1st & Goal: 2026 Week 4 Review
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
September 21, 2026
There's always a week during high school football season when league championship races begin to become clearer.
Week 4 seems a little early for that most years. But several conference title scenarios may have begun to unfold with the results of this weekend's games.
Of course we have several more weeks to go; we haven't reached midseason yet. But read on for more on how many matchups from Week 4 may end up being the deciding ones when this regular season is complete.
Bay & Thumb
HEADLINER Imlay City 17, North Branch 14 Imlay City sits atop the Blue Water Area Conference with Almont and Macomb Lutheran North, which are all 3-0 in league play. The Spartans (4-0) won only three games total last season and a combined 11 since their last four-win season in 2020. Click for more from the Flint Journal.
Watch list Saginaw Valley Lutheran 31, Saginaw Nouvel Catholic Central 28 The Chargers (4-0) have gone from a winless 2021 and a one-victory 2022 to a perfect regular season a year ago and an equally impressive start this fall.
On the move Linden 49, Holly 35 The Week 7 matchup between Linden and Fenton is lining up as the potential Flint Metro League Stripes decider as the Eagles (4-0) sent Holly (3-1) a game back of the leaders. Croswell-Lexington 20, Richmond 14 The Pioneers (1-3) opened against teams that are a combined 11-1 but started making their move by avenging last season’s 18-point loss to Richmond (0-4), which has three defeats by seven points or fewer. Saginaw Swan Valley 15, Whitehall 14 A late safety kept Swan Valley (4-0) undefeated and among the highest-ranking teams in Division 5 playoff points as we approach midseason.
Greater Detroit
HEADLINER Romeo 36, Macomb Dakota 26 This matchup – and a similar result – ended up deciding the Macomb Area Conference Red title in Romeo’s favor last season, and the Bulldogs (4-0) are hoping for a similar bump as they’ll carry the momentum into this week’s matchup with league co-leader Grosse Pointe South. Dakota (2-2) took an early 14-0 lead before Romeo rallied the lockdown defense that has otherwise given up only 17 points this season. Click for more from the Macomb Daily.
Watch list Detroit Denby 12, Detroit Cody 6 Two games into the league schedule, Denby (3-1) is the only team undefeated in Detroit Public School League Gold play as it pursues a fourth-straight title. Circle the Week 7 home game against Detroit Central as the big one.
On the move Dearborn Fordson 24, Dearborn 17 The Tractors (3-1) bounced back from a Week 3 loss to Belleville to down the rival Pioneers and have now seen all four of their games this season decided by seven points or fewer. Redford Thurston 47, Redford Union 6 These two had shared the Western Wayne Athletic Conference championship a year ago, and Thurston took a big step toward making it a one-team title this fall, with the Week 6 matchup against Garden City a potential showdown. Clarkston 45, Rochester Adams 0 The Wolves (4-0) are riding a two-game shutout streak and opened the Oakland Activities Association Red schedule in a big way, but Adams (2-2) also lost to Clarkston last season and still went on to reach the Division 1 Semifinals.
Mid-Michigan
HEADLINER Leslie 34, Michigan Center 32 Leslie (3-1) sits atop the Cascades Conference North thanks to the game-winning touchdown pass with nine seconds to play. A 36-32 loss to Michigan Center (2-2) in Week 5 last season stopped the Blackhawks’ season-opening winning streak, and they went 1-5 the rest of the way, but this time Leslie will look to extend their early-season success against winless Grass Lake this week before a big Week 6 matchup against Manchester. Click for more from WLNS.
Watch list Saranac 21, Laingsburg 0 The Red Hawks are 4-0 for the first time since 2011 and haven’t allowed a point since Week 2 – and only 20 total this fall. Against Fowler this week, Saranac will have its first chance to avenge a 2025 defeat.
On the move Beal City 35, McBain 16 If recent history holds, this could end up deciding the Highland Conference title for the Aggies (4-0), although Evart has re-entered the conversation and hosts Beal City in Week 7. Hartland 36, Brighton 21 The Eagles (3-1) defeated Brighton for the first time since 2015 to become Howell’s primary challenger in the Kensington Lakes Activities Association Gold; they face off in two weeks. Okemos 35, Lansing Everett 20 The Wolves bounced back from a Week 3 loss to Grand Ledge to get to 3-1, that third victory marking the team’s most since 2018 and after winning a combined five games over the last seven seasons. Okemos’ next three opponents are a combined 3-9.
Northern Lower Peninsula
HEADLINER Traverse City St. Francis 39, Maple City Glen Lake 20 The Gladiators’ first-half schedule has been one of the state’s toughest, and the second half may not get much easier – which made this victory especially important, even as the team is stacking up playoff bonus points for taking on such tough competition. Glen Lake (2-2) should continue to contend in the Northern Michigan Football Conference, while St. Francis (2-2) has Pontiac Notre Dame Prep and Grand Rapids West Catholic among others over the next five weeks. Click for more from the Traverse City Record-Eagle.
Watch list Petoskey 34, Escanaba 0 The Big North Conference is looking more unpredictable by the week, and the Northmen (3-1) find themselves tied with Marquette atop the early standings after finishing fourth a year ago.
On the move Frankfort 44, Johannesburg-Lewiston 16 Six of nine teams in the NMFC are 2-2 are better, including both of these, and matchups like this likely will help determine who qualifies for the playoffs. Harbor Springs 34, Tawas 6 The Rams (3-1) are another of those NMFC teams in the early playoff hunt as they pursue a first postseason appearance this decade. Ogemaw Heights 35, Midland Bullock Creek 0 The Falcons (4-0) built on a steady start defensively this season with their first shutout and did the work on offense as well after Bullock Creek (2-2) entered coming off two shutout wins.
Southeast & Border
HEADLINER Adrian Madison 21, Hudson 12 Madison trailed 12-7 at halftime but came back to defeat last season’s Division 8 runner-up Tigers for the first time. The pair has been in the Lenawee County Athletic Association together the last three seasons and Hudson (3-1) had scored at least 50 points in all three of those LCAA meetings including during a 56-7 win over the Trojans (4-0) a year ago. Click for more from the Adrian Daily Telegram.
Watch list Monroe Jefferson 36, Riverview 24 These two are among five teams at 2-1 in the Huron League race with the midpoint coming up this week, and Jefferson (4-0 overall) leads with Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central at 3-0 in Huron play. Riverview (3-1) shared last year’s league title with both and will be hoping for a few slip-ups.
On the move Chelsea 63, Tecumseh 6 The Bulldogs (4-0) stand alone atop the Southeastern Conference White standings after their highest-scoring performance yet while also holding down a Tecumseh offense that reached 40 points every game of a 3-0 start. Jackson Lumen Christi 40, Ann Arbor Father Gabriel Richard 10 Every win is important in the Catholic High School League AA this season and especially as Lumen Christi (4-0) works to keep pace with Dearborn Divine Child. Brooklyn Columba Central 31, Jonesville 14 Jonesville had won all three meetings since these two joined the same Cascades Conference division in 2023, and the timing couldn’t have been better this time for Columbia Central which will take some added energy into this week’s key matchup at Hanover-Horton.
Southwest Corridor
HEADLINER Marshall 28, Battle Creek Harper Creek 26 A dramatic fourth quarter that included a long Marshall scoring drive and 2-point conversion stop put the Redhawks (4-0) at the top of the Interstate 8 Athletic Conference standings and ended a run of three straight losses to the Beavers (3-1) – who have won the last two league titles. Click for more from the Battle Creek Enquirer.
Watch list Constantine 41, Schoolcraft 21 Just as we were anticipating a Week 6 Schoolcraft/Kalamazoo United matchup for first in the Southwestern Athletic Conference, the Falcons swooped in and changed things up, with United now alone in first place and Constantine and Schoolcraft both just a game behind at 3-1.
On the move Berrien Springs 30, Buchanan 20 The Shamrocks (4-0) no doubt were waiting for this Lakeland Athletic Conference rematch after losing last season to the Bucks and ending up as part of a three-team title share. Edwardsburg 21, Paw Paw 14 The Eddies (4-0) broke a three-game losing skid against Paw Paw (3-1) and in doing so whittled the leaders in the Wolverine Conference down to only themselves and Vicksburg, their Week 8 opponent. Union City 22, Quincy 18 The Chargers (4-0) are undefeated through the first half of their Big 8 Conference schedule after claiming their closest league win since 2022 and handing Quincy (3-1) its first defeat.
Upper Peninsula
HEADLINER Menominee 22, Calumet 8 The Maroons (4-0) have run their winning streak to 18, but with this victory their second-closest during the last two regular seasons – ranking just behind the 10-point victory over the Copper Kings from a year ago. The victory kept Menominee atop the Division 7 playoff-point rankings and sent Calumet (3-1) from No. 4 to No. 14 in Division 6. Click for more from the Marinette/Menominee Eagle Herald.
Watch list Marquette 33, Cadillac 27 After opening this season with a pair of losses to Upper Peninsula rivals, Marquette has added a pair of victories to begin Big North Conference play after finishing third in the league a year ago.
On the move Kingsford 21, Negaunee 16 This one always seems to have league title implications, and the Flivvers (4-0) kept themselves among the undefeated in the Western Peninsula Athletic Conference Copper. Iron Mountain 42, L’Anse 22 After a pair of one-score losses heading into this matchup, Iron Mountain (2-2) ran its winning streak over L’Anse (2-2) to six, although they meet again Week 7. Ishpeming Westwood 38, Houghton 26 The Patriots (1-3) got on the board after opening this fall with losses to three teams that are currently a combined 11-1.
West Michigan
HEADLINER Grand Rapids South Christian 34, Hudsonville Unity Christian 33 Unity led 14-0 early and by as many as 20 before Austin Burgess scored the go-ahead touchdown on fourth down with 1:34 to play and Brody Shilts iced the win for South Christian (3-1) with an interception in the end zone. Unity (2-2) had won their last two meetings by 28 and 29 points. Click for more from WOOD TV.
1-800-CALL-SAM PLAY OF THE WEEK NOMINEE
ONE LAST CHANCE… DENIED. ❌
Brody Shilts picks off Unity Christian’s final end-zone attempt to slam the door and seal the win for South Christian! 🔒🏈
Powered by @CallSam pic.twitter.com/acTvBzzbhA— STATE CHAMPS! Michigan (@statechampsmich) September 20, 2026
Watch list Hamilton 28, Spring Lake 7 The schedule won’t get easier for the Hawkeyes (3-1), but they’ve already improved substantially on last year’s 2-7 finish, especially considering their first three opponents are a combined 11-5.
On the move Big Rapids 27, Reed City 7 This matchup decided the last two Central State Activities Association Red championships, and the Cardinals (2-2) have an important edge again as they prepare to play current co-leader Remus Chippewa Hills this week. Grand Rapids West Catholic 42, Ada Forest Hills Eastern 34 West Catholic (3-1) delivered Forest Hills Eastern’s first defeat in the matchup that might end up deciding the Ottawa-Kent Conference White title. Middleville Thornapple Kellogg 26, Holland Christian 7 TK also has some major opponents ahead, but sits 4-0 for the first time since 2018 and delivered Hamilton’s lone loss and Hastings’ first this season.
8-Player
HEADLINER Colon 32, Climax-Scotts 8 Colon coach Robbie Hattan previously led the Magi to the Division 1 championship in 2019 and has the team rumbling again in his return as it downed a Climax-Scotts team that had averaged 31 points per game during its 3-0 start and won last year’s meeting 77-33. Colon has another big one this week against undefeated Mendon. Click for more from WTHD.
Watch list Dansville 38, Morrice 25 The Aggies (4-0) are playing their first season of 8-player after winning one game total over their last three 11-player seasons. The switch suits them, as they’ve claimed all of their games this fall by at least 12 points.
On the move Ishpeming 38, Crystal Falls Forest Park 22 It’s a good time to say Ishpeming is all the way back from last season’s uncharacteristic down year as the Hematites (3-1) are now the only contender to defeat traditional powers Forest Park (3-1) and Powers North Central this season. Mendon 50, Mio 34 The Hornets (4-0) won this matchup of unbeatens by giving up their season high but also topping 45 points for the fourth straight week. Lake Linden-Hubbell 60, Norway 32 The Lakes already had a win over Ishpeming and this was another massive achievement as Norway’s only defeat over the last two years was during last season’s Division 1 Semifinals.
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PHOTOS (Top) Grand Rapids West Catholic takes the field prior to last week's win over Forest Hills Eastern. (Middle) A Davison pass rusher pursues the Saginaw Heritage quarterback Friday. (Below) Marquette's Winston Leonard keeps the ball as Cadillac's Westin Hamp pursues and eventually tackles him. (West Catholic photo by Michigan Sports Photo. Davison/Heritage photo by Terry Lyons. Marquette/Cadillac photo by Cara Kamps.)
Building Beginning as Okemos Follows 1st-Year Coach Scott-Emuakpor
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
August 9, 2022
OKEMOS – The football lay on the turf, landing there before the play had really begun, and the most booming voice from the tallest man on the field yelled a reassuring, “It’s OK. Let’s go,” followed the next play by “Go again,” and then “Figure it out.”
An hour earlier, first-year Okemos varsity football coach Efe Scott-Emuakpor had been on the phone asking a parent to bring the helmet and practice jersey one of his players had left at home. Nearby, another small group also stood helmetless as they hadn’t yet gotten the pre-participation physical required to join their friends on the field.
Those are typical first-day glitches no matter the school, and fall practices for all sports began Monday at 750 high schools across the state.
But those relatively minor symptoms are what Scott-Emuakpor is focused on treating in the immediate term as he takes on one of the most serious rebuilding efforts in Michigan high school football.
“This is progress,” Scott-Emuakpor said halfway through his team’s first practice, looking out at 39 players on Okemos’ game field – 33 more than showed up for his first offseason workout.
“We’d like to have everything right now. But it’s growing. It’s slowly growing.”
And after Monday, Okemos is one step closer to what would be an incredible turnaround story.
The Wolves have not won since Week 2 of the 2019 season, a stretch of 23 games. After scoring on an 84-yard run during the first quarter of last fall’s opener against Mason, Okemos didn’t score again the rest of the season.
Standing 6-foot-3, and still only a few years from his last college game as a receiver at Ball State University, Scott-Emuakpor looks capable of stepping back into a huddle at a moment’s notice. A little more than a decade ago, in 2011, he was beginning a senior season at East Lansing that would see him cap his varsity career in the MHSAA record book with 134 catches, gaining 1,624 yards, over three seasons. He also was an all-leaguer in basketball and Finals placer in high jump before joining the Cardinals.
After graduating from Ball State with a computer science bachelor’s degree, and on the way to earning his master’s in business from Saginaw Valley State University, Scott-Emuakpor came home and has worked nearly six years as a business systems analyst with Red Cedar Solutions Group on efforts including the MI School Data website.
But that’s just his fulltime job. Scott-Emuakpor also co-founded a clothing line, Live For Today, and over the last five seasons served as a volunteer assistant coach with his hometown Trojans – who have made the MHSAA Playoffs six seasons running.
He'd never applied for a head coaching job. He’d never really considered coaching at that level. In fact, he was pretty happy with how assisting at East Lansing for longtime coach Bill Feraco fit into his schedule and other pursuits.
But Scott-Emuakpor also is a studier. And as a past rival and co-member of the Capital Area Activities Conference Blue, he and East Lansing saw Okemos plenty.
The Wolves had made the playoffs as recently as 2018, and won their first playoff game that season since 2011. Scott-Emuakpor had played against Okemos’ Taylor Moton, now considered one of the NFL’s top offensive tackles. And the school has had loads of success in other sports, annually ranking among the Lansing area’s best in just about all of them and coming off a statewide Division 1 championship in boys soccer from last fall.
“I paid attention to how things have been around here. And I know what they could be capable of,” Scott-Emuakpor said. “This program was once a good program that was very well-respected; I respected them playing against them in high school. They had great athletes. I think my senior year we beat them by one point (20-19 in 2011). So we had good battles.
“I just saw where they’re at. … We have some good kids around here, and I know there’s more in the school not playing. Maybe when they’re sophomores, juniors, they’ll come out. I think I’m capable of getting that interest up, getting them out on the field and just building something.”
Raj Singh is a senior this fall, one of only five or so Scott-Emuakpor is expecting to come out this week. He’s also a near all-A student, will play some quarterback and safety along with his receiver spot, and was the guy bringing carloads of classmates to workouts over the summer as he joined his coach in recruiting prospective players.
Singh is following his older brother Joe Singh, an admittedly “smaller than everyone” offensive lineman who earned all-league honors as a senior in 2017. When Joe Singh told his younger brother that playing under the lights on a Friday night is a feeling unlike any other, the idea stuck – which is why it made sense when Raj Singh fractured his wrist in Week 2 last season but was back by Week 7 despite a cast covering one hand.
Watching Singh catch passes one-handed last season during East Lansing’s 49-0 win over Okemos stuck with Scott-Emuakpor. Joe Singh had told his little bother that all that matters is having more heart than his opponent and a fighting spirit – in other words, being the type of player Scott-Emuakpor will rely on to get Okemos up and succeeding again.
“I’ve been playing football since I was 6 years old. It’s just been a dream of mine to be at this moment,” Raj Singh said.
“Coach Efe is bringing in a lot of new aspects, and that’s been very helpful to make it different than last year – make us feel a little more at home this year. Compared to last year, he’s brought a lot of structure. We’ve been really coming together as a family … and it just shows Coach Efe wants to build a community around here.”
The process is about more than building stronger, faster bodies and learning football skills and technique. The Wolves aren’t talking a lot about last year, but there’s something there to overcome – and Scott-Emuakpor started working on that soon after he was hired at the end of March.
“In the springtime, we were fortunate enough to get in the weight room and I was able to see kids put up good weight and do some things. I’d tell them, ‘You’re actually strong. You’re actually a fast kid,’” Scott-Emuakpor said. “But when you’re not successful for so long, and the way they were losing last year, it was easy for them to not feel confident, not feel they were able to ultimately get the job done. And so I was just there working on minds.”
Last season was going to be uphill for Okemos no matter what. A mid-summer coaching change brought on by a major fulltime job promotion for the former coach led to an interim staff, players leaving the program, and an applaudable effort to just keep teams on the field.
Scott-Emuakpor has surrounded himself with a staff that includes a pair of his past coaches growing up in East Lansing, past players from when he was coaching there and others with winning experience playing at DeWitt and Williamston.
In addition to what he learned playing and coaching under Feraco, Scott-Emuakpor brings a ton of insight from his experiences at Ball State; he had only one catch during his college career while battling injuries, but he spent that time on the sideline observing his coaches and taking mental notes. Just Sunday, he was pulling from the 2012-13 Ball State football handbook a few details to incorporate into his work in progress with the Wolves.
Okemos will have varsity and freshman teams this fall, and the majority of players at Monday’s combined practice were juniors and sophomores – so recruiting remains ongoing. But Singh said the number of classmates who did come out Monday exceeded his expectations – and that just added to the excitement of starting again.
“If you walk through the school, you’ll see some guys, you’ll (say), ‘OK, what does that guy do?’ You find out he plays (only) lacrosse, or only wrestles, where in other areas, other schools, they might do everything because that’s what they do, what they’ve grown up doing” Scott-Emuakpor said. “I’ve been trying to rebuild that connection, that love for football. A lot of them are very intrigued; I feel like some of them are kinda peeking and saying, ‘What’s going on? This new coach seems to be young and interesting.’ And I’ve just been trying to stay focused on the process and not get too far ahead of myself.”
Geoff Kimmerly joined the MHSAA as its Media & Content Coordinator in Sept. 2011 after 12 years as Prep Sports Editor of the Lansing State Journal. He has served as Editor of Second Half since its creation in January 2012, and MHSAA Communications Director since January 2021. Contact him at [email protected] with story ideas for the Barry, Eaton, Ingham, Livingston, Ionia, Clinton, Shiawassee, Gratiot, Isabella, Clare and Montcalm counties.
PHOTOS (Top) First-year Okemos varsity football coach Efe Scott-Emuakpor, middle, huddles up his players during Monday's first day of practice. (2) Scott-Emuakpor confers with senior Raj Singh on blocking from his receiver position. (3) The Wolves work on offense during the first part of their Monday session. (4) Scott-Emuakpor speaks with his team at the start of the workout. (Photos by Geoff Kimmerly.)