Division 6: Bell rings up state title for Lumen Christi

Detroit — Friday afternoon’s Division 6 final at Ford Field between Jackson Lumen Christi and Maple City Glen Lake went by another name.

The Bo Bell Show.

Bell had 40 carries for 238 yards and a touchdown, a 32-yard pass completion, a 35-yard catch and a 20-yard kick return, for a total of 325 yards for Lumen Christi (12-2) in its 26-14 win – its first state title since 2009.

“This isn’t the first time he’s had 40 (carries),” Lumen Christi coach Herb Brogan said of his senior running back, who has multiple Division II offers in hand.

Glen Lake made it past midfield on its first drive, but stalled at the Lumen Christi 49. On fourth-and-8, Nick Apsey took the direct snap on the fake punt, but was well short of the first down, turning the ball over on downs at the 45.

BOX SCORE: Jackson Lumen Christi 26, Maple City Glen Lake 14

Lumen Christi put together a methodical first drive. It went 55 yards in 11 plays, capped by Kyle Minder’s 3-yard touchdown run. Abe Johnson’s extra point attempt was low and to the left, and with 4:36 left in the first quarter, Lumen Christi was up 6-0.

“I like putting the team on my back, but I can’t do it without the offensive line,” said Bell, who accounted for 154 of Lumen Christi’s 199 yards in the first half.

“We knew they were going to run the ball,” Glen Lake coach Jerry Angers said. “We knew we had to play a really good football game and make sure we had really good run fits, and we didn’t.”

On the ensuing drive, Glen Lake quickly worked its way into Lumen Christi territory.

On the second play, Cade Peterson (15-of-20, 254 yards, two touchdowns) found Nick Rice (five catches, 116 yards) for a gain of 40 yards, to the Lumen Christi 40. Four plays later, Glen Lake appeared to pick up a first down on a short run from fullback Duke Angers — the son of Glen Lake coach Jerry Angers — but after officials measured, he was determined to be short of the line to gain.

Lumen Christi added to its lead with 7:29 left in the half.

On fourth-and-goal from the 1, Minder punched it in for his second touchdown of the half.

But Glen Lake answered on its next drive.

Peterson connected with Rice on a picture-perfect 57-yard pass-and-catch for a touchdown. Two plays earlier, Peterson found Jared Jackson for a gain of 19 that took Glen Lake to its own 40.

Minder’s third touchdown of the half, a 1-yard run on third-and-goal, made it a two-score game again. With 10 seconds left in the half, Lumen Christi had a 20-7 lead.

“The fullback needs to score some touchdowns too,” Bell joked.

Glen Lake put on two good goal-line stands on the drive. It forced third down a series after Lumen Christi had a fourth-and-1 from the 2, which Minder converted on an inside handoff.

After Lumen Christi’s first drive of the second half stalled inside Glen Lake territory, a 34-yard punt from Cam White was downed inside the 1. Glen Lake answered with a three-and-out, but a 58-yard punt from Angers was downed at the Lumen Christi 32.

Bell added a 3-yard touchdown with 3:36 left in the third to add to Lumen Christi’s lead. After Johnson went wide right on the extra point attempt, it was 26-7.

After a fumble from Bell gave Glen Lake a first down in plus territory, it needed four plays — all passes from Peterson — to find the end zone. Apsey’s 9-yard touchdown catch made it a two-score game. With 9:47 left, Lumen Christi was ahead, 26-14.

For Glen Lake (11-3), which made its first state finals appearance since winning a state championship in 1996, the community support was clear from the start. Nearly 1,000 fans made the nearly six-hour trip from Leelanau County.

“One of the guys that played on the (1996) team, he was on the practice squad for that championship team, he must have emailed me 30 times this week,” Angers said. “And finally, I said ‘We kind of have to get ready for a game.’ The community has really come forward.”

Al Willman is a freelance writer.