Pioneers gear up for first-ever State Championship game

By Pat Maurer

Review Correspondent

The level of excitement in Clare this week is “phenomenal,” said Clare Varsity Football Coach Kelly Luplow Tuesday just before the final Pep Rally in the high school gym. “It’s a whirlwind of excitement and fun around here right now.”

With last Saturday’s 27-14 win against Millington in the District 5 State semifinals, the Pioneers will now head for Ford Arena in Detroit where Saturday afternoon they will face the State’s number 1 ranked Class D team, Jackson Lumen Christie to determine who will hold this year’s State Championship title. Lumen Christie has a 12-1 record overall.

No matter what happens in Saturday’s game, this is a first for the community and a great achievement for the Pioneers. Clare has never reached a state championship game before.

With a 13-0 overall record, Clare is ranked second by CBSsports.com and Quarterback Kris English has been named the “Player of the Week.” English has a season average of 175.3 yards rushing, 142.4 yards in passing and 11.1 points per game.

“It is a phenomenal achievement. These kids possess that very special thing that makes them great.” Luplow said the neatest thing about this year’s Pioneers and probably a measure of their success is that “There are no superstars here.” He went on, “This team is a family.”

Luplow said the whole team watched the movie “300” and adopted the “36 Model” for themselves. “That means ‘36 guys all with one goal.’ Our “36” guys have become one unit with that common goal. They have sacrificed for each other, fought for each other and they love each other. It’s all about the team.”

“36 guys, one goal,” that is the motto written on the chalkboard in the locker room before every game,” Luplow said.

This weekend’s trip to Detroit is going to be really great,” Luplow continued. “It’s exciting. So many students, people and parents are going. Many of them have never been to Ford Field or to Detroit for that matter.”

He said he thought two or three busses had been chartered for the trip: for the team, for the band and possibly for spectators and parents. School busses will take students to the game and community members businesses around town have chartered busses as well, he said. Later the Athletic Director’s office verified that four spectator busses have been chartered through the school with approximately 155 signed up for the trip. Busses for both the team, band and privately chartered busses were not included in that total.

“It will be a great experience,” Luplow said. “Ford Field is a family atmosphere facility, laid back and relaxed.” He said almost his whole family will be there Saturday to cheer the Pioneers and him on. “My brother, who lives in Dallas, Texas, even said he wanted to come,” Luplow said. “I don’t think he will be able to be here, but my sister and brother-in-law, Sue and Bob Allen will be there and my family. My parents aren’t able to travel but they are big Pioneer fans and will be watching the game on TV.” He said the championship game will be televised on Cable Channel 31 [Fox Sports]. The game begins at 4:30 Saturday afternoon.

Luplow has been coaching at Clare for the last 22 years. “I have had tremendous support from the sports staff and my family,” Luplow said. “They are my biggest support staff. Lots of interesting things have happened in my life. This is just one more great event.” He said, “This is really a milestone. Lots of my friends and colleagues have never gotten this far.”

Clare’s Athletic Director Mike Schubart echoed Luplow’s excitement. “Of course I will be going to this game,” he said. “The spirit around the school has been phenomenal since the beginning the year, but that this is becoming a reality is just remarkable the way the students, parents and community all came together to welcome the team back after their win [last weekend].”

He continued, “We are really proud of these kids and the coaching staff and thankful for all of their hard work and the enormous effort they put in to get to where they are now. I am really excited about this opportunity.”

He said, “When their progress gets to this level, that result is because of that dedication of the coaching staff to develop these kids and the program over many years, not just this season. I’m really thankful we have such great coaches that have done that for Clare.

He said his whole family will be at Saturday’s championship game. “We moved here from Detroit,” he said, “and we will be there for our family Thanksgiving dinner. Everyone who is there will be coming.”

He said he is not surprised that the Pioneers are playing for the State title. We planned and sent out invitations five weeks ago for a surprise birthday for my son Friday,” he said. “We planned it on Friday so we would be able to be at Ford Field on Saturday for the big game. I knew we were going to make it.”

Superintendent Greg McMillan will also be going to the big game Saturday. “I wouldn’t miss it for anything,” he said. He said quite a few members of his family would also be going to support the Pioneers. “The level of excitement around the school and the community is fantastic. It has been a pretty exciting place around here all week, even during the parent-teacher conferences Monday and Tuesday.

“They [the Pioneers] will face tough opponents,” he said, “but I think they are up to the task. They are the kind of kids who love a challenge – the bigger the challenge the better.”

He continued, “I wish them the best and I will be praying for them. No matter what happens, just by making it to this point, they are now one of the elite football teams in Michigan.”