Freshman kicker sends Eaglets to Ford Field, defeats Groves 28-27 in overtime

WEST BLOOMFIELD -- Since the beginning of the year, Orchard Lake St, Mary’s freshman Beckett Kiefer had been doing everything he can to prepare himself for varsity football.

Little did the southpaw kicker know that his leg would be what stood between Orchard Lake St Mary’s (OLSM) and a trip to Ford Field to compete in the Michigan High School Athletic Association Division 2 state championship game.

Tied with Birmingham Groves (12-1) in overtime following a 10-yard rushing touchdown from senior Bryson Williams (Michigan State University commit), Kiefer, who was elevated to varsity for the playoffs, drilled the game-winning extra point to punch the Eaglets’ Ford Field ticket in a 28-27 win over Groves Nov. 23 at West Bloomfield High School.

“It was amazing,” Kiefer said. “I knew I trusted my line, I trusted my snapper, and I trusted my holder. I have to give all glory to God. I couldn’t have made that kick without God. I love this team. We’re going to win states.”

Kiefer immediately turned around and swung his right arm in a continuous circle as teammates mobbed him near the 35-yard line.

“I wasn’t thinking or anything – I was just running,” Kiefer said. “I was so happy.”

It’s a moment the young kicker will never forget, but it’s also a moment that possibly would’ve never taken place if it weren’t for OLSM (10-3) junior Kareem Pruitt and Williams.

Groves struck first in overtime behind the legs of senior Noah Sanders (University of Toledo commit), who barreled through the OLSM defense for a 7-yard touchdown run to give Groves a 27-21 lead. Sanders did just about everything he could for the Falcons offense in the loss, rushing 28 times for 183 yards and three touchdowns.

Instead of opting for the extra point, Groves sent its offense back out for a two-point conversion attempt.

Since Groves was able to run the ball so effectively, the play-action pass caught the OLSM defense off guard numerous times throughout the game, including on a 7-yard touchdown pass from senior Ryan Counts to senior Wyatt Shortridge late in the second quarter.

Groves went back to it again in an effort to put even more pressure on the OLSM offense, but Pruitt stayed home and read the play, intercepting the pass in the endzone.

“They had hit us with it a couple times earlier in the game, but when the game was on the line we made the play and got the win,” Pruitt said.

Groves head coach Brendan Flaherty explained the thought process of the coaching staff’s decision to go for two following the loss.

“We were thinking we’d try to get them ahead so they’d have to chase in points,” Flaherty said. “We thought we had a pretty good extra point block on them. We made a call there and we thought we had a good call. It was open there for a second but their guy made a play.”

The Eaglets struck first on offense when junior Camari Patterson scored on a 1-yard run, giving St. Mary’s the early 7-0 lead on the first drive of the game.

Sanders and company answered right back as Sanders stiff-armed a OLSM defender en route to a 50-yard touchdown run.

Groves and OLSM would trade scores all throughout the game as OLSM senior Darrin Jones broke a 43-yard touchdown down the right sideline moments after Sanders put Groves on the board. Jones had 18 carries for 100 yards and a score in the win.

The Falcons’ offense almost responded on the ensuing drive as Counts seemed to connect with senior wideout Nick Hardy for a 28-yard touchdown off a play-action pass, but an ineligible man downfield penalty negated the score.

Groves would wait until just before halftime to score when Counts and Shortridge connected.

Both defenses would trade punts in the second half before it would become a running back showdown between OLSM’s Williams and Groves’ Sanders. 

Williams, who finished with seven rushes for 74 yards and two touchdowns, would put OLSM back on the board with a 24-yard touchdown run late in the third quarter while Sanders, with the help of big time runs from senior Mario Campoy-Lovasco, would tie it up at 21-21 on a 1-yard touchdown run.

From there, pandemonium ensued.

Groves’ senior defensive back Chris Little (Grand Valley State University commit) would tally his second interception of the game on the next OLSM offensive possession, setting up shop for his offense.

For the first time in the entire game, the Eaglets dug their heels in and stopped the run, forcing a Groves punt.

“Stop the run, stop the run, stop the run – we’ve been preaching that all year,” Pruitt said. “When it mattered, we stopped the run and came out victorious.”

Campoy-Lovasco pinned OLSM at their own 1-yard line, keeping the Eaglets offense from getting anything going.

With just under a minute left, Groves regained possession at the OLSM 40-yard line.

Groves fought their way into field goal position, but everything became a mass panic for the Groves’ sidelines when the offense elected to run the ball with no timeouts on 3rd and 10 from the OLSM 28-yard line.

With no timeouts and with spiking the ball out of the equation because it was fourth down, the clock ran out, sending the game into overtime.

“We just didn’t have enough time to get (the field goal unit) out there,” Flaherty said. “We thought we could gain a couple more yards and spike the ball.”

Groves is now 0-4 in its last four state semifinals appearances (2024, 2022, 2018, 2016) and graduates an irreplaceable senior class consisting of leaders such as Sanders, Little, Counts, Campoy-Lovasco, Avery Gach, Teddy Abbot, Noah Woods, and slew of other players.

It’s a crushing blow to an incredible season for the Falcons, who won the Oakland Activities Association White and finished undefeated in the regular season for the first time since 2015, but their semifinals woes bode well for OLSM.

The past three times Groves has lost in the state semifinals (Warren De La Salle twice and Detroit Martin Luther King), the winning team has gone on to win the state championship.

The Eaglets will look to keep that going as they face Byron Center (12-1) Nov. 29 at Ford Field for the Division 2 state title.

“At the end of the day, I feel like we got the best team in the state,” Pruitt said.