DETROIT -- Pontiac Notre Dame's defense came into the Division 5 state title game with the reputation for strong defense, having allowed 20 points per game and taking away 11 interceptions and 14 fumbles in the 13 games leading up to the trip to Ford Field.
But on Sunday, it was Grand Rapids West Catholic's defense making a statement.
Notre Dame had a stretch of three possessions in the first half going three-and-out each time, picking up a total of 12 yards. The first five Irish drives yielded four punts and a fumble, which Connor Olszewski picked up for the Falcons.
That defense, and a pair of interceptions early in the second half, helped the Falcons build a 35-point lead. They cruised to a 42-14 win.
"We've been preaching physicality all year, bend-don't-break defense, it's on the next play," West Catholic linebacker Noah Gillespie said. "We're just focused on what we can do. Our scout team gave us a good look all week, really pushing us. And when the game comes, it's just a more physical team. And we brought it."
The first Notre Dame drive reached midfield, but a deep pass over the top on third-and-three fell incomplete. On the next drive, the Irish again picked up one first down and were about to move the chains again as Anthony Tartaglia raced 15 yards into Falcon territory only for the ball to pop out and West Catholic to recover.
"Running across the middle, he had it loose, so I ripped it out," Olszewski said. "Saw it come, jumped on it, and I think helped us with all the momentum for the rest of the game.
"We're just never satisfied, whether it's in the weight room or on the field. We think they could have a big run, but obviously we're not going to be satisfied with that. So it's never finished, not finished until the clock hits zero or the play's blown dead."
West Catholic's defense had another takeaway on the second play of the second half, as Cal Peterson intercepted a pass at the Irish 43 and raced it all the way back for a pick-six.
Then on Notre Dame's next possession, the Falcons did it again, this time with Christian Patterson stepping in front of a pass into the flat and taking it all the way back for a score.
Overall, the Falcons defense limited Notre Dame to 258 total yards, 60 of which came on the final drive when the game was already well in-hand.
"We have the best defensive coordinator I could ever ask for in Darren Smith," West Catholic coach Landon Grove said. "I don't know what I would do without that guy. Our defense, when we're at our best at West Catholics since I've been here, is our strength. And the old adage, it's cliche, defense wins championships, but it's true. When our defense is rolling, we get the ball in good field position and that allows me as a play caller on offense, to call plays confidently."
Many of those plays were coming from Gillespie, especially early. He had six solo tackles, had a hand in four others, and made a tackle for a loss.
"My job really is to set the edge," he said. "If I can squeeze that down to get to my linebackers, that's good. But if I can go make a play, I'll go make a play."
Notre Dame came into the day averaging 142 rushing yards per game. West Catholic held them to 66. Anthony Tartaglia had seven carries for a team-high 37 yards. Ben Lipardo was limited to 18 yards on 12 carries.
Quarterback Sam Stowe was injured on a second-quarter play, briefly coming back into the game before sidelining himself. He finished the day 8-of-11 for 67 yards.
"West Catholic today, fine football team, did some tremendous things on the offensive and defensive lines and controlled the flow of the game," Notre Dame coach Pat Fox said. "All credit to them. They did a great job. I'm proud of the way my kids battled. I love my kids and it's hard to say goodbye."
The Irish defense did come up with a play late in the half when Drake Roa intercepted a pass near the sideline and raced all the way to the West Catholic 25, and the Irish offense punched it in six plays later.
"I knew we needed a big play, especially after Sam went down and everything was going their way," Roa said. "I just tried to make the play. I saw the ball; I didn’t worry about anything; just went up and grabbed it and use my athleticism and try to get some momentum going our way."
But all that did was cut the Falcons’ lead to 21 after big plays from the West Catholic offense had sparked a first-half outburst. Grady Augustyn dropped a pass into the hands of Thomas Puksta on the Falcons’ second drive of the evening, and he raced 79 yards up the right sideline for the score.
A series of long Collin Abrams runs set up the next Falcons score, and he added a 43-yard run to set up the third touchdown.
The Irish defense did deflect a couple of passes from Augustyn, but one of those turned into a long gain for West Catholic as the ball bounded into the hands of Puksta for a 30-yard gain on third-and-12. The Falcons scored a few plays later.
"I was just trying to get out of bounds and then I got hit, and then he made a great play," Augustyn said.
"I saw the ball coming in the air and it got tipped, so I just grabbed it," Puksta said.
That strong start, those big plays on offense, the key plays on defense, added up to the Falcons capturing their first state title since 2022 and eighth overall.
"We inherited an unbelievable program when we got here in 2022, and it was our job to keep it going," Grove said. "The biggest thing for me that I'm proud of is these seniors up here got to leave their legacy and their stamp on the program. That's a big deal. When the expectation is to win it, to do it your senior year and do it the way they did, the way they fought, that means a lot. That's their legacy at West Catholic."