The King Crusaders faced the Cass Technicians for the Blue Division PSL Championship on Oct. 15 at Northwestern. On a rainy evening, the stadium was packed under the lights for the 8 p.m. kickoff.
Some heavy hitters, including University of Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh and other Division I coaches, were on the sidelines and saw King come back for a 21-15 victory.
The Crusaders came out the gate a little shaky, as the Technicians scored a touchdown in the first quarter, taking a 7-0 lead. In the second quarter, the Crusaders still didn’t score. The Technicians scored again and had a 15-0 lead going into halftime.
“We were losing in the first half but we just to finish strong, have great energy and finish out with a win,” said King junior quarterback Dante Moore.
In the second half, the Crusaders came out with intensity. Leading the way was senior defensive tackle Terence Maize. The game began to turn around when Moore made a connection to senior wide receiver Joseph Williams for a 30-plus yard touchdown, closing the gap to 15-7 after an extra point by sophomore Terrence Moore.
The Crusaders had some key big defensive stops and a big interception from junior corner Jameel Croft. Moore to senior wide receiver Chansey Willis for a 70-plus yard touchdown tied the game at 15. Then Lynn Wyche-El came up with a big Pick Six, which gave King a 21-15 advantage.
“For me I think my message to the team was really all about the mistakes we made and bouncing back from them and having them remember it’s a new half,” King coach Tyrone Spence said. “I thought they responded back to me well with a win.”
