Brady Drogosh went out in style.
The Warren De La Salle High School quarterback had just two incomplete passes among 23 attempts in his final high school football game, a 52-13 victory over Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central in the Division 2 final.
Drogosh left the game with 10:35 left in the fourth quarter and the Pilots leading by 39 points.
De La Salle fans gave him an ovation, saluting Drogosh’s 21-of-23 performance that produced 249 yards and two touchdowns plus 152 rushing yards that led to three more scores.
“I was pretty emotional,” said Drogosh, The Michigan Associated Press Division 1-2 Player of the Year. “I came off the field and saw (offensive lineman) Dante (Pancotto). He was crying, and as soon as I hugged him I started getting emotional.
“I saw my family. They were crying. Then I gave coach (Dan) Rohn a big ol’ hug.”
Those moments put an exclamation mark on the senior season and career of Drogosh.
He had a 33-6 record as a starter and led the Pilots to three consecutive state championship game appearances, including a 41-14 victory over Traverse City Central in the 2021 final.
The 6-foot-5 Drogosh completed 140 of 202 attempts for 2,264 yards and 35 touchdowns this season. He also rushed for a team-leading 1,340 yards as the Pilots went 13-1 and won the fifth state championship in program history.
“The thing I’ll remember most is being at Ford Field three years in a row with my brothers, the guys that I love,” he said.
Drogosh passed for 4,881 yards and 58 touchdowns in his career. He rushed for 3,304 yards and 49 scores.
He committed to Cincinnati, but has entertained other offers after coach Luke Fickell left for Wisconsin a week after the state championship game.
Drogosh was joined on the All-State team by two De La Salle senior defensive players, lineman Mason Muragin and linebacker James McDonald.
The other All-State quarterback is sophomore Bryce Underwood, who led Belleville to the Division 1 championship.
Running backs selected were Brock Townsend of Caledonia, Cole Cabana of Dexter, Jeremiah Beasley of Belleville, Sean Hodges of Detroit Cass Tech and Ethan Clark of Clarkston.
Wide receivers named were Braylon Isom of Saginaw Heritage, Evan Boyd of East Lansing, Corey Sadler of Cass Tech and Brady Prieskorn of Rochester Adams.
Other lineman voted to the team were Cooper Terpstra of West Ottawa, Teddy Williams of Grand Ledge, Bruce Williams of Ann Arbor Huron, Nate Johnson of Belleville, Jalen Thompson of Cass Tech, Amir Herring of West Bloomfield and Cole Dellinger of Clarkston.
Joining McDonald at linebacker were Derek Pennington Jr. of Caledonia, Chase Kern of Hartland, Brayden Courser of Novi Detroit Catholic Central and Kari Jackson of West Bloomfield.
Defensive backs selected were Brad Raredon of Hudsonville, Micah Davis of Dexter, Alex Graham of Cass Tech, Amare Snowden of Roseville and Jalen Todd of Southfield A&T.
The specialist was Darius Whiteside II of Troy. Tarik Ahmetbasic of Clinton Township Chippewa Valley was the kicker and Leeshaun Mumpfield of Cass Tech the punter.
Phil Jacobs, who led Dexter to the Division 2 semifinals, was voted Coach of the Year by a statewide panel of sports reporters.
