Lumen Christi Takes over Record for Most MHSAA Football Titles

Kadale Williams, Lumen Christi Catholic High School

By Jeff Steers

JTV Sports

Lumen Christi Catholic High School football team has been a juggernaut in high school football playoffs for nearly 50 years.

On Friday the Titans took over the lead for Michigan High School Athletic Association state football with 14. LCCHS broke the tie with Farmington Hills Harrison for the record – although FHHHS won’t win any too soon as the schools closed in 2019.

Lumen Christ defeated Lansing Catholic High School 56-18 in the MHSAA Division 6 state football final.

Through the years the names Crowley, Brogan, O’Dowd, Lefere, and Lathers are ones that have helped spur the Titans.

On Friday in the D-6 final, Kadale Williams etched his name into the Lumen Christi lore with more than 300 rushing yards and five touchdowns – setting state records in the process.

But there have been many heroes throughout the years.

Here is a look at the Titans’ 16 other trips to the state football finals – 14 ending in titles.

November 2023, Division 7 final

Lumen Christi 34, Memoninee 30: On Sunday the Titans tied the Michigan High School Athletic Association record for most state football with 13. LCCHS ties Farmington Hills Harrison for the record – although FHHHS won’t win any too soon as the schools closed in 2019. Lumen Christ defeated Menominee High School in the Division 7 state football game on Sunday. The finals were played on Saturday and Sunday as Michigan State University played at Ford Field on Friday. Kadale Williams etched his name into the Lumen Christi lore with 273 rushing yards and three touchdowns.

November 2022, Division 7 final

Lumen Christi 15, St. Francis 12: St. Francis was heavily favored after having defeated the Titans early in the season and scoring more than 50 points-per-game in the Division 7 playoffs. Lumen Christi trailed 12-0 heading into the final quarter but scored 15 points to pull out the win. Joe Lathers scored on an 18-yard run midway through the fourth quarter and Derrick Walker scored the winning touchdown for the Titans. Lathers finished with 214 yards of offense with 115 rushing yards and 99 passing yards. Conor Smith and Devian Franklin both tallied seven tackles for the Titans. The state championship is the 12th for Lumen Christi and 10th for head Coach Herb Brogan. Now with 10 state titles as a head coach, Brogan joins Detroit Catholic Central High School Coach Tom Mach and Mendon High School Coach John Schwartz. They all trail John Herrington of Farmington Hills Harrison who finished with 13 titles.

November 2019, Division 7 Final

Pewamo-Westphalia 14, Lumen Christi 0: The four-game winning streak in state finals came to an end in 2019 as PW defeated the Titans at Ford Field. The trip to the state finals was the fourth consecutive for Lumen Christi. In a defensive battle, Lumen Christi held Pewamo-Westphalia to 119 yards for offense while only finishing with 109 yards offensively. Walker Plate finished with 49 yards rushing for Lumen Christi. Matt Saunders led the defense with 11 tackles in the Division 7 final for LC. It was the first time Lumen Christi would compete in a Division 7 football final.

November 2018, Division 6 Final

Lumen Christi 42, Montague 28: The Titans won another high-scoring state final at Ford Field with the Division 6 finals win against Montague. Nick Thomas capped the 13-0 season for Lumen Christi with a pair of touchdowns running and 249 rushing yards in the final. The Titans scored 14 points in the second, third, and fourth quarters against Montague. Cy’Aire Johnson scored on a 40-yard touchdown pass from Joe Barrett and a 29-yard run. Dayton Keller and Brock Fitzpatrick also scored for Lumen Christi. Nick Thomas led the defensive effort with 10 tackles including two for losses. The win was Herb Brogan’s ninth as a head coach for Lumen Christi and a three-peat for the Titans in Division 6.

 November 2017, Division 6 Final

Lumen Christi 40, Itaca 34: The Titans won a shootout against Ithaca in the Division 6 final at Ford Field. Kyle Minder again scored three times in a state title game and rushed for 206 yards in the contest. Sebastion Toland scored on an 80-yard touchdown run and finished with 244 rushing yards in the contest. Lumen Christi ran the ball for 514 yards in the contest. Nick Thomas also scored on a 72-yard touchdown run getting the Titans on the scoreboard. Itaca led 13-8 at one point before Lumen Christi went on a 24-point run. Ithaca scored 21 points in the final quarter to pull close to the Titans. The loss was the first of the season for Ithaca, giving the Titans a 12-1 record and Herb Brogan’s eighth state football title as a coach.

November 2016, Division 6 Final

Lumen Christi 26, Glen Lake 14: It would be seven seasons before the Titans returned to the state football finals – this time in Division 6. It would be the first of four consecutive trips to Ford Field in Detroit. Kyle Minder was one the stars of the game for the Titans with three rushing touchdowns and 66 rushing yards for the game. Lumen Christi led 20-7 at halftime and Bo Bell extended that lead with a 3-yard run for a score in the third quarter on his way to 238 rushing yards for the contest. Adding his rushing, receiving, and kickoff yards Bell recorded nearly 300 yards of offense for LC. Lumen Christi finished the season with a 12-2 record and the seventh state football championship under Herb Brogan.

 November 2009, Division 5 Final

Lumen Christi 42, Clare 7: The Titans got back on its winning ways in state football finals with 35 points in the first half against Clare. Connor Sullivan threw for more than 200 yards, threw for two scores, and caught another in the victory. Rafe Bellers got Lumen Christi off to a quick start with a 90-yard kickoff return to start the game. Sam Ward scored on a touchdown pass and Sullivan caught a 20-yard touchdown pass from Michael Lathers. The Titans held Clare to under 200 yards of offense in the win. The victory was the sixth state championship title under Herb Brogan.

November 2007, Division 5 Final

Menominee 21, Lumen Christi 7: The Titans will have a chance for payback this year as Mominee defeated the Titans in the 2007 state football final.  Lumen Christi did not score until the fourth quarter on a 67-yard pass from Connor Sullivan to Mark Lathers. Menominee ran for 282 yards and the Titans could only muster 106 rushing yards. After winning its first seven state final games, the Titans were on a two-game losing streak in the finals.

November 2005, Division 5 Final

Oakridge 42, Lumen Christi 28: After a run of seven consecutive finals’ wins the Titans lost to Oakridge – a team they had defeated two years earlier – in the 2005 Division 5 state football finals. Jeff Wojtusik scored on a pair of 1-yard runs for the Titans. Josh Badall scored on a 10-yard run and Tyler Aldridge scored on a 34-yard touchdown pass from Wojtusik – who finished with 213 passing yards for Lumen Christi. Oakridge finished with 328 rushing yards while LC could only tally 53 yards. The loss prevented Lumen Christi from a three-peat in Division 5 at Ford Field in Detroit.

November 2004, Division 5 Final

Lumen Christi 13, Bullock Creek 0: The Titans recorded its third consecutive shutout in state football finals in the Division 5 win over Bullock Creek. B.J. Carter scored on a 1-yard touchdown run in the second quarter giving the Titans a 7-0 lead. Josh Badall put the game away scoring on a 30-yard run midway through the fourth quarter for Lumen Christi. The Titans held Bullock Creek to 107 total yards of offense in the final. It was the second consecutive state Division 5 title for the Titans and the fourth in five seasons under Herb Brogan. It was the last time the state football finals were played at the Silverdome.

November 2003, Division 5 Final

Lumen Christi 23, Oakridge 0: Matt Russell scored on a 34-yard touchdown pass in the first 15 seconds of the game for the Titans on a pass from Tyler Aldridge. Gaelen Callahan and Eric Adamczyk also scored touchdowns for the Titans. Jason Norris kicked a 24-yard field goal for Lumen Christi in the victory. The defense held Oakridge to 135 total yards giving Muskegon its first loss of the season. Lumen Christi finished the season with a 12-2 record and the fourth state title for Coach Herb Brogan.

 November 2001, Division 5 Final

Lumen Christi 49, Clarenceville 0: The Titans outscored their last two opponents 95-0 to win the Division 5 state title at the Pontiac Silverdome. Lumen Christi scored 35 points in the second quarter to pull away from Clarenceville. Ted Piepkow and Peni Sete both scored a pair of touchdowns in the win. The Titans ran for 332 yards in the win and Paul Gross kicked all seven extra points.  Lumen Christi held Clarenceville to less than 100 yards in the contest. Herb Brogan won his third state title as a coach in the victory.

November 2000, Division 5 Final

Lumen Christi 42, Spring Lake 15: The “Divisions” era began in 1999 and the Titans played in the 2000 Division 5 state final against Spring Lake. The Titans jumped out to a 28-7 lead after three quarters as Shane Brogan ran for two touchdowns and threw for two more in the contest. Steve Karasek caught two touchdown passes from Brogan. Lumen Christi finished the season with a perfect 14-0 record with a win at the Silverdome. The victory was the second for LC Coach Herb Brogan.

November 1996, Class B Final

Lumen Christi 17, Belding 11: Belding High School scored twice in the fourth quarter on a touchdown, 2-point conversion, and a field goal but could draw no closer. Brendon Kewin and Jeff Ziegler scored on touchdown runs for the Titans. Lumen Christi scored first in the game on a safety credited to Brent Cummings. Ziegler finished with 132 passing yards for LC. The Titans finished the season at 13-0 in the slightly expanded playoff format. The state title was the first for Lumen Christi Coach Herb Brogan.

November 1979, Class B Final

Lumen Christi 21, Grand Rapids West Catholic 0: A stellar defensive effort all year – nine shutouts in 12 games – continued for the Titans in its second state football title in 1979 at the Pontiac Silverdome. Brian O’Dowd, Tim Schonhard, and Warren Wells all scored on 1-yard runs for the Titans. The defensive unit held West Catholic to 41 rushing yards in the contest. The state title was the second for Coach Jim Crowley.

November 1977 Class B Final

Lumen Christi 17, Saginaw McArthur 16: The Titans trailed 16-3 heading into the final 12 minutes of the Class B championship game. Kip Parker scored on a 1-yard run and Dave Schonhard ran for 93 yards to bring the Titans Back. Tom O’Dowd finished with 100 passing yards for LC (11-1). Saginaw had a chance to win the game late on a field goal but just missed the goal post at the Pontiac Silverdome. The state title was the first for Coach Jim Crowley.