2018 Week 7 Football Playoff Listing
October 2, 2018
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.
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. 26. 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 32 programs will then be divided into two divisions of 16 each based on enrollment. The playoff in that division also begins Oct. 26.
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 Oct. 21 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, 3114, 5-1, 79.500
2. Dearborn Fordson, 2795, 5-1, 82.167
3. Utica Eisenhower, 2668, 3-3, 51.667
4. East Kentwood, 2651, 5-1, 83.500
5. Grand Blanc, 2637, 4-2, 69.667
6. Sterling Heights Stevenson, 2591, 3-3, 48.333
7. Clarkston, 2548, 6-0, 98.667
8. Rockford, 2481, 3-3, 47.167
9. Clinton Township Chippewa Valley, 2462, 6-0, 110.667
10. Detroit Cass Tech, 2432, 6-0, 92.800
11. Lake Orion, 2393, 3-3, 48.667
12. Howell, 2387, 4-2, 62.500
13. Canton, 2260, 4-2, 65.167
14. Brighton, 2202, 5-1, 84.833
15. Holland West Ottawa, 2190, 5-1, 78.000
16. Oxford, 2170, 4-2, 69.000
17. Ann Arbor Pioneer, 2115, 3-3, 45.000
18. Dearborn, 2106, 3-3, 45.833
19. Plymouth, 2060, 4-2, 65.167
20. Detroit Catholic Central, 2020, 5-1, 87.500
21. West Bloomfield, 2005, 5-1, 87.500
22. Macomb L'Anse Creuse North, 1994, 4-2, 59.500
23. Monroe, 1949, 5-1, 80.071
24. Hudsonville, 1879, 5-1, 78.100
25. Saline, 1834, 5-1, 87.500
26. Romeo, 1779, 5-1, 85.833
27. Detroit Western International, 1773, 4-2, 53.167
28. Lapeer, 1772, 6-0, 97.333
29. White Lake Lakeland, 1740, 4-2, 66.667
30. Ann Arbor Skyline, 1701, 3-3, 44.500
31. Davison, 1687, 6-0, 96.000
32. Kalamazoo Central, 1672, 4-2, 67.500
33. Belleville, 1642, 6-0, 105.333
34. Traverse City West, 1634, 4-2, 71.000
35. Brownstown Woodhaven, 1628, 5-1, 85.833
36. Rochester Adams, 1621, 3-3, 51.167
37. Grosse Pointe South, 1593, 6-0, 97.333
38. Warren Mott, 1585, 4-2, 71.000
39. Waterford Mott, 1558, 4-2, 61.000
40. Saginaw Heritage, 1541, 3-3, 42.667
41. Warren DeLaSalle, 1474, 5-1, 82.167
42. Jenison, 1464, 4-2, 69.000
43. Detroit U-D Jesuit, 1456, 3-3, 45.833
44. Livonia Franklin, 1443, 4-2, 62.000
45. Livonia Churchill, 1435, 4-2, 72.167
46. Dearborn Heights Crestwood, 1424, 6-0, 88.000
47. St Clair Shores Lakeview, 1399, 3-3, 45.500
48. Traverse City Central, 1391, 5-1, 88.500
49. Okemos, 1381, 4-2, 64.100
50. Birmingham Seaholm, 1376, 5-1, 79.500
51. Wyandotte Roosevelt, 1376, 4-2, 63.833
52. Flint Carman-Ainsworth, 1358, 3-3, 48.500
53. Oak Park, 1349, 6-0, 96.000
54. Portage Central, 1349, 4-2, 66.333
55. Royal Oak, 1335, 3-3, 48.333
56. Roseville, 1303, 4-2, 58.667
57. Birmingham Groves, 1298, 4-2, 60.167
58. Port Huron Northern, 1295, 5-1, 79.333
59. Midland, 1289, 3-3, 47.000
60. Portage Northern, 1284, 4-2, 62.500
61. Midland Dow, 1277, 4-2, 58.667
62. St. Clair Shores Lake Shore, 1276, 5-1, 76.667
63. Flushing, 1275, 4-2, 69.167
64. North Farmington, 1264, 3-3, 43.000
65. Swartz Creek, 1262, 5-1, 82.167
66. Walled Lake Western, 1258, 4-2, 62.500
67. Jackson, 1229, 6-0, 100.000
68. Ypsilanti Lincoln, 1226, 4-2, 57.500
69. South Lyon, 1225, 6-0, 96.000
70. Muskegon Mona Shores, 1215, 6-0, 98.667
71. Southgate Anderson, 1206, 3-3, 45.333
72. Dexter, 1172, 4-2, 54.667
73. Birmingham Brother Rice, 1168, 4-2, 71.924
74. Detroit Renaissance, 1168, 3-3, 39.500
75. Ferndale, 1162, 4-2, 62.667
76. Fenton, 1160, 5-1, 79.333
77. Muskegon Reeths-Puffer, 1154, 3-3, 42.833
78. Mattawan, 1153, 4-2, 62.333
79. Detroit Martin Luther King, 1149, 5-1, 70.167
80. Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern, 1142, 3-3, 46.500
81. Warren Woods Tower, 1126, 6-0, 76.000
82. Auburn Hills Avondale, 1115, 4-2, 61.167
83. Gibraltar Carlson, 1114, 5-1, 86.000
84. East Lansing, 1111, 5-1, 79.767
85. Farmington, 1111, 5-1, 84.833
86. Allen Park, 1105, 4-2, 70.500
87. Redford Thurston, 1098, 3-3, 39.500
88. Grand Rapids Northview, 1096, 4-2, 59.833
89. Garden City, 1080, 4-2, 58.167
90. South Lyon East, 1063, 4-2, 63.833
91. Mt. Pleasant, 1053, 6-0, 92.000
92. Muskegon, 1022, 6-0, 105.333
93. Battle Creek Central, 1014, 4-2, 61.533
94. St. Joseph, 1010, 4-2, 66.167
95. Gaylord, 1002, 5-1, 68.667
96. DeWitt, 1001, 6-0, 106.667
97. East Grand Rapids, 998, 4-2, 61.500
98. Zeeland West, 997, 5-1, 83.333
99. Cedar Springs, 992, 5-1, 80.833
100. Warren Fitzgerald, 981, 3-3, 43.333
101. Linden, 977, 3-3, 48.500
102. Mason, 968, 3-3, 40.167
103. St. Johns, 955, 3-3, 47.000
104. Zeeland East, 955, 5-1, 75.333
105. Marquette, 952, 3-3, 47.167
106. Petoskey, 948, 3-3, 46.000
107. Detroit Mumford, 943, 5-1, 71.167
108. Trenton, 914, 4-2, 66.500
109. Riverview, 913, 5-1, 68.500
110. Middleville Thornapple Kellogg, 903, 5-1, 71.333
111. River Rouge, 897, 5-1, 68.833
112. Haslett, 895, 5-1, 79.333
113. Ortonville-Brandon, 887, 5-1, 81.833
114. Grand Rapids Christian, 886, 5-1, 82.167
115. Parma Western, 870, 5-1, 67.500
116. Stevensville Lakeshore, 864, 3-3, 48.333
117. Chelsea, 851, 4-2, 66.000
118. Farmington Hills Harrison, 849, 5-1, 76.833
119. Spring Lake, 845, 5-1, 61.667
120. Marysville, 843, 3-3, 44.333
121. Fowlerville, 842, 3-3, 36.333
122. Edwardsburg, 838, 6-0, 84.000
123. Wayland Union, 829, 4-2, 58.500
124. Plainwell, 825, 4-2, 52.333
125. Carleton Airport, 811, 3-3, 39.500
126. Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood, 809, 4-2, 60.300
127. St. Clair, 807, 4-2, 54.500
128. Sparta, 793, 3-3, 43.000
129. Milan, 761, 5-1, 64.667
130. Goodrich, 758, 4-2, 58.833
131. Detroit Cody, 755, 4-2, 61.500
132. Allendale, 749, 3-3, 40.667
133. North Branch, 726, 5-1, 67.500
134. Croswell-Lexington, 724, 3-3, 42.833
135. Center Line, 720, 3-3, 43.000
136. Battle Creek Pennfield, 709, 4-2, 58.667
137. Pontiac Notre Dame Prep, 702, 4-2, 53.071
138. Harper Woods Chandler Park Academy *, 701, 3-2, 42.233
139. Sault Ste. Marie, 700, 4-2, 51.167
140. Escanaba, 691, 4-2, 58.786
141. Detroit Country Day *, 687, 4-2, 66.167
142. Flint Powers Catholic, 687, 3-3, 47.500
143. Three Rivers, 682, 6-0, 86.667
144. Holland Christian, 672, 4-2, 54.667
145. Paw Paw, 670, 4-2, 55.000
146. Whitehall, 669, 4-2, 49.500
147. Wyoming Kelloggsville, 663, 3-3, 39.500
148. Grand Rapids Catholic Central, 662, 5-1, 67.333
149. Wyoming Godwin Heights, 659, 3-3, 40.167
150. Otsego, 651, 3-3, 38.167
151. Lake Fenton, 648, 3-3, 36.333
152. Yale, 647, 3-3, 36.167
153. Ludington, 645, 4-2, 37.167
154. Alma, 643, 5-1, 63.500
155. Lake Odessa Lakewood, 643, 5-1, 67.333
156. Williamston, 619, 5-1, 75.000
157. Grand Rapids South Christian, 615, 3-3, 46.200
158. Big Rapids, 613, 3-3, 34.833
159. Grosse Ile, 609, 6-0, 77.333
160. Dearborn Heights Robichaud, 608, 6-0, 78.667
161. Hudsonville Unity Christian, 602, 5-1, 76.667
162. Harper Woods, 594, 4-2, 41.500
163. Freeland, 584, 5-1, 63.500
164. Dowagiac, 580, 3-3, 42.167
165. Gladwin, 575, 3-3, 32.333
166. Saginaw Swan Valley, 573, 6-0, 96.000
167. Belding, 572, 5-1, 63.333
168. Muskegon Oakridge, 571, 6-0, 73.333
169. Macomb Lutheran North, 560, 5-1, 61.667
170. Birch Run, 552, 4-2, 54.667
171. St. Clair Shores South Lake, 551, 3-3, 38.833
172. Clawson, 550, 3-3, 33.167
173. Portland, 550, 6-0, 82.667
174. Frankenmuth, 549, 5-1, 70.167
175. Olivet, 542, 6-0, 78.667
176. Detroit Osborn, 537, 5-1, 61.833
177. Lansing Catholic, 531, 5-1, 66.167
178. Remus Chippewa Hills *, 531, 3-3, 44.500
179. Cheboygan, 527, 4-2, 51.500
180. Grant, 525, 4-2, 45.167
181. Richmond, 524, 4-2, 55.667
182. Grand Rapids West Catholic, 513, 3-3, 44.833
183. Ida, 512, 5-1, 62.000
184. Hopkins, 507, 5-1, 68.833
185. Benzie Central, 505, 3-3, 39.333
186. Detroit Denby, 504, 5-1, 62.467
187. Reed City, 504, 6-0, 88.000
188. Almont, 503, 6-0, 76.000
189. Marine City, 503, 5-1, 70.167
190. Berrien Springs, 500, 5-1, 64.833
191. Dundee, 485, 4-2, 50.500
192. Caro, 473, 3-3, 29.333
193. Grayling, 473, 3-3, 42.167
194. Detroit Henry Ford, 472, 3-3, 39.333
195. Manistee, 472, 6-0, 69.333
196. Durand, 468, 3-3, 33.500
197. Coloma, 460, 3-3, 40.833
198. Gladstone *, 459, 3-3, 37.333
199. Ovid-Elsie, 453, 4-2, 51.000
200. Kalamazoo Hackett, 450, 6-0, 74.667
201. Clare, 449, 5-1, 56.667
202. Montague, 445, 5-1, 58.167
203. Newaygo, 445, 4-2, 51.833
204. Kingsley, 443, 5-1, 66.167
205. Hillsdale, 441, 6-0, 70.667
206. Houghton, 421, 3-3, 32.000
207. Tawas *, 418, 3-2, 34.667
208. Michigan Center, 412, 5-1, 48.833
209. Brooklyn Columbia Central, 410, 5-1, 68.500
210. Negaunee, 404, 3-3, 35.500
211. Muskegon Catholic Central, 402, 3-3, 36.000
212. Constantine, 400, 5-1, 63.333
213. Fennville, 400, 5-1, 52.667
214. Maple City Glen Lake, 395, 3-3, 35.333
215. Calumet, 392, 6-0, 78.667
216. Warren Michigan Collegiate, 392, 6-0, 77.333
217. Ishpeming Westwood, 391, 4-2, 51.000
218. Millington, 390, 5-1, 65.333
219. Ithaca, 388, 5-1, 56.833
220. Ecorse, 387, 5-1, 58.000
221. Blissfield, 383, 4-2, 63.000
222. Byron, 380, 4-2, 52.333
223. Montrose, 379, 4-2, 52.000
224. Delton Kellogg, 378, 5-1, 63.333
225. Hemlock, 374, 5-1, 51.333
226. Harrison, 372, 3-3, 35.500
227. Morley Stanwood, 369, 4-2, 45.333
228. Quincy, 369, 4-2, 42.833
229. Elk Rapids, 366, 4-2, 39.333
230. Napoleon, 365, 5-1, 50.000
231. Beaverton, 362, 5-1, 56.833
232. Grass Lake, 357, 6-0, 70.667
233. Jackson Lumen Christi *, 356, 6-0, 88.000
234. Traverse City St. Francis, 355, 6-0, 89.333
235. Flint Hamady, 353, 6-0, 82.667
236. Schoolcraft, 353, 5-1, 70.000
237. Niles Brandywine, 352, 4-2, 43.286
238. Kent City, 351, 6-0, 66.667
239. Lutheran Westland, 349, 3-3, 26.367
240. Detroit Central, 348, 3-3, 34.167
241. Lake City, 348, 6-0, 72.000
242. Leroy Pine River, 348, 4-2, 40.000
243. L'Anse, 344, 3-3, 37.833
244. Ravenna, 344, 3-3, 32.667
245. Grand Rapids NorthPointe Christian, 332, 3-3, 31.000
246. Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central, 331, 4-2, 63.633
247. St. Louis, 331, 3-3, 35.167
248. Oscoda, 329, 5-1, 48.800
249. Riverview Gabriel Richard, 328, 3-3, 38.500
250. McBain, 327, 4-2, 50.833
251. North Muskegon, 327, 3-3, 29.833
252. Hartford, 322, 4-2, 35.667
253. Roscommon, 319, 5-1, 67.333
254. Madison Heights Madison, 316, 6-0, 100.000
255. Pewamo-Westphalia, 315, 6-0, 61.333
256. Clinton, 313, 5-1, 56.500
257. Bad Axe, 311, 3-3, 31.333
258. Detroit Community, 308, 6-0, 56.000
259. Madison Heights Bishop Foley, 306, 5-1, 60.833
260. New Lothrop, 302, 6-0, 81.333
261. Springport, 302, 6-0, 61.333
262. Allen Park Cabrini, 300, 5-1, 48.667
263. Sandusky, 300, 6-0, 64.000
264. Lawton, 299, 3-3, 29.667
265. Iron Mountain, 298, 4-2, 52.000
266. Union City, 297, 3-3, 32.833
267. Cass City, 291, 5-1, 57.833
268. Elkton-Pigeon-Bay Port Laker, 282, 5-1, 59.333
269. Detroit Loyola, 280, 4-2, 57.000
270. Harbor Springs, 280, 6-0, 60.267
271. Manton, 280, 4-2, 42.667
272. Centreville, 279, 6-0, 61.333
273. Saugatuck, 273, 5-1, 56.667
274. Sand Creek, 266, 4-2, 39.367
275. Cassopolis, 261, 6-0, 66.667
276. Saranac, 257, 4-2, 32.167
277. Concord, 255, 3-3, 32.833
278. Marlette, 255, 3-3, 36.333
279. Royal Oak Shrine Catholic, 252, 3-3, 30.667
280. Ottawa Lake Whiteford, 250, 6-0, 61.333
281. Carson City-Crystal, 248, 6-0, 53.333
282. Gwinn, 246, 4-2, 38.500
283. Iron River West Iron County, 246, 5-1, 47.500
284. Dansville, 244, 5-1, 49.500
285. Reading, 244, 6-0, 68.000
286. Addison, 243, 3-3, 30.167
287. Flint Beecher, 237, 4-2, 44.167
288. Holton, 234, 5-1, 48.500
289. Ishpeming, 233, 6-0, 68.000
290. Ubly, 232, 4-2, 41.500
291. Johannesburg-Lewiston, 226, 5-1, 50.100
292. White Pigeon, 225, 4-2, 44.333
293. Breckenridge, 224, 6-0, 58.667
294. Harbor Beach, 222, 5-1, 55.000
295. Norway, 220, 3-3, 30.167
296. Rogers City, 220, 5-1, 50.000
297. Sterling Heights Parkway Christian, 220, 6-0, 61.333
298. Petersburg-Summerfield, 219, 3-3, 31.667
299. Decatur, 216, 4-2, 40.333
300. St. Ignace, 209, 3-3, 31.167
301. Detroit Public Safety Academy, 206, 5-1, 45.200
302. Munising, 201, 3-3, 32.000
303. Mendon, 193, 3-3, 24.500
304. Saginaw Michigan Lutheran Seminary, 193, 6-0, 58.667
305. Merrill, 186, 3-3, 31.700
306. Pittsford, 186, 6-0, 58.667
307. Three Oaks River Valley, 186, 4-2, 36.833
308. Athens *, 185, 3-2, 36.167
309. Adrian Lenawee Christian, 183, 5-1, 46.333
310. Martin, 183, 3-3, 30.867
311. Saginaw Nouvel, 180, 3-3, 31.500
312. Frankfort, 174, 4-2, 38.500
313. Fowler, 170, 4-2, 34.833
314. Detroit Southeastern, 154, 4-2, 51.333
315. Waterford Our Lady, 128, 4-2, 41.667
316. Clarkston Everest Collegiate, 115, 6-0, 59.733
8-Player Playoff Listing
1. Colon, 162, 6-0, 61.333
2. Pickford, 156, 6-0, 60.000
3. Morrice, 182, 6-0, 54.667
4. Wyoming Tri-unity Christian, 173, 6-0, 52.533
5. AuGres-Sims, 160, 6-0, 50.667
6. Onekama, 131, 5-1, 48.033
7. Engadine, 102, 5-1, 46.167
8. Suttons Bay, 189, 5-1, 43.767
9. Hillman, 140, 5-1, 43.500
10. Powers North Central, 109, 5-1, 43.333
11. Peck, 136, 5-1, 43.000
12. Bellevue, 185, 5-1, 42.167
13. Posen, 78, 5-1, 39.333
14. Kingston, 187, 5-1, 37.833
15. Deckerville, 175, 4-2, 37.333
16. Fife Lake Forest Area, 183, 4-2, 36.000
17. Camden-Frontier, 176, 4-2, 34.833
18. Mt. Pleasant Sacred Heart, 122, 4-2, 34.833
19. Brethren, 143, 4-2, 34.767
20. Battle Creek St. Philip, 178, 4-2, 34.667
21. Mayville, 185, 4-2, 33.500
22. Rapid River, 127, 4-2, 33.500
23. Genesee, 169, 4-2, 33.467
24. Stephenson, 159, 4-2, 32.595
25. Manistee Catholic Central, 181, 4-2, 29.433
26. New Haven Merritt Academy, 154, 3-3, 29.333
27. Tekonsha, 121, 4-2, 29.333
28. Cedarville, 151, 4-2, 29.167
29. Portland St. Patrick, 102, 3-3, 28.333
30. Eben Junction Superior Central, 121, 3-3, 27.000
31. Crystal Falls Forest Park, 125, 3-3, 26.595
32. Kinde-North Huron, 130, 3-3, 24.333
33. Pellston, 167, 3-3, 24.333
34. Onaway, 187, 3-3, 23.700
35. Mesick, 202, 3-3, 23.167
36. Bellaire, 131, 2-4, 21.500
37. Caseville *, 95, 3-2, 21.200
38. North Adams-Jerome, 146, 3-3, 21.000
39. Marion, 139, 3-3, 20.433
40. Burr Oak, 74, 3-3, 20.167
41. Lawrence, 171, 2-4, 20.167
42. Webberville, 176, 2-4, 19.667
43. Ontonagon, 173, 3-3, 18.833
44. Central Lake *, 190, 2-3, 17.300
45. Bay City All Saints, 77, 2-4, 15.333
46. Rudyard, 159, 2-4, 14.667
47. Owendale-Gagetown, 57, 2-4, 13.667
48. Waldron, 65, 2-4, 12.167
49. Bear Lake *, 94, 1-4, 9.733
50. Hale, 122, 1-5, 9.667
51. Ashley, 94, 1-5, 8.667
52. Atlanta, 74, 1-5, 8.667
53. St. Helen Charlton Heston Academy, 156, 1-5, 8.500
54. Burton Madison Academy, 163, 1-5, 7.567
55. Big Rapids Crossroads Academy, 201, 1-5, 7.167
56. Brimley, 154, 1-5, 7.167
57. Felch North Dickinson, 83, 0-6, 3.167
58. Flint International Academy, 171, 0-6, 2.833
59. Carney-Nadeau, 133, 0-6, 2.500
60. Litchfield, 81, 0-6, 2.500
61. St. Joseph Michigan Lutheran, 100, 0-6, 2.167
62. Baldwin *, 120, 0-5, 1.867
Camden-Frontier Enjoys 8-Player Rebirth
By
Chip Mundy
Special for Second Half
October 20, 2016
By Chip Mundy
Special for Second Half
CAMDEN – When it comes to football at Camden-Frontier, fewer is better.
Three times better.
After enduring back-to-back winless seasons in 2014-15, Camden-Frontier made the switch from 11- to 8-player football. The result? The Redskins are 5-1 this season with a shot at making the MHSAA playoffs.
Camden, a farming village with 512 residents in the 2010 census, is nestled in a tri-state area just two miles east of the Michigan/Indiana border and 4 miles north of the Michigan/Ohio border. Frontier is a civil township just 11 miles northeast of Camden.
The school sits between the two along a peaceful country road that is void of traffic and other structures. Except on football weekends. This fall, the communities have connected with the football team and its success, even though the 8-player format wasn't embraced at the start, even by many of the players.
“At first, they didn't know how it was going to go,” said Ryan Sigler, athletic director and assistant football coach. “It was brand new to them, but it didn't take very long for them to see what it was going to be like. We did lose maybe six or seven kids who aren't playing and should be playing. They decided it wasn't for them, but I think after seeing how this year went and what's coming in the future, I think they will come back.
“It has been a positive experience, and the morale in the school is higher than it's ever been.”
Making the switch
After the second consecutive winless season in 2015, Camden-Frontier's football coach resigned, and the search was on for a new coach. In the process, switching to 8-player football became a possibility.
“I am a firm believer in JV football, and I want our kids to be able to play JV football,” Sigler said. “With our low numbers – I think we were 22 or 23 in our whole program last year – you're not going to have JV games because you take half of your kids and they go right to varsity.”
When Waldron football coach Mark Long's name popped into the discussion, Sigler and Camden-Frontier Superintendent Scott Riley explored the idea of going to 8-player. Not only did Long have experience and success in 8-player football at Waldron, Sigler and Riley could not get past the failures of the Redskins in the previous two seasons.
“Last year, we scored two touchdowns – one on offense and one on defense,” Sigler said. “The year before, we scored four touchdowns total.
“Scott and I kind of got talking, and we decided that Mark would be the right guy. He came to us in the process and said, 'If I come, I want to go 8-man football.' We kind of talked back and forth, what it would do for the program and how it would help us.”
Long agreed to leave Waldron, his hometown, to pursue a fresh, new challenge at Camden-Frontier.
“I had been coaching at Waldron for about 16 years,” he said. “I coached basketball and football, I was the athletic director, and we were extremely successful in football.
“I had the opportunity to go to Camden-Frontier and coach and take them from 11-man to 8-man, and it was something that I thought would be a good challenge.”
While Long's challenge was on the field, Sigler had to put together a schedule of 8-player teams. It was too late to join the Southern Michigan 8-man Football League, so he ended up with just a seven-game schedule, including a drive of 5 hours, 30 minutes that covered 298 miles to Pellston, which is just south of the Mackinac Bridge.
“We were not able to get into the league schedule, but we will be back in next year,” Sigler said. “We just got in too late, and we didn't want to break any contracts.
“Mark knew a lot of 8-man teams, so we could set our schedule, and we were able to get seven games. I wish we would have gotten at least eight. We're right in the mix for a playoff spot. It could come back to bite us that we only had a seven-game schedule.”
Making the sell
While setting the schedule at late notice was tough, selling 8-player football to a bunch of young men who had played only 11-player football was going to be tougher. Six or seven quit the program, but slowly the others bought into the new format.
“I was set on not playing varsity at all,” sophomore fullback/middle linebacker Cole Mapes said. “I heard that we were going to stay at 11-man for JV, and I didn't care for 8-man.
“Then I started seeing what was going on, and I saw how much dedication that Coach Mark put into it. With 11-man, we had no hope.”
Others slowly but surely accepted the new format. Long said the younger players were more open to the switch than the older players at first.
“A lot of the sophomores started showing up on Day 1 in the weight room and the 7-on-7s in the summer,” he said. “The young kids really bought into it quickly.”
Some of the veteran players, like junior guard/defensive end Austin Zilka, were more apprehensive about the move.
“My initial thought was, 'Why are we changing?'” Zilka said. “I understood that we hadn't had the best record, but I didn't understand why we were changing.
“I never thought about not playing because either way, when you pad up and get hit, it feels the same whether there are eight men on the field or 11 men. It took me about two weeks to get adjusted and (I) realized that I had no choice if I wanted to play football. Now, if I had a choice, I like that we're winning, but I like the teams that we played in 11-man. But I think I'd stick with 8-man.”
With the players buying into the program and the success, Sigler is hopeful players who decided not to play this season will return to the program next season.
“They decided it wasn't for them, but I think after seeing how this year went and what's coming in the future, I think they will come back,” he said.
Early wins – and doubts
Camden-Frontier started the season quickly, but not everybody was impressed. The 86-8 opening-game victory, along with wins by 56-0 and 50-0, left many in the community wondering if it all was simply because of the level of competition.
That question was to be answered in Week 5. On a Saturday – and Homecoming – Camden-Frontier hosted 8-player power Battle Creek St. Phillip, a team that lost in the MHSAA championship game in 2015 and had started its season 4-0.
“I kind of felt uneasy just scheduling them,” Sigler said. “We had a bye week before we played St. Philip, so we prepared for two weeks. We're preaching the whole time that we have to prove that we're the type of football team that we want to be, and it is going to take hard work. We had the best two weeks of practice that we had all year.”
It turned out to be a signature moment of the season. The Redskins shut out St. Philip 22-0, and suddenly that 8-player football team that had beaten four nobodies in the eyes of the community was now the apple of the community's eye.
“It was huge for the community to see that there are other good 8-man football teams and there's going to be a lot tougher competition down the road,” Long said.
And the attitude toward the football team changed.
“We went into that game thinking that they were going to be good, and by all means they were, and it was one of the defining moments that we had as a team,” Zilka said. “And it proved to all the people that said, 'You guys beat a team that isn't very good 86-8, and you're not very good.' It showed that we're here to make a statement.
“They realized that we can play pretty good football and be a good 8-man team, and they kept encouraging us and it helped.”
Expectations from fans also were not negative as they had been in previous years.
“The atmosphere at the football games is a lot better,” sophomore running back/outside linebacker Cale Lehman said. “People expected us to lose, and now it's like they know we have a chance at winning.”
Suddenly, following the Redskins was bordering on an epidemic.
“It was awesome,” Sigler said. “I've noticed a lot more people are staying longer at our games now. You'll have the parents who come out and stay for their kids, but families and others are coming out and staying for the whole game.
“We drove up to Pellston for a game – it was a five and a half hour drive – and we had more people in the stands than they had, and it was Parents' Night. It's been awesome how the parents and community have run with this. We had a full set of stands at Lawrence. People have really bought into this and gotten on board with it.”
Camden-Frontier lost to Lawrence 32-8 in a battle of unbeatens, and the next week was the trek to Pellston. Not many high school teams from small towns get to have a road game that includes an overnight stay.
“We went up Friday after school,” Sigler said. “Our middle school coach runs a logging company, and his logging company donated hotel rooms for us. Tight-knit communities do things for each other.
“We drove up and had the kids bring snacks and food and when we got out there, we grilled outside. It was awesome. We had hamburgers, hot dogs, chips, all that stuff. After that, we went and bowled for two hours, just to get them doing something fun and to relax.”
Then, on Saturday, the Redskins defeated Pellston 58-12.
“It was a team-bonding experience as well as a game,” Zilka said. “We had fun, and then we did what we came up there to do.”
Several parents who made the trip took their sons to see the Mackinac Bridge after the game.
“Some of those kids had never seen the bridge,” Sigler said. “Most of the parents went, and a lot of them surprised the players and took them to the bridge after the game. It was a cool experience.”
One hurdle remains
The season has been a full one. A switch from 11- to 8-player football. A new coach. New opponents on the schedule. A huge Homecoming victory. A 298-mile trip and a visit to the Mackinac Bridge.
What possibly could remain? How about this scenario: Camden-Frontier sits in the No. 16 spot in the points race for the playoffs. Sixteen teams qualify for the 8-player playoffs, and the Redskins need to win and maybe get a little help to secure their first postseason berth since 2000.
Tonight, Camden-Frontier will visit Waldron – yes, the same Waldron that was coached by Long for several years and is his hometown. A better script could not be written for the final game in the regular season with the playoffs on the line.
“I live in Waldron and my daughter goes to Waldron,” Long said. “I coached there and grew up there and played there, so it will be emotional for me and a little tough, but hopefully when the game starts, it will be just another game.”
While Waldron remains home, getting the chance to coach at a new place has been refreshing for Long.
“It has been a rejuvenation,” he said. “It's no different than a job. Once you've been someplace for a certain amount of time, you become complacent. I'm around new kids, but I really still care about the kids I coached at Waldron.”
And he has a great appreciation for the communities of Camden and Frontier and his new team of players.
“For them to come in and buy in – and the community to buy into 8-man football the way that they have – has been a blessing for me,” he said. “They have accepted me from Day One, and I can't say thank you enough.”
With newfound success, don't expect Camden-Frontier to rush back to 11-player football. But Sigler said never say never.
“I think we will stay here for a while, but I wouldn't say that we'll never go back to 11-man again, either,” Sigler said. “But it's not likely anytime soon.”
“The biggest misconception is that a lot of people look down on 8-man football. I didn't know at first if it was right for us, but I'm glad we did it. Obviously."
Chip Mundy served as sports editor at the Brooklyn Exponent and Albion Recorder from 1980-86, and then as a reporter and later copy editor at the Jackson Citizen-Patriot from 1986-2011. He also co-authored Michigan Sports Trivia. E-mail him at [email protected] with story ideas for Jackson, Washtenaw, Hillsdale, Lenawee and Monroe counties.
PHOTOS: (Top) Sophomore running back Cale Lehman finds an opening against Elyria Open Door Christian of Ohio. (Middle) Junior running back Hunter Fackler carries the ball as Austin Bennett (14) and Logan Barnes (17) provide blocking. (Photos by Matthew Lounsberry and Andrew King/Hillsdale Daily News.)