Seniors Bryce Clay and Kade Shomin were again all over the field Friday night for FHC’s defense. With two fumble recoveries for Bryce and an interception for a touchdown for Kade, both played crucial parts in securing a 28-10 Regional title over the Traverse City Central Trojans.

It was a slow first quarter for FHC. It included a missed field goal and two long drives by the Trojan offense. The second quarter, however, was an entirely different story.

After a 58 yard touchdown strike to junior Tate Hallock from junior quarterback Luke Majick, the Ranger defense was again called upon to come in and make a stop. Facing a four point deficit, 7-3, TCC attempted a hook and ladder out towards the Ranger sideline. After being caught by the receiver and almost immediately stopped, the pitch back to the second Trojan player was thrown wide for Bryce to come and scoop up.

“The coaches really put us in a good spot to get the win,” Bryce said. “We were playing some cover two, cover three; we were playing everything and our defense was just lockdown. It was a great overall team effort.”

From there, the FHC offense worked quickly and efficiently with the capper of the drive coming from a 1 yard Luke Majick touchdown run giving the Rangers a 14-3 lead with 2:41 left in the second quarter.

With the Trojan offense starting to press and air it out, FHC’s defense started foaming at the mouth at another opportunity to recover a fumble or pick a ball off. Cue Kade. It only took them 21 seconds to get back in the end zone and increase the lead.

After an overthrown ball on the numbers went well over the intended target’s head, Kade was waiting and let the pass fall into his grasp. After fumbling his own catch, Kade picked the ball back up, cut back towards the middle of the field, cut to the sideline, followed four blocking Rangers into the endzone, and collapsed on his way in for FHC’s third touchdown of the night.

“I knew they liked to chuck it deep,” Kade said. “Our d-line put great pressure on the quarterback to throw the ball. He didn’t make a great pass and I took advantage of it.”

The Rangers went into the locker room up by 18, 21-3.

The defense remained an invincible unit for the rest of the night, never allowing the TCC offense to get into the endzone on the offensive side of the ball. The Trojan’s lone touchdown of the night came late in the fourth quarter on a fumble recovery and a 12 yard touchdown return.

“Our secondary is lockdown,” Kade said. “Our d-line pressed the quarterback all night, and overall we just had an amazing defensive effort.”

Despite FHC appearing to move through this game with ease, it didn’t seem that was to be the case down on the field.

“It didn’t feel easy to me, I’ll tell you that,” head coach Tim Rogers said. “The first quarter for sure was a little rocky, and now it’s playoff football. You’re going to face a good team every week now, so hats off to TCC. They did a great job at the beginning of the game and they made us really go back to work.”

The Rangers will move on to face an incredibly talented Livonia Franklin team, who has captured major victories over Livonia Stevenson, Walled Lake Western, Livonia Churchill, and Flushing in the last four weeks.

For now, however, FHC sits with their first Regional Title since 1995.

“We haven’t won it in so long,” Bryce said. “We have a great group of guys, great coaching staff, and I couldn’t be happier. We started off a little slow but then got into our system and took care of business. Credit to TCC for traveling a long way and playing well, but what a day for Forest Hills Central football.”