DETROIT -- Traverse City St. Francis won the opening coin toss on Saturday at Ford Field and deferred.
Gladiators coach Greg Vaughan took the same approach when it came to accepting the Division 7 state championship trophy after beating Hudson 42-8.
Vaughan opted not to accept the hardware from MHSAA officials and instead deferred to his team captains.
"I don't do that," Vaughan said. "It's for the players. It's not for me. They do the work, I just call the plays. They put the time in, they deserve it."
That meant Luke Popp, a senior defensive end and kicker, got the honors.
"That was a great experience," Popp said. "There's a lot of tradition at St. Francis, and to be able to take the trophy like that, it was a great experience. Coach Vaughan always gives it to the captains and I happened to be fortunate enough to get it."
Popp was named a team captain at the start of the playoffs with Max Bullough, Angus MacLellan, Jon Buday and Marc Kanitz.
Saturday's game was one of the best for Popp, who finished 6-for-6 on PATs and had two kickoffs go into the end zone for touchbacks and two that were fielded at the 1-yard line.
Not bad, considering Popp wasn't the opening day starter on kickoffs. Bullough was, but lost the job after slipping on a wet turf against Benzie Central in the first game of the year. Popp took the job away from the Michigan State University commit and held it the rest of the year.
"Max and I are good buddies, and it's been a fun season," Popp said. "I'm glad it ended out that way.
HURTS SO GOOD: St. Francis junior fullback Joe Kerridge injured himself twice on Saturday.
The team's leading rusher got off to a solid start with 20 yards on three carries. But after a 12-yard run in the second quarter, he limped to the bench and never returned to the field after pulling his groin on the play.
While Kerridge couldn't play, it didn't mean he couldn't participate. The 6-foot-1, 230-pounder screamed for his teammates on the sideline the rest of the way.
So much so, his voice was practically gone by the time he emerged from the locker room after the win.
MOVING ON: Bullough, a two-time All-State linebacker and the Division 7-8 Player of the Year, was asked how he wants to be remembered for his time at St. Francis.
"I hope as a good player," he said. "I remember growing up, watching the guys who played here. To me, they're probably better than me -- in my mind -- because I watched them when I was little. I just hope I can be part of the tradition here at St. Francis."
As for any regrets over his career?
"The one (state championship game) my sophomore year could have gone a little better," he said of the Glads' 20-0 loss to Mendon in 2007.
Bullough will graduate in January and enroll early at Michigan State.
"I was excited for this game," he said. "Now that it's over, I'm Green and White. I'm excited to get there. I've been waiting for this my whole life."
COLOR OF FUN: Hudson fans hung a banner behind their bench saying "Fear the Orange and Black."
St. Francis didn't pay attention.
For the second straight year, the Gladiators took down an Orange and Black-clad team for the Division 7 state title. Last year, it was the Ubly Bearcats with a 41-13 victory.
WELL CONDITIONED: St. Francis was able to out-work Hudson on Saturday, just like the Gladiators have done with most opponents this season.
Where did that begin?
The Upper Peninsula.
The Gladiators attended a conditioning camp in the U.P. this summer before the season. And players credited it to the success of the 14-0 campaign.
"It was the hardest thing I've ever done in my life," senior safety Matt Zakrzewski said.
GLADS GO ALL IN: St. Francis had 49 players on roster for Saturday's game. With the exception of Tyler Ockert, every one of them got into the action at Ford Field.
Ockert sustained a leg injury earlier this year and spent much of the playoffs on crutches.
When the subs got into the action, the starters stayed standing behind the coaches and supported their fellow teammates.
"We preach to them hard it's a family and it takes No. 1 through 49," Vaughan said. "You can't do it with one. Our guys I guarantee you are excited for everybody."
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