2015 Week 7 Football Playoff Listing
October 6, 2015
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Here 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. 30. 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. 30.
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 at 7 p.m. Oct. 25 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, 2921, 4-2, 72.167
2. Grand Blanc, 2727, 4-2, 64.667
3. Clarkston, 2707, 4-2, 66.667
4. Utica Eisenhower, 2669, 3-3, 56.333
5. Sterling Heights Stevenson ^, 2634, 5-1, 82.000
6. Clinton Township Chippewa Valley ^, 2611, 5-1, 92.500
7. East Kentwood, 2581, 4-2, 69.000
8. Howell ^, 2567, 5-1, 77.833
9. Rockford, 2561, 4-2, 69.667
10. Dearborn Fordson, 2477, 3-3, 47.000
11. Detroit Cass Tech ^, 2285, 5-1, 84.833
12. Northville, 2281, 6-0, 97.333
13. Brighton ^, 2211, 5-1, 50.000
14. Troy Athens, 2153, 3-3, 48.333
15. Detroit Catholic Central ^, 2138, 5-1, 74.100
16. Utica Ford, 2080, 4-2, 70.833
17. Canton ^, 2076, 5-1, 80.500
18. Monroe, 2066, 3-3, 49.500
19. Salem, 2063, 3-3, 51.333
20. Lapeer, 2059, 6-0, 88.000
21. Plymouth ^, 2057, 5-1, 77.667
22. Ann Arbor Pioneer ^, 2025, 5-1, 80.833
23. Hartland, 2017, 4-2, 66.667
24. Novi, 2017, 3-3, 48.333
25. Macomb L'Anse Creuse North, 2001, 3-3, 51.000
26. New Baltimore Anchor Bay, 1946, 3-3, 48.833
27. West Bloomfield, 1932, 6-0, 97.333
28. Dearborn, 1921, 3-3, 47.333
29. Saline *, 1879, 6-0, 96.000
30. Livonia Stevenson ^, 1831, 5-1, 83.500
31. Grandville, 1825, 3-3, 47.000
32. Warren Mott ^, 1810, 5-1, 84.667
33. Holt, 1788, 4-2, 59.833
34. Utica, 1788, 3-3, 52.667
35. Davison, 1765, 4-2, 60.833
36. Hudsonville ^, 1763, 5-1, 88.333
37. Belleville ^, 1735, 5-1, 81.667
38. Ann Arbor Skyline, 1703, 3-3, 41.333
39. Romeo, 1673, 6-0, 104.000
40. Grand Ledge, 1663, 6-0, 89.333
41. Rochester Hills Stoney Creek, 1654, 3-3, 44.833
42. Waterford Mott, 1651, 3-3, 45.500
43. Grosse Pointe South, 1629, 4-2, 66.500
44. Livonia Churchill, 1620, 4-2, 61.333
45. Livonia Franklin, 1615, 3-3, 42.000
46. Walled Lake Northern, 1611, 4-2, 65.500
47. Warren DeLaSalle ^, 1572, 5-1, 83.500
48. Sterling Heights ^, 1561, 5-1, 72.500
49. Detroit Martin Luther King, 1537, 6-0, 104.000
50. Flint Carman-Ainsworth, 1533, 3-3, 44.500
51. Oak Park, 1530, 3-3, 48.667
52. Warren Cousino, 1514, 4-2, 61.000
53. Waterford Kettering, 1512, 3-3, 46.833
54. Detroit U-D Jesuit, 1486, 4-2, 58.933
55. Traverse City Central, 1474, 6-0, 100.000
56. Walled Lake Western, 1462, 6-0, 106.667
57. Midland, 1419, 6-0, 93.333
58. Jenison, 1418, 3-3, 51.833
59. Dearborn Edsel Ford, 1380, 3-3, 42.667
60. Portage Northern, 1375, 3-3, 45.667
61. Lincoln Park, 1363, 4-2, 63.500
62. Portage Central, 1351, 6-0, 97.333
63. Wyandotte Roosevelt ^, 1346, 5-1, 81.833
64. Battle Creek Lakeview, 1344, 4-2, 66.500
65. Grosse Pointe North, 1341, 3-3, 45.333
66. Detroit East English, 1338, 4-2, 61.500
67. Swartz Creek, 1322, 3-3, 50.167
68. Southfield-Lathrup, 1320, 4-2, 55.833
69. Dearborn Heights Crestwood, 1308, 3-3, 37.167
70. Alpena, 1285, 3-3, 35.767
71. Grand Rapids Ottawa Hills, 1280, 4-2, 58.167
72. Southfield, 1269, 4-2, 69.333
73. North Farmington, 1267, 3-3, 46.333
74. Port Huron Northern, 1260, 4-2, 56.500
75. Midland Dow ^, 1256, 5-1, 75.167
76. Berkley ^, 1248, 5-1, 71.167
77. Birmingham Groves, 1248, 6-0, 88.000
78. Royal Oak, 1248, 3-3, 45.333
79. Jackson, 1244, 4-2, 55.833
80. Flushing, 1242, 3-3, 48.167
81. Muskegon Mona Shores, 1239, 6-0, 100.000
82. Muskegon Reeths-Puffer, 1222, 3-3, 41.667
83. Farmington Hills Harrison ^, 1218, 5-1, 81.833
84. Grand Rapids Northview, 1183, 3-3, 46.000
85. Farmington, 1176, 4-2, 64.833
86. Mattawan, 1175, 3-3, 47.000
87. Lowell ^, 1168, 5-1, 86.167
88. Gibraltar Carlson, 1140, 4-2, 61.333
89. Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern ^, 1124, 5-1, 81.833
90. East Lansing, 1123, 3-3, 49.667
91. Battle Creek Central, 1115, 3-3, 50.833
92. Muskegon ^, 1113, 5-1, 90.000
93. Fenton ^, 1108, 5-1, 81.833
94. Ypsilanti Community, 1088, 3-3, 42.667
95. Byron Center ^, 1070, 5-1, 75.333
96. Holly, 1068, 4-2, 69.167
97. Redford Thurston, 1064, 3-3, 52.667
98. Mt. Pleasant, 1061, 4-2, 63.000
99. Ortonville-Brandon, 1060, 3-3, 47.000
100. Allen Park ^, 1058, 5-1, 86.000
101. St. Johns ^, 1053, 5-1, 83.333
102. Zeeland East, 1040, 3-3, 59.333
103. Mason, 1033, 4-2, 61.500
104. Orchard Lake St. Mary's *, 1032, 5-1, 83.524
105. Grand Rapids Kenowa Hills, 1030, 3-3, 48.167
106. Hamtramck, 984, 4-2, 48.333
107. St. Joseph ^, 980, 5-1, 80.500
108. East Grand Rapids, 975, 4-2, 70.500
109. Petoskey, 970, 4-2, 57.267
110. DeWitt, 960, 6-0, 101.333
111. Romulus, 956, 4-2, 63.833
112. Trenton ^, 953, 5-1, 78.000
113. Linden ^, 947, 5-1, 86.167
114. Cedar Springs, 943, 4-2, 60.000
115. Gaylord ^, 940, 5-1, 65.100
116. Sturgis ^, 926, 5-1, 66.833
117. Riverview, 912, 4-2, 49.500
118. Grand Rapids Christian, 905, 4-2, 65.333
119. Parma Western, 876, 4-2, 56.167
120. Haslett, 875, 3-3, 50.000
121. Stevensville Lakeshore, 874, 4-2, 70.667
122. Warren Fitzgerald, 871, 3-3, 40.667
123. Fruitport, 865, 3-3, 38.933
124. Coldwater, 863, 6-0, 92.000
125. Marshall ^, 863, 5-1, 79.500
126. Vicksburg, 858, 4-2, 54.833
127. Edwardsburg, 851, 6-0, 81.333
128. Sault Ste. Marie, 850, 4-2, 67.400
129. Bay City John Glenn, 847, 4-2, 49.600
130. Chelsea, 845, 6-0, 82.667
131. Tecumseh, 844, 3-3, 45.000
132. Zeeland West, 840, 6-0, 89.333
133. Detroit Mumford, 837, 3-3, 46.667
134. Ada Forest Hills Eastern, 828, 6-0, 86.667
135. Dearborn Divine Child, 827, 3-3, 44.500
136. Milan ^, 820, 5-1, 72.667
137. Battle Creek Harper Creek, 816, 3-3, 41.167
138. Plainwell, 807, 4-2, 52.833
139. Fowlerville, 800, 3-3, 44.833
140. Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood, 794, 6-0, 72.000
141. Spring Lake, 794, 3-3, 39.767
142. Detroit Denby, 790, 3-3, 47.000
143. Marysville, 783, 4-2, 62.333
144. Holland Christian, 759, 3-3, 40.833
145. North Branch, 758, 3-3, 40.000
146. Goodrich, 754, 4-2, 55.667
147. Pontiac Notre Dame Prep, 728, 5-1, 79.167
148. Allendale, 720, 3-3, 39.000
149. Detroit Douglass, 718, 3-3, 37.667
150. Warren Lincoln, 697, 3-3, 41.500
151. Harper Woods Chandler Park Academy, 692, 4-2, 53.433
152. Detroit Country Day ^, 685, 5-1, 71.167
153. Comstock Park ^, 682, 5-1, 75.500
154. Detroit Cesar Chavez Academy, 681, 4-2, 40.167
155. Croswell-Lexington, 668, 4-2, 46.833
156. St. Clair Shores South Lake, 668, 6-0, 84.000
157. Hudsonville Unity Christian, 665, 4-2, 49.167
158. Grand Rapids Catholic Central ^, 658, 5-1, 77.833
159. Williamston, 657, 4-2, 58.333
160. Corunna ^, 656, 5-1, 69.833
161. Whitehall, 656, 3-3, 42.333
162. Paw Paw, 653, 3-3, 43.000
163. Alma, 642, 3-3, 41.833
164. Wyoming Kelloggsville, 640, 3-3, 33.667
165. Detroit Collegiate Prep, 632, 6-0, 82.667
166. Benton Harbor, 631, 3-3, 51.000
167. Lake Fenton, 625, 4-2, 53.500
168. Lake Odessa Lakewood, 624, 6-0, 72.000
169. Saginaw Valley Lutheran, 620, 3-3, 36.167
170. Saginaw Swan Valley, 613, 4-2, 52.833
171. Dowagiac, 611, 3-3, 39.167
172. Flint Powers Catholic, 610, 4-2, 63.667
173. Big Rapids, 609, 4-2, 49.333
174. Richmond ^, 605, 5-1, 68.833
175. Wyoming Godwin Heights, 602, 4-2, 46.333
176. Remus Chippewa Hills ^, 600, 5-1, 65.667
177. River Rouge, 593, 6-0, 85.333
178. Clawson, 592, 4-2, 46.000
179. Birch Run, 583, 3-3, 40.500
180. Dearborn Heights Robichaud ^, 573, 5-1, 71.333
181. Gladwin, 571, 4-2, 44.833
182. Freeland, 563, 6-0, 85.333
183. Portland, 563, 6-0, 89.333
184. Essexville Garber, 557, 3-3, 42.000
185. Ann Arbor Gabriel Richard, 556, 4-2, 50.767
186. Detroit University Prep, 555, 3-3, 37.500
187. Southfield Bradford Academy, 550, 4-2, 43.667
188. Ida, 548, 6-0, 85.333
189. Kingsford, 547, 4-2, 59.267
190. Marine City, 540, 3-3, 39.667
191. Muskegon Oakridge ^, 538, 5-1, 58.900
192. Algonac, 532, 6-0, 76.000
193. Frankenmuth, 529, 6-0, 80.000
194. Olivet, 524, 4-2, 53.000
195. Chesaning, 523, 3-3, 41.500
196. Detroit Henry Ford, 523, 4-2, 46.333
197. Lansing Catholic ^, 517, 5-1, 68.833
198. Almont, 513, 6-0, 73.333
199. Onsted, 509, 4-2, 41.333
200. Detroit Central Collegiate, 508, 4-2, 47.500
201. Berrien Springs, 495, 6-0, 75.238
202. Parchment, 493, 4-2, 43.667
203. Stockbridge, 493, 4-2, 53.333
204. Ovid-Elsie, 491, 4-2, 57.667
205. Reed City, 491, 6-0, 69.867
206. Dundee, 489, 3-3, 29.500
207. Grayling, 489, 4-2, 53.500
208. Standish-Sterling, 489, 3-3, 35.667
209. Clinton Township Clintondale, 486, 4-2, 59.667
210. Menominee, 480, 6-0, 84.571
211. Harper Woods, 476, 4-2, 41.333
212. Manistee ^, 469, 5-1, 58.100
213. Brooklyn Columbia Central ^, 463, 5-1, 60.833
214. Buchanan, 459, 6-0, 80.000
215. Houghton, 443, 3-3, 28.952
216. Grand Rapids West Catholic, 442, 4-2, 58.667
217. Clare, 437, 3-3, 33.000
218. Kalkaska, 437, 3-3, 33.500
219. Kingsley, 431, 3-3, 35.000
220. Harrison ^, 430, 5-1, 57.667
221. Hillsdale, 430, 4-2, 53.500
222. Pinconning, 430, 3-3, 30.333
223. Jackson Lumen Christi, 426, 4-2, 58.833
224. Warren Michigan Collegiate, 421, 4-2, 54.833
225. Calumet, 419, 4-2, 47.919
226. Lakeview, 417, 4-2, 42.000
227. Sanford Meridian Early College, 408, 6-0, 68.000
228. Michigan Center, 406, 3-3, 30.667
229. Detroit Pershing, 405, 3-3, 33.333
230. Ithaca, 402, 6-0, 76.000
231. Byron, 399, 4-2, 44.167
232. Delton Kellogg ^, 398, 5-1, 61.833
233. Millington ^, 398, 5-1, 71.500
234. Montague, 396, 6-0, 73.333
235. Burton Bendle ^, 393, 5-1, 58.167
236. Oscoda, 391, 4-2, 35.667
237. Detroit Edison Public School Academy, 390, 4-2, 37.000
238. Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central, 389, 6-0, 85.333
239. Montrose, 386, 3-3, 35.000
240. Morley Stanwood, 386, 4-2, 47.833
241. Constantine, 385, 3-3, 39.500
242. Negaunee, 385, 6-0, 68.000
243. Maple City Glen Lake, 384, 4-2, 45.167
244. Boyne City ^, 383, 5-1, 60.833
245. Niles Brandywine, 380, 4-2, 44.200
246. Adrian Madison, 379, 3-3, 32.667
247. Vassar ^, 377, 5-1, 54.000
248. Mason County Central, 376, 4-2, 50.500
249. St Louis, 374, 3-3, 33.167
250. Laingsburg ^, 373, 5-1, 46.000
251. Watervliet ^, 372, 5-1, 62.167
252. Madison Heights Madison ^, 367, 5-1, 70.167
253. Manchester ^, 365, 5-1, 52.833
254. Ravenna, 357, 3-3, 31.333
255. Schoolcraft, 357, 6-0, 73.333
256. Charlevoix, 350, 4-2, 42.500
257. Leroy Pine River, 349, 3-3, 37.500
258. Quincy, 346, 3-3, 28.667
259. Grand Rapids NorthPointe Christian, 345, 6-0, 72.000
260. St. Charles, 345, 3-3, 37.833
261. Lawton ^, 342, 5-1, 52.833
262. Vandercook Lake, 341, 6-0, 62.667
263. Clinton, 335, 6-0, 66.667
264. Lake City, 331, 3-3, 41.833
265. Traverse City St. Francis, 320, 6-0, 80.000
266. Ishpeming Westwood, 315, 3-3, 39.205
267. Hesperia, 310, 6-0, 62.667
268. Sandusky, 310, 6-0, 69.333
269. Iron Mountain, 309, 4-2, 40.300
270. McBain, 307, 4-2, 50.833
271. Hartford, 305, 3-3, 35.500
272. Cass City, 304, 4-2, 42.333
273. Bridgman ^, 303, 5-1, 48.833
274. Gobles, 301, 4-2, 47.667
275. Marlette, 298, 3-3, 32.167
276. Union City, 298, 3-3, 29.167
277. Burton Atherton, 296, 3-3, 27.333
278. Elkton-Pigeon-Bay Port Laker, 296, 3-3, 35.167
279. Wyoming Tri-unity Christian, 296, 3-3, 29.033
280. Homer ^, 294, 5-1, 56.500
281. Pewamo-Westphalia, 292, 6-0, 61.333
282. Rochester Hills Lutheran Northwest, 292, 3-3, 30.833
283. Flint Hamady ^, 291, 5-1, 51.333
284. Dansville ^, 289, 5-1, 50.167
285. Springport, 287, 3-3, 29.833
286. Saginaw Nouvel ^, 285, 5-1, 57.100
287. Riverview Gabriel Richard ^, 284, 5-1, 56.833
Davison's McRill Packs Plenty of Thrills
August 30, 2016
By Bill Khan
Special for Second Half
DAVISON — The sense of excitement is palpable when Brenden McRill recalls one of the biggest adrenaline rushes he's had on a football field.
He's in his third year as Davison's starting quarterback, but it's the one time he got to play on the other side of the ball that makes McRill really light up.
Although he's put up impressive numbers at the game's most glamorous position, the opportunity to make eight tackles as a safety in a first-round playoff loss to Lapeer last season was about as fun as it gets for McRill.
"Oh, it felt great," he said. "I was so excited for that, because I hadn't played defense since my freshman year. I was ready to go out there and hit somebody."
Spoken like a true ... wrestler.
The willingness to absorb punishment is considered a barometer of toughness for a quarterback, and McRill is certainly willing to do that for the good of the team. Most quarterbacks, however, don't get as hyped as McRill to deliver a blow.
But he isn't wired like most quarterbacks, which is why Davison coach Kyle Zimmerman could confidently add the following hash tag to a Twitter post about McRill: #MyQBIsTougherThanYours.
The groundwork for McRill's unique makeup was forged on the wrestling mats of the Davison youth program and fine-tuned at the high school level under the guidance of Roy Hall, who has coached the Cardinals to six MHSAA team championships and four runner-up finishes since 2000.
McRill was the MHSAA Division 1 champion at 189 pounds as a junior.
"It definitely makes me different, because I love to hit," McRill said of his wrestling background. "If I'm near the sideline and see a guy, I'm going for the hit; I'm not sliding. That aggressiveness and toughness has definitely helped me."
While McRill is as tough as they come, Zimmerman is reluctant to have his quarterback playing both ways on a regular basis.
"To be honest, he probably should play defense," Zimmerman said. "He's one of our best defenders. At the first day of practice, everybody does drills to simulate stuff. He's lights-out. Anything he does on a football field, he's going to excel at. He's played end for us, he's played linebacker, he's played safety, he's played quarterback.
"We've got other guys we know can play. You know it's a huge drop-off if you put yourself in a position where you could lose someone. If you see the quarterback out there, people are going to be attacking him, trying to tire him. We want him to play at a high level on offense."
And that he does.
McRill received honorable mention on The Associated Press' Division 1-2 all-state team last season as a dual-threat quarterback. As a passer, he was 68-for-136 for 1,306 yards, 13 touchdowns and seven interceptions. He also ran 161 times for 642 yards and 11 touchdowns.
In the 2016 opener against Saginaw Arthur Hill, McRill was 3-for-5 for 52 yards and two touchdowns passing to go with five carries for 27 yards and a touchdown in the first half of a 62-12 rout of the Lumberjacks.
The mission for McRill and his teammates is to get Davison back on the state high school football map. The Cardinals made the MHSAA playoffs seven straight years from 2002-08, reaching the Semifinals three times and going 65-19 during that span. In the seven years that followed, Davison went 33-33 and made the playoffs three times.
"We had three starting sophomores that first game my sophomore year," McRill said. "There was me, offensive tackle Zach Slezak, who at the time played defense, and Corran Thornton, who started at defensive end. We started it together. Our senior year, we want to make it our best and have one of the best years Davison's ever had."
On the wrestling mat, McRill knows what it's like to compete at a high level.
McRill added his name to the list of individual MHSAA champions coached by Hall when he won the Division 1 title at 189 pounds with an overtime decision over previously unbeaten Nicholas May of Kalamazoo Loy Norrix. McRill was fifth at 152 as a freshman and third at 160 as a sophomore.
"Going into high school, I planned to win it right away my freshman year," said McRill, whose only blemishes on a 38-2 junior record were against MHSAA champions. "Just with that legacy and Coach Hall's style, you're expected to win. You're working as hard as you can. ... It felt real good to get that out of the way."
He helped Davison reach the MHSAA Division 1 Team Finals in 2014 and 2016, with a semifinal appearance in between in 2015. Each of the last four years, however, Davison has lost to the eventual champion.
"It's kind of upsetting, but it will make us hold each other more accountable that we need to finish this year," McRill said. "We need to win. We've got a lot of guys back and some incoming freshmen who are ranked guys and very good. So I'm very excited for this team coming up."
McRill does what he can to maintain his sharpness as a wrestler, but he devotes most of his attention to football over the summer.
"I try to get a couple of drills in right now when the season's going," he said. "When we get to the playoffs, I try to stay off it, focus on football and stay healthy for that. Right after football, I try to get a couple days off and get ready for wrestling. I try to train hard, because I know I have a lot of catching up to do."
McRill doesn't compete in the national wrestling tournaments that many of his competitors do over the summer, but that hasn't hurt his exposure to college scouts. He is weighing offers from Central Michigan, University of Michigan and West Virginia.
Once football and wrestling seasons conclude, McRill said he may return for one final season on the baseball diamond. He grew up playing baseball, but cut back on it once he realized his college future was likely to be in football or wrestling.
He didn't play baseball as a freshman, because he was working to win the starting quarterback job the following fall. McRill was called up to the varsity baseball team as a sophomore after throwing a no-hitter on the junior varsity team.
"I think I'm going to come out my senior year," he said. "We've got a great group of guys in baseball, too. That's one that people kind of sleep on, but we could come up with something in baseball."
In the meantime, the arm that threw a no-hitter for the JV baseball team will be firing touchdown passes for a football team that could have a special season.
"The first day I saw Brenden, I knew who my quarterback was from how he competed and how he threw," said Zimmerman, whose first year at Davison was McRill's sophomore season.
"We were probably going to take our lumps early, but it's going to pay off in the long run. He was steady his sophomore year, he was good last year and he's going to explode this year."
Bill Khan served as a sportswriter at The Flint Journal from 1981-2011 and currently contributes to the State Champs! Sports Network. He can be reached at [email protected] with story ideas for Genesee, Lapeer, St. Clair, Sanilac, Huron, Tuscola, Saginaw, Bay, Arenac, Midland and Gladwin counties.
PHOTOS: (Top) Davison quarterback Brenden McRill lines up over center during his team's game last season against Saginaw. (Middle) McRill holds up his weight's bracket sheet after winning the Division 1 title at 189 pounds last winter. (Below) McRill looks to lock up during his championship match. (Click to see more from HighSchoolSportsScene.com.)