1st & Goal: 2023 11-Player Semifinals Preview
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
November 17, 2023
No flashy or fact-packed introduction is necessary this weekend to tie together the remaining 11-player football games across the state.
Saturday's winners advance to Ford Field, and that says it all.
See below for a glance at all 16 Semifinals. All kick off at 1 p.m. except for Menominee/North Muskegon, which begins at 3 p.m. Follow along in person or watch all of them on MHSAA.tv, and keep up with the scores as they come in on the Football Playoff Scoreboard.
Division 1
Davison (12-0) vs. Belleville (12-0) at Novi – WATCH
Belleville’s winning streak is up to 37 games, and the Tigers have won all three playoff games by at least 41 points. Junior quarterback Bryce Underwood is up to 2,967 yards and 37 touchdowns on 159-for-232 passing. Davison will try to limit Belleville after holding Rockford to 14 points last week in arguably its most impressive defensive performance. A running game led by junior AJ Hill (1,488 yards, 19 TDs rushing) could take some off some of the pressure.
Southfield Arts & Technology (11-1) vs. West Bloomfield (10-2) at Troy – WATCH
Southfield A&T gets a chance to avenge its lone loss, as West Bloomfield won their Week 8 meeting 31-20. Senior quarterback Isaiah Marshall has been one of the most dynamic playmakers in the state for multiple seasons. West Bloomfield avenged one of its two losses this season with last week’s 21-20 win over Clarkston and has one of the top pass combos in the state with senior quarterback Requez Nance (2,497 yards/21 TDs) and junior receiver Elisha Durham (1,010 yards, 10 TDs).
Division 2
East Lansing (10-2) vs. Muskegon (10-2) at Greenville – WATCH
East Lansing has won 10 straight games to reach its first Semifinal since 2007. A balanced offense is enjoying arguably its most impressive stretch, and a big drive is a running game led by juniors Jace Clarizio (1,209 yards, 9.0 per carry, 16 TDs) and Dwataye Sams Jr. (965 yards, 9.8 per carry, 13 TDs). Muskegon has run for 3,950 yards this season in making the Semifinals for the seventh time in eight seasons, with a dynamic group putting up similar numbers. Senior quarterback M’Khi Guy (1,636 yards/23 TDs) is averaging 10.9 yards per carry, senior running back Jakob Price (842/17) is averaging 8.2 and senior slot Destin Piggee (951/10) is averaging 14.9 yards per carry.
Waterford Mott (10-2) vs. Warren De La Salle Collegiate (10-2) at Troy Athens – WATCH
The two-time reigning champion Pilots graduated their offensive leader for those two title runs but are keyed by another talented dual-threat quarterback in junior Sante Gasperoni (903 yards/14 TDs rushing, 1,876 yards/20 TDs passing). De La Salle’s only losses were to Davison in the season opener and Ohio power Toledo Central Catholic. Mott is making its first trip to a Semifinal paced by another skilled signal-caller with massive numbers – senior Kalieb Osborne had run for 1,865 yards and 25 touchdowns and thrown for 3,532 yards and 35 scores.
Division 3
Zeeland West (9-3) vs. Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central (11-1) at Holland West Ottawa – WATCH
Forest Hills Central is one more win from returning to Ford Field after finishing Division 2 runner-up a year ago, and senior quarterback Mason McDonald is a catalyst again after stepping into the lineup due to an injury for the latter part of last year’s run. He’s thrown for 1,398 yards and 18 touchdowns and run for 649 yards and nine scores. West’s first Semifinal trip since 2015 has been driven in part by another balanced rushing attack that’s piled up 3,258 yards with senior Rolando Robelin leading the way with 762 and 15 TDs on the ground.
Detroit Martin Luther King (7-5) vs. Mason (12-0) at Chelsea – WATCH
This is a rematch of Semifinals from the last two seasons, both won by King as the Crusaders went on to back-to-back Division 3 championships. Mason will try to take its turn this time with nearly the entire lineup back from last season including four-year running back AJ Martel, who has gained 1,293 yards (9.0 per carry) and 25 touchdowns this fall and is the program’s all-time leading rusher. King’s losses were to Division 1 Cass Tech twice and three out-of-state powers, and the defense can counter with a standout senior end in Marquise White, who has 12 sacks and 10 tackles for loss.
Division 4
Grand Rapids South Christian (9-3) vs. Portland (12-0) at Ada Forest Hills Eastern – WATCH
Reigning Division 4 champion South Christian is coming off a 55-35 win over Big Rapids and its highest scoring output since opening night, and senior receiver Jake Vermaas has followed up a monster Finals performance last year with a monster 2023 catching 79 passes for 1,485 yards and 19 touchdowns as junior Carson Vis has directed the attack. Portland’s task got taller when leading rusher Caden Thelen (1,496 yards/23 TDs rushing) was lost with an injury at the end of the Regional Final. But the Raiders have run for 3,323 yards total, and junior quarterback Dominic Novara has provided another threat throwing for 1,008 yards and 16 touchdowns – or a score on every third completion.
Goodrich (11-1) vs. Harper Woods (9-3) at Livonia Franklin – WATCH
Goodrich also is a game away from a Ford Field return after finishing Division 4 runner-up a year ago, and the Martians have already outscored last year’s team thanks in part to the powerful running of junior Chase Burnett (1,746 yards/23 TDs rushing), who has gained nearly two-thirds of the team’s yardage on the ground. By now, no one should be sleeping on Harper Woods despite its three losses – those defeats came to Division 1 Southfield A&T and Lake Orion and Division 2 Birmingham Groves, and wins over Clarkston and Roseville certainly were attention grabbers. Sophomore quarterback Nate Rocheleau has completed 71 percent of his passes for 1,836 yards and 23 scores.
Division 5
Frankenmuth (11-1) vs. Grand Rapids Catholic Central (11-1) at Ithaca – WATCH
These two met in the 2020 Division 5 Final and a 2021 Semifinal, and Frankenmuth then finished runner-up a year ago with GRCC losing to eventual champion Gladwin in a Semifinal on the other side of the bracket. The Cougars can count wins over South Christian, River Rouge and Grand Rapids West Catholic among their most impressive, with senior Kellen Russell-Dixon averaging 10.9 yards per carry for the season (with 1,560 yards/22 TDs rushing total). Frankenmuth counters with a defense that’s given up only 807 rushing yards despite facing Goodrich (see above) and a powerful attack from Kingsford among others. Senior quarterback Jack Rich has stepped in to lead the Eagles with 1,184 yards and 19 scores rushing while throwing for another eight TDs.
Flat Rock (9-3) vs. Corunna (12-0) at Ypsilanti Lincoln – WATCH
Flat Rock is playing in its first Semifinal since 1976, and Corunna its first since 1996. The Rams bounced back from a midseason 1-3 stretch to score a combined 201 points over their last four wins, which were all by 30 or more. Corunna has given up only 94 points all season – never more than 18 in a game – and only a combined 42 over three playoff wins despite playing undefeated opponents in two of them. The senior Bower twins are playing major roles; Wyatt, the quarterback, has thrown for 2,191 yards and 25 touchdowns and run for 943 and 15, respectively; while split end Tarick has caught 41 passes for 1,289 yards (30.2 per catch) and 18 scores.
Division 6
Reed City (9-3) vs. Kingsley (10-2) at Cadillac – WATCH
Reed City’s repeat run to the Semifinals has come after a 1-3 start – including a 46-12 season-opening loss to Kingsley. But the Coyotes have reached 40 points six times during their eight-game winning streak and have pounded defenses with senior running backs Max Hammond (1,343 yards/18 TDs rushing) and John Ondrus (1,365/13). Kingsley has stayed in stride, with its 583 points this season more than the Stags scored in any of their other three 10-win seasons over the last five years – and even more than they scored in going 12-1 in 2019. Senior Eli Graves has run for 1,654 yards and 20 scores, caught five touchdown passes and scored twice on kickoff returns.
Ovid-Elsie (8-4) vs. Almont (11-1) at Grand Blanc – WATCH
After stunning contender Constantine in last week’s Regional Final, Ovid-Elsie takes on another opponent that might be considered the team to beat. Almont’s only loss was Week 9 to Division 5 Ogemaw Heights, and the Raiders have impressed including edging another favorite in Warren Michigan Collegiate in the District Final. Junior Chase Battani leads the rushing attack with 1,047 yards and 15 touchdowns and also has 85 tackles with 11 tackles for loss at linebacker. Ovid-Elsie similarly has a balanced offensive attack, but junior quarterback Tryce Tokar helps make it so throwing for 1,224 yards and 18 scores and rushing for a team-high 814 yards and 13 TDs.
Division 7
Menominee (10-2) vs. North Muskegon (12-0) at Gaylord – WATCH
North Muskegon’s first Semifinal since 1986 has come off two wins by a combined four points, and the Norseman take on a Menominee team that’s had only one single-digit game – win or lose – in making its longest run since finishing Division 5 runner-up in 2016. These Maroons are more balanced than the run-heavy teams that many associate with the program, but they still dominate on the ground with senior Landan Bardowski leading a 3,200-yard rush attack with 1,343 and 25 touchdowns. North Muskegon’s rushing and passing yardage and touchdown totals are nearly identical, but junior quarterback James Young definitely pops off the page with 2,460 yards and 31 scores through the air.
Millington (12-0) vs. Jackson Lumen Christi (11-1) at Westland John Glenn – WATCH
The reigning champion Titans are a three-point Week 8 loss to Division 3 Gaylord from an undefeated season so far, and they’ve done it in part with one of their most impressive defenses in at least a decade giving up just 7.1 points per game. Millington’s defense has been similarly sturdy, giving up only nine per game during a run that’s included two one-point wins. Junior Dallas Walsh is among those hoping to break through for the Cardinals; he’s run for 1,153 yards and 16 touchdowns this fall.
Division 8
Beal City (11-1) vs. Ubly (12-0) at Mt. Morris – WATCH
This is Ubly’s fifth-straight Semifinal, and the only team to keep the Bearcats from Ford Field the two years they fell short was Beal City with a one-point win in the 2019 matchup and five-point victory in 2021. Ubly has run for more than 4,100 yards led by senior Canden Peruski, who is averaging 11.7 per carry for 1,485 total to go with 21 touchdowns on the ground – he’s one of five Ubly rushers with at least 10 rushing scores. Beal City is giving up only 8.6 points per game and has an offensive playmaker in senior Jamisen Latham, who has run for 827 yards and 10 scores and also caught 10 touchdown passes.
Riverview Gabriel Richard (8-4) vs. Ottawa Lake Whiteford (12-0) at Adrian College – WATCH
Reigning Division 8 champion Whiteford has won 26 straight games since falling in a 2021 Semifinal, and the Bobcats are doing it again this fall with a defense giving up nine points per game and with five players scoring between 8-17 touchdowns and freshman quarterback Tre Eitniear throwing for 949 yards and 14 scores. Gabriel Richard will attempt to transform its first Semifinal appearance into its first Ford Field trip with a similarly-balanced attack led by junior quarterback Nick Sobush (1,256 yards/13 TDs passing, 8 TDs rushing) and junior running back Joey Calhoun (858 yards/16 TDs rushing, 5 TDs receiving).
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PHOTO Ubly's Seth Maurer (30) takes on a pair of Ithaca defenders during last week's Regional Final win. (Click for more from High School Sports Scene.)
After Answering Call, MCC's Caughey Finds Football Lessons Pay Off in Priesthood
By
Tom Kendra
Special for MHSAA.com
August 5, 2025
Michael Caughey was known for his brute force and ability to bully opponents as an all-state offensive lineman at Muskegon Catholic Central.
Today, 10 years after his high school graduation, suffice to say that his life has made a 180-degree turn and he’s using an entirely different skill set in his first “real world” job.
“I’m trying to help people get to heaven,” he said.
The kid that everybody called Mikey is now Father Michael Caughey, FSSP, after completing seven years of training at the Our Lady of Guadalupe Seminary in Nebraska and being ordained as a Catholic priest on May 28 in Lincoln, Neb.
He returned home briefly – basically for a busy month of June, saying Mass at various stops around West Michigan – before leaving in early July and making the nearly 1,700-mile, one-way trip to El Paso, Texas, where he is now serving as one of two assistant pastors at Immaculate Conception Church in downtown El Paso.
Fr. Michael is slowly adjusting to the triple-digit heat (he calls it “Hell Paso”) and also the pressure and responsibility of serving his congregation.
He often relies on the discipline and work ethic he learned as a Crusaders football player, where he was a two-way starting lineman on back-to-back Division 8 championship teams in 2013 and 2014 – the first two of four consecutive Finals winners for MCC.
“I went through seven years of preparation in the seminary but, I tell you what, nothing can totally prepare you for being on the other side of the altar,” said Caughey, 28, who also speaks fluent Spanish.
“My football days at MCC helped get me ready for this. I learned how to stay focused and get the job done under pressure.”
Gridiron dreams
When he was a little kid, Michael dreamed of playing football for MCC, then later for Michigan State and the Detroit Lions.
His biggest role model was his dad, Shawn, who was a member of Muskegon High School’s 1986 Class A championship team, although the two had completely different body types. As a senior, Shawn was a 5-foot-11, 165-pound free safety, while Michael was a 6-1, 270-pound offensive tackle.
Michael more closely resembled his uncle, Rob Vanderleest, a fellow all-state lineman at Muskegon Catholic who went on to become a 6-4, 270-pound tight end at Michigan.
Caughey was a three-year varsity starter for the Crusaders as a two-way tackle. He made all-state in 2013 and 2014 and was a team captain his senior year.
Muskegon Catholic coach Steve Czerwon, who was in his first season leading the program in 2013, said Caughey was a “dominant drive blocker” who also caught the coaching staff’s attention off the field.
“We noticed he carried a Bible around with him,” said Czerwon. “But he was very sincere about it, and that’s just who he was. I had him in class, and I would put him in the top one percent of students I’ve ever had in intelligence.”
Caughey said one of the first times he felt a calling to do more with his faith was during the first week of Lent during his freshman year, when he made an individual confession.
It wasn’t until his junior year that he contacted the Diocese of Grand Rapids about the priesthood and gathered more information about that possible career path.
“I didn’t really go too far down that road because I had a girlfriend at the time,” Caughey said with a chuckle.
Faith over football
He had opportunities to play college football in Michigan, but he also wanted to explore his faith further, so he chose to play at Benedictine College – a small, Catholic, NAIA school in Atchison, Kan.
He redshirted his first year, then made the travel team and played in every game the following fall as a backup offensive lineman and member of the field goal unit.
But early in his redshirt sophomore year of 2017, his interest in the priesthood, which had been smoldering for about five years, was reignited after being introduced to the Latin Mass.
“All those feelings about the priesthood came back and I knew I needed to pursue them,” said Caughey, whose younger sister, Molly, will be a senior at MCC this year. “I called my parents and told them I wanted to drop out of college and enter the seminary. The calling was so strong.”
Shawn and Sharon Caughey were initially skeptical, but have come to understand that Michael’s calling to the priesthood was a great gift to their family.
“We are all better people because of Michael and his journey,” said Shawn. “We are a stronger family, and I am a much better person because of him. I know that for a fact.”
Michael spent the past seven years at the Fraternity of St. Peter House of Formation in Denton, Neb., where he not only transformed himself spiritually with intense study of Catholic theology, but also physically – dropping about 60 pounds, and even running a marathon last year.
Even though his football career was done, he was able to satisfy his competitiveness on the basketball court. Michael helped his team to five national championships against other seminaries and is proud to be the leading rebounder in the school’s history.
His time at the seminary culminated and concluded with his ordination ceremony in late May, which was attended by a large group of family and friends, including Czerwon.
Getting to the next level
Caughey admits his life has been something of a whirlwind for the past two months since his ordination day.
He is just now settling in at Immaculate Conception, where English is, essentially, his third language. He delivers all of his Masses and homilies in Latin and a high percentage of the congregation speaks Spanish.
“I just can’t believe how quickly everything happened,” he said during a recent phone interview, taking a break from his parish duties. “I was just a kid at the seminary, and now I’m saying Mass and hearing confessions. I’m responsible for people’s souls.”
While he misses home, he is thankful he was able to return to Muskegon as an ordained priest.
He said one of the best moments of his life was saying Mass on June 2 at his home parish, St. Mary’s in downtown Muskegon, followed by a reception in his honor.
The next day, he returned to his alma mater and said a Mass at Muskegon Catholic’s Nugent Auditorium. He delivered the Mass in Latin, as always, but he was “amazed at how locked in all of the kids were.”
He was then able to roam the halls of MCC for the first time as a priest, stopping to take pictures next to his all-state photo in the school’s “Hall of Fame,” and realizing that, as much as things have changed, the process to greatness remains the same.
“I remember playing tackle and telling the guard next to me, Jacob Holt, that we need to double-team the tackle and then get to the next level,” Caughey said. “The goal back then was to get our running backs into the end zone, which we did a pretty job of.
“Our goal now is to get our parishioners into heaven. The goal is just a little bigger now, I guess.”
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PHOTOS (Top) At left, Michael Caughey rushes the quarterback in a playoff game against Mendon. At right, Father Michael Caughey, FSSP, was ordained a Catholic priest on May 28 in Lincoln, Neb. (Middle) Caughey poses in front of his all-state picture in Muskegon Catholic Central's Hall of Fame. (Below) Caughey (62) walks onto the turf at Ford Field before the 2014 Division 8 championship game as one of Muskegon Catholic Central's four captains. (MCC action photos by Tim Reilly; recent photos courtesy of Shawn Caughey.)