Football Battles Detroit Cass Tech in Amazon Prep Kickoff Classic on Friday at Wayne State University
The Central Catholic football team will continue its grueling schedule against Detroit Cass Technical on Friday, August 29 as part of the 20th edition of the Amazon Prep Kickoff Classic. In a matchup of Detroit Public School League and Catholic High School League schools, the 7 p.m. contest will take place at Tom Adams Field on the campus of Wayne State University.
Please click HERE to purchase tickets for Friday's neutral-site matchup.
For those fans unable to attend Friday’s contest, it can be heard LIVE on The Ticket l 100.7 FM with the “Voice of the Irish” Bill Clark and Jim Oswald, starting at 6 p.m. or streamed online HERE.
In addition, the game will be broadcast LIVE on YouTube HERE, courtesy of STATE CHAMPS.
The Scarlet & Gray is coming off a 17-14 loss vs. Walsh Jesuit on Friday in its season opener in Gallagher Stadium. The setback snapped the Fighting Irish's 26-game home winning streak, dating back to August 20, 2021.
After spotting the Warriors an early score, junior QB Ali Beydoun connected with senior WR Preston Fryzel on a 10-yard TD strike in the 2nd quarter. The PAT was wide left to make the score 7-6.
Walsh Jesuit quickly countered with a 79-yard TD and a 24-yard field goal to give the visitors a 17-6 lead at halftime.
The only points after intermission was an 8-yard run by junior RB Jeremiah Fuller and a successful 2-point conversation midway through the 4th stanza. Fuller finished with a team-high 118 yards on 14 carries on the ground and was credited with a forced fumble in the opening stanza.
The Fighting Irish had a chance to win this past Friday’s non-conference game in the waning moments of regulation, but they turned the ball over on downs at WJ’s 4-yard line.
Central Catholic will face a Cass Tech squad that posted a 12-2 overall record in 2024, capturing a MHSAA Division 1 state championship under Head Coach Marvin Rushing.
The teams will square off against one another for the 2nd time in the last 3 seasons. CCHS secured a 48-23 victory vs. the Technicians in the 51st-annual Prep Bowl on October 21, 2023, outscoring DCT 20-0 in the 2nd half of the “Goodfellows Game” at Ford Field.
Running back Marquan Braswell led the Fighting Irish offensively with a season-tying best 4 TDs on the ground. Braswell, who finished with 141 yards on 28 carries, found the end zone on 3 occasions in the 1st half.
CCHS also benefited from 2 TDs by WR Jaylen Watson to snap the Technicians’ 6-game winning streak. Watson had 4 catches for 119 yards in the neutral-field game.
The Fighting Irish will return to the field against Detroit Catholic Central on Friday, Sept. 5 in their CHSL opener. The opening kick against the Shamrocks is slated for 7 p.m. in Gallagher Stadium.
Last fall, CCHS suffered a 21-7 setback vs. DCC in its CHSL opener at Fr. Richard Elmer Stadium, stopping its school-record 33-game winning streak.
The Fighting Irish’s lone score came on a 70-yard TD pass from Beydoun to senior WR Sharard Vaughn III to open the 3rd quarter. Unfortunately for Central Catholic, the Shamrocks immediately answered with their own scoring drive to make it a 2-score difference and halt any momentum CCHS had established.
