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King defeats Lowell to win Division 2 State Championship

By Jaleel Taylor Crusaders’ Chronicle 

Inside the walls of King High, the energy from students and staff is high! 

Martin Luther King Jr. Senior High School’s varsity football team won the Div. 2 State Championship at Ford Field on Nov. 27. The Crusaders played against Lowell High School for the first time. King won by two points in the last two seconds of the game. The final score was 40-38.

Lowell High held a 12-1 record before playing against King. King’s record going into the championship was 13-0. Lowell played hard the entire game.

Before the game, King’s players were relaxed in the locker room.

“It was a calm type setting, maybe because we’ve been to Ford Field before for the city championship so we were a little bit more relaxed,” said defensive line assistant coach Leon Crenshaw. “It’s something we had been working for all year long.”

At Ford Field, when the team’s faces could be seen coming through the tunnel, the crowd erupted with excitement.

“I was not nervous. I knew we were going to win,” said senior receiver Donnie Corley. “We are hard working. We all work together and never look down on each other.”

King was losing most of the game, and fans were nervous.

“We felt bad. We were all about to cry,” said senior Justin Turner. “We did not expect that level of competition because of their size.”

King defensive tackle Damani Green gave credit to his opponent. “They came out with some fire, ready to play,” he said.

With two seconds on the clock, Corley caught the winning touchdown pass thrown by quarterback Armani Posey.

“I knew I was going to catch the ball,” said Corley.

Senior running back Martell Pettaway came to King earlier this year from South Lake High School in St. Clair Shores in honor of his older brother, Devinne Pettaway, who died in 2007. Devinne played football on the 2007 MLK varsity team, which also won the State Championship. 

Martell did not doubt that his team would win the 2015 State Championship. “We planned on winning when we were down 17-0. The seniors on our team wanted the win because it was our last game and that was our drive and determination,” he said. 

The team, also known as the Hit Squad, has trained hard since January. “We practice six days a week. You cannot miss a practice day or you will be unable to play,” said senior defensive back Jeremiah Fuller. “We run every day to keep our bodies in a good condition.”

King’s students, staff, families, and the community are hyped because of this win.

“Amazing grace … I was praying the entire time. They never gave up. It was amazing grace,” said Dr. Deborah Jenkins, the school’s principal.

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