By John Raffel
Terry Hessbrook has obviously won many big games as a football coach, including four state titles, and he posted another sweet win in a unique setting on June 13.
Hessbrook coached Team Michigan over Team Ohio in the second annual Border Classic at Wayne State University, 24-7.
Brandon Childress, from Baldwin High School in Lake County, Michigan, had a combined 124 total yards rushing and passing, plus two rushing touchdowns, three completions, and one interception. “Brandon Childress made some plays for us,” Hessbrook said. “He made some plays with his feet and some with his arm.”
Childress shared time with University of Detroit Jesuit’s Ryan Brand and scored on a seven-yard keeper with just 23 seconds left in the first half to give his team a 10-7 lead. He then ran for a two-yard touchdown midway through the fourth quarter to stretch the lead to 17-7.
Hessbrook became impressed with Childress after only a few practices. “I have been very impressed with the way that Brandon handles himself. He seems to be very composed. He brings tremendous athleticism to the quarterback position. With our offense, it is really suited to his style of play. He is a quarterback that is truly a dual threat. He can hurt you in so many ways and seems to be very intelligent.”
Childress was a Division 7-8 football all-stater and the Class D Associated Press basketball All-State Player of the year.
“I was anxious to see how a small-town player would fit in with the ‘big boys,’” Hessbrook said. “He seems to be handling that very well.”
The Michigan High School Football Coaches Association selected Childress to the team. “He was selected because we knew he could run and throw,” Hessbrook said. “In our offense, we have to have a guy who can do both.”
Discussing the game after the victory, Hessbrook said, “It was a hard fought battle, a physical, competitive all-star game. I was very pleased with our kids.” He indicated, though, that the limited amount of practice time was evident on game day. “The execution was not always there.”
However, “[o]ur defense was dominant,” he continued.”I was very proud of our coaching staff and players.”
It was an all-star game, but Hessbrook could see that the players on both sides badly wanted the victory. “It’s Michigan vs. Ohio,” he said. “It was very tough. There were some vicious hits out there. It wasn’t like an NFL Pro Bowl game.”
Michigan had four interceptions, including one by Farmington Hills Harrison’s Donte Eubanks, which he returned for a touchdown with 3:20 left in the game.
“It was a pleasure to meet the Ohio coaches,” Hessbrook said. “They’ve invited me to speak at their clinic.”
Michigan also triumphed over Ohio in the first Border Classic last summer at the University of Findlay in Ohio.