By John Hetzler, Macomb Daily Sports Writer

Stevenson must overcome Clarkston

With Jason Fracassa throwing moon balls to D.J. Mershman and Marcus Beaurem, the players on Stevenson's football team often look like they are shooting for the stars.

Of course, the Titans want to take a more earthbound journey, one that ends with a game at Ford Field, and to do that, they must take one more, big step for Stevenson-kind: shoot down undefeated Clarkston in a Division 1 state semifinal on Saturday night at Troy Athens. Kickoff is at 7 p.m.

"The thing we've been talking to the kids is you can only play one game at a time," said Stevenson coach Rick Bye, whose team has scored 477 points - the third most in Macomb County in the last 60 years - en route to a 12-0 record and the program's ninth trip to the final four.

"Just play the next game," Bye said. "Don't worry about what's beyond this."

Those words seem to carry more weight this week for quarterback Fracassa, receivers Mershman and Beaurem, and the rest of the Titans. To get to Ford Field for the state championship game, Stevenson must first defeat Clarkston, a team with title aspirations of its own.

The Wolves claimed the OAA Red Division crown, have tied a school record with 12 victories and have won their last nine games by double-digit margins.

Clarkston has done it with balance, boasting an offense that scores 30.6 points per game and a defense that allows only 10.8 points per game.

"Their running back, quarterback and receiver are very talented," Bye said. "I think they may be the best offense we've seen this year."

Tyler Scarlett provides the Wolves with a dual threat at quarterback. In Clarkston's 38-14 victory over Dakota last week, Scarlett rushed for 225 yards and two touchdowns and passed for 151 yards and a TD.

"The quarterback is a player with a good arm and an accurate passer," Bye said. "He's got great feet, and he's not afraid to tuck it and run."

Scarlett has plenty of help from running back Dakota Bender, who doubles as a receiving threat out of the backfield, and receiver Dustin Gamble.

"You have to try to play them really well on first down so you can put them in a predictable situation on second and third downs," Bye said.

Gamble also plays defensive back, and he heads up an opportunistic defense. Gamble recovered a fumble and intercepted a pass in the Wolves' district championship game triumph over Romeo two weeks ago.

"Their defense is very aggressive," Bye said of Clarkston's 4-3 scheme. "They're coming after you all the time."

Stevenson faced heat from Detroit Southeastern - a team that included Michigan State recruit William Gholston - last week, and the Titans passed that test.

The offensive line did not allow a sack, allowing Fracassa - the MHSAA's all-time leader in passing yardage - to throw for 488 yards and four touchdowns.

Mershman caught three of those TDs, and he finished with 12 catches for 282 yards. Beurem, who has made a verbal commitment to Bowling Green, hauled in a 22-yard scoring pass as the aerial game has helped make up for a ground game slowed by season-ending injuries to senior running back Justice Wright and junior Mike Kirksey.

"My concerns heading into the Stevenson game is containing (the Titans') passing game and our ability to control the ball to eat up the clock," Clarkston coach Kurt Richardson said. "Stevenson's offense is very good with a very diverse passing game and they get most of the ink but their defense is very, very good."

While the offense has clicked, the defense - including linebackers Jon Sulek and Charlie Walker and linemen Carl Davis and Corey Stone - also has done its part in the Titans' postseason run.

"Our defense has played well in the playoffs," Bye said. "We've been able to tighten up and stop people's running games."

Stevenson will compete in the state semifinals for the ninth time, and the Titans advanced to the state finals in 1986, 1996 and 2004.

Clarkston, meanwhile, will play in its third semifinal. The Wolves are looking for their first state championship game berth after losing in the semis in 1999 (to Eisenhower) and 2000.

There's only one more step to get to Ford Field.

But only one team will get to take it.