1st & Goal: Week 5 Preview
September 24, 2020
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Most years, we’d talk this weekend about Michigan high school football teams being in midseason form.
They’re getting there quickly – and with another series of big-time matchups these next few days helping all of us get back up to speed.
Major rivalries will play out again in Muskegon, Flint and Metro Detroit among various communities all over the state. Some of the most noteworthy games are briefly previewed below. Check out the MHSAA Score Center beforehand for kickoff times and locations of all games, and come back Friday and Saturday for scores as they’re reported.
This week we’ll also have 53 varsity football games broadcast on MHSAA.tv; click the link for listings.
Bay & Thumb
Flint Hamady (1-0) at Flint Beecher (1-0)
Anthony Branch’s coaching tenure after Courtney Hawkins left for Michigan State began with a 27-19 win over Ann Arbor Father Gabriel Richard last week. The Bucs’ biggest game of the regular season is up next, and Branch has plenty of experience in Hamady matchups after serving previously as an assistant coach and having played in the Beecher program. The Hawks have won all three regular-season matchups with the Bucs since the teams rejoined the same league in 2017.
Keep an eye on these: FRIDAY Davison (1-0) at Grand Blanc (1-0), Frankenmuth (1-0) at Saginaw Swan Valley (1-0), Sandusky (1-0) at Harbor Beach (1-0), Saginaw Nouvel (0-1) at Saginaw Michigan Lutheran Seminary (1-0).
Greater Detroit
Sterling Heights Stevenson (1-0) at Macomb Dakota (1-0)
These two finished fifth and fourth, respectively, in the Macomb Area Conference Red in 2019. But together last week they defeated reigning champion Clinton Township Chippewa Valley (Dakota 29-20) and runner-up Utica Eisenhower (Stevenson 7-3). Dakota owns a five-game regular-season winning streak against the Titans, including last year by a 40-14 score. But Stevenson may be continuing a surge that took it to last year’s Division 1 Semifinals – a run which included a 38-35 win over Dakota in the District Final.
Keep an eye on these: FRIDAY Dearborn Fordson (0-1) at Belleville (1-0), Detroit Mumford (1-0) at Detroit Cass Tech (1-0). SATURDAY Detroit Catholic Central (1-0) at Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice (1-0).
Mid-Michigan
Midland Bullock Creek (1-0) at Ithaca (1-0)
These two are in different divisions of the Tri-Valley Conference West this fall. But a year ago they were in the same division and shared the championship, breaking Ithaca’s streak of nine straight outright league titles. The Yellowjackets won last year’s matchup 35-21, but Bullock Creek was able to grab a championship share after Ithaca fell to Hemlock 30-6 in the league finale. Both opened last week with wins over 2019 playoff teams, Ithaca over Saginaw Nouvel and Bullock Creek over Carrollton.
Keep an eye on these: FRIDAY DeWitt (1-0) at Grand Ledge (1-0), LeRoy Pine River (1-0) at Beal City (1-0), Leslie (0-1) at Stockbridge (1-0), St. Johns (0-1) at Williamston (1-0).
Northern Lower Peninsula
Ogemaw Heights (1-0) at Kingsley (1-0)
Ogemaw Heights is coming off its first winning season since 2013 after going 8-3 a year ago. Kingsley, meanwhile, posted its best finish since 2005 at 12-1 and with a run to the Division 5 Semifinals. A 36-19 Week 2 win over Ogemaw Heights was among seven victories total the Stags posted against teams that finished with winning records. And this matchup should mean more in the future as Ogemaw Heights has joined Kingsley in the Northern Michigan Football Conference Legends division.
Keep an eye on these: FRIDAY East Jordan (1-0) at Harbor Springs (1-0), Traverse City St. Francis (0-1) at Grayling (1-0), Petoskey (1-0) at Traverse City Central (1-0), Oscoda (1-0) at Rogers City (1-0).
Southeast & Border
Breckenridge (1-0) at Reading (1-0)
Added just this week, this might be one of the top small-school matchups in the state this season. Reading has won the last two Division 8 championships and defeated Breckenridge 39-20 in the 2018 title game. This could be a preview of another playoff matchup to come. Together they defeated their season-opening opponents last week by a combined score of 95-6.
Keep an eye on these: FRIDAY Blissfield (1-0) at Hillsdale (1-0), Brooklyn Columbia Central (1-0) at Clinton (1-0), Riverview (1-0) at Milan (1-0), Battle Creek Pennfield (1-0) at Parma Western (1-0).
Southwest Corridor
Saugatuck (1-0) at Schoolcraft (1-0)
This might have gotten a little more attention a year ago, as these two frequently are the best or near the top of their divisions of the Southwestern Athletic Conference. Schoolcraft was a co-champion in the Lakeshore last season, but Saugatuck finished sub-.500 overall for the first time since 2006. Saugatuck got off to a winning start last week, however, as did Schoolcraft – and this fall both are in the SAC Valley.
Keep an eye on these: FRIDAY Marshall (0-1) at Coldwater (1-0), Portage Northern (1-0) at Mattawan (1-0), Decatur (0-1) at Cassopolis (1-0), Coloma (1-0) at Kalamazoo United (1-0).
Upper Peninsula
Sault Ste. Marie (1-0) at Marquette (1-0)
Granted, it’s just one week to go on. But based on early returns, these might be the best in the Upper Peninsula this fall. Sault Ste. Marie opened with a seven-point win over Traverse City St. Francis, while Marquette downed Menominee by 23. Marquette has beaten the Blue Devils in four straight including 31-0 a year ago, but despite last year’s defeat Sault Ste. Marie went on to its winningest season since 2013. A win tonight could end up the Sault’s highlight of this shortened season.
Keep an eye on these: FRIDAY West Iron County (1-0) at L'Anse (1-0), Hancock (1-0) at Bessemer Gogebic (0-1), Menominee (0-1) at Marinette, Wis. (0-0), Norway (0-1) at Houghton (1-0).
West Michigan
Muskegon Mona Shores (1-0) at Muskegon (1-0)
This easily is the headliner of the week, matchup up a pair of teams that reached Ford Field a year ago. A 53-0 Muskegon win over Shores in Week 8 was among dominating victories that pushed the Big Reds to a Division 3 runner-up finish. The Sailors, meanwhile, didn’t lose again after that night, stringing together a series of mostly close wins on the way to the Division 2 title. Muskegon has a five-game winning streak in this rivalry matchup, but a much closer finish than last year’s has to be the expectation this time.
Keep an eye on these: FRIDAY Montague (1-0) at Muskegon Oakridge (1-0), Rockford (1-0) at Caledonia (1-0), Byron Center (1-0) at Grand Rapids Christian (0-1), Hudsonville Unity Christian (1-0) at Grand Rapids West Catholic (1-0).
8-Player
Colon (1-0) at Adrian Lenawee Christian (1-0), Saturday
Colon’s move to 8-player in 2018 proved beneficial and then some as the Magi went a combined 23-2 over the last two seasons and won the 8-player Division 1 title a year ago. Lenawee Christian’s move this fall could usher in similar dominance for the Cougars, who finished 10-2 and just missed defeating eventual Division 8 champion Reading in the Regional Final last year. Lenawee opened its 8-player era with a 62-0 win over another first-year 8-player team Athens last week, while Colon downed frequent playoff qualifier Bellevue 45-6.
Keep an eye on these: FRIDAY Portland St. Patrick (1-0) at Vestaburg (1-0), Merrill (1-0) at Atlanta (1-0), Pickford (1-0) at Cedarville (1-0). SATURDAY Newberry (0-1) at Munising (1-0).
PHOTO: Johannesburg-Lewiston opened last week with a 47-14 win over Mancelona. (Photo by Robert Batzloff.)
Harbor Beach Finds Stride Early, Holds Off Hudson in Matchup of Unbeatens
By
Paul Costanzo
Special for MHSAA.com
November 28, 2025
DETROIT – Caden Bucholtz walked out of Ford Field with more than a Division 8 Football Finals title on Friday.
He also took home family bragging rights.
Bucholtz and several of his Harbor Beach teammates had fathers who played on the school’s 1991 Class C runner-up squad.
“We got one up on them,” Bucholtz said with a smile.
Those fathers are likely OK with that after watching their sons defeat Hudson 31-20 to wrap up a perfect 14-0 season and claim the second Finals title in program history.
“Great game, the guys just played their hearts out just like they have all year,” said Harbor Beach coach Troy Schelke, who also coached the 2012 title team. “We knew we were going to play a tough game and we were going to play the best we could, and we did that. Hudson was a great opponent. They were here for a reason. We had to finish the play right until the end when we took the knee.”
Bucholtz led the way for the Pirates, with 146 yards and one touchdown on the ground, adding 82 yards and two TDs through the air on 5-of-8 passing.
The 6-foot-1, 225-pound senior made play after play to keep Hudson at arm’s length throughout the game.
“We just couldn’t get off the field sometimes; their quarterback made some great plays,” Hudson coach Dan Rogers said. “Every time they needed a play and we needed to get off the field, their quarterback made great plays and he’s a great player. Credit goes to them.”
Harbor Beach looked to have put a stranglehold on the game early, building a 21-0 lead just inside 10 minutes remaining in the second quarter.
While Hudson’s offense had put up massive numbers all season, it didn’t seem built for comebacks, as it did nearly all of its damage on the ground leading up to Friday – rushing for more than 5,200 yards on the season, and attempting fewer than 50 passes.
The Pirates were similarly built, but it was Bucholtz’s arm that did a lot of the early damage.
He found Skiler Kruse for a 15-yard touchdown pass on Beach’s first drive, and tight end Matt Geiger on a 19-yard TD on its second.
Geiger’s TD was set up by a Harbor Beach fumble recovery at the Hudson 27.
“We knew they could throw,” Rogers said. “They haven’t had to much, but we knew the quarterback could run and throw, and they’ve got two really good tight ends. They have weapons, running backs out of the backfield. I wouldn’t say they threw more (than he thought), but they did a good job executing it.”
The Tigers did find some success on their next drive, but it ended on downs at the Harbor Beach 37.
Just four plays later, the Pirates had stretched their lead to three scores with a 25-yard touchdown run from Bucholtz.
While the Tigers (13-1) did get one stop and make enough big plays to keep things close, they never had the ball with a chance to tie, as Harbor Beach’s offense answered each time the lead was cut to a single score.
That included a 20-yard field goal by Kruse that made the score 31-20 with two minutes to play, all but sealing the victory.
It was fully sealed when Benson Harper intercepted a pass in the endzone with 26 seconds to play.
“(The early lead) was huge because (Hudson) never quit,” Schelke said. “They kept coming back and kept cutting it, and we kept answering back. A 21-point lead, we’ll take that any time. We had to make some stops defensively, and had to finish some scores. Had to bang in a big field goal at the end, and pick one off at the end, then take a knee. Great game, great year, great program here.”
Grayson Bills had a pair of touchdown runs to help keep Hudson in the game, of 15 and five yards. He finished the game with 148 yards rushing, which included a 41-yard run in the final minute of the first half that set the Tigers up in the redzone. They were unable to cash in, however, and trailed 21-6 as they entered the break.
Colt Perry had the other Hudson score, with a 53-yard run on the Tigers’ first possession of the second half. That, as well as Bills’ second TD, brought Hudson to within a score.
“I knew we could come back,” Bills said. “All season we’ve been working together. I had hope in our team and knew what we were capable of.”
Beckett Campbell, who rushed for more than 2,300 yards on the season, had 103 on Friday. Liam Timm and Devon Brigman led the Hudson defense with seven tackles apiece.
Kruse finished with 60 yards receiving on three catches for Harbor Beach, and added an 11-yard touchdown run to answer Perry’s score in the third quarter.
John Learman led the Pirates defense with 16 tackles. Harper, who was slowed for much of the season because of an injury, had 10 tackles to go along with his game-sealing interception.
That pick set off a full-on celebration from the Harbor Beach half of the stadium, which had been plenty loud throughout.
“It was everything to us,” Bucholz said. “It felt like the whole town was behind us no matter what. They were just there to support us. Whatever the outcome I think they would have still been there no matter what.”
PHOTOS (Top) Harbor Beach coach Troy Schelke hands off his team’s championship trophy to his players Friday at Ford Field. (2) Skiler Kiser (80) elevates to haul in a touchdown catch. (Below) The Pirates’ Benson Harper (10) works to break out of the grasp of Hudson’s Colt Perry.