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Posted on Tue, Aug 21, 2012 : 9:30 p.m.

Ann Arbor Pioneer aims to shutdown future Michigan QB Shane Morris in AnnArbor.com Game of the Week

By Pete Cunningham

The people have spoken. When Warren De La Salle plays the Pioneer High School football team at Hollway Field on Friday night, it will be the AnnArbor.com High School Game of the Week.

The vote was close for roughly five minutes and then - my theory is - people realized Warren De La Salle is where Michigan football quarterback commit and five-star recruit Shane Morris plays and the rest took care of itself.

AnnArbor.com will give the game its Superbowl treatment, which will include a live chat that you can follow from your iPhone or Android device

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Pioneer's defensive secondary is an experienced lot this year and will have the challenge of containing future Michigan quarterback Shane Morris on Friday.

Melanie Maxwell | AnnArbor.com

After 10 days of voting, the De La Salle vs. Pioneer matchup had 296 (45.1 percent) of the 657 votes. While another 364 total votes rolled in over the next five days, no other game came close to catching up and it finished with 522 votes (51.1 percent) of the 1,021 total votes.

The Ypsilanti vs. Milan matchup was a distant second with 226 votes (22.1 percent), Chelsea vs. Jackson Lumen Christi had 179 (17.5 percent) and Skyline vs. Hartland had 94 (9.2 percent) votes. Seven votes came in from five countries outside of the United States and even among German, Australian, Indian, Namibian and Canadian voters, Pioneer vs. De La Salle was the most popular game.

And if I know one thing about Germans, Australians, Indians, Namibians and Canadians -- and I think I do -- it’s that they know their stuff when it comes to high school football.

But enough about the vote, let’s talk about the game. Of late, Pioneer is on fans’ radar because of a player currently suiting up for Michigan, Drake Johnson, while Warren De La Salle is on the radar because of a player that will suit up for the Wolverines next year: Morris.

News flash: one departed and one returning player do not a team make.

De La Salle beat Pioneer 43-28 last year and the 43 points was the second most points the Pioneers gave up all season.

So Morris got the best of them, right?

Not quite. Morris was efficient (14 of 18, 224 yards, 1 TD), but the Pioneers got the best of themselves. Pioneer gave up a safety, a fumble return for a touchdown and sent a snap over the punter’s head to give De La Salle possession at the 8-yard line…all in the first half.

“Their offense is very, very good but most of their scores were mistakes on the part of our offense last year,” Pioneer coach Paul Test said. “We had two bad snaps, put the ball on the ground a couple times and had an interception. I don’t care how good you are, you’re not going to beat anybody doing that.”

Test doesn’t have illusions that his defense will completely shutdown Morris, but thinks his secondary is up to the challenge of containing the Pilots’ offense.

“(Morris) is going to hit some plays, we’re not going to shut him down completely, but we need do our best to contain him,” Test said. “We’re working hard on giving him a lot of different coverage looks and not giving up the cheap one, the home run.”

Having senior cornerbacks Dewan Olive and Dan Eder and senior safety Henry Winters in the defensive backfield - where Pioneer had no experience to start the year last season - should help those efforts.

“Our defensive secondary was all new (last year),” Test said. “They’re going to be better this year.”

Pete Cunningham covers sports for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at petercunningham@annarbor.com. Follow him on Twitter @petcunningham.

Comments

darre james

Thu, Aug 23, 2012 : 8:56 p.m.

You may want to keep an eye on #2 this year for pioneer,great running back.

Scott

Thu, Aug 23, 2012 : 5 a.m.

Wow- Jack Wangler is John wangler's son. Just watched his tapes on you tube. That takes me way back to watching Michigan as a kid. I remember when Wangler had his knee blown out by Lawrence Taylor (South Carolina?). He should have never played again. Came back the next year and I think won the Rose Bowl. I think Butch Woolfolk was on that team along with Anthony Carter. Hope Jack wangler walks on to Michigan.

boo

Thu, Aug 23, 2012 : 1:18 a.m.

I'll be there to see SHane, and to see Pioneer. That is a good football program. Shane will not have his way.

Mick52

Wed, Aug 22, 2012 : 10 p.m.

I think that may be a game I will go to.

Terry Star21

Wed, Aug 22, 2012 : 11:56 p.m.

Good call Mick. Pioneer always puts on a great show, even as underdogs. This just gives us one more 'HUGE' reason to go !

Robert Granville

Wed, Aug 22, 2012 : 7:51 p.m.

Jack Wangler WR for De La Salle is also considering a preferred walk-on spot at Michigan IIRC.

Blue Marker

Wed, Aug 22, 2012 : 7:55 p.m.

Didn't his dad throw some sort of pass to a guy named Carter? I know, I'll ask Lee Corso!

Terry Star21

Wed, Aug 22, 2012 : 6:30 p.m.

"Ann Arbor Pioneer aims to shutdown future Michigan QB Shane Morris.....". Good luck Pioneers, if you pull this off you'll be doing something Michigan's Big Ten foes will be unable to do in a years time.

Scott

Wed, Aug 22, 2012 : 6:28 p.m.

Yes! The PR machines continues to roll. See shanemorris#1.com to vote Shane for the Heisman; buy Shane photos, coffee mugs jackets and other memorabilia, read about Shane's favorite foods, thoughts on life. Full length DVDs of Shane's greatest games as a high school junior, streaming video of Shane at over 50 corporate sponsored camps offered to the public as well. Donations will be accepted to the Shane Morris charitable foundation. Proceeds will go to the 100 foot statue of Shane to soon erected as soon as demolition of the clock tower is completed. Amen.

Terry Star21

Wed, Aug 22, 2012 : 6:32 p.m.

Isn't this a great country ! Pure Michigan, love it !