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'All Together' Onekama Seeks 1st Football Title

November 16, 2018

By Chris Dobrowolski
Special for Second Half

ONEKAMA — The Upper Peninsula is soon to be invaded by Portagers.

The village of Onekama, meanwhile, might resemble a ghost town.

A large and loyal following for the Onekama football team is geared up for a trip to the Superior Dome in Marquette, site of Saturday’s 8-Player Division 2 Football Final, where the Portagers (10-2) are taking on Rapid River (9-3) in their quest for the school’s first MHSAA football championship.

“It’s really energized the community,” said Onekama head coach John Neph. “I’m so happy that our local community has responded so well. It means so much to have this special event going on.”

Yard signs and window decorations have sprung up all over town. Residents have stepped forward to find out how they can aid the team during its journey to the championship game, while fans have shown up to games in droves as the team has advanced farther in the postseason, past the likes of Marion (22-6), Brethren (52-0) and Portland St. Patrick (28-14).

“Everyone’s supporting us. The community here is amazing, especially for the football program,” said running back/linebacker Ben Acton. “We had the most people we’ve ever had for our games in the playoffs this year. It’s awesome seeing everybody out there in the stands and after the games.”

The Portagers have given their fans plenty to cheer about. The program had four playoff wins all-time entering this season, and they have nearly doubled that total with this playoff run.

Getting to the championship game wasn’t at the forefront of Onekama’s goals this season, but it hasn’t come as a complete shock, either. The Portagers had five seniors and three top juniors returning to a squad that went 9-2 in 2017.

“We thought we could be pretty good,” said Neph. “Then we had a really good preseason camp, and we got better. We were very pleasantly surprised with the overall development of our players. Our guys have gotten better and better as the season has gone on.”

It’s a squad that has embraced the team aspect of the game. Sure, there are standouts — Acton and  junior running back/linebacker Aaron Powers have been playmakers on both sides of the ball, senior Rylan Clarke has led from his tight end position, and senior Wyatt Lawson and junior Wade Sedlar anchor the offensive and defensive lines, respectively — but the Portagers relish functioning as one cohesive unit.

“This isn’t one person’s team. Or the coaches’ team. It’s our team,” said Neph. “It’s all of us together. That has made a huge difference with the morale, and the long run we’ve had. Sometimes at the end of a season you can get tired of going to practice, and I don’t think we’ve ever experienced that. It’s a group of guys that like coming out here, enjoy working with each other. We have some fun, and we’ve been winning, which helps.”

Onekama has proven it can score points, having topped the 50-point plateau four times. The Portagers like to be known as a stout defensive team, though. They’ve backed that up by shutting out four teams this year, not counting two forfeit victories.

“We really take pride in our defense,” said senior defensive back Ben Johnson, one of four defensive players to receive accolades on the all-Midwest Central Michigan Conference West teams. “We’re a defensive team but our offense — when it clicks, it clicks too.”

The Portagers finished third in the West after they had tough losses to league champion Wyoming Tri-unity Christian (28-26) and runner-up Suttons Bay (13-8). Neph felt like the loss to Suttons Bay, which came two weeks before the start of the postseason, ignited Onekama’s push through the playoffs.

“We lost it late in the game on a long pass,” said Neph. “It felt like we were about to win the game, and to have it taken away from us like that, that was tough. I’m extremely proud of our guys. That’s where the upperclassmen stepped forward and said, ‘We lost today, but we’re going to bounce back and keep going.’ I would say that was a significant turning point for us. We got back to work and moved forward from there.”

The Portagers have reeled off four straight wins and whipped the entire school and community into a frenzy.

“It’s great,” Clarke said of the atmosphere at school. “Our math teacher looked at us today and said, ‘I still can’t believe you guys are going to the Finals.’ Our student support is tremendous. For a small community like us, this is great.”

Advancing this deep into the postseason has created a lot of additional planning and extra responsibilities for Neph and his staff, including making arrangements for hotel accommodations, transportation and meals for the team. He wouldn’t want to have it any other way, with the opportunity to win a Finals championship.

“It would just be an unbelievable, historical moment for our school to win the state championship,” he said. “It would be the crowning event of a lot of people putting hours and hours and hours of work into the football program. For the players, it would be the ultimate experience for them. Something that will last the rest of their lives.”

Win or lose, this season and this playoff performance already has created a deep bond among the 18 players on this year’s Onekama squad.

“We’re brothers,” said Clarke. “We’ll probably be brothers for the rest of our lives. We’ll probably all be coaching our kids together when we’re 30 and 40.”

Chris Dobrowolski has covered northern Lower Peninsula sports since 1999 at the Ogemaw County Herald, Alpena News, Traverse City Record-Eagle and currently as sports editor at the Antrim Kalkaska Review since 2016. He can be reached at [email protected] with story ideas for Manistee, Wexford, Missaukee, Roscommon, Ogemaw, Iosco, Alcona, Oscoda, Crawford, Kalkaska, Grand Traverse, Benzie, Leelanau, Antrim, Otsego, Montmorency, Alpena, Presque Isle, Cheboygan, Charlevoix and Emmet counties.

PHOTOS: (Top) Onekama’s Ben Acton (5) finds an opening among four Portland St. Patrick defenders during last week’s Semifinal win. (Middle) Luke Mauntler (7) drags along two Manistee Catholic Central defenders during a Week 6 victory. (Photos courtesy of the Onekama athletic department.)

News 2023

MHSAA Provides Update on 2025 Football Playoff Hopefuls, Bracket Reveal Schedule

By Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor

October 23, 2025

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, plus information on this season's MHSAA Playoffs bracket and Finals schedule announcements.

Schools on this list are divided by division and ordered by playoff average. The top 32 teams by playoff average in each 11-player division and top 16 teams by playoff average in each 8-player division will qualify for the MHSAA Football Playoffs beginning Oct. 31. Divisions were determined prior to the start of the season, and the lists below include not only teams currently positioned to potentially qualify, but also the next eight teams in each division.

To review a list of all football playoff schools, individual school playoff point details and to report errors, visit the Football Playoff Point Summary page.

The announcement of the qualifiers and first-round pairings for both the 11 and 8-player playoffs will take place at 5 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 26, on the “Selection Sunday Show” on the NFHS Network. A subscription is not required to watch the Selection Sunday Show.

The playoff qualifiers and pairings will be posted to the MHSAA Website following the Selection Sunday Show, and times and dates will be added Monday, Oct. 27.

The MHSAA Football Playoffs conclude with the 8-Player Finals on Nov. 22 at Northern Michigan University’s Superior Dome and 11-Player Finals to be played Nov. 28 and 30 at Ford Field.

11-Player Division 1

1. Clarkston, 7-1, 83.125
2. Hudsonville, 8-0, 82.000
3. Detroit Catholic Central, 8-0, 76.661
4. Grand Blanc, 8-0, 76.625
5. Saline, 7-1, 75.875
6. Belleville, 7-1, 74.500
7. Howell, 7-1, 72.875
7. Rochester Adams, 6-2, 72.875
7. Rockford, 6-2, 72.875
10. Detroit Cass Tech, 8-0, 72.500
11. Brownstown Woodhaven, 7-1, 70.750
12. Oxford, 6-2, 70.000
13. Romeo, 6-2, 69.875
14. Brighton, 6-2, 68.250
15. West Bloomfield, 6-2, 67.750
16. Davison, 7-1, 67.375
17. East Kentwood, 6-2, 67.000
18. Dearborn Fordson, 6-2, 66.250
19. Farmington, 6-2, 65.875
20. Macomb Dakota, 6-2, 64.625
21. Northville, 6-2, 63.750
22. Utica, 6-2, 63.375
23. Grand Ledge, 6-2, 62.000
24. Rochester Hills Stoney Creek, 5-3, 58.750
25. Utica Eisenhower, 5-3, 57.375
26. Sterling Heights Stevenson, 5-3, 57.125
27. Grandville, 4-4, 54.125
28. Jenison, 4-4, 53.375
29. Hartland, 4-4, 52.500
30. Dearborn, 4-4, 50.500
31. Salem, 4-4, 50.250
32. Ann Arbor Huron, 4-4, 49.625
33. Rochester, 4-4, 48.875
34. Kalamazoo Central, 5-3, 48.500
35. Caledonia, 3-5, 44.286
36. Novi, 3-5, 44.250
37. Ann Arbor Pioneer, 3-5, 43.750
38. Livonia Stevenson, 3-5, 43.625
39. Holt, 4-4, 43.250
40. Walled Lake Northern, 3-5, 42.375

11-Player Division 2

1. South Lyon, 8-0, 75.875
2. Dexter, 7-1, 73.875
3. Gibraltar Carlson, 8-0, 73.375
4. Portage Central, 8-0, 72.500
5. Grosse Pointe South, 7-1, 70.125
6. Midland Dow, 7-1, 66.750
7. Walled Lake Western, 6-2, 65.875
8. Port Huron Northern, 6-2, 65.625
9. Livonia Franklin, 6-2, 64.750
10. Muskegon, 6-2, 64.458
11. White Lake Lakeland, 6-2, 64.375
12. St. Clair Shores Lakeview, 6-2, 61.125
13. Byron Center, 5-3, 59.875
14. North Farmington, 5-3, 59.500
15. Portage Northern, 6-2, 59.179
16. Warren Cousino, 6-2, 59.125
17. Orchard Lake St. Mary's, 5-2, 58.893
18. Birmingham Groves, 5-3, 55.000
18. Birmingham Seaholm, 5-3, 55.000
20. Lansing Everett, 5-3, 54.875
20. Traverse City Central, 5-3, 54.875
22. Lincoln Park, 5-3, 53.500
23. Allen Park, 5-3, 53.250
24. Traverse City West, 4-4, 52.500
25. Roseville, 4-4, 52.000
25. Temperance Bedford, 4-4, 52.000
27. Muskegon Mona Shores, 5-3, 51.875
28. Waterford Mott, 4-4, 51.000
29. East Lansing, 3-5, 49.000
30. Grand Rapids Northview, 5-3, 48.875
31. Milford, 4-4, 47.250
32. Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice, 4-4, 47.161
33. South Lyon East, 4-4, 47.125
34. Warren Mott, 4-4, 46.875
35. Midland, 4-4, 45.000
36. Dearborn Heights Crestwood, 5-3, 44.375
37. Saginaw Heritage, 3-5, 43.000
38. Ferndale, 4-4, 41.875
39. Southgate Anderson, 3-5, 41.750
40. Battle Creek Central, 4-4, 41.625
40. Berkley, 4-4, 41.625
40. Oak Park, 3-5, 41.625

11-Player Division 3

1. DeWitt, 8-0, 76.458
2. Mount Pleasant, 8-0, 75.000
3. Gaylord, 8-0, 65.625
4. Niles, 8-0, 65.000
5. Grand Rapids Kenowa Hills, 7-1, 64.750
6. Warren Fitzgerald, 7-1, 63.750
7. Adrian, 7-1, 58.500
7. East Grand Rapids, 6-2, 58.500
9. Detroit Martin Luther King, 5-3, 57.667
10. Cedar Springs, 7-1, 57.500
11. Ypsilanti Lincoln, 6-2, 56.875
12. Port Huron, 5-3, 56.250
13. Hastings, 6-2, 56.000
13. Lowell, 6-2, 56.000
15. Fenton, 5-3, 55.625
16. Mason, 5-3, 53.625
16. St. Joseph, 5-3, 53.625
18. Zeeland West, 6-2, 53.125
19. Holly, 5-3, 52.500
20. Marysville, 6-2, 51.125
21. Redford Thurston, 6-2, 50.625
22. Zeeland East, 5-3, 50.250
23. Coldwater, 6-2, 49.375
24. Linden, 6-2, 49.125
24. Middleville Thornapple Kellogg, 5-3, 49.125
26. Trenton, 4-4, 48.250
27. Marquette, 5-3, 48.000
28. Riverview, 6-2, 45.750
29. Coopersville, 4-4, 45.500
30. Warren De La Salle Collegiate, 3-5, 44.929
31. Owosso, 5-3, 44.875
32. Bay City John Glenn, 5-3, 42.625
33. Bay City Western, 3-5, 41.375
34. Fruitport, 4-4, 40.875
35. Petoskey, 4-4, 40.125
36. Stevensville Lakeshore, 3-5, 38.000
37. Ypsilanti Community, 3-5, 37.500
38. Jackson Northwest, 3-5, 36.125
39. Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central, 2-6, 35.375
40. River Rouge, 2-6, 35.292

11-Player Division 4

1. Harper Woods, 8-0, 84.750
2. Williamston, 8-0, 65.375
3. Goodrich, 8-0, 64.875
4. Hudsonville Unity Christian, 8-0, 64.750
5. Chelsea, 7-1, 63.750
6. Battle Creek Harper Creek, 7-1, 61.625
7. Haslett, 6-2, 58.125
8. Escanaba, 7-1, 57.750
9. Dearborn Divine Child, 7-1, 57.042
10. Portland, 8-0, 56.000
11. Ludington, 8-0, 54.375
12. Redford Union, 6-2, 52.625
13. Wyoming Godwin Heights, 7-1, 52.375
14. Madison Heights Lamphere, 5-3, 51.875
15. Center Line, 7-1, 51.250
15. Paw Paw, 5-3, 51.250
17. Big Rapids, 7-1, 51.125
18. Edwardsburg, 6-2, 50.375
19. Vicksburg, 5-3, 48.875
20. Grand Rapids South Christian, 4-4, 47.625
21. Freeland, 6-2, 47.375
22. Tecumseh, 5-3, 47.000
23. Macomb Lutheran North, 7-1, 45.625
24. Grand Rapids Christian, 5-3, 45.500
25. Harper Woods Chandler Park, 6-2, 44.250
26. Spring Lake, 5-3, 43.750
26. Three Rivers, 4-4, 43.750
28. St. Johns, 4-4, 42.500
29. Lansing Sexton, 5-3, 42.250
30. St. Clair, 5-3, 41.750
31. Ortonville Brandon, 4-4, 39.000
32. Fowlerville, 4-4, 38.875
33. Holland Christian, 4-4, 38.750
34. Detroit Henry Ford, 4-4, 37.500
35. Lake Fenton, 3-5, 37.375
36. Croswell-Lexington, 4-4, 36.750
37. Clio, 4-4, 35.875
38. Otsego, 3-5, 35.542
39. Charlotte, 4-4, 35.500
40. Sparta, 3-5, 34.500

11-Player Division 5

1. Grand Rapids Catholic Central, 8-0, 72.475
2. Grand Rapids West Catholic, 7-1, 58.625
3. Pontiac Notre Dame Prep, 6-2, 55.375
4. Frankenmuth, 7-1, 55.250
5. Romulus Summit Academy North, 7-1, 54.375
6. Saginaw Swan Valley, 7-1, 53.500
7. Richmond, 7-1, 53.125
8. Ogemaw Heights, 7-1, 52.250
9. Ann Arbor Father Gabriel Richard, 8-0, 51.736
10. Monroe Jefferson, 7-1, 51.625
11. Detroit Southeastern, 6-2, 50.250
12. Armada, 6-2, 46.750
13. Whitehall, 5-3, 45.000
14. Clare, 6-2, 44.000
15. Michigan Center, 8-0, 43.875
16. Kingsford, 6-2, 43.444
17. Berrien Springs, 5-1, 43.375
18. Detroit Denby, 6-2, 42.667
19. Flat Rock, 5-3, 41.750
20. Gladwin, 5-3, 41.500
21. Howard City Tri County, 5-3, 40.875
22. Kalamazoo Hackett Catholic Prep, 6-2, 40.542
23. Muskegon Oakridge, 5-3, 40.250
24. Dowagiac, 5-3, 40.167
25. Romulus, 4-4, 39.500
26. Negaunee, 5-3, 39.194
27. Detroit Cody, 5-3, 38.250
28. Wyoming Kelloggsville, 5-3, 37.375
29. Yale, 4-4, 36.125
30. Whitmore Lake, 6-2, 36.054
31. Shepherd, 5-3, 36.000
32. Hopkins, 4-4, 35.625
33. Hazel Park, 5-3, 35.375
34. Detroit Voyageur College Prep, 4-4, 34.625
35. Lake Odessa Lakewood, 3-5, 32.125
36. Muskegon Orchard View, 4-4, 31.375
37. Alma, 3-5, 30.750
37. Cheboygan, 3-5, 30.750
39. Midland Bullock Creek, 4-4, 30.500
40. Birch Run, 4-4, 29.125

11-Player Division 6 

1. Almont, 8-0, 59.375
2. Jackson Lumen Christi, 5-3, 56.042
3. Detroit Edison, 7-1, 53.000
4. Belding, 7-1, 52.375
5. Olivet, 7-1, 49.625
6. Kent City, 8-0, 48.500
6. Marine City, 6-2, 48.500
8. Montrose, 8-0, 45.750
9. Reed City, 6-2, 45.500
10. Kingsley, 6-2, 45.000
11. Traverse City St. Francis, 6-2, 43.446
12. Flint Hamady, 6-2, 42.375
13. Ecorse, 6-2, 41.875
14. Dearborn Heights Robichaud, 5-3, 41.054
15. Ovid-Elsie, 6-2, 39.625
16. Calumet, 6-2, 39.230
17. Boyne City, 5-3, 39.000
18. Durand, 6-2, 38.625
19. Ida, 6-2, 37.750
20. Detroit Pershing, 5-3, 37.375
21. Clawson, 5-3, 34.875
21. Napoleon, 5-3, 34.875
23. Warren Michigan Collegiate, 4-4, 34.250
24. Central Montcalm, 6-2, 34.000
25. Montague, 4-4, 33.500
26. Flint New Standard Academy, 7-1, 32.750
27. Buchanan, 5-3, 32.333
28. Adrian Madison, 5-3, 32.250
28. Detroit Central, 5-3, 32.250
30. Sanford Meridian, 5-3, 30.875
31. Brooklyn Columbia Central, 5-3, 29.500
32. Clinton Township Clintondale, 4-4, 29.250
33. Kalkaska, 5-3, 29.143
34. Lansing Catholic, 2-6, 29.000
35. Gladstone, 3-5, 28.444
36. Hart, 4-4, 28.375
37. St. Clair Shores South Lake, 3-5, 28.250
38. Royal Oak Shrine Catholic, 5-3, 27.125
39. Onsted, 3-5, 27.000
40. Mason County Central, 4-4, 26.625

11-Player Division 7

1. Menominee, 8-0, 54.028
2. Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central, 7-1, 51.000
3. Charlevoix, 8-0, 43.250
4. Millington, 7-1, 41.000
5. Pewamo-Westphalia, 7-0, 40.893
6. Schoolcraft, 7-1, 40.125
7. Clinton, 6-2, 39.500
8. Constantine, 6-2, 39.250
9. Saginaw Valley Lutheran, 8-0, 38.125
10. Hanover-Horton, 6-2, 37.500
11. Elkton-Pigeon-Bay Port Laker, 6-2, 37.250
12. Cass City, 6-2, 36.625
12. Lawton, 6-2, 36.625
14. North Muskegon, 6-2, 35.571
15. Ottawa Lake Whiteford, 7-1, 34.875
16. Bronson, 7-1, 34.625
17. McBain, 6-2, 34.375
18. Ithaca, 6-2, 33.250
19. Harrison, 6-2, 31.500
20. Saranac, 6-2, 30.321
21. LeRoy Pine River, 5-3, 29.375
22. Detroit Community, 5-3, 29.278
23. Ravenna, 4-4, 29.125
24. Rochester Hills Lutheran Northwest, 4-4, 28.554
25. Union City, 5-3, 27.875
26. Shelby, 5-3, 27.500
27. Jonesville, 5-3, 26.750
27. Leslie, 4-4, 26.750
29. Manton, 5-3, 26.500
30. Burton Bendle, 5-3, 26.250
31. Galesburg-Augusta, 4-4, 25.625
32. Burton Atherton, 4-4, 25.250
33. Morley Stanwood, 3-5, 24.500
34. Quincy, 5-3, 24.000
35. Stockbridge, 4-4, 23.250
36. Coloma, 3-5, 23.125
37. Houghton Lake, 3-5, 22.500
38. Detroit Northwestern, 2-6, 22.250
39. Otisville LakeVille Memorial, 2-6, 22.125
40. Bath, 4-4, 21.946

11-Player Division 8

1. Hudson, 8-0, 46.000
2. Melvindale Academy for Business & Tech, 8-0, 44.903
3. Madison Heights Madison, 7-1, 43.375
4. Harbor Beach, 8-0, 40.000
5. Beal City, 8-0, 39.875
6. Maple City Glen Lake, 6-1, 38.554
7. Allen Park Cabrini, 8-0, 37.750
8. Springport, 8-0, 36.250
9. Decatur, 6-2, 35.000
10. Bark River-Harris, 6-1, 34.605
11. Fowler, 6-2, 34.571
12. New Lothrop, 5-3, 34.500
13. White Pigeon, 6-2, 32.750
14. Unionville-Sebewaing, 6-2, 32.375
15. Southfield Bradford Academy, 5-3, 31.722
16. Saginaw Nouvel Catholic Central, 6-2, 31.250
17. Mancelona, 5-3, 29.250
17. Saginaw Michigan Lutheran Seminary, 5-3, 29.250
19. East Jordan, 5-3, 28.643
20. Genesee, 4-4, 28.250
20. Manchester, 5-3, 28.250
22. Iron Mountain, 5-2, 27.911
23. Frankfort, 5-3, 27.893
24. Clarkston Everest Collegiate, 5-3, 27.875
25. Centreville, 4-4, 27.625
26. Waterford Our Lady of the Lakes, 4-4, 27.375
27. Riverview Gabriel Richard, 3-5, 26.625
28. Auburn Hills Oakland Christian, 5-3, 25.667
29. Reese, 4-4, 24.500
30. L'Anse, 5-3, 24.375
31. Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart, 4-4, 22.929
32. Petersburg Summerfield, 4-4, 22.875
33. Muskegon Catholic Central, 3-5, 22.375
34. Reading, 3-5, 22.000
35. Ubly, 3-5, 21.750
36. West Iron County, 3-4, 21.250
37. Farwell, 3-5, 20.750
37. St Louis, 2-6, 20.750
39. Vassar, 2-6, 18.500
40. Vermontville Maple Valley, 2-6, 18.375

8-Player Division 1

1. Norway, 8-0, 37.696
2. Martin, 8-0, 37.333
3. Blanchard Montabella, 8-0, 35.125
4. Indian River Inland Lakes, 8-0, 34.375
5. Kingston, 7-1, 32.750
6. Gobles, 6-2, 31.190
7. Pickford, 6-1, 31.179
8. Bessemer, 7-1, 31.083
9. Bay City All Saints, 6-2, 30.268
10. Central Lake, 5-3, 30.250
11. Merrill, 6-2, 29.625
12. Capac, 6-2, 29.500
13. Brown City, 6-2, 29.250
14. Climax-Scotts, 6-2, 29.125
15. Newberry, 6-2, 28.768
16. Breckenridge, 5-3, 28.643
17. Marcellus, 5-3, 26.565
18. Concord, 4-4, 24.875
19. Colon, 5-3, 24.625
20. Fulton, 4-4, 24.500
21. Dryden, 4-4, 24.393
22. Rogers City, 4-4, 23.589
23. Brimley, 3-5, 22.601
24. Eau Claire, 4-4, 21.833

8-Player Division 2

1. Onekama, 8-0, 36.250
2. Portland St. Patrick, 8-0, 35.607
3. Mendon, 8-0, 34.750
4. Britton Deerfield, 7-1, 34.625
5. Deckerville, 7-1, 33.875
6. Grand Rapids Sacred Heart, 7-1, 33.565
7. Felch North Dickinson, 8-0, 33.458
8. Pittsford, 7-1, 32.375
9. Mio, 7-1, 31.143
10. Morrice, 7-1, 30.875
11. Powers North Central, 6-2, 30.375
12. Cedarville, 6-2, 30.000
13. Lake Linden-Hubbell, 6-2, 29.833
14. Gaylord St. Mary, 7-1, 29.000
15. Marion, 6-2, 28.125
16. Hillman, 5-3, 26.714
17. Waldron, 5-3, 26.250
18. Adrian Lenawee Christian, 5-3, 26.125
18. Au Gres-Sims, 5-3, 26.125
20. St. Ignace, 5-3, 26.018
21. Kinde North Huron, 5-2, 25.357
22. Bear Lake, 6-2, 24.750
23. Peck, 5-3, 24.089
24. Brethren, 4-4, 23.375