Football Semifinals to be Battle of the Backs

If the varsity football team is going to win this weekend, it’s going to have to stop Dennis Norfleet. Or at least try to slow him down.

The Warriors (8-4) play Detroit Martin Luther King (9-3) at West Bloomfield High School at 1 p.m. Saturday in the Division 2 semifinals. Norfleet is the University of Cincinnati-bound running senior that has racked up nearly 2,000 yards this year and 25 touchdowns. 

Brother Rice head coach Al Fracassa knows first-hand how dangerous Norfleet is. The Warriors coach has seen the back run over his defense twice.

“We got to stop Norfleet,” Fracassa said. “He’s a Barry Sanders (-type running back). He’s only 5-foot-7 and 180 pounds, but he runs like the wind.”

Last year to open the season, Norfleet ran for more than 250 yards against the Warriors in a 32-19 win. The running back scored all five of his team's touchdowns.

Norfleet had a similar performance in the He ran for more than 230 yards and had two touchdowns.

“Dennis Norfleet is an amazing player,” Brother Rice defensive back Jimmy Hendrix said. “He’s shifty, he’s got moves. We are just looking to contain him.”

Fracassa watched Norfleet against Wyandotte Roosevelt in the quarterfinals. on the Friday before the Warriors beat Southfield. 

“He ran the first play, boom, 68 yards for a touchdown,” Fracassa said. “That guy is good, really good. They got a good team, they are really determined.”

Norfleet had more than 170 yards in the first half alone.

Brother Rice has allowed less than a touchdown a game in the playoffs. During the team’s playoff run, the defense has been aggressive against opposing running backs. Hendrix said the key to slowing down Norfleet will be keeping that intensity up. 

“I think we need to have 11 people at the ball,” Hendrix said. “We just trap all his cuts so he can’t make his moves and hopefully gang tackle.”

Another way Brother Rice will look to limit Norfleet is by keeping the ball away from him with its own stud running back Devin Church.

The senior is hoping he can outshine Norfleet on the big stage.

“Even though its Brother Rice vs. King, you kind of want to out show him, out perform him,” Church said after last week’s win. 

In the playoff so far, Church has reached the end zone multiple times in all three playoff games. in round one, 153 yards and then 156 yards last weekend .

Overall, Church has helped the Warriors rush for more than 200 yards as a team in all three games.

“He’s a special player,” Fracassa said.

Fracassa hopes he can be special for Brother Rice again Saturday with a chance to play for the Division 2 championship at Ford Field next week on the line.