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Drive for Detroit: Week 8 Review

October 15, 2018

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

The first snow has fallen in northern Michigan, leaves are dropping there and everywhere else, and 171 teams have secured spots in this season’s MHSAA Football Playoffs.

All of those things go hand in hand this time of year, and Week 8 played its part in deciding league champions all over the state and setting up other teams to continue into the postseason when this coming weekend is done.

In the Detroit area alone we could’ve highlighted a second five games, with Clinton Township Chippewa Valley and Grosse Ile’s outright league titles, West Bloomfield and Royal Oak Shrine’s upsets and Garden City’s continued bounce-back success. But take a look below at 45 other results that were of special significance as we roll into the final days of the regular season.  

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Bay & Thumb

HEADLINER: Mount Pleasant 14, Midland Dow 10 The Oilers (8-0) locked up a share of the Saginaw Valley Red championship, coming back from a 10-point deficit and holding Dow (5-3) scoreless during the second half. Mount Pleasant can make it an outright title this week against Saginaw Heritage, while the Chargers take on Midland with both teams needing a win to make the playoffs automatically. Click for more from the Mount Pleasant Morning Sun and see below for highlights from WJRT.

Also of note: Port Huron Northern 26, Roseville 14 After finishing Macomb Area Conference Gold runner-up the last two seasons, Northern (7-1) claimed this season’s MAC Blue title in this winner-take-all championship game. Roseville (5-3) takes on Eastpointe this week hoping to qualify for the playoffs.  

Remember this one: Harbor Beach 20, Sandusky 0 The Pirates (7-1) trailed first-place Sandusky (7-1) by a win heading into the Greater Thumb Conference East finale, but emerged with a shared championship to follow up last season’s outright title.

More shoutouts: Fenton 41, Swartz Creek 10 The reigning Flint Metro League champ can’t win an eighth straight title, but the Tigers (6-2) made this race interesting still by dropping former lone leader Swartz Creek (6-2) into a three-way tie for first with a game to play. Cass City 42, Reese 7 The Red Hawks (7-1) completed an outright GTC West title run, their first outright league championship since 1972 (as reported by the Huron Daily Tribune).

Greater Detroit

HEADLINER: Detroit Catholic Central 10, Warren DeLaSalle 7 The Shamrocks (6-2) finished a topsy-turvy two weeks with a share of the Detroit Catholic League Central title. DCC was upset by Orchard Lake St. Mary’s in Week 7 but came back to edge the Pilots (6-2) – who settled for a share of the title as well but can avenge this defeat in this week’s Prep Bowl A/B championship game. Click for more from the Observer & Eccentric.

Also of note: Birmingham Seaholm 21, Farmington 0 The Maples (7-1) clinched the Oakland Activities Association Blue title outright by shutting out the second-place Falcons (6-2), a massive turnaround from last season’s 1-8 finish and four straight sub-.500 seasons.

Remember this one: South Lyon 29, Walled Lake Western 19 The Lions (8-0) are another huge success story after going 1-8 a year ago. They claimed the outright Lakes Valley Conference title with this win over last season’s co-champion Western (5-3).  

More shoutouts: Warren Woods-Tower 26, St. Clair Shores Lake Shore 12 The Titans (8-0) completed a perfect run to an outright MAC Gold title in this winner-take-all matchup with Lake Shore (6-2). Warren Michigan Collegiate 34, Harper Woods Chandler Park 32 (OT) The Cougars (8-0) needed every last point to secure the Charter School Conference title against former co-leader Chandler Park (3-4).

Mid-Michigan

HEADLINER: Ithaca 20, Saginaw Michigan Lutheran Seminary 9 Over the last six seasons, only MLS also in 2016 has given Ithaca this good of a game in Tri-Valley Conference West play. But the Yellowjackets (7-1) hung on for their 63rd straight league win and the outright title, while the Cardinals (6-2) look even more like a dangerous playoff team likely in Division 8. Click for more from the Mount Pleasant Morning Sun.

Also of note: Haslett 35, Goodrich 0 The Vikings (7-1) added an impressive win to their league title share in the Capital Area Activities Conference Red, downing the Genesee Area Conference Red champion Martians (5-3).

Remember this one: Okemos 30, Holt 20 The Chiefs (6-2) have upped their win total three straight seasons and with five straight victories this fall clinched their first playoff berth since 2014.  

More shoutouts: DeWitt 39, St. Joseph 10 The Panthers (8-0) have dominated again this regular season, with this win over Southwestern Michigan Athletic Conference West co-leader St. Joseph (5-3) certainly worth noting. Williamston 34, Lake Fenton 28 Also a CAAC Red co-champ, Williamston (7-1) has shown plenty of grit winning four games by seven points or fewer, including this one over the Blue Devils (4-4) after splitting a pair of meetings with them a year ago.

Northern Lower Peninsula

HEADLINER: Traverse City West 17, Gaylord 16 (OT) How much of a difference can one play make? In this case, it kept reigning Big North Conference champion West in first place with a week to play when a loss in this game would’ve created a three-team jam atop the standings. The Titans (6-2) stopped on a two-point conversion to hand the Blue Devils (5-3) their second straight one-point defeat. Click for more from the Traverse City Record-Eagle.

Also of note: Lake City 14, Kent City 7 The Highland Conference champ Trojans (8-0) aren’t resting on that success, and took on Kent City (7-1) in one of three matchups of undefeated teams across the state last week. Lake City set itself up to play this week for a second straight undefeated regular season.  

Remember this one: Benzie Central 36, Boyne City 34 The Huskies (5-3) have gone from shutting their season down in September two years ago, to winning one game last season to now being on the cusp of making the playoffs for the first time since 2011.

More shoutouts: Elk Rapids 30, Harbor Springs 14 The Elks (6-2) locked up a playoff berth for the second straight season against another of the area’s best in the playoff-bound Rams (6-2). Johannesburg-Lewiston 66, Newberry 18 The Cardinals (7-1) claimed a share of the Northern Michigan Football League Legacy title, their first league championship since 2009. 

Southeast & Border

HEADLINER: Reading 50, Springport 14 Springport put up the most points given up by Reading this season. That the Rangers have given up only 33 total this fall is just one of many indications of how thoroughly they’ve dominated. This win gave Reading (8-0) a second straight Big 8 Conference title, with Springport (7-1) also entering the night tied for first but finishing second. Click for more from the Hillsdale Daily News.

Also of note: Saline 28, Monroe 6 This was another of a series of winner-take-all league title deciders this week, and the Hornets (7-1) did so in the Southeastern Conference Red for the fifth straight season. The second-place Trojans (6-2) will join them in the playoffs for the first time since 2015.

Remember this one: Dexter 48, Ypsilanti Lincoln 42 The Dreadnaughts (6-2) surely will never forget it. They clinched their first playoff berth in program history, the latest highlight from a season that got rolling when they broke a 33-game losing streak in Week 2. Lincoln (4-4) must beat Milan this week to hope for an at-large postseason bid.  

More shoutouts: Brooklyn Columbia Central 30, Hillsdale 27 Much can be decided with both teams facing tough Week 9 matchups, but for now the Golden Eagles and Hornets both stand 7-1 overall and tied for first in the Lenawee County Athletic Association. Ottawa Lake Whiteford 48, Clinton 6 The Bobcats (8-0) clinched a share of the Tri-County Conference championship with their 22nd straight win and 35th in 36 games – this one even more impressive with Clinton (6-2) running second in the league this fall.

Southwest Corridor

HEADLINER: Kalamazoo Central 28, Stevensville Lakeshore 6 The Maroon Giants (5-3) have set themselves up with an opportunity this week to both win the Southwestern Michigan Athletic Conference East title and clinch a playoff berth, the latter for the first time since 2004. Central also put Lakeshore (4-4) in a position where it must win this week to hope for an at-large bid and continue a 21-season playoff streak. Click for more from JoeInsider.com.

Also of note: Berrien Springs 40, Olivet 21 The Shamrocks (7-1) earned arguably their most impressive win of the season, or at least the last month, doubling up the Greater Lansing Activities Conference champion Eagles (7-1).

Remember this one: Portage Central 21, Mattawan 14 (OT) This result sets up a lot of narrative for Week 9. The Mustangs (6-2) are in a three-way tie for first in the SMAC West and put themselves in position to share the title with one other team – the other leaders Portage Northern and St. Joseph play each other this week – while Mattawan (5-3) takes on Lakeshore with playoffs on the line for both.

More shoutouts: Kalamazoo United 58, Constantine 44 United (8-0) withstood its second test in two weeks to set up a Southwestern Athletic Conference Valley championship game this week against Schoolcraft. Constantine (6-2) is on pace for its best offensive output since 2013 and could be a threat in the playoffs. White Pigeon 16, Decatur 14 The Chiefs (6-2) locked up their first playoff berth since 2009 and after three straight 4-5 finishes.

Upper Peninsula

HEADLINER: Marquette 21, Gladstone 14 The Redmen (4-4) locked up a share of the Great Northern Conference championship, their first since 2011, and earned a chance to play for more. Marquette must beat Menominee this week to hope for an at-large playoff bid; Gladstone (3-5) is going to fall outside of the postseason with three losses by eight or fewer points. Click for more from the Marquette Mining Journal.

Also of note: Escanaba 38, Traverse City Central 21 The Eskymos (6-2) will only claim a share of the GNC title this week with a win over Kingsford and a Marquette loss, but Escanaba has the Upper Peninsula’s most impressive resume against downstate competition. Add this win over the Trojans (6-2) to notable victories over Petoskey and Detroit Loyola.

Remember this one: Iron River West Iron County 12, Gwinn 6 The Wykons (6-2), who just missed a trip to Ford Field last season, locked up another opportunity to make a run while putting Gwinn (5-3) in a must-win spot this week.

More shoutouts: Negaunee 36, Houghton 16 The Miners  (5-3) have rebounded for an 0-2 start to put themselves in position to clinch a playoff spot this week after missing the postseason a year ago. Iron Mountain 31, L’Anse 7 The Mountaineers (6-2) are headed back to the playoffs after finishing 1-8 last season.

West Michigan

HEADLINER: Muskegon 55, Muskegon Mona Shores 35 The Big Reds (9-0) led by only six heading into the fourth quarter, but scored 14 unanswered points in the fourth to clinch a share of the Ottawa-Kent Conference Black title. Senior quarterback Cameron Martinez ran for 352 yards and six touchdowns, including a 44-yarder for the final score of the night as the Big Reds ran their winning streak over Shores (7-1) to three. Click for more from the Muskegon Chronicle and see highlights below from State Champs Sports Network.

Also of note: Grand Rapids Christian 24, East Grand Rapids 21 The Eagles (6-2) broke a two-game losing streak against the Pioneers (5-3) and in the process forced a tie between the two for first in the O-K Gold with a game to play.

Remember this one: Grand Rapids Catholic Central 24, Grand Rapids West Catholic 14 This matchup of reigning MHSAA champions (GRCC in Division 4, West Catholic Division 5) again determined at least a share of the O-K Blue title, with the Cougars (7-1) repeating and putting West Catholic (4-4) in a must-win scenario to add to a 15-year playoff streak.

More shoutouts: Reed City 50, Newaygo 7 The Coyotes (8-0) locked up the outright Central State Activities Association Gold title, their eighth straight league championship, after Newaygo (5-3) entered the game with an opportunity to force a share. Zeeland East 48, Zeeland West 34 The Chix (7-1) secured a share of the O-K Green title for the second straight season, and after West (6-2) entered the night with a chance to create a three-team tie atop the league standings.

8-Player

HEADLINER: AuGres-Sims 68, Posen 12 The Wolverines (8-0) locked up the Midwest Central Michigan Conference East title outright by sending Posen (6-2) to third place, and with a win this week will own a second straight unbeaten regular season – last season’s in 11-player and this one in 8. See highlights below from WBKB.

Also of note: Engadine 30, Rapid River 12 Four of seven teams in the Great Lakes Conference East are at least 5-3, and Engadine (7-1) held onto a chance of sharing the league title while Rapid River (5-3) remains in the playoff hunt.

Remember this one: Kingston 37, Peck 8 These longtime rivals didn’t play last season, but this win did break Kingston’s five-game losing streak to the Pirates that began when both moved to 8-player in 2011.

More shoutouts: Portland St. Patrick 28, Tekonsha 26 The reigning 8-Player Division 2 runner-up Shamrocks (4-4) needed a boost after three straight losses, and got it with this win over Southern Central Athletic Association B champion Tekonsha (5-3). Suttons Bay 13, Onekama 8 The Norsemen (7-1) reached seven wins for the second straight season, while Onekama (6-2) has taken two painful defeats this fall by a combined seven points.

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PHOTO: Ithaca clinched an outright Tri-Valley Conference West championship with a 20-9 win over Saginaw Michigan Lutheran Seminary. (Click for more from HighSchoolSportsScene.com.)

John Koehn begins his 52nd season as the voice of Adrian High School football, broadcasting last week from Maple Stadium.

Adrian Football's 'Storyteller' Koehn Begins 52nd Season on Radio Waves

By Doug Donnelly
Special for MHSAA.com

September 3, 2025

John Koehn used to collect Sports Illustrated covers – with good reason.

Mid-MichiganKoehn, 74, has been a sports broadcaster at WLEN, a 3,000-watt station at 103.9 on the FM dial in Lenawee County for more than 50 years. If you are at a football or basketball game where Koehn is broadcasting, chances are you will see a “WLEN” banner hanging nearby.

That banner has been in some unique settings.

“We used to collect Sports Illustrated covers because every once in a while, someone would take a photo and I’d be in the background with the WLEN banner doing the game,” Koehn said. “Over the years we had six or seven Sports Illustrated covers that popped up like that. We went all over back then.”

Koehn broadcast University of Michigan football and basketball games for two decades for WLEN, bringing the action home to listeners in Lenawee County long before the days of streaming services or Internet radio. He did live play-by-play at The Spectrum in Philadelphia when Michigan battled Indiana University in the NCAA men’s basketball championship game in 1976.

“That’s always been my favorite Michigan team ever,” Koehn said.

His favorite thing to broadcast – and the one that has stuck the longest – is Adrian High School football. Koehn did his first Maples football game in 1974 and has done almost every Adrian game since, live on the air. Last week he kicked off his 52nd year doing Maples football when Adrian defeated Dundee 21-0 at Maple Stadium.

“I’ve only missed a handful of games,” he said. “I had a wedding once, and I think another time or two I was sick. I thought I was going to do this maybe three or four years. Here I am. On and on it went.”

Joel Przygodski is the Adrian head football coach. Before that he was an assistant for several seasons and got to know Koehn. Now, they do a weekly pregame coaches show together.

“John has been an important part of the Adrian football community,” Przygodski said. “Friends and families of the program have had the pleasure of hearing his voice call our games for a long time. I enjoy our weekly conversations during the season, and we always seem to talk about players and teams from the past.”

Koehn’s voice is familiar to sports fans in Adrian and Lenawee County. In addition to broadcasting Maples football, he also does at least one county high school basketball game a week and still broadcasts live a handful of baseball and softball games every spring.

“Spring sports are tougher,” he said. “Games get canceled, and it becomes difficult to make them up. The weather outside is unpredictable.”

Koehn grew up in Adrian and played football for the Maples in 1967 and 1968. His father, also John Koehn, held various jobs in the county, including teaching a class at Adrian College.

“He was working on his MBA and teaching at Adrian College,” Koehn said. “For his senior business thesis class, he assigned his students a semester project to research the feasibility of starting an FM radio station in Adrian. He gave them all good grades and used the information to start the station.”

His father was granted the license for 103.9 FM in 1965.

“I was in high school, but I was here when it all started,” Koehn said. “I was pushing a broom and that kind of stuff.”

Adrian had an AM radio station at the time, but the FM station was new.

“The first few years we just gave away FM radios and FM car converters so that people could get the signal,” Koehn said.

One of the first things his father did was form a small network of five stations to broadcast University of Michigan football and basketball games.

John Koehn sits for a photo from his spot in the press box at Maple Stadium.“When we started, Michigan allowed any station to broadcast as long as they paid the fees,” Koehn said. “There were at least seven stations. Our station started doing Michigan in 1965 when they went on the air. They were able to do that until the mid-1980s before they went to (WJR) network.”

Koehn, who graduated from Notre Dame, never intended to get into broadcasting. He was at an Adrian basketball game when it happened.

“My first game was a basketball game,” he said. “I just went to help out. I was there, doing stats, and the second half started and the general manager who was doing the game said, ‘Here,’ and handed me the microphone. I got handed a soapbox.”

His dad also launched an FM station in Monroe, 98.3, and gave famed WJR host Paul W. Smith his first radio job.

“My dad knew all about big radio,” Koehn said. “He always said the only way we are going to survive is to make it local, local, local.”

For Adrian, University of Michigan football and basketball was local. He put a lot of miles on his car.

“Back in the day, Michigan basketball played games on Thursdays and Saturdays,” he said. “I remember one weekend, on a Thursday morning, I drove to Madison, Wisconsin, to do a Michigan basketball game. I drove home after the game, got home probably 6 a.m., got some sleep, did a high school game Friday night, and Saturday afternoon I went up to Ann Arbor to do Michigan-Indiana and did a high school game Saturday night. I didn’t have much in the way of pipes by then.”

He also was part of the MHSAA broadcasting network for years.

“I was probably doing 80 basketball games a season back then and driving everywhere,” he said.

During his broadcasts, Koehn keeps his own running stats and often refers back to them throughout his coverage. At halftime, he gives halftime stats, such as leading rushers in football, and tracks things like penalties and first downs.

Koehn said he is an Adrian fan for every game – except when the Maples are playing another local team.

“I’m a fan,” he said. “The only time I’m not is when Adrian is playing another county school. You have to be nonpartisan with that.”

The radio stations have remained in the family. WLEN and 96.5 The Cave, an all-sports format station in Adrian, are owned by his late father’s trust. The other two stations in Adrian, 95.3 FM and WABJ – an AM radio station that was around when WLEN was created – are owned by John’s sister Julie. All four stations are housed in one building in downtown Adrian.

Koehn, who is married, has two children, three grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. His bucket list is to broadcast a hockey game.

While he waits to do that, Koehn remains hooked on broadcasting Adrian football.

“You get to be a little crazy,” he said. “You get into doing the games. We are telling stories and creating memories for people. I’ve had people come up to me and say, ‘Oh, I remember that one game. I was listening. That was one heck of a game.’ It’s all linked to some other memory outside of the football game. Basically, I’m a storyteller – a partisan storyteller.”

Doug DonnellyDoug Donnelly has served as a news and sports reporter at the Adrian Daily Telegram and the Monroe News for 30 years, including 10 years as city editor in Monroe. He's written a book on high school basketball in Monroe County and compiles record books for various schools in southeast Michigan. He is now publisher and editor of The Blissfield Advance, a weekly newspaper. E-mail him at [email protected] with story ideas for Jackson, Washtenaw, Hillsdale, Lenawee and Monroe counties.

PHOTOS John Koehn begins his 52nd season as the voice of Adrian High School football, broadcasting last week from Maple Stadium. (Photos by Deloris Clark-Cheaney.)