2018 Week 8 Football Playoff Listing
October 9, 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 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.
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 at 7 p.m. 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, 6-1, 87.714
2. Dearborn Fordson, 2795, 6-1, 87.714
3. Utica Eisenhower, 2668, 4-3, 58.286
4. East Kentwood, 2651, 6-1, 88.857
5. Grand Blanc, 2637, 5-2, 73.571
6. Sterling Heights Stevenson, 2591, 3-4, 44.857
7. Clarkston, 2548, 6-1, 88.571
8. Rockford, 2481, 4-3, 59.000
9. Clinton Township Chippewa Valley, 2462, 7-0, 115.429
10. Detroit Cass Tech, 2432, 7-0, 101.333
11. Lake Orion, 2393, 4-3, 56.857
12. Howell, 2387, 4-3, 55.571
13. Canton, 2260, 5-2, 73.286
14. Southfield Arts & Technology, 2244, 3-4, 45.857
15. Brighton, 2202, 6-1, 88.857
16. Holland West Ottawa, 2190, 5-2, 73.000
17. Oxford, 2170, 5-2, 81.000
18. Ann Arbor Pioneer, 2115, 3-4, 40.714
19. Dearborn, 2106, 4-3, 54.429
20. Hartland, 2104, 3-4, 41.000
21. Plymouth, 2060, 5-2, 71.000
22. Detroit Catholic Central, 2020, 5-2, 79.048
23. West Bloomfield, 2005, 5-2, 79.857
24. Macomb L'Anse Creuse North, 1994, 4-3, 53.286
25. Monroe, 1949, 6-1, 84.857
26. Utica Ford, 1903, 3-4, 37.571
27. Hudsonville, 1879, 5-2, 70.762
28. Saline, 1834, 6-1, 88.857
29. Romeo, 1779, 5-2, 76.714
30. Detroit Western International, 1773, 5-2, 56.143
31. Lapeer, 1772, 7-0, 102.857
32. White Lake Lakeland, 1740, 5-2, 71.000
33. Grandville, 1729, 3-4, 48.429
34. Ann Arbor Skyline, 1701, 3-4, 40.000
35. Holt, 1692, 3-4, 45.714
36. Davison, 1687, 6-1, 86.429
37. Kalamazoo Central, 1672, 4-3, 59.571
38. Walled Lake Northern, 1672, 3-4, 39.286
39. Belleville, 1642, 7-0, 107.429
40. Traverse City West, 1634, 5-2, 73.571
41. Brownstown Woodhaven, 1628, 6-1, 93.143
42. Rochester Adams, 1621, 4-3, 60.000
43. Grosse Pointe South, 1593, 7-0, 102.857
44. Warren Mott, 1585, 5-2, 73.714
45. Waterford Mott, 1558, 4-3, 55.571
46. Saginaw Heritage, 1541, 4-3, 47.286
47. Warren DeLaSalle, 1474, 6-1, 92.857
48. Jenison, 1464, 4-3, 62.571
49. Temperance Bedford, 1462, 3-4, 45.571
50. Detroit U-D Jesuit, 1456, 3-4, 41.143
51. Livonia Franklin, 1443, 4-3, 55.143
52. Livonia Churchill, 1435, 5-2, 75.857
53. Ypsilanti Community, 1433, 3-4, 45.429
54. Dearborn Heights Crestwood, 1424, 7-0, 94.857
55. St. Clair Shores Lakeview, 1399, 4-3, 50.714
56. Traverse City Central, 1391, 6-1, 90.857
57. Okemos, 1381, 5-2, 65.333
58. Birmingham Seaholm, 1376, 6-1, 83.143
59. Wyandotte Roosevelt, 1376, 5-2, 71.000
60. Flint Carman-Ainsworth, 1358, 3-4, 43.857
61. Oak Park, 1349, 7-0, 99.429
62. Portage Central, 1349, 5-2, 71.857
63. Royal Oak, 1335, 3-4, 43.571
64. Roseville, 1303, 5-2, 63.524
65. Birmingham Groves, 1298, 5-2, 65.429
66. Port Huron Northern, 1295, 6-1, 84.000
67. Midland, 1289, 4-3, 54.286
68. Portage Northern, 1284, 5-2, 73.286
69. Midland Dow, 1277, 5-2, 64.286
70. St. Clair Shores Lake Shore, 1276, 6-1, 78.429
71. Flushing, 1275, 5-2, 77.857
72. North Farmington, 1264, 3-4, 38.857
73. Swartz Creek, 1262, 6-1, 86.571
74. Walled Lake Western, 1258, 5-2, 72.000
75. Jackson, 1229, 7-0, 101.714
76. Ypsilanti Lincoln, 1226, 4-3, 51.000
77. South Lyon, 1225, 7-0, 102.857
78. Muskegon Mona Shores, 1215, 7-0, 104.000
79. Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central, 1212, 3-4, 46.714
80. Southgate Anderson, 1206, 3-4, 40.714
81. Dexter, 1172, 5-2, 62.000
82. Birmingham Brother Rice, 1168, 4-3, 62.762
83. Detroit Renaissance, 1168, 4-3, 45.571
84. Ferndale, 1162, 5-2, 67.714
85. Fenton, 1160, 5-2, 69.857
86. Muskegon Reeths-Puffer, 1154, 4-3, 48.286
87. Mattawan, 1153, 5-2, 66.667
88. Detroit Martin Luther King, 1149, 6-1, 77.429
89. Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern, 1142, 4-3, 54.000
90. Warren Woods Tower, 1126, 7-0, 81.143
91. Auburn Hills Avondale, 1115, 5-2, 67.571
92. Gibraltar Carlson, 1114, 6-1, 89.857
93. East Lansing, 1111, 6-1, 86.762
94. Farmington, 1111, 6-1, 91.143
95. Allen Park, 1105, 5-2, 75.429
96. Redford Thurston, 1098, 4-3, 45.571
97. Grand Rapids Northview, 1096, 5-2, 68.571
98. Garden City, 1080, 5-2, 61.571
99. South Lyon East, 1063, 4-3, 57.857
100. Mt. Pleasant, 1053, 7-0, 92.571
101. Eastpointe, 1022, 3-4, 40.429
102. Muskegon, 1022, 7-0, 105.143
103. Battle Creek Central, 1014, 4-3, 54.524
104. St. Joseph, 1010, 5-2, 72.857
105. Gaylord, 1002, 5-2, 59.429
106. DeWitt, 1001, 7-0, 108.762
107. East Grand Rapids, 998, 5-2, 72.429
108. Zeeland West, 997, 6-1, 87.429
109. Cedar Springs, 992, 6-1, 85.429
110. Warren Fitzgerald, 981, 3-4, 38.429
111. Linden, 977, 3-4, 43.714
112. Mason, 968, 3-4, 36.714
113. St. Johns, 955, 4-3, 54.286
114. Zeeland East, 955, 6-1, 80.714
115. Marquette, 952, 3-4, 43.393
116. Petoskey, 948, 4-3, 58.143
117. Detroit Mumford, 943, 5-2, 64.286
118. Orchard Lake St. Mary's, 940, 3-4, 38.321
119. Trenton, 914, 4-3, 59.143
120. Riverview, 913, 6-1, 72.571
121. Middleville Thornapple Kellogg, 903, 5-2, 64.000
122. River Rouge, 897, 6-1, 71.714
123. Haslett, 895, 6-1, 78.429
124. Ortonville-Brandon, 887, 6-1, 87.429
125. Grand Rapids Christian, 886, 5-2, 74.429
126. Niles, 884, 3-4, 42.143
127. Parma Western, 870, 6-1, 72.857
128. Stevensville Lakeshore, 864, 4-3, 55.429
129. Hazel Park, 859, 3-4, 32.714
130. Chelsea, 851, 5-2, 69.400
131. Farmington Hills Harrison, 849, 5-2, 67.571
132. Spring Lake, 845, 5-2, 57.143
133. Marysville, 843, 4-3, 47.429
134. Fowlerville, 842, 3-4, 33.000
135. Edwardsburg, 838, 7-0, 91.429
136. Marshall, 830, 3-4, 39.714
137. Wayland Union, 829, 4-3, 51.571
138. Plainwell, 825, 5-2, 58.714
139. Carleton Airport, 811, 3-4, 36.000
140. Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood, 809, 4-3, 54.429
141. St. Clair, 807, 5-2, 64.143
142. Sparta, 793, 4-3, 47.429
143. Charlotte, 766, 3-4, 33.000
144. Vicksburg, 762, 3-4, 33.857
145. Milan, 761, 5-2, 59.857
146. Goodrich, 758, 5-2, 62.143
147. Detroit Cody, 755, 5-2, 68.857
148. Allendale, 749, 3-4, 36.857
149. North Branch, 726, 6-1, 68.286
150. Croswell-Lexington, 724, 4-3, 49.429
151. Center Line, 720, 4-3, 45.286
152. Battle Creek Pennfield, 709, 4-3, 51.857
153. Pontiac Notre Dame Prep, 702, 4-3, 46.786
154. Harper Woods Chandler Park Academy *, 701, 3-3, 37.143
155. Sault Ste. Marie, 700, 4-3, 45.714
156. Escanaba, 691, 5-2, 65.286
157. Detroit Country Day *, 687, 5-2, 72.286
158. Flint Powers Catholic, 687, 4-3, 53.571
159. Romulus Summit Academy North, 684, 3-4, 31.238
160. Three Rivers, 682, 6-1, 78.571
161. Holland Christian, 672, 4-3, 47.857
162. Paw Paw, 670, 5-2, 59.857
163. Whitehall, 669, 5-2, 51.714
164. Wyoming Kelloggsville, 663, 4-3, 44.429
165. Grand Rapids Catholic Central, 662, 6-1, 75.000
166. Wyoming Godwin Heights, 659, 4-3, 50.714
167. Otsego, 651, 4-3, 46.714
168. Lake Fenton, 648, 4-3, 38.143
169. Yale, 647, 4-3, 42.714
170. Ludington, 645, 5-2, 44.571
171. Alma, 643, 6-1, 71.714
172. Lake Odessa Lakewood, 643, 5-2, 61.429
173. Williamston, 619, 6-1, 80.429
174. Bridgeport, 618, 3-4, 39.143
175. Grand Rapids South Christian, 615, 4-3, 58.095
176. Big Rapids, 613, 4-3, 44.000
177. Grosse Ile, 609, 7-0, 84.571
178. Dearborn Heights Robichaud, 608, 6-1, 70.571
179. Hudsonville Unity Christian, 602, 6-1, 79.571
180. Harper Woods, 594, 5-2, 48.429
181. Howard City Tri-County, 585, 3-4, 38.714
182. Freeland, 584, 5-2, 57.571
183. Dowagiac, 580, 3-4, 38.000
184. Essexville Garber, 576, 3-4, 36.286
185. Gladwin, 575, 3-4, 29.429
186. Saginaw Swan Valley, 573, 7-0, 98.286
187. Belding, 572, 5-2, 57.143
188. Muskegon Oakridge, 571, 6-1, 67.000
189. Macomb Lutheran North, 560, 6-1, 65.571
190. Birch Run, 552, 4-3, 48.429
191. St. Clair Shores South Lake, 551, 3-4, 35.429
192. Clawson, 550, 4-3, 40.143
193. Portland, 550, 7-0, 84.571
194. Frankenmuth, 549, 6-1, 75.143
195. Kingsford, 547, 3-4, 38.643
196. Olivet, 542, 7-0, 85.714
197. Detroit Osborn, 537, 6-1, 65.714
198. Lansing Catholic, 531, 6-1, 70.571
199. Remus Chippewa Hills *, 531, 3-4, 40.000
200. Cheboygan, 527, 4-3, 47.286
201. Grant, 525, 4-3, 40.571
202. Richmond, 524, 4-3, 51.143
203. Grand Rapids West Catholic, 513, 4-3, 53.571
204. Ida, 512, 5-2, 56.429
205. Hopkins, 507, 6-1, 71.714
206. Benzie Central, 505, 4-3, 47.714
207. Detroit Denby, 504, 5-2, 56.571
208. Reed City, 504, 7-0, 88.000
209. Almont, 503, 7-0, 81.143
210. Marine City, 503, 5-2, 63.143
211. Berrien Springs, 500, 6-1, 68.667
212. Dundee, 485, 4-3, 45.286
213. Caro, 473, 3-4, 27.143
214. Grayling, 473, 3-4, 38.143
215. Detroit Henry Ford, 472, 3-4, 34.429
216. Manistee, 472, 7-0, 76.571
217. Durand, 468, 3-4, 31.714
218. Coloma, 460, 3-4, 37.286
219. Gladstone, 459, 3-4, 33.857
220. Perry, 459, 3-4, 32.143
221. Ovid-Elsie, 453, 5-2, 57.714
222. Kalamazoo Hackett, 450, 7-0, 78.857
223. Clare, 449, 6-1, 63.571
224. Montague, 445, 6-1, 68.286
225. Newaygo, 445, 5-2, 60.571
226. Kingsley, 443, 6-1, 69.429
227. Hillsdale, 441, 7-0, 77.714
228. Houghton, 421, 3-4, 29.714
229. Boyne City, 418, 3-4, 28.143
230. Tawas *, 418, 4-2, 42.190
231. Michigan Center, 412, 6-1, 54.571
232. Brooklyn Columbia Central, 410, 6-1, 72.571
233. Negaunee, 404, 4-3, 40.000
234. Muskegon Catholic Central, 402, 3-4, 33.143
235. Constantine, 400, 6-1, 63.571
236. Fennville, 400, 6-1, 56.571
237. Maple City Glen Lake, 395, 3-4, 33.571
238. Detroit Edison Public School Academy, 394, 3-4, 26.810
239. Calumet, 392, 7-0, 83.429
240. Warren Michigan Collegiate, 392, 7-0, 80.000
241. Ishpeming Westwood, 391, 5-2, 55.429
242. Millington, 390, 5-2, 60.286
243. Ithaca, 388, 6-1, 62.571
244. Ecorse, 387, 6-1, 65.143
245. Sanford Meridian Early College, 387, 3-4, 31.857
246. Blissfield, 383, 5-2, 64.571
247. Byron, 380, 4-3, 46.857
248. Montrose, 379, 5-2, 59.714
249. Delton Kellogg, 378, 5-2, 57.571
250. Hemlock, 374, 6-1, 57.857
251. Harrison, 372, 3-4, 32.571
252. Morley Stanwood, 369, 5-2, 48.286
253. Quincy, 369, 4-3, 40.143
254. Elk Rapids, 366, 5-2, 44.143
255. Napoleon, 365, 5-2, 46.143
256. Beaverton, 362, 5-2, 53.000
257. Grass Lake, 357, 7-0, 76.571
258. Jackson Lumen Christi *, 356, 7-0, 91.429
259. Traverse City St. Francis, 355, 7-0, 93.714
260. Flint Hamady, 353, 7-0, 82.286
261. Schoolcraft, 353, 6-1, 76.143
262. Niles Brandywine, 352, 5-2, 46.429
263. Kent City, 351, 7-0, 73.143
264. Lutheran Westland, 349, 3-4, 24.810
265. Detroit Central, 348, 3-4, 31.143
266. Lake City, 348, 7-0, 73.143
267. Leroy Pine River, 348, 5-2, 46.000
268. Vermontville Maple Valley, 347, 3-4, 30.857
269. L'Anse, 344, 3-4, 34.286
270. Ravenna, 344, 4-3, 38.571
271. Lakeview, 340, 3-4, 30.286
272. Grand Rapids NorthPointe Christian, 332, 3-4, 27.143
273. Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central, 331, 5-2, 69.429
274. St. Louis, 331, 3-4, 33.429
275. Oscoda, 329, 6-1, 55.000
276. Riverview Gabriel Richard, 328, 4-3, 49.429
277. McBain, 327, 5-2, 54.143
278. North Muskegon, 327, 4-3, 35.000
279. Hartford, 322, 4-3, 33.857
280. Roscommon, 319, 6-1, 70.286
281. Madison Heights Madison, 316, 7-0, 102.857
282. Pewamo-Westphalia, 315, 7-0, 69.714
283. Clinton, 313, 6-1, 58.857
284. Bad Axe, 311, 4-3, 36.429
285. Detroit Community, 308, 7-0, 63.048
286. Madison Heights Bishop Foley, 306, 6-1, 60.476
287. New Lothrop, 302, 7-0, 84.571
288. Springport, 302, 7-0, 67.429
289. Allen Park Cabrini, 300, 5-2, 44.429
290. Sandusky, 300, 7-0, 65.143
291. Lawton, 299, 3-4, 26.286
292. Iron Mountain, 298, 5-2, 58.571
293. Union City, 297, 4-3, 39.857
294. Cass City, 291, 6-1, 64.571
295. Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett, 287, 3-4, 29.857
296. Elkton-Pigeon-Bay Port Laker, 282, 6-1, 60.143
297. Detroit Loyola, 280, 5-2, 66.286
298. Harbor Springs, 280, 6-1, 54.810
299. Manton, 280, 4-3, 38.571
300. Centreville, 279, 7-0, 65.143
301. Whitmore Lake, 278, 3-4, 28.429
302. Saugatuck, 273, 6-1, 59.000
303. Blanchard Montabella, 269, 3-4, 26.286
304. Sand Creek, 266, 4-3, 36.143
305. Detroit Leadership Academy, 264, 3-4, 27.524
306. Cassopolis, 261, 7-0, 70.857
307. Saranac, 257, 5-2, 39.143
308. Concord, 255, 3-4, 28.857
309. Marlette, 255, 3-4, 32.714
310. Hudson, 252, 3-4, 30.000
311. Royal Oak Shrine Catholic, 252, 3-4, 28.429
312. Ottawa Lake Whiteford, 250, 7-0, 67.429
313. Carson City-Crystal, 248, 6-1, 48.857
314. Gwinn, 246, 5-2, 44.571
315. Iron River West Iron County, 246, 5-2, 44.000
316. Dansville, 244, 5-2, 46.714
317. Reading, 244, 7-0, 70.857
318. Addison, 243, 4-3, 35.286
319. Flint Beecher, 237, 5-2, 48.429
320. Holton, 234, 5-2, 43.714
321. Ishpeming, 233, 7-0, 74.286
322. Ubly, 232, 5-2, 46.143
323. Johannesburg-Lewiston, 226, 6-1, 60.238
324. White Pigeon, 225, 5-2, 49.143
325. Breckenridge, 224, 7-0, 67.429
326. Harbor Beach, 222, 6-1, 59.714
327. Norway, 220, 3-4, 29.143
328. Rogers City, 220, 6-1, 60.143
329. Sterling Heights Parkway Christian, 220, 7-0, 60.952
330. Petersburg-Summerfield, 219, 4-3, 37.714
331. Decatur, 216, 4-3, 36.429
332. St. Ignace, 209, 4-3, 33.714
333. Detroit Public Safety Academy, 206, 6-1, 52.524
334. Munising, 201, 4-3, 34.286
335. Mendon, 193, 4-3, 32.714
336. Saginaw Michigan Lutheran Seminary, 193, 6-1, 53.286
337. Merrill, 186, 4-3, 32.952
338. Pittsford, 186, 6-1, 54.286
339. Three Oaks River Valley, 186, 4-3, 33.714
340. Athens *, 185, 3-3, 31.857
341. Adrian Lenawee Christian, 183, 6-1, 53.333
342. Martin, 183, 4-3, 34.905
343. Saginaw Nouvel, 180, 4-3, 36.429
344. Frankfort, 174, 4-3, 34.714
345. Fowler, 170, 4-3, 32.857
346. Detroit Southeastern, 154, 4-3, 46.000
347. Climax-Scotts *, 148, 3-3, 33.429
348. Waterford Our Lady, 128, 4-3, 39.000
8-Player Playoff Listing
1. Colon, 162, 7-0, 64.000
2. Pickford, 156, 7-0, 64.000
3. Morrice, 182, 7-0, 59.429
4. Wyoming Tri-unity Christian, 173, 7-0, 58.667
5. Powers North Central, 109, 6-1, 53.286
6. AuGres-Sims, 160, 7-0, 52.571
7. Onekama, 131, 6-1, 50.381
8. Suttons Bay, 189, 6-1, 48.286
9. Bellevue, 185, 6-1, 48.095
10. Engadine, 102, 6-1, 47.714
11. Hillman, 140, 6-1, 47.714
12. Deckerville, 175, 5-2, 42.571
13. Posen, 78, 6-1, 41.857
14. Kingston, 187, 6-1, 41.714
15. Rapid River, 127, 5-2, 40.429
16. Brethren, 143, 5-2, 40.190
17. Mt. Pleasant Sacred Heart, 122, 5-2, 38.143
18. Peck, 136, 5-2, 37.810
19. Tekonsha, 121, 5-2, 35.571
20. Fife Lake Forest Area, 183, 4-3, 35.429
21. Battle Creek St. Philip, 178, 4-3, 34.000
22. New Haven Merritt Academy, 154, 4-3, 33.857
23. Mayville, 185, 4-3, 32.857
24. Kinde-North Huron, 130, 4-3, 32.571
25. Genesee, 169, 4-3, 30.857
26. Camden-Frontier, 176, 4-3, 30.429
27. Stephenson, 159, 4-3, 28.714
28. Marion, 139, 4-3, 28.048
29. Crystal Falls Forest Park, 125, 4-3, 27.714
30. Portland St. Patrick, 102, 3-4, 27.571
31. Webberville, 176, 3-4, 27.429
32. Cedarville, 151, 4-3, 26.857
33. Eben Junction Superior Central, 121, 3-4, 26.571
34. North Adams-Jerome, 146, 4-3, 26.286
35. Onaway, 187, 4-3, 26.238
36. Manistee Catholic Central, 181, 4-3, 25.905
37. Ontonagon, 173, 4-3, 25.571
38. Bellaire, 131, 3-4, 24.500
39. Pellston, 167, 3-4, 23.143
40. Mesick, 202, 3-4, 22.857
41. Lawrence, 171, 3-4, 22.286
42. Caseville *, 95, 3-3, 20.952
43. Burr Oak, 74, 3-4, 19.286
44. Rudyard, 159, 3-4, 17.714
45. Central Lake *, 190, 2-4, 16.810
46. Bay City All Saints, 77, 2-5, 16.381
47. Ashley, 94, 2-5, 14.714
48. Owendale-Gagetown, 57, 2-5, 12.571
49. Waldron, 65, 2-5, 12.286
50. Big Rapids Crossroads Academy, 201, 2-5, 11.143
51. Bear Lake *, 94, 1-5, 10.048
52. Hale, 122, 1-6, 9.143
53. Atlanta, 74, 1-6, 8.714
54. St. Helen Charlton Heston Academy, 156, 1-6, 8.429
55. Burton Madison Academy, 163, 1-6, 7.476
56. Brimley, 154, 1-6, 7.143
57. Litchfield, 81, 1-6, 7.143
58. Felch North Dickinson, 83, 0-7, 3.714
59. Flint International Academy, 171, 0-7, 3.143
60. Carney-Nadeau, 133, 0-7, 2.857
61. St. Joseph Michigan Lutheran, 100, 0-7, 2.429
62. Baldwin *, 120, 0-6, 1.881
Inside Selection Sunday: Mapnalysis '13
October 28, 2013
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
At the end of the day – Sunday, in this case – the 2013 MHSAA football playoff field was determined based on a set of numbers we began working with long before the first kickoff of this season.
So to kick off our discussion of how some of the 2013 playoff-selection decisions were made, here are a few numbers that might boggle the mind – or at least surprise:
- A total of 3,111 high school results were used in determining this season’s field – 2,978 for 11-player and 133 for 8-player games.
- We inputted and then followed the schedules for 623 MHSAA teams.
- We also inputted and followed weekly the schedules for 50 teams from surrounding states and Ontario that played at least one game against one of our MHSAA schools.
- We worked through complicated maneuverings made necessary by seven teams playing a mix of 11 and 8-player games, plus two more teams that played a mix of varsity and junior varsity opponents.
- And by Sunday morning we ended up with a few more numeric rarities: only 225 automatic qualifiers, the fewest since the current playoff system was introduced in 1999, and also an uneven number of at-large bids from our four classes because only six Class D teams reached the number of victories needed to be considered. (This was balanced by taking more at-large qualifiers from Classes A, B and C.)
And that was just the start of one of our most exciting days of the school year.
Following are more details. First, I explain some of the history of the MHSAA playoffs – I’ve lifted this in part from our 2012 report, so skip ahead if you’ve already got that down. Next, I touch on five themes that emerged as we built the brackets for this season’s tournament.
The process
Our past: The MHSAA playoff structure – with 256 teams in eight divisions, and six wins equaling an automatic berth (or five wins for teams playing eight or fewer games) – debuted in 1999, as mentioned above. An 8-player tournament was added in 2011, resulting in nine champions total when November is done.
That’s a long way from our start. The first playoffs were conducted in 1975 with four champions. Four more football classes were added in 1990 for a total of eight champions each fall. Through 1998, only 128 teams made the postseason, based on their playoff point averages within regions (four for each class) that were drawn before the beginning of the season. The drawing of Districts and Regions after the end of the regular season did not begin until the most recent playoff expansion.
In early years of the current process (or until the middle of the last decade), lines were drawn by hand. Dots representing qualifying schools were pasted on maps, one map for each division, and those maps were then covered by plastic sheets. Districts and Regionals literally were drawn with dry-erase markers.
Our present: After a late Saturday night tracking scores, we file in as the sun rises Sunday morning for a final round of gathering results we may still need (which can include making a few early a.m. calls to athletic directors). Then comes re-checking and triple-checking of enrollments, what schools played in co-ops, some records and more before the numbers are crunched and the fields are set.
Those 256 11-player teams are then split into eight equal divisions based on enrollment, and their locations are marked on digital maps that are projected on wall-size screens and then discussed by nearly half of the MHSAA staff plus a representative from the Michigan High School Football Coaches Association. Only the locations themselves are marked (by yellow dots) – not records, playoff point averages or names of the schools or towns. In fact, mentions of those are strictly prohibited. Records and playoff points are not part of the criteria. Matchups, rivalries, previous playoff pairings, etc. also DO NOT come into play. The same process is followed for organizing the 8-player bracket.
Observations and answers: 2013
This doesn’t happen overnight: Preparation for selecting the MHSAA playoff field begins long before the first kickoff of fall, much less the first practice. We load schedules for all 600-plus varsity teams during the summer, and many schedules remain fluid right up until the first Friday of the season – and this fall, a few weren’t settled until Week 2 or 3.
This summer as in some past we also worked through schools closing (Inkster, Saginaw Buena Vista, Detroit Northwestern, Flint Northern), and others deciding in mid-July and early August they would not field teams because of a lack of players.
Sometimes we have to take odd paths to find scores for these games. The last 11-player score to be added to our data this regular season came in as a result of tweeting the sports anchor of a Wheeling, W.Va., television station. Our last 8-player score came in via email from a Wisconsin athletic director at 10:30 Saturday night. Thankfully, we get plenty of assistance from some of our friends in the field, who keep an eye on the data and alert us when something appears missing or incorrect.
Win and advance: This season’s list of 5-4 teams includes a number of heavy hitters that did not receive at-large bids – East Grand Rapids, Utica Eisenhower, Orchard Lake St. Mary’s and Flint Powers Catholic to name a few. All were solid teams and played strong competition. All missing the playoffs likely raised some eyebrows.
But we have to take a look at this from a statewide view. There admittedly can be some argument about what schools qualified for the 226-256 spots in the field – but the important part is that 225 qualified because they all met the minimum win requirement. A playoff is simply that – it decides a champion based on teams winning. For some it’s harder to pile wins, of course, because they play in tough leagues. But the winners of those leagues are in the field – and surely will credit that tough road with getting them prepared to now play the state’s best.
Geography rules: This long has been rule number one for drawing MHSAA brackets in any sport, and is a repeat as well for those who have read this report the last two Octobers. Travel distance and ease DO come into play. Jumping on a major highway clearly is easier than driving across county-wide back roads, and that’s taken into consideration.
Also, remember there’s only one Mackinac Bridge and hence only one way to cross between peninsulas – and boats are not considered a possible form of transportation. When opponents from both peninsulas will be in the same District, distance to the bridge is far more important than as the crow flies.
The best example of this comes this season in Division 5. Grayling clearly is east of both Kingsley and Kalkaska – but also sits on I-75, while those two do not. So while those more western teams are geographically closer to Houghton, Menominee and Kingsford from the Upper Peninsula, we instead paired the three U.P. teams with Grayling because being on a main highway made for a shorter trip. The trip to Grayling for any of those U.P. teams would be 36 miles shorter to Grayling than Kingsley and 13 miles shorter to Grayling than Kalkaska.
Sometimes it’s where the points aren’t: Sure, it would be best-case scenario to have perfect sets of eight dots split into four quadrants from Calumet to Bedford. But generally that doesn’t occur. “Dots determine the map” is a common phrase heard here during this selection process, but that works the other way as well. If there are no qualifiers in a division from a specific area of the state – see Division 1, with none south of Holland or west of the greater Lansing area – there’s no choice but to create the unusual Regional Final possibility of Traverse City West vs. Brighton. Brighton is simply closer to the west side of the state than our other options.
Border to border vs. coast to coast: Should Regions be grouped north to south or east to west? There isn't a right or wrong answer – it just depends on that set of dots.
Whenever we have Upper Peninsula teams in a division, they’ll be grouped with those from the northernmost points of the Lower Peninsula for a District. The next northernmost schools will be grouped into a District, and together those eight will form a Region.
But the tough decision comes with the other six Districts. Look at this season’s Division 5 map: Six Districts are grouped south of U.S. 10 with three near or west of U.S. 127 and three east of that highway, which runs through the center of the Lower Peninsula. We grouped the two southwestern Districts into a Region and the two southeastern Districts into a Region – leaving a final Region that stretches from Muskegon on Lake Michigan to Almont, about 35 miles west of Lake Huron.
That’s a haul. But it’s also the best of our possible compromises. We could’ve instead paired regions that would’ve stretched from Hopkins to Monroe – only 19 fewer miles in distance than Muskegon Oakridge to Almont, but a scenario that could’ve created travel increases for a number of additional teams. Another option included a possible trip from Detroit University Prep to Freeland, which also would take more than two hours.
Bottom line – it’s been written here before – we pour all we have into this process, asking questions often more than once until we come up with a consensus. We do appreciate the arguments that arise once brackets are released to the public: The discussions are proof of how much players, coaches and fans care – and often show us new ways we can look at a system that’s now 15 years old.
But we must remember that the good news is the tournament is still set up to reward nine champions over the next five weeks, and five schools – Auburn Hills Oakland Christian, Coldwater, Detroit Allen, Eaton Rapids and Muskegon Mona Shores – will be competing for those titles for the first time.
It’s not so much how the tournament starts as how it ends. And we’re preparing for nine more memorable conclusions.
PHOTO: Each collection of grouped dots is a District on this season's Division 3 playoff map.