Southfield A&T beats Chippewa Valley 31-21

CLINTON TOWNSHIP — It’s become common knowledge at this point that Southfield A&T has one of the most dynamic offenses in Michigan high school football.

Four-year starting quarterback Isaiah Marshall, a University of Kansas commit, has been electric all season for the Warriors both on the ground and through the air. 

Add athletes like seniors Tashi Braceful (University of Toledo commit), Xavier Bowman, and Jawon Jarrett on the outside, who are all three-star recruits according to 247Sports, and the Southfield A&T offense has been nearly unstoppable.

Behind Marshall’s four touchdowns passes, Southfield A&T (11-1) cruised past Clinton Township Chippewa Valley (9-3) 31-21 on Nov. 10 at Chippewa Valley High School, earning the Warriors their first regional title since 2015.

Southfield A&T’s offense came into the game averaging 36 points per game on the year, including two state tournament wins over Dearborn Fordson and Detroit Cass Tech, and the Warriors air raid offense didn’t hold back.

With the amount of seniors on the Southfield A&T offensive unit, there is no holding back with this squad.

“We preach a lot of things that I know are cliche, but we mean them,” said Southfield A&T coach Aaron Marshall, the uncle of Isaiah Marshall. “Our motto is W.I.T, whatever it takes, and T.L.T, the little things, so our seniors buying in allowed everyone else to buy in. We got a really senior-led group and a lot of seniors that have been starting on varsity since they were a sophomore, and two of them, Isaiah and Reggie Gardner, since they’ve been freshmen. We got a lot of experience.”

Marshall and the Southfield offense took control of the game late in the third quarter when Marshall threw a strike to Jarrett for a 23-yard touchdown to take a 24-7 lead. Marshall and Jarrett have been an unstoppable duo throughout this state tournament, connecting for three touchdowns the week before in their 36-25 win over Cass Tech.

Their chemistry was no different in the Chippewa Valley game as Marshall and Jarrett combined for two touchdown connections, one of which came right out the gate in the second half.

Trailing 12-7 into the second half, Chippewa Valley attempted an onside kick, but senior Dorian Freeman was ready for it as he returned the kick 32 yards to the Chippewa Valley 18-yard line. Marshall would find Jarrett moments later on a 13-yard touchdown pass as Jarrett leaped over multiple defenders to make the grab and give Southfield the 18-7 lead.

Marshall also tallied 83 rushing yards in the win, which coach Aaron Marshall said helps the offensive unit exploit their opponents.

“I think it’s a pick your poison,” the coach said. “Isaiah being a true dual threat, and shoutout to (Scott) Merchant at Chippewa Valley. We talked pregame and he said watching him (Marshall) on film, he said he’s never seen a kid, and I agree, who can run so well and throw so well. You got a lot of dual-threat guys that can run well, but Isaiah is very accurate. If he wanted to be a pocket guy and not a dual guy, he could be that guy.”

Chippewa Valley answered early in the fourth quarter as senior quarterback Andrew Schuster found senior running back Cash Shaw for a 31-yard touchdown to make it a 24-14 game.

Chippewa Valley had a chance to make it a one score game early in the fourth quarter, but an interception by senior defensive back A’Jailen King helped Southfield A&T put the game away with a 15-yard touchdown pass from Marshall to Bowman halfway through the fourth to make it 31-14.

Marshall and Bowman previously connected on a 50-yard touchdown pass just seconds before the end of the first half, which was set up by an interception from senior DaMario Quarles.

The Warriors defense may not get the love it deserves because of the offensive output, but three interceptions in a regional finals game tells you everything you need to know about where this defensive unit is right now.

“It’s been the coaches, man,” Aaron Marshall said. “Our seniors on that defense and our coaches, they’ve had their ups and downs, but through the season they just kept working at it and kept paying attention to detail. Right now, they’re very locked in.”

Senior Mathias Davis, who’s been huge for the Warriors since returning from injury, opened the scoring with a 3-yard touchdown run early in the first to give Southfield A&T a 6-0 lead.

Chippewa Valley countered with a 15-yard touchdown pass from Schuster to senior Jordan Byers in the middle of the second quarter, and Byers also tallied the final score of the game on a 75-yard fumble recovery for a touchdown.

Chippewa Valley’s season in which they won the Macomb Area Conference Red ends at 9-3 with a district title and a strong group of graduating seniors, including Schuster, Shaw, Rayshaun Hester, Davont’a Love, Anthony Wright, Byers, and many more.

With their sights set on the Michigan High School Division 1 state finals at Ford Field on Nov. 26, Southfield A&T will have to face an opponent they’re all too familiar with — West Bloomfield, of the Oakland Activities Association’s Red Division.

West Bloomfield bested Southfield A&T 31-20 on Oct. 13, but playoff football is always a different type of environment.

“They’re hungry for it,” Aaron Marshall said. “West Bloomfield, hats off to them, they were the better on that day. We got one blemish on our record, so the guys are excited to have the opportunity to play that team again. They’re doing a great job over there with their coach and their coaching staff, and they got some great players over there as you know. It’s an OAA matchup, so expect it to be a slugfest.”

The semifinals matchup will take place on Nov. 18 at Troy High School, after the C&G Newspapers press date. Visit candgnews.com for updated scores. 

While the two OAA teams will be rivals on Saturday, they’re both carrying the bragging rights for the OAA as the toughest conference in the state of Michigan.

“I say all the time that I don’t know a better conference than the OAA,” Aaron Marshall said. “Out of the four teams that are left, two are from the OAA, right? Out of the eight teams that were left, I know we had three, obviously, with Clarkston. Did anybody else have two or three? That says a lot. Numbers don’t lie, right?”