1st & Goal: 2025 Week 3 Review
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
September 15, 2025
With at most only nine dates on every football team’s regular-season schedule, every game from August through October can make a difference when it comes to playoff hopes and league title aspirations.
We just finished up Week 3 this fall, but several of the weekend’s games may end up having that impact – and we dive into that below.
Bay & Thumb
HEADLINER Saginaw Swan Valley 31, Freeland 7 The Vikings bounced back from a seven-point Week 2 loss to Frankenmuth to defeat the Falcons (2-1) for the first time since 2019 – and after losing last year’s meeting 34-0. Swan Valley also is 2-1 after starting 0-3 a year ago, its best start since 2020. Click for more from the Saginaw News.
Watch list Saginaw Valley Lutheran 27, Saginaw Nouvel Catholic Central 20 Valley Lutheran qualified for the playoffs last season for the first time since 2012, and the Chargers are 3-0 for the first time according to Michigan-Football.com after their first win over Nouvel (2-1) in program history.
On the move Harbor Beach 33, Ubly 6 The Pirates (3-0) kicked off Big Thumb Conference Black play by winning the matchup that decided last year’s league title, adding to last year’s two wins (regular season and playoff) over the rival Bearcats. Grand Blanc 56, Saginaw Heritage 27 The Bobcats (3-0) moved to 2-0 in the Saginaw Valley League South by winning the matchup that decided last season’s league title in their favor. Caro 46, Marine City Cardinal Mooney 7 The Tigers won two games a year ago and have won no more than three in a season since 2018. But they’re up to 2-1 this fall after a big win over a Cardinal Mooney team that while 0-3 has made the playoffs every year this decade.
Greater Detroit
HEADLINER Waterford Mott 42, Walled Lake Western 34 While only three games into the Lakes Valley Conference schedule, Mott has defeated the champion and runner-up from last year with this breaking Western’s 28-game LVC winning streak going back to 2021. Mott (2-1) was only 3-5 last season after making the Division 2 Semifinals in 2023. Click for more from the Detroit Free Press.
Watch list Orchard Lake St. Mary’s 49, Warren De La Salle Collegiate 10 The Eaglets are 3-0 for the first time since 2021 after downing De La Salle (1-2) for the first time since 2019. It was the best-possible way for St. Mary’s to set up for this week’s titanic matchup with Detroit Catholic Central.
On the move Northville 17, Howell 7 The Mustangs (3-0) avenged last season’s 27-12 loss to Howell, breaking the Highlanders’ 11-game regular-season winning streak. Harper Woods 35, Birmingham Groves 8 The Pioneers (3-0) avenged last year’s loss to Groves (1-2) that ended up deciding the Oakland Activities Association White championship. Gibraltar Carlson 42, Pontiac Notre Dame Prep 21 The Marauders’ offense has been rolling during the team’s 3-0 start, putting up a combined 152 to at least double up every opponent including the reigning Division 5 champion Fighting Irish (1-2), whose regular-season schedule is quickly looking like it will end up one of the toughest in the state this fall.
Mid-Michigan
HEADLINER Ithaca 42, Saginaw Michigan Lutheran Seminary 40 (OT) This Tri-Valley Conference Blue opener ended up being everything it was billed, as Ithaca stopped an MLS two-point conversion try to start overtime and won the night on the next possession. Offense reigned as both teams are averaging more than 40 points per game through these first three weeks. Click for more from the Saginaw News.
Watch list St. Johns 27, Fowlerville 26 After opening 5-0 a year ago, St. Johns (3-0) is off to another solid start after a third-straight win over the Gladiators by seven or fewer points. Fowlerville (2-1), off to its best start since 2020, will attempt to rebound against undefeated Williamston this week.
On the move Williamston 28, Mason 0 The Hornets (3-0) have now defeated three 2024 playoff teams and with Mason (1-2) also the reigning Capital Area Activities Conference Red champion. Mount Pleasant 63, Midland Dow 39 The Oilers (3-0) received their strongest challenge of the early season and responded by scoring their most points in a game since 2016 while handing Dow (2-1) its only loss. Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart 49, Vestaburg 7 Both of these teams returned this season to 11-player football from 8-player, and they will meet again in Week 6.
Northern Lower Peninsula
HEADLINER Gaylord 28, Marquette 27 (OT) The Blue Devils’ turnaround season continued as they moved to 3-0 after going 0-5 to start 2024, this time avenging a 30-0 loss to the Sentinels (1-2) to open the Big North Conference schedule. Gaylord stopped a two-point conversion try to hold on for the victory. Click for more from the Petoskey News-Review.
Watch list Kalkaska 24, East Jordan 20 This arguably was the best win of Kalkaska’s first 3-0 start since 2017, as it avenged last year’s 44-13 loss, gave the Blazers as many wins already as all of last season and came against an East Jordan team (2-1) that’s been in the playoffs every season this decade.
On the move Ogemaw Heights 49, Gladwin 14 The Falcons (2-1) bounced back from a Week 2 defeat to open Jack Pine Conference I play by avenging last year’s District Final loss to Gladwin (0-3). Kingsley 48, Grayling 21 The Stags (2-1) also bounced back from a Week 2 defeat as they began Northern Michigan Football League Legends play by sending Grayling to 1-2 overall. Elk Rapids 8, Oscoda 6 The Elks’ first two games this season came against teams still undefeated, but they got on the board by avenging last year’s 20-0 loss to the Owls (1-2).
Southeast & Border
HEADLINER Ypsilanti Lincoln 21, Tecumseh 17 While the season is only three weeks old, Lincoln has handed a first loss this fall to all three of its opponents in opening 3-0 for the first time since 2012. The Railsplitters also are 2-0 in the Southeastern Conference White after playing in the SEC Red the last four seasons. Click for more from the Adrian Daily Telegram.
Watch list Riverview 38, Carleton Airport 6 The Pirates (2-1) opened with a loss to Division 1 Utica Eisenhower but have started Huron League play 2-0 as they look to take back league supremacy after finishing second a year ago.
On the move Chelsea 29, Adrian 12 The Bulldogs (3-0) also are 2-0 in the SEC White, running their overall league winning streak in the league to 12 in handing Adrian (2-1) its lone loss. Dexter 48, Ann Arbor Huron 16 The Dreadnaughts (3-0) will head into this week’s potential eventual SEC Red-deciding matchup with Saline having won all of their first three games by at least three touchdowns. Michigan Center 53, Hanover-Horton 14 The Cardinals’ playoff hopes last season hinged in part on a pair of losses by two points or fewer, and they avenged the first in a big way by sending the Comets to 1-2.
Southwest Corridor
HEADLINER Schoolcraft 32, Constantine 14 Schoolcraft (2-1) bounced back from a Week 2 defeat to break Constantine’s three-year hold on this rivalry series. The teams now go their separate ways in the Southwestern Athletic Conference, both as potential champions. Constantine also is 2-1. Click for more from the Kalamazoo Gazette.
Watch list Marshall 41, Parma Western 6 After a close Week 2 loss to Fowlerville, Marshall (2-1) found its stride to open Interstate 8 Athletic Conference play with its first win over Parma Western (1-2) since 2020. The Redhawks need just one more win this fall to equal last year’s season total.
On the move Battle Creek Pennfield 23, Buchanan 20 Pennfield (2-1) already has surpassed last year’s lone victory, handing returning playoff qualifier Buchanan (2-1) its only defeat. Lawton 22, Kalamazoo United 19 The Blue Devils (2-1) bounced back from a Week 2 loss heading into SAC Valley play, defeating the Titans (1-2) for the second-straight season. Niles 30, Paw Paw 14 Although Paw Paw (0-3) is off to a rough start, this matchup did decide the Wolverine Conference title last year. Niles (3-0) has won six straight in the series including in the playoffs the last two years as well.
Upper Peninsula
HEADLINER Calumet 33, Negaunee 18 The Copper Kings (3-0) earned a significant upper hand on Negaunee in the Western Peninsula Athletic Conference Copper, moving into an early three-way tie for first with Menominee and Kingsford by breaking a five-game losing streak against the Miners (2-1). Menominee and Kingsley are up next, respectively, for Calumet. Click for more from the Houghton Daily Mining Gazette.
Watch list Escanaba 27, Petoskey 10 Escanaba (3-0) is moving smoothly through the start of Big North Conference play and checking in as the No. 6 team in Division 4 playoff-point average after downing the reigning league champion Northmen (1-2).
On the move Houghton 42, Hancock 0 The Gremlins (1-2) have won six straight in the Copper Bowl and surely hope this one will get them on track with plenty of tough competition ahead. Kingsford 25, Gladstone 13 After starting the season with a close loss to Escanaba, Kingsford (2-1) has opened West-PAC Copper play with two double-digit wins – right in time to face rival Negaunee this week. Menominee 50, Ishpeming Westwood 8 The Maroons (3-0) got back on the field after their Week 2 game was canceled, earning some no doubt valuable prep in advance of this week’s matchup with Calumet.
West Michigan
HEADLINER Whitehall 35, Zeeland West 28 After playing the eventual Division 3 champion to one of last season’s highest-scoring games – a 60-43 loss – Whitehall (2-1) avenged with the go-ahead score during this game’s final minute. The Dux (2-1) hadn’t lost a nonleague game since 2018. Click for more from the White Lake Mirror.
Watch list Grand Rapids Catholic Central 28, Jackson Lumen Christi 14 The Cougars’ first game this season against an in-state opponent was one to remember as they moved to 3-0 in downing the reigning Division 6 champion Titans (1-2).
On the move Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern 42, Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central 10 Forest Hills Northern (1-2) earned its first win over the rival Huskies since 2004 and after FHC had won the last 10 (including once in the playoffs) since the teams began playing each other annually again in 2016. Grand Rapids West Catholic 27, Grand Rapids South Christian 20 The Falcons will take a winning streak into Ottawa-Kent Conference White play this week after avenging last season’s three-point loss to the Sailors (1-2). East Kentwood 54, Jenison 7 East Kentwood is 3-0 for the first time since 2017 after handing Jenison (2-1) its only loss and with this week’s matchup against Rockford a major opportunity to prove it’s an O-K Red contender.
8-Player
HEADLINER Climax-Scotts 44, Adrian Lenawee Christian 41 These two have built a nice cross-state rivalry first in 11-player and now in 8-player over the last six seasons. Climax-Scotts (2-1) broke a 28-28 tie during the closing minutes of the third quarter this time to send the Cougars to 2-1 as well.
Watch list Gogebic 38, Ishpeming 16 The Miners (3-0) have rumbled with 173 points (and only 22 allowed) over their first three games, coming off a 5-3 finish a year ago and seeking their first playoff season since 2014.
On the move Felch North Dickinson 58, Crystal Falls Forest Park 7 The Nordics (3-0) continued to impress, this time with their first win over Forest Park (1-2) since 2012 and the era when these two frequently met in both the regular season and playoffs. Mendon 56, Concord 26 Three of Owen Gorham’s nine carries went for second or third-quarter touchdowns as Mendon (3-0) scored the first points Concord (2-1) had given up. Pickford 53, Newberry 6 Pickford (3-0) appears in midseason form already, outscoring its first three opponents by a combined 168-14 as it opened Great Lakes Eight East play with a big win over previously-undefeated Newberry (2-1).
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PHOTOS (Top) Grand Blanc cheerleaders root for their ball carrier as a Heritage defender attempts to make a tackle Friday. (2) Mount Pleasant attempts to block a Midland Dow kick. (3) Bath's Rylen Dixon (10) takes a handoff during his team's game against Pewamo-Westphalia. (4) Calumet's Ben Anderson finds a hole and gains several yards against Negaunee. (Grand Blanc/Heritage photo by Terry Lyons. Mount Pleasant/Dow photo by High School Sports Scene. Bath/P-W photo by John Johnson. Calumet/Negaunee photo by Cara Kamps.)
Portage Northern Coach Nurturing New Roots After Arriving from Crosstown Rival
By
Pam Shebest
Special for MHSAA.com
October 19, 2021
PORTAGE — When Kurt Twichell was hired as Portage Northern’s head football coach last May, he had some serious closet cleaning to do.
As an assistant coach at crosstown rival Portage Central, his wardrobe was filled with blue and gold.
“I had to clean out probably 80 percent of my closet,” Twichell said, laughing. “Being a phys. ed. guy, I had quite a bit of blue and gold PC stuff.
“That all went into a big old bag, and I actually donated it back to them. I had a lot of work to do from a wardrobe perspective, no doubt about that.”
Twichell is nearing the conclusion of his first season as a head coach, with Portage Northern 2-6 this fall heading into its season finale Friday against Kalamazoo Central.
He had spent the previous seven seasons at Portage Central, finishing his tenure with the Mustangs last fall as their defensive coordinator. Across town at that time, Pete Schermerhorn was completing his 27th and final season leading the Huskies’ football program – and after some thought, Twichell applied to be his replacement and was named Northern’s next coach this spring.
Twichell made sure to wear orange when he met with his new team for the first time.
If he had worn any hint of blue, “We wouldn’t have let him in,” said senior and two-way player Xavier Thomas with a big grin.
Twichell said he understood why players were apprehensive.
“I think naturally, with teenagers, it was like what the heck is going on?” he said. “We hired a guy from Portage Central. This is crazy.”
Twichell said he worked very hard to establish a rapport with the players.
“You’re trying to build trust within your program,” he said. “As soon as I accepted this job, I’m diving full on in, orange, brown and white as a Huskie.”
Thomas said players did not know what to expect.
“The initial feeling, we were a little nervous as far as what his path for us was going to be. Having come from that school, would he hold a grudge against us or not?” he recalled.
“After meeting him and sitting down and having a conversation with him, we understood that he was fully on the path of Portage Northern Huskies. He fully supports all of our sports programs, not just football. He’s just a great guy that we need in our community.”
Climbing the ladder
Twichell said his love of football started at Haslett High School in “an up-and-coming program” under head coach Charlie Otlewski and defensive coordinator Rob Porritt, adding “Those are my guys.”
After a football injury at Hope College derailed his playing career, Twichell transferred to Michigan State as a “regular student” and started working with Otlewski and Haslett’s football team.
“I spent a couple years there doing it for fun,” Twichell said. “I ended up loving it so much.”
He scrapped plans for med school and earned a teaching degree.
Taking his first job at White Pigeon, “I was just a young guy looking for any job I could get.”
Two years later he contacted Enders, who happened to have a job available. Twichell spent the next seven years at Central, working his way up to defensive coordinator.
When he heard about the opening at Northern, which included a teaching position, he was not sure about applying.
“I was very, very rooted with Central and really enjoyed the staff and the opportunity they gave me to work my way up to d-coordinator,” he said. “When this job came up, I actually sat down and thought about it for more than three seconds. Being a head coach is a goal of mine.”
Twichell’s wife, Kate, coaches the Portage schools’ co-op girls lacrosse team and he said the family, including 3-year-old twins, are happy living in the community.
Ironically, shortly after accepting the Northern coaching job, his wife left Hackett Catholic Prep to teach Spanish and English at Portage Central.
That makes for some interesting family dynamics, especially during the rivalry game.
“I try to push the (twins) one way; Kate doesn’t necessarily try to push them either way but we still hear the ‘M’ (Mustangs) word after “Go” from the kids,” Kurt said. “They’ll say every now and then, Go Mustangs or Go Huskies. Kate just cheers for ‘no injuries,’ the way she puts it.”
No longer just Xs and Os
“The biggest change is how much of your role has almost nothing to do with football from an Xs and Os perspective or from an actual coaching kids perspective,” Twichell said.
“It’s community relations, youth involvement, financial management, recruiting.”
He said it is like the iceberg analogy.
“People just see Friday nights and results, but below the surface is all these components that go into building a good program,” he said. “Coach Shermerhorn left a pretty good foundation in terms of that iceberg, but I definitely want to put my own spin on things.”
During the day, Twichell is in the weight room, teaching a full day of power lifting.
The academic classes are open to all students, and Twichell hopes to resurrect the school’s power lifting team.
Chris Riker, Northern’s athletic director, said when hiring a coach, it is not where he coached but if he was a good fit for the program.
“We had some outstanding candidates and Kurt had a good plan on developing culture, developing not just the football player but the whole athlete, the whole person,” Riker said. “Academics were important. Getting involved in your community is important, and being a role model for the younger kids is important as well as being a good football player, good person.”
Riker said the team is very involved with the community.
“He’s done some things with our kids and Rocket Football to establish that connection with the youth program,” he said.
He added that Twichell and Enders collaborated on Camp Ability in July.
“It’s a camp for special needs kids who want to be involved with football,” Riker said. “It’s pretty cool to get out there and see kids who aren’t involved in football be that excited and be next to our football players. Kids had big smiles on their faces, just to be able to try on the shoulder pads and football jerseys.”
The children also ran drills, tossed footballs and ran for touchdowns, helped by players from both teams.
Not just another game
The Huskies are still settling into a new system (although a highlight was a Week 4 win over Division 3 No. 10 Stevensville Lakeshore). But Twichell has surrounded himself with solid support, carrying over several assistants from Schermerhorn’s staff.
“Those guys have been phenomenal,” Twichell said. “Just about every coach who wanted to come back did.”
As the defensive coordinator at Portage Central, Twichell was familiar with Tom Laskarides, Schermerhorn’s defensive coordinator.
“People probably wondered what that was going to look like, but I have nothing but admiration and respect for Tom,” Twichell said. “We also brought back Mike McGuire who was on staff here probably 10 years ago. He’s a quarterbacks, offensive guy and a former head coach himself. That’s been huge to have these guys.”
Twichell said the team lost several outstanding players to graduation the last three years.
“When you go through losing groups like that, there’s going to be a transition there, regardless of a new coach,” he said. “We have a very young team, an inexperienced team.”
One game on Twichell’s radar this fall was the battle of the Portages, a game Northern lost, 33-17, two weeks ago.
“I’m not sure there’s a playbook out there that anybody’s ever written,” he said. “Not just competing against players that you had physically coached and had invested so much in their lives, but you know their families, their career aspirations, especially that senior class.”
Twichell said the “coach speak” was that it was just another game.
But the emotions surfaced during the postgame handshakes.
“Lots of hugs and some emotions. It was a good feeling from a human standpoint, but obviously we’re disappointed the game didn’t go the way we wanted it to,” he said.
Thomas said his coach warned the players that the game would generate more than the usual hype.
“He let us know there would be a lot of attention brought on us from the media, being (Central head coach Mick) Enders vs. Twichell,” Thomas said.
“But with his preparation, we were pretty dialed into the game. Hopefully we can take the things we learned from that game and assess them moving forward so the things that happened in that game won’t happen again.”
Pam Shebest served as a sportswriter at the Kalamazoo Gazette from 1985-2009 after 11 years part-time with the Gazette while teaching French and English at White Pigeon High School. She can be reached at [email protected] with story ideas for Calhoun, Kalamazoo and Van Buren counties.
PHOTOS (Top) First-year Portage Northern varsity football coach Kurt Twichell talks with his team this season. (2) Portage Northern senior Xavier Thomas, top, and athletic director Chris Riker. (3) Twichell, left, works with his players during a practice this fall. (4) Twichell addresses the Huskies after a game. (Action photos by Jason Altwies; head shots by Pam Shebest.)