Redemption: Muskegon Mona Shores knocks off Detroit Martin Luther King for first state title

Three points.

That is what Muskegon Mona Shores (12-2) lost by last season in the MHSAA state finals in 2018.

The Sailors made it back to Ford Field in 2019 and were not going home without a title as they would knock off Detroit Martin Luther King 35-26 in the division two state championship.

“We probably weren’t favored to win, nor should we have been,” Sailors head coach Matt Koziak said following the game. “I wouldn’t bet against any of these guys in the field or in life.”

Koziak has now coached in three state title games since taking the over as the head coach nine seasons ago.

“We got beat up on by Muskegon earlier this year and they kind of had their way with us,” Koziak said. “That game showed us what we needed to do to make it back here.”

Backup wins the title

Koziak’s Sailors did not take the easy way to Ford Field either. The team lost starting senior quarterback, Caden Broersma to a back injury and were forced to go to their backup Brady Rose.

“In terms of sizing down the playbook, we didn’t do that,” Koziak said. “Brady is a coach’s kid and we knew that we could turn to him.”

Rose threw for 122 yards and a touchdown and added 90 yards and three touchdowns on the ground. Rose also added an interception on defense.

“Coach has confidence in me being the backup quarterback,” Rose said. “We just chipped away at their defense.”

Rose had full support from Broersma as well.

“I had total confidence in Brady and this team,” Broersma said.

Peny Boone has a day despite loss

Detroit Martin Luther King (10-3) running back, Peny Boone is a four-star recruit and is committed to Maryland and showed how good he was on a big stage Friday.

Boone ran for 198 yards on 21 attempts and racked up three touchdowns and hauled in one catch for 10 yards.

Boone was hard to stop all day as he had more total yards than Detroit Martin Luther King had total rushing yards.

Boone’s 198 was one yard more than Detroit MLK’s total rushing yards of 198.