No. 5 Beal City Falls to No. 1 Hudson in D8 State Final

DETROIT – Nick Kopin’s go-ahead touchdown in the final seconds of the opening half propelled top-ranked Hudson to a 14-7 win over fifth-ranked Beal City in the MHSAA Division 8 state championship game at Ford Field in Detroit Friday.

The state championship is Hudson’s first since winning the 2010 Division 7 title and second in program history.

Beal City (12-2) was appearing in its second Division 8 state final since 2019 and ninth all-time. The runner-up finish is the seventh for the Aggies, who also recorded runner-up finishes in 2012 and 2013.

Beal City coach Brad Gross addresses the media after Beal City’s 14-7 loss to Hudson in the Division 8 state championship game. @MISportsNow pic.twitter.com/qWI1w9FcPh

— Joe Buczek (@JoeBuczek) November 26, 2021

Beal City took the lead with 38 seconds left in the first quarter of Friday’s game when Hunter Miles found Carter Fussman for a 53-yard touchdown pass.

The Tigers trailed 7-0 until Kopin’s 6-yard scamper with 14 seconds left in the opening half.

Following a squib kick on the ensuing kickoff, Beal City was in business again when Miles found Fussman on a 56-yard throw that got the Aggies down to the Hudson 7, The Aggies were unable to find the end zone before the first-half clock expired.

Miles also missed a 25-yard field goal attempt 4:15 left in the second quarter.

Kopin put the Tigers ahead by seven on a 2-yard score with 6:58 left in the fourth. Kopin finished the game with 131 yards and two scores on 25 carries.

Miles was 3-for-14 for 128 yards, a touchdown and an interception. Fussman led all receivers with 109 yards and a score on two receptions.

Josh Wilson led all tacklers with 13 for Beal City

For the game, Hudson (14-0) registered 282 yards on the ground and 17 through the air.