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Marquette's Tucker Welch (4) finds a big hole and scores Marquette's first touchdown of its win over Alpena.

1st & Goal: 2023 Week 2 Review

By Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor

September 4, 2023

Every season is a story, and Week 2 gave us plenty to consider as this one continues to unfold.

MI Student AidWe had pretty high expectations for this Labor Day weekend, which featured power-packed matchups from both local and statewide points of view – and we weren’t disappointed.

But there were several intriguing twists and turns as well – including numerous teams that came back impressively from opening-day losses – and we dive into many of those results below.

Bay & Thumb

HEADLINER Chesaning 27, New Lothrop 22 These two began playing each other regularly with the creation of the Mid-Michigan Activities Conference in 2018, and four-time league champion New Lothrop (1-1) had won the first five meetings of the recent series by an average score of 51-8 – including 40-14 a year ago. But Chesaning (1-1) built a 27-6 lead by the middle of the third quarter this time on the way to rebounding bigtime from a Week 1 four-point loss to Bath. Click for more from the Saginaw News.

Watch list Goodrich 45, Linden 28 The Martians (2-0) followed up a Week 1 win over reigning Division 5 runner-up Frankenmuth with this win over another returning league champion in Linden (1-1).

On the move Ubly 42, Elkton-Pigeon-Bay Port Laker 0 The Bearcats (2-0) have now won their first two games by a combined score of 92-13 over teams that went a combined 19-6 last season. Montrose 22, Durand 14 Add this to the Chesaning win and the MMAC might be in for more change at the top, as the Rams moved to 2-0 by handing reigning champ Durand its second defeat. Yale 34, Armada 28 The same might be said in the Blue Water Area Conference as Yale (2-0) broke a four-game losing streak against reigning champion Armada (1-1), avenging last year’s 42-18 defeat.

Greater Detroit

HEADLINER Warren De La Salle Collegiate 40, Muskegon 28 The reigning Division 2 champion Pilots (1-1) needed just a week to put the opening loss to Davison solidly behind them as they crossed the state and picked up a major bounce-back win over last season’s Division 3 runner-up Big Reds (0-2). The teams traded leads for most of the first three quarters with De La Salle carrying a five-point lead into the fourth and adding one more score to pull away. Click for more from the Muskegon Chronicle.

Watch list Roseville 33, Romeo 30 The Panthers (2-0) are making big headlines early, following last week’s shutout of Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice with this win over the Bulldogs (0-2) that avenged last season’s 30-6 loss.

On the move West Bloomfield 41, Birmingham Groves 19 The Lakers also are off to another notable 2-0 start after doubling up a Division 2 semifinalist from a year ago. Southfield Arts & Technology 20, Clarkston 17 The Warriors (2-0) have set their pace defeating a pair of Division 1 powers, this time breaking a four-game losing streak against the Wolves (0-2).  Redford Union 14, Dearborn Heights Crestwood 12 Last season this ended up eventually deciding the Western Wayne Athletic Conference title for the Chargers, although this matchup was much closer than their 41-6 victory a year ago.

Mid-Michigan

HEADLINER Mason 42, DeWitt 23 The Bulldogs (2-0) affirmed themselves as the frontrunners for the Lansing area’s best team after jumping out to a 35-0 lead on the Panthers (1-1) in this matchup of 2022 Division 3 semifinalists. Fourth-year varsity senior AJ Martel was among standouts with 139 yards and two touchdowns rushing. Click for more from the Lansing State Journal.

Watch list Lansing Sexton 48, Lansing Catholic 20 The J-Dubbs are off to their first 2-0 start since 2017, also their most recent winning season, and avenged a 35-0 loss to the Cougars (1-1) from a year ago.

On the move Haslett 41, Fenton 25 The Vikings bounced back from a Week 1 loss to DeWitt as Nakai Amachree scored six touchdowns. Ithaca 39, Standish-Sterling 26 The Yellowjackets (2-0) had lost the last two seasons to the Panthers (0-2), last season’s ending up Ithaca’s only defeat on the way to the Division 7 Regional Finals. Mount Pleasant 35, Midland 6 Add the Oilers (1-1) to the list of quick bounce-backers as they rebounded from a big Week 1 loss to down a Midland team that won 10 games last season and opened with a victory last week.

Northern Lower Peninsula

HEADLINER Gaylord 42, Kingsley 39 The Blue Devils are 2-0 for the second-straight season after holding off a late Kingsley comeback attempt. The Stags (1-1) scored twice over the final four minutes to again make this matchup a one-score game after Gaylord won last year’s meeting by a point. Click for more from the Traverse City Record-Eagle.

Watch list Cadillac 43, Escanaba 36 The Vikings (1-1) came back from a three-point season-opening loss to Midland to begin Big North Conference play with a key win over new league member Escanaba (1-1).

On the move Frankfort 28, Maple City Glen Lake 15 Just two weeks in, Frankfort finds itself 2-0 in the Northern Michigan Football League Legacy with a Week 8 matchup with East Jordan looking even more like one to circle. Boyne City 57, Elk Rapids 14 The Ramblers also are 2-0 after playing two 2022 playoff teams and with more tests ahead as the schedule doesn’t get any easier the rest of September. Mancelona 52, Tawas 20 The Ironmen (1-1) won one game last season and scored just 86 points over nine, but they equaled that victory total while avenging last year’s 30-8 loss to Tawas (1-1).

Remus Chippewa Hills improved to 2-0 with a 43-13 win over Grant.

Southeast & Border

HEADLINER Carleton Airport 48, Riverview 27 The Jets (2-0) not only have defeated two league champions so far this fall – add this win to the 31-10 opener over Gibraltar Carlson – but they’ve set themselves up well starting Huron League play after missing out on a shared title a year ago when Riverview (1-1) won the matchup 18-13 and went on to make the Division 4 Semifinals. Click for more from the Monroe News.

Watch list Parma Western 20, Detroit Country Day 17 There’s been early talk that Western (2-0) is a team to watch more closely this fall, and this combined with the Week 1 win over Dearborn Divine Child definitely is justifying the buzz. Country Day (1-1) is coming off a run to the Division 5 Semifinals.

On the move Quincy 18, Reading 12 The Orioles (1-1) are seeking a first winning season since 2018, and this could be big as they hadn’t defeated Reading (0-2) since 2016 and lost last year’s meeting 42-0. Chelsea 27, Edwardsburg 14 The Bulldogs (1-1) evened their record this fall and avenged a 40-7 loss to the Eddies (0-2) from last as these two recent Division 4 champions continued a regular-season series. Saline 41, Dexter 25 The matchup that decided the Southeastern Conference Red outright title for Dexter (0-2) in Week 8 last year moved to the front of the league schedule this fall and still might end up having championship implications as Saline (2-0) is off to a strong start.

Southwest Corridor

HEADLINER Lawton 38, Traverse City St. Francis 6 The Blue Devils’ Kal Motter was another of the statewide stars of the weekend with five touchdowns as Lawton handed reigning Division 7 runner-up St. Francis its first regular-season loss since October 2020. The Gladiators (1-1) had won last year’s meeting 42-7 and hadn’t been held to single-digit scoring also since 2020. Click for more from the Kalamazoo Gazette.

Watch list Battle Creek Harper Creek 21, Battle Creek Central 13 The Beavers are 2-0 for the first time since 2017 having now avenged both 2022 losses to neighbors Lakeview in Week 1 and Central on Friday. Harper Creek had lost to the Bearcats 34-0 a year ago.

On the move Richland Gull Lake 7, Vicksburg 6 The Blue Devils are 2-0 for the first time since 2007 and after winning three games total last season, when they fell 28-6 to playoff regular Vicksburg (0-2). Paw Paw 42, Berrien Springs 6 The Red Wolves (2-0) added to their impressive opening victory over Big Rapids with another over the annually playoff-qualifying Shamrocks (0-2). Kalamazoo Central 47, Sturgis 34 The Maroon Giants’ opener ended up cancelled due to weather, but they made their late start sweet with this first win since Week 7 of 2021 – and against a 2022 playoff qualifier in the Trojans (1-1).

Upper Peninsula

HEADLINER Gladstone 42, Negaunee 14 Gladstone (2-0) is coming off its best season in more than a decade, but it still included losses to Negaunee (1-1) during the regular season and Regional Finals. This was a first step toward avenging all of that, and with some new significance – Gladstone joined reigning champion (and Division 6 runner-up) Negaunee in the Western Peninsula Athletic Conference Copper this season. Click for more from RRN Sports.

Watch list Iron Mountain 40, Bark River-Harris 0 The Mountaineers (2-0) are another team running at full steam with a pair of wins over 2022 playoff teams, but with an interesting September coming up as they moved into the WPAC Iron this fall after regularly contending in the Copper over the last five seasons.

On the move Sault Ste. Marie 26, Cheboygan 0 For the fifth season in a row, the Blue Devils have started 2-0 – and for the second time in three seasons, they’ve opened with two shutouts. Calumet 42, Ishpeming Westwood 22 The Copper Kings picked up nice momentum following an opening loss to Escanaba by getting to 1-0 in the WPAC Copper with Negaunee up next. Kingsford 34, Houghton 0 The Flivvers also are unscored upon after two games, with Gladstone a major test next.

West Michigan

HEADLINER Rockford 31, Muskegon Mona Shores 8 The Rams (2-0) followed up an impressive opening win over Muskegon High with another stunning performance, holding Mona Shores (1-1) scoreless until the final minutes of the fourth quarter. This was just a four-point game a year ago, but Rockford now heads into Ottawa-Kent Conference Red play with a combined 58-15 margin over its first two. Click for more from the Grand Rapids Press.

Watch list East Grand Rapids 23, Grand Rapids South Christian 21 The Pioneers (2-0) are coming off two straight sub-.500 seasons, but that rarity could be moving into distant memory as they followed up a shutout of Cedar Springs by downing the reigning Division 4 champion Sailors (1-1) with the game-winner on the final play.

On the move Grand Rapids Catholic Central 38, River Rouge 6 Both are being talked about already in the championship mix, making this victory even more notable as GRCC moved to 1-1 and Rouge to 0-2. North Muskegon 41, Muskegon Catholic Central 21 The Norsemen (2-0) are one of the stories of the first two weeks, following an opening win over Pewamo-Westphalia by avenging last year’s only regular-season loss in sending the Crusaders to 0-2. Hudsonville Unity Christian 33, Muskegon Oakridge 21 These Crusaders (1-1) opened with a pair of contenders from the West Michigan Conference Lakes and followed Week 1 loss to Whitehall with an impressive victory over a 10-win team from a year ago.

8-Player

HEADLINER Newberry 16, Munising 6 Newberry’s only losses of the 2022 season were to Munising in Week 2 and again in a Division 1 Regional Final. But along with avenging those, this victory should provide plenty of momentum as Newberry heads into this week’s matchup with Rudyard, the only other opponent to come within single digits last season.

Watch list St. Ignace 46, Pellston 6 The Saints (2-0) appear to be adjusting to 8-player quickly as they increased their margin over their first two victories to a combined 96-12.

On the move Posen 56, Rogers City 14 The Vikings (2-0) handed the Hurons just their second regular-season defeat over the last three and now have reached 50 points in both games this fall. Indian River Inland Lakes 54, Lake Linden-Hubbell 46 The Bulldogs (2-0) got a late start as well after their Week 1 game was forfeited, but they started it memorably by edging a Lakes team coming off its second-straight seven-win season. Mendon 58, Colon 30 After winning last year’s Division 2 Regional Final meeting with the Magi by only two points, Mendon broke free with Jack McCaw and Owen Gorham both going over 100 yards rushing and combining for five touchdowns.

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 X (Twitter) @mistudentaid.

PHOTOS (Top) Marquette's Tucker Welch (4) finds a big hole and scores Marquette's first touchdown of its 49-0 win over Alpena. (Middle) Remus Chippewa Hills improved to 2-0 with a 43-13 win over Grant. (Top photo by Cara Kamps; middle photo by High School Sports Scene.)

This collage shows action photos from all 10 MHSAA Finals played this season.

1st & Goal: 2024 Finals in Review

By Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor

December 4, 2024

The story of the 50th MHSAA Football Playoffs may have been driven as much by the run-up to the Finals of these last two weekends as by those 10 championship games themselves.

MI Student AidBut those games at Ford Field and the Superior Dome left us with their shares of unforgettable moments as we celebrated another special moment of this overall 100th MHSAA anniversary.

Goodrich, Pontiac Notre Dame Prep and Millington celebrated championships for the first time. Jackson Lumen Christi moved into first all-time with its 14th Finals title. The average margin of victory may not have been close this time around – winners did so by nearly 24 points, and we had just one single-digit game out of 10 – but consider as well the excitement generated on the way to these concluding weekends. Of the 20 teams ranked Nos. 1 or 2 by the Michigan High School Football Coaches Association at the end of the regular season, only five reached championship games – and only three won them.

We had senior standouts rewrite the scoring side of our 11-player Finals record book, star quarterbacks face off in an 8-player classic, and an uncountable number of unforgettable moments as nearly 45,000 fans traveled to witness the beginnings of our latest trophy celebrations.

MHSAA.com once again covered all 10 championship games, with quick recaps and links to those stories below followed by notations of performances entered into the MHSAA Finals record books and a report on some of the main storylines to emerge as those championships were being decided.

Goodrich's Chase Burnett, middle, celebrates his touchdown with two of his linemen.

Finals in Review

11-Player Division 1: Detroit Cass Tech 42, Hudsonville 20 – Read

The Technicians won their fourth championship and first since 2016 by shutting down Hudsonville’s powerful rushing attack and dominating the air with freshman quarterback Donald Tabron II completing 15 of 20 passes for 176 yards and three touchdowns to arguably the top receiving group in the state. Cass Tech built a 35-0 lead by a minute into the second half.

11-Player Division 2: Orchard Lake St. Mary’s 35, Byron Center 19 – Read

Orchard Lake St. Mary’s also won its first championship since 2016 with a mostly second-half burst after trailing 13-7 until the final minutes of the second quarter. Darrin Jones and Bryson Williams both ran for more than 100 yards and a pair of touchdowns as the Eaglets also shut down a Byron Center offense that averaged nearly 40 points per game entering championship weekend.

11-Player Division 3: Zeeland West 42, Detroit Martin Luther King 22 – Read

Paced by a record-setting performance by running back Keaton Hendricks, Zeeland West and its T-formation attack defeated a fourth top-seven ranked team during this playoffs. The Dux presented a look King hadn’t seen in years and turned it into not only a 352-295 total yardage advantage but also a 30:10-17:50 edge in time of possession as it piled up points against a King defense that had given up just 13.6 per game on the way to the Final.

11-Player Division 4: Goodrich 35, Niles 6 – Read

Goodrich won this matchup of finalists seeking their first championship, dominating the line of scrimmage to the tune of a 424-96 advantage in total yardage. Chase Burnett did the most damage of a talented Martians group of playmakers, running for 157 yards and a pair of scores while their defense locked down a Niles attack that averaged 41 points per game entering this matchup.

11-Player Division 5: Pontiac Notre Dame Prep 42, Frankenmuth 7 – Read

This also featured a pair of first-title hopefuls, and Notre Dame Prep took one home coached by Pat Fox, who grew up in and has since moved back to Frankenmuth. Quarterback Sam Stowe starred for the Fighting Irish, throwing four touchdown passes as NDP took a 35-0 lead into the fourth quarter and frustrated a Frankenmuth attack that had outscored its opponents by 31 points per game.

11-Player Division 6: Jackson Lumen Christi 56, Lansing Catholic 18 – Read

Lumen Christi’s record-setting win came on a record-setting performance by running back Kadale Williams, who ended up with a combined 590 yards and eight rushing touchdowns over his last two Finals appearances after also carrying the ball once in the Titans’ 2022 championship game. Lumen’s title was its third-straight with the first two of this string coming in Division 7

11-Player Division 7: Millington 24, Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central 0 – Read

Millington finished its first championship run as also the only undefeated 11-player champion this season. The Cardinals were physically dominant as they posted their fifth shutout and lowered their points allowed per game average to 7.7. In this win, they allowed just 3.2 yards per carry and forced three turnovers, limiting an SMCC offense averaging 36 points per game entering the weekend.

11-Player Division 8: Beal City 43, Riverview Gabriel Richard 14 – Read

Physical play and a strong running game were the story of this championship decider as well as Beal City won its third title and first since 2009 behind 315 rushing yards. The Aggies strung together unanswered runs of 21 and 17 points and held Gabriel Richard scoreless for the final 22 minutes of the first half and final 12 of the second.

8-Player Division 1: Deckerville 30, Pickford 28 – Read

Pickford led until the opening seconds of the fourth quarter as Deckerville came back from a double-digit third-quarter deficit to win its first championship since 2012. Both teams entered the matchup undefeated, and both relied on star quarterbacks who wrote their names into the Finals record book.

8-Player Division 2: Crystal Falls Forest Park 42, Morrice 20 – Read

The Trojans played in their 15th championship game and won for the fifth time after taking a 28-0 lead into the break and running for 184 of their total 291 yards during the first two quarters. Coach Brian Fabbri, who had played for Forest Park in 11-Player Finals in 2004 and 2005, became the fourth title-winning coach in program history.

Forest Park and Morrice players get tangled up jumping near the goal line to pull down a pass.

Records Report

Zeeland West senior Keaton Hendricks scored a Finals record six touchdowns – to also give him a Finals-record 36 points. He rushed for three and caught three scores, and the three receiving touchdowns tied for second-most on that list.

Before Hendricks’ accomplishments a day later, Jackson Lumen Christi senior Kadale Williams briefly sat atop four record book lists. He remains the record holder with 314 rushing yards and five rushing touchdowns and sits tied for second with five total touchdowns and 30 points scored in a championship game. His 314 rushing yards also put him on the total yardage list.

Junior quarterback Sam Stowe directed Notre Dame’s offense during the championship drive, reaching the record book with 293 yards passing and four touchdowns through the air including one score on one of the longest completions in Finals history – 87 yards to Billy Collins. Stowe also ran for eight yards, making the total yardage list with 301.

Lansing Catholic senior quarterback Alex Fernandez earned multiple record listings with 284 passing yards, 21 passing completions and 366 total yards; he also ran for 82. Senior receiver Xavier Luea tied for the fifth-most receptions in a championship game, pulling in 10 for the Cougars.

Four kickers reached the record book list for most extra points in one game. Jackson Lumen Christi senior Andy Salazar tied two others for the record with eight extra points, making all eight kicks he took in the Division 6 Final. Notre Dame Prep junior Owen Fulsher made six extra points in six attempts, and Orchard Lake St. Mary’s freshman Beckett Kiefer, Beal City senior Kyle Martin and Goodrich senior Landon Williams all made the list with five extra points in five tries.

As noted above, Jackson Lumen Christi set a record for championships with 14, breaking its tie with Farmington Hills Harrison (which closed at the end of the 2018-19 school year). Lumen scored 42 points during the first half of its Division 6 win, tying for third-most in one half, and its 56 total points tied for second-most for a full title game. The Titans also tied a record with seven rushing touchdowns total and made the list – with Niles in Division 4 as well – for fewest pass attempts, with three.

Lansing Catholic made the team list for most pass completions with 21, and Notre Dame Prep made the team list for passing yards with 293.

As seems to make sense with some of our winning teams’ offensive successes, four made the list of those to not punt during a Final – Zeeland West, Beal City, Goodrich and Jackson Lumen Christi. West also combined with Detroit Martin Luther King, and Beal City with Riverview Gabriel Richard, to make the list for fewest punts by both opposing teams combined. Both pairs had just one in their games.

Although in defeat, Pickford senior quarterback Tommy Storey was one of the stars of the 8-Player Finals, making lists with four total touchdowns, 304 rushing yards (ranking second), four rushing touchdowns and 312 total yards. His opposing quarterback, Deckerville senior Hunter Garza, also made multiple lists with 323 total yards and 225 rushing.

Crystal Falls Forest Park sophomore Dietrich Rasner made the extra points list, tying for second with six in six attempts, and Morrice senior Joel Fisher had the second-longest punt return in 8-Player Finals history bringing one back 85 yards for a score.

Pickford and Deckerville both reached 300 yards rushing in the Division 1 game, Pickford with 322 and Deckerville just missing the record book yardage list but setting a record with 60 rushing attempts. Deckerville also made the first downs list with 21.

Crystal Falls Forest Park made a rushing list, with six touchdowns running the ball. The Trojans also set a record by not allowing Morrice to gain a yard passing – with the Orioles becoming the first 8-player team to not complete a pass in a Final, attempting just four.

Lumen Christi's Kadale Williams (1) works to get to the edge against Lansing Catholic.

Stories Behind the Scores

Lumen Legend: Of Jackson Lumen Christi’s now-14 Finals championships, 12 came under the leadership of coach Herb Brogan, who took over the program in 1980 after Jim Crowley led the Titans to titles in 1977 and 1979. They finished this season 13-1, putting Brogan’s career record at 421-96. He’s third in football coaching wins in Michigan high school history, trailing Al Fracassa (Royal Oak Shrine Catholic/Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice) by nine and John Herrington (Farmington Hills Harrison) by 22. Brogan’s all-time winning percentage of .814 has him fourth all-time on that list for coaches with at least 200 victories.

Welcome to the Finals: Of the 20 teams that played in championship games (11 and 8-player combined), only Lumen Christi was returning from 2023. Compare that to two years ago, when we had four repeat champions, or last year with six returning teams and two repeat champs. Over the last two weekends, five teams played in championship games for the first time, and as mentioned above, three celebrated their first titles.

Return of the Rush: Wide-open pass-heavy offenses have been a trend going on two decades. But the ground game may be making a comeback. Lumen Christi’s Williams set the individual rushing record in his team’s win over Lansing Catholic, and it’s fair to consider the offenses of at least 15 of the 20 finalists (11 and 8-player combined) as rush-based. Six teams reached 300 yards rushing in championship games, with Lumen leading the way with 435 on 47 carries.

MHSAA.com's weekly “1st & Goal” previews and reviews are powered by MI Student Aid, a division within the Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential (MiLEAP). 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 scholarship and grant programs that help make college Accessible, Affordable and Attainable for you. Click to connect with MI Student Aid and find more information on Facebook and Twitter @mistudentaid.

PHOTOS (Top) This collage shows action photos from all 10 MHSAA Finals played this season. (2) Goodrich's Chase Burnett, middle, celebrates his touchdown with two of his linemen. (3) Forest Park and Morrice players get tangled up jumping near the goal line to pull down a pass. (4) Lumen Christi's Kadale Williams (1) works to get to the edge against Lansing Catholic. (11-player photos by Hockey Weekly Action Photos; 8-player photos by Cara Kamps.)