General | February 23, 2017 | 8:46

The 2017 Prep Kickoff Classic will end with a bang with two-time defending Division 2 state champion Detroit King taking on out-of-state foe Indianapolis Cathedral on Saturday at 6 p.m.
  
King will be making its seventh trip to the Prep Kickoff Classic, while Cathedral, the winningest football team in the state of Indiana, will be making their first.

The Fighting Irish will be led by class of 2018 center Emil Ekiyor, a University of Michigan commit, and class of 2018 running back Markese Stepp, a Notre Dame commit.

As for the Crusaders, they will be led by class of 2019 quarterback Dequan Finn, class of 2018 defensive back and wide receiver Jaeveyon Morton plus class of 2018 offensive lineman Josh Mayberry.

Ticket information will be announced at a later date.

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Detroit King Crusaders
Head coach: Tyrone Spencer
2016 finish: 12-2 (Beat Walled Lake Western, 18-0, in the Division 2 state final)
All-time record against Indianapolis Cathedral: N/A (first meeting)
Prep Kickoff Classic record: 2-4 (Last played in 2016; beat Southfield A&T, 39-0)   
Key players: Junior quarterback Dequan Finn, senior defensive back and wide receiver Jaeveyon Morton, senior defensive end Maurice White, junior defensive tackle Jalen Bell, junior DB Marvin Grant, senior OL Josh Mayberry, senior OL Jeremiah Hardge, senior OL Aric Thomas, senior OL Marcell Wilson and senior OL James Davis.
 
Season expectations: "We want to definitely play hard, play tough and have a chance to win at the end of each game," Spencer said. "Each year, we want to win our division (PSL Division 1 East), the city title and get back to Ford Field."
 
Thoughts on playing in Prep Kickoff Classic: "I think it's always good," Spencer said. "I think it's a great environment for high school football. Our kids expect to play in it. And we want to put on a good performance for our community, and represent Detroit well at Wayne State, which is my alma mater."

Indianapolis Cathedral Fighting Irish
Head coach: Rick Streiff
2016 finish: 7-5 (Lost to Indianapolis Ben Davis, 51-21, in the regional championship round)
All-time record against Detroit King: N/A (first meeting)
Prep Kickoff Classic record: N/A (First appearance)
Key players: Senior center Emil Ekiyor (University of Michigan commit), senior running back Markese Stepp (University of Notre Dame commit), senior linebacker Jackson Barrow and senior LB Hugh Davis.
 
Season expectations: "We play a very, very challenging schedule, which is a part of the process at Cathedral," Streiff said. "We have our hands full to get ready for the season. But we think we can have a good season, and can make a pretty good run in our (state) tournament in Indiana."
 
Thoughts on playing in Prep Kickoff Classic: "We're excited to head to Detroit," Streiff said. "We're excited to play a two-time defending champion in King. We actually traded film, and you can tell they're a well-coached team. We need to bring our best game to compete. And we're so proud to represent Indiana in the Kickoff Classic."
 
He added, "I actually had a short meeting with some kids about King, and the kids are fired up."

Helmet graphics courtesy of Michigan Helmet Project