Davison holds on for first ever division one state title

Backs against the wall.

That’s just how Davison likes it. Davison trailed in every playoff game up until the division one state finals where the Cardinals held the lead the entire game.

“That’s our mentality,” Davison senior Caleb Smith said. “Junk yard dogs we just kept fighting and fighting.”

While the Cardinals (12-2) did not trail against Brighton (11-3), the Bulldogs gave Davison all they could handle in the second half in the 35-25 win.

Davison saw their 28-3 slip to a 28-19 lead with just over five minutes to go in the fourth quarter.

That is when junior phenom quarterback Brendan Sullivan found Caleb Smith for a 63-yard completion. Smith would be tripped up at the 1-yard line, but Carter Cryderman would punch it in for a Davison touchdown to give them a 35-19 lead.

Despite a late effort from Brighton that saw the Bulldogs score cut the lead to 10, it would be too late. Davison would walk away with the victory.

“These kids deserve everything they’ve got and they’ve earned it,” Davison head coach Jake Weingartz said. “This is the proudest day as a coach that I’ve had.”

Sullivan played a great game quarterbacking the Cardinals to the victory. Sullivan threw for 290 yards on 14-of-19 passing and one touchdown. The touchdown would come on a 74-yard screen pass that Sullivan found Latrell Fordham on.

“I can explain the feeling right now,” Sullivan said. “My encore is going to be getting back here next year and winning again.”