Drive for Detroit: Week 4 in Review
September 19, 2016
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
A pair of game-winning field goals. Gutsy calls to go for two. Three significant streaks broken and a pair of MHSAA records set, and on top of it all a scene to draw a tear from even the most macho fan.
What more could we ask for from one weekend of high school football?
Our Week 4 review touches on a lot of these stories and more. But also check out this Observer & Eccentric piece how two teams came together to make a special night for Novi's "hydration engineer" and his mother, who is fighting cancer for the second time. A piece by WXYZ-TV also is at the bottom of this report.
Bay & Thumb
Freeland 12, Alma 6
The Falcons (4-0) added to a 16-game regular-season winning streak and kept hold on their lead in the Tri-Valley Conference Central, but just barely thanks to a defense that locked down an Alma offense that averaged 36 points per game over its first three. Freeland had three interceptions to stay ahead of the Panthers, who have given up only 26 points on the year. Click for more from the Midland Daily News.
Also noted:
Croswell-Lexington 48, Almont 28 – The Pioneers (3-1) are a three-point loss to Richmond from perfection, but are keeping themselves in the Blue Water Area Conference conversation thanks to this win over Almont (2-2).
Flint Carman-Ainsworth 41, Flint Powers Catholic 7 – A tough opening schedule made it tough to gauge the Cavaliers (2-2), but downing Powers (2-2) said plenty and kept them undefeated in the Saginaw Valley League Blue.
Midland 31, Mount Pleasant 28 – Gavin Archbold drilled a 40-yard field goal as the final seconds ticked off the clock to give Midland (3-1) the edge over the Oilers (1-3) in a series that has seen the last five games decided by eight points or fewer.
Montrose 29, Flint Beecher 15 – What’s generally a three-team race in the Genesee Area Conference Red now has two favorites with Montrose (3-1) and Lake Fenton both downing Beecher (2-2) over the last two weeks.
Greater Detroit
Farmington Hills Harrison 28, West Bloomfield 0
Harrison (3-1) avenged last season’s Week 9 loss by dealing West Bloomfield (2-2) its first shutout since 2010. Both could emerge as eventual league champions; Harrison is 2-0 in the Oakland Activities Association White, and the Lakers have two strong opening wins in the OAA Red. Click for more from the Detroit Free Press.
Also noted:
Birmingham Brother Rice 13, Warren DeLaSalle 3 – The Warriors (3-1) are back after their first sub-.500 season in 30 years, with this win over DeLaSalle (2-2) giving them more victories than in all of 2015.
Oak Park 44, Rochester Adams 43 (OT) – The Knights (2-2) went for the two-point conversion in overtime and made it five straight over Adams (3-1) and stay in the mix in the OAA White.
Detroit Catholic Central 28, Cleveland St. Ignatius, Ohio, 21 (OT) – This was the first close game for both teams, with the Shamrocks (4-0) emerging as the still-undefeated by winning overtime.
Warren Fitzgerald 24, St. Clair Shores South Lake – The Spartans (4-0) are in a slightly more comfortable position in the Macomb Area Conference Silver thanks to this win and an earlier victory by South Lake (3-1) over 2015 champion Madison Heights Madison.
Mid-Michigan
Portland 36, Lansing Catholic 35
The Lansing area’s most anticipated game was as good as expected, coming down to a made two-point conversion with 25 seconds to play that kept Portland (4-0) atop the Capital Area Activities Conference White. Lansing Catholic (3-1), which beat Portland in a Division 5 District Final last season after losing their regular-season matchup, led the entire game until that go-ahead score. Click for more from the Lansing State Journal.
Also noted:
Stockbridge 70, Leslie 32 – This wasn’t just another 100-point game involving Stockbridge (3-1); Mason Gee-Montgomery threw eight touchdown passes, reportedly breaking the MHSAA career record in the category after entering this season needing 21 to do so.
Greenville 35, Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central 34 – The Yellow Jackets (3-1) now have one more win than all of last season after handing Forest Hills Central (3-1 also after going 2-7 a year ago) its first loss.
Ithaca 45, Pinconning 0 – The Yellowjackets’ third straight shutout also put them at 4-0 and 97-3 over their last 100 games, the best 100-game winning percentage in MHSAA history.
DeWitt 47, Mason 0 – The Panthers (3-1) finish with a couple tough nonleague matchups, but beating Mason (3-1) this well makes it look like they won’t have many more challenges in the CAAC Red.
Northern Lower Peninsula
Traverse City Central 38, Portage Central 22
Storms pushed the end of this one past midnight Friday, but Traverse City Central left its home field with a big-time statement win against one of the southwest corner's top teams. The Trojans finished on a 21-7 second-half run to remain undefeated at 4-0 and hand the Mustangs (3-1) their first loss while scoring the most points Portage Central has given up since a 2013 Division 2 Semifinal. Click for more from the Traverse City Record-Eagle.
Also noted:
Johannesburg-Lewiston 47, Central Lake 14 – The Cardinals’ five-year playoff streak looked to be in jeopardy, but getting to 2-2 with this win over Central Lake (1-3) will help significantly with a tough slate ahead.
Lincoln Alcona 58, AuGres-Sims 20 – Alcona (3-1) is all alone atop the North Star League standings with the second-place Wolverines (3-1) now needing some help and two others only a win back.
Maple City Glen Lake 42, Onekama 7 – The Lakers (3-1) kept pace in the Northern Michigan Football Conference Leaders division and are the only team to beat the Portagers (3-1) during the last two regular seasons, having done so last year as well.
Roscommon 20, Beaverton 14 – Another week, another important win for upstart Jack Pine Conference co-leader Roscommon (4-0), which dealt the Beavers (2-2) a second straight loss.
Southeast & Border
Saline 26, Temperance Bedford 24
There’s a chance this season’s Southeastern Conference Red championship will come down to the field goal kicked by Vinnie Patteri with three seconds to play against Bedford (3-1) after he missed an extra point earlier in the game and was injured the week before when Saline (4-0) also won on a late field goal. Click for more from MLive-Detroit.
Also noted:
Sand Creek 38, Morenci 36 – The Aggies are continuing to enjoy their best start since 2006, making themselves a Tri-County Conference contender by beating a Morenci team (2-2) that has been the last two seasons.
Ann Arbor Skyline 35, Monroe 22 – After a tough start, Skyline (1-3) lost to Saline by only three last week and now has its first win over a Monroe team that while 2-2 has made the playoffs four of the last five seasons.
Ida 58, Brooklyn Columbia Central 34 – The matchup of last season’s top two in the Lenawee County Athletic Association went Ida’s way again, with the Bluestreaks (4-0) now tied atop the league with Dundee and Columbia Central (2-2) needing to chase.
New Boston Huron 7, Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central 6 – The Chiefs (3-1) may be a win behind in the Huron League standings but kept themselves in the conversation – with much more to celebrate – by beating the Falcons (2-2) for the first time since 1986.
Southwest Corridor
Cassopolis 28, Berrien Springs 21
The Rangers secured their first 4-0 start since 2009 in avenging a 7-0 loss from a year ago. Cassopolis mounted the winning the drive with three minutes to play and handed the Shamrocks (1-2) their second defeat by seven or fewer points this fall. Both won nine games a year ago. Click for more from the Niles Daily Star.
Also noted:
Comstock 26, Bronson 16 – The Colts’ 40-game losing streak is history as they won for the first time since 2011 to go to 1-3 this fall.
Vicksburg 24, Plainwell 8 – The Bulldogs (3-1) will need some help in the Wolverine Conference after falling to favorite Edwardsburg two weeks ago, but getting past perennial playoff team Plainwell (1-3) was big for postseason hopes.
Stevensville Lakeshore 31, St. Joseph 12 – A week after a big loss to Portage Central, Lakeshore (3-1) bounced back quickly and well in handing the Bears (3-1) their first defeat.
Portage Northern 24, Niles 21 – Portage Northern (2-2) got a needed victory as it hopes to get back to the playoffs after missing last fall; it’s worth noting that the Vikings (3-1) do have one more win already than all of last season.
Upper Peninsula
Negaunee 35, Iron Mountain 13
The Mid-Peninsula Athletic Conference title is hardly wrapped up, but Negaunee (4-0) has now handed the only losses this season to two teams – Iron Mountain and Calumet – and has to feel pretty confident with nemesis Ishpeming coming up in three weeks. Iron Mountain (3-1) handed the Hematites their lone loss this fall and now will be rooting for them. Click for more from the Iron Mountain Daily News.
Also noted:
St. Ignace 46, East Jordan 8 – This meeting of early contenders in the NMFC Legacy didn’t stay close for long, as St. Ignace (3-1) kept its spot among favorites by handing East Jordan (3-1) a first defeat.
Newberry 22, Felch North Dickinson (20) – The Indians (4-0) stood up to their first challenge of the season to remain atop the Mid-Eastern Conference with North Dickinson (2-2) falling into a tie for third.
Gwinn 28, Bark River-Harris 14 – Save for a Week 2 loss to Iron Mountain, Gwinn (3-1) already has had a memorable fall with as many wins as in any season since going 4-5 in 2001 – and now a victory over last season’s Mid-Eastern Conference co-champion Broncos (2-2).
Kingsford 36, Sault Ste. Marie 14 – The Flivvers (3-1) lined themselves up nicely for this week’s matchup against Great Northern Conference power Menominee, while dropping first-year league member Sault Ste. Marie to 1-3 overall.
West Michigan
Hudsonville Unity Christian 24, Zeeland West 22 (OT)
Unity Christian (4-0) has strung together a pair of nice finishes over the last two seasons, but both included big regular-season losses to West including 52-6 in Week 9 last season. However, the Crusaders looked like they might have figured out the Dux (3-1) a bit, falling only 28-21 in a Division 4 Regional Final a few weeks later – and this time handed the reigning Division 4 champion its first regular season loss since Week 2 of 2013. Click for more from the Grand Rapids Press.
Also noted:
Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern 24, East Kentwood 23 – The Huskies (2-2) squeaked past what’s been considered one of the contenders in the Ottawa-Kent Conference Red; East Kentwood’s two losses the last two weeks were by a combined eight points.
Grandville Calvin Christian 36, Grand Rapids NorthPointe Christian 33 – The Squires (2-2) have come back from opening losses to bigger teams with a pair of wins against O-K Silver opponents, this one over a NorthPointe team (3-1) that played in MHSAA Semifinals the last two years.
Grandville 36, Hudsonville 6 – The Bulldogs (4-0) now look like the clear favorites in the O-K Red with a combined 185-28 score on their four opponents including an Eagles team (3-1) that looked like the other likely contender.
Muskegon Reeths-Puffer 39, Muskegon Mona Shores 34 – Reeths-Puffer (3-1) had lost to Mona Shores by a combined score of 97-18 over the last two seasons, but this time dealt the Sailors (1-3) their third straight defeat of the fall.
8-Player
Deckerville 38, Peck 0
These were two of the top three in the North Central Thumb 8-Man League, but Deckerville stands alone and impressively – the Eagles have given up 20 points this season and no more than eight in any game. Click for more from the Port Huron Times Herald.
Also noted:
Rapid River 48, Ontonagon 36 – One of the closer games statewide in 8-player saw Rapid River win its third straight to move to 3-1, with Ontonagon 2-2 after two straight losses to top Western Eight Conference teams.
New Haven Merritt 36, Hale 32 – The Mustangs are off to their first 4-0 start in their five-year program's history but only after just surviving an Eagles team that at 3-1 has as many wins this season as the last three combined.
PHOTO: Ithaca improved to 97-3 over its last 100 games with a win over Pinconning. (Click to see more from HighSchoolSportsScene.com.)
Football Future Awaits, but Mayne Focused First on Finishing Track Finals Sweep
By
Pam Shebest
Special for MHSAA.com
April 22, 2025
LAWTON — One inch. One lousy inch.
That was the difference between a championship and second place for Mason Mayne in the shot put at last year’s MHSAA Lower Peninsula Division 3 Track & Field Finals.
One year later, it is still fresh in the mind of the personable Lawton senior as he begins his quest for more hardware.
“That one hurt,” said Mayne, whose best attempt finished second to a 60-foot, 2-inch toss by Pewamo-Westphalia’s Gavin Nurenberg.
“That really burned. You start to wonder, did they measure it wrong? What if I just literally put a little more into it? It drove me to work harder toward it.”
That harder work paid off during the second event that day as Mayne defeated the then-senior Nurenberg 166-6 to 165-11 in the discus to claim Lawton’s first-ever track & field state championship in that event.
Besides taking home that Finals title last year, Mayne holds school records with an indoor-season shot of 62-6 and outdoor of 60-9, as well as a discus toss of 178 feet.
An all-state football player and outstanding student as well, Mayne had opportunities to continue his athletic careers in both sports before signing with Northwestern University. But he also made the decision to compete for his high school one more time this spring instead of graduating early to begin his college career – much to the delight of Lawton track & field coach Mike Meyer.
“He’s been nothing but a joy ever since his freshman year,” Meyer said. “He’s a good, hard worker, obviously a great athlete. All his talent is definitely a nice problem to have.
“He’s been a two-year captain for us, so a good leader, (he) does everything and more than what we ask. That’s why he has the success that he has.”
All-around talent
Mayne said coaching is one big crossover from football to track & field.
“Listening to someone tell you what to do and then do it, I think that’s a super big part of throwing,” he said. “If someone tells you how to do something better in your throw to make it technically better, and you can’t do it, then you can’t get better.
“Playing football for so long, I’ve had so many coaches tell me to do this just a little bit different. And being able to flip that and make that change and adjustment, that’s what makes me able to get better at throwing.”
Mayne said hurling the disc takes more finesse than the shot.
“Technical-wise, the shot put (12 pounds) is easier because I can base it more on how much muscle I can put into it,” he said. “Discus is lighter, (3.5 pounds) but you also have to use your technique a lot more.
“Also, you have to push your body to a point of really stretching it back, allowing it to create a lot of torque into the disc to be able to throw it far enough for it to be worth anything.”
As for those windy days competing in field events, “A lot of people think that the wind behind you helps you,” Mayne said. “That’s actually not true.
“It actually bats the disc down. In the discus, as a right-handed thrower, you want the wind to come across a little bit from your left to throw into. Think of it as an airplane wing, holding up the airplane, the air coming into it. With the shot, it doesn’t matter. It’s just throwing it.”
Lawton’s athletes who specialize in field events also compete in some running competition. Mayne has run the 200 this season and took a turn running the 100 last spring as well.
“We usually have our throwers run the 200,” Meyer said. “We like athletes instead of just specializing in just one or two things for the (Southwest Athletic) Conference.
“We have all of our kids run two, three and sometimes four events. It can be a long day at a track meet if your events are done and you have nothing to do.”
Mayne is not only an accomplished athlete, but carries a 4.19 grade-point average.
“With the way my mom (Pat) raised me and my brother (Carter) both, she’s a teacher at Paw Paw in the elementary,” he said. “She raised us with the idea that academics are very important. That’s where I’m academically driven.
“She might get mad at me for saying this, but if I miss an assignment, I’m getting a picture on my phone with a circle around it of the assignment missing in my grade book. It’s very important to me.”
That emphasis motivates Mayne’s advice for freshmen who play sports.
“Stay on top of (academics),” he said. “For so many years my mom kept me on top of things. Now I’m able to stay on top of things better myself.
“Your freshman year is the make-or-break it. Having an older brother helped a lot because without him, he wouldn’t have told me that and I wouldn’t have stayed ahead of it.”
Tough decisions
Mayne’s outstanding performances in throwing events last year attracted several college scholarship offers for track in addition to several he’d received previously for football. Choosing a college was not an easy decision for the defensive lineman, who is a two-time Kalamazoo Gazette Dream Team selection in that sport.
“It’s funny because I was really, really considering track for a while,” said the 6-foot-3, 275-pound Mayne. “After my sophomore year when I had a very successful track season, I started to lean toward track.”
But a trip to the Big House to watch University of Michigan play tilted the scale to football.
“I was watching and I realized I just couldn’t give it up,” he said. “I love both sports, but something about football, the team atmosphere, just sitting in the stadium gets me antsy, that atmosphere and that vibe. That’s really what flipped me into the football aspect. That electricity from the fans and the guys around you. I haven’t experienced any other sport like it.
“It was a very tough decision. I was sad that I couldn’t go multiple ways. Many fantastic coaches recruited me. It’s unfortunate that you have to tell coaches you can’t go to their program because you’re choosing a different program.”
Mayne said he had specific criteria in mind when choosing a college. “Academics is a priority here,” he said. “I also want to play football at a very high level, and then the last is a family aspect.
“Northwestern just checked all the boxes.”
Before the season, Meyer thought he might lose Mayne to early graduation since “he’s a very, very good student. We chatted and he said, ‘Coach, I definitely want to be throwing. I love throwing,’ and he’s a man of his word.
“Once he told me that, I was more excited for the season.”
At one point, Mayne did indeed consider leaving high school to enroll early at Northwestern, which would have meant missing his final spring throwing season.
However, “my mom wasn’t ready for me to leave, which I’m fine with,” he said. “I understand that. I’m her youngest child, I get it.
“Also, you get to start throwing indoors and it’s like, ‘I don’t want to give this up, either.’”
Pam Shebest served as a sportswriter at the Kalamazoo Gazette from 1985-2009 after 11 years part-time with the Gazette while teaching French and English at White Pigeon High School. She can be reached at [email protected] with story ideas for Calhoun, Kalamazoo and Van Buren counties.
PHOTOS (Top) Lawton’s Mason Mayne begins to unwind while throwing the shot during a meet. (Middle) Lawton track & field coach Mike Meyer. (Below) Mayne stands tall on the football field. (Action photos courtesy of Mason Mayne; headshot by Pam Shebest.)