By Staff
DETROIT – Odds are with the Lions this weekend as the state finals for the Punt, Pass &Kick competition will be held at Ford Field in Detroit.
The Lions are 16-5, a .762 winning percentage, when PPK is held in conjunction with a Lions game.
Forty (40) youngsters ages 8-15 will converge at Ford Field on Sunday for the 20th Annual Michigan NFL-Pepsi Punt, Pass &Kick Detroit Lions team (state) championship.
Dowagiac's Brett Scanlon will be among the participants.
Prior to the start of the Detroit Lions-Minnesota Vikings football game (10:20-10:45 a.m.), youngsters will begin the competition with the punt and place kick events.
The passing portion will take place at halftime of the football game that begins at 1 p.m.
The eight age division winners will then be introduced to the stadium crowd between the third and fourth quarter of the game.
Detroit Lions team champions will then have their scores compared to other team champions from 32 NFL markets with the top four team championship winners with the best score in each age group advancing to the national finals at a playoff game in January (13th or 14th).
Local competitions were held in 160 communities with the winners in each age group advancing to one of 12 sectional competitions held Oct. 8 and Oct. 9.
The top five sectional winners with the best score in each age division then advance to the Detroit Lions team championship this weekend.
Twelve of the 40 finalists previously competed in the Michigan PPK state championship.
Also to be honored at today's game as part of Michigan's 20th Anniversary of PPK are the five national champions from the state – Adam Thomas, Hazel Park (1991); Kelsey Ketcik, Mason (1997); Kristen Eible, Lansing (1998); Cara Miller, Farmington Hills (2003); and Jacob Santure, Saline (2003).
The NFL-Pepsi Punt, Pass &Kick competition is coordinated through NFL Properties and sponsored by Pepsi Michigan program is coordinated through the Michigan Recreation and Park Association and is free to all youngsters. Hosts for the team championship are the Detroit Lions.