Drive for Detroit: Week 6 in Review
October 5, 2015
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
A dramatic event like an emotion-sapping comeback often will steer a team to greater heights as it moves toward the most important games of the season.
That would be good news for some of this week's most impressive football winners.
Traverse City Central trailed 21-0 before beating Petoskey in overtime; Grand Rapids Christian was down 26-0 before winning in OT as well. Calumet trailed Iron River West Iron County 22-0 at halftime before unloading 40 unanswered points, while Northville came back from 14-0 and Muskegon Catholic Central 13-0 to win their likely league title-deciding games.
Those five and a number of others are discussed below – as are a large handful of the 56 11-player teams that have clinched spots in this season's playoff field.
Bay & Thumb
Flint Beecher 27, Lake Fenton 26 (OT)
While a 20-8 Week 5 loss to upstart Corunna no doubt stunned Beecher a bit, the reigning champ Buccaneers came right back to edge Lake Fenton to remain a half-win ahead of the pack in the Genesee Area Conference Red. Beecher is 4-1 in the league with rival Montrose remaining; Corunna, Goodrich and Lake Fenton all are 3-1 in league play with two more games. Beecher made a two-point conversion in overtime, then stopped Lake Fenton’s conversion attempt. Click for more from the Flint Journal.
Also noted:
Algonac 33, Croswell-Lexington 21 – The Muskrats (6-0) gave up their first points since Week 2, but stayed on pace to face Almont this week to decide the Blue Water Area Conference title while dropping Croswell-Lexington (4-2) to fourth place.
Sandusky 48, Marlette 6 – The Redskins (6-0) remained a game ahead of the pack in the Greater Thumb Conference East while putting Marlette (3-3) in a must-win situation to make the playoffs.
Vassar 56, Cass City 21 – The Vulcans (5-1) will face Unionville-Sebewaing this week for first place in the GTC West, but Cass City (4-2) still looks good to make the playoffs for the second straight season.
Burton Bendle 34, Flint Hamady 26 – The Tigers (5-1) pulled within a win of qualifying for the playoffs after going 3-6 a year ago, handing Hamady (5-1) the only loss during what has been its best season since 2012.
Greater Detroit
Northville 24, Livonia Stevenson 14
Since the formation of the Kensington Lakes Activities Association in 2008, Northville is 32-6 in league games – with half of those losses coming to Stevenson. This avenging of last season’s 46-21 loss to the Spartans gave Northville (6-0) a share of the KLAA Central title, although Stevenson (5-1) can still hope for a claim with the Mustangs needing to beat also second-place Novi this week to finish an outright title run. Click for more from MLive-Detroit.
Also noted:
Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood 14, Riverview Gabriel Richard 13 – The Cranes (6-0) have equaled their most wins in a season since 2005 and remain tied with Waterford Our Lady atop the Detroit Catholic League C-D standings after pushing Gabriel Richard (5-1) to third.
Allen Park 23, Trenton 13 – The Downriver League is back to a three-team race, with this result bringing Trenton (5-1) back into a tie with Allen Park (5-1) and Wyandotte Roosevelt for first.
Walled Lake Western 34, Walled Lake Northern 31 – The Warriors (6-0) clinched a share of the KLAA North title but not before the Knights (4-2) provided their toughest test since opening night.
Sterling Heights 25, Marine City 19 – In three seasons as a league opponent, the closest Sterling Heights (5-1) had come to Marine City (3-3) was 24 points before claiming this victory to take a one-game lead over three teams in the Macomb Area Conference Gold.
Mid-Michigan
Hartland 14, Brighton 7
The KLAA West title will come down to this week thanks to the Eagles’ win over Brighton (5-1), which created a three-way tie atop the division standings with Howell. Hartland (4-2) shared the league title a year ago, but fell to Howell in this season’s West opener. Brighton gets Howell this week, while Hartland takes on reigning co-champion Grand Blanc. Click for more from the Livingston Daily.
Also noted:
Fowlerville 31, Williamston 28 – The Gladiators’ upset of the Hornets pushed them to 3-3, guaranteeing their most wins in a season since 2010, while putting Williamston (4-2) in a tougher spot with Portland, Haslett and Lake Fenton to finish.
Holt 14, Lansing Sexton 13 – The Rams’ resurgence continued as they moved to 4-2, but it’s hard to not feel for the Big Reds, who are 1-5 but with two one-point losses and a third by two points.
Ithaca 38, Saginaw Michigan Lutheran Seminary 0 – The challenge didn’t come as expected, with Ithaca (6-0) handing MLS (5-1) its first loss and pulling within a win of clinching another Tri-Valley Conference West title.
DeWitt 27, Haslett 10 – The Panthers (6-0) have yet to give up more than 14 points this season, although Haslett (3-3) did hold DeWitt to its season low on offense.
Northern Lower Peninsula
Traverse City Central 28, Petoskey 27 (OT)
The Trojans (6-0) came all the way back from three scores down and stopped a two-point conversion run in overtime to remain atop the Big North Conference, one game ahead of three teams including Petoskey (4-2). Traverse City Central’s last four wins have come by seven points or fewer, and it had lost to the Northmen the last two seasons. Click for more from the Traverse City Record-Eagle.
Also noted:
Beal City 42, McBain 22 – The Aggies (5-1) bounced back from last week’s shocking loss to Evart to stay tied for first with McBain (4-2) in the Highland Conference with one league game left for both.
Traverse City St. Francis 63, Grayling 28 – The Gladiators (6-0) all but locked up the Northern Michigan Football Conference Leaders title with their win over Grayling (4-2) giving them victories over both second-place teams.
Reed City 22, Big Rapids 7 – The Coyotes (6-0) remain tied for first in the Central State Activities Association Gold, while Big Rapids (4-2) moved to third but with a chance to stay in the hunt this week against co-leader Remus Chippewa Hills.
Johannesburg-Lewiston 58, Detroit Consortium 30 – Logan Huff did a lot of everything for the Cardinals (5-1), running eight times for 245 yards and three touchdowns, leading the team with 11 tackles and grabbing an interception against Consortium (2-4).
Southeast & Border
Saline 37, Ann Arbor Pioneer 21
Saline remained in control of the Southeastern Conference Red winning a game that played much closer than the final 16-point margin. Pioneer (5-1) scored the first points the Hornets had given up since Week 3. But Saline (6-0) took advantage of a few key Pioneer errors to clinch a share of the league title with third-place Monroe the last team on the league schedule. Click for more from the Detroit Free Press.
Also noted:
Temperance Bedford 34, Monroe 28 – If the Mules (2-4) get into the playoffs with an at-large bid, edging the Trojans (3-3) might be a big reason why.
Parma Western 28, Battle Creek Harper Creek 25 – Defeating Harper Creek (3-3) could go down as the key victory of a milestone season for the Panthers; Western (4-2) needs two more wins to qualify for the playoffs for the first time, and its Week 8 and 9 opponents are a combined 0-12.
Homer 46, Springport 0 – The Trojans (5-1) pulled to within a win of clinching a share of the Big Eight Conference title, while putting Springport (3-3) into a must-win situation the rest of the way.
Ypsilanti Community 30, Ypsilanti Lincoln 12 – The Grizzlies (3-3) won their third straight and get a shot at first-place Chelsea this week to earn a share of the Southwestern Conference White championship; Lincoln (2-4) must win out to have a slim shot at making the playoffs for the third straight season.
Southwest Corridor
Coldwater 26, Jackson Lumen Christi 7
The Cardinals (6-0) had lost at least 27 straight to Lumen Christi (4-2) and including the game that decided last season’s inaugural Interstate 8 Athletic Conference championship. But this historical win puts Coldwater only one from clinching a share of the league title and in the playoffs for the third straight season; the Cardinals only qualified for the first time in 2013. Click for more from the Coldwater Daily Reporter.
Also noted:
Climax-Scotts 36, Pittsford 0 – Make that 43 straight in the Southern Central Athletic Association for Climax-Scotts (6-0), plus a share of the league title with Pittsford (5-1) one of two teams in second place.
Watervliet 55, Constantine 34 – The Panthers (5-1) kept pace with Delton Kellogg atop the Southwestern Athletic Conference Division 1 while knocking Constantine (3-3) out of the title race.
Plainwell 17, Dowagiac 8 – The Trojans (4-2) have stayed in the upper half of a tough Wolverine B Conference that combined two divisions into one this fall, with Dowagiac (3-3) tied for fifth of 10 teams.
Schoolcraft 47, Lawton 0 – Schoolcraft (6-0) earned a second straight shutout, but this week's much more significant as Lawton (5-1) also entered undefeated and tied for first in the SAC Division 2.
Upper Peninsula
Calumet 40, Iron River West Iron County 22
Reigning Western Peninsula Athletic Conference champion West Iron (1-5) is not the same team this fall. But the Wykons still gave Calumet (4-2) all it could handle as the Copper Kings came back to give themselves a chance to claim the league title this week against co-leader L’Anse. Click for more from the Houghton Daily Mining Gazette.
Also noted:
Sault Ste. Marie 37, Gladstone 27 – The Blue Devils (4-2) continue to line themselves up to return to the playoffs, while Gladstone (2-4) must end a four-game slide to have an at-large shot.
Kingsford 49, Marquette 7 – The Flivvers (4-2) ended a two-game losing streak to Marquette, and may have ended any hope of the Redmen (2-4) returning to the playoffs.
Newberry 50, Gaylord St. Mary 26 – The Indians pulled within a win of tying last season’s total and two from its highest victory count since going 6-3 in 2005.
Hurley, Wis. 52, Bark River-Harris 34 – This didn’t have league implications, but was the first loss of an otherwise stellar season so far for the Broncos (5-1).
West Michigan
Muskegon Catholic Central 29, Fruitport 26
The Lakes 8 Conference championship will belong at least in part to MCC (4-1), which claimed a share against second-place Fruitport (3-3) on a go-ahead touchdown pass with less than a minute to play. The Crusaders have earned at least a share of the league title both seasons in the conference. Click for more from the Muskegon Chronicle.
Also noted:
Grand Rapids Christian 39, East Grand Rapids 33 (OT) – The Eagles (4-2) made the biggest comeback of all teams mentioned above, and with it retained a first-place tie with Lowell while East Grand Rapids (4-2) fell into a tie for third in the Ottawa-Kent Conference White.
Hudsonville 22, East Kentwood 13 – Four teams including both of these still have a shot in the O-K Red, but sharing first with Rockford is a nice spot for Hudsonville (5-1), especially if East Kentwood (4-2) can help with the Rams this week.
Scottville Mason County Central 39, Manistee 6 – The Spartans (4-2) get overlooked a bit in the strong West Michigan Conference, but handing Manistee (5-1) its first loss is headline-worthy.
Cedar Springs 34, Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern 8 – The reigning O-K Bronze champion Red Hawks (4-2) are again tied with Forest Hills Eastern for first after delivering the first loss this fall to Forest Hills Northern (5-1), which was emerging as the favorite.
8-Player
Posen 28, Cedarville 26
This is more than just the best win of Posen’s six-year 8-player history; it’s arguably the most momentous victory for the Vikings (6-0) in some time. Posen is 6-0, tying its most wins in a season total since going 8-4 in 2004, and joined Rapid River as the only teams to defeat reigning MHSAA runner-up Cedarville (4-2) during the regular season since 2011. Click for more from the Alpena News.
Also noted:
Battle Creek St. Philip 49, Webberville 0 – Webberville (4-2) continues to improve, but St. Philip (6-0) remains among a handful of championship contenders.
Morrice 34, Deckerville 30 – This definitely is the most impressive win in two seasons of 8-player for the Orioles (5-1), as no opponent had come within 20 points of the Eagles (5-1) this fall.
PHOTO: Ithaca, in yellow, won a battle of undefeated teams by downing Saginaw Michigan Lutheran Seminary on Friday. (Click for more from HighSchoolSportsScene.com.)
Bronson Football Raising Bar with Growth in Numbers, Growing String of Successes
By
Scott Hassinger
Special for MHSAA.com
October 6, 2026
BRONSON – Tony Myers remembers the excitement he felt 17 years ago when, as a player, his Bronson football team won a Division 6 District championship.
Years later, Myers, now in his third year as the Vikings' head coach, has fans in this small community located in Branch County buzzing with enthusiasm as Bronson seeks a third-straight playoff berth and upper-tier finish in the Big 8 Conference.
Bronson, 4-2, has big games left on its schedule over the final three weeks of the regular season against league foes Quincy, Reading and East Jackson.
But its lone blemishes came to Division 8 ninth-ranked Springport 35-14 in the season opener and a 22-14 loss a couple weeks later to Union City. The Vikings own an impressive 14-0 win over Division 5 Buchanan in a nonleague battle.
Bronson hasn't won a District since Myers' playing days. The Vikings lost 20-12 to Hanover Horton in a Division 7 District Final last season and fell in a District Semifinal to Schoolcraft 28-14 in 2024.
For several years the program struggled before finally seeing an increase in numbers and players putting in the work during the offseason to make significant changes.
"Our coaching staff has instilled that belief that Bronson can be successful in football. I always talk to the kids about integrity, discipline, honor and those things that aren't mentioned too much outside of football. Men of integrity expect to be believed, and if they aren't then they prove people wrong over time," said Myers, whose wife Kate is a 2012 Bronson graduate; together they have a 7-year-old son Korbin and 5-year-old daughter Charlie June Myers.
He and his coaching staff brought a system and have been successful implementing it across the program. There are solid numbers at the junior varsity and middle school levels.
"It's really exciting to see the growth of this program. We have a new weight room and growth in numbers. Everything has just been really positive, and the community has been very supportive,” said Myers, who is serving as a substitute teacher in Bronson's school district while pursuing an education degree. “There is a huge crowd that follows us, which is great with the situation we're facing this season with no home games."
Due to stadium and field renovations, Bronson has been playing its home games this season at Sturgis, Coldwater and Union City high schools. Thanks to a successful millage vote, renovations to Bronson's stadium are now underway. A new track is being installed, and the field will be re-sodded, along with the addition of new lighting, new goal posts and future plans for upgrades of the press box and seating.
Bronson's defensive unit has forced 14 turnovers in six games. Going into last week's against Maple Valley, the Vikings' hadn't given up a single point during a second half.
Offensively, the Vikings have rolled up 2,428 yards of total offense, with 1,565 rushing yards and 863 passing. Bronson is averaging 30.8 points per game.
"We have a goal for our offense to achieve 5,000 total yards by the end of the season. We've been pretty balanced both passing and running the football," Myers said.
Bronson's backfield is led by the senior duo of Reid Stukey and Ben Stevens.
Stukey, a 5-foot-9, 165-pounder, leads his team in rushing with 97 carries for 809 yards and four touchdowns.
"Our mantra is exactly with Coach Myers preaches in practice, hard work and discipline. These guys all show up every day and ready to work. That's what makes you successful,” Stukey said. “The culture we've built calms my nerves. I'm not nervous about any roles I perform on the field. We want to win titles and play for one another.”
Stevens is the team's second-leading ground gainer with 55 carries for 562 yards and eight TDs. He's also caught 12 passes for 183 yards and two TDs.
"Ben is electric and knows how to read blocks. He's patient and waits until that pulling guard comes around, and after he leads into that linebacker he shoots out of the gap and is off to the races," Myers said.
Stevens, a slot back and tailback, also plays cornerback and safety.
"My leadership and explosiveness, I feel, are two of my biggest strengths. I try to get everyone pumped up after we make a big play and celebrate," Stevens said.
Starting quarterback Owen Losinski separated his shoulder two weeks ago, forcing Myers to move Stukey behind center. Stukey is 9-of-16 passing for 126 yards and two TDs since taking over as signal caller. Losinski is expected back on the field later this week.
"Reid has done a nice job stepping in at quarterback. He provides great leadership and picked things right up and has been able to run our offense effectively," Myers said.
Bronson's most imposing figure on the field is junior offensive tackle and defensive end Kyle Hyska (6-2, 290).
"We have a great deal of size up front with good chemistry within the entire team. Our guys are playing well as a unit and getting better each week,” Hyska said. “We just have to have trust that the guy next to us is doing his job at a high level. I like that with my positions that I get to run through people with controlled aggression.”
Hyska has received a Division I scholarship offer from Harvard.
"Kyle couldn't even squat 185 pounds as a freshman, but he's since grown into his body and increased his strength. He has dreams of playing at the college level and has the right body size, work ethic and mindset to do so," Myers said.
Leading Bronson defensively is senior middle linebacker Caleb Harvey (6-1, 185) with 45 tackles, including nine for loss of yardage and two QB sacks.
"Caleb is one of our toughest kids. He doesn't brag on himself, but he's an absolute animal at linebacker,” Myers said. “He is a great leader, makes quick reads and is always in the backfield making lots of tackles and just gets everyone focused.”
Harvey takes a lot of pride in the Vikings' defense.
"Most of the guys on the team have been playing together since our days in rocket football. At my position I really get to see the field and make big plays. I enjoy leading our defense. We just all need to be in unison to reach our goals," Harvey said.
Thirteen members of Bronson's team went to a summer football camp at Trine University.
"These kids are hungry, but they understand that nothing is given to you in life. We've really tried to ingrain to this group that if there's something you want, that you have to work hard and go after it,” Myers said. “People are going to have their opinions and be critical of you. No one builds statues of critics, so we tell the kids not to let the naysayers hold them down. I'm so thankful our senior group bought into what we're doing at such a young age because now all our underclassmen are seeing they can be successful as well.”
Ultimately, the Vikings want to add some hardware to the school trophy case once the postseason rolls around.
"These kids have talked about getting some trophies to put in their memory bank," Myers said.
Scott Hassinger is a contributing sportswriter for Leader Publications and previously served as the sports editor for the Three Rivers Commercial-News from 1994-2022. He can be reached at [email protected] with story ideas for Berrien, Cass, St. Joseph and Branch counties.
PHOTOS (Top) Bronson senior tailback Ben Stevens (2) works to break a tackle against Buchanan on Sept. 25. (Middle) Bronson players (from left) Kyle Hyska, Reid Stukey, Caleb Harvey and Ben Stevens pose for a photo with head coach Tony Myers after a practice. (Below) Reid Stukey (20) tackles a Buchanan receiver following a reception. (Photos by Scott Hassinger.)