Detroit - After having watched the opening drive by New Lothrop, it looked as if it was the Hornets were the veterans of playing in the state title game and not the Trojans for Forest Park.  After stopping Forest Park, three and out on the game's opening drive, New Lothrop went to work right away on their first drive.  After three straight runs, QB Mike Vincke completed four consecutive passes, the last two to Brent Ruddy, including a 20 yard touchdown hookup, for the game's first square.  Both the throw and the grab were a beauty, with Vincke putting the ball right on the money and Ruddy going over the defender to make the acrobat grab in the endzone. 

With the Hornets winning the battles early on, they still only had a 7-0 lead to show for it.  Forest Park, found the going touch early on, that is until a drive with just five minutes to go before halftime got them fired up and garnered momentum on their side.  QB Kyle Roberts and RBs Bryan LaChapelle and Kyle LaVaque started to find running room against a stout Hornets defense.  After marching the ball from their own 34 to the Hornet's 3, systematically, the Trojans mixed it up and went to the air.  Roberts hit a wide open Andrew Gussert in the endzone for 6.  LaVaque got the handoff on the 2 point try but was stopped inches short by a great open field tackle by Jordan Brown.

With just over a minute remaining, New Lothrop took over.  Do they sit on it.  Well, if you have ever watched this team, 1:36 is plenty of time for this squad to move the length of the field.  NL's regular offense is pretty much the equivalent to any team's 2 minute offense.  They feature a spread out, quick strike attack that turned the entire game around in just a minute-25.  On 2nd and 10, Vincke hit Brent Ruddy for 29 yards down to the FP 39.  Vincke then rushed for 8 more before getting out of bounds and stopping the clock.  The next play looked as it was going to be a drive killer.  Vincke dropped back, as he passed the ball, it was blocked right back into his arms, where Vincke was tackled for a loss and more importantly it kept the clock running.  This all happened after New Lothrop was flagged or an illegal block.  Facing 2nd and 13, Vincke hit Dennis Emmendorfer for 19 yards who also managed to get out of bounds and conserve precious time.  On the very next play, Vincke went to the air again, this time for it all to Mike Griffin who hauled in the 23 yard score.  The touchdown put NL up 14-6 but it also completely changed momentum and the course of the game.

If there was any doubt about New Lothrop bringing their A game to the finals, it was put to rest on the 2nd half's opening drive.  On a drive that didn't feature one pass, the Hornets marched the length of the field and punched it in.  Roger Emmendorfer paced the drive, churning out yard after yard.  Vincke called his own number to cap it off.  On first and ten from the Forest Park 13.  Vincke dropped back and ran the draw, cut up the right sideline and hit paydirt, putting his squad up 21-6.  New Lothrop would go on to score in their next two possessions as well.  A Roger Emmendorfer 1 yard plunge and another Vincke run from 5 yards out putting the Hornets up 34-6.  Right after the Hornets had made the score 27-6, Kyle LaVaque almost returned the ensuing kickoff all the way to the house but was pushed out of bounds by Jason Henige in a touchdown saving attempt.  The return ended up going for naught as New Lothrop's defense came up big again.  On 2nd and 8 from the New Lothrop 15, Roberts dropped back and put it up.  Problem is, that the Hornet's Ryan Praski is the player that caught the ball.  The interception not only ended a promising drive but most likely ended any chances of Forest Park getting back into it.

The 9 play, 92 yard drive that put New Lothrop 34-6 was a perfect balance of the run with the pass, the biggest play being a passing play from Vincke to Dennis Emmendorfer who looked like he was going to be stopped for a loss, instead he ran from side to side about 50 yards, before finding a seam and cutting it up, broke a few tackles and got it down to the 5.  Bryan LaChapelle and Forest Park answered with a 68 yard touchdown drive of their own, however it was too little too late.  With 5:41 remaining, New Lothrop managed to milk all but 10 of those seconds off of the clock, clinching the school's first football championship.  The school has a long tradition of terrific athletics and now you can add to that trophy case a Division 8 football plaque. 

The young men who had carried NL all season, played their best games on the biggest stage.  The skill players, the linemen in the trenches, the coaching staff, they all brought it.  A lot of credit has to go to Head Coach Jake Emmendorfer who has taken a decent football program to the top .  His teams progressed from a playoff winner to a championship game winner.  New Lothrop has featured a lot of talent over the past few years but it takes more than that to succeed, it takes an efficient system and more importantly it takes players that will do what it take to win, not only in November but also in January, March, etc, something that Coach Emmendorfer will probably tell you, fills his roster from top to bottom.