Regina honors late coach, earns sixth-straight win over Marian

METRO DETROIT — A rivalry usually captivated by the community in a free-spirited manner had a different feeling when Warren Regina and Bloomfield Hills Marian held their 41st annual powder puff football matchup on Sept. 17 at Hazel Park High School.

As Regina took the field against Bloomfield Hills Marian, a familiar face would be missing from the Regina sidelines.

Regina’s former powder puff coach of 12 years, Bill Madek, passed away due to cancer on Aug 10 at age 62. Madek served as the LifeShare director at Henry Ford Hospital where his primary job was working with the transplant program.

“His heart was bigger than anything,” Regina powder puff coach Ken Carlson said. “No matter what it took, he would always make sure the girls came first.”

The Regina powder puff team holds a pep rally every year to get the fans and players excited for the game, but this year’s pep rally honored coach Madek with a slideshow and gave a powder puff jersey to his family.

A plaque was presented before the game to his wife, Patricia, and players wore wristbands in memory of him.

Marian players showed their support by providing flowers to the family before the start of the game.

“It was really a class act by Marian,” Carlson said.

Regina, who holds the series lead 24-17 against Marian, honored coach Madek by extending its win streak to six in a 28-7 win over Marian.

Talyah Beard tallied two touchdown runs while quarterback Zoë Hunt and wide receiver Gabriella D’Agostini linked for Regina’s first touchdown in the game.

“It was really amazing. It really brought us all really close,” D’Agostini said. “It was really nice to do it all for coach Bill and his family, and the Regina community.”

Ava Marzolf earned Regina’s final score on the ground while Marian’s lone touchdown came from a 51-yard run by Caroline Flynn in the fourth quarter.

“They were really, really prepared,” Carlson said. “They definitely made everyone proud.”

As a senior-only game, the ladies really do make it a week full of excitement, but the work starts in July. Regina started practicing in July for the game, and even had former University of Michigan Wolverine Mark Campbell and former Detroit Lion Lomas Brown come out and speak to the team.

They have a team barbecue, paint their cars, hold a massive pep rally, and have a team sleepover for the offense and defense.

“There was so much bonding and sisterhood,” D’Agostini said. “I just can’t wait to graduate with all of them now that we’re all closer. I have 64 sisters now.”

Regina will now hold the trophy until next season, and in traditional fashion the team will showcase the trophy at their homecoming dance.

“It wasn’t to make girls not so much understand football, but a lot of these girls used to never know each other,” Carlson said. “Now, the offense has a sleepover together and the defense has a sleepover together. It’s a real camaraderie thing.”