2014 Week 8 Football Playoff Listing
October 14, 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 seventh 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, 6-1, 92.286
2. Sterling Heights Stevenson^, 2767, 5-2, 75.143
3. Clarkston, 2742, 7-0, 107.429
4. Utica Eisenhower, 2712, 4-3, 65.714
5. Grand Blanc^, 2668, 5-2, 68.857
6. East Kentwood, 2592, 6-1, 85.143
7. Rockford, 2555, 6-1, 94.286
8. Clinton Township Chippewa Valley, 2538, 4-3, 63.429
9. Lake Orion, 2459, 4-3, 55.429
10. Dearborn Fordson, 2411, 7-0, 101.714
11. Northville^, 2298, 5-2, 67.571
12. Holland West Ottawa^, 2293, 5-2, 77.571
13. Canton, 2289, 6-1, 93.286
14. Detroit Cass Tech, 2277, 7-0, 101.714
15. Plymouth^, 2116, 5-2, 67.714
16. Lapeer, 2112, 7-0, 94.857
17. Utica Ford, 2090, 4-3, 53.000
18. Hartland, 2007, 6-1, 92.857
19. Monroe^, 1992, 5-2, 73.571
20. West Bloomfield, 1929, 6-1, 87.714
21. Dearborn, 1876, 4-3, 60.571
22. Westland John Glenn, 1872, 4-3, 52.286
23. Warren Mott, 1870, 4-3, 63.429
24. Oxford^, 1864, 5-2, 73.571
25. Livonia Stevenson^, 1848, 5-2, 67.286
26. Saline, 1844, 6-1, 90.086
27. Walled Lake Central^, 1815, 5-2, 74.429
28. Romeo, 1770, 4-3, 61.000
29. Hudsonville, 1759, 4-3, 58.000
30. Waterford Mott^, 1738, 5-2, 74.429
31. Rochester Hills Stoney Creek, 1711, 4-3, 54.429
32. Livonia Churchill, 1696, 6-1, 85.286
33. Grand Ledge, 1689, 4-3, 55.714
34. Fraser, 1684, 4-3, 57.429
35. Waterford Kettering, 1610, 4-3, 53.286
36. Temperance Bedford, 1600, 4-3, 59.571
37. Warren Cousino, 1588, 4-3, 59.571
38. Flint Carman-Ainsworth, 1568, 6-1, 84.000
39. Warren DeLaSalle, 1562, 4-3, 50.886
40. Detroit Martin Luther King, 1507, 7-0, 101.714
41. Walled Lake Western, 1502, 6-1, 87.429
42. Traverse City Central^, 1490, 5-2, 77.429
43. Oak Park, 1486, 6-1, 86.571
44. Brownstown Woodhaven, 1484, 7-0, 107.429
45. Ypsilanti Lincoln^, 1422, 5-2, 65.857
46. Caledonia^, 1417, 5-2, 76.143
47. Portage Central*, 1384, 5-1, 83.000
48. Southgate Anderson, 1374, 4-3, 54.429
49. Lansing Everett^, 1364, 5-2, 68.571
50. Dearborn Edsel Ford, 1356, 4-3, 54.857
51. Wyandotte Roosevelt^, 1351, 5-2, 74.714
52. Detroit East English^, 1345, 5-2, 69.143
53. Portage Northern, 1345, 4-3, 61.048
54. Port Huron^, 1336, 5-2, 76.714
55. Grosse Pointe North, 1310, 4-3, 59.857
56. Ypsilanti Community^, 1300, 5-2, 64.857
57. Birmingham Brother Rice, 1298, 7-0, 107.429
58. Swartz Creek, 1285, 4-3, 56.571
59. Battle Creek Lakeview*, 1278, 5-1, 84.238
60. Muskegon Mona Shores, 1274, 6-1, 94.429
61. Okemos, 1273, 4-3, 61.000
62. Birmingham Groves, 1270, 6-1, 81.857
63. Berkley, 1265, 6-1, 83.000
64. Flushing, 1260, 6-1, 86.000
65. Midland Dow, 1255, 7-0, 101.714
66. South Lyon, 1254, 6-1, 87.143
67. Southfield^, 1239, 5-2, 68.857
68. Farmington Hills Harrison, 1212, 6-1, 88.714
69. Mattawan, 1184, 4-3, 54.476
70. Fenton, 1181, 7-0, 100.571
71. Farmington, 1178, 6-1, 86.429
72. Grand Rapids Northview^, 1177, 5-2, 66.429
73. Warren Woods Tower, 1175, 6-1, 81.857
74. Muskegon, 1157, 7-0, 101.714
75. St. Clair Shores Lake Shore, 1153, 4-3, 52.429
76. Lowell, 1145, 7-0, 96.000
77. Detroit Renaissance^, 1144, 5-2, 62.714
78. Greenville, 1130, 4-3, 47.000
79. Gibraltar Carlson, 1129, 4-3, 51.000
80. Battle Creek Central, 1124, 4-3, 53.238
81. Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern, 1113, 6-1, 85.286
82. Detroit Cody, 1096, 4-3, 51.000
83. Marquette, 1090, 6-1, 76.857
84. St. Johns, 1088, 6-1, 84.286
85. Byron Center, 1085, 6-1, 80.714
86. Allen Park, 1069, 6-1, 83.143
87. Auburn Hills Avondale, 1056, 4-3, 51.286
88. Orchard Lake St. Mary's, 1054, 6-1, 90.000
89. Mt. Pleasant^, 1050, 5-2, 65.714
90. Mason, 1032, 4-3, 54.571
91. St. Joseph, 1028, 4-3, 53.143
92. Redford Thurston, 1024, 4-3, 54.286
93. East Grand Rapids, 986, 4-3, 58.286
94. Petoskey^, 965, 5-2, 68.857
95. Trenton, 955, 4-3, 52.429
96. Romulus^, 950, 5-2, 58.714
97. Riverview^, 935, 5-2, 61.000
98. DeWitt, 930, 7-0, 102.857
99. Gaylord^, 927, 5-2, 65.429
100. Linden^, 921, 5-2, 66.714
101. Detroit Mumford, 919, 4-3, 54.571
102. Middleville Thornapple Kellogg, 914, 4-3, 50.571
103. Cedar Springs, 910, 6-1, 81.571
104. Grand Rapids Christian^, 895, 5-2, 70.286
105. Fruitport, 890, 4-3, 51.000
106. Stevensville Lakeshore, 887, 6-1, 88.476
107. Niles^, 885, 5-2, 66.238
108. Coldwater, 876, 6-1, 67.143
109. Tecumseh, 869, 4-3, 58.000
110. New Boston Huron, 867, 6-1, 78.571
111. Warren Fitzgerald, 857, 4-3, 49.571
112. Zeeland West, 850, 7-0, 86.857
113. Dearborn Divine Child^, 848, 5-2, 61.571
114. Bay City John Glenn^, 847, 5-2, 55.286
115. Battle Creek Harper Creek, 845, 4-3, 47.857
116. St. Clair, 844, 6-1, 84.286
117. Edwardsburg, 839, 6-1, 77.143
118. Chelsea^, 838, 5-2, 70.857
119. Detroit Old Redford, 837, 4-3, 42.000
120. Charlotte, 836, 4-3, 45.000
121. Plainwell, 812, 6-1, 72.714
122. Marysville, 806, 4-3, 52.571
123. Spring Lake, 802, 4-3, 48.429
124. Detroit Denby, 800, 4-3, 59.000
125. Vicksburg^, 794, 5-2, 65.143
126. Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook-Kingswood^, 790, 5-2, 48.000
127. Eaton Rapids, 773, 4-3, 47.714
128. Cadillac, 747, 7-0, 100.571
129. Goodrich, 737, 6-1, 74.000
130. Three Rivers, 722, 4-3, 56.714
131. Dearborn Heights Robichaud, 717, 7-0, 87.238
132. Yale^, 716, 5-2, 55.286
133. Harper Woods Chandler Park Academy^, 691, 5-2, 60.286
134. Detroit Country Day, 690, 4-3, 51.714
135. Allendale, 689, 4-3, 49.857
136. Muskegon Orchard View, 662, 4-3, 45.143
137. Williamston, 659, 6-1, 75.143
138. Paw Paw, 657, 4-3, 47.571
139. Grand Rapids Catholic Central, 655, 4-3, 51.018
140. Lansing Sexton, 652, 7-0, 105.143
141. Whitehall, 644, 6-1, 64.714
142. Grosse Ile^, 640, 5-2, 58.714
143. Kalamazoo Hackett^, 635, 5-2, 51.429
144. Detroit Collegiate Prep, 634, 4-3, 45.143
145. Richmond, 630, 6-1, 75.143
146. Imlay City, 629, 4-3, 40.571
147. Grand Rapids South Christian^, 623, 5-2, 64.000
148. Wyoming Kelloggsville^, 610, 5-2, 56.286
149. Wyoming Godwin Heights, 609, 4-3, 40.429
150. Saginaw Swan Valley, 602, 7-0, 83.429
151. Clawson, 589, 4-3, 43.429
152. Birch Run, 575, 6-1, 69.286
153. Essexville Garber, 574, 4-3, 45.714
154. Remus Chippewa Hills, 567, 6-1, 74.714
155. Marine City, 553, 7-0, 88.000
156. Flint Powers Catholic^, 553, 5-2, 65.571
157. Freeland, 549, 6-1, 69.429
158. Ann Arbor Gabriel Richard^, 545, 5-2, 52.095
159. Stanton Central Montcalm, 539, 4-3, 50.857
160. Portland, 538, 4-3, 51.143
161. Menominee, 532, 7-0, 90.381
162. River Rouge, 530, 6-1, 72.167
163. Detroit University Prep^, 530, 5-2, 58.571
164. Frankenmuth, 528, 6-1, 72.857
165. Gladwin^, 528, 5-2, 49.429
166. Ida, 527, 6-1, 64.714
167. Hopkins, 522, 6-1, 71.667
168. Lansing Catholic, 515, 7-0, 90.286
169. Almont, 512, 7-0, 82.286
170. Newaygo, 506, 6-1, 70.429
171. Olivet, 505, 6-1, 70.143
172. Muskegon Oakridge, 501, 6-1, 68.286
173. Berrien Springs^, 501, 5-2, 57.857
174. Onsted^, 499, 5-2, 44.857
175. Ovid-Elsie, 487, 4-3, 48.857
176. Chesaning, 480, 4-3, 43.714
177. Detroit Central Collegiate, 479, 4-3, 46.429
178. Manistee, 479, 4-3, 42.571
179. Stockbridge, 462, 4-3, 47.286
180. Reed City, 461, 6-1, 68.143
181. Clare^, 445, 5-2, 55.286
182. Harrison, 444, 7-0, 70.857
183. Kingsley, 439, 4-3, 45.286
184. Grand Rapids West Catholic, 438, 7-0, 88.000
185. Delton Kellogg, 428, 4-3, 41.952
186. Lakeview, 426, 6-1, 56.000
187. Beaverton, 422, 4-3, 39.714
188. Calumet, 419, 4-3, 49.429
189. Jonesville, 419, 4-3, 37.714
190. Jackson Lumen Christi, 417, 7-0, 86.857
191. Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central, 417, 7-0, 96.000
192. Negaunee, 417, 4-3, 39.286
193. Millington, 414, 7-0, 86.629
194. Warren Michigan Collegiate, 414, 7-0, 80.000
195. Fennville, 407, 4-3, 38.143
196. Ithaca, 405, 7-0, 83.429
197. Sanford Meridian Early College^, 404, 5-2, 43.714
198. Mason County Central, 404, 4-3, 36.000
199. Hillsdale, 401, 6-1, 62.571
200. Hanover-Horton, 399, 6-1, 54.429
201. Boyne City, 395, 7-0, 72.381
202. Grass Lake^, 395, 5-2, 45.857
203. Madison Heights Madison, 393, 6-1, 83.000
204. Morley Stanwood, 393, 4-3, 38.143
205. Montrose, 392, 6-1, 62.429
206. Tawas^, 385, 5-2, 59.800
207. Elk Rapids, 384, 4-3, 44.095
208. Niles Brandywine, 383, 6-1, 66.810
209. Manchester, 379, 6-1, 68.286
210. Watervliet, 378, 6-1, 54.429
211. Quincy^, 375, 5-2, 27.778
212. Vassar, 375, 4-3, 35.286
213. St. Charles, 373, 4-3, 45.429
214. Constantine, 371, 6-1, 68.524
215. Bad Axe, 371, 4-3, 41.143
216. Clinton, 367, 7-0, 75.429
217. Vandercook Lake^, 366, 5-2, 48.286
218. Laingsburg, 361, 4-3, 36.286
219. Schoolcraft, 361, 4-3, 48.381
220. Charlevoix, 353, 4-3, 45.286
221. Flint Beecher, 350, 7-0, 80.000
222. Grand Rapids NorthPointe Christian, 347, 6-1, 70.429
223. Leroy Pine River, 343, 4-3, 39.429
224. Ravenna, 342, 6-1, 60.143
225. Carson City-Crystal^, 330, 5-2, 48.381
226. Bridgman*, 327, 5-1, 59.000
227. Ishpeming Westwood^, 318, 5-2, 43.571
228. Marlette^, 316, 5-2, 46.286
229. Lawton, 316, 4-3, 33.571
230. Cass City, 314, 4-3, 38.714
231. Homer, 312, 6-1, 54.286
232. Elkton-Pigeon-Bay Port Laker, 308, 7-0, 68.571
233. Ishpeming*, 307, 7-0, 78.857
234. Sandusky, 307, 4-3, 40.143
235. Traverse City St. Francis^, 305, 5-2, 55.810
236. Burton Atherton^, 304, 5-2, 54.262
237. Pewamo-Westphalia, 302, 6-1, 57.857
238. Gobles, 301, 6-1, 56.857
239. Dansville^, 301, 5-2, 47.286
240. Iron Mountain, 298, 4-3, 42.000
241. Riverview Gabriel Richard, 297, 4-3, 46.333
242. Flint Hamady, 295, 4-3, 34.286
243. McBain, 295, 4-3, 37.048
244. Union City, 294, 7-0, 67.429
245. Whittemore-Prescott, 283, 7-0, 74.286
246. Mancelona, 282, 4-3, 28.571
247. Saugatuck^, 281, 5-2, 44.714
248. Detroit Loyola, 278, 7-0, 91.810
249. Manton^, 276, 5-2, 43.619
250. Royal Oak Shrine Catholic^, 273, 5-2, 53.429
251. Hudson, 271, 6-1, 61.286
252. Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett, 270, 6-1, 60.000
253. Cassopolis, 269, 4-3, 34.714
254. Decatur, 262, 7-0, 81.143
255. Lincoln Alcona, 260, 4-3, 33.714
256. Iron River West Iron County, 259, 7-0, 78.143
257. New Lothrop, 259, 7-0, 74.286
258. Blanchard Montabella, 256, 4-3, 41.714
259. Breckenridge, 247, 4-3, 39.286
260. Onekama, 244, 4-3, 31.571
261. Saginaw Michigan Lutheran Seminary, 243, 6-1, 61.429
262. Suttons Bay, 243, 6-1, 63.976
263. Indian River Inland Lakes, 242, 6-1, 47.714
264. Ottawa Lake Whiteford, 238, 4-3, 37.429
265. Johannesburg-Lewiston, 237, 6-1, 50.000
266. Petersburg-Summerfield, 233, 4-3, 41.143
267. Harbor Beach, 232, 7-0, 72.000
268. Bessemer*^, 231, 4-2, 35.750
269. L'Anse, 230, 4-3, 36.286
270. White Pigeon, 226, 4-3, 37.952
271. Beal City, 222, 6-1, 66.000
272. Lutheran Westland^, 221, 5-2, 47.000
273. AuGres-Sims, 221, 4-3, 29.000
274. Coleman, 217, 6-1, 55.667
275. Mendon, 214, 6-1, 65.286
276. St. Ignace, 211, 7-0, 68.571
277. Fulton, 211, 4-3, 41.000
278. Newberry, 211, 4-3, 31.667
279. Pittsford^, 205, 5-2, 38.905
280. Munising, 194, 6-1, 51.524
281. Bark River-Harris^, 194, 5-2, 39.095
282. Central Lake, 190, 4-3, 29.714
283. Fowler, 189, 7-0, 66.286
284. Morenci, 184, 6-1, 66.000
285. Muskegon Catholic Central, 183, 7-0, 90.286
286. Sterling Heights Parkway Christian, 171, 4-3, 43.905
287. Climax-Scotts, 169, 7-0, 50.286
288. Waterford Our Lady, 169, 6-1, 69.429
289. Crystal Falls Forest Park*, 167, 5-1, 45.321
290. Lake Linden-Hubbell, 163, 6-1, 60.179
291. Frankfort*, 156, 5-1, 51.762
292. Colon*^, 156, 4-2, 36.667
293. Hillman, 139, 7-0, 59.429
294. Baldwin, 137, 6-1, 51.000
295. Mt. Pleasant Sacred Heart, 124, 4-3, 42.381
296. Clarkston Everest Collegiate*, 105, 6-0, 62.476
8-Player Playoff Listing
1. Rapid River, 108, 7-0, 55.429
2. Peck, 158, 7-0, 54.857
3. Battle Creek St. Philip, 157, 7-0, 52.571
4. Bellaire, 151, 7-0, 52.000
5. Portland St. Patrick, 96, 7-0, 51.429
6. Lawrence, 191, 7-0, 44.571
7. Deckerville, 183, 6-1, 44.286
8. Cedarville, 158, 6-1, 44.286
9. Owendale-Gagetown, 49, 6-1, 41.571
10. Waldron, 89, 5-2, 34.857
11. Kingston, 191, 4-3, 33.286
12. Morrice, 196, 4-3, 29.381
13. Big Rapids Crossroads Academy, 188, 3-4, 24.238
14. Burr Oak, 69, 4-3, 24.000
15. Caseville, 81, 3-4, 23.714
16. Engadine, 85, 3-4, 22.714
17. New Haven Merritt Academy, 145, 4-3, 22.286
18. Posen, 90, 3-4, 21.000
19. Ontonagon*, 138, 3-3, 18.857
20. Webberville, 189, 3-4, 18.714
21. Ewen-Trout Creek, 135, 2-5, 13.286
22. Eben Junction Superior Central, 126, 2-5, 13.286
23. Akron-Fairgrove, 99, 2-5, 11.571
24. Kinde-North Huron, 172, 1-6, 11.143
25. Carsonville-Port Sanilac, 147, 1-6, 9.286
26. St. Joseph Michigan Lutheran*, 101, 1-6, 8.429
27. Tekonsha, 146, 1-6, 8.000
28. Brimley, 144, 1-6, 7.619
29. Litchfield, 106, 0-7, 3.000
30. Flint Michigan School for the Deaf, 56, 0-7, 2.571
31. St. Helen Charlton Heston Academy, 54, 0-7, 2.476
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.)