2019 Week 5 Football Playoff Listing
September 24, 2019
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 fourth 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 Nov. 1. 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 Nov. 1
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. 27 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, 3034, 3-1, 64.750
2. Dearborn Fordson, 2868, 4-0, 90.000
3. Grand Blanc, 2719, 4-0, 90.000
4. East Kentwood, 2673, 3-1, 64.500
5. Rockford, 2443, 4-0, 90.000
6. Lake Orion, 2416, 4-0, 98.000
7. Clinton Township Chippewa Valley, 2386, 4-0, 92.000
8. Brighton, 2224, 3-1, 68.750
9. Plymouth, 2090, 4-0, 94.000
10. West Bloomfield, 2042, 3-1, 72.500
11. Hudsonville, 1930, 3-1, 66.250
12. Detroit Western, 1888, 3-1, 54.000
13. Saline, 1861, 3-1, 64.083
14. Lapeer, 1792, 3-1, 72.750
15. Grandville, 1719, 4-0, 96.000
16. Rochester Adams, 1710, 3-1, 62.750
17. Davison, 1694, 4-0, 90.000
18. Belleville, 1692, 4-0, 86.000
19. Romeo, 1692, 3-1, 72.250
20. Waterford Mott, 1658, 3-1, 68.250
21. Rochester Hills Stoney Creek, 1638, 3-1, 68.750
22. Brownstown Woodhaven, 1623, 4-0, 90.000
23. Warren Mott, 1513, 3-1, 64.500
24. Grosse Pointe South, 1510, 3-1, 74.500
25. Temperance Bedford, 1466, 3-1, 62.250
26. Sterling Heights, 1464, 3-1, 64.750
27. Farmington *, 1444, 4-0, 90.000
28. Livonia Franklin, 1435, 4-0, 92.000
29. Harrison Township L'Anse Creuse, 1434, 3-1, 66.250
30. Traverse City Central, 1404, 3-1, 70.500
31. Lansing Everett, 1388, 3-1, 62.500
32. Wyandotte Roosevelt, 1386, 3-1, 68.750
33. North Farmington, 1371, 4-0, 84.000
34. Birmingham Seaholm, 1370, 4-0, 88.000
35. Battle Creek Lakeview, 1350, 4-0, 84.000
36. Birmingham Groves, 1310, 3-1, 72.500
37. Midland, 1309, 4-0, 90.000
38. Port Huron, 1309, 4-0, 82.000
39. Port Huron Northern, 1284, 3-1, 68.500
40. Oak Park, 1276, 3-1, 68.500
41. South Lyon, 1276, 4-0, 90.000
42. Portage Northern, 1274, 3-1, 68.500
43. Jackson *, 1231, 3-1, 58.500
44. Walled Lake Western, 1228, 3-1, 68.750
45. Muskegon Mona Shores, 1227, 3-1, 68.750
46. Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central, 1219, 3-1, 66.750
47. Dexter, 1214, 3-1, 68.750
48. Fenton, 1168, 3-1, 66.750
49. Byron Center, 1145, 4-0, 86.000
50. Auburn Hills Avondale, 1133, 3-1, 62.250
51. Grand Rapids Northview, 1130, 3-1, 62.500
52. Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice, 1128, 4-0, 94.667
53. Allen Park, 1127, 3-1, 64.250
54. East Lansing, 1119, 3-1, 74.750
55. Redford Thurston, 1084, 3-1, 66.750
56. Zeeland West, 1054, 4-0, 90.000
57. Pinckney, 1053, 3-1, 58.750
58. Mount Pleasant, 1048, 4-0, 84.000
59. St. Joseph, 1019, 4-0, 86.000
60. Cedar Springs, 1018, 3-1, 68.000
61. DeWitt, 1013, 3-1, 72.750
62. Detroit Mumford, 1007, 3-1, 54.750
63. River Rouge, 992, 3-1, 62.500
64. Mason, 964, 4-0, 78.000
65. Muskegon, 954, 4-0, 96.000
66. Flint Kearsley, 951, 4-0, 88.000
67. Zeeland East, 943, 3-1, 59.167
68. Orchard Lake St. Mary's, 942, 4-0, 93.600
69. Coldwater, 940, 3-1, 58.750
70. St. Johns, 938, 3-1, 62.500
71. Riverview, 915, 3-1, 60.500
72. Dearborn Divine Child, 878, 3-1, 60.750
73. Parma Western, 870, 3-1, 62.750
74. Edwardsburg, 856, 4-0, 86.000
75. Chelsea, 847, 4-0, 100.000
76. Fowlerville, 834, 4-0, 74.000
77. Marshall, 825, 3-1, 58.500
78. Ortonville Brandon, 825, 4-0, 74.000
79. Carleton Airport, 815, 3-1, 58.500
80. Sparta, 780, 3-1, 66.500
81. St. Clair, 780, 4-0, 74.000
82. Vicksburg, 764, 3-1, 58.750
83. Allendale, 756, 3-1, 54.500
84. Goodrich, 741, 3-1, 54.500
85. Milan, 738, 4-0, 68.000
86. North Branch, 736, 3-1, 54.750
87. Escanaba, 708, 3-1, 65.583
88. Pontiac Notre Dame Prep, 705, 4-0, 84.000
89. Otsego, 683, 3-1, 50.750
90. Romulus Summit Academy North, 681, 3-1, 62.750
91. Sault Ste. Marie, 679, 3-1, 64.250
92. Detroit Country Day, 677, 4-0, 82.000
93. Paw Paw, 662, 4-0, 74.000
94. Ludington, 656, 3-1, 54.250
95. Flint Powers Catholic, 652, 3-1, 62.750
96. Grand Rapids Catholic Central, 628, 3-1, 74.750
97. Hudsonville Unity Christian, 618, 3-1, 62.250
98. Livonia Clarenceville, 602, 3-1, 36.250
99. Muskegon Orchard View, 602, 4-0, 72.000
100. Grand Rapids South Christian, 599, 3-1, 58.000
101. Ogemaw Heights, 588, 3-1, 46.750
102. Portland, 580, 4-0, 80.000
103. Freeland, 579, 3-1, 64.750
104. Hancock, 579, 3-1, 46.250
105. Muskegon Oakridge, 574, 4-0, 66.000
106. Essexville Garber, 561, 3-1, 56.500
107. Frankenmuth, 547, 4-0, 78.000
108. Saginaw Swan Valley, 544, 3-1, 52.500
109. Dearborn Heights Robichaud, 542, 4-0, 80.000
110. Ann Arbor Father Gabriel Richard, 536, 3-1, 52.250
111. Marine City, 521, 4-0, 74.000
112. Lansing Catholic, 520, 4-0, 78.000
113. Whitmore Lake, 520, 3-1, 32.750
114. Almont, 514, 4-0, 70.000
115. Hopkins, 514, 4-0, 70.000
116. Detroit Denby, 508, 4-0, 68.000
117. Berrien Springs *, 505, 4-0, 76.000
118. Olivet, 505, 4-0, 66.000
119. Dundee, 497, 3-1, 50.500
120. Detroit Henry Ford, 492, 3-1, 60.750
121. Manistee, 487, 3-1, 42.500
122. Richmond, 476, 4-0, 80.000
123. Central Montcalm, 457, 4-0, 72.000
124. Kingsley, 454, 4-0, 70.000
125. Montague, 446, 4-0, 68.000
126. Hillsdale, 445, 4-0, 78.000
127. Clare, 442, 4-0, 70.000
128. Menominee, 425, 3-1, 53.400
129. Tawas *, 421, 3-1, 42.000
130. Flint Hamady *, 420, 4-0, 68.000
131. Brooklyn Columbia Central, 414, 3-1, 48.500
132. Constantine, 412, 3-1, 46.750
133. Jonesville, 395, 3-1, 44.750
134. Clinton Township Clintondale, 392, 3-1, 46.250
135. Maple City Glen Lake, 389, 4-0, 58.000
136. Sanford Meridian, 386, 4-0, 68.000
137. Harrison, 382, 3-1, 44.750
138. Blissfield, 381, 3-1, 58.750
139. Niles Brandywine, 378, 4-0, 68.000
140. Calumet, 377, 4-0, 74.000
141. Warren Michigan Collegiate, 375, 3-1, 52.750
142. Montrose, 374, 3-1, 58.750
143. Ithaca, 362, 4-0, 64.000
144. Delton Kellogg, 358, 3-1, 50.750
145. Grass Lake, 347, 4-0, 54.000
146. Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central *, 347, 3-1, 60.750
147. Ravenna, 347, 3-1, 46.750
148. LeRoy Pine River, 345, 3-1, 40.500
149. Kent City, 340, 3-1, 44.750
150. Laingsburg, 338, 3-1, 48.750
151. Pewamo-Westphalia, 335, 4-0, 54.000
152. Grand Rapids NorthPointe Christian, 333, 4-0, 50.000
153. Clinton, 328, 4-0, 64.000
154. Schoolcraft, 328, 4-0, 64.000
155. L'Anse, 324, 3-1, 44.500
156. Detroit Leadership Academy, 322, 4-0, 70.000
157. Beaverton, 318, 4-0, 66.000
158. Charlevoix, 318, 3-1, 48.250
159. Madison Heights Bishop Foley, 316, 3-1, 36.667
160. Springport, 316, 3-1, 36.250
161. Jackson Lumen Christi *, 314, 4-0, 92.000
162. Riverview Gabriel Richard, 313, 3-1, 48.250
163. New Lothrop, 307, 4-0, 70.000
164. Iron Mountain, 303, 4-0, 70.000
165. Detroit Central, 299, 3-1, 50.250
166. Oscoda, 295, 4-0, 58.000
167. Detroit Community, 283, 3-1, 38.250
168. Elkton-Pigeon-Bay Port Laker, 279, 3-1, 50.500
169. Harbor Springs, 279, 3-1, 36.250
170. Lawton, 275, 4-0, 60.000
171. Evart, 271, 3-1, 42.750
172. Cass City, 269, 3-1, 48.500
173. Cassopolis, 268, 4-0, 58.000
174. Sand Creek, 256, 3-1, 52.750
175. Beal City, 249, 4-0, 64.000
176. Royal Oak Shrine Catholic, 249, 4-0, 76.000
177. Addison, 238, 3-1, 48.500
178. West Iron County, 235, 3-1, 44.750
179. Gobles, 233, 3-1, 36.750
180. Reading, 232, 3-1, 48.750
181. Mount Clemens, 225, 3-1, 38.500
182. Bark River-Harris, 223, 3-1, 40.500
183. Ishpeming, 217, 3-1, 42.250
184. White Pigeon, 213, 4-0, 62.000
185. Johannesburg-Lewiston, 212, 4-0, 56.000
186. Harbor Beach, 207, 4-0, 56.000
187. Adrian Lenawee Christian, 199, 3-1, 45.300
188. Ubly, 198, 4-0, 60.000
189. Breckenridge, 197, 3-1, 40.750
190. Merrill, 197, 3-1, 46.250
191. Saginaw Michigan Lutheran Seminary, 189, 4-0, 52.000
192. Britton Deerfield, 188, 3-1, 46.250
193. Saginaw Nouvel, 188, 3-1, 48.750
194. Mendon, 184, 3-1, 44.750
195. Fowler, 180, 4-0, 56.000
196. Auburn Hills Oakland Christian, 175, 3-1, 46.667
197. Lake Linden-Hubbell, 131, 3-1, 42.500
198. Clarkston Everest Collegiate *, 121, 3-0, 56.667
8-Player Playoff Listing
1. Morrice, 182, 4-0, 48.000
2. Climax-Scotts, 145, 4-0, 46.000
3. Deckerville, 195, 4-0, 44.000
4. Hillman, 124, 4-0, 44.000
5. Powers North Central, 107, 4-0, 44.000
6. Gaylord St. Mary, 162, 4-0, 42.000
7. Pellston, 173, 4-0, 42.000
8. Pickford, 138, 3-1, 40.750
9. Colon, 160, 4-0, 40.667
10. Suttons Bay, 205, 4-0, 40.000
11. Martin, 187, 4-0, 40.000
12. Brimley, 166, 4-0, 40.000
13. Peck, 119, 4-0, 40.000
14. Portland St. Patrick, 99, 4-0, 40.000
15. Crystal Falls Forest Park, 121, 3-1, 38.500
16. Kinde North Huron, 126, 4-0, 36.000
17. Vestaburg, 186, 4-0, 34.000
18. Camden-Frontier, 175, 3-1, 32.750
19. Mio, 168, 3-1, 32.750
20. New Haven Merritt Academy, 174, 3-1, 32.750
21. Kingston, 197, 3-1, 30.750
22. Onekama *, 142, 3-1, 30.750
23. Mesick, 193, 3-1, 30.500
24. Brethren, 141, 3-1, 30.000
25. Mayville, 193, 3-1, 28.750
26. Litchfield, 179, 3-1, 28.250
27. Hale, 113, 3-1, 26.750
28. Engadine, 108, 3-1, 26.500
29. Newberry, 186, 3-1, 24.500
30. Posen, 71, 2-2, 23.500
31. Tekonsha, 159, 2-2, 23.000
32. Bellevue, 171, 2-2, 21.500
33. Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart, 113, 2-2, 21.500
34. Wyoming Tri-unity Christian, 100, 2-2, 21.500
35. Eben Junction Superior Central, 177, 2-2, 21.000
36. Cedarville, 154, 2-2, 20.750
37. Rudyard, 164, 2-2, 19.250
38. Onaway, 182, 2-2, 19.000
39. International Academy of Flint, 185, 2-2, 18.750
40. Burr Oak, 70, 2-2, 17.250
41. Burton Madison Academy, 164, 2-2, 17.000
42. Marion, 133, 2-2, 17.000
43. Fife Lake Forest Area *, 175, 1-3, 16.050
44. Rapid River, 131, 1-3, 13.750
45. Bay City All Saints, 136, 1-3, 13.500
46. Carney-Nadeau, 132, 1-3, 12.200
47. Au Gres-Sims, 129, 1-3, 12.000
48. Ashley, 90, 1-3, 12.000
49. Genesee, 179, 1-3, 11.750
50. Central Lake, 169, 1-3, 11.500
51. St. Joseph Michigan Lutheran, 103, 1-3, 11.500
52. Manistee Catholic Central, 177, 1-3, 9.750
53. Webberville, 182, 1-3, 9.750
54. Battle Creek St. Philip, 179, 1-3, 9.750
55. Felch North Dickinson, 86, 1-3, 9.250
56. Baldwin, 106, 1-3, 9.000
57. Waldron, 77, 1-3, 9.000
58. Atlanta, 74, 1-3, 8.750
59. Akron-Fairgrove, 90, 1-3, 8.250
60. Bellaire, 122, 0-4, 2.750
61. Lawrence, 180, 0-4, 2.500
62. Ontonagon, 165, 0-4, 2.500
63. North Adams-Jerome, 145, 0-4, 2.000
64. Carsonville-Port Sanilac, 92, 0-4, 2.000
65. Caseville, 79, 0-4, 1.750
66. Owendale-Gagetown, 49, 0-4, 1.750
67. St. Helen Charlton Heston Academy, 181, 0-4, 1.250
68. Stephenson, 175, 0-4, 1.250
69. Big Rapids Crossroads Academy, 188, 0-4, 1.000
70. Bear Lake, 98, 0-4, 1.000
71. New Buffalo *, 178, 0-3, 0.750
Colleagues Connect in Classroom, Coaching
By
Pam Shebest
Special for MHSAA.com
September 17, 2019
MATTAWAN — When students enter one of the social studies rooms at Mattawan High School, they should not be surprised to see a white board full of Xs and Os.
It is not a game of tic-tac-toe, just a series of football plays.
With three head football coaches teaching in the same wing, there is plenty of pigskin conversation being tossed around before and after school.
Ryan Brown, who teaches social studies and power training, is in his fifth year coaching Mattawan. Wade Waldrup, who teaches social studies and English, is the first-year head coach for Lawton. And Matt Stephens, a social studies teacher, is in his fourth year guiding the program at Paw Paw.
The coaches, who are also friends, do not have to worry about going head-to-head at any time.
“There’s no chance we’ll play against each other, not in the playoffs or anything,” Waldrup said.
That is because the schools vary in enrollment enough that, should they qualify, they will end up in different MHSAA playoff divisions when those are determined after Week 9. The three schools also play in different conferences, with Mattawan in the Southwest Michigan Athletic Conference West, Lawton in the Southwestern Athletic Conference and Paw Paw in the Wolverine.
“I’m glad we don’t play each other because for me, I take my competition very personally and I think they’re both the same way,” Brown said. “It wouldn’t cause issues, certainly not professionally, but personally you’re not as close. You can’t share, and I would miss that.”
Added Stephens: “I appreciate the fact that I coach at a school where I come to work every day and don’t have to look at the athletes from Mattawan and know that I’m going to have to play against them.
“I think that allows me to have some comfort in that I can root for Mattawan and I can root for Lawton because I’m at a different level.”
Sharing is what the three often do, and all agree that they tap into each other’s strengths.
“Matt is more of an offensive guy,” Waldrup said. “I’m more of a defensive guy. Matt’s probably the more creative one and I think Ryan is really good at fundamentals and technique.”
Stephens said another advantage is understanding the ups and downs of the season.
“We’ve known each other for so long, honestly when one of us is down and one of us is up, it’s ‘We feel your pain,’” he said.
“It’s not this issue of we won and you didn’t. It’s more like, ‘We’ve been there before.’”
Although Lawton is 3-0 on the young season, “Matt is probably the top dog because Paw Paw (3-0) is ranked No. 1 in the state,” Waldrup said.
Mattawan is 1-2, but like Paw Paw made the playoffs last season and opened this fall with an impressive win over Kalamazoo Central.
“Honestly, rankings are just media’s way of trying to keep people interested,” Stephens said. “We’re talking to our kids about what they’re going to do to earn it. Being No. 1 is great, but Plainwell doesn’t care if we’re No. 1 and neither do any of our other opponents.
“If you get a No. 1 ranking, that just fuels the fire for other teams. We feel fortunate, blessed to be given that credit, and it’s nice for the kids. But at the end of the day, it all boils down to how you perform.”
The trio’s coaching connection goes way beyond this season.
“There’s a little bit of a coaching tree with Ryan, myself and Wade and I guess it all filters under me, but not necessarily intentionally,” Stephens said.
“I was head coach at Mattawan, so Ryan worked under me quite a while and Wade worked under me for one year before going to Constantine.”
In addition, both Stephens and Brown played football at Vicksburg High School.
Stephens was an assistant under then-coach Denny Patzer while Brown was a player there.
Brown connected with Waldrup after starting his teaching career at Mattawan 19 years ago.
“Many moons ago, Wade was my student teacher,” Brown said. “That was a fantastic experience.
“He left and went to Constantine, then came back this way.”
Waldrup said he came late to education, joining the U.S. Marine Corps after graduating from Clawson High School near Detroit.
He spent nine years as a Marine, then decided to go into education after returning from three years in Okinawa during Desert Storm.
Before taking the job at Lawton this year, Waldrup was Brown’s defensive coordinator at Mattawan, making a splash at the first game last season.
“Our first game last year, I always get coaches the pullovers, shorts, polos and hats, and Wade shows up wearing this gold hat and gold shirt and bright pants, and I was like ‘Where’s that from?’ Brown said, laughing.
“And he said ‘I’ve got my own stuff.’ I always tease him that he had to stand out. He was the golden child. He said he wanted the defensive guys to see him, which makes perfect sense. But at first it was like this bright yellow and I was like, ‘Whoa.’”
Stephens and Waldrup keep their teaching and coaching lives separate.
“When we’re here during the school day, we try very rarely to talk about the other schools that we coach at so we can be a fan of our kids,” said Waldrup, adding that they never wear gear from their football schools while teaching at Mattawan.
When Friday nights roll around, the three are rooting for each other, and they dissect the games on Monday.
“We throw ideas off each other absolutely all the time,” Stephens said.
Brown said there is a definite coaching connection between the three.
“There are some things only they get, only they understand,” he said. “They talk about the Presidents Club, the ex-presidents and how they’re so close after they leave office.
“That’s how I feel like with those guys. I can look at them and give them a look and they’re like, ‘Yeah, I know.’
“I always say I would want my kids to play for either one of those guys, to have that experience. They’re good men, and that’s the first mark of a good coach, I think.”
Pam Shebest served as a sportswriter at the Kalamazoo Gazette from 1985-2009 after 11 years part-time with the Gazette while teaching French and English at White Pigeon High School. She can be reached at [email protected] with story ideas for Calhoun, Kalamazoo and Van Buren counties.
PHOTOS: (Top) Clockwise from left, Paw Paw’s Matt Stephens, Mattawan’s Ryan Brown and Lawton’s Wade Waldrup all teach at Mattawan during the day and coach local varsities after class is done. (Middle) From left, Brown, Stephens and Waldrup. (Middle below) Brown prepares to talk to his team during a break. (Below) Stephens sends players back onto the field during the team’s 3-0 start. (Mattawan photos by Haley Hagen/Paw Paw Courier-Leader. Paw Paw photos by Matthew Day/Hot Shotz Photography. Lawton photo courtesy of Wade Waldrup. Head shots by Pam Shebest.)