2019 Week 6 Football Playoff Listing
October 1, 2019
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Here is a list of MHSAA football playing schools, displaying their win-loss records and playoff averages through the fifth 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 playoffs in those divisions also begin 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, 3-2, 52.800
2. Dearborn Fordson, 2868, 5-0, 89.600
3. Grand Blanc, 2719, 4-1, 76.000
4. East Kentwood, 2673, 3-2, 55.800
5. Utica Eisenhower, 2617, 3-2, 59.000
6. Rockford, 2443, 5-0, 94.400
7. Lake Orion, 2416, 4-1, 83.800
8. Clinton Township Chippewa Valley, 2386, 5-0, 97.600
9. Ann Arbor Pioneer, 2250, 3-2, 50.800
10. Brighton, 2224, 4-1, 76.000
11. Dearborn, 2152, 3-2, 56.000
12. Plymouth, 2090, 5-0, 94.400
13. Southfield Arts & Technology, 2067, 3-2, 55.600
14. West Bloomfield, 2042, 4-1, 85.400
15. Detroit Catholic Central, 2024, 3-2, 65.600
16. Hartland, 2021, 3-2, 55.800
17. Macomb L'Anse Creuse North, 1957, 3-2, 53.800
18. Hudsonville, 1930, 4-1, 75.600
19. Detroit Western, 1888, 3-2, 45.400
20. Saline, 1861, 4-1, 70.800
21. Utica Ford, 1812, 3-2, 57.000
22. Lapeer, 1792, 4-1, 77.400
23. Grandville, 1719, 5-0, 102.400
24. Holt, 1713, 3-2, 63.200
25. Rochester Adams, 1710, 4-1, 74.200
26. Davison, 1694, 5-0, 97.600
27. White Lake Lakeland, 1693, 3-2, 59.000
28. Belleville, 1692, 5-0, 86.400
29. Romeo, 1692, 4-1, 75.600
30. Traverse City West, 1663, 3-2, 59.000
31. Waterford Mott, 1658, 3-2, 55.400
32. Rochester Hills Stoney Creek, 1638, 3-2, 57.200
33. Brownstown Woodhaven, 1623, 5-0, 96.000
34. Warren Mott, 1513, 4-1, 71.000
35. Saginaw Heritage, 1512, 3-2, 51.000
36. Grosse Pointe South, 1510, 4-1, 85.400
37. Detroit U-D Jesuit, 1486, 3-2, 57.000
38. Temperance Bedford, 1466, 4-1, 70.600
39. Sterling Heights, 1464, 3-2, 52.800
40. Farmington *, 1444, 5-0, 89.600
41. Livonia Franklin, 1435, 5-0, 92.800
42. Harrison Township L'Anse Creuse, 1434, 3-2, 55.200
43. St. Clair Shores Lakeview, 1404, 3-2, 53.600
44. Traverse City Central, 1404, 4-1, 77.200
45. Lansing Everett, 1388, 3-2, 52.200
46. Wyandotte Roosevelt, 1386, 4-1, 72.800
47. North Farmington, 1371, 5-0, 91.200
48. Birmingham Seaholm, 1370, 4-1, 74.200
49. Portage Central, 1359, 3-2, 56.800
50. Battle Creek Lakeview, 1350, 5-0, 88.000
51. Birmingham Groves, 1310, 4-1, 82.200
52. Midland, 1309, 5-0, 89.600
53. Port Huron, 1309, 4-1, 67.800
54. Port Huron Northern, 1284, 4-1, 74.200
55. Oak Park, 1276, 4-1, 80.600
56. South Lyon, 1276, 5-0, 96.000
57. Portage Northern, 1274, 4-1, 74.200
58. St. Clair Shores Lake Shore, 1237, 3-2, 50.600
59. Jackson *, 1231, 3-2, 49.400
60. Walled Lake Western, 1228, 4-1, 77.600
61. Muskegon Mona Shores, 1227, 4-1, 77.600
62. Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central, 1219, 4-1, 74.400
63. Dexter, 1214, 4-1, 69.600
64. Detroit Renaissance, 1205, 3-2, 49.050
65. Fenton, 1168, 4-1, 76.000
66. Detroit Martin Luther King, 1158, 3-2, 58.800
67. Lowell, 1152, 3-2, 49.400
68. Byron Center, 1145, 5-0, 94.400
69. Auburn Hills Avondale, 1133, 3-2, 50.800
70. Grand Rapids Northview, 1130, 3-2, 50.800
71. Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice, 1128, 4-1, 81.200
72. Allen Park, 1127, 3-2, 54.000
73. Gibraltar Carlson, 1127, 3-2, 55.600
74. Southgate Anderson, 1124, 3-2, 50.000
75. East Lansing, 1119, 4-1, 84.000
76. Redford Thurston, 1084, 4-1, 69.600
77. Zeeland West, 1054, 4-1, 77.600
78. Pinckney, 1053, 4-1, 68.000
79. Mount Pleasant, 1048, 5-0, 88.000
80. Garden City, 1030, 3-2, 52.200
81. St. Joseph, 1019, 5-0, 84.800
82. Cedar Springs, 1018, 4-1, 73.800
83. DeWitt, 1013, 3-2, 62.200
84. Detroit Mumford, 1007, 3-2, 45.000
85. River Rouge *, 992, 4-1, 64.600
86. Mason, 964, 5-0, 83.200
87. East Grand Rapids, 959, 3-2, 47.800
88. Muskegon, 954, 5-0, 96.000
89. Flint Kearsley, 951, 4-1, 72.600
90. Zeeland East, 943, 4-1, 67.800
91. Orchard Lake St. Mary's, 942, 5-0, 97.067
92. Coldwater, 940, 4-1, 64.800
93. St. Johns, 938, 3-2, 54.200
94. Middleville Thornapple Kellogg, 926, 3-2, 45.800
95. Riverview, 915, 3-2, 49.400
96. Trenton, 914, 3-2, 55.800
97. Dearborn Divine Child, 878, 3-2, 52.400
98. Parma Western, 870, 4-1, 68.000
99. Marysville, 869, 3-2, 48.000
100. Edwardsburg, 856, 5-0, 84.800
101. Spring Lake, 856, 3-2, 44.600
102. Chelsea, 847, 5-0, 105.600
103. Fowlerville, 834, 5-0, 76.800
104. Marshall, 825, 3-2, 49.400
105. Ortonville Brandon, 825, 4-1, 59.800
106. Cadillac, 824, 3-2, 51.600
107. Redford Union, 823, 3-2, 50.600
108. Grand Rapids Christian, 822, 3-2, 49.400
109. Carleton Airport, 815, 4-1, 66.200
110. Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood, 811, 3-2, 48.800
111. Imlay City, 780, 3-2, 39.400
112. Sparta, 780, 4-1, 69.400
113. St. Clair, 780, 5-0, 84.800
114. Hamilton, 778, 3-2, 46.200
115. Vicksburg, 764, 4-1, 61.600
116. Allendale, 756, 3-2, 46.000
117. Goodrich, 741, 4-1, 66.000
118. Milan, 738, 5-0, 78.400
119. North Branch, 736, 4-1, 56.800
120. Escanaba, 708, 4-1, 71.800
121. Pontiac Notre Dame Prep, 705, 5-0, 85.600
122. Lake Fenton, 703, 3-2, 40.600
123. Otsego, 683, 3-2, 43.200
124. Romulus Summit Academy North, 681, 4-1, 66.200
125. Sault Ste. Marie, 679, 4-1, 72.200
126. Detroit Country Day, 677, 5-0, 81.600
127. Paw Paw, 662, 5-0, 80.000
128. Ludington, 656, 4-1, 51.450
129. Flint Powers Catholic, 652, 3-2, 52.600
130. Grand Rapids Catholic Central, 628, 4-1, 77.600
131. Williamston, 621, 3-2, 46.000
132. Hudsonville Unity Christian, 618, 4-1, 67.400
133. Cheboygan, 605, 3-2, 44.000
134. Livonia Clarenceville, 602, 4-1, 41.800
135. Muskegon Orchard View, 602, 5-0, 79.200
136. Grand Rapids South Christian, 599, 3-2, 48.800
137. Benton Harbor, 598, 3-2, 48.700
138. Dowagiac, 596, 3-2, 46.400
139. Ogemaw Heights, 588, 3-2, 43.000
140. Portland, 580, 5-0, 84.800
141. Freeland, 579, 4-1, 69.600
142. Hancock, 579, 4-1, 48.400
143. Muskegon Oakridge, 574, 5-0, 75.200
144. Essexville Garber, 561, 4-1, 58.200
145. Frankenmuth, 547, 5-0, 84.800
146. Saginaw Swan Valley, 544, 3-2, 43.000
147. Dearborn Heights Robichaud, 542, 5-0, 81.600
148. Midland Bullock Creek, 541, 3-2, 41.400
149. Grant, 539, 3-2, 44.200
150. Ann Arbor Father Gabriel Richard, 536, 4-1, 59.400
151. Marine City, 521, 5-0, 81.600
152. Lansing Catholic, 520, 4-1, 66.400
153. Whitmore Lake, 520, 3-2, 27.000
154. Clawson, 515, 3-2, 37.200
155. Almont, 514, 5-0, 75.200
156. Hopkins, 514, 5-0, 73.600
157. Detroit Denby, 508, 5-0, 76.800
158. Berrien Springs *, 505, 5-0, 78.400
159. Olivet, 505, 5-0, 73.600
160. Dundee, 497, 3-2, 42.800
161. Detroit Henry Ford, 492, 3-2, 51.000
162. Reed City, 490, 3-2, 45.800
163. Manistee, 487, 3-2, 35.000
164. Standish-Sterling, 484, 3-2, 41.400
165. Richmond, 476, 5-0, 80.000
166. Central Montcalm, 457, 5-0, 76.800
167. Kingsley, 454, 5-0, 72.000
168. Onsted, 449, 3-2, 44.600
169. Montague, 446, 4-1, 58.400
170. Hillsdale, 445, 5-0, 78.400
171. Durand, 444, 3-2, 40.600
172. Clare, 442, 5-0, 75.200
173. Detroit Osborn, 441, 3-2, 47.200
174. Newaygo, 438, 3-2, 44.400
175. Menominee, 425, 4-1, 60.400
176. Tawas *, 421, 3-2, 34.600
177. Flint Hamady *, 420, 5-0, 65.600
178. Brooklyn Columbia Central, 414, 3-2, 42.600
179. Constantine, 412, 4-1, 53.600
180. Ishpeming Westwood, 412, 3-2, 41.600
181. Negaunee, 407, 3-2, 46.400
182. Jonesville, 395, 4-1, 48.800
183. Clinton Township Clintondale, 392, 4-1, 49.800
184. Maple City Glen Lake, 389, 5-0, 65.600
185. Detroit Edison, 387, 3-2, 42.400
186. Sanford Meridian, 386, 4-1, 58.400
187. Harrison, 382, 3-2, 38.400
188. Blissfield, 381, 4-1, 68.000
189. Niles Brandywine, 378, 5-0, 72.000
190. Calumet, 377, 5-0, 75.200
191. Warren Michigan Collegiate, 375, 4-1, 58.400
192. Montrose, 374, 4-1, 64.800
193. Hemlock, 367, 3-2, 46.800
194. Ithaca, 362, 5-0, 70.400
195. Morley Stanwood, 360, 3-2, 38.400
196. Delton Kellogg, 358, 3-2, 41.600
197. Manchester, 349, 3-2, 33.400
198. Grass Lake, 347, 5-0, 59.200
199. Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central *, 347, 4-1, 66.400
200. Ravenna, 347, 4-1, 55.200
201. LeRoy Pine River, 345, 3-2, 34.800
202. Byron, 342, 3-2, 47.600
203. Hartford, 341, 3-2, 26.800
204. Kent City, 340, 3-2, 39.600
205. Laingsburg, 338, 3-2, 40.000
206. North Muskegon, 338, 3-2, 34.800
207. Traverse City St. Francis, 337, 3-2, 51.200
208. Pewamo-Westphalia, 335, 5-0, 62.400
209. Grand Rapids NorthPointe Christian, 333, 4-1, 42.200
210. Clinton, 328, 5-0, 68.800
211. Houghton Lake, 328, 3-2, 38.400
212. Schoolcraft, 328, 5-0, 70.400
213. L'Anse, 324, 4-1, 48.600
214. Detroit Leadership Academy, 322, 4-1, 60.000
215. Beaverton, 318, 5-0, 70.400
216. Charlevoix, 318, 4-1, 49.800
217. Madison Heights Bishop Foley, 316, 3-2, 31.950
218. Springport, 316, 3-2, 29.600
219. Jackson Lumen Christi *, 314, 5-0, 96.000
220. Riverview Gabriel Richard, 313, 4-1, 56.400
221. Homer, 307, 3-2, 42.800
222. New Lothrop, 307, 5-0, 75.200
223. Iron Mountain, 303, 5-0, 75.200
224. Detroit Central, 299, 4-1, 57.800
225. Oscoda, 295, 5-0, 60.800
226. Sandusky, 289, 3-2, 36.400
227. Detroit Community, 283, 4-1, 49.200
228. Mancelona, 282, 3-2, 33.600
229. Centreville, 281, 3-2, 32.000
230. Elkton-Pigeon-Bay Port Laker, 279, 4-1, 58.200
231. Harbor Springs, 279, 4-1, 43.400
232. Lawton, 275, 5-0, 59.867
233. Evart, 271, 3-2, 34.600
234. Cass City, 269, 4-1, 51.800
235. Cassopolis, 268, 5-0, 64.000
236. Allen Park Cabrini, 265, 3-2, 35.600
237. Concord, 259, 3-2, 38.000
238. Carson City-Crystal, 256, 3-2, 39.400
239. Sand Creek, 256, 4-1, 56.800
240. Unionville-Sebewaing, 250, 3-2, 42.800
241. Beal City, 249, 5-0, 67.200
242. Royal Oak Shrine Catholic, 249, 5-0, 76.800
243. Addison, 238, 4-1, 51.600
244. Ottawa Lake Whiteford, 235, 3-2, 33.400
245. West Iron County, 235, 4-1, 48.800
246. Gobles, 233, 3-2, 32.067
247. Reading, 232, 4-1, 52.000
248. Mount Clemens, 225, 4-1, 48.600
249. Bark River-Harris, 223, 3-2, 33.400
250. Ishpeming, 217, 3-2, 34.400
251. White Pigeon, 213, 5-0, 64.133
252. Johannesburg-Lewiston, 212, 5-0, 65.600
253. Harbor Beach, 207, 5-0, 64.000
254. Southfield Christian, 200, 3-2, 28.000
255. Adrian Lenawee Christian, 199, 4-1, 52.600
256. Ubly, 198, 4-1, 52.000
257. Breckenridge, 197, 4-1, 48.800
258. Merrill, 197, 3-2, 41.000
259. Saginaw Michigan Lutheran Seminary, 189, 4-1, 45.200
260. Britton Deerfield, 188, 3-2, 39.200
261. Saginaw Nouvel, 188, 4-1, 51.800
262. Mendon, 184, 4-1, 42.400
263. Fowler, 180, 5-0, 59.200
264. Pittsford, 176, 3-2, 24.600
265. Auburn Hills Oakland Christian, 175, 4-1, 43.950
266. Detroit Southeastern, 158, 3-2, 39.800
267. Lake Linden-Hubbell, 131, 3-2, 36.200
268. Clarkston Everest Collegiate *, 121, 4-0, 60.000
269. Waterford Our Lady of the Lakes, 100, 3-2, 37.800
8-Player Playoff Listing
1. Morrice, 182, 5-0, 49.600
2. Portland St. Patrick, 99, 5-0, 49.600
3. Powers North Central, 107, 5-0, 49.600
4. Colon, 160, 5-0, 48.400
5. Suttons Bay, 205, 5-0, 47.733
6. Gaylord St. Mary, 162, 5-0, 47.467
7. Pellston, 173, 5-0, 47.467
8. Deckerville, 195, 5-0, 46.400
9. Pickford, 138, 4-1, 45.600
10. Martin, 187, 5-0, 45.200
11. Mio, 168, 4-1, 42.400
12. Climax-Scotts, 145, 4-1, 39.200
13. Crystal Falls Forest Park, 121, 4-1, 39.000
14. Kingston, 197, 4-1, 37.600
15. Hillman, 124, 4-1, 37.400
16. Mayville, 193, 4-1, 36.000
17. Mesick, 193, 4-1, 35.800
18. Peck, 119, 4-1, 35.800
19. Brimley, 166, 4-1, 35.600
20. Onekama, 142, 4-1, 34.800
21. New Haven Merritt Academy, 174, 4-1, 34.200
22. Engadine, 108, 4-1, 32.600
23. Kinde North Huron, 126, 4-1, 32.600
24. Bellevue, 171, 3-2, 31.800
25. Posen, 71, 3-2, 31.800
26. Cedarville, 154, 3-2, 29.800
27. Vestaburg, 186, 4-1, 29.600
28. Camden-Frontier, 175, 3-2, 28.200
29. Brethren, 141, 3-2, 28.000
30. Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart, 113, 3-2, 27.000
31. Burr Oak, 70, 3-2, 26.800
32. Tekonsha, 159, 3-2, 26.600
33. Onaway, 182, 3-2, 25.200
34. International Academy of Flint, 185, 3-2, 24.800
35. Rapid River, 131, 2-3, 24.000
36. Hale, 113, 3-2, 23.400
37. Litchfield, 179, 3-2, 23.200
38. Newberry, 186, 3-2, 21.600
39. Webberville, 182, 2-3, 19.400
40. Eben Junction Superior Central, 177, 2-3, 17.800
41. Rudyard, 164, 2-3, 17.800
42. Wyoming Tri-unity Christian, 100, 2-3, 17.600
43. Battle Creek St. Philip, 179, 2-3, 16.800
44. Manistee Catholic Central, 177, 2-3, 16.200
45. Marion, 133, 2-3, 16.067
46. Burton Madison Academy, 164, 2-3, 16.000
47. Akron-Fairgrove, 90, 2-3, 14.800
48. Fife Lake Forest Area *, 175, 1-3, 13.567
49. Bay City All Saints, 136, 1-4, 13.400
50. Genesee, 179, 1-4, 12.400
51. Ashley, 90, 1-4, 12.200
52. Carney-Nadeau, 132, 1-4, 12.200
53. Bellaire, 122, 1-4, 11.000
54. New Buffalo *, 178, 1-3, 10.600
55. Au Gres-Sims, 129, 1-4, 10.200
56. Central Lake, 169, 1-4, 10.033
57. Atlanta, 74, 1-4, 9.800
58. St. Joseph Michigan Lutheran, 103, 1-4, 9.400
59. Ontonagon, 165, 1-4, 8.800
60. Felch North Dickinson, 86, 1-4, 8.400
61. Owendale-Gagetown, 49, 1-4, 8.000
62. St. Helen Charlton Heston Academy, 181, 1-4, 7.800
63. Baldwin, 106, 1-4, 7.600
64. Big Rapids Crossroads Academy, 188, 1-4, 7.600
65. Waldron, 77, 1-4, 7.600
66. Lawrence, 180, 0-5, 3.200
67. North Adams-Jerome, 145, 0-5, 2.400
68. Caseville, 79, 0-5, 2.000
69. Carsonville-Port Sanilac, 92, 0-5, 1.800
70. Bear Lake, 98, 0-5, 1.200
71. Stephenson, 175, 0-5, 1.200
Undefeated Contenders Make Claims as 1925 High School Football Champion
By
Ron Pesch
MHSAA historian
November 14, 2025
It was another football season without an official postseason, just as they all were prior to 1975 in Michigan.
Well – that’s not exactly true – but we will detail that story on another day.
In the Great Lakes State, the 1925 prep season – now 100 years ago - provides a beautiful illustration of the fun, fascination, and frustration in proclaiming gridiron championships in Michigan before the arrival of the MHSAA playoffs.
“The Roaring Twenties” – built in the age of prosperity that followed the end of World War I – were an age of excess, an era of more, and a time where anything seemed possible.
The Twenties are also known as the Golden Age of College Football, and excitement for the sport certainly trickled down to the high school level. The need or desire to open or break ground on impressively bigger and better stadiums hit schools around the nation. The 1925 season marked the opening of the University of Pittsburgh’s Pitt Stadium, with potential seating for 70,000. In Michigan, just upriver on Saginaw Bay in Bay City, the town’s Central High School unveiled a facility with a capacity of 7,100. That season marked the end of college careers for University of Illinois’ legend Harold “Red” Grange, Dartmouth’s Andy Oberlander, and Stanford’s Ernie Nevers. It was also the first varsity season at University of Michigan for Muskegon High School’s Bennie Oosterbaan, who became the school’s first three-time football All-American.
With a lack of lighted fields in Michigan, prep contests were mostly played on Saturdays, and the kickoff to seasons began around mid-September. Scheduled games generally ended in late November, with a few schools around the state closing their slate with a traditional Thanksgiving Day game.
Call it what you will – bragging rights, statewide acclaim, untethered validation, or an unsatisfied heart – but the regular season did not end the fascination and desire to name a state champion. While the state’s governing body did not sponsor championships, that did not stop cities, schools, the media, and the fan base from attempts to assign bragging rights to teams with unbeaten records. That was pretty much the case since the start of the prep game, dating back to 1888.
The era was often filled with “post season” challenges for games between teams to crystalize a claim on a championship. In general, they seldom came to fruition.
The MHSAA
The recently-created Michigan High School Athletic Association established three classes based on hard student enrollment numbers, with Class A – comprised of the state’s largest schools, each with a minimum of 500 students – Class B with between 175 and 499 enrolled, and Class C for schools with fewer than 175 pupils. Back then, the classifications were not segmented with an equal number of schools in each Class, as they are in today’s Division format. Rather, there were many more schools that fell into Class B and Class C than Class A. (Additional subdividing, adding Class D, and Class E, would come later).
Spurred on by fans and sportswriters, schools who wanted a share of the spotlight saw those classifications conveniently offering a means to segment claims on a state title. Acknowledging that they could seldom compete successfully against the larger schools in football, there was nothing to stop unbeaten teams from declaring themselves Class B or Class C gridiron champions.
The Fall of '25
Following the results of mid-November games across the state, just two prep teams in Michigan’s emerged as possible claimants to the title in Class A. Both Flint Central and Grand Rapids Union were unbeaten and untied. Flint would play Bay City Central at home on Saturday, Nov. 21, then square off for a Thanksgiving game with Ann Arbor in the university city.
Union would complete its regular season in a showdown with crosstown rival Grand Rapids South on Nov. 21. Unbeaten in 1924, South had shared that season’s mythical state title with Flint Central.
Just days before kickoff however, a third school emerged, making lots of noise.
Port Huron Times-Herald reporter Ray Bouslog penned an article that appeared in the Tuesday, Nov. 17 edition.
“Comparing Port Huron with the other two undefeated teams, the locals appear to have just as good a record as their rivals,” he noted. Comparing scores of games among the three schools against common opponents, and opponent’s common opponents – a common practice among fans and sportswriters then and now – he felt the local school was among the state’s best regardless of class.
Two days later, in the same paper, Port Huron’s athletic director and head coach Melvin J. Myers, acknowledging they had two more games on their schedule, was quoted by Bouslog:
“Having gone through the schedule unbeaten, untied, and unscored on, we consider that we have as much a claim (on the state title) as either Grand Rapids Union or Flint Central. But unlike the situation in former years, when the teams were unable to agree on terms of the post season battle, we are willing to play either of these schools at home or away.”
It was a bold statement. Port Huron was classified as a Class B school by the MHSAA. Five of its eight wins had come against Class B or Class C competition. While its goal line had not been crossed, Port Huron had scored 151 points – an average of just under 19 per contest.
Port Huron also had scheduled a Turkey Day game with Richmond, a Class C opponent. Myers considered the contest “only a workout for the team,” with victory by a large margin expected. But Saturday’s contest was on the road against a University of Detroit High School squad – no pushover. Port Huron, of course, would fall out of the race with a defeat in either contest.
On Friday, the Flint Daily Journal, in an Extra edition, acknowledged the Myers’ challenge: “(T)he recognized leader in Class B having no blemish on her record ... Port Huron is willing to step out of her class (and) has hurled challenges at both Flint and Union, provided they are untied and unbeaten.”
Since Union did not have a scheduled Thanksgiving Day contest, Myers stated he was willing to reschedule the Richmond game and meet Union, in Grand Rapids, on the holiday. The move would set up a “playoff” for an undisputed championship.
Union coach John Truesdale responded in the Grand Rapids Press, stating “This is no time to talk such stuff. The proper time for serious entertainment of such ideas is after the South game is played. If we win Saturday we talk. If we lose, and that is not impossible, then we will be in a position to consider such things.”
Union brushed off Coach Myers’ desire for a game on Thanksgiving. Truesdale indicated he was willing to listen to proposals from either Flint or Port Huron – not Thanksgiving Day – but on Saturday, Nov. 28, and no later.
Flint coach Charles Bassett was blunt with his response to the talk: “It is absolutely out of the question for Flint to even think of playing Union or any other team on Nov 28. We have a regularly scheduled game with Ann Arbor only two days before that time. It would be physically impossible for the boys to play two games in three days.”
Emphasizing that his two remaining games had been scheduled over a year ago, he stated, “Union knows our schedule and so does every other school in Michigan. I have no intention whatever of trying to change it. … If Union or Port Huron desire to play at some later date, after my boys have had a suitable rest, I shall be glad to listen to their proposals.”
Stage is Nearly Set
All three schools won their game on Saturday, Nov. 21. Rocky Parsaca nailed three out of four drop-kicks as Union topped South, 9-0, while Port Huron slipped past U of D High, 6-0, on a fourth-quarter TD by senior fullback Cecil Turner. Flint crushed Bay City Central, 32-0, to set the stage.
With that win, on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, Bassett told the Journal, “If Central is successful against Ann Arbor tomorrow, we stand ready and willing to play either Port Huron or Grand Rapids Union for the undisputed state championship. This should settle all doubts as to our sincerity in believing we have the best team in the state. We are willing to test it on any neutral field.”
By then, however, negotiations for a three-way series involving Union had broken down and the news had reached the paper. In the same edition, it was noted that Union had packed up for the fall. Without a game on Thanksgiving or the Saturday following, Truesdale stated Union could not carry its squad for two full weeks without a game. On Monday, Nov. 24, the Press had announced that Union had closed out its football season and was now focused on basketball.
With that bit of news, the Flint paper stated, “It is probable that Flint and Port Huron will arrange a game for Saturday, Dec 5.”
Thanksgiving
Played on Ann Arbor’s high school field, located just three blocks from University of Michigan’s Ferry Field, Flint had its hands full, downing the hosts, 6-3, on a second-quarter touchdown by senior captain Lloyd Brazil, before 5,000 fans. A future star, and later head coach at the University of Detroit, Brazil intercepted an Ann Arbor pass during the closing minutes, capping a scoreless second half and sealing the win.
As expected, Port Huron trounced Richmond, 55-0.
Talk about a game with Flint to be played at Michigan State College at the new State stadium hit the papers. But discussions failed, and by the weekend, Port Huron and Flint Central also closed out their seasons.
With that, multiple schools laid claim to the crown proving, once again, football championships from the era are valid, but “mythical.”
Check back next week for a second installment on the 1925 football “championship” race.
PHOTOS (Top) From left, Port Huron standout Cecil Turner, Grand Rapids Union football coach John Truesdale, Flint Central players huddling and Central’s Lloyd Brazil. (Middle) The 1925 Flint Central team. (Below) The 1925 Port Huron team. (Photos gathered by Ron Pesch.)