Braves' Lawrence Named All-State

Braves' Lawrence named All-State

By DAVE RICAN

NEWS SPORTS REPORTER

YPSILANTI - Lawrence of Ypsilanti is a ball player.

He runs with a football, shoots a basketball, hits a baseball and excels in all three sports.

For the second straight year Steve Lawrence of Ypsilanti High School is an Associated Press Class A All-State defensive back. Ypsilanti tailback Eric Ball and linebacker Carlitos Bostic made honorable mention.

This year the 6-1,175-pound Lawrence provided fans with the kind of heroics they’d come to expect after his fine junior season. He intercepted eight passes, came through with long kickoff and punt returns and even kicked the winning field goal in another 3-0 victory.

Last year his only field goal came against Pioneer in overtime. This year it was against Detroit Catholic Central and the victory was the first in seven years over the Shamrocks.

“HE HAS TREMENDOUS anticipation,” said Ypsilanti Coach Tom Fagan. “He makes the big play in the big game.”

One of the Braves’ tri-captains, Lawrence oversees the defense from his safety spot and is the last line of defense against the big play. He was especially valuable in that capacity late in the Catholic Central game, when he prevented a pass completion of 20 yards from turning into a game-breaker. His tackle on that play was a well-timed cruncher near midfield.

Against Lansing Eastern, Lawrence was moved to tailback in the absence of the injured Eric Ball. He was a workhorse, carrying the ball 21 times for 130 yards.

In that game he also ran back a kickoff 80 yards for a touchdown to erase a 12-8 deficit and put the Braves ahead for good. He also scored on runs from scrimmage of eight and 20 yards and added three conversions on a kick and two runs.

YPSILANTI won the game, 23-12 and Lawrence had scored all 23 points.

Against Lincoln Park in the opening game of the season, he ran back a kickoff 86 yards for a touchdown, going straight up the middle almost untouched.

Lawrence is an all-around athlete in an age of specialization. He was an outstanding guard on last year’s Ypsilanti basketball team that lost only three games. As a sophomore he was on the track team, but as a junior went out for baseball and led the team in most offensive categories, including an average near .500.

A neck injury kept Lawrence from seeing much action in the final two games this fall and may keep him out much of this basketball season.

Football's merely one sport in which Ypsilanti's Lawrence shines