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Drive for Detroit: Playoff Week 2 Review

November 5, 2018

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

The postseason in any sport is a time mostly for celebrating success, as teams achieve first-time milestones or finish by bringing home the ultimate MHSAA prize.

Sadly, every week also means the end to seasons and high school careers. Two more 2017 champions saw their repeat attempts conclude this weekend, and a handful of title favorites just a few weeks ago also saw their runs halted.

We glance below at many of those storylines from the second round of the MHSAA Playoffs – noting as always that any football team making it to early November should be proud, whenever its run is done. “Drive for Detroit” is powered by MI Student Aid. 

Division 1

HEADLINER: Dearborn Fordson 41, Detroit Cass Tech 14 That Fordson won surely stunned some statewide, and especially by this margin. But the Tractors (10-1) entered the playoffs last month with just one loss for the third straight season and fell to Cass Tech (10-1) by only five points in their 2017 District Final matchup. That said, this was the eighth playoff meeting over the last decade between these two – and the Technicians won the first seven. Click for more from the Detroit Free Press and see highlights below from The D Zone.

More shoutouts: Saline 42, East Kentwood 7 The Southeastern Conference Red champ Hornets (10-1) scored 21 points in the third quarter and got near-perfect passing from quarterback Andrew Arbaugh to down the Ottawa-Kent Conference Red champ Falcons (9-2). Clinton Township Chippewa Valley 51, Macomb Dakota 10 The Macomb Area Conference Red champion Big Reds (11-0) made this much more comfortable than when they edged league co-runner-up Dakota (8-3) by seven in Week 5. West Bloomfield 20, Detroit Catholic Central 17 (OT) Last season’s Division 1 runner-up Lakers moved to 9-2 by answering the overtime field goal by DCC (7-4) with a touchdown pass from CJ Harris to Lance Dixon.

Division 2

HEADLINER: Warren DeLaSalle 35, Oak Park 7 The Pilots’ ability to shut down Oak Park again sticks out immediately – the Knights entered averaging 29 points per game, but DeLaSalle also defeated Oak Park (9-2) in their 2017 Regional Final 14-7 on the way to winning Division 2. With this victory, the Pilots (9-2) improved to a combined 21-4 over the last two seasons. Click for more from the Macomb Daily and see highlights below from State Champs Sports Network.

More shoutouts: Port Huron Northern 14, St. Clair Shores Lakeview 7 (OT) The Huskies (10-1) tied their program record for wins by getting past Lakeview (7-4) for the second time this fall. Birmingham Groves 38, Birmingham Brother Rice 24 The Falcons (9-2) avenged last season’s District-opening 24-21 loss to the Warriors (7-4), improving to 2-1 in their playoff matchups over the last three seasons. Walled Lake Western 35, South Lyon 14 South Lyon (10-1) won the Lakes Valley Conference in part with a 29-19 Week 8 win over Western, but Western (8-3) will play for its third Regional title in four years.

Division 3

HEADLINER: Cedar Springs 44, Mount Pleasant 14 Overshadowed by the many Grand Rapids-area powers during the regular season, Cedar Springs couldn’t be missed this weekend. The Red Hawks (10-1) handed Mount Pleasant (10-1) its lone loss to claim their first District title since 2000, adding to the O-K White championship clinched earlier this fall. Cedar Springs has given up a combined 21 points over the last five weeks and now will get to challenge reigning champion Muskegon. Click for more from the Mount Pleasant Morning Sun and see highlights below from FOX 17.

More shoutouts: Zeeland East 42, Zeeland West 24 Getting by the rival Dux (8-3) for the second time in four weeks earned the Chix (10-1) their first District title since 2010. Parma Western 44, Battle Creek Central 21 The Panthers (10-1) reached double-digit wins and won a District title for the first time in their history, ending Central’s best finish since 2004 at 7-4. DeWitt 9, East Lansing 7 The Panthers (11-0) withstood their biggest scare this season and after winning 37-0 in their Week 5 meeting with the Trojans (9-2).

Division 4

HEADLINER: Farmington Hills Harrison 13, Detroit Country Day 10 (OT) A bobbled field goal attempt turned into a backpedaling game-winning touchdown pass that extended Harrison’s final season another week. The Yellowjackets (7-3) had opened overtime with a field goal, and the Hawks (8-3) had lined up to try to tie the score. Click for more from the Oakland Press.

More shoutouts: Holland Christian 22, Grand Rapids South Christian 19 The Maroons (8-3) won their first District title since 2009, ending the Sailors’ run at 6-5. Escanaba 14, Alma 13 The Eskymos (9-2) will face reigning champion Grand Rapids Catholic Central for the third straight season after beating Alma (9-2) for a District title for the third straight year. Chelsea 35, Milan 14 The Bulldogs (8-3) won their fourth District title in five seasons, defeating Milan (8-3) for the second straight playoffs.

Division 5

HEADLINER: Hudsonville Unity Christian 40, Muskegon Oakridge 37 The Crusaders (9-2), playing for their third District title in four seasons, came back from 27 points down to edge the Eagles (9-2) as the latter was looking to repeat as District champs. Unity went on a 32-2 second-half run, taking the lead with just more than three minutes to play. Click for more from the Grand Rapids Press and see highlights below from WZZM.

More shoutouts: Marine City 41, Harper Woods 27 The Mariners (9-2) won their first District title since 2013 by piling up the most points Harper Woods (8-3) gave up this season. Kalamazoo United 46, Hopkins 35 The Titans, made up of students from Hackett and Kalamazoo Christian, won the first District title for either since Christian’s in 2008 by downing the O-K Silver champion Vikings (9-2). Frankenmuth 28, Almont 22 The Tri-Valley Conference East-winning Eagles (9-2) won this matchup of league champions, handing Blue Water Area Conference leader Almont (10-1) its lone loss.

Division 6

HEADLINER: Traverse City St. Francis 42, Calumet 6 St. Francis (11-0) won this matchup of unbeatens to clinch a fifth straight District title and earn a rematch with rival Kingsley in the Regional Final. Calumet (10-1) capped its second 10-win season in three years but gave up a season-high in points while scoring a season-low six for the second straight week. Click for more from the Traverse City Record-Eagle and see highlights below from MI Sports Now.

More shoutouts: Blissfield 41, Brooklyn Columbia Central 40 In two weeks of playoffs, fourth-place Blissfield (7-4) has beaten both co-champions of the Lenawee County Athletic Association, this time avenging a Week 4 loss to the Golden Eagles (9-2). Flint Hamady 47, Ecorse 22 The Genesee Area Conference Blue-winning Hawks (11-0) added their first District title to their best run ever, eliminating Michigan Metro Athletic Conference Black champ Ecorse (8-3) Kingsley 44, Beaverton 14 The Stags (10-1) reached double-digit victories for the first time since winning the Division 6 title in 2005, ending Beaverton’s run at 8-3.

Division 7

HEADLINER: Pewamo-Westphalia 42, Saugatuck 20 This rematch of last season’s Division 7 Final went the two-time champion’s way again. This was the fifth time in six seasons these teams met, and as expected Saugatuck’s offense gave the Pirates (11-0) one of its more significant challenges. But P-W also became the first team since Week 4 to score more than 40 points on the Indians (9-2). Click for more from the Ionia Sentinel-Standard.

More shoutouts: Madison Heights Madison 38, Detroit Loyola 0 The MAC Silver champ Eagles (11-0) earned their third straight shutout, stopping Loyola (7-4) as it sought to win its seventh District title in eight seasons. New Lothrop 44, Cass City 20 The Mid-Michigan Activities Conference champ Hornets (10-1) earned a playoff rematch with P-W by doubling up Greater Thumb Conference West champ Cass City (8-3). Cassopolis 35, Centreville 0 The Rangers (11-0) won the Southwest 10 Conference title with a 21-0 Week 9 victory over the Bulldogs (9-2), and this time held them to 147 yards.

Division 8

HEADLINER: Reading 28, Ottawa Lake Whiteford 6 Reigning Division 8 champion Whiteford (10-1) hadn’t lost in two years, and hadn’t scored fewer than 36 points since falling in the 2016 championship game. This was arguably the most impressive of a great run of victories for the Rangers (11-0), who have beaten three league champions and a runner-up over the last month. Click for more from the Hillsdale Daily News and see highlights below from BCSN.

More shoutouts: Harbor Beecher 28, Ubly 26 (3OT) The GTC East co-champion Pirates (10-1) held off the revenge-minded Bearcats (8-3), who finished third in the league after also falling to Harbor Beach in Week 5. Flint Beecher 22, Clarkston Everest Collegiate 14 The Bucs (8-3) clinched their first District title since 2012 by edging the Catholic League C-D champion Mountaineers (9-2). Detroit Southeastern 24, Dansville 22 Southeastern (8-3) outscored Dansville (7-4) 16-0 in the second half to win its first football District title since 2009 and after six straight sub-.500 finishes heading into this fall.

8-Player Division 1

HEADLINER: AuGres-Sims 72, Deckerville 28 The Wolverines (11-0) added to their first season in 8-player and best run in football ever by beating reigning Division 1 runner-up Deckerville (8-3) to claim their first Regional title in the sport. AuGres-Sims countered giving up their most points in a game this season by going over 70 for the second time this fall. Click for more from the Huron Daily Tribune and see highlights below from WBKB.

Other Regional Final shoutouts: Pickford 48, Suttons Bay 42 The Panthers (11-0) survived their toughest challenge of this season, holding off Suttons Bay (9-2) with quarterback Jimmy Storey’s touchdown run with 37 seconds to play. Morrice 44, Wyoming Tri-unity Christian 14 The Orioles (11-0) won their first Regional title since 1996 by dealing the Defenders (10-1) their only loss this season. Colon 40, Bellevue 22 The Magi (10-1) are Regional champs for the first time thanks to a second win this season over the league rival Broncos (9-2).

8-Player Division 2

HEADLINER: Rapid River 40, Crystal Falls Forest Park 34 The reigning Division 2 champ Trojans (6-5) opened the playoffs by stunning Powers North Central, and Rapid River (8-3) followed up this week by downing Forest Park to make the Semifinals for the first time since 2013. Rapid River actually handed Forest Park one of its two defeats in 2017 as well. The Rockets will look next to make the Finals for the third time in eight seasons. Click for more from the Escanaba Daily Press.

More Regional shoutouts: Portland St. Patrick 20, Tekonsha 6 The reigning Division 2 runner-up Shamrocks (7-4) have rattled off four straight wins, this one over Southern Central Athletic Association B champ Tekonsha (6-5).  Cedarville 44, Posen 0 The Trojans join Rapid River among three Great Lakes Conference East teams still alive after running their winning streak against Posen (8-3) to four straight. Onekama 52, Brethren 0 The Portagers (9-2) won their first Regional title by also downing a conference champion in the West Michigan D League’s Bobcats (7-4).

Second Half’s weekly “Drive for Detroit” previews and reviews are powered by MI Student Aid, a part of the Student Financial Services Bureau located within the Michigan Department of Treasury. MI Student Aid encourages students to pursue postsecondary education by providing access to student financial resources and information, including various student financial assistance programs to help make college more affordable for Michigan students. MI Student Aid administers the state’s 529 savings programs (MET/MESP) and eight additional aid programs within its Student Scholarships and Grants division. Click for more information and connect with MI Student Aid on Facebook and Twitter @mistudentaid.  

PHOTO: Clinton Township Chippewa Valley remained undefeated with a second win over Macomb Dakota this season. (Click for more from C&G Newspapers.)

Inside Selection Sunday: Mapnalysis 2012

October 24, 2012

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Between double checking data for more than a third of our 626 football teams, and creating 136 first-round games for our most popular tournament, the morning of MHSAA football "Selection Sunday" is both one of the most exciting and nerve-wracking of the school year.

So for those scratching their heads the last few days over how we picked the brackets this season, I offer one question and one warning:

How would you have done so differently?

And before you answer, remember that moving the position of one school affects at least seven more – if not all 32 in that division.

This was the second year I was involved in the football selection process, which while appearing simple on its face actually is layered with hours of discussions, calculations, checking and re-checking, and anything else we at the MHSAA can do to make sure we’ve created the best tournament possible.

Simply put, it’s more than just drawing circles and calling them good.

Below are a brief description of what we do, the history behind the process, and some challenges we face each time we draw these brackets – including some examples of our toughest this time around.

The process

Our past: The MHSAA playoff structure – with 256 teams in eight divisions, and six wins equaling an automatic berth – debuted in 1999. An 8-player tournament was added in 2011, resulting in nine champions total when November is done.

That’s a long way from our start. The first playoffs were conducted in 1975 with four champions. Four more football classes were added in 1990 for a total of eight champions each fall. Through 1998, only 128 teams made the postseason, based on their playoff point averages within regions (four for each class) that were drawn before the beginning of the season. The drawing of Districts and Regions after the end of the regular season did not begin until the most recent playoff expansion.

In early years of the current process (or until the middle of the last decade), lines were drawn by hand. Dots representing qualifying schools were pasted on maps, one map for each division, and those maps were then covered by plastic sheets. Districts and Regionals literally were drawn with dry-erase markers.

Our present: After a late Saturday night tracking scores, we file in as the sun rises Sunday morning for a final round of gathering results we may still need (which can include making a few early a.m. calls to athletic directors). Then comes re-checking and triple-checking of enrollments, co-ops, some records and more before the numbers are crunched and the field of 256 is set.

Those teams are then split into eight equal divisions based on enrollment, and their locations are marked on digital maps that are projected on wall-size screens and then discussed by nearly half of the MHSAA staff plus a representative from the Michigan High School Football Coaches Association. Only the locations themselves are marked (by yellow dots) – not records, playoff points averages or names of the schools or towns. In fact, mentions of those are strictly prohibited. Records and playoff points are not part of the criteria. Matchups, rivalries, previous playoff pairings, etc. also DO NOT come into play.

Geography rules: Drawing Districts and Regionals is all about location. Travel distance and ease DO come into play. Yes, ease is important. Schools near the same major highway might be further from each other in mileage than other options but have a better trip. A good example this year is in Division 6, which has seven teams in the U.P. and the northern Lower Peninsula. That meant Shelby needed to be included with those teams to make eight, and left Montague to a District that includes Hemlock – more than halfway across the Lower Peninsula. But at least, in this case, much of that trip will be on one roadway, M-46.

There is certainly conversation about every possible option. The staff splits into two groups, each handling four divisions (plus one of the groups handles 8-player too), and then the entire committee comes together to view all nine maps. There wasn’t one division where the group as a whole said, “That looks great, what’s next?”

Observations and answers

A different ballgame: I was asked whatever happened to Districts, meaning teams opening with opponents nearby. Remember that with eight divisions and 32 teams in each, the difference between maximum and minimum enrollments for each division is smaller than it used to be with just four classes, and the probability of finding two schools in the same division next door to each other is lower. This is especially true for our smaller schools, and those pairings are more spread out. Division 7 provides an excellent example. Opponents Dansville and Ottawa Lake Whiteford are 84 miles apart. But in another option considered, Dansville would’ve played Gobles – and those two are separated by 114 miles.

Points still matter: And that means strength of schedule is a big factor. After Districts are drawn, playoff point average determines the home team for those two games and Regionals as well. There are five Districts in which the team with the best or second-best record did not get home games because those teams’ playoff point averages ranked third among the four teams in those brackets. A number of other Districts have 8-1 teams playing at other 8-1 teams. It’s true: there are times a school can’t help the opponents it plays, because of league affiliation perhaps, and they have no control over how an opponent does the rest of the season. But a Class B team playing in a league with Class D schools can’t expect to compare averages well against teams in their division who face similarly-sized opponents during the regular season. 

No boating: This didn’t come up last season, but did twice Sunday. We had to decide if it was a better trip for teams in the thumb to go around Saginaw Bay to play northern opponents, or instead send teams a little bit south of the thumb but with a straight shots north. As the bird flies, the thumb teams were closer in some cases. But I’ve never heard of a team hopping into a boat to get to a playoff game.

The fifth wheels: The toughest lines to draw are around areas with five schools in the same division. Remember, Districts come in fours, and one dot affects the rest. The Grand Rapids area gave us tough calls because of five teams in Divisions 2 and 4. The same was true in the southwest corner in Division 7 and the southeast corner in Division 6. No matter how we circled it, one of those teams got stuck with a longer trip. This time, that group included Caledonia, Grand Rapids South Christian, Blissfield and Gobles.
It’s easy to say certain areas of these maps should’ve been drawn differently. But again, keep in mind a statewide view.

Some of our pairings could create gigantic matchups earlier in the playoffs than those teams might like. But again, who is to decide which teams are the best and which matchups most “gigantic” before they prove it on the field? At least three teams touted during this fall as potentially the best in the state this season didn’t even win their conference titles.

And as I said in this analysis last year, determining the playoff schedule is just one step in many. Nine MHSAA champions must survive until the end, regardless of which opponents they face along the way. 

Their journeys begin Friday.