Twins Matt and Andrew Durkin connected on a 32-yard touchdown pass with 7:02 left in the game to help give Pontiac Notre Dame Prep a 21-14 victory over Warren Michigan Collegiate.
Notre Dame Prep (3-0) matches its win total from last year, while Collegiate (1-2) matches its loss total from last year after this non-league meeting at Madison Heights Bishop Foley on Saturday night.
On the go-ahead touchdown, quarterback Matt Durkin was flushed out of the pocket by the Collegiate defensive line.
A threat on the ground with 117 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries, Durkin drew the secondary in as soon as he broke the pocket.
Wide receiver Andrew Durkin was wide open waiting for his brother to find him in the back of the end zone.
"I've been playing with (Andrew) since I was pretty much alive," Matt Durkin said. "It's a great feeling; a lot of emotion obviously. It was kind of lucky I think, because I saw him at the last second.
"It was awesome. I try to get him more involved because he does everything he can on defense, so I want to reward him on the offensive side."
Andrew Durkin also plays linebacker and helped the Notre Dame Prep defense force a three-and-out on Collegiate's next drive and a turnover on downs on Collegiate's final drive.
Notre Dame Prep held Collegiate scoreless in the second half, after being tied 14-14 at half.
"I thought defensively in the second half we played excellent," Notre Dame Prep coach Pat Fox said. "They bailed our offense out, because offensively we were down a couple men."
Notre Dame Prep tailback Patrick Anger started the scoring with a 10-yard run in second quarter to put his team up 7-0. Anger finished with 125 yards on 19 carries and one touchdown.
Anger's touchdown came on a sweep to the right side, where he was able to glide into the end zone untouched.
Matt Durkin made it 14-0 with a 9-yard touchdown run up the middle on a play action sweep to his wide receiver.
Warren Michigan Collegiate gets ready for its game against Pontiac Notre Dame Prep Saturday night. (Max Cotton)
"Matt's a fabulous kid," Fox said. "He works hard; we're down three tailbacks right now, and we leaned on Matt, and Matt was a stud."
Collegiate's scoring came on two big plays late in the second quarter by wide receiver Jamell Green.
Green got the ball on a reverse and ran 82 yards to the end zone to make it 14-6. It was a slow developing play, but once Green got into the open field, he was gone.
Green's second touchdown came on the next drive. Quarterback Jorden Marks found Green on a 51-yard pass, where Green elevated on a 50-50 ball and brought it in.
With the defensive back on the ground, Green found the end zone easily after that to make it 14-14 with 34 seconds left in the half. Running back Shawn Jackson added the two-point conversion on a run to the left.
"(Green) has all the ability to do what he wants," Collegiate coach John Guth said. "When the ball is in his hands, he's electric."
Green struggled with cramps in the fourth quarter. He was not on the field, where he starts at safety, for Notre Dame Prep's final touchdown.
Green came back out for the ensuing kickoff and put his team in great position after he returned the kickoff to the opponent's 41-yard line.
Notre Dame Prep then forced a three-and-out, but Collegiate's defense held and got the ball back with 2:25 left to play.
On the final drive for Collegiate, a third down sack by Notre Dame Prep defensive lineman Jacob Pollack made it fourth-and-14.
Marks then threw a pass up to Green on fourth down, but the ball fell to the ground in a sea of players.
"They came out against a giant and they wanted to slay it," Guth said. "Everything I could ask out of my boys, they did.
"They played really good. Just a couple key mistakes, and it happens. I don't take anything away from Notre Dame Prep. They are a great program."
Notre Dame Prep looks to stay unbeaten with a game at Dearborn Divine Child (2-1) at 7 p.m. Friday. Collegiate will host Detroit University Prep (1-2) at 7 p.m. Saturday.
"Our kids have bought in," Fox said. "They played courageously, and I couldn't be happier with them. "
MLive.com, September 12, 2015