Plymouth continues post-season roll with 9-7 triumph over CC

  Led by its butt-kicking defense and field goal-kicking phenom, Plymouth's football team booted defending state champion Novi Detroit Catholic Central out of the playoffs Saturday afternoon, 9-7.

  Trailing 7-6, the Wildcats seized the lead with 35.3 seconds to play thanks to Kyle Brindza's 23-yard field goal -- his third three-pointer of the game -- and then held off a last-second Shamrock threat to advance to Saturday's 1 p.m. D1 semifinal clash against Rockford.

  The game will be played at Lansing Everett High School.

  The winner of Saturday's game will face the winner of the other semifinal contest pitting Detroit Cass Tech (12-0) against Lake Orion (11-1).

  Brindza's game-winner came from the left hash mark as a steady cross-wind blew from right to left.

  "It was a rough angle, but I've made kicks from 55 yards out, so it wasn't too bad," he said. "I just went out there and tried to keep my composure and relax. It was a perfect snap from Phil Emminger and a perfect hold from Jake Morris. Those guys are great."

  After taking over at the 20 with 35.3 ticks left, the Shamrocks advanced the ball near mid-field on a perfectly executed hook-and-lateral play.

  Following a 10-yard completion to Kyle Cooper and an  incompletion, Shamrock quarterback Mike Birney connected with Cooper on a Hail Mary at the Wildcat 15.

  However, a holding call against CC brought the play back.

  The Wildcats appeared to end the game with an interception on the next play, however, a Shamrock receiver somehow came down with Birney's tipped aerial at the Plymouth 38.

  With 4.4 seconds left, CC coach Tom Mach elected to attempt a 55-yard field, but Justin D'agostino's effort came up short.

  "Those were the scariest 30 seconds of my life," said Plymouth junior nose guard/running back Donte Fox. "When they completed that long pass, I didn't necessarily think it was over, but I thought, 'We've work so hard only to lose like this...

  "Then when I found out there was a penalty, I knew it was our day. This is a feeling like nothing I've ever felt."

  Plymouth's defense was ultra-tough the entire afternoon, limiting CC to just 174 total yards and 2.5 yards per carry.

  "What makes this defense so good," said Plymouth head coach Mike Sawchuk, "is, No. 1, they're very fast and, No. 2, they're very coachable. They do what they're supposed to to.

  "We watched five games of CC on film and we didn't see anyone step up and and take on the fullback. We pretty much took their iso game out of it. We got Tony Rhodes back today (after he missed last week's 17-7 victory over Canton), which was huge. He's only at about 70 percent, but he definitely helped."

  Offensively, Jerel Jenkins was huge for the winners, picking up 111 yards on 26 carries, including a pair of 12-yard runs during the game-winning drive.

  Following a shaky first half, junior quarterback Shaun Austin looked like Tom Brady after halftime, making clutch throw after clutch throw to keep the chains moving.

  Austin was 6-for-8 on Plymouth's final two field goal-producing drives.

  "Shaun is very composed back there," said Sawchuk.

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Donte Fox separates CC quarterback Mike Birney from the ball.  (PlymouthPictures.com photo)

Nate Emminger and Tyler Goble haul down Wyatt Shallman. (Ed Wright photo)

Anthony LeMerise forces Justin Messner out of bounds. (Ed Wright photo)

Vic Hicks (4) had Kyle Cooper covered on this second-quarter pass play. (Ed Wright photo)