With school board discussion on closing Sheffield High School, head coach Mike Barr told his players to go out and make a memory in the last home game of the season.

“We definitely made a memory,” said Barr, whose Wolverines improved to 2-4 overall with only a road game left at Bucktail.

“If this is it, what a way to go,” said Barr, who coached Sheffield to three straight winless seasons from 2021-2023 after restarting from a co-op with Warren. “This one was fun. Not going to lie, I took time to take in everything today.”

Four-year starting quarterback Colby Barr had three rushing touchdowns and fellow senior teammate Alex Marfink “was a beast on defense,” according to Coach Barr, with his three sacks, four tackles for loss, and 17 total tackles on defense.

Sheffield senior quarterback Colby Barr rushes for one of his three touchdowns on Saturday in the Wolverines’ 42-12 win over Union City on Wolverine Mountain. Times Observer photo by Jon Sitler

“What a great game,” said Coach Barr. “We came out and executed our game plan (with the) kids and coaches all making right decisions.”

Sheffield scored first after a high snap over Union City quarterback Austin Brown’s head. Barr ran it in from 6 yards out on the very next play for a 6-0 lead.

The Wolverines entered the game at 1-4 overall and were playing a team they had more wins than (the Bears were 0-7) for the first time since 2016.

Union City answered quickly, however, on Steven Klakamp’s 24-yard touchdown run to tie the game.

A turning point came on a Sheffield fourth-and-19 from the Union City 39. Instead of punting and pinning the Bears deep in their own territory, Barr dumped off a screen pass to Darrelle Barno, who outran the defense to the 8-yard line. Senior teammate Hayden Holden ran it in on the next play. Barr’s two-point conversion run made it 14-6.

Klakamp’s second touchdown of the half from 4 yards cut the lead to 14-12, but the two-point run failed by inches and Union City wouldn’t score again.

Sheffield would.

As time expired in the first half, Cire Brown-House took a reverse handoff from Holden 21 yards for a 22-12 halftime lead.

Barr’s second of three touchdown runs — from 28 yards — came after Sheffield’s defense forced the Bears into a turnover on downs to start the third quarter.

Barr’s final touchdown was an 18-yarder in the fourth quarter, and he later stopped short of the goal line to give a teammate a memory.

“One shoutout of selflessness, (junior) Ben Lindberg has never scored a TD in his entire career,” said Coach Barr. “Colby said, ‘Dad, Hayden and I talked, and we have a plan.'”

Lindberg replaced Barr at quarterback and closed out the scoring with a 2-yard touchdown run.

“Well, Ben is a good kid and I heard that he never scored a touchdown, so at practice I had a play that I thought would work and be best for him,” said Colby. “We ran it, and when that play came in, I knew I had to get down there and get out at the 1-yard line. I had good blockers and saw the hole open and I knew this was it. I went out and called Ben and ran it for him to score. It was special for me and him, and I’m glad he got the touchdown.”

Barr finished with 153 yards rushing and 43 passing. Holden added 52 yards on the ground and Barno 28 more.

Klakamp finished with 120 yards on 20 carries for 0-8 Union City, but the Bears only had 46 more yards in the game.

“The thought of this being the last game on Wolverine Mountain is what gave me the success today,” said Marfink. “I just used that to push me to keep going for more… I wanted to make a statement today.”

Sheffield had 258 yards on the ground — a ground has become sacred, Wolverine Mountain.

“It was very emotional, but I could not let that get to me,” said Colby Barr. “I had to focus on the game, and after, it was all emotions… This game was fun and special at the same time, which we all knew we needed, and we had to win this. All of us put in the time and came out with a win. The best part was when that clock hit ‘0’ and we won, and the fans came out and the cheerleaders came out; it was truly special for me and the players.”