Detroit Cass Tech and Novi Detroit Catholic Central meet again on the biggest stage to end the 2025 Michigan high school football season in the Division 1 state final at Ford Field in Detroit.
Cass Tech (13-0) is the defending Division 1 champion. The Technicians won three of their first four games by single digits, but have won the last nine games by at least two touchdowns to enter Ford Field on a hot streak. Cass Tech is seeking its fifth state championship in the program’s sixth title appearance.
Novi Detroit Catholic Central (13-0) came into the season with a clear goal of winning it all after losing to Cass Tech in last year’s semifinals by a field goal. Catholic Central dominated, winning all 13 games by at least a two-touchdown margin. The Shamrocks are making their 18th state final appearance, tying the state record, and seeking their 11th title.
There is no TV for state final games, only livestreaming on the NFHS Network.
Follow along for live updates from the Novi Detroit Catholic Central- Detroit Cass Tech MHSAA Division 1 final at Ford Field below. Refresh the page for the latest game updates.
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Cass Tech vs Detroit Catholic Central live updates, highlights
DCC 42, Cass Tech 13, 4:52 4Q.
Catholic Central’s exclamation point came on an interception returned for a touchdown by defensive tackle/left guard Benny Eziuka. Donald Tabron tried to throw the ball away while Jack Janda was pulling him to the ground. His pass did not reach the sidelines, instead falling right into Eziuka’s hands. The Penn State verbal commit finished his high school career with a 41-yard return for a defensive touchdown.
The pro-DCC crowd at Ford Field erupted as the 6-foot-3, 300-pound lineman waltzed into the end zone.
DCC 36, Cass Tech 13, 4:52 4Q.
This one is all but over. Cass Tech failed to recover an onside kick, giving the ball to Catholic Central at midfield. Cass Tech stopped two runs and called timeouts, setting up a third-and-long. Catholic Central dialed up a pass, and Gideon Gash cooked his cornerback off the line for a wide-open 48-yard touchdown.
Gash has three catches for 128 yards and three touchdowns. Duke Banta is 9-of-11 for 156 yards and three touchdowns.
DCC 29, Cass Tech 13, 5:24 4Q.
Cass Tech quickly moved down the field behind some big passes from Donald Tabron. After he connected with Mylan Griggs for a 29-yard gain into DCC territory, he hit Sadler over the middle for a 15-yard touchdown. Cass Tech’s 2-point conversion attempt failed, keeping the deficit at 16 points.
DCC 29, Cass Tech 7, 6:45 4Q.
The Shamrocks are well on their way to their first state championship since 2009. DCC quickly turned the turnover on downs into a touchdown. Cedric Williams broke two big runs to reach the 1-yard line, and then punched it in to deliver the dagger. Cass Tech started using its timeouts, but could not get the defensive stop it needed. DCC went for two after an offsides on the extra point attempt, but Cass Tech stuffed it.
DCC 23, Cass Tech 7, 6:45 4Q.
That might do it. Cass Tech’s offense could not move down the field, failing on fourth down at its own 34 after Donald Tabron’s scramble was stopped short of the first down marker. Cass nearly had a deep completion on fourth down, but the pass was knocked loose by a Catholic Central defender.
DCC 23, Cass Tech 7, 7:52 4Q.
DCC turned the fumble into a field plays later. The Shamrocks ran it three straight times with Cedric Williams and Jalen Montlouis, but couldn’t crack the end zone.
Kicker Ty Goddard nailed the 21-yard field goal. DCC has a 16-point lead with less than nine minutes remaining.
DCC 20, Cass Tech 7, 10:15 4Q.
On the first play of Cass Tech’s drive, it ran a read option play. Quarterback Donald Tabron kept the ball, but DCC defensive end Kaden Gonzales jarred it loose as Tabron tried to run to the edge. Tabron could not corral the loose ball, and DCC’s Luca Genrich recovered at the Cass Tech 9-yard line, setting them up with a first-and-goal.
DCC 20, Cass Tech 7, 10:25 4Q.
Catholic Central kept its offense on the field for 4th-and-4 from Cass Tech’s 22. DCC ran a wildcat quarterback run with Josh Peters, but the Technicians swarmed to bring him down one yard short of the first down marker.
Cass Tech got on the board, but Catholic Central is in range to increase its lead again. The Shamrocks have steadily moved the ball down the field with bruising runs up the middle, draining the clock.
DCC will have 2nd-and-9 from the Cass Tech 26-yard line to start the fourth quarter.
DCC 20, Cass Tech 7, 4:19 3Q.
Cass Tech isn’t done yet.
The Technicians responded with their first scoring drive of the game. Donald Tabron delivered a deep strike to freshman receiver Peyton Robinson, who separated from the defender, laid out and caught the ball mid-air for a diving 33-yard catch. Referees ruled it was a touchdown on the field. But with video review, referees ruled Robinson was down inside the 1-yard line despite video showing he crossed the plane while his knee hit the ground.
On the next play, Julian Taylor punched in a 1-yard rushing touchdown up the middle.
DCC 20, Cass Tech 0, 7:36 3Q.
Duke Banta threw his arms up in the air to signal a touchdown before Gideon Gash caught it. The junior DCC quarterback knew he delivered a perfect pass.
From Cass Tech’s 37, DCC dialed up a deep post. Gideon Gash split the double team and outran the field safety and had the ball perfectly dropped into his hands as he crossed the goal line. It was a great route and even better pass from Banta to put the Shamrocks up by a three-score margin.
DCC 13, Cass Tech 0, 8:40 3Q.
Catholic Central’s defense continues to make plays.
Cass Tech was putting together a nice drive behind the running game to open the second half to reach DCC territory. The Technicians dialed up a deep shot, but DCC linebacker Josh Atiemo got around the edge, blew up the running back in protection and hit Tabron while he was trying to throw to the end zone. The pass was a wounded duck that fell right in the hands of Beckett Glynn for an interception. Glynn returned it to the Shamrocks’ 42-yard line.
The final 24 minutes of the Michigan high school football season are underway. Cass Tech received the second-half opening kickoff and will start at its own 20-yard line, trailing by 13 points.
DCC’s defense was the story of the first half. The Shamrocks held Cass Tech to 89 total yards in the first 24 minutes and just 13 rushing yards on nine attempts. DCC has sacked Donald Tabron twice and recorded four tackles for loss.
On the other side, DCC has 116 yards of total offense but has taken advantage of good field position to find the end zone. Duke Banta started the game with a 41-yard touchdown pass to Gideon Gash, and Josh Peters ran for a 5-yard touchdown out of a wildcat package. The Gash brothers, Samson and Gideon, have combined for five catches for 61 yards.
DCC 13, Cass Tech 0, 2:45 2Q.
Catholic Central turned the prime field position into seven points on a Josh Peters rushing touchdown out of wildcat. He faked a handoff to Samson Gash on a sweep, and then followed a convoy of four blockers into the end zone. DCC reached the goal line on a 19-yard completion to Gash on a screen.
DCC 6, Cass Tech 0, 5:34 2Q.
Cass Tech started its third drive on its own 10 and marched out to midfield before coming up one yard short of a first down. The Technicians were slow after third down, drawing a delay of game, which eliminated the chance of going for it on fourth-and-1. Samson Gash returned the ensuing punt to Cass Tech’s 25-yard line.
DCC went three-and-out on its third drive after a nice pass breakup on a deep shot by C.J. Sadler and a third-down tackle by the North Carolina verbal commit on a screen pass to Gash.
DCC 6, Cass Tech 0, 11:54 2Q.
Cass Tech forced a punt on DCC’s second drive. Duke Banta nearly hit Gideon Gash for another long touchdown on third down, but the pass was a yard too far.
The Technicians went nowhere on their second drive. Cass picked up three yards on first down, Donald Tabron nearly threw an interception on second down, and Josh Atiemo tackled Mylan Griggs for a loss on third down.
DCC has the ball at its own 47-yard line to start the second quarter.
DCC 6, Cass Tech 0, 5:00 1Q.
Cass Tech’s drive started with a 35-yard pickup by C.J. Sadler. Sadler caught a tunnel screen on the left and reversed fields all the way to the right sidelines for the big gain. Cass Tech got to the edge of the red zone after a CC facemask penalty, but the Shamrocks’ defense stood tall. First, Jalen Montlouis and Jack Janda produced a tackle for loss on second down, and then Janda sacked Tabron on third down to force a punt.
DCC 6, Cass Tech 0, 7:44 1Q.
Catholic Central strikes first on a 41-yard touchdown pass from Duke Banta to Gideon Gash on fourth down. On 4th-and-4, CC called a timeout and kept the offense on the field. Banta lofted a perfect pass down the sidelines to Gideon Gash, who beat his man and a safety shading over the top, to take the lead. CC picked up one first down on a Jalen Montlouis run before the long touchdown pass. Cass Tech blocked the extra point attempt.
Cass Tech’s kickoff went out of bounds. Catholic Central will start at its own 35. It is game time.
Cass Tech won the pregame coin toss and elected to defer. Catholic Central will receive the opening kickoff in Ford Field’s West end zone.
At 6:50 p.m., there are 20 minutes left on the warmup clocks for Cass Tech and Catholic Central. Following the warmups, the national anthem will be played and football will follow around 7:15 p.m.
Catholic Central and Cass Tech fans have started to take seats on either sideline inside Ford Field. The Division 5 state title game just started the fourth quarter, meaning there are still 12 minutes of game action remaining before warmups start for D-1. Slightly after 7 p.m. still seems likely for the kickoff time.
The Division 1 state title game starts over 30 minutes after the conclusion of the Division 5 state championship game between Grand Rapids West Catholic and Pontiac Notre Dame Prep. The second half of the Division 5 championship started at 5:40 p.m., which means the D-1 championship will likely start after the listed time of 7 p.m.
Detroit Catholic Central vs Detroit Cass Tech stream live, start timeStart time: 7 p.m. Sunday.Streaming:Â On NFHS Network.TV channel:Â None.Tickets:Â Tickets can be purchased at Ford Field or online on the MHSAA website. Tickets cost $20 and get you access to all four championship games on Sunday.
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Jared Ramsey covers high school sports for the Detroit Free Press. Contact him at jramsey@freepress.com; Follow Jared on X or Bluesky.