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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.)

Clockwise from top left: (1) Oxford’s Carl Reaves (5) breaks a tackle during Oxford’s 20-13 overtime win over Grand Rapids Kenowa Hills in Class BB in 1992. (2) A Crystal Falls Forest Park ball carrier is wrapped up by a New Lothrop tackler during New Lothrop’s 34-13 win in Division 8 in 2006. (3) Muskegon and Detroit Martin Luther King players collide during the Crusaders’ 41-25 victory in Division 3 in 2018. (4) Schoolcraft’s Paul Garrison (75) applies the pressure during his team’s 42-7 win over Frankfor

Century of School Sports: Fall to Finish with 50th Football Championships

By Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor

September 4, 2024

We’ve only just begun to celebrate the MHSAA’s 100th anniversary – a “Century of School Sports” dating back to our start Dec. 13, 1924.

This celebration just happens to coincide with another major milestone this fall – the 50th season of MHSAA Football Playoffs.

After decades of football champions being determined by media polls, the MHSAA offered its first postseason for football in 1975 – 16 teams qualified to compete across Class A, B, C and D. Livonia Franklin, Dearborn Divine Child, Ishpeming and Crystal Falls Forest Park, respectively, hoisted those first championship trophies.

The first year’s Finals were played at Central Michigan University and Western Michigan University, two games at each site, before moving to the Pontiac Silverdome the following season – the home for MHSAA football championships until their move to Ford Field in 2005.

Meanwhile, the playoff field grew to 32 teams – eight per class – in 1977, and again to 64 teams over four classes in 1985. Classes AA, BB, CC and DD were added in 1990, bringing the number of 11-player football championships to its current eight. The 11-player field and format expanded one more time in 1999, doubling to 256 teams total – 32 per division – with a fifth week of postseason games bringing the playoff schedule to its current five weeks.

As more small schools began to have difficulty sustaining their programs during the first decade of the 2000s, the 8-player format began to grow with the first playoffs for that division in 2011. The 8-player bracket was split into two divisions in 2017.

Football remains the most played sport in this state, and its playoffs the most attended MHSAA postseason tournament. As of this writing, an estimated 35,000 athletes representing 601 varsity teams are vying for championships this 2024 season. This year's Finals are Nov. 23 for 8-player and Nov. 29-30 for 11-player. 

Now, for the fun facts:

  • A total of 24 teams have qualified for the MHSAA Football Playoffs at least 30 of the first 49 seasons. Beal City and Crystal Falls Forest Park lead the way with 38 qualifying seasons, followed by Mendon with 37 and Fowler and Traverse City St. Francis with 36. Forest Park and Mendon’s totals include appearances in both the 11 and 8-player brackets. Farmington Hills Harrison remains tied for seventh on the list with 34 postseason appearances despite closing at the end of the 2018-19 school year. NOTE: The totals above do not include the 2020 season, when all schools were entered into the tournament as the regular season was shortened due to COVID-19.
  • Rockford has the longest overall and active streaks of qualifying for the playoffs at 28 straight seasons, again not counting 2020 when all teams were added to the bracket. Forest Park at 26 seasons, Jackson Lumen Christi at 25 and Muskegon at 23 seasons are the next four on the overall and active streak lists (Muskegon is tied on the overall list with Felch North Dickinson’s run from 1991-2013).
  • Farmington Hills Harrison still has the most appearances in 11-Player Finals, with 18, but with Detroit Catholic Central just one back and Lumen Christi with 16. Lumen Christi has won the last two Division 7 titles to move into a tie for the lead on the total 11-player championship list with 13, the same number won by Harrison during its mighty history.
  • On the 8-player side, Powers North Central leads with five appearances in Finals and five championships having won all of them.
  • The Jets also own the longest championship streak in 8-player, with three straight titles from 2020-22. Grand Rapids West Catholic from 2013-17, Harrison from 1997-2001 and East Grand Rapids from 2006-10 all have won five 11-player championships in a row, with eight more 11-player programs having won at least three consecutive titles.

This is but a glance at the playoffs’ past. MHSAA historian Ron Pesch has written several exceptional pieces on the MHSAA Football Playoffs for MHSAA.com, and these are a few of our favorites:

You also can check out a list of all-time playoff qualifiers and 11 and 8-Player Finals records by visiting the MHSAA Football Record Book.

Previous "Century of School Sports" Spotlights

Aug. 28: Let the Celebration Begin - Read

PHOTOS Clockwise from top left: (1) Oxford’s Carl Reaves (5) breaks a tackle during Oxford’s 20-13 overtime win over Grand Rapids Kenowa Hills in Class BB in 1992. (2) A Crystal Falls Forest Park ball carrier is wrapped up by a New Lothrop tackler during New Lothrop’s 34-13 win in Division 8 in 2006. (3) Muskegon and Detroit Martin Luther King players collide during the Crusaders’ 41-25 victory in Division 3 in 2018. (4) Schoolcraft’s Paul Garrison (75) applies the pressure during his team’s 42-7 win over Frankfort in Class D in 1988. (5) A Farmington Hills Harrison ball carrier pushes toward the end zone against Midland Dow in 1976; Dow would prevail 36-27.