing. Just look at Annese’s stats in his final Rochester Adams game. Annese had 19 carries for 161 rushing yards and 3 TD’s. He also went 5 for 7 for 96 yards on the pass. He even had an early 28 yard interception return setting up his then second TD of the game on a 5 yard jog. It’s obvious why Central Michigan wants this guy. They’ve got a hidden gem here. Tony Annese folks…REMEMBER THE NAME.
Annese wasn’t the only big name for the Highlanders though. Fullback, David Jagow was an absolute load in this game. Jagow had 28 carries for 135 on the ground. He either busted over players or dragged wannabe tacklers anywhere from 10-12 yards. IN fact, I was worried for the Big Reds in the first quarter. Jagow and RB/WR – Jack Twitty seemed to have something big along the right side of the offense that was gaining 15-20 almost every time. PH would eventually adjust to this play and that’s a good thing because without adjustments they would have surely been beaten. Speaking of beaten, that’s exactly what CMU’s next QB came out attempting to do to our Big Reds…
Just 36 seconds into the game, Annese immediately sprinted down the right side of the field for a very early 63 yard TD. I remember being WOWED but not completely shocked because all of his hype had to be true. It was. Rochester owned the first quarter. Soon the Big Reds were down 14-0 and the Memorial Stadium crowd was silent. You could hear a pin drop. It’s usually at moments like this where the sleeping giant awakens and finally in the 2nd quarter…IT DID. For the 2nd straight week, the Big Reds went to trickery. Winslow took the handoff from QB – Mark Chapman (12 for 185 yards and a TD on the ground and 7 of 13 for 93 and a TD in the air) and tossed it 26 yards right back to him on the throwback pass and the Big Reds were in business. Back-up RB – King Thomason sprinted in from 40 yards out and PH was finally on the scoreboard. It was an easy run for Thomason who packs a lot of speed for a backup talent. The KJ touchdown seemed to rally the Big Reds…especially the defense. It couldn’t have come at a better time too because Ph was getting dominated up to that point. The entire first quarter was owned by Rochester. The amazing thing is though, Rochester would only score 1 more TD in this game and it would come just before halftime on an 8 play – 74 yard drive, capped off by an 8 yard TD run by Annese. Going into halftime, it was 21-12 for Rochester and unless the Big Reds adjusted to the tremendous outside right running of the Highlanders this game would surely be over. Would they make the necessary adjustments? In a word…YES!
As the opening kickoff of the 3rd happened I remember thinking how important this opening drive was. It would be huge if the Big Reds could take the opening drive and go right down the field for 6 right away. THEY DID. Hello Mark Chapman! Mark set up a 2 yard Winslow TD with a 47 yard take-off right up the gut. The Big Reds got the ball back on a fumble recovery and started moving it up the field yet again with relative ease. They took it to the Highlander 2 yard line. But then, everything unravelled as quickly as it came together as Mark Chapman fumbled while trying to score. The Highlanders recovered. I’d be lying if I didn’t think the Big Reds were done there. How easy could it be to recover from such a tough fumble? Answer – Not easy but right when it had to be done the Big Reds UPPED THE D! I think a different Big Red team in a different Big Red year would have lost the game right there. NOT THIS BIG RED TEAM. NOT THIS BIG RED SEASON!
After many nail biting moments including Port Huron failing to get a 1st down on 4th and inches, a Tony Annese 68 yard TD run called back due to a holding penalty and even a failed 4th and goal on the 1 yard line play where the Big Reds stuffed Rochester unbelievably (even though the Channel 6 replay showed the ball cross the line… SHHHHHHH!!!!), the Big Reds single biggest play of 2011 was about to happen. Perhaps it was payback for the earlier fumble. Perhaps it was Mark Chapman’s way of putting all doubters to rest. I think it was just a special moment in time that was just plain MEANT TO BE! Mark sprinted down the left sidelines for an incredible 85 yard TD run when Port Huron needed it the absolute most. It was the run seen round the city! Port Huron was beside itself. The fans of Memorial Stadium have never been louder than they were at that very moment. IT WAS BIG RED DESTINY!!! Only one thing stood in the way now – One last chance for Rochester Adams. The Big Red defense held as they have all season long and the 27-21 victory was complete. The Port Huron High School Big Reds had won the 2011 Division 2 District Championship! Good luck to the Big Reds this Friday night. If they win they’ll play the 
rest of their games away from Memorial Stadium. And what a great season at home it’s been! According to Mark Chapman, “We’re feeling really good right now. We’re making history and having fun while we’re doing it. I’m having a great time playing with my brothers.” As are we all watching it happen, Mark. Perhaps Big Red Head Coach, Ryan Mullins put it best in saying, “We have to give it to the community. It was a fun night. Playing football in November is pretty fun to do.” Indeed it is but so is calling football for the greatest team in the history of Port Huron, Ryan! Before every single kickoff of every single game I always say it… “LET’S GET NASTY, PORT HURON.” Well Congratulations Big Reds…you’re many things – Brick Fowler holders, MAC Blue Division Champions, District Champions and above all…NASTY! Indeed, bring on Walled Lake Western!!!
NOTE: The pictures in the above article are property of the Port Huron Times Herald and have been cropped to fit into the article. From top to bottom… Big Red RB – Winslow Chapman had a tough game / Rochester QB – Tony Annese was outstanding but the Big Reds made a few more tackles then Rochester did…like that one / The Chapmans shine again and Big Red WR – Alex Zmolik shows the Toledo Rockets that they made a great choice recruiting him at the TE postion for next season.
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Yes, it indeed has been fun to witness history unfold for the mighty Big Reds. And it has been quite an honor to help bring the games to the living rooms of all fans around Port Huron. Win or loose, this will be the final game at memorial stadium this season. So with that said, lets get ready for the grand finale as the Big Reds try and win their first Regional Title in school history!
Bring it home Reds!
—theOX
Thanks again Ox. This game will come down to one thing and one thing only…the blocking up front. This Big Red team is as good at setting blocks and springing the Chapman’s free unlike any other Port Huron team I’ve ever seen. It’s not a big secret as for what Walled Lake Western is going to try and do in this one. They are loaded up front on both lines so they will try and wear down the Big Reds and keep the game close with tremendous physical play. They are smashmouth on offense and a little bit of option football too but they also apparently have a back up QB who will run the spread a bit too. The key is … the big players on the defense for the Big Reds MUST STEP UP. Trice and Zmolik must help the DLINE and make tackles but mainly offensively, if Calvert and Moran up front can set up holes for the speedy Chapmans Big Reds will win. It all comes down to up front and this will be the biggest test for the BIg Reds since Eisenhower. The thing is…I dont think Walled Lake Western will score enough and no team has held the Big Reds under 22 points in any game this season. Eisenhower was the only team to hold them under 27 and I cant see Walled Lake putting up that many points up here so if the BIg Reds continue their strong offensive ways I would think they’ll win this one but it will be more low scoring then the Big Reds are used to. In a thriller I’ll say 21-20 PORT HURON. GO BIG REDS – BIG D
Well… U got the “Rock Star” from ME & now my husband has stolen your “LET’S GET NASTY BIG REDS!” If I hear him say it 1 more time… SMH
) See U next year. LET’S GO BIG REDS!
Big D
Uh…YEAH? lol.
I never stole your “Rock Star” line! I only borrowed it because you put it all right out there in black and white…”MY SON IS A ROCK STAR AND DOESN’T EVEN KNOW IT.”
You never answered me…what Rock Star does he think he is anyway?
As for your husband’s version of my “LET’S GET NASTY,” I appologize but have to admit it, it’s very contagious and if he uses it he’s not only smart but it could just be music to your ears if you let it be!
It was a great year and I look forward to next year. This season will be hard to duplicate next year but who knows? Maybe more “ROCK STARS” will show up for the Big Reds and “ROCK OUT!”
-BIG D
U R 2funny! U jst keep me in the doghouse around here. LoL! 2answer ur question tho, my boy doesn’t think he’s a rockstar… I DO
) He actually inherited some dormant modesty trait from somewhere! Now that my husband (the Easton part of MY Portis-Easton) has been immortalized bt the famous Big D, I gotta get a copy of that dvd U sent over 2the banquet. He just about died laughing in his seat! Now he’s gonna get LET’S GET NASTY BIG REDS on a hoodie 4next season. THNX ALOT BIG D! Haha.
Mrs. Portis-Easton…I might be funny but not funny looking..MOSTLY!
Is that what you think happened on that DVD – an immortalization? Well there are worse people your husband could be immortalized by!!! HA HA HA.
As for the hoodie…make sure you guys come up to the booth next year and show it to me. That way if it’s a “NASTY” hoodie then it would prove the point that my now legendary saying in the booth isn’t just clever and ROCK STAR worthy, but also popular too! HA HA HA. All the best.
-THE BIG D