Southfield

End of the line

By Christian Davis
C & G Staff Writer

Farmington High football falls in playoffs

SOUTHFIELD — The seniors from the Farmington High football team took a spot along one side of the field Nov. 1 at Southfield High.

The Falcons had just fallen to Southfield 16-0 in a Division 2 pre-district, and coach John Bechtel had the rest of the players and his staff stop to thank each one of them personally.

“I’m going to miss them,” sophomore running back Neno Jones said after he shook the hand of the last senior in line.

“They were the leaders of this football team, and that’s the model of what we want to be like next year. They put in all the work and effort, and I’m going to miss them.”

The Falcons started eight sophomores, but Bechtel said the seniors were the heart of the team, which finished 6-4 overall.

“They were the guts of our team up front on both sides of the ball, and they showed us how to play,” he said. “They taught the young kids how to play.”

Jones said they also taught the underclassmen how to keep fighting.

Farmington finished winless last season and began this campaign with three straight losses.

The Falcons then ripped off six straight wins and earned a spot in the postseason. Three of the wins were by seven points or less, including a one-point victory against rival Farmington Hills Harrison.

“There was never a thought of quitting,” Jones said recalling the days when the team was struggling. “It was just a thought of pulling together and playing as a team.”

The Falcons’ first loss of this season came against Southfield 35-20. This time around, Farmington’s defense held the Blue Jays to three points in the first half, but later gave up a 19-yard touchdown pass in the third and an interception for a score with 35 seconds left in the game.

“It’s disappointing,” Bechtel said. “Our kids played well today, and Southfield is an awful good football team.”

Jones said he expects the Falcons to be the same next year.

“We have a lot of young talent on this football team, and we have to put in the effort and the work to be ready to play next year,” he said.

You can reach C & G Staff Writer Christian Davis at cdavis@candgnews.com or at (586)498-1062.