Drive for Detroit: Week 5 in Review
September 29, 2014
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
No set up is needed to explain the significance of many of the games played across Michigan during Week 5 of the MHSAA football season.
The scores speak for themselves.
Read on for some of the details behind a wide array of results that wowed many over this weekend.
In addition, Ishpeming (5-0) became the first playoff qualifier for 2014, and Battle Creek St. Philip put up one of the most incredible point totals in MHSAA history – 89 points after trailing early in its 8-player win.
Total, seven games this weekend saw teams combine to score more than 100 points – while six games saw both teams score in single digits, including one of the matchups highlighted below.
Bay and Thumb
Goodrich 41, Montrose 39
The game of the season in the Genesee Area Conference Red was shaping up as Montrose vs. Flint Beecher on Oct. 17 – until Goodrich changed things up substantially by ending the Rams’ 22-game league winning streak. That Beecher/Montrose matchup might still decide part of the league title – but Goodrich is back in play as a contender. Click for more from the Flint Journal.
Also noted:
Almont 23, Richmond 6 – The Raiders (5-0) remained perfect while ending a 12-game Blue Water Area Conference winning streak for Richmond (4-1).
Lapeer 63, Mount Pleasant 0 – This is the most impressive win of an early run by the first-year Lightning (5-0), which looks like the Saginaw Valley Association Red favorite after dominating the Oilers (3-2).
Burton Atherton 34, Flint Hamady 22 – Atherton (4-1) still trails in the Genesee Area Conference Blue by a win, but knocked Hamady (4-1) out of a tie for first.
Millington 30, North Branch 29 – Only a week after a huge win over rival Frankenmuth, Millington (5-0) just survived against the Broncos (1-4) to remain atop the Tri-Valley Conference East.
Southwest and Border
Battle Creek Lakeview 27, Stevensville Lakeshore 0
Lakeview has had plenty of success the last few seasons and is 19-3 over its last 22 games, two playoff losses included. But this might be the most impressive win of the run – although Lakeshore plays in the Southwest Michigan Athletic Conference East and Lakeview in the West, the Spartans (3-1) still should celebrate their first win (and in impressive fashion) over the Lancers (4-1) since 2001. Click for more from the Battle Creek Enquirer.
Also noted:
Battle Creek Central 21, St. Joseph 10 – The Bearcats (3-2) already have their most wins since 2008 and now an upset of one of the best teams annually from the southwest in St. Joseph (3-2).
Plainwell 31, Vicksburg 21 – The Wolverine B Conference East title may have been decided Friday, with Plainwell (4-1) bouncing back from a Week 4 loss to slow the upstart Bulldogs (4-1).
Paw Paw 62, Edwardsburg 57 – The favorites in the Wolverine B West also met and combined for more than 100 points for the second straight season as Paw Paw (3-2) took a 2-1 advantage on Edwardsburg (4-1) in their recent series.
South Haven 34, Dowagiac 28 – South Haven (2-3) hadn’t beaten Dowagiac since 2007 – or scored a point on the Chieftains (2-3) since 2011.
Lower Up North
Boyne City 28, Traverse City St. Francis 27 (OT)
This victory will become "legendary" if it ends up deciding the first Northern Michigan Football Conference Legends title. Boyne City (5-0) held on to first place after choosing to go for a 2-point conversion instead of an extra point that would’ve instead sent the game into a second overtime. Both losses for St. Francis (3-2) this season have come in OT. Click for more from the Petoskey News.
Also noted:
Traverse City Central 18, Gaylord 7 – The Big North Conference race is getting whittled down, with Central (4-1) putting much improved Gaylord (4-1) a game back of the leaders.
Suttons Bay 48, Charlevoix 19 – The Norsemen (4-1) with a win over East Jordan this week can clinch a share of the NMFC Legacy title; Charlevoix (2-3) must win out to guarantee a playoff berth.
Manistee 30, McBain 20 – The Chippewas (4-1) broke a four-game losing streak to McBain (2-3) to surpass last season’s win total with four more games to play.
Whittemore-Prescott 34, Lincoln Alcona 0 – The Cardinals (5-0) clinched a share of the North Star League’s Huron Shores title, although Alcona (3-2) can still gain a share with some Week 7 help from Rogers City.
Greater Detroit
Clarkston 42, Oxford 14
Clarkston (5-0) left no doubt which is the top team again in the Oakland Activities Association Red, downing Oxford (4-1) to go with previous wins over Rochester Hills Stoney Creek and surprise contender West Bloomfield. The Wolves, defending MHSAA Division 1 champions, broke open the game at the end of the first half and pulled away during the second. Click for more from the Detroit Free Press.
Also noted:
West Bloomfield 39, Lake Orion 0 – The Lakers (4-1) are off to their best start since 2000 with their only loss to Clarkston; Lake Orion (2-3) finds itself needing to win out to avoid missing the playoffs for the first time since 2000.
Farmington Hills Harrison 34, Southfield 27 (3 OT) – Harrison (4-1) kept its hopes alive for a share of the OAA White title, but now needs help from Southfield (3-2) against league leader Oak Park in Week 8.
Waterford Mott 20, Walled Lake Western 17 – Mott (4-1) equaled its highest win totals of the last six seasons and kept a share of the top spot in the Kensington Lakes Activities Association North by upending reigning champion Western (4-1).
Warren Woods-Tower 16, Madison Heights Madison 14 – Madison (4-1) had won 20 straight regular-season games, although Woods-Tower (5-0) nearly broke the streak in 2013 after becoming the first to fall in 2012.
West Michigan
Caledonia 42, Rockford 0
Caledonia opened this season with two impressive wins and looked like a team to watch until then falling to 2-2 (although those losses were to talented teams as well). Put the Fighting Scots (3-2) back on the watch list; over the last decade, only powerhouse Muskegon has managed to put this kind of loss on Rockford (4-1). Click for more from the Grand Rapids Press.
Also noted:
Grand Rapids Christian 35, Hudsonville 34 – Only the shock of the above result kept this from being the area’s most intriguing game of the weekend; Christian (4-1) scored the go-ahead points during the final minutes, delivering Hudsonville (3-2) its second one-point loss in successive weeks.
Grandville Calvin Christian 29, Wyoming Godwin Heights 28 – The Squires (2-3) trail by a win in the O-K Silver standings but still have hope for the playoffs after giving Godwin Heights (4-1) its first loss.
Grand Rapids South Christian 41, Grand Rapids Catholic Central 14 – Just when it looked like the Sailors (3-2) might struggle after opening with two losses (albeit against strong teams), they’re looking good to win out in the O-K Gold; GRCC (2-3) must do the same to guarantee a seventh straight playoff berth.
Muskegon Oakridge 36, Ravenna 20 – Oakridge (4-1) still owns supremacy in the West Michigan Conference although Ravenna (4-1) is poised to take a share of the league title if the Eagles fall over the next three weeks.
Mid-Michigan
Manchester 18, Hanover-Horton 16
The Flying Dutchmen dissolved a little of the thrill of Hanover-Horton’s turnaround season with a goalline stand that set up this week’s likely Cascades Conference championship game against Grass Lake. Both are undefeated in conference play – Manchester (4-1 overall) has played one more game – while Hanover-Horton sits tied for third but still 4-1 overall and with a strong shot at its first playoff berth since 2008. Click for more from the Jackson Citizen-Patriot.
Also noted:
Charlotte 42, Parma Western 35 – The Orioles (2-3) delivered another heart-breaker to Western (2-3) which has three losses by seven points or fewer.
Fowler 27, Dansville 6 – The Eagles (5-0) are setting up a Week 8 championship game against Pewamo-Westphalia after the two more or less eliminated Dansville (3-2) from Central Michigan Athletic Conference contention over the last two weeks.
Eaton Rapids 9, Portland 7 – This was another sign Eaton Rapids (3-2) has turned a corner as a program; after falling badly to Williamston in Week 4, the Greyhounds hung in a nail-biter against improving Portland (3-2).
Homer 40, Jonesville 16 – The Big 8 Conference looks to be a two-team race after Homer (5-0) dropped Jonesville (3-2) into third behind the Trojans and also-undefeated Union City.
Upper Peninsula
Bark River-Harris 22, Felch North Dickinson 18
Bark River-Harris (4-1) hasn’t won more than two games in a season since 2009 – and its four wins this fall equal the total of the last four seasons combined. The Broncos have won all four after losing on opening night to Crystal Falls Forest Park, but beating North Dickinson was by far the most impressive as the Nordics (3-2) are playoff regulars and went 8-3 a year ago. Click for more from the Escanaba Daily Press.
Also noted:
Iron Mountain 13, Ishpeming Westwood 8 – The Mountaineers (3-2) are shaping up as second-best in the Mid-Peninsula Athletic Conference, with Westwood (3-2) falling after two straight losses.
Marquette 21, Gladstone 13 – The Great Northern U.P. Conference race is again looking like Marquette (4-1) vs. Menominee, with Gladstone (3-2) falling to both in successive weeks.
St. Ignace 28, Johannesburg-Lewiston 0 – The Saints (5-0) are alone atop the Ski Valley Conference with the Cardinals (4-1) now in a tie for second place.
Hurley, Wis., 32, Bessemer 26 – Hurley (5-1) clinched a share of the Great Western Conference title while Bessemer (3-2) fell to third place despite a strong effort.
8-Player
Waldron 66, Webberville 46
When these two have met the last two seasons, it's been busy for the scoreboard operator. Waldron (4-1) scored its most points since Week 6 in 2012, and also scored its season-high points in 2013 in a 56-54 win over the Spartans (3-2). Click for more from the Hillsdale Daily News.
Also noted:
Kingston 26, Dryden 24 – The Cardinals (3-2) surpassed last season’s win total and kept a foot in the North Central Thumb 8-Man League race while handing Dryden (3-2) its second straight loss.
Big Rapids Crossroads Academy 26, Burton Madison 24 – The Cougars (1-4) earned their first win in 8 or 11-player since 2010.
PHOTO: Lapeer, in its first season after former schools West and East combined this summer, is off to a 5-0 start. (Click to see more from HighSchoolSportsScene.com).
Menominee Follows Winning Formula
October 29, 2015
By Dennis Grall
Special for Second Half
MENOMINEE – Explaining the continued success of football at Menominee High School is not difficult.
"Football is just work. The kids are willing to work," fourth-year coach Joe Noha said of a simple explanation of a premier program for decades.
The Maroons (9-0) host Grayling (6-3) Friday at venerable Walton Blesch Stadium in a Division 5 opener. Noha, a former Menomninee player and assistant coach under legendary head coach Ken Hofer, is 45-4 since taking over the program.
Menominee was Division 5 runner-up under Noha in 2013 and reached the MHSAA Semifinals the other two seasons. Under Hofer, with Noha as the top assistant, the Maroons won Division 5 titles in 2006 and 2007 and Class BB in 1998.
There is more to this amazing success than simply hard work, something every successful program can also claim.
"We try to put our guys in the best position to have success," Noha said. "We can do a lot of different things."
Again, all successful teams can make that claim.
The Maroons also can point to stability in the coaching staff. Hofer, who retired after the 2011 season, is the all-time leader in victories among Upper Peninsula coaches with a 313-141-2 record. Noha, who graduated from Menominee in 1983 and then played football at Saginaw Valley State University, joined Hofer's staff in 1994.
Assistants like Ron "Satch" Englund, Jamie Schomer, Dave Mathieu, Nathan Linsmeier, Lucas Chouinard, Tyler Uecke, Bill Schwanz and Mark Klapp have also been part of the program for many years, providing stability to that success. Many of them also played for Hofer.
"After every practice we evaluate and look at ways to get better," said Noha, mentioning something else that of course is done across the sports universe.
Noha noted successful operations, referring to Fortune 500 companies, as he said, "everyone has core values. We put kids first, teach them hard work and responsibility (and discipline). Our teaching staff, our community; it is all part of what we do. We always have a support staff to lean on. Our kids know that. They know what the Menominee standard looks like."
He also pointed out, "There is a lot of pride there. We talk about giving back to what was given to you."
Noha also notes a "family mantra" in Menominee. "There is definitely family here, there is definitely community support here, the school supports us. There is not a lot of turnover here. We stick together, we work well together. A lot of people maintain the standard.
"A lot of people have a vested interest."
Again, nothing different from other successful programs.
But here's what is different: The Menominee Maroons do all of those things, and most importantly, perhaps, is it has been like that for nearly half a century.
One other explanation could also be how the Maroons operate on the gridiron. They are one of the very few remaining teams who use a single-wing offense, which makes it difficult for potential playoff opponents to prepare for since it is tough to emulate in practice.
Familiar Upper Peninsula opponents such as Escanaba, Kingsford, Gladstone and Marquette get to see the single-wing every year, as well as at the freshmen and jayvee levels. Grand Rapids West Catholic, which beat the Maroons in the 2013 title game and the 2012 semis, also has a good idea of the single-wing intricacies.
"West Catholic has beaten us because they were better," admitted Noha. "Trying to replicate it in practice is very difficult. You have to execute. It comes down to putting kids in good spots."
The Maroons have obviously modified the single-wing through the years, from fullback spinners to jump passes to bubble screens and fly patterns for receivers. "We can spread it out and we can pound it, but the single-wing concepts are still there,” Noha added.
"Everybody puts their tweaks on everything. If you are defending us, you better know the top three plays in our formations. Everyone's film is your DNA, your template. It is not brain surgery by any means."
It still comes down to other areas. "You have to have the kids, the coaches, and the kids have to be resilient," Noha said. "You can have any system you want."
Talent also comes in handy, and the Maroons again are blessed in that department. Led by quarterback/running back Nathan Nowack, the Maroons fill six defensive positions and five offensive positions on the Great Northern Conference all-star team this fall.
Nowack, who scored seven touchdowns against Gladstone this year, is the GNC's offensive player of the year, and lineman Adam Beyersdorf is the GNC's defensive player of the year.
Noha said changes have been made throughout the 35 years he has been associated with the program, some mandated by the MHSAA such as the reduction of contact in practice and the emphasis on concussions.
"The practices and the schemes stay the same. We look at nutrition more and we don't hit nearly as much as we used to," said Noha, who also indicated weight training has been emphasized much more since he was a player.
"The kids are bigger, stronger, faster and more physically fit. The game is faster, the kids are more skilled and get out in space more," Noha said.
While the Maroons usually boast good size in the line, Noha said the Maroons look more at body composition and how it best suits the players and positions. Many of the players go around the 180-190 pound area and are well-conditioned, solid athletes, he said.
Noha noted the first three playoff games are usually held outdoors, and then the Maroons usually play in the Superior Dome at Northern Michigan University and then hit Ford Field if they reach the title game. He said heavier kids may wilt under the indoor conditions. "We want kids that can run and move," he said.
Menominee's future may look even brighter. After not having a freshmen football team the past four years, Noha said that level will resume in 2016 as 30 freshmen players are anticipated. There were 22 freshmen on the 2015 junior varsity team.
Football is played to be fun for the Maroons, and it is always more fun when you can enjoy success like the Maroons experience. What it all comes down to in Menominee, Noha said, is "the scoreboard never defines us. We try to use football to get us to a better place."
Denny Grall retired in 2012 after 39 years at the Escanaba Daily Press and four at the Green Bay Press-Gazette, plus 15 months for WLST radio in Escanaba; he served as the Daily Press sports editor from 1970-80 and again from 1984-2012. Grall was inducted into the Upper Peninsula Sports Hall of Fame in 2002 and serves as its executive secretary. E-mail him at [email protected] with story ideas for the Upper Peninsula.
PHOTOS: (Top) Senior Nathan Nowack (36) follows two of his blockers during this season's game against Marquette. (Middle) Hunter Hass works to avoid a Marquette defender on a rainy night. (Below) A Menominee ball-carrier holds onto the ball as two Marinette, Wis., players tackle him. (Photos courtesy of Val Ihde.)