Traverse City Central plows Caledonia on a snowy night
Game Recap The Traverse City Central Trojans made the 2-hour drive to Caledonia and obliterated the Scots 42-14. Very surprisingly, this was not a competitive game as the Trojans went into the half up 35-7. Caledonia was stagnant on offense,…
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The Traverse City Central Trojans made the 2-hour drive to Caledonia and obliterated the Scots 42-14. Very surprisingly, this was not a competitive game as the Trojans went into the half up 35-7. Caledonia was stagnant on offense, not being able to rely on their pass game as much because of the heavy snow, and the run game wasn’t working largely because of Notre Dame commit Joshua Burnham Joshua Burnham 6'3" | 205 lbs | LB Traverse City Central | 2022 State MI in that front 7. On the flip side, the Trojans were hitting on all cylinders. Offense, defense, and special teams were great for the Trojans all night and this win propels them to the state semifinals where they’ll face South Lyon for a shot at the state championship on a neutral field.
Standout Athletes
TC MLB/QB Joshua Burnham Joshua Burnham 6'3" | 205 lbs | LB Traverse City Central | 2022 State MI
You could spot #8 from a mile away, and 6’4 Notre Dame commit took over this game with little resistance. He had 3 first-half touchdowns and well over 100 yards, but what’s more impressive was his general confidence and dominance. Every time Burnham ran the ball, he ran with confidence, power, and pure determination. On the defensive end, Burnham didn’t let anything get past him as he delivered precise, hard hits. He made the first 3 tackles of the game, forcing a quick 3 and out. Oh, and he also punted the ball 40+ yards. Dude is a certified baller, and I cannot wait to see what he can do at Notre Dame.
TC DB/KR Carson Bourdo
A usual force on the defensive side of the ball and a lethal kick returner, Bourdo made it look easy tonight. The DII prospect’s general DB skills are solid, and he doesn’t have any glaring weaknesses on that side. He played great tonight limiting Caldeonia’s pass game. Most notable though, Bourdo had an incredible kick return for a touchdown. This ball actually rolled on the turf for quite some time, and Bourdo had trouble picking it up, then once he did a few quick moves he was off to the races.
Caledonia QB Mason McKenzie
In a practical blizzard, Mackenzie remained poised and accurate throughout the game. When Caledonia did decide to throw, McKenzie did not rush and he delivered some accurate balls and finished with 1 touchdown but also 1 INT, which was on a critical 3rd and long. It’s saddening to see his season come to an end, but this sets up a potentially incredible senior campaign.
Closing Thoughts
I was very surprised to see Traverse City Central come in and roll over Caledonia. From what I saw, the vast majority of the local media had picked Caledonia to win this game after they steamrolled Mona Shores and barely lost to Rockford earlier in this season. Yet, it was clear that Traverse City Central was the better team with the better game plan, and the weather favored them as well. Traverse City Central will be the heavy favorite next week in the semifinals against South Lyon.