Cass Tech stands up for unity at Catholic Central football player's funeral
Cass Tech sophomore running back Mike Weber didn't want to see the body. He did not want to grieve the death of a kid who was his age; someone who tackled him a couple weeks earlier during the biggest game of the season.
It was a little bit scary. But Weber, 15, went to St. Kenneth's Catholic Church in Plymouth along with 13 teammates to pay respects to Detroit Catholic Central linebacker/running back David Widzinski, who died in his sleep. Cass had beaten Widzinski and his Catholic Central teammates, 36-21, a few days earlier in the Division I football championship at Ford Field.
It was Cass Tech's second straight championship victory, both over CC.
A year ago we saw the ugly side of athletics and the great divide that keeps this community from growing. Someone sent a racially charged letter to Cass Tech coach Thomas Wilcher that sent shock waves. It was debated for weeks because it supplied us with our crutches of race, class status and burned another bridge between city and suburbs.
The Cass Tech visit is not a story you will hear much about because it's positive and attempts to bring us together. That does not sell in this town. This year, the schools embraced and shared love and stories with one another. Weber didn't know what to expect when he stepped into a public viewing for Widzinski. What he discovered is blacks and whites, the city and suburbs, grieve the same way. He welcomed the warm embrace from Catholic Central parents, administrators and parents.
Everybody shared the same grief and the same pain.
"It opened my eyes," Weber said. "It made me realize life is real. And I liked how Catholic Central opened their arms to me and Cass Tech and they showed they really cared. And on our part it showed the character we had.
"I was sad about it but coach told me to go. That experience made me think about my decisions in life. That I can make better decisions and stuff like that."
Sharing sorrow
Catholic Central and Cass Tech players talked about Widzinski and that wonderful game in which he made 15 tackles against Cass. They shook hands and spoke in low tones. There was a warm glow in the church that no one will forget.
Janice Sharkey has been the student activity director at Catholic Central since 1997 and was there when the Cass players arrived. There were mostly adults in the room because the visit came during school hours but there was a steady flow of CC players there the entire day. She saw the embraces and the talks and it made her feel good.
"The fact that they came to see our students, it was such a huge sign of respect for each other and the sport itself," Sharkey said. "A few weeks earlier they were all on the field trying their hardest against each other. Cass proved to be a much better team that day. When it comes down to it, they all know what it takes to excel."
Sharkey said it was a lot different at the church than on the field.
"It was one of those moments in life that you will never forget," she said. "Nobody was trying to prove anything to anybody. They all wore their hearts on their sleeves."
Other schools showed support also. Players and parents from every top notch Catholic League program showed up to the viewing or funeral, including University of Detroit Jesuit, DeLaSalle and Brother Rice. Rice students wore blue shirts in school after the death of Widzinski. Black and orange is the color of choice at Rice. The students there never wear blue.
Coming together
Cass and CC are bitter rivals. There's been talk of the schools meeting during the regular season, perhaps at Wayne State. That isn't likely to happen because the schools could be regular foes during the playoffs.
Although the final got out of hand, CC played a good, physical, ball control game against Cass. It just could not stop the big plays.
Cass players were giddy after the victory but respectful of their opponents. Wilcher felt a kinship got a group of players to the viewing.
"We thought this would give the kids an opportunity to reach out and it would also bridge the gap between the two schools," Wilcher said. "Yeah, it is a heated rivalry but it made it great because the parents were so welcoming of us. They were appreciative of us coming out."
The ride to the church was quiet. Players were nervous. But the ride home was livelier. Players talked about their experience and they wished the best for the family and friends of Widzinski. They were better able to put life in prospective.
They were angry a year ago. They were angry at CC even though it was never proven the letter writer had anything to do with Catholic Central. They wanted to show people that they were not "ghetto warriors" as the letter alleged. There was resentment for putting stereotypes on inner-city kids. They were smart. They were the best in the state.
But there was no anger this time. There was sorrow for CC.
"I looked past (the letter). I did not think about it," Weber said. "I did not care about it to be honest with you."
Catholic League Athletic Director Vic Michaels did not like some of the news surrounding his league. Warren DeLaSalle students chanted class insensitive words during a game at Cass Tech against Martin Luther King. Vick and the Catholic League held a summit in Center Line to educate student leaders and to help them understand the consequences of poor decisions.
Michaels was happy to hear the Cass Tech-CC story. But he said stories like this should play out every day.
"I would like to think that is the norm for our students given the opportunity," Michaels said. "I would like to think Catholic Central would do the same if it happened at Cass Tech. When we get situations like this I like to think it is the norm. But we have to educate kids. … And it cannot be for show. It has to be because it is the right thing."
