1st & Goal: 2026 Week 5 Preview
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
September 24, 2026
It’s halftime, but no one is taking a break. In fact, the pace is picking up even more as we start looking toward the final month of the football regular season.
We’ve reached the midpoint, with four games down, another set to be played over the next 48 hours, and four to go after that. Every week several more eyes are turning toward our Playoff Point Summary page, which lists how every team ranks in its respective playoff division as scores are entered on MHSAA.com.
Teams are moving into and out of the potential fields of 32 for 11-player 16 for 8-player every week – and surely several of the games mentioned below will affect how those rankings stack up moving forward.
Games below are Friday unless noted. Tune in to the NFHS Network to watch the majority and follow the MHSAA Scores page for results as they’re submitted.
Bay & Thumb
Millington (4-0) at Cass City (4-0)
This Big Thumb Conference White showdown pits two of the three teams that shared the championship a year ago, when Cass City defeated Millington 17-14 in overtime. The Cardinals opened league play last week with a 43-16 win over Elkton-Pigeon-Bay Port Laker, the third returning co-champion from a year ago. The Redhawks have put themselves among the undefeated in part with a pair of three-point nonleague wins in Weeks 2 and 3.
Keep an eye on these FRIDAY Marine City (4-0) at St. Clair (4-0), Holly (3-1) at Fenton (3-1), Almont (4-0) at Imlay City (4-0), Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood (4-0) at Sanford Meridian (4-0).
Greater Detroit
Detroit Martin Luther King (4-0) at Detroit Cass Tech (4-0)
Cass Tech has won the last three of what’s almost sure to be a twice-annual series again, as these two also have met in a city championship game the last six seasons. The Technicians’ wins last year came by five and then 16 points, and they enter this matchup with three shutouts over four games and averaging 52 points per contest. King has played the toughest opponent of the two, impressively emerging with a 44-42 victory over Orchard Lake St. Mary’s in Week 2.
Keep an eye on these FRIDAY Grosse Pointe South (4-0) at Romeo (4-0), Orchard Lake St. Mary’s (3-1) at Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice (4-0), Oxford (4-0) at Clarkston (4-0). SATURDAY Ecorse (4-0) at Romulus Summit Academy (3-1).
Mid-Michigan
Portland (4-0) at Lake Odessa Lakewood (4-0)
Lakewood is 4-0 for the first time since 2017 and after winning four games total a year ago, already having avenged a 2025 loss to Charlotte as it points to a potential first playoff berth this decade and title contention in the Capital Area Activities Conference White. The Raiders have owned the division, winning 30 straight league games going back to 2021 with that run including three shutouts of the Vikings since they rejoined the CAAC in 2023.
Keep an eye on these FRIDAY Lansing Sexton (2-2) at Charlotte (3-1), Kent City (2-2) at Lakeview (3-1), Fowler (4-0) at Saranac (4-0), Mason (4-0) at St. Johns (3-1).
Northern Lower Peninsula
Kingsley (4-0) at Elk Rapids (3-1)
Coming off a notable Week 3 victory over 2025 playoff team Mancelona, and after having last week off thanks to a forfeit win from Cheboygan, Elk Rapids is staring down a big-time opportunity to impress as it continues to pursue a first playoff berth since 2022. A low-scoring loss to Traverse City St. Francis in Week 1 also was notable as the Elks take on the Stags, who opened this season with a pair of shutouts and have already conquered one major obstacle in the Northern Shores Conference race with a 39-13 win over Charlevoix.
Keep an eye on these FRIDAY Petoskey (3-1) at Cadillac (2-2), McBain (2-2) at Charlevoix (3-1), Boyne City (2-2) at Grayling (2-2), Midland Dow (2-2) at Traverse City Central (2-2).
Southeast & Border
Ida (4-0) at Adrian Madison (4-0)
Madison earned the spotlight last week with its first win over Hudson, and it’s time to give Ida deserved attention as well as the Bluestreaks join the Trojans and Clinton at 3-0 atop the Lenawee County Athletic Association standings. Ida entered this season coming off a District championship run last fall and has reached 42 points in all of its games during this first half, which should lead to an intriguing matchup as Madison allowed the high-scoring Tigers only 12.
Keep an eye on these FRIDAY Dearborn Divine Child (4-0) at Ann Arbor Father Gabriel Richard (3-1), Dexter (2-2) at Chelsea (3-1), Toledo Central Catholic (4-0) at Jackson Lumen Christi (4-0), Jackson (2-2) at Tecumseh (3-1).
Southwest Corridor
Portage Central (3-1) at Kalamazoo Loy Norrix (3-1)
Loy Norrix is off to its best start since 1998 and facing Portage Central for the first time since 2019, adding a few layers of interest as the neighbors prepare for this get-together. After reaching the Division 2 Semifinals last year, Portage Central opened this fall with a 10-point loss to Toledo Central Catholic before stacking a few wins including over rival Portage Northern two weeks ago.
Keep an eye on these FRIDAY Hartford (2-2) at Cassopolis (3-1), Edwardsburg (4-0) at Otsego (2-2), Three Rivers (2-2) at Vicksburg (4-0), Plainwell (2-2) at Paw Paw (3-1).
Upper Peninsula
Bark River-Harris (4-0) vs. Pewamo-Westphalia (4-0) at Petoskey
While this won’t be played in the Upper Peninsula, it does feature one of the best from north of the Bridge facing a contender from downstate. For the second-straight season these two will meet on a neutral field after losing their previously-scheduled opponents. Pewamo-Westphalia won last year’s matchup 49-0 on the way to ending the fall in the Division 7 Semifinals, while Bark River-Harris finished its season in the Division 8 Semifinals.
Keep an eye on these FRIDAY Kingsford (4-0) at Calumet (3-1), Iron Mountain (2-2) at Manistique (2-2), Escanaba (1-3) at Marquette (2-2), Hancock (3-1) at Negaunee (2-2).
West Michigan
Coopersville (4-0) at Lowell (3-1)
Coopersville made some nice noise last season coming back from an 0-3 start to reach a District title game, and that’s carried over and then some as the Broncos have opened this fall by defeating four 2025 playoff teams that are a combined 10-6. Coopersville avenged last season’s loss to Cedar Springs last week and now has the opportunity to do the same against another River Cities Alliance foe in Lowell, which won last year’s matchup 33-20. The Red Arrows have been similarly impressive this season coming off last year’s run to the Division 3 Semifinals.
Keep an eye on these FRIDAY Wyoming Godwin Heights (3-1) at Hopkins (4-0), Hudsonville (3-1) at Caledonia (3-1), Grand Rapids Catholic Central (3-1) at East Grand Rapids (3-1), Zeeland West (4-0) at Grand Rapids South Christian (3-1).
8-Player
Mendon (4-0) at Colon (4-0)
Mendon has won this matchup the last three years big, but that shouldn’t have any bearing this time as Colon already avenged a 41-point loss to Climax-Scotts from a year ago with a 24-point victory last week. Mendon, meanwhile, handed Mio its first loss with a third-straight 50-point performance and rolls into this Southern Central Athletic Association Red opener as the reigning champion.
Keep an eye on these FRIDAY Mio (3-1) at Bay City All Saints (4-0), Blanchard Montabella (3-1) at Dansville (4-0), Deckerville (4-0) at Dryden (4-0), St. Helen Charlton Heston Academy (2-0) at Rogers City (3-1).
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PHOTO A Detroit Central receiver breaks toward the end zone during the team's 38-0 Week 2 win over Warren Lincoln. (Photo by Olivia B. Photography.)
Undefeated Mancelona Earns League Title, Playoff Possibilities
By
Tom Spencer
Special for MHSAA.com
October 8, 2021
Dan Derrer knows the highs and lows of coaching high school sports.
He’s been at the helm of the Mancelona football team for 16 years. During that span, the Ironmen had back-to-back undefeated seasons, a few with a handful of wins, and a winless 2017 campaign.
Now, the Ironmen are 5-0 for the first time since 2012 and facing the biggest game of their season.
Tonight they’re hosting conference rival Boyne City, also undefeated in the Northern Michigan Football League Leaders division. A win puts Mancelona in the driver seat with a trip to Charlevoix and a hosting of Glen Lake left to round out the regular season.
A potential conference title, postseason qualification and a drive toward a state championship have been on the team’s list of goals since the summer. The Ironmen are coming off a 3-5 2020 finish.
“I’ve had some really, really good teams,” Derrer said. “I’ve had some teams that weren’t as talented and didn’t win as much.
“Every season is different … you never know.”
Winning and losing seasons, Derrer said the Ironmen always have given it their all.
“We’ve always taken the approach one game at a time, one practice at a time and try to get better every day,” he said. “Those years when you don’t win a lot takes a toll on the kids and the coaching staff.
“When the kids go out and play hard and they give you all they got, that is really all you can ask for,” he continued. “It’s definitely fun when you win — even those other teams – they gave you everything they had, and that’s all you can ask for.”
The Ironmen kept unbeaten this year with a 14-8 win in their last outing over Kalkaska. Jason Naumcheff connected with Oumar Sy on the game’s final play to earn the victory.
Seniors Justin and Adam Ackler and Mason Crandall have put together a handful off multi-touchdown games this year to lead the Ironmen. Naumcheff, a junior quarterback, is throwing regularly for touchdowns. The Ackler brothers, Naumcheff and Crandall also average around double-digit tackles per game to lead the stingy defense.
The Ironmen are bolstered by retuning linemen Jake Watson, Jason Kihn, Kacy Pinney, Trace Miller, Kaleb Myszak and Justin Johnston and starting defenders Aaron Anderson and Landon McCorry.
“We were pretty excited about what we had coming back, and these guys work hard,” Derrer said. “So far, so good.”
The Ironmen also are coming off a bye week. The break was expected to help the team get through injuries and better prepare for the big game with Boyne.
“We’ve been banged up,” Derrer acknowledged. “We’re trying to get guys healthy so hopefully we can be at full strength going into the Boyne game.”
Improved line play has helped the Ironmen this fall, Derrer points out. It has followed the addition of assistant coach Ralph Munger. He’s been focused on the trenches. Munger’s arrival follows Taylor Borst stepping in as the defensive backs and strength and conditioning coach in 2018.
Munger, one of the most successful high school football coaches in Michigan history, retired after the 2019 season with 335 victories at Rockford and Frankenmuth and three Division 1 championships with the Rams. His Rockford and Frankenmuth teams produced six undefeated regular seasons.
Borst and Derrer met Munger as the 2020 season started. They hit it off right away. Munger represents another one of the highs in Derrer’s coaching career.
“He’s a very knowledgeable guy, and he’s awesome to have around,” Derrer said. “He’s been a huge help to us.
“He’s done a great job working with our lines,” Derrer continued. “It’s been unbelievable – we’re very fortunate.”
The Mancelona coaching staff chose to end a practice early in August to go to Rockford. They all attended a rededication ceremony of the Rockford football stadium. The stadium’s name was officially changed in January from the Ted Carlson Memorial Stadium to the Carlson-Munger Stadium to honor two men whose contributions exemplify "Ram Pride."
Today Munger is grateful he’s had a chance to work the Mancelona student-athletes. They’re in the midst of playoff contention and a battle for a conference championship.
They’ll enjoy hometown support too.
“Two of our last three (games) are at home, and they’re all going to be big games,” Derrer said. “All those games are going to be critical for conference and playoffs.
“We’ll have our hands full, but hopefully we’re up for the challenge.”
Tom Spencer is a longtime MHSAA-registered basketball and soccer official, and former softball and baseball official, and he also has coached in the northern Lower Peninsula area. He previously has written for the Saginaw News, Bay County Sports Page and Midland Daily News. He can be reached at [email protected] with story ideas for Manistee, Wexford, Missaukee, Roscommon, Ogemaw, Iosco, Alcona, Oscoda, Crawford, Kalkaska, Grand Traverse, Benzie, Leelanau, Antrim, Otsego, Montmorency, Alpena, Presque Isle, Cheboygan, Charlevoix and Emmet counties.
PHOTOS: (Top) Mancelona’s Adam Ackler (2) carries the ball during an opening-day win over LeRoy Pine River. (Middle) Ironmen coach Dan Derrer consults with quarterback Jason Naumcheff (12). (Below) Longtime Rockford coach Ralph Munger, here with Jason Kihn (54), joined the Mancelona staff this fall. (Photos by Miles Postema.)