1st & Goal: 2025 Week 7 Preview
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
October 10, 2025
The MHSAA Football Playoffs don't start for three more weeks. But this weekend definitely feels playoff caliber.
At least 25 games could end tonight or Saturday with a team celebrating a share or more of a league championship. A few more of our top matchups will set up similar showdowns over the final two weeks of the regular season.
Follow scores for every game across the state this weekend on the MHSAA Scores page, check out standings for every league on those teams' pages, and watch several of those title deciders unfold on the NFHS Network, including all games with “WATCH” linked below.
Bay & Thumb
Millington (5-1) at Elkton-Pigeon-Bay Port Laker (6-0) WATCH
Millington’s loss to Cass City in Week 4 was in league play since 2022, but the Cardinals still can claim a share of the Big Thumb Conference West title with a win over the Lakers, whose only single-digit game this season was an 18-13 win over Cass City in Week 3. Millington won last year’s regular-season matchup 28-0 and then a 42-14 playoff rematch on the way to claiming the Division 7 title. Laker has given up only 47 points this season with impressive shutouts of Ubly and Central Montcalm.
Keep an eye on these FRIDAY Linden (5-1) at Fenton (4-2) WATCH, Bay City John Glenn (4-2) at Freeland (5-1) WATCH, Reese (4-2) at Harbor Beach (6-0) WATCH, Ithaca (5-1) at Saginaw Nouvel Catholic Central (5-1) WATCH.
Greater Detroit
Gibraltar Carlson (6-0) at Brownstown Woodhaven (6-0) WATCH
Carlson brings a combined 34-3 record in Downriver League play this decade as it seeks a fifth-straight league title – and fifth-straight win over Woodhaven, which last won the Downriver in 2019. The Marauders spent their lone nonleague week doubling up reigning Division 5 champion Pontiac Notre Dame Prep 42-21 in Week 3, and a week later they avenged last season’s lone Downriver defeat by edging Trenton 17-14. Woodhaven also working to return to the playoffs for the first time since 2022 and hasn’t had a game closer than 24 points this fall.
Keep an eye on these FRIDAY Clarkston (5-1) at West Bloomfield (5-1) WATCH, Detroit Central (5-1) at Detroit Pershing (4-2), Almont (6-0) at Richmond (6-0) WATCH, Detroit Edison (5-1) at Harper Woods Chandler Park (5-1).
Mid-Michigan
Fowler (5-1) at Pewamo-Westphalia (5-0) WATCH
These longtime rivals have split their last four games against each other, Fowler claiming last year’s 14-11 on the way to the Central Michigan Athletic Conference title. This time they’ll meet in a league schedule finale, with a winner-take-all for the title guaranteed. The lone loss between them this fall was Fowler’s to still-undefeated Hudson in a season opener, and the Eagles have not given up more than seven points in a game since. The Pirates haven’t given up more than six points in a game all season and had an extra week to prepare for this one with an open date last week.
Keep an eye on these FRIDAY Kent City (6-0) at Central Montcalm (5-1) WATCH, Montrose (6-0) at New Lothrop (5-1) WATCH, Grand Ledge (6-0) at DeWitt (6-0) WATCH, Battle Creek Harper Creek (5-1) at Hastings (5-1) WATCH.
Northern Lower Peninsula
Mancelona (4-2) at Charlevoix (6-0) WATCH
Charlevoix has clinched an outright championship in the Northern Michigan Football Conference Leaders division, while Mancelona is tied for first in the Legacy with two league games to play and the big one a Week 9 date with co-leader Maple City Glen Lake. The Rayders certainly will provide some prep as the Ironmen ready for that deciding matchup, but there’s plenty at stake for Charlevoix too as it’s downed Mancelona in eight straight and is one of only six Division 7 teams still undefeated this fall.
Keep an eye on these FRIDAY Kingsley (4-2) at Cheboygan (3-3) WATCH, East Jordan (3-3) at Harbor Springs (3-3) WATCH, LeRoy Pine River (4-2) at Manton (4-2), Bay City Western (3-3) at Traverse City Central (3-3).
Southeast & Border
Hudson (6-0) at Clinton (5-1) WATCH
Undefeated and with all of its games against Division 5, 6 and 7 opponents, Hudson has the highest playoff-point average in Division 8 by a comfortable margin and can add to it against Division 7 Clinton. More importantly, they are the only two teams undefeated in Lenawee County Athletic Association play, and the winner this weekend clinches a share of the championship. They’ve split their last two meetings, Hudson claiming last year’s 22-6 during an outright championship run and after Clinton handed the Tigers their most recent league loss, in 2023.
Keep an eye on these FRIDAY Riverview (4-2) at Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central (6-0), Leslie (4-2) at Napoleon (4-2), Harper Woods (6-0) at Saline (6-0) WATCH, Adrian (5-1) at Ypsilanti Community (3-3).
Southwest Corridor
Portage Northern (5-1) at Portage Central (6-0) WATCH
The winner clinches a share of the Southwestern Michigan Athletic Conference West title. Northern also is seeking its first win in the rivalry since 2022, and they almost assuredly will meet again in the playoffs next month with Central fourth in Division 2 playoff-point average and Northern No. 13. Central also has given up only 10 points this season – all coming over the last two weeks – giving Northern another potential spoiler goal coming off last week’s 42-36 win over St. Joseph and having scored at least that many in four straight games. To that end, Central has yet to score fewer than 41 this season.
Keep an eye on these FRIDAY Kalamazoo Central (3-3) at Battle Creek Central (4-2), Dowagiac (4-2) at Buchanan (4-2) WATCH, Bronson (5-1) at White Pigeon (6-0) WATCH, Springport (6-0) at Quincy (4-2).
Upper Peninsula
Gaylord (6-0) at Escanaba (6-0) WATCH
Neither of these teams made the playoffs in 2024, much less competed for the Big North Conference title. But they did play one of the league’s closest games, a 19-15 Gaylord win, and this time the victor will clinch a share of the league title and keep an undefeated season going. Escanaba is coming off breaking a seven-game losing streak against rival Marquette with last week’s 38-20 victory – while Gaylord started league play with a 28-27 win over the Sentinels a month ago.
Keep an eye on these FRIDAY Iron Mountain (4-1) at Bark River-Harris (4-1) WATCH, L’Anse (4-2) at West Iron County (2-3) WATCH, Petoskey (3-3) at Marquette (3-3) WATCH, Negaunee (4-2) at Menominee (6-0) WATCH.
West Michigan
East Kentwood (5-1) at Hudsonville (6-0) WATCH
East Kentwood faded just a bit from the Ottawa-Kent Conference Red spotlight after a 21-14 Week 4 loss to Rockford, but can reclaim it almost entirely with a win over the Eagles – who themselves are coming off a 35-28 win over the rival Rams. When last these two met, Hudsonville edged East Kentwood 25-23 in a District opener last fall. A Falcons win this time could result in up to four teams being tied for first in the league, while a Hudsonville win would put them one away from clinching a repeat title.
Keep an eye on these FRIDAY Grand Rapids South Christian (3-3) at Zeeland East (4-2), Grand Rapids Catholic Central (6-0) at Holland Christian (4-2) WATCH, Whitehall (4-2) at Ludington (6-0), Belding (5-1) at Muskegon Oakridge (5-1) WATCH.
8-Player
Deckerville (6-0) at Kingston (6-0) WATCH
No one should be stunned if both of these rivals end up playing for 8-player championships next month at Superior Dome; Deckerville is No. 4 in Division 2 playoff-point average, and Kingston is No. 5 in Division 1. But first they must face off in what may turn end up one of the best 8-player games this regular season, with a share of the Big Thumb Conference Blue title on the line. Deckerville swept last year’s meetings, winning by 44 and then 34 points on the way to a perfect season and Division 1 title. Kingston has reached 64 points in four games this season and will face an Eagles defense that hasn’t given up more than 20.
Keep an eye on these FRIDAY Breckenridge (4-2) at Gaylord St. Mary (6-0), Rogers City (4-2) at Mio (5-1) WATCH, Norway (6-0) at Newberry (5-1). SATURDAY Gogebic (6-0) at Lake Linden-Hubbell (5-1) WATCH.
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PHOTO A pair of Holland Christian defenders pursue an East Grand Rapids ball carrier during the Pioneers' 41-21 win last week. (Click for more by MI Sports Photo.)
Menominee Caps Powerful Ford Field Return with 1st Championship Since 2007
By
Scott DeCamp
Special for MHSAA.com
November 30, 2025
DETROIT – Menominee’s football program has been known a long time for its single-wing offensive scheme, which certainly has served the Maroons well over the years.
The secret to their success goes way deeper than that, however, and it has nothing to do with X’s and O’s. Call it grit, tenacity, resolve – the Maroons have built their program around those characteristics – and now they’re back on top.
Menominee defeated Schoolcraft, 34-6, in the Division 7 Final on Sunday at Ford Field, where the word “grit” has been stamped into the fabric of the Detroit Lions by head coach Dan Campbell.
With a comprehensive effort, Menominee (14-0) captured its first Finals title since 2007, the fourth in program history, and the first for an Upper Peninsula 11-player football team since Ishpeming claimed the Division 7 championship in 2015.
“Just grit and just hard work. I mean, you saw it out there, we’ve got 30 guys on our sideline. Growing up in Menominee, you’re going to have 30 guys on your team, if that,” said Menominee senior Tanner Theuerkauf, starting quarterback and safety.
“You look at our offensive line, we have our guard, he’s 150 pounds – you don’t ever see that, and he just does his job and all those guys do their job in the trenches. … Our want to win is just something you don’t see.”
Theuerkauf and some of his teammates were part of Menominee’s Division 7 runner-up squad two years ago, when the Maroons battled powerhouse Jackson Lumen Christi but fell just short, 34-30.
In last week’s Semifinal, Menominee showed great resolve in erasing a two-touchdown deficit in the fourth quarter and securing a 32-28 victory over Pewamo-Westphalia in a matchup of teams ranked Nos. 1 and 2, respectively, in the final regular-season Division 7 poll.
“Different mentality this year with these seniors,” said fourth-year Menominee coach Chad Brandt, who coincidentally did his student-teaching at Schoolcraft starting in 1996. “Times that I’m not around and they’re running to the locker room and grabbing the footballs and I drive by and they’re out there. That means a lot. And we have linemen that text me, ‘Can we have extra weight-room sessions?’ and those kind of things.
“It takes a lot of work, and these guys have put it in and I just couldn’t be prouder of this group of guys and for our town and for our school of Menominee because they deserve and they appreciate it and they support us in every way possible.”
Menominee senior Clayton Miller helped set the tone Sunday with his hard-nosed running. The 5-foot-11, 190-pounder scored the first three TDs of the game for the Maroons, who took a 7-0 lead on his five-yard run less than four minutes into the contest, went up 13-0 on his two-yard run midway through the second, and led 20-0 on his 31-yard sprint four minutes into the third quarter.
Miller finished with a game-high 112 rushing yards on 25 carries.
“He’s the greatest running back that I’ve ever played with. He’s one of the greatest in Menominee history,” Theuerkauf said about Miller. “He’s not the biggest guy in the world, but he just runs so hard – he runs through guys. … Just for him to want to win, he shows so much energy out there. He’s not the most talkative guy, but he gets the job done and I love that.”
Several Menominee players got the job done, but senior Maverick Geniesse was another who stood out. With Menominee leading 7-0 late in the first quarter and Schoolcraft threatening to score, Geniesse intercepted a pass at the 1 on a Schoolcraft first-and-10 from the 12 to snuff out the Eagles’ opportunity.
Menominee embarked on an 18-play, 79-yard drive that chewed up 8:17 of the clock and was capped by Miller’s second TD run as the Maroons took command with a 13-0 lead.
Geniesse also got into the scoring act, catching a two-yard TD toss from Theuerkauf early in the fourth quarter for a 28-0 Maroons lead. Junior Jackson Myszak capped the Menominee scoring with an eight-yard TD run with 2½ minutes left.
“It feels great. I mean, I’ve dreamed about stuff like this. The ultimate goal is to just be the best team player I can and help the team in any way I can,” Geniesse said. “Of course, the interception, that got our morale going the other way; and the touchdown (reception), it felt pretty good.”
Schoolcraft (11-3) got on the board midway through the fourth quarter on senior TJ Luteyn’s four-yard scoring run.
Both teams displayed offensive balance – Menominee was just more effective throughout the game. Menominee tallied 358 total yards (198 rushing, 160 passing), while Schoolcraft totaled 248 (100 rushing, 148 passing).
“Good, physical team,” Schoolcraft first-year coach Dan DeVries said about Menominee. “Their scheme is a challenging scheme. They can hit the edge hard and you’ve also got to watch for something up the middle and their quarterback can throw as well, so a lot of dimensions to their game. I think they played a fantastic game today. They didn’t make mistakes and we did, and that certainly showed in the score.”
Theuerkauf completed passes to six receivers and finished 7-of-11 for 160 yards. Schoolcraft junior QB Jack DeVries was 12-for-26 for 148 yards.
Schoolcraft seniors Evan Feller and Dane Ostlund paced all defenders with 12 and 11 tackles, respectively. Junior Nathan Nelson notched nine tackles to lead Menominee.
Going back to the late-1980s, Schoolcraft has been a small-school football power, but Sunday marked the Eagles’ first Finals appearance since 2001. They’ve made seven Finals appearances overall and captured titles in 1988, 1989, and 2001.
“Just to see the support and what it means to the town and stuff like that after 24 years – I mean, that’s a long time to not make it back after we’ve had a history of having good football teams and stuff like that,” Jack DeVries said.
“It’s great to do it with the group of seniors we have. Great group of guys – been playing with them for as long as we can remember. (We’ve been) talking about (Ford Field) since we were kids, and getting to go do it was a special thing.”
Sunday signified Menominee’s seventh Finals appearance overall as well. The Maroons also seized championships in 1998, 2006, and 2007 under legendary coach Ken Hofer.
This Menominee teamed restored some of that “UP Power” that Maroons and others north of the Mackinac Bridge take such great pride in.
“That does mean something when we head back across that bridge and it’s ‘UP Power’ and we’ll go through other towns and they’ll be honking horns or happy out on the street …,” said Brandt, a Gladstone native, who spent 20 years as head coach at Stephenson in the UP.
“The UP is someplace special, and it means something.”
For Theuerkauf, this one was a bit personal, too. His older brother, Trevor Theuerkauf, was the starting QB and a two-way standout on the Menominee team that made it to the Finals in 2023.
“He just told me, ‘Go out there and play (your) game. (You) don’t have to worry about anything else,’” Tanner Theuerkauf said. “I kind of had the edge on some of these guys because I’ve been here before. I played in this game – didn’t go our way, but today, come out and get the job done, it’s just the greatest feeling of my life.”
PHOTOS (Top) Menominee’s Brayden Daigneau (73) hoists a teammate into the air Sunday as they celebrate their team’s Division 7 title. (Middle) Tanner Theuerkauf (3) follows Clayton Miller (15) around the edge. (Below) The Maroons’ Jackson Myszak (6) puts pressure on Schoolcraft quarterback Jack DeVries.