Last year, the Flint Elite football team kicked off what would become the best season in school history with a win at the Vehicle City Gridiron Classic at Atwood Stadium. They also learned something from that experience that will help them prepare for their second appearance in the annual tradition to open this season.
“It was an amazing way to start our season, the kids were definitely on cloud nine after that win,” said Omar Dasuqi, athletic director for Flint Elite, which is a co-op team with players from charter schools New Standard and Madison academies. “It was a, a great feeling for them. It was a great win for the program to be able to showcase our athleticism and our talent and our discipline in front of the whole community. But it definitely affected us in week two. We were on that high from week one, had a great performance, then we came out a little flat in week two. So we learned something from last year about staying consistent.”
Flint Elite lost their week two matchup to Genesee 20-16 but then didn’t lose again in the regular season while winning the first conference championship in school history. The Warriors are one of eight teams six teams that will participate in this year’s triple-header, announced by the Flint & Genesee Group and the Vehicle City Sports Commission at a press conference on August 5 at Atwood Stadium. The games will take place on Friday, August 28, during the opening week of high school football season, and feature:
- Flint Southwestern vs. Detroit East English Village Preparatory Academy at 1 p.m.
- Flint Elite vs. Jefferson High School (located in Monroe County) at 4 p.m.
- Davison High School vs. Roseville High School at 7 p.m.
The nine-year tradition began at the behest of retired Genesee County Judge Duncan Beagle, who has been a longtime supporter of the Flint sports scene.
“Nine years ago, Judge Beagle told me that he had an idea,” said Tim Herman, CEO of the Flint & Genesee Group. “I said, ‘Oh, that’s scary.’ But now we have something truly amazing. A community tradition that showcases this amazing talent we have here in Genesee County. And we’re continuing that tradition here at Kettering University’s historic Atwood Stadium, the site of some of the best high school football played anywhere in Michigan.”
Beagle noted that the annual showcase is important for current high school athletes and gives them a chance to play in front of large crowds and potentially even college scouts and recruiters, but he also loves that the event connects a new generation of athletes to Flint’s storied football past. In his remarks, he mentioned the many great athletes, political leaders, and entertainers who have played or performed in Atwood, including Jackie Robinson, Jesse Owens, Mark Ingram Sr. and Mark Ingram Jr., presidents Franklin D. Roosevelt and John F. Kennedy, rock group The Who, and many more.
“The Vehicle City Gridiron Classic brings together some of the top football programs in our region, offering their players a chance to perform on one of the best sports fields in Michigan,” Beagle said.
In the opening matchup, Flint Southwestern has several returning players from a team that went 1-8 last season. Detroit East English finished 2-7 a season ago. Southwestern has played in the Gridiron Classic four previous times, most recently in 2024.
Flint Elite, coming off of an 8-2 season and playoff appearance, defeated Erie Mason in the Classic last season. This season, they get a much tougher opponent in Jefferson — the school is coming off of an 11-2 season and an appearance in the Division 5 state semifinals.
Davison, a perennial power in Genesee County football, is coming off an 8-2 season, but stumbled a bit at the end, losing two of their final three games, including a playoff loss to Clarkston in the first round. They face a Roseville team that finished 4-6 last season. The game is also a rematch from last season’s opening game, which the Cardinals won 38-21.
“Genesee County has high caliber athletes at all levels, and we are proud to be a place that can foster their growth,” Herman said.
Dasuqi said that the Classic is an inspiring way for kids on the teams, especially the local teams, to start their seasons.
“It’s definitely a blessing to accept this invitation to be here,” Dasuqi said. “It’s good for the kids and the community. We are still building a program from scratch here, and we had a winning season last year. We want to continue to have a winning season this year. For us to come out and be part of this rich tradition of the Gridiron Classic is just amazing. The kids are excited about it. This is something that we would love to do every year with Judge Beagle and his committee, it is just a great opportunity.”
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