Congratulations Detroit Central High School Football team and Coach Eric Smith on an 8-1 regular season and winning the Division B City Championship vs. Detroit Douglass !!

Last Updated: October 24. 2009 11:12PM
Football: PSL Division B championship
Central coach gets title he missed as a player
Vincent Goodwill Jr. / The Detroit News

Detroit -- Detroit Central coach Eric Smith was a player the last time Central was in position to win a Public School League championship. That was more than 25 years ago, and the loss stuck with him -- until now.
Using a little trickery, Central defeated Detroit Douglass, 14-6, in the PSL Division B title game at Renaissance on Saturday. Not only was it Central's first city championship since 1972, but it completed Smith's dream of returning to his alma mater and winning the league.
Central is 8-1, Douglas is 6-2.

Trailing 6-0 late in the second quarter, Smith called up a play he'd used only once this season. Quarterback Devonte Brown tossed to Jayln Massenberg, and Massenberg passed to Maurice Casteel, who outmaneuvered a defender and ran 75 yards for a touchdown. Douglass thought the play should have been blown dead, since the ball hit the ground, but Massenberg was 4 yards behind Brown, so it was ruled a lateral. "We used it against Cass," Massenberg said. "I knew where I lined up so I wasn't worried." Smith said he owed it to his players to use everything at his disposal. "It was just time to use it," Smith said. "We had a great week of practice, and these kids stuck with me and believed in me."

Massenberg wasn't finished, and provided the final blow with 30.6 seconds left. With Central leading 8-6, the receiver scored on a fade route from 25 yards out, but it almost opened the door for Douglass to tie the game.
Douglass receiver Daevon Gray slipped behind the defense and was wide open at midfield, but the ball hit his shoulder pads. It was essentially Douglass' best and last chance. "I'm giving Central credit," Douglass coach Andre Harlan said. "But it was our mistakes. We hurt ourselves in ways we hadn't all year."

Douglass' only score came on a 56-yard punt return by Marquise Phillips in the first half. Douglass' offense was in cold storage. "They say offense wins games, but defense wins championships," Smith said. "We proved that today." The usually composed Smith was teary-eyed after the game and during the trophy presentation. He was thinking of his late coach, Woodrow "Woody" Thomas, who had hoped to see Smith return to Central before his death. Thomas passed away in 2002.

"The sky opened up a little bit," Smith said. "I know coach is watching us."

http://www.detnews.com/article/20091024/SPORTS05/910240395/1361/State-football-playoff-pairings-released/Central-coach-gets-title-he-missed-as-a-player