By Brad D. Bates
C & G sports Writer

DETROIT — Beverly Hills Detroit Country Day football was back in the Division 4 state final Nov. 28 at Ford Field. Unfortunately for the Yellowjackets, so was one of the state’s top quarterbacks.

After seeing Marine City High senior quarterback Brendon Kay score three touchdowns to top DCD 21-7 in 2007, the Yellowjackets saw the Maroons’ senior signal-caller A.J. Westendorp post new state final records for pass completions (26) and total yards (426) while tossing four touchdown passes en route to a 35-20 victory.

“Quarterbacks control the tempo of the game,” DCD coach Dan MacLean said. “You can see how essential a high school player like that is at quarterback and how he effects a game. (Westendorp) did a tremendous job.”

DCD opened a quick 6-0 lead, as sophomore quarterback Josh Harris connected with senior receiver Allen Harris for a 31-yard score. The Maroons blocked the extra point attempt.

The Harris’ connection was set up by a 34-yard run from senior receiver Bennie Fowler on the game’s first play.

Holland Christian attempted to answer on its next possession, driving to the Yellowjackets’ 1-yard line; it was stopped on fourth down when Allen Harris tackled junior running back Matt Hochhalter for a 2-yard loss.

Holland Christian forced the Yellowjackets to punt on their next possession.

On the ensuing drive, Westendorp started his assault on the record book with a five-play, 72-yard drive in 52 seconds. During the drive, he accounted for every yard either passing or running and helped his team to a 7-6 lead.

The Maroons forced a three-and-out on DCD’s next drive, setting Westendorp up for a seven-play, 54-yard drive in just over two minutes.

Again, he accounted for all of his team’s yardage on the drive. The first quarter ended with the Maroons up 14-6; Westendorp completed 15 of 17 passes for 152 yards.

Josh Harris answered to start the second quarter, marching DCD 80 yards in nine plays. During the drive, he hit Fowler for a 36-yard gain, junior tight end Jason Ray for a 33 yards, and Allen Harris for a 10-yard gain. Senior running back O’Neil Swanson added a 2-yard touchdown run.

“Josh is a just a sophomore here, and he’s going to be a fine quarterback,” Dan MacLean said. “He is a fine quarterback, and he’s just going to get better.

“I don’t know if everybody knew that because we’ve been primarily a running team, but Josh is a heck of a young quarterback.”

A failed two-point conversion made it 14-12 at the 9:15 mark of the second quarter.

The DCD defense held Westendorp and the Maroons on their next possession, forcing three consecutive incompletions and a punt.

The Yellowjackets started their next drive at the Maroons’ 42, driving to the 11 before stalling on a fourth-and-two attempt.

DCD’s defense held the Maroons after junior defensive end Chris Eddins’ caused Westendorp to fumble on a fourth-and-one. Junior defensive tackle Chris Hogan recovered the fumble at the Maroons’ 34.

The Yellowjackets’ run game took over on the next drive, with Swanson carrying the ball for 26 of the 34 yards to the end zone.

He finished off the drive with a 6-yard score. Josh Harris’ two-point conversion pass to junior fullback Joe MacLean gave the Yellowjackets a 20-14 lead.

DCD’s defense stopped the Maroons’ final attempt of the first half when sophomore defensive back Ken Knight forced a fumble that was recovered by senior defensive back Chris Jackson at the Yellowjackets’ 46 with 35 seconds to go in the half.

Josh Harris then drove DCD 23 yards in two plays — a 10-yard rush and 13-yard pass to Fowler — setting up a 46-yard field goal attempt by junior Brett Bukari that was just short, bouncing forward off the cross bar as the half expired.

Holland Christian opened the third quarter driving from their own 25 to the DCD 11, but senior linebacker Mose Hogan and freshman defensive lineman Patrick Dugan stopped Hochhalter for a 2-yard loss on a fourth-and-two.

DCD then drove to its own 22 where, faced with a fourth-and-one, it attempted a fake punt, which was unsuccessful.

Westendorp wasted no time getting his offense back on track, connecting with junior receiver Jordan Mast for a 22-yard score and a 21-20 lead at 7:46 in the third.

On DCD’s next possession, the Yellowjackets were set to punt from their own 40-yard line, but Maroons senior Mark Timmerman blocked the kick, which teammate Conlin Britton scooped up at the DCD 14.

After an incompletion on first down, Westendorp hit sophomore Willie Sneed IV for a 14-yard score at 3:14 for a 28-20 lead.

After a Sneed interception on the Yellowjackets’ next possession gave the Maroons a fresh set of downs at their own 39, they drove 61 yards on seven plays, capped by a 2-yard touchdown run by sophomore running back Jeff Vroon and took a 35-20 lead with 23 seconds to go in the third.

The defenses traded stops to open the fourth quarter before DCD drove from its own 20 to the Holland Christian 14-yard line in just under five minutes, but could not convert a fourth-and-six at 3:07 in the fourth. The Maroons then ran out the game clock.

Westendorp’s amazing day at the finals ended with a stat line of 108 yards rushing and 318 yards on 26 of 33 passing.

While Westendorp’s performance helped net his team its first-ever state championship, it also inspired Josh Harris to get back to the finals and lead his team with a day like that of his own.

“I’m definitely real hungry after a loss today,” Harris said. “(Westendorp is) an exceptional player, and he did some good things breaking contain and doing things on the run.”

You can reach Sports Writer Brad D. Bates at bbates@candgnews.com or at (586) 498-1029.