2018 Week 9 Football Playoff Listing
October 16, 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 eighth 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 Selection Sunday Show will be available on the primary FOX Sports Detroit channel on cable. The program also can be viewed on the internet through the FoxSportsDetroit.com Website, and on handheld devices and television streaming devices like Roku using the FOX Sports app. 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, 6-2, 78.375
2. Dearborn Fordson, 2795, 7-1, 92.875
3. Utica Eisenhower, 2668, 5-3, 69.125
4. East Kentwood, 2651, 7-1, 93.750
5. Grand Blanc, 2637, 5-3, 67.125
6. Sterling Heights Stevenson, 2591, 4-4, 54.500
7. Clarkston, 2548, 7-1, 93.625
8. Rockford, 2481, 5-3, 64.875
9. Clinton Township Chippewa Valley, 2462, 8-0, 120.000
10. Detroit Cass Tech, 2432, 8-0, 107.714
11. Lake Orion, 2393, 4-4, 52.875
12. Howell, 2387, 4-4, 50.750
13. Canton, 2260, 6-2, 79.375
14. Brighton, 2202, 7-1, 94.875
15. Holland West Ottawa, 2190, 6-2, 78.000
16. Oxford, 2170, 6-2, 84.125
17. Dearborn, 2106, 4-4, 49.625
18. Plymouth, 2060, 6-2, 74.375
19. Detroit Catholic Central, 2020, 6-2, 87.268
20. West Bloomfield, 2005, 6-2, 90.000
21. Macomb L'Anse Creuse North, 1994, 4-4, 48.000
22. Monroe, 1949, 6-2, 77.181
23. Hudsonville, 1879, 5-3, 64.036
24. Saline, 1834, 7-1, 96.875
25. Romeo, 1779, 5-3, 71.125
26. Detroit Western International, 1773, 5-3, 52.000
27. Lapeer, 1772, 8-0, 107.000
28. White Lake Lakeland, 1740, 5-3, 65.125
29. Ann Arbor Skyline, 1701, 4-4, 49.375
30. Davison, 1687, 7-1, 87.625
31. Kalamazoo Central, 1672, 5-3, 67.250
32. Walled Lake Northern, 1672, 4-4, 49.750
33. Belleville, 1642, 8-0, 112.000
34. Traverse City West, 1634, 6-2, 81.375
35. Brownstown Woodhaven, 1628, 7-1, 94.625
36. Rochester Adams, 1621, 5-3, 66.750
37. Grosse Pointe South, 1593, 8-0, 103.000
38. Warren Mott, 1585, 6-2, 79.750
39. Waterford Mott, 1558, 4-4, 50.250
40. Saginaw Heritage, 1541, 5-3, 53.500
41. Warren DeLaSalle, 1474, 6-2, 83.700
42. Jenison, 1464, 5-3, 67.000
43. Temperance Bedford, 1462, 4-4, 51.125
44. Livonia Franklin, 1443, 4-4, 50.500
45. Livonia Churchill, 1435, 6-2, 79.625
46. Ypsilanti Community, 1433, 4-4, 48.125
47. Dearborn Heights Crestwood, 1424, 8-0, 95.000
48. St. Clair Shores Lakeview, 1399, 5-3, 59.625
49. Traverse City Central, 1391, 6-2, 83.250
50. Okemos, 1381, 6-2, 72.536
51. Birmingham Seaholm, 1376, 7-1, 91.875
52. Wyandotte Roosevelt, 1376, 5-3, 65.125
53. Flint Carman-Ainsworth, 1358, 4-4, 50.750
54. Oak Park, 1349, 7-1, 91.625
55. Portage Central, 1349, 6-2, 80.000
56. Royal Oak, 1335, 4-4, 47.500
57. Roseville, 1303, 5-3, 58.536
58. Birmingham Groves, 1298, 6-2, 72.375
59. Port Huron Northern, 1295, 7-1, 90.500
60. Midland, 1289, 5-3, 58.875
61. Portage Northern, 1284, 6-2, 75.375
62. Midland Dow, 1277, 5-3, 59.250
63. St. Clair Shores Lake Shore, 1276, 6-2, 72.625
64. Flushing, 1275, 6-2, 82.250
65. Swartz Creek, 1262, 6-2, 78.500
66. Walled Lake Western, 1258, 5-3, 66.000
67. Jackson, 1229, 8-0, 104.000
68. Ypsilanti Lincoln, 1226, 4-4, 46.625
69. South Lyon, 1225, 8-0, 108.000
70. Muskegon Mona Shores, 1215, 7-1, 95.875
71. Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central, 1212, 4-4, 54.250
72. Dexter, 1172, 6-2, 69.500
73. Birmingham Brother Rice, 1168, 5-3, 70.329
74. Detroit Renaissance, 1168, 4-4, 43.000
75. Ferndale, 1162, 6-2, 73.375
76. Fenton, 1160, 6-2, 78.375
77. Muskegon Reeths-Puffer, 1154, 5-3, 54.375
78. Mattawan, 1153, 5-3, 62.179
79. Detroit Martin Luther King, 1149, 7-1, 85.875
80. Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern, 1142, 5-3, 59.500
81. Warren Woods Tower, 1126, 8-0, 90.000
82. Auburn Hills Avondale, 1115, 6-2, 71.250
83. Gibraltar Carlson, 1114, 7-1, 96.750
84. East Lansing, 1111, 7-1, 91.161
85. Farmington, 1111, 6-2, 83.625
86. Allen Park, 1105, 6-2, 81.250
87. Redford Thurston, 1098, 5-3, 53.125
88. Grand Rapids Northview, 1096, 6-2, 74.250
89. Garden City, 1080, 6-2, 70.125
90. South Lyon East, 1063, 5-3, 62.625
91. Mt. Pleasant, 1053, 8-0, 99.000
92. Eastpointe, 1022, 4-4, 50.750
93. Muskegon, 1022, 8-0, 111.000
94. Battle Creek Central, 1014, 5-3, 61.179
95. St. Joseph, 1010, 5-3, 66.750
96. Gaylord, 1002, 5-3, 54.750
97. DeWitt, 1001, 8-0, 115.286
98. East Grand Rapids, 998, 5-3, 67.250
99. Zeeland West, 997, 6-2, 80.375
100. Cedar Springs, 992, 7-1, 88.875
101. Mason, 968, 4-4, 42.625
102. St. Johns, 955, 5-3, 58.750
103. Zeeland East, 955, 7-1, 88.750
104. Marquette, 952, 4-4, 52.333
105. Petoskey, 948, 5-3, 65.125
106. Detroit Mumford, 943, 5-3, 59.125
107. Trenton, 914, 5-3, 65.000
108. Riverview, 913, 6-2, 67.500
109. Middleville Thornapple Kellogg, 903, 6-2, 70.125
110. River Rouge, 897, 7-1, 69.018
111. Haslett, 895, 7-1, 85.750
112. Ortonville-Brandon, 887, 7-1, 90.625
113. Grand Rapids Christian, 886, 6-2, 82.250
114. Parma Western, 870, 7-1, 76.875
115. Stevensville Lakeshore, 864, 4-4, 50.375
116. Chelsea, 851, 6-2, 73.917
117. Farmington Hills Harrison, 849, 5-3, 61.875
118. Spring Lake, 845, 5-3, 52.500
119. Marysville, 843, 4-4, 43.375
120. Edwardsburg, 838, 8-0, 95.000
121. Wayland Union, 829, 4-4, 46.500
122. Plainwell, 825, 5-3, 53.250
123. Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood, 809, 5-3, 59.946
124. St. Clair, 807, 6-2, 70.375
125. Sparta, 793, 5-3, 52.625
126. Milan, 761, 6-2, 65.500
127. Goodrich, 758, 5-3, 56.375
128. Detroit Cody, 755, 6-2, 77.375
129. Allendale, 749, 4-4, 46.625
130. North Branch, 726, 6-2, 62.375
131. Croswell-Lexington, 724, 5-3, 58.625
132. Center Line, 720, 5-3, 52.000
133. Battle Creek Pennfield, 709, 4-4, 47.625
134. Pontiac Notre Dame Prep, 702, 4-4, 41.819
135. Sault Ste. Marie, 700, 5-3, 47.250
136. Escanaba, 691, 6-2, 75.278
137. Detroit Country Day *, 687, 6-2, 78.304
138. Flint Powers Catholic, 687, 5-3, 64.125
139. Romulus Summit Academy North, 684, 4-4, 38.696
140. Three Rivers, 682, 7-1, 80.875
141. Holland Christian, 672, 5-3, 57.125
142. Paw Paw, 670, 6-2, 66.625
143. Whitehall, 669, 6-2, 56.500
144. Wyoming Kelloggsville, 663, 4-4, 39.875
145. Grand Rapids Catholic Central, 662, 7-1, 81.750
146. Wyoming Godwin Heights, 659, 5-3, 54.750
147. Otsego, 651, 5-3, 53.250
148. Lake Fenton, 648, 4-4, 34.250
149. Yale, 647, 4-4, 39.500
150. Ludington, 645, 6-2, 49.125
151. Alma, 643, 7-1, 75.875
152. Lake Odessa Lakewood, 643, 6-2, 67.946
153. Williamston, 619, 7-1, 84.500
154. Grand Rapids South Christian, 615, 4-4, 53.679
155. Big Rapids, 613, 5-3, 51.750
156. Grosse Ile, 609, 8-0, 94.000
157. Dearborn Heights Robichaud, 608, 6-2, 65.500
158. Hudsonville Unity Christian, 602, 7-1, 85.625
159. Harper Woods, 594, 6-2, 55.768
160. Howard City Tri-County, 585, 4-4, 44.000
161. Freeland, 584, 5-3, 52.125
162. Dowagiac, 580, 4-4, 41.625
163. Essexville Garber, 576, 4-4, 41.000
164. Saginaw Swan Valley, 573, 8-0, 99.000
165. Belding, 572, 6-2, 64.250
166. Muskegon Oakridge, 571, 7-1, 69.750
167. Macomb Lutheran North, 560, 7-1, 72.500
168. Birch Run, 552, 5-3, 58.500
169. Clawson, 550, 5-3, 45.500
170. Portland, 550, 8-0, 90.000
171. Frankenmuth, 549, 7-1, 77.875
172. Kingsford, 547, 4-4, 43.375
173. Olivet, 542, 7-1, 79.750
174. Detroit Osborn, 537, 6-2, 61.250
175. Lansing Catholic, 531, 7-1, 74.875
176. Remus Chippewa Hills, 531, 4-4, 44.500
177. Cheboygan, 527, 4-4, 44.375
178. Grant, 525, 4-4, 37.250
179. Richmond, 524, 5-3, 54.875
180. Grand Rapids West Catholic, 513, 4-4, 50.000
181. Ida, 512, 6-2, 61.500
182. Hopkins, 507, 7-1, 73.750
183. Benzie Central, 505, 5-3, 55.000
184. Detroit Denby, 504, 6-2, 65.554
185. Reed City, 504, 8-0, 94.000
186. Almont, 503, 8-0, 86.000
187. Marine City, 503, 6-2, 70.500
188. Berrien Springs, 500, 7-1, 78.161
189. Dundee, 485, 5-3, 47.875
190. Caro, 473, 4-4, 34.250
191. Detroit Henry Ford, 472, 4-4, 39.500
192. Manistee, 472, 8-0, 79.000
193. Coloma, 460, 4-4, 45.000
194. Ovid-Elsie, 453, 6-2, 63.750
195. Kalamazoo Hackett, 450, 8-0, 85.000
196. Clare, 449, 7-1, 65.750
197. Montague, 445, 7-1, 72.875
198. Newaygo, 445, 5-3, 56.000
199. Kingsley, 443, 7-1, 76.875
200. Hillsdale, 441, 7-1, 71.750
201. Tawas *, 418, 5-2, 43.214
202. Michigan Center, 412, 7-1, 61.875
203. Brooklyn Columbia Central, 410, 7-1, 81.500
204. Negaunee, 404, 5-3, 46.375
205. Constantine, 400, 6-2, 59.625
206. Fennville, 400, 7-1, 58.500
207. Maple City Glen Lake, 395, 4-4, 39.750
208. Calumet, 392, 8-0, 88.000
209. Warren Michigan Collegiate, 392, 8-0, 85.429
210. Ishpeming Westwood, 391, 6-2, 57.750
211. Millington, 390, 5-3, 55.625
212. Ithaca, 388, 7-1, 67.875
213. Ecorse, 387, 7-1, 72.196
214. Sanford Meridian Early College, 387, 4-4, 37.250
215. Blissfield, 383, 5-3, 59.000
216. Byron, 380, 4-4, 43.000
217. Montrose, 379, 6-2, 64.500
218. Delton Kellogg, 378, 5-3, 52.000
219. Hemlock, 374, 7-1, 60.750
220. Morley Stanwood, 369, 6-2, 52.375
221. Quincy, 369, 5-3, 46.250
222. Elk Rapids, 366, 6-2, 52.875
223. Napoleon, 365, 5-3, 43.375
224. Beaverton, 362, 6-2, 59.625
225. Grass Lake, 357, 8-0, 76.000
226. Jackson Lumen Christi *, 356, 8-0, 95.000
227. Traverse City St. Francis, 355, 8-0, 94.000
228. Flint Hamady, 353, 8-0, 82.000
229. Schoolcraft, 353, 7-1, 76.750
230. Niles Brandywine, 352, 6-2, 51.903
231. Kent City, 351, 7-1, 66.875
232. Lutheran Westland, 349, 4-4, 31.179
233. Detroit Central, 348, 4-4, 35.625
234. Lake City, 348, 8-0, 81.000
235. Leroy Pine River, 348, 6-2, 53.500
236. Vermontville Maple Valley, 347, 4-4, 35.250
237. Ravenna, 344, 4-4, 35.875
238. Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central, 331, 6-2, 69.929
239. St. Louis, 331, 4-4, 36.625
240. Oscoda, 329, 7-1, 55.268
241. Riverview Gabriel Richard, 328, 5-3, 56.625
242. McBain, 327, 6-2, 60.625
243. North Muskegon, 327, 4-4, 32.500
244. Hartford, 322, 4-4, 31.750
245. Roscommon, 319, 7-1, 71.625
246. Madison Heights Madison, 316, 8-0, 101.000
247. Pewamo-Westphalia, 315, 8-0, 73.000
248. Clinton, 313, 6-2, 56.375
249. Bad Axe, 311, 4-4, 34.625
250. Detroit Community, 308, 7-1, 57.179
251. Madison Heights Bishop Foley, 306, 7-1, 65.036
252. New Lothrop, 302, 8-0, 86.000
253. Springport, 302, 7-1, 62.875
254. Allen Park Cabrini, 300, 5-3, 40.643
255. Sandusky, 300, 7-1, 59.750
256. Iron Mountain, 298, 6-2, 62.500
257. Union City, 297, 5-3, 42.125
258. Cass City, 291, 7-1, 67.625
259. Elkton-Pigeon-Bay Port Laker, 282, 7-1, 62.750
260. Detroit Loyola, 280, 6-2, 69.536
261. Harbor Springs, 280, 6-2, 49.661
262. Manton, 280, 4-4, 37.750
263. Centreville, 279, 8-0, 70.000
264. Whitmore Lake, 278, 4-4, 34.000
265. Saugatuck, 273, 7-1, 63.750
266. Sand Creek, 266, 5-3, 42.804
267. Detroit Leadership Academy, 264, 4-4, 34.589
268. Cassopolis, 261, 8-0, 73.000
269. Saranac, 257, 6-2, 41.500
270. Hudson, 252, 4-4, 38.625
271. Royal Oak Shrine Catholic, 252, 4-4, 36.250
272. Ottawa Lake Whiteford, 250, 8-0, 74.000
273. Carson City-Crystal, 248, 7-1, 50.875
274. Gwinn, 246, 5-3, 41.750
275. Iron River West Iron County, 246, 6-2, 50.750
276. Dansville, 244, 6-2, 49.125
277. Reading, 244, 8-0, 79.000
278. Addison, 243, 5-3, 39.125
279. Flint Beecher, 237, 6-2, 53.625
280. Holton, 234, 5-3, 40.000
281. Ishpeming, 233, 8-0, 80.000
282. Ubly, 232, 6-2, 51.500
283. Johannesburg-Lewiston, 226, 7-1, 61.661
284. White Pigeon, 225, 6-2, 54.417
285. Breckenridge, 224, 8-0, 69.429
286. Harbor Beach, 222, 7-1, 68.250
287. Norway, 220, 4-4, 32.875
288. Rogers City, 220, 7-1, 66.893
289. Sterling Heights Parkway Christian, 220, 8-0, 61.429
290. Petersburg-Summerfield, 219, 4-4, 34.750
291. Decatur, 216, 4-4, 34.750
292. St. Ignace, 209, 4-4, 30.375
293. Detroit Public Safety Academy, 206, 7-1, 56.179
294. Munising, 201, 4-4, 32.125
295. Mendon, 193, 4-4, 30.750
296. Saginaw Michigan Lutheran Seminary, 193, 6-2, 49.500
297. Merrill, 186, 5-3, 36.179
298. Pittsford, 186, 7-1, 53.639
299. Three Oaks River Valley, 186, 4-4, 31.317
300. Athens *, 185, 4-3, 38.214
301. Adrian Lenawee Christian, 183, 7-1, 57.746
302. Martin, 183, 5-3, 38.786
303. Saginaw Nouvel, 180, 5-3, 43.125
304. Frankfort, 174, 5-3, 39.911
305. Fowler, 170, 4-4, 31.000
306. Detroit Southeastern, 154, 5-3, 49.250
307. Waterford Our Lady, 128, 4-4, 36.125
308. Clarkston Everest Collegiate, 115, 7-1, 59.232
8-Player Playoff Listing
1. Colon, 162, 8-0, 66.000
2. Pickford, 156, 8-0, 65.000
3. Wyoming Tri-unity Christian, 173, 8-0, 60.429
4. Morrice, 182, 8-0, 60.000
5. AuGres-Sims, 160, 8-0, 59.000
6. Suttons Bay, 189, 7-1, 54.446
7. Engadine, 102, 7-1, 52.875
8. Hillman, 140, 7-1, 52.875
9. Powers North Central, 109, 7-1, 52.750
10. Bellevue, 185, 7-1, 52.542
11. Onekama, 131, 6-2, 49.054
12. Deckerville, 175, 6-2, 48.500
13. Kingston, 187, 7-1, 46.625
14. Brethren, 143, 6-2, 42.268
15. Mt. Pleasant Sacred Heart, 122, 6-2, 41.625
16. Posen, 78, 6-2, 39.625
17. Rapid River, 127, 5-3, 37.375
18. Peck, 136, 5-3, 37.292
19. Camden-Frontier, 176, 5-3, 37.000
20. Battle Creek St. Philip, 178, 5-3, 36.125
21. Mayville, 185, 5-3, 36.000
22. New Haven Merritt Academy, 154, 5-3, 35.804
23. Portland St. Patrick, 102, 4-4, 34.625
24. Genesee, 169, 5-3, 34.179
25. Crystal Falls Forest Park, 125, 5-3, 33.542
26. Fife Lake Forest Area, 183, 4-4, 33.536
27. Webberville, 176, 4-4, 32.500
28. Marion, 139, 5-3, 31.768
29. Tekonsha, 121, 5-3, 31.750
30. Kinde-North Huron, 130, 4-4, 31.500
31. Cedarville, 151, 5-3, 30.750
32. Stephenson, 159, 5-3, 30.417
33. Manistee Catholic Central, 181, 5-3, 29.893
34. Mesick, 202, 4-4, 26.518
35. Pellston, 167, 4-4, 26.500
36. Onaway, 187, 4-4, 26.054
37. Eben Junction Superior Central, 121, 3-5, 25.181
38. Ontonagon, 173, 4-4, 24.000
39. North Adams-Jerome, 146, 4-4, 23.750
40. Bellaire, 131, 3-5, 23.482
41. Central Lake *, 190, 3-4, 23.339
42. Bay City All Saints, 77, 3-5, 22.679
43. Lawrence, 171, 3-5, 21.625
44. Caseville *, 95, 3-4, 18.214
45. Burr Oak, 74, 3-5, 17.500
46. Owendale-Gagetown, 57, 3-5, 17.375
47. Rudyard, 159, 3-5, 16.375
48. Ashley, 94, 2-6, 14.875
49. Atlanta, 74, 2-6, 13.000
50. Waldron, 65, 2-6, 11.750
51. Big Rapids Crossroads Academy, 201, 2-6, 10.625
52. Bear Lake *, 94, 1-6, 9.571
53. St. Helen Charlton Heston Academy, 156, 1-7, 9.125
54. Hale, 122, 1-7, 8.625
55. Burton Madison Academy, 163, 1-7, 7.536
56. Brimley, 154, 1-7, 7.500
57. Litchfield, 81, 1-7, 7.375
58. Felch North Dickinson, 83, 0-8, 4.375
59. Flint International Academy, 171, 0-8, 4.250
60. Carney-Nadeau, 133, 0-8, 3.625
61. Baldwin *, 120, 0-7, 2.911
62. St. Joseph Michigan Lutheran, 100, 0-8, 2.750
Caledonia Football Set to Open Season by Welcoming Fans to New Home
By
Ron Pesch
MHSAA historian
August 25, 2025
Community banter dated back to April 1948, or before. Caledonia football followers were anxious for “an athletic plant of their own.” Members of the local Commercial Club were pushing to build a true place to call home.
At the time, home games were played on a clearing at Lakeside, a local county park in the heart of the village near Emmons Lake. Thanks to the success of the team and the popularity of games, locals felt the Scotties had outgrown the site.
Members of the Class C Bar-Ken-All league, coach Thornton K. Auwater’s squads started to win consistently, grabbing conference championships in 1945, 1946 and 1947. The league began in 1937 with the school as a charter member, along with Byron Center, Hopkins, Kelloggsville, Martin, and Wayland.
The Club proposed building a lighted field to the PTA with the thought that it could be done for between $12,000 and $15,000. According to an article in the area newspaper, the Grand Rapids Press, “It is expected the money will be raised by the sale of bonds locally.”
In 1949, a design was approved. However, in hopes of significantly lowering the cost, the plan was for volunteers to assist in the layout and construction of the site. According to the Press in April 1950, the race was on to finish the project before the arrival of the upcoming season:
“Sod, trucks, and tractors for the job have been donated by local residents. It is estimated that at least 100 more volunteers will be required to complete the field in time for regular season play.”
Auwater’s crew was expected to do well during the fall of 1950. The football team had fallen to Kelloggsville, 19-0, in the second game of the 1949 season, and the defeat meant the Scotties finished second in the league standings to the Rockets. But, of particular note, in the games that followed, Caledonia’s defense was flawless, shutting out its final six opponents. By all measures, it was an exciting time.
Come the new school year, and thanks to the efforts by the community, the field was ready for the team’s nonconference season home opener with Grant on Sept. 15.
Changes
The 1935 season was Caledonia’s first playing football, marking this as the school’s 91st year on the gridiron. Since the fall of 1970, the team has competed in the Ottawa-Kent Conference, and in 2016, moved to the league’s Red division.
Prior to the 1970s, the Scottish terrier – a breed of dog popularly known as the Scottie, originally bred to hunt vermin – was Caledonia High School’s mascot. Around 1974, students decided to change the nickname to the Fighting Scots – depicted by a Scottish warrior dressed in the school colors of purple and gold.
Fast forward to this 2025-26 school year and Caledonia is Class A and among the largest 65 high schools in the state based on enrollment. And 75 years after unveiling their first true home field, Caledonia Community Schools is debuting the team’s reimagined home.
Approved bond issues from 2020 and 2023 have funded the latest updates and renovations to the site. “Preserving the heritage” of the district, a synthetic turf system was added to the current site in 2023. This season, heated team rooms, updated seating, concessions, and restrooms will be unveiled.
For fans, the curtain opens Thursday when the team squares off against Holy Names Catholic from Windsor, Ontario.
“This stadium tells the story of Caledonia. It is a story of community, tradition, and pride,” said Kelly Clark, community and public relations coordinator for the district. “As we celebrate 75 years, we honor those who built the foundation and look forward to the next generation writing their own chapter on this field.”
A souvenir dedication program will be distributed at the home opener. Within, special thanks are extended to many who have helped bring the story to life: “We are especially grateful for the work Steve Poll has done to uncover and preserve so much of this history so that our community can fully appreciate the legacy we carry forward.”
Poll, himself, was a graduate of Grand Rapids South Christian. His dad, Gordon Poll, played right tackle and was a co-captain as a senior on the 1950 Caledonia team.
“He was not one to live in the past,” recalled Steve Poll, “so unless we were at a football game and something triggered a thought, he didn't talk much about the 1950 team accomplishments. … I met one of his teammates at my dad’s funeral, who shared a few things (with me). I intended to interview him (however) he passed away before that happened. I finally decided to dig in and find what I could.”
Poll captured details from old newspaper articles, photos, and memorabilia. “I started investigating before I knew anything about the current rebuild of the stadium,” he said.
Also planned for the celebration is a three-minute video featuring interviews with players – present and past – including a member of the 1950 team who recalled players laying sod on the field at their first practice that season.
MHSAA Executive Director Mark Uyl, a 1992 Caledonia graduate, will speak at the event.
A season to remember
“Grant High’s fighting team almost spoiled the dedication of a new lighted football field … last night,” reported the Press when covering the first game of the 1950 season, “throwing a real scare into the bigger, highly favored Caledonia High team before tumbling, 6 to 0.” A 30-yard pass from Bob Higley to Don Moffatt was the game’s only score.
In hindsight, it was perhaps the biggest play of the year.
A true stadium dedication ceremony was planned for the second game of the season. Among those scheduled to attend and speak were Caledonia Schools Superintendent Andrew B. Cherpes, Board of Education President Orlo Good, Village President Stan Stawski, and Coach Auwater. Also planning to make the trip from Washington was U.S. congressman Gerald R. Ford, Jr., who held Michigan’s 5th district seat in the House of Representatives. Unfortunately, due to scheduling issues, Ford was unable to attend but did send a telegram to explain his absence and, within, congratulated the community on its outstanding achievement. (Uyl will read the content during this year’s celebration.)
The opponent was Middleville. For several years, the teams had scheduled a two-game nonleague “home-and-home” rivalry series. That continued in 1950, but this time, the Trojans were now members of the Bar-Ken-All. (Kelloggsville had left the league after the 1949-50 school year. The conference expanded, adding Middleville and Delton. To allow time for scheduling transition, the 1950 opening contest of the series did not count in the league standings.)
The Scotties emerged with another slim 7-0 win. According to the Kalamazoo Gazette, the result of the game “only added fuel to the rivalry which will reach a heated state at Middleville in a regular conference game Oct. 20.”
Caledonia plowed through the remaining games. Martin fell 27-0, Coopersville was trounced, 40-0, and Byron Center was easily defeated, 27-0. The highly-anticipated rematch with Middleville was close for the first half, as Caledonia clutched to a thin 7-0 lead at the break. It turned into a rout as “the Scotties flashed a passing attack that netted three more TDs and a 26-0 win.”
Wayland was disposed of 28-0, giving the Scotties possession of the “Cowbell Trophy” donated two years previous by a Wayland merchant. Then the team completely overwhelmed Hopkins in the season’s finale, 73-0. That margin was the state’s largest of the season, according to Dick Kishpaugh of Kalamazoo, who assembled season-ending totals for consumption by the state’s media. The Scotties were also statewide news as one of 26 teams that had posted unbeaten and untied marks on the year. Caledonia was one of just two to finish the year unbeaten, untied, and unscored upon. Garden City had done the same but had played just six games.
Although not rediscovered until recently, the team’s streak of 14 consecutive shutouts with no tie games included (six to end 1949, and eight in 1950) ranks second in the MHSAA football record book, just a single game behind North Muskegon teams that straddled three seasons, 1940-42.
Dedicated to a super volunteer
Besides location, one other item remains unchanged at the “athletic plant” in Caledonia.
“Even though his children go to school in Middleville,” noted the Press back in 1950, Ralph E. Myers thought of Caledonia as “his town.” A member of the Commercial Club Committee that helped plan the project, he followed through as the site’s dedicated lead volunteer, working with others “to get the job done,” according to a community newsletter.
In July 1954, at age 46, Myers died tragically in an automobile accident. His wife, Henrietta, had died a year before. They left behind three daughters. That fall, Caledonia christened the site as Ralph E. Myers Athletic Field.
Over the years, proposals were made to rename the place in honor of others, but Caledonia Community School stood behind the original decision. In September 1998, after a $1.9 million renovation for football and track & field, the site was rededicated with new signage as Ralph E. Myers Memorial Stadium.
With the latest efforts by all involved to capture the stories and communicate the legacy, future students will have the opportunity to easily understand and appreciate the stadium’s humble beginnings and the importance of all, then and now, who pitched in to create a place to call home.
PHOTOS (Top) A sign welcomes visitors to Caledonia’s home field in 1954. (Middle) The 1950 Scotties: Back row William Price, Walter Jousma, Jack Moreland, Peterson, Harvey Jacobsen, Allan Vander Laan, Forrest Clark, Gerritt Nordhof, Arthur Benedict, Larry Schroder, Larry Lind, Donald Williams (Manager). Third row Assistant Coach Wisner, Donald Moffatt, Ramon Schantz, Bob Cisler, Bob Higley, Merle Maier, Wallace Lotterman, Bob Schultz, James Fitzsimmons, Fred Darling, Vern Kayser, Coach Thornton Auwater. Second Row Elmer Velthouse, Bernard Kilmartin, Donald Braendle, Louis Bellgraph, Marvin Eldridge, Allyn Niles, James Porritt, Benjamin Miller, Bill Jousma, Gordon Poll. First Row Gary Cherpes, Joseph Sleeman, Harold Olthouse, Rod Campbell, Garrit Keizer, Carl Yonkers, Clyde Barrett, James Ayers, Hosmer Parks. Not pictured Arnold Benedict, Bob Workman.