2014 Week 7 Football Playoff Listing
October 7, 2014
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Following is a list of Michigan High School Athletic Association football playing schools, displaying their win-loss records and playoff averages through the sixth week of the season.
Schools on this list are in enrollment order for 11-player teams, with 8-player teams ordered by playoff average. An asterisk (*) beside a record indicates a team has eight or fewer games scheduled. A caret (^) beside a school’s name indicates a team is one win away from playoff qualification.
Those schools with 11-player teams with six or more wins playing nine-game schedules, or five or more wins playing eight games or fewer, will qualify for the MHSAA Football Playoffs beginning Oct. 31. Schools with 5-4, 4-3 or 4-4 records may qualify if the number of potential qualifiers by win total does not reach the 256 mark. Schools with six or more wins playing nine-game schedules or five or more wins playing eight games or fewer may be subtracted from the field based on playoff average if the number of potential qualifiers exceeds the 256 mark.
Once the 256 qualifying schools are determined, they will be divided by enrollment groups into eight equal divisions of 32 schools, and then drawn into regions of eight teams each and districts of four teams each.
Those schools with 8-player teams will be ranked by playoff average at season’s end, and the top 16 programs will be drawn into regions of eight teams each for the playoff in that division, which also begins Oct. 31.
To review a list of all football playoff schools, individual school playoff point details and to report errors, visit the Football page of the MHSAA Website.
The announcement of the qualifiers and first-round pairings for both the 11 and 8-player playoffs will take place on Oct. 26 on the Selection Sunday Show on FOX Sports Detroit. The playoff qualifiers and pairings will be posted to the MHSAA Website following the Selection Sunday Show.
11-Player Playoff Listing
1. Macomb Dakota ^, 2814, 5-1, 86.167
2. Sterling Heights Stevenson ^, 2767, 5-1, 84.333
3. Clarkston, 2742, 6-0, 108.000
4. Utica Eisenhower, 2712, 3-3, 56.333
5. Grand Blanc ^, 2668, 5-1, 76.667
6. East Kentwood ^, 2592, 5-1, 78.000
7. Rockford ^, 2555, 5-1, 88.500
8. Clinton Township Chippewa Valley, 2538, 4-2, 69.333
9. Lake Orion, 2459, 3-3, 47.167
10. Dearborn Fordson, 2411, 6-0, 97.333
11. Northville, 2298, 4-2, 61.167
12. Holland West Ottawa ^, 2293, 5-1, 87.333
13. Canton ^, 2289, 5-1, 86.000
14. Detroit Cass Tech, 2277, 6-0, 96.000
15. Detroit Catholic Central, 2134, 3-3, 51.333
16. Brighton, 2133, 3-3, 48.667
17. Plymouth ^, 2116, 5-1, 75.333
18. Lapeer, 2112, 6-0, 90.667
19. Utica Ford, 2090, 3-3, 45.667
20. Macomb L'Anse Creuse North, 2008, 3-3, 50.333
21. Hartland ^, 2007, 5-1, 85.500
22. Novi, 1994, 3-3, 46.667
23. Monroe, 1992, 4-2, 65.500
24. Grand Haven, 1960, 3-3, 51.333
25. West Bloomfield ^, 1929, 5-1, 79.500
26. Dearborn, 1876, 3-3, 50.167
27. Westland John Glenn, 1872, 3-3, 46.000
28. Warren Mott, 1870, 3-3, 52.500
29. Oxford ^, 1864, 5-1, 80.833
30. Ann Arbor Pioneer, 1857, 3-3, 46.833
31. Livonia Stevenson, 1848, 4-2, 62.167
32. Saline ^, 1844, 5-1, 86.667
33. Walled Lake Central ^, 1815, 5-1, 83.167
34. Romeo, 1770, 3-3, 49.500
35. Hudsonville, 1759, 4-2, 66.500
36. Waterford Mott, 1738, 4-2, 65.333
37. Rochester Hills Stoney Creek, 1711, 3-3, 47.167
38. Livonia Churchill ^, 1696, 5-1, 83.333
39. Grand Ledge, 1689, 4-2, 61.500
40. Fraser, 1684, 3-3, 49.500
41. Traverse City West, 1658, 3-3, 48.333
42. Waterford Kettering, 1610, 4-2, 60.000
43. Temperance Bedford, 1600, 3-3, 54.333
44. Warren Cousino, 1588, 3-3, 49.500
45. Flint Carman-Ainsworth ^, 1568, 5-1, 79.167
46. Warren DeLaSalle, 1562, 3-3, 41.667
47. Davison, 1531, 3-3, 42.000
48. Detroit Western International, 1521, 3-3, 38.667
49. Detroit Martin Luther King, 1507, 6-0, 97.333
50. Walled Lake Western ^, 1502, 5-1, 79.167
51. Traverse City Central, 1490, 4-2, 69.000
52. Oak Park ^, 1486, 5-1, 82.167
53. Brownstown Woodhaven, 1484, 6-0, 100.000
54. Ypsilanti Lincoln, 1422, 4-2, 62.000
55. Caledonia, 1417, 4-2, 67.333
56. Midland, 1400, 3-3, 44.167
57. Portage Central *^, 1384, 4-1, 73.467
58. Lincoln Park, 1384, 3-3, 40.167
59. Detroit Pershing, 1379, 3-3, 39.000
60. Southgate Anderson, 1374, 3-3, 44.500
61. Lansing Everett, 1364, 4-2, 59.667
62. Dearborn Edsel Ford, 1356, 4-2, 63.333
63. Wyandotte Roosevelt ^, 1351, 5-1, 83.333
64. Detroit East English, 1345, 4-2, 63.000
65. Portage Northern, 1345, 4-2, 67.567
66. Port Huron ^, 1336, 5-1, 83.500
67. Grosse Pointe North, 1310, 4-2, 65.000
68. Ypsilanti Community, 1300, 4-2, 60.833
69. Birmingham Brother Rice, 1298, 6-0, 105.333
70. North Farmington, 1296, 3-3, 44.000
71. Garden City, 1290, 3-3, 39.333
72. Swartz Creek, 1285, 3-3, 48.333
73. Battle Creek Lakeview *^, 1278, 4-1, 80.500
74. Grand Rapids Ottawa Hills, 1275, 3-3, 40.000
75. Muskegon Mona Shores ^, 1274, 5-1, 87.333
76. Okemos, 1273, 3-3, 52.167
77. Bay City Central, 1271, 3-3, 43.333
78. Birmingham Groves, 1270, 6-0, 92.000
79. Alpena, 1270, 3-3, 42.500
80. Berkley ^, 1265, 5-1, 74.000
81. Flushing ^, 1260, 5-1, 81.667
82. Midland Dow, 1255, 6-0, 97.333
83. South Lyon ^, 1254, 5-1, 85.667
84. Southfield, 1239, 4-2, 64.000
85. Farmington Hills Harrison ^, 1212, 5-1, 86.000
86. Mattawan, 1184, 3-3, 43.033
87. Muskegon Reeths-Puffer, 1183, 3-3, 43.833
88. Fenton, 1181, 6-0, 101.333
89. Farmington ^, 1178, 5-1, 83.333
90. Grand Rapids Northview, 1177, 4-2, 58.500
91. Warren Woods Tower, 1175, 6-0, 90.667
92. Muskegon, 1157, 6-0, 100.000
93. St. Clair Shores Lake Shore, 1153, 3-3, 45.000
94. Lowell, 1145, 6-0, 94.667
95. Detroit Renaissance, 1144, 4-2, 58.333
96. Greenville, 1130, 4-2, 54.333
97. Gibraltar Carlson, 1129, 4-2, 57.500
98. Battle Creek Central, 1124, 4-2, 59.933
99. Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern, 1113, 6-0, 93.333
100. Holland, 1109, 3-3, 45.333
101. Detroit Cody, 1096, 3-3, 40.333
102. Marquette ^, 1090, 5-1, 70.786
103. St. Johns ^, 1088, 5-1, 79.500
104. Byron Center ^, 1085, 5-1, 75.500
105. Allen Park ^, 1069, 5-1, 76.833
106. Auburn Hills Avondale, 1056, 3-3, 43.500
107. Orchard Lake St. Mary's ^, 1054, 5-1, 82.167
108. Mt. Pleasant, 1050, 4-2, 63.000
109. Mason, 1032, 3-3, 47.167
110. St. Joseph, 1028, 4-2, 59.833
111. Redford Thurston, 1024, 3-3, 48.333
112. East Grand Rapids, 986, 4-2, 64.333
113. Petoskey ^, 965, 5-1, 76.833
114. Trenton, 955, 3-3, 46.167
115. Romulus, 950, 4-2, 49.500
116. Riverview ^, 935, 5-1, 68.667
117. DeWitt, 930, 6-0, 100.000
118. Gaylord, 927, 4-2, 53.333
119. Linden, 921, 4-2, 60.167
120. Detroit Mumford, 919, 4-2, 59.667
121. Clio, 918, 3-3, 44.333
122. Middleville Thornapple Kellogg, 914, 3-3, 40.000
123. Cedar Springs ^, 910, 5-1, 72.333
124. Grand Rapids Christian, 895, 4-2, 65.667
125. Fruitport, 890, 3-3, 41.833
126. Stevensville Lakeshore ^, 887, 5-1, 91.000
127. Sault Ste. Marie, 886, 3-3, 45.667
128. Niles, 885, 4-2, 57.100
129. Carleton Airport, 879, 3-3, 38.000
130. Coldwater ^, 876, 5-1, 60.833
131. Sturgis, 875, 3-3, 37.000
132. Haslett, 874, 3-3, 52.833
133. Tecumseh, 869, 4-2, 64.000
134. New Boston Huron ^, 867, 5-1, 74.167
135. Warren Fitzgerald, 857, 4-2, 55.667
136. Zeeland West, 850, 6-0, 82.667
137. Dearborn Divine Child, 848, 4-2, 53.000
138. Bay City John Glenn, 847, 4-2, 48.167
139. Battle Creek Harper Creek, 845, 4-2, 53.333
140. St. Clair ^, 844, 5-1, 75.500
141. Edwardsburg ^, 839, 5-1, 72.500
142. Chelsea, 838, 4-2, 65.000
143. Detroit Old Redford, 837, 3-3, 39.167
144. Charlotte, 836, 3-3, 37.667
145. Flint Southwestern, 813, 3-3, 41.333
146. Plainwell ^, 812, 5-1, 67.333
147. Dearborn Heights Annapolis, 807, 3-3, 38.667
148. Marysville, 806, 3-3, 46.333
149. Spring Lake, 802, 4-2, 53.167
150. Detroit Denby, 800, 4-2, 65.333
151. Holland Christian, 800, 3-3, 44.667
152. Ionia, 796, 3-3, 42.000
153. Vicksburg, 794, 4-2, 58.500
154. Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook-Kingswood, 790, 4-2, 45.167
155. Eaton Rapids, 773, 3-3, 39.333
156. Cadillac, 747, 6-0, 96.000
157. Goodrich ^, 737, 5-1, 71.500
158. Ferndale, 723, 3-3, 43.500
159. Three Rivers, 722, 4-2, 61.000
160. Dearborn Heights Robichaud, 717, 6-0, 82.933
161. Yale, 716, 4-2, 50.833
162. Comstock Park, 703, 3-3, 42.000
163. Croswell-Lexington, 701, 3-3, 36.500
164. Harper Woods Chandler Park Academy, 691, 4-2, 55.500
165. Detroit Country Day, 690, 4-2, 56.333
166. Allendale, 689, 3-3, 44.500
167. Muskegon Orchard View, 662, 4-2, 48.833
168. Williamston, 659, 6-0, 82.667
169. Paw Paw, 657, 3-3, 41.667
170. Grand Rapids Catholic Central, 655, 3-3, 47.190
171. Lansing Sexton, 652, 6-0, 104.000
172. Whitehall, 644, 6-0, 70.667
173. Grosse Ile, 640, 4-2, 54.833
174. Kalamazoo Hackett, 635, 4-2, 49.333
175. Detroit Collegiate Prep, 634, 3-3, 37.833
176. Richmond ^, 630, 5-1, 74.167
177. Imlay City, 629, 3-3, 31.000
178. Grand Rapids South Christian, 623, 4-2, 59.667
179. Wyoming Kelloggsville, 610, 4-2, 53.500
180. Wyoming Godwin Heights, 609, 4-2, 44.667
181. Dowagiac, 606, 3-3, 41.333
182. Saginaw Swan Valley, 602, 6-0, 80.000
183. Clawson, 589, 3-3, 34,500
184. North Muskegon, 577, 3-3, 34.167
185. Birch Run ^, 575, 5-1, 66.000
186. Essexville Garber, 574, 3-3, 39.500
187. Remus Chippewa Hills ^, 567, 5-1, 72.500
188. Marine City, 553, 6-0, 82.667
189. Flint Powers Catholic, 553, 4-2, 60.167
190. Freeland ^, 549, 5-1, 67.500
191. Ann Arbor Gabriel Richard ^, 545, 5-1, 58.433
192. Stanton Central Montcalm, 539, 4-2, 55.667
193. Portland, 538, 3-3, 46.000
194. Menominee, 532, 6-0, 84.267
195. River Rouge ^, 530, 5-1, 72.000
196. Detroit University Prep, 530, 4-2, 50.667
197. Frankenmuth ^, 528, 5-1, 70.167
198. Gladwin, 528, 4-2, 48.000
199. Ida, 527, 6-0, 72.000
200. Hopkins ^, 522, 5-1, 66.200
201. Grayling, 517, 3-3, 38.533
202. Lansing Catholic, 515, 6-0, 84.000
203. Almont, 512, 6-0, 80.000
204. Carrollton, 511, 3-3, 34.667
205. Newaygo ^, 506, 5-1, 67.333
206. Olivet ^, 505, 5-1, 64.333
207. Muskegon Oakridge ^, 501, 5-1, 58.167
208. Berrien Springs, 501, 4-2, 52.667
209. Onsted, 499, 4-2, 41.500
210. Clinton Township Clintondale, 499, 3-3, 39.833
211. Ovid-Elsie, 487, 3-3, 39.167
212. Chesaning, 480, 4-2, 48.833
213. Manistee, 479, 4-2, 47.833
214. Detroit Central Collegiate, 479, 3-3, 40.333
215. Gladstone, 473, 3-3, 32.500
216. Stockbridge, 462, 4-2, 52.000
217. Reed City ^, 461, 5-1, 60.667
218. Detroit Community, 455, 3-3, 38.500
219. Leslie, 454, 3-3, 33.167
220. Clare, 445, 4-2, 53.500
221. Harrison, 444, 6-0, 66.667
222. Kingsley, 439, 4-2, 47.833
223. Grand Rapids West Catholic, 438, 6-0, 82.667
224. Southfield Bradford Academy, 438, 3-3, 36.700
225. Delton Kellogg, 428, 3-3, 32.333
226. Lakeview ^, 426, 5-1, 53.333
227. Beaverton, 422, 4-2, 42.333
228. Calumet, 419, 3-3, 42.548
229. Jonesville, 419, 3-3, 35.667
230. Jackson Lumen Christi, 417, 6-0, 84.000
231. Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central, 417, 6-0, 88.000
232. Negaunee, 417, 4-2, 42.167
233. Millington, 414, 6-0, 86.667
234. Warren Michigan Collegiate, 414, 6-0, 78.667
235. Fennville, 407, 4-2, 41.000
236. Detroit Edison Public School Academy, 407, 3-3, 37.433
237. Ithaca, 405, 6-0, 80.000
238. Sanford Meridian Early College, 404, 4-2, 41.333
239. Mason County Central, 404, 3-3, 31.167
240. Hillsdale ^, 401, 5-1, 59.500
241. Hanover-Horton ^, 399, 5-1, 50.000
242. Boyne City, 395, 6-0, 71.200
243. Grass Lake ^, 395, 5-1, 51.333
244. Madison Heights Madison ^, 393, 5-1, 76.833
245. Morley Stanwood, 393, 3-3, 31.000
246. Montrose ^, 392, 5-1, 56.667
247. Oscoda, 391, 3-3, 30.833
248. Tawas, 385, 4-2, 53.333
249. Elk Rapids, 384, 3-3, 36.533
250. Niles Brandywine ^, 383, 5-1, 60.400
251. Manchester ^, 379, 5-1, 63.500
252. Watervliet ^, 378, 5-1, 51.333
253. Quincy, 375, 4-2, 37.167
254. Vassar, 375, 3-3, 31.333
255. St. Charles, 373, 3-3, 39.333
256. Constantine, 371, 6-0, 75.200
257. Bad Axe, 371, 4-2, 44.000
258. Clinton, 367, 6-0, 70.667
259. Vandercook Lake, 366, 4-2, 38.667
260. Laingsburg, 361, 4-2, 41.167
261. Schoolcraft, 361, 4-2, 54.200
262. Charlevoix, 353, 3-3, 41.833
263. Flint Beecher, 350, 6-0, 77.333
264. Burton Bendle, 348, 3-3, 33.500
265. Grand Rapids NorthPointe Christian ^, 347, 5-1, 63.333
266. Kent City, 344, 3-3, 31.167
267. Leroy Pine River, 343, 4-2, 45.167
268. Ravenna ^, 342, 5-1, 56.667
269. Carson City-Crystal, 330, 4-2, 46.333
270. Galesburg-Augusta, 329, 3-3, 29.167
271. Bridgman *^, 327, 4-1, 53.733
272. Saginaw Nouvel, 322, 3-3, 41.833
273. Ishpeming Westwood, 318, 4-2, 36.000
274. Marlette, 316, 4-2, 44.500
275. Lawton, 316, 3-3, 28.167
276. Cass City, 314, 3-3, 34.167
277. Homer, 312, 6-0, 58.667
278. Elkton-Pigeon-Bay Port Laker, 308, 6-0, 64.000
279. Ishpeming *, 307, 6-0, 74.667
280. Sandusky, 307, 3-3, 34.667
281. Traverse City St. Francis, 305, 4-2, 51.000
282. Burton Atherton, 304, 4-2, 48.300
283. Pewamo-Westphalia ^, 302, 5-1, 51.333
284. Gobles ^, 301, 5-1, 56.833
285. Dansville, 301, 4-2, 44.167
286. Iron Mountain, 298, 4-2, 45.667
287. Riverview Gabriel Richard, 297, 4-2, 51.933
288. Flint Hamady, 295, 4-2, 36.833
289. McBain, 295, 3-3, 30.833
290. Union City, 294, 6-0, 61.333
291. Rochester Hills Lutheran Northwest, 289, 3-3, 30.833
292. Ecorse, 288, 3-3, 34.500
293. Whittemore-Prescott, 283, 6-0, 72.000
294. Mancelona, 282, 3-3, 24.833
295. Saugatuck, 281, 4-2, 38.667
296. Detroit Loyola, 278, 6-0, 89.600
297. St. Joseph Lake Michigan Catholic *, 277, 3-2, 32.400
298. Manton, 276, 4-2, 37.000
299. Royal Oak Shrine Catholic, 273, 4-2, 44.833
300. Hudson ^, 271, 5-1, 50.000
301. Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett ^, 270, 5-1, 52.500
302. Cassopolis, 269, 3-3, 32.167
303. Decatur, 262, 6-0, 77.333
304. Centreville, 261, 3-3, 29.667
305. Lincoln Alcona, 260, 3-3, 32.333
306. Iron River West Iron County, 259, 6-0, 72.000
307. New Lothrop, 259, 6-0, 70.667
308. Blanchard Montabella, 256, 4-2, 43.500
309. Breckenridge, 247, 4-2, 43.833
310. Reading, 246, 3-3, 29.667
311. Norway, 244, 3-3, 29.362
312. Onekama, 244, 3-3, 25.833
313. Saginaw Michigan Lutheran Seminary ^, 243, 5-1, 54.167
314. Suttons Bay ^, 243, 5-1, 54.600
315. Indian River Inland Lakes ^, 242, 5-1, 43.500
316. Ottawa Lake Whiteford, 238, 4-2, 41.333
317. Johannesburg-Lewiston ^, 237, 5-1, 47.500
318. Petersburg-Summerfield, 233, 4-2, 45.500
319. Harbor Beach, 232, 6-0, 69.333
320. Bessemer *, 231, 3-2, 28.314
321. L'Anse, 230, 4-2, 40.167
322. White Pigeon, 226, 3-3, 33.233
323. Beal City ^, 222, 5-1, 63.500
324. Lutheran Westland ^, 221, 5-1, 51.167
325. AuGres-Sims, 221, 3-3, 25.500
326. Rogers City, 219, 3-3, 22.833
327. Coleman ^, 217, 5-1, 50.200
328. Mendon ^, 214, 5-1, 60.667
329. St. Ignace, 211, 6-0, 66.667
330. Fulton, 211, 3-3, 36.667
331. Newberry, 211, 3-3, 25.933
332. Pittsford, 205, 4-2, 35.800
333. North Adams-Jerome, 202, 3-3, 18.867
334. Bark River-Harris ^, 194, 5-1, 40.600
335. Munising ^, 194, 5-1, 43.767
336. Central Lake, 190, 4-2, 32.167
337. Fowler, 189, 6-0, 65.333
338. Morenci ^, 184, 5-1, 60.833
339. Muskegon Catholic Central, 183, 6-0, 84.000
340. Sterling Heights Parkway Christian, 171, 3-3, 36.200
341. Climax-Scotts, 169, 6-0, 50.667
342. Waterford Our Lady ^, 169, 5-1, 63.500
343. Crystal Falls Forest Park *^, 167, 4-1, 45.781
344. Brethren, 166, 3-3, 25.333
345. Lake Linden-Hubbell ^, 163, 5-1, 55.381
346. Frankfort *^, 156, 4-1, 49.467
347. Colon *, 156, 3-2, 32.933
348. Hillman, 139, 6-0, 54.667.
349. Baldwin ^, 137, 5-1, 47.333.
350. Bay City All Saints, 133, 3-3, 33.000
351. Mt. Pleasant Sacred Heart, 124, 3-3, 37.033
352. Felch North Dickinson *, 113, 3-3, 25.933
353. Clarkston Everest Collegiate *, 105, 5-0, 62.667
8-Player Playoff Listing
1. Rapid River, 108, 6-0, 52.533
2. Peck, 158, 6-0, 52.000
3. Owendale-Gagetown, 49, 6-0, 48.000
4. Portland St. Patrick, 96, 6-0, 48.000
5. Bellaire, 151, 6-0, 47.200
6. Battle Creek St. Philip, 157, 6-0, 45.333
7. Lawrence, 191, 6-0, 42.667
8. Cedarville, 158, 5-1, 40.833
9. Deckerville, 183, 5-1, 40.833
10. Waldron, 89, 5-1, 36.833
11. New Haven Merritt Academy, 145, 4-2, 25.667
12. Kingston, 191, 3-3, 25.000
13. Engadine, 85, 3-3, 23.667
14. Morrice, 196, 3-3, 20.167
15. Burr Oak, 69, 3-3, 19.667
16. Webberville, 189, 3-3, 19.333
17. Posen, 90, 2-4, 18.667
18. Caseville, 81, 2-4, 16.667
19. Big Rapids Crossroads Academy, 188, 2-4, 16.500
20. Ontonagon *, 138, 2-3, 14.467
21. Ewen-Trout Creek, 135, 2-4, 14.167
22. Eben Junction Superior Central, 126, 2-4, 13.833
23. Akron-Fairgrove, 99, 2-4, 13.000
24. Kinde-North Huron, 172, 1-5, 10.333
25. Carsonville-Port Sanilac, 147, 1-5, 9.000
26. Tekonsha, 146, 1-5, 8.333
27. Brimley, 144, 1-5, 8.000
28. St. Joseph Michigan Lutheran *, 101, 0-6, 3.833
29. Flint Michigan School for the Deaf, 56, 0-6, 3.000
30. Litchfield, 106, 0-6, 3.000
31. St. Helen Charlton Heston Academy, 54, 0-6, 1.533
Prout Powers Pinckney with Inspiration
September 12, 2019
By Tim Robinson
Special for Second Half
Larry Prout, Jr., who wears Pinckney football jersey number 6, stands 4-foot-8 and 85 pounds.
Or slightly less than one pound for each of the 105 surgeries he’s had in his young life.
He can’t play football — his body is much too fragile, despite a strong desire to play the game — but he makes his mark with the Pirates as an inspiration.
And the Pirates put a spark into a young man who has spent a large portion of his life in hospitals.
“Everyone gets pumped when he’s around,” Pirates senior quarterback Joe Bona says. “How could you not? Larry’s a great kid, an awesome, awesome character, and what he’s gone through should push us, because it’s way harder than what we’ve ever done. I think it pushes and makes us work harder.”
Larry is the sixth of six children of Kathy and Larry Prout Sr., who have made countless trips to emergency rooms when a medical emergency has cropped up in young Larry’s life.
At one point, their living room was a hospital room for Larry, complete with bed and medical equipment as the Prout family rallied around him.
He was born with no skin covering the lower half of his torso, leaving his internal organs exposed.
He spent most of the first 18 months of his life in the hospital, and didn’t breathe on his own until he was 3 years old.
“His first word was ‘lucky,’” Kathy Prout said in a 2016 interview. “It was the craziest word. It’s like a three-legged dog named Lucky, you know? That was his first word, and we would die laughing.”
He was included as much as he could be in his siblings’ hijinks, although he spent much of his time at C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital in Ann Arbor. But Larry Jr. became well-known among Wolverines fans during the 2016 season for the inspiration he was providing to the U-M football team, with Bleacher Report referring to him as the “heartbeat of Michigan football” in a 2017 report.
He’s making that level of impact on his favorite high school team now as well.
"Being part of Pinckney and Michigan means a lot," Larry Jr. said. "It’s been really fun, seeing the players and coaches; it’s the same as at Michigan. I love going to the games and sitting on the sidelines before kickoff, and seeing my players and my friends, my best friends, and seeing Coach Jim (Harbaugh) and Coach Rod (Beaton).
Larry is home-schooled because his body isn’t strong enough to allow him to attend school on a regular basis. He takes electives at Pinckney, including photography, and loves being at school, although his parents had to set some limits.
“We found out that every time we dropped him off at school, he would go out and find Rod (Beaton, Pinckney’s football coach),” Kathy said.
“We told him, once a week,” Larry Sr. said. “Rod’s got work to do.”
That may be, but Beaton returns Larry Jr.’s admiration.
“It goes without saying that he’s truly an inspiration,” Beaton says. “I’ve never met a young person with a more positive attitude than Larry. He really does bring it every single day, every time he’s here.”
Larry also has carried the flag during Pinckney's "No Quarter," the pause between the third and fourth quarters where a student picks up a black or red flag, depending on how the Pirates are faring, and runs back and forth in front of the bleachers to rev the Pirates crowd for the fourth quarter.
He practiced at home before carrying the flag in both of Pinckney's games so far this season.
His peers return the love, too.
Last spring, Larry Jr. planned to attend Pinckney’s prom, but had to miss it due to a hospitalization.
When Larry Jr. got out of the hospital, a classmate, Alex Williams, put on her prom dress and with some fellow students put on a prom for Larry.
“We have some outstanding kids here,” Beaton said, “and it goes to speak to what we have in this community. Our kids come from such great households, with parents who raise these kids the right way. They understand what Larry’s situation is, and it uplifts us all, every time he’s out here.”
The same, the Prouts say, goes for Larry.
“I remember I loved school,” Kathy said. “I loved it when my older kids were in school. You get the pencils and the pictures and the new clothes. With Larry, I have anxiety and stress because he wants to fit in and make friends and take six classes when he can only do two or three.”
Including Larry Jr. in activities like the prom and football means a lot to all of the Prouts.
“We have a lot of gratitude, and we don’t know how to show it enough,” Kathy said, ‘We want to show our gratitude to Rod and all of the players because they’ve made Larry feel important, such a part of this Pinckney football team. It’s something we’ll never forget, something Larry will never forget.”
Larry Jr. was a part of the Michigan football team for three seasons, and among his close friends is reserve Buck West, a former Pinckney standout who often is seen at the Prout house watching game shows with Larry Jr.
“I love watching Family Feud and Steve Harvey,” Larry Jr. said. “(The Pirates) are like my brothers, just like Michigan was.”
Larry Jr. got connected to the Michigan team through an organization called Team Impact, which connects youths with life-threatening or chronic illnesses to college football teams.
Dan Kraft, the son of New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, invited the Prouts to Ford Field when the Patriots played a preseason game there last month and got them passes to be on the field during pregame.
“As I was hanging out, the camera was filming me and they said Team Impact had a surprise for me,” Larry Jr. said. “And the craziest thing is, I see Tom Brady coming up and giving me a fist-bump and a high five. I shook his hand and told him I loved seeing him play. He pointed to my (Michigan) hat and told me to make sure to beat the Buckeyes this season. I told him I would make sure to do that.”
After Brady left, Larry Jr. jumped for joy, no mean feat for a young man who uses a wheelchair for anything but short walks.
“When he gets excited, he jumps,” Kathy said. “He can clear eight inches, which is pretty awesome, because they said he would never walk.”
At Pinckney practice, Larry Jr. hands out encouragement and banters with players who are, in many cases, a foot taller than him.
While he basks in the glow of being part of a team, he contributes to the Pirates something they might not have learned otherwise.
“The lesson I take is that it’s not as bad as what it’s going to be,” senior running back Sal Patierno said. “What we go through, you just think of what he’s gone through, and it makes you want to go harder. Just keep fighting. I know he’s fought harder than any of us.”
“It makes you think,” Bona said. “It makes you work harder.”
“He uplifts us all, every time he’s out here,” Beaton said.
PHOTOS: (Top) Larry Prout Jr. carries the Pinckney "No Quarter" flag in front of the crowd during the Pirates’ Week 2 game at Chelsea. (Middle) Then-senior Pirates quarterback Jack Wurzer spelled out Prout’s name on his helmet in 2017 from bones the players receive for outstanding efforts. (Below) Prout’s friends put on a prom for him after Prout, in purple shirt and tie, missed the school’s event this spring while hospitalized. (Photos courtesy of the Prout family and Tim Robinson.)