Byron Brother & Sister Teaming Up Once More
By
Paul Costanzo
Special for MHSAA.com
October 23, 2018
When it was announced Sunday night that Byron was included in the Division 6 playoff bracket, it wasn’t a surprise for the 5-4 Eagles – but it did provide new opportunities.
An opportunity to play another game. An opportunity to avenge a Week 1 defeat against Flint Hamady. An opportunity to stay together for at least one more week as a team.
In the Marvin household, it provided one other unique opportunity: a chance for senior TJ and his younger sister Sarah, a sophomore, to be teammates on the Eagles’ offensive and defensive lines. Sarah Marvin was a captain on the Eagles’ junior varsity team this year, and is among a group of players moving up to the varsity for the postseason.
“That’s awesome to be able to play football with your sister,” TJ Marvin said. “But to play the same positions and not have to go easy, it’s good, because I can still get a good look.”
It’s the second straight year the Marvins have had this opportunity, and in 2017 they actually were able to line up next to each other late in the Eagles’ loss to Ithaca.
When it comes to practice, being on the same field is nothing new as Byron’s varsity and JV teams often practice together. That means brother and sister – who both play defensive end and offensive tackle -- not only share a field, but also get to square off throughout the season.
“It’s fun,” TJ Marvin said. “It’s cool to be up against your sibling. Caliber of player wise, she lines up just like all the other guys, so I’m still getting a good look. It’s not much different.”
The Marvins get to spend plenty of time together athletically, as both are also throwers on the track & field team, along with Sarah’s twin sister, Becky. Sarah and Becky also get to play basketball for their mother, Theresa, who is the Byron girls varsity basketball coach.
“Everyone in my family knows about throwing,” Sarah said. “All of the sports – you can go home and talk about it, and everyone in your family understands.”
Football is also a family thing, but it’s something special TJ and Sarah share. They started playing while she was in first grade and he was in third, and often times found themselves not only as teammates, but also lined up next to each other on the offensive line.
Starting in the male-dominated sport was something Sarah didn’t think twice about.
“I don’t know if it was something that so much drew me to it. It was just that all of my boy cousins always played,” Sarah Marvin said. “I have (two younger cousins, two younger brothers), an older brother and an older cousin, and we would always rough house.”
Theresa Marvin said her daughter has always loved the game -- whether it be watching or playing -- and became a student of it. TJ agreed.
“Sometimes I’ll give her tips and stuff, but she is very athletically smart,” TJ Marvin said. “She knows the game, watches a lot of football and she’s very good at big picture plays and seeing what’s going on. Any sport, really, but especially football where there is so much going on, she really analyzes the game.”
While they started playing at the same time, TJ does have plenty of experience he can pass onto his younger sister. Injuries kept him off the field for the majority of his freshman and sophomore seasons, but the 6-foot-3, 235-pound two-way starter was an all-conference selection as a junior. He also is a varsity captain this season.
Sarah Marvin already has established herself as an all-state athlete, finishing third this spring at the Lower Peninsula Division 3 track & field championships in the discus and shot put. She was also an honorable mention all-state selection in basketball during her freshman year.
Throwing appears to be her future as an athlete, and continuing to play football is something they’re taking year by year.
“All through my freshman year I was dead set on it, that I’m going to play all four years,” Sarah Marvin said. “I think that’s changed a little bit. I had a kind of close call where a kid went to make a tackle and I was behind our running back, and he fell right into my knee. So that’s the main thing, is not getting hurt.”
Worrying about getting injured, however, has nothing to do with Sarah’s gender.
“Sometimes I worry about it, but I don’t worry about her anymore than I would other guys on the field,” TJ Marvin said. “I worry about it a little bit with her coming up on varsity where there are much bigger players and it’s a little more intense, but I know what she can do physicality wise and the kind of athlete she is. I worry about her getting hurt, but I worry about every one of my teammates getting hurt.”
Sarah is simply a member of the team, and she says that’s something that resonates through the program.
“Within my grade level and even the grade older, since I’ve played since the first grade, I think they’re just used to it -- we’re definitely just regular teammates,” she said. “They don’t treat me any different than the other kids; they’re just out there to play football. I’d probably be annoyed if they didn’t hit me as hard as they hit everyone else.”
Despite that, the Marvin siblings realize their situation is unique, and they feel fortunate to be able to experience playing together for at least one more week.
“(Getting on the field together) would be a really cool thing to do,” Sarah Marvin said. “Especially in his senior year.”
Paul Costanzo served as a sportswriter at The Port Huron Times Herald from 2006-15, including three years as lead sportswriter, and prior to that as sports editor at the Hillsdale Daily News from 2005-06. He can be reached at [email protected] with story ideas for Genesee, Lapeer, St. Clair, Sanilac, Huron, Tuscola, Saginaw, Bay, Arenac, Midland and Gladwin counties.
PHOTOS: (Top) TJ, left, and Sarah Marvin take the field for Byron’s varsity and junior varsity teams, respectively, this season. (Middle) TJ and Sarah first teamed up nine years ago when TJ was in 3rd grade and Sarah in 1st. (Photos courtesy of the Marvin family.)
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