Daily News Photo/BRYAN WILD Dowagiac quarterback Cal Cox brings the Chieftains to the line.

HOLT, Mich. — Lansing Catholic Central quarterback Cooper Rush was unstoppable in Friday’s Division 5 regional final against Dowagiac.
The Central Michigan University recruit set numerous state records as the top-ranked Cougars rolled past the Chieftains, 61-13.
Rush set state records for passing touchdowns in a half (seven) and in a game (8) and tied a state record for consecutive completions (20) and touchdowns

Daily News Photo/BRYAN WILD Dowagiac's Derek Stark gets brought down in the opening field Friday night in the Chieftains' Division 5 Regional title game against No. 1-ranked Lansing Catholic Central.

(five) in a quarter.
Rush finished 25-for-28 for 532 yards in three quarters of action. Lansing Catholic had scored 470 points entering Friday’s game.
“He’s pretty good and a very special player,” said Lansing Catholic coach Jim Ahern, whose team advances into the state semifinals with a 12-0 record. “He’s got great composure and sees everything on field. He’s just a great kid and great player and we’re blessed to have him on our team.”
Rush went 21-for-22 for 493 yards in the first half against a Dowagiac defense, which had allowed only 86 points through its first 11 games. Rush completed passes to six different receivers in the first half with Matt Macksood leading the way with 10 receptions for 309 yards with four touchdowns. Macksood had scoring plays of 83, 33, 50 and 63 from Rush.
“They’re a very good team,” said Dowagiac coach Mike Stanger, whose team finishes at 10-2. “Their quarterback was what we thought was. He keeps his composure and is good back there. We tried to come after him by blitzing him. Some of their stuff was one-step and two-step drops and we couldn’t get to him. He’s very efficient and, sometimes, the ball doesn’t bounce your way.”
Running a no-huddle, spread offense, Rush engineered a nine-play, 80-yard drive to start the game, capped by an 18-yard scoring pass from Rush to Connor Bartlett, who was wide open in the middle of the end zone. An offsides penalty on Dowagiac on 4th-and-2 at the Chieftains’ 32-yard line kept the drive alive.
After forcing Dowagiac to punt, Rush and Macksood hooked up an 83-yard scoring play to give Lansing Catholic a 14-0 lead with 5:36 left in the first quarter.
The Cougars’ lead grew to 27-0 with 9:08 left in the second quarter after Rush threw a 35-yard touchdown pass to Bartlett, who was wide open in the middle of the end zone.
Dowagiac finally had something to celebrate with 6:40 left in the second quarter when Caelen Cox tossed a 20-yard touchdown pass to Brendon Murray with 6:40 left in the second quarter.
But Rush wouldn’t let his team’s 27-7 lead last for long as two minutes later, Jack Swain caught a 25-yard scoring pass from Rush.
Rush would add two more touchdown passes in the final 3:20 of the first half. With a 48-7 score, their would be a running clock in the second half.
“I told the kids (at halftime) how they react to adversity now is how they’re going to react to adversity in their lives,” Stanger said. “We wanted the kids to come out and play well in the second half.”
Dowagiac got a 97-yard kickoff return from Dontel Highsmith in the second half.
Chieftain quarterbacks Brett Scanlon and Caelen Cox combined to complete 9-of-17 passes for 168 yards.
“They were just better than us tonight,” Stanger said. “We’ve just to got learn from this. We’ve got 18 to 19 juniors and sophomores coming back.”

LANSING CATHOLIC 61, DOWAGIAC 13
At Holt
Dowagiac    0    7    6    0_13
Lansing        14    34    7    6_61
L_Connor Bartlett 18 pass from Cooper Rush (Rory Liesman kick).
L_Matt Macksood 83 pass from Rush (Liesman kick).
L_Macksood 33 pass from Rush (kick failed).
L_Bartlett 35 pass from Rush (Liesman kick).
D_Brendon Murray 20 pass from Caelen Cox (Brett Scanlon kick).
L_Jack Swain 25 pass from Rush (Liesman kick).
L_Macksood 50 pass from Rush (Liesman kick).
L_Macksood 63 pass from Rush (Liesman kick).
L_Bartlett 8 pass from Rush (Lieman kick).
D_Dontel Highsmith 97 kickoff return (pass failed).
L_Cedric Lee 11 run (kick failed).

Dowagiac            Lansing
First downs    12    25
Yards rushing    148    90
Yards passing    168    532
Passing            9-17-1    25-28-0
Punts avg.        4-43        0
Penalty yds.        25        25
Fumbles lost        2          0