St. Mary's looks to return to Prep Bowl after 35-0 victory

Orchard Lake St. Mary’s clinched a state playoff berth with a 35-0 victory over Warren De La Salle on Saturday, Oct. 6 at St. Clair Shores Lakeshore.

The Eaglets (6-1, 3-0 in the Catholic League Central Division) have now won six straight games, and are one win away from clinching a third straight Detroit Catholic League Central Division title and playing in the Prep Bowl at Ford Field for a third consecutive season.

Grant Niemiec kicked off the scoring for the Eaglets early in the first quarter on a 39-yard touchdown run. Quarterback Matt Linehan then threw a 13-yard touchdown pass to Parker McInnis to give the Eaglets a 14-0 lead at the end of the first.

Niemiec then scored on a 4-yard touchdown run to give St. Mary’s a 21-0 lead at halftime.

Senior Charley Croone then got in on the action for the Eaglets in the third quarter as he scored on a 7-yard touchdown run.

Junior running back Jeff Robinson capped St. Mary’s scoring with a 3-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter.

De La Salle (3-4, 0-3 in the Catholic League Central) was without its standout quarterback, Shane Morris, as the University of Michigan-bound senior has been suffering from an illness.

The Eaglets will next host their regular season home finale on Friday, Oct. 12 against Novi Detroit Catholic Central.

Last season, the Eaglets defeated the Shamrocks on the road, 14-13, to clinch the Catholic League Central Division title outright.

However, Catholic Central would strike back a week later at the Prep Bowl at Ford Field, defeating St. Mary’s, 21-7, to win the Catholic League title.