Drive for Detroit: Week 9 Preview
October 18, 2018
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
What’s still at stake as we dive into Week 9 of this football season?
Heading into Thursday night’s games – there were 11 played – 23 of 91 leagues statewide still had title shares or outright championships up for grabs.
Meanwhile, 171 11-player teams had secured playoff berths – and 71 could win and get in, although there also are 10 matchups between 5-3 teams this weekend that will leave the defeated hoping for at-large bids. The 8-player picture is just a little clearer: At least eight teams appear to be in the running for the final 2-3 spots in that 32-team field.
You’ll see below many of those league-deciding games, and others with playoff implications perhaps taking higher priority this week over matchups between teams already qualified. All games below are tonight unless noted. Check out the MHSAA Score Center for the full schedule and results as games are completed.
MHSAA.tv will broadcast seven games this weekend, and be sure to tune in to FOX Sports Detroit at 7 p.m. Sunday for the “Selection Sunday Show” announcing fields and pairings for the 11 and 8-player brackets. Our “Drive for Detroit” previews are powered by MI Student Aid.
Bay & Thumb
Davison (7-1) at Lapeer (8-0)
The winner takes the Saginaw Valley League Blue title outright. The lone loss between these teams was Davison’s to Detroit Catholic League Central co-champ Warren DeLaSalle in Week 7. Davison has only one league loss in the last three years – to Midland last season, which left the Cardinals to eventually place second. But they went on to beat Lapeer the next week and again in a playoff opener. This year’s Lightning team has been more successful on both sides of the ball, and the defense has given up more than 19 points only once.
Others that caught my eye: FRIDAY Swartz Creek (6-2) at Ortonville Brandon (7-1), Midland Dow (5-3) at Midland (5-3), Mount Pleasant (8-0) at Saginaw Heritage (5-3), Goodrich (5-3) at Croswell-Lexington (5-3).
Greater Detroit
Detroit Cass Tech (8-0) vs. Detroit Martin Luther King (7-1) at Renaissance
These two rolled through their divisions of the Detroit Public School League so thoroughly that there hasn’t been much to point out over the last six weeks. But their rematch will decide the PSL “A” playoff champion; King won last year’s PSL semifinal meeting 17-7, and both teams went on to reach MHSAA Semifinals. The Crusaders’ only loss this fall was Week 2 against Muskegon, by three – the closest game for the Big Reds this season. Cass Tech’s only close game was a Week 2 one-point win over Ohio power Lakewood St. Edward. The Technicians have outscored PSL teams the last six weeks by a combined 269-7.
Others that caught my eye: FRIDAY Brighton (7-1) at Belleville (8-0), Oak Park (7-1) at Clarkston (7-1), Grosse Ile (8-0) at Dearborn Heights Crestwood (8-0), SATURDAY Warren DeLaSalle (6-1) vs. Detroit Catholic Central (5-2) at Ford Field, Detroit Public Safety Academy (7-1) at Sterling Heights Parkway Christian (8-0).
Mid-Michigan
Williamston (7-1) at Pewamo-Westphalia (8-0)
This one means nothing in the standings but could tell a lot about two playoff hopefuls. The Pirates will try to add to back-to-back Division 7 championships starting next week after yet another incredible regular season where they’ve outscored their first eight opponents by a combined 447-34 – and that included a 38-0 Week 1 win over Ithaca, which hasn’t lost since. With a win tonight, Williamston would lock up its best regular-season record since 2010, when it went on to finish Division 4 runner-up. The Hornets’ only trip-up came against St. Johns in Week 4, but over the last month they’ve beaten three teams that still have playoff aspirations heading into tonight.
Others that caught my eye: FRIDAY Montague (7-1) at Portland (8-0), East Lansing (7-1) at Okemos (6-2), Saginaw Swan Valley (8-0) at St. Johns (5-3), Holton (5-3) at Howard City Tri-County (4-4).
Northern Lower Peninsula
New Lothrop (8-0) at Traverse City St. Francis (8-0)
The Traverse City West/Petoskey game could have league implications, but it’s hard to not talk more about New Lothrop making the trip up north. The Hornets are hoping to finish their eighth perfect regular season over the last nine years, and beat an eventual league champion in Maple City Glen Lake on opening night before a perfect run through the first-year Mid-Michigan Activities Conference. St. Francis also has a victory over Glen Lake, and by a similar margin. But the Gladiators have yet to win by fewer than 35 points – making this an important test for them as well heading into the playoffs.
Others that caught my eye: FRIDAY Traverse City West (6-2) at Petoskey (5-3), Frankfort (5-3) at Benzie Central (5-3), Manton (4-4) at Rogers City (7-1), Cheboygan (4-4) at Elk Rapids (6-2).
Southeast & Border
Grass Lake (8-0) at Reading (8-0), Saturday
The Cascades Conference champion meets the Big 8 Conference title winner in one of five matchups pitting undefeated teams this week. The Warriors got here with defense – they have yet to give up more than 16 points in a game – while Reading, as noted last week, has had one of the most impressive defensive showings in the state. The Rangers gave up 14 in clinching the league title last week to bring their total number of points allowed to 33 this fall.
Others that caught my eye: FRIDAY Dundee (5-3) at Hillsdale (7-1), Michigan Center (7-1) at Springport (7-1), Brooklyn Columbia Central (7-1) at Hudson (4-4), Ida (6-2) at Blissfield (5-3).
Southwest Corridor
Cassopolis (8-0) at Centreville (8-0)
The Southwest 10 Conference championship comes down to this matchup of a team that’s had its share of recent success and another that is one of this season’s best turnaround success stories. Cassopolis was runner-up in the conference a year ago and won its old Berrien-Cass-St. Joseph Red in 2016. Centreville, meanwhile, will finish with its first winning record since 2008 and after claiming a total of five victories over the last three seasons. And talk about defense, the Bulldogs have given up 34 points this fall – and these Rangers have given up a mere 24.
Others that caught my eye: FRIDAY Schoolcraft (7-1) vs. Kalamazoo United (8-0) at Vicksburg, Portage Northern (6-2) at St. Joseph (5-3), Plainwell (5-3) at Otsego (5-3), Napoleon (5-3) at Quincy (5-3).
Upper Peninsula
Gaylord (5-3) at Sault Ste. Marie (5-3)
Sault Ste. Marie has bounced back from two straight two-win seasons and a 1-2 start to this one to reach the verge of returning the postseason despite scoring only 123 points over seven games – they’ve made it by giving up only 15 per game. Gaylord is looking to take the next step after missing the playoffs last season as a 5-4 finisher. Speaking of “so close,” the last two weeks have been excruciating for the downstate Blue Devils with two one-point losses that would’ve meant a league title had they gone the other way.
Others that caught my eye: FRIDAY Kingsford (4-4) at Escanaba (6-2), Norway (4-4) at Iron River West Iron County (6-2), Gwinn (5-3) at Munising (4-4), Marquette (4-4) at Menominee (1-7).
West Michigan
Rockford (5-3) at East Kentwood (7-1)
A share of the Ottawa-Kent Conference Red championship is at stake. So is a lot more. The Falcons have clinched at least a share of the league title. But Rockford can earn a share as well with a third-straight win in this series – and although the Rams would be a strong at-large candidate at 5-4, they must win to guarantee continuing a 23-year playoff streak. It’s the longest active postseason football streak in the state, and also tied for the longest all-time.
Others that caught my eye: FRIDAY Zeeland East (7-1) at Hudsonville Unity Christian (7-1), Saugatuck (7-1) at Fennville (7-1), Berrien Springs (7-1) at Muskegon Oakridge (7-1), Hudsonville (5-3) at Holland West Ottawa (6-2).
8-Player
Wyoming Tri-unity Christian (8-0) at Colon (8-0)
The Magi can finish their first perfect regular season since 1957 (according the Michigan-football.com), and have picked it up the last three weeks outscoring those opponents by a combined 150-6 – despite the fact two of those teams are possible playoff qualifiers. For Tri-unity Christian, this would be a second perfect regular season in three years. But that hardly makes it less significant. The Defenders have reached three straight playoffs and advanced to the Semifinals two years ago. A win of this magnitude would be the best way to keep things rolling into their next postseason trip.
Others that caught my eye: FRIDAY Powers North Central (7-1) at Stephenson (5-3), Tekonsha (5-3) at Bellevue (7-1), Pickford (8-0) at Cedarville (5-3), Peck (5-3) at Deckerville (6-2).
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: Saginaw Heritage, here against Arthur Hill this fall, is among 71 teams hoping to qualify for the MHSAA Playoffs with a win this weekend. (Click for more from HighSchoolSportsScene.com.)
Marckel Supplies Marketing Magic to Hunter's Heisman-Winning Campaign
By
Doug Donnelly
Special for MHSAA.com
July 29, 2025
When he was hired at the University of Toledo in 2016 as assistant director of creative services, Derek Marckel thought he had found his dream job only a few months after graduating from college.
Then he became Colorado University’s graphic designer for football in 2019 and thought he had finally landed the job he’s always wanted.
After stops at the Michigan State University to work with former football coach Mel Tucker, and University of Southern California to work with Lincoln Riley, Marckel, 32, is back in Colorado and certain he’s living the dream.
“This was the stuff I thought about doing when I was a kid,” said Marckel, who graduated from Ottawa Lake Whiteford High School in 2011. “I used to sit and draw pictures of all of my favorite University of Toledo football players, and then I’d take them and give them to the players or have them sign them. This is definitely what I’ve dreamed of doing someday.”
Last winter, Marckel was in New York City when his favorite subject – Colorado football player Travis Hunter – won the Heisman Trophy. It was a surreal moment for Marckel, who led a team of creative content makers who spent months last fall promoting Hunter for the biggest prize in all of college football.
“Going into the season, we knew he was going to have a pretty good chance,” Marckel said. “Once the games started playing out, we knew he had a legitimate shot.”
As senior art director at Colorado, Marckel led the Hunter-for-Heisman campaign. He was on the sidelines of every game, home and away, documenting Hunter and the rest of the Buffaloes. He designed billboards that were strategically placed around Denver and one in Times Square in New York City. Marckel’s team met weekly to plan a regular dose of social media posts and content promoting Hunter’s candidacy.
Heisman Trophy candidates emerge based on their on-field performances. But, behind the scenes, winning the trophy has long taken some pushing by colleges and universities.
“There’s a lot that goes into a campaign,” Marckel said. “You have to work with sponsors and donors who helped fund all of that. It’s a lengthy operation.”
As the season drew to a close, Colorado published a packet of information that Marckel designed and sent it to Heisman Trophy voters and the media. ESPN showcased his work.
“Almost everything we were doing was going viral,” Marckel said.
When it became clear Hunter was going to be a finalist for the award, Marckel was called upon to document the entire process. He and a member of his team went to New York City two days ahead of Hunter to be prepared when he landed in the city. Next were Heisman Trophy promotional appearances, photoshoots and the Heisman ceremony itself, and Marckel was there for all of it.
“It was Travis from sun-up to sun-down,” Marckel said. “We’d have little breaks during the day. I designed the billboard for him in Times Square. We had a photo shoot there.”
Helpfully, Hunter was a wonderful participant.
“We put a lot of work into it,” Marckel said. “Obviously it was his award, and he earned it, but it was very rewarding to us, too, to see our hard work pay off. I’ve been around thousands of athletes, and he’s probably my favorite one. He doesn’t necessarily love doing all of the media stuff, but he was comfortable around us.”
Marckel was born in Toledo but grew up in southeast Michigan. He was football team captain for the Bobcats as a senior and began his interest in design, art and photography during his time at Whiteford.
“I knew from a young age that I wanted to work professionally in sports,” Marckel said. “During my time at Whiteford, I spent a lot of my high school career around the football program. I was lucky to have my first two years of varsity with Coach (Jack) Luettke and my senior year with Coach (Matt) Garno, who had a background in graphic design. This ended up being a great foundation for me to combine my passion for football and graphic design as I was heading into the real world.”
Marckel graduated from Bowling Green State University in 2016 with a bachelor's degree in technology & visual communication technology. He landed an internship with the University of Toledo where he started designing team schedule posters, pocket schedules and souvenir tickets. That’s when social media started revolutionizing the industry, especially college football.
“Social media was kind of secondary to everything else when I started there,” he said. “It started to shift. I got in at the perfect time. Things were really starting to pick up. That’s when I knew sports was going to be what I wanted to do.”
After getting a full-time job at Toledo, his work caught the eye of someone at Colorado, and Marckel went west to become a graphic designer with the Buffaloes. When Tucker left Colorado for Michigan State, Marckel followed him to East Lansing.
At first, he missed Colorado.
“Even on the drive to East Lansing, I was thinking, ‘Why am I leaving Colorado?’” Marckel said.
He stayed two years, then landed the role as director of creative media at USC, working sun-up to sun-down in Los Angeles. When the opportunity came to return to Boulder, he jumped at it, becoming senior art director.
The Buffaloes went 1-11 his first season back at Colorado. The entire football coaching staff was let go.
That’s when Marckel’s world took another big turn.
“The rumors started flying about Coach Prime,” Marckel said, referring to Deion Sanders. “There are always these theoretical situations about who the coach is going to be. We found out about 8 p.m. that it was Coach Prime. We had to be on the tarmac at 1:30 a.m. I don’t get starstruck anymore just because of what I’ve been able to do and who I’ve been able to be around, but as soon as he stepped off the plane, I realized I was getting myself into something huge.”
Pro football hall of famers regularly makes stops at Colorado practices. Warren Sapp joined the Colorado staff. Terrell Owens stops by regularly. A steady wave of Sanders’ former teammates from the Dallas Cowboys attended practices as well.
Marckel documents it all, through his camera – a skill he’s honed along the way.
“When I started at Toledo, I would shoot all of those games, but I wasn’t a great photographer,” he said. “As time has gone on, it’s become such an emphasis. I’ve really had to refine everything I do to become the best at it.”
Initially he had to win the trust of Sanders, who brought some of his own content creators with him to Colorado.
“It took a little while to get us into a groove,” Marckel said. “Now we work side by side every day. It’s a smooth operation now. We bounce ideas off of each other.”
Day to day, Marckel works on social media, marketing, photoshoots of recruits and documents workouts and practices for Colorado social media channels.
He works with the football team exclusively, sometimes long hours during the season.
“You get kind of get burned out by end-of-season, but it's worth it,” Marckel said. “You are on the field every day with Heisman Trophy winners, hall of famers and first-round picks. It’s a cool job when you step back and look at it. This is most fun I’ve had working in college football in 10 years.”
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PHOTOS (Top) At left, Whiteford's Derek Marckel takes the field as a senior in 2010. At right, Marckel poses for a photo this year in front of the Times Square display he designed to promote Colorado's Travis Hunter. (Middle) Marckel stands for a photo with Hunter during the Heisman Trophy ceremony. (Photos courtesy of Derek Marckel.)