Birmingham Groves defeats Warren De La Salle to earn regional crown (Full Story)

The Falcons held on Friday night to defeat Warren De La Salle 21-19 to advance to reach the state semifinals.

Groves led 14-13 as the third quarter started to wind down, but scored another touchdown to increase their lead to eight points with just over nine minutes left in the fourth quarter.

Pilots quarterback Anthony Bitonti scored a six-yard touchdown with seven minutes left in the fourth quarter, but the two-point conversion failed. Groves remained ahead 21-19 with time ticking away.

Groves (12-0) hung on in a gritty final minutes to secure the victory and return to the state semifinals where they lost to the Pilots in 2022.

Groves has outscored opponents 434-108 this season, proving they have a dominant offense and defense.

The Falcons are trying to win their first state title in the playoff era.