1st & Goal: 2022 Week 8 Review
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
October 17, 2022
Plenty of regular-season wheels were still in spin during football’s Week 8, including opportunities for a few more historic league championship claims and a few upsets to keep this season’s playoff field a little tougher to forecast.
Dexter and Durand are among the latest to celebrate league titles many years in the making. Spring Lake, Elk Rapids and East Grand Rapids kept us on our toes as well as we dug deeper into crunch time with only one week of regular-season matchups to play.
Here’s a look at how those teams and others continued to drive us forward as we draw nearer to playoff selection coming up this Sunday.
Bay & Thumb
HEADLINER Goodrich 21, Linden 0 The Martians (7-1) added the overall Flint Metro League championship to their Stars division title and also extended their winning streak that began after a season-opening defeat. Since that Week 1 loss, Goodrich has given up more than seven points in a game only once, with this its third shutout of the fall. The Martians have won all three meetings with Linden (5-3) since joining the Metro in 2019. Click for more from the Flint Journal.
Watch list North Branch 35, Croswell-Lexington 21 The must-follow Blue Water Area Conference race has reached a conclusion, with North Branch (7-1) clinching a share of the championship with this victory and Armada (7-1) clinching a share with its win over Richmond on Friday. The Broncos avenged a 28-7 defeat last year to the Pioneers (6-2), who went on to win the 2021 BWAC title.
On the move Harbor Beach 28, Bad Axe 7 The East’s Harbor Beach (7-1) won this matchup of Greater Thumb Conference division runners-up, avenging last year’s 42-33 loss to the Hatchets (5-3). Davison 49, Grand Blanc 14 The Cardinals (7-1) avenged last year’s 43-7 loss to the rival Bobcats to set up a winner-take-all Saginaw Valley League South title matchup this week against Lapeer. Freeland 40, Birch Run 6 The Falcons (7-1) have moved up in the Division 4 playoff-point rankings three straight weeks and now sit at No. 12 after sending Birch Run (4-4) one spot out of the Division 5 qualifier list to No. 33 heading into the regular-season finales.
Greater Detroit
HEADLINER Detroit Cass Tech 28, Detroit Martin Luther King 14 The Detroit Public School League Blue championship game was a rematch from Week 4, won by King 28-23. But this time, Cass Tech was able to shut down a Crusaders offense averaging 43 points per game and break a three-game losing streak against its biggest rival. Cass Tech (5-3) also received a nice boost to No. 29 in Division 1 playoff-point average after entering the weekend at No. 31. King, at 5-2, sits No. 12 on the Division 3 playoff-point list. Click for more from the Detroit News.
Watch list Farmington 39, Birmingham Seaholm 21 A two-point loss to Troy in Week 5 put the Falcons (6-2) in chase mode, but they earned a share of the Oakland Activities Association Blue title by handing Seaholm (7-1) its lone loss in the league finale. The next-best news for both is both were sub-.500 last year and have rebounded in big ways.
On the move Belleville 42, Livonia Franklin 14 The Tigers (8-0) clinched another Kensington Lakes Activities Association East title outright and ran their overall winning streak to 19, while dealing Franklin (7-1) its only defeat. Detroit Central 31, Detroit Southeastern 14 The Trail Blazers (8-0) ran their regular-season winning streak to 18 in finishing an outright PSL Gold championship run with a second win over Southeastern (5-3) this fall. Clarkston 48, Lapeer 13 The Wolves (6-2) have two good losses and some really solid wins this season, this one over the Lightning (7-1) just the latest and enough to push Clarkston up to No. 7 on the Division 1 playoff-point list.
Mid-Michigan
HEADLINER Durand 23, New Lothrop 21 The Railroaders’ season would have been considered a mighty success with just a shared championship in the Mid-Michigan Activities Conference. But Durand (8-0) continued to make its case as one of the most intriguing stories of this season statewide by edging the Hornets to claim the title outright, after two weeks ago earning a share of its first league championship since 1983. Even with the loss, New Lothrop (6-2) moved up a spot in Division 7 playoff-point ranking to No. 12, and its defeats this season are by a combined three points. Click for more from the Owosso Argus-Press.
Watch list Holt 16, East Lansing 13 The Rams actually ran their winning streak over East Lansing (6-2) to two, but this one spun the Capital Area Activities Conference Blue race on its side with Holt (5-3) clinching a share and East Lansing and Grand Ledge now set to decide the other half of the championship when they face off this week. The Trojans had entered the weekend in first alone.
On the move Portland 32, Cadillac 6 The Raiders (7-1) are shaping up as Division 5 contenders again, with this win over the Vikings (5-3) moving them up three spots to No. 6 on that playoff-point average list. Charlotte 44, Flint Hamady 34 The Orioles’ rise continues as they moved to 7-1 by handing Hamady (7-1) its lone defeat. Hastings 33, Jackson Northwest The Saxons (7-1) clinched a share of the Interstate 8 Athletic Conference title and can claim it outright this week against winless Battle Creek Pennfield.
Northern Lower Peninsula
HEADLINER Elk Rapids 26, St. Ignace 19 Add the Elks (6-2) to teams enjoying an unforgettable fall. They finished third in the Northern Michigan Football Conference Leaders, but earned their most notable win this season over a St. Ignace team that’s clinched a share of the NMFC Legacy title and will play for the outright championship this week. Elk Rapids (6-2) has put together its best season since 2018, while the Saints (6-2) are surging through their best showing since 2016.
Watch list Traverse City St. Francis 42, Lawton 7 We’ve been watching the Gladiators all season, and it feels like we’ll be watching them late into November again as they moved to 8-0 with a big win over last season’s Division 7 runner-up Blue Devils (6-2).
On the move Traverse City Central 21, Bay City Western 0 A four-game losing streak in September had the Trojans (4-4) solidly outside the Division 2 playoff field, but a three-game winning streak has moved them back up to No. 21 in Division 2. McBain 46, Manton 20 After a few weeks skating outside the top 32 in Division 8 playoff-point average, McBain (4-4) is up to a more comfortable No. 27 with winless Muskegon Heights Academy up next. Charlevoix 38, Kalkaska 0 The Rayders moved to 7-1 with their second-straight shutout and sixth in eight games this season.
Southeast & Border
HEADLINER Dexter 21, Saline 14 The Dreadnaughts (8-0) defeated eight-time reigning champion Saline to clinch the Southeastern Conference Red championship outright – that league title also Dexter’s first in 59 years. Cole Cabana scored all three touchdowns, while the Dreadnaughts’ defense stood strong again and is giving up only 10.4 points per game this season. Saline moved to 6-2. Click for more from the Ann Arbor News.
Here are the highlights of the Saline at Dexter game that aired on Football Fridays Overtime powered by STATE CHAMPS! on @BallySportsDET#MIFTBL | @DreadStrong | @colecabana pic.twitter.com/JndzfPoY2k
— STATE CHAMPS! Michigan (@statechampsmich) October 15, 2022
Watch list Adrian 39, Sturgis 13 The Maples (4-4) finished fourth in the SEC White, but their four wins are the team’s most since 2016, and they are one spot outside making the Division 4 playoff field after moving up seven spots with this win over the Trojans (5-3).
On the move Napoleon 36, Addison 18 The Pirates (8-0) clinched the Cascades Conference championship outright with their first win over Addison (4-4) since 2018. Hudson 46, Dundee 17 The Tigers (8-0) guaranteed a winner-take-all Week 9 matchup with Clinton in the Lenawee County Athletic Association while taking Dundee (6-2) out of title consideration. Ottawa Lake Whiteford 50, Erie Mason 14 The Bobcats (8-0) finished a perfect run through the Tri-County Conference and sit No. 2 in Division 8 playoff-point average, while Erie Mason (5-3) is hanging in at No. 29 in Division 7.
Southwest Corridor
HEADLINER Buchanan 34, Benton Harbor 22 The Bucks (7-1) wrapped up the inaugural Lakeland Athletic Conference championship outright, and deservedly so after putting up the most points a tough Benton Harbor defense has given up this season. Similarly, the Tigers (4-4) tied the third-most Buchanan has allowed, and will hope to continue that trend this week as they sit two spots outside the Division 5 playoff field with a trip to Constantine next. This win moved Buchanan up three spots in Division 6 to No. 12. Click for more from the Niles Daily Star.
Watch list Homer 34, Reading 30 The Trojans (6-2) didn’t catch Union City in the Big 8 Conference but finished a solid second thanks to their first win over Reading (6-2) since 2016. They also guaranteed their best record since 2019 with the win.
On the move Edwardsburg 46, Chelsea 7 The Eddies (7-1) are making some noise, with this win over the reigning Division 4 champion Bulldogs (5-3) a good conversation starter. White Pigeon 44, Kent City 19 A three-game winning streak has White Pigeon (5-3) steadily moving up the Division 8 playoff-point list, and this win over Kent City (6-2) was their most impressive of the fall. Watervliet 32, Parchment 7 Watervliet (5-3) was in need of some added comfort in the Division 6 playoff field, and this win pushed it up six spots to No. 22. Parchment (4-4) fell five spots to a less comfortable No. 34, two out of making the postseason.
Upper Peninsula
HEADLINER Negaunee 48, Houghton 0 The Miners (8-0) not only experienced no letdown after a big Week 7 win over Gladstone, they put up their third-most points of the season and earned their second shutout in clinching a share of the Western Peninsula Athletic Conference Copper title. Negaunee will play for its first perfect regular season since 2016 against Ishpeming Westwood this week, while Houghton (5-3) is working to hold onto a playoff spot in Division 6 and could see the Miners again. Click for more from Upper Michigan Source.
Watch list Kingsford 46, Hopkins 7 The Flivvers (6-2) quietly have won five straight – with Hopkins (5-3) playing for a league title share this week. Kingsford has gone over 45 points three of the last four games and held its last four opponents to single digits.
On the move Gladstone 22, Gaylord 14 The Braves (6-2) quickly bounced back from that Negaunee loss, with a sixth win representing their most in a season since 2017 – and against a Gaylord team (5-3) enjoying its best since 2018. Iron Mountain 28, Ishpeming 8 The Mountaineers (7-1) are holding on to the top spot in Division 8 playoff-point average for the second-straight week after defeating a possible playoff opponent in the Hematites (4-4). Bark River-Harris 34, Ishpeming Westwood 6 The Broncos (6-2) may bring a little more momentum to this week’s West-PAC Iron title decider with Ishpeming after avenging last year’s 50-8 loss to Westwood (4-4).
West Michigan
HEADLINER Spring Lake 35, Hudsonville Unity Christian 32 The Lakers (3-5) have quite a bit to make up to have a shot at making the Division 4 playoffs. But they made a massive impact on the Ottawa-Kent Conference Blue race with this upset, denying Unity Christian (5-3) a chance to clinch a share of the league title and instead bringing Fruitport and Grand Rapids West Catholic back into the mix. Click for more from the Grand Haven Tribune.
Watch list East Grand Rapids 15, Lowell 14 The Pioneers (3-5) were coming off two losses, but in edging the Red Arrows (5-3) they pushed into a pretty solid No. 24 slot in Division 3 playoff-point average.
On the move Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central 30, Grand Rapids Christian 7 The Rangers (8-0) are one of two undefeated teams left in Division 2 and now own a share of the O-K White championship with the chance to repeat as outright winner this week. Muskegon Mona Shores 15, Muskegon Reeths-Puffer 0 With their second shutout of the season, the Sailors (7-1) clinched a share of the O-K Green title. Grand Rapids South Christian 37, Grand Rapids Kenowa Hills 7 These Sailors now own a share of the O-K Gold championship but with a tough opponent coming up in Forest Hills Eastern as they seek to win outright.
8-Player
HEADLINER Rogers City 42, Alcona 26 The North Star League Big Dipper championship belongs to Rogers City after this highly-anticipated matchup. The last three between these rivals had been decided by a score, but the Hurons broke away and are now one more win from a first perfect regular season since 1998. Alcona is 6-2. Click for more from MI Sports Now
Watch list Central Lake 26, Farwell 22 Early losses to Gaylord St. Mary and Indian River Inland Lakes are why Central Lake ended up third in the Ski Valley Conference. But the Trojans have won five straight (including a forfeit) and handing Farwell (7-1) its lone loss makes them a team to watch even more as we head into the postseason.
On the move Climax-Scotts 28, Adrian Lenawee Christian 21 The Panthers (7-1) are absolutely among the best teams in 8-player Division 2 with this win solidifying that reputation. Lenawee Christian (6-2) remains a favorite in Division 1. Gaylord St. Mary 38, Rudyard 14 The Snowbirds also are a Division 2 team to watch coming off a solid win over Division 1 Rudyard (5-3). Kingston 56, Mayville 26 The Cardinals (8-0) are a win away from a possible first perfect regular season since 1999, and this win over Mayville (5-3) was one of their best.
Second Half’s weekly “1st & Goal” previews and reviews are powered by MI Student Aid, a part of the Office of Postsecondary Financial Planning located within the Michigan Department of Treasury. MI Student Aid encourages students to pursue postsecondary education by providing access to student financial resources and information. MI Student Aid administers the state’s 529 college savings programs (MET/MESP), as well as scholarship and grant programs that help make college Accessible, Affordable and Attainable for you. Connect with MI Student Aid at www.michigan.gov/mistudentaid and find more information on Facebook and Twitter @mistudentaid.
PHOTOS (Top) Detroit Central's quarterback attempts to launch a pass amid a Southeastern rush during the PSL Gold final. (Middle) A Detroit Cass Tech ball carrier looks to break past a Martin Luther King defender during the PSL Blue championship game. (Photos by Chardonne’ U of Olivia B. Photography.)
Robichaud 3-Sport Legend Wheatley Selected to National High School Hall of Fame
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
March 11, 2024
The playing career of 1991 Dearborn Heights Robichaud graduate Tyrone Wheatley remains one of the most storied in Michigan high school sports history. His prestige gained during that early stage of his athletic stardom has been recognized nationally as well, as Wheatley was one of 12 honorees announced today as this year’s inductees into the National High School Hall of Fame by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS).
Wheatley – who grew up in Inkster and is currently the head football coach at Wayne State University – will be inducted as one of 11 honorees selected for the 41st Hall of Fame class at a ceremony during the NFHS summer meeting July 1 in Boston. The rest of the class is made up of three more athletes, four coaches, two former state association administrators and a game official. Wheatley was nominated by the Michigan High School Athletic Association.
Wheatley will become the Hall of Fame’s 10th inductee from Michigan, joining the MHSAA’s first full-time Executive Director Charles E. Forsythe (inducted 1983), River Rouge boys basketball coach Lofton Greene (1986), Warren Regina athletic director, softball and basketball coach Diane Laffey (2000), Fennville basketball and baseball standout Richie Jordan (2001), Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett boys and girls tennis coach Bob Wood (2005), Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook hockey standout Jim Johnson (2007), Owosso football, basketball and baseball all-stater Brad Van Pelt (2011); Vermontville Maple Valley baseball national record holder Ken Beardslee (2016) and retired MHSAA Executive Director John E. “Jack” Roberts (2022).
To the greater public, Wheatley surely is best known as a star running back for University of Michigan who went on to play 10 seasons in the NFL for the New York Giants and Oakland Raiders. However, he is arguably most glorified in Michigan high school athletics for his accomplishments on the track, where as a junior in 1990 he became the first (of still only two) athletes to win four individual events at an MHSAA Lower Peninsula Finals – placing first in the 100 and 200-meter dashes, 110-meter hurdles and long jump. He led Robichaud to the Class B team title that day, scoring 40 of its 49 points. Wheatley completed his high school career in 1991 with three more Class B individual track & field championships and nine total over his final three seasons; he was injured in the 100 during that senior-year meet and could not run his final race to attempt another four-title day.
Wheatley’s meet records of 13.7 seconds in the 100 at the 1991 LP Class B Final and 23-10¾ in long jump in 1989 still stood when the four-Class track & field format was retired after the 1999 season. He also remains the only athlete to win the 100 three times at the prestigious Mehock Relays in Mansfield, Ohio, also finishing first in the 110 hurdles and 200 and runner-up in the long jump at that meet in 1991.
Wheatley was similarly accomplished on the high school football field, leading his team to a state championship in 1990 and earning a Parade All-America honor. Over three varsity seasons total he ran for a combined 4,257 yards and 67 touchdowns, including 2,010 yards and 33 scores on 208 carries as a senior in 1990 – the latter despite playing quarterback half of that season (and throwing five touchdown passes). He played quarterback, running back, defensive back, punter, kicker and returned kicks, and he scored 252 points over 13 games as a senior and 484 over 38 career games.
Wheatley also was a standout on the basketball court for Robichaud, averaging 14 points and 16 rebounds per game as a senior in earning all-state recognition in that sport as well.
“My city where I come from, Inkster, means the world to me. I grew up in an incredible era of sports in Michigan (with successful University of Michigan and Detroit pro teams) … but if you ask me who my idols were, they were the guys I grew up with playing on the playground,” Wheatley said. “After you come from a basketball game where you see Jarvis Walker drop 30, or Earl Jones running the last 200 of a race backwards … you hear people talk about them, you hear their reverence about them, and I just wanted to be put in the conversation of the best to come out of Inkster, forget the state. I can tell you this for sure: I’m not the best athlete to come out of Inkster, just the person who got the recognition. And my foundation was built watching, taking notes, preparing, working out and just trying to be one of the guys.
“(Robichaud was) the step. Because without Robichaud … Michigan, the NFL, me coming back to coach, it doesn’t happen,” Wheatley said. “Without the Robert Yaucks (his football coach at Robichaud), the Coach (Leit) Jones (his Robichaud track coach), the Coach (Mercer) Brysons, the (coach) Wade Cooks, the (coach Jeff) Flounorys, the Millie Hursins (his academic advisor) of the world, this doesn’t happen. Without my high school teammates, none of this happens. So it’s not just a step. What’s the saying – the first impression is the lasting and best impression? Robichaud was it.”
Wheatley returned to Robichaud as its varsity football coach in 2007 and led that team to a 9-2 record and the MHSAA Playoffs for the first time since 1994 – after Robichaud had finished 0-9 the previous season. He has served as an assistant football coach at four college programs including U-M and Syracuse, and with the Buffalo Bills, Jacksonville Jaguars and Denver Broncos.
He also served as Morgan State University's head coach from 2019-21 and just completed his first season as head coach at Wayne State, which finished 3-8 – an improvement of two wins from 2022 and the program’s best record since 2019.
Wheatley graduated from University of Michigan in 2008 with a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology. He and wife Kimberly have five children: Tyrone Jr., Terius, Tyrique, Tiana and Tamari. Tyrone Jr., an offensive tackle, played this past season for the New England Patriots.
“Many of us who grew up in Michigan grew up as fans of Tyrone Wheatley because of what he accomplished at the college level – but his legendary story begins at Dearborn Heights Robichaud, where his outsized athletic ability was on full display in every sport he played,” MHSAA Executive Director Mark Uyl said. “Michigan has produced several professional athletes in a variety of sports and nearly 50 Olympians in track & field alone, and what Tyrone Wheatley achieved as a high school athlete remains a standard few have approached. We are ecstatic that he will deservedly take his place among the all-time elite high school athletes nationally as well.”
The National High School Hall of Fame was started in 1982 by the NFHS. The 11 individuals were chosen after a two-level selection process involving a screening committee composed of active high school state association administrators, coaches and officials, and a final selection committee composed of coaches, former athletes, state association officials, media representatives and educational leaders. Nominations were made through NFHS member associations. Also chosen for this class were athletes Joe Mauer (Minnesota), Takeo Spikes (Georgia) and Dot Ford Burrow (Mississippi); sport coaches Paula Kirkland (South Carolina), Gary Rankin (Tennessee), Roy Snyder (Pennsylvania) and Ronald Vincent (North Carolina); former state association administrators Mike Colbrese (Washington) and Marie Ishida (California), and baseball/football game official David Core (Oklahoma).
For more on this year’s Hall of Fame class, visit the NFHS Website.
PHOTO Tyrone Wheatley crosses the finish line first during one of his nine MHSAA Finals track & field championship victories. (MHSAA file photo.)