Drive for Detroit: Week 9 in Review
October 29, 2013
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Three months ago, more than 600 MHSAA football teams began this season with expectations. During the last nine weeks, many were realized.
So before diving full on into the playoffs, let’s take a few minutes to review the last of those regular-season feats.
Here’s a look at the Week 9 edition of our most significant results from every corner of Michigan:
Greater Detroit and Southeast
Detroit Cass Tech 20, Detroit Martin Luther King 14
Revenge belongs to Cass Tech, which fell to King in last season’s Detroit Public School League semifinals but handed the Crusaders (7-1) their first loss in this fall’s championship game. As expected, this turned into the closest either has played since the early weeks of this season. And it likely served as final preparation as both now pursue MHSAA championships and a PSL first – Cass Tech (9-0) is in Division 1 and King Division 2 for the playoffs, and there have never been multiple PSL MHSAA champs in the same season. Click to read more from the Detroit Free Press.
Also noted:
Clarkston 20, Southfield 10: Clarkston (8-1) won this clash of Oakland Activities Association champions and looks like an MHSAA Division 1 contender; Southfield (7-2) also looks good to make a Division 2 run.
Birmingham Brother Rice 20, Detroit Catholic Central 7: Both losses for DCC (7-2) this fall have come to Brother Rice (9-0) – this one in the Catholic League Central Prep Bowl.
Detroit U-D Jesuit 20, Birmingham Seaholm 17: The Cubs (5-4) broke a three-game losing streak to finish with a winning regular-season record for the first time since 2002 and earn their first playoff berth since 2001 – and did so by handing the first loss this season to OOA Blue champion Seaholm (8-1).
Northville 38, Walled Lake Western 31 (OT): Northville (8-1) has won 21 of its last 22 Kensington Lakes Activities Association games, but this overall KLAA championship game win caps what could be the team’s most impressive recent run. Western (8-1) could see the Mustangs again if both win their playoff openers.
Thumb and Bay
Lapeer West 14, Fenton 13
The final Lapeer West (7-2) football team claimed a share of the Flint Metro League title thanks to this win that included a blocked extra point. West, which will combine with Lapeer East next summer, ended Fenton’s 19-game league winning streak, although the Tigers (8-1) did also earn a share of the league title. Click to read more from the Flint Journal.
Also noted:
Clare 24, Sanford Meridian 13: Clare (7-2) started slowly with two losses this fall, but that didn’t change much in the Jack Pine Conference as the Pioneers ran their league winning streak to 26 and league title streak to seven straight; Sanford Meridian (7-2) is another of three teams from the conference that made the playoffs.
Montrose 37, Lake Fenton 0: Make that 20 straight Genesee Area Conference Red wins for Montrose (9-0) which claimed the title again by beating second-place Lake Fenton (7-2).
New Lothrop 47, Pewamo-Westphalia 33: The GAC Blue switched up its scheduling format this fall specifically so teams could face some tough nonleague opponents – and New Lothrop (9-0) took advantage of the opportunity and dealt P-W (8-1) its first loss.
Flint Carman-Ainsworth 42, Davison 0: After finishing second in the Saginaw Valley Association South last season, Carman-Ainsworth (8-1) moved up to first this fall thanks to this win over second-place Davison (4-5).
West Michigan
Muskegon 20, Muskegon Reeths-Puffer 7
These teams were tied for first in the O-K Black entering this matchup, and this was the closest game between the two since 2005 – although Muskegon ran its winning streak over Reeths-Puffer to 10 straight and will see the Rockets (7-2) again in this weekend’s Division 2 District opener. The victory clinched for the Big Reds (8-1) their first league title since 2008. Click to read more from the Muskegon Chronicle.
Also noted:
Grand Rapids West Catholic 21, Ada Forest Hills Eastern 20: The reigning MHSAA Division 5 runner-up Falcons (5-4) were able to earn a share of the O-K Bronze title and a playoff berth with this one-point edging of Forest Hills Eastern (4-5).
Grand Rapids Catholic Central 36, Grand Rapids Ottawa Hills 6: Both entered 5-3, with GRCC getting the necessary sixth win to make the playoffs and Ottawa Hills finishing 5-4 and missing out on an at-large bid.
Saugatuck 58, Gobles 13: The Indians (8-1) claimed the Southwestern Athletic Conference North title outright and made the playoffs for the fifth time in six seasons; Gobles (5-4) fell just short of its third straight postseason appearance.
Spring Lake 27, Shelby 0: The Lakers (8-1) followed up winning the Lakes 8 Conference title by handing the lone loss this fall to West Michigan Conference champion Shelby (8-1).
Southwest and Border
Watervliet 54, Lawton 20
The tie-breaker goes to Watervliet after these teams split the SAC South title last season. This is the fifth straight year that one of these two won the league championship. The Panthers are a combined 25-2 over the last three regular seasons, with this their first perfect run since 1999. Click to read more from the Kalamazoo Gazette.
Also noted:
Edwardsburg 56, Paw Paw 48: In arguably the best matchup in the state this week that didn't decide a league champion, the Eddies (9-0), winners of the Wolverine B West, handed the first loss to Wolverine B East champ Paw Paw (8-1)
Battle Creek St. Philip 54, Lawrence 50: These might be two of the top four 8-player teams in the state, and St. Philip (9-0) would host Lawrence (6-2) next week if both win their playoff openers.
Coldwater 54, Marshall 27: Not only did Coldwater gain toward its first playoff berth ever, but the Cardinals (5-4) also guaranteed their first winning regular season since 1989.
Hillsdale 42, Dundee 7: Hillsdale, Hudson and Ida all split the title in the competitive Lenawee County Activities Association, but this win also earned the Hornets (6-3) a spot in the playoffs while likely keeping the Vikings (5-4) out.
Lower Up North
Grayling 51, Boyne City 13
For the second straight season these Lake Michigan Conference rivals came into their Week 9 matchup undefeated, and for the second straight season Grayling came away a big winner and league champ. In fact, the Vikings are 33-3 over their last four regular seasons. Click to read more from the Traverse City Record-Eagle.
Also noted:
Lincoln Alcona 50, Mio 12: Alcona (9-0) won big in this matchup of champions from the North Star League, although Mio (7-2) also will continue on to the playoffs –
for the 13th straight season.
Cadillac 14, Traverse City Central 7: The Vikings (9-0) clinched the Big North Conference title outright and finished perfect for the regular season for the first time since 2000, while keeping Traverse City Central (5-4) from gaining a playoff berth.
Elk Rapids 13, Kalkaska 12: The Elks (6-3) squeezed back into the playoffs for the first time since 2010, and Kalkaska (6-3) will continue as well for the second straight season.
Ogemaw Heights 13, Petoskey 12: One point got Ogemaw Heights (6-3) into the playoffs and kept Petoskey (5-4) out.
Upper Peninsula
Menominee 51, Marquette 7
Menominee secured its fifth straight season with at least nine wins and first perfect regular season since its last MHSAA title-winning fall in 2007. The Maroons scored 51 straight points on Marquette, which also made the playoffs at 5-3 but had to settle for a tie for second place in the Greater Northern UP Conference behind the Maroons (9-0). Click to read more from the Marquette Mining Journal.
Also noted:
Houghton 26, Hancock 22: The Gremlins (6-3) pushed past their rivals from across the Portage River to earn a playoff bid and win the Copper Bowl; Hancock finished 3-6 for the third straight season.
Kingsford 28, Escanaba 21: Kingsford (7-2) beat its traditional Week 9 opponent Eskymos (3-6) for the 14th straight season.
Munising 17, L'Anse 10: Munising (6-3) got back into the playoffs after missing last season, and impressively with a win over a L’Anse (7-2) team that hadn’t lost since Week 2.
Powers North Central 27, Stephenson 22: The Jets (7-2) ended a four-year losing streak to Stephenson (4-5), and in doing so kept the Eagles out of the playoffs.
Mid-Michigan
Holt 45, Grand Ledge 30
Holt’s playoff hopes took a big hit with a 13-point loss to Jackson in Week 8, but the Rams (5-4) rebounded against the rival Comets (4-5) in a must-win game for both. Holt did get in – after Grand Ledge’s Week 9 win kept the Rams out in 2012 – and also ended up in second place in the Capital Area Activities Conference Blue. Click to read more from the Lansing State Journal.
Also noted:
Grass Lake 17, Homer 14: Grass Lake (8-1) looks playoff-ready emerging from a strong Cascades Conference and then beating Homer (8-1) in the showcase game of the crossover series with the Big 8.
Eaton Rapids 41, Owosso 21: The Greyhounds (5-3) finished with their first winning regular season since 1993 – and thanks in part to beating Owosso (1-8), earned their first playoff berth as well.
Jackson Lumen Christi 42, Howell 35: After a Week 9 loss to Howell kept Lumen Christi (9-0) from an undefeated regular season in 2012, the Titans held off the Highlanders (5-4) in a game Howell needed to win to make the playoffs.
Ionia 20, Lake Odessa Lakewood 13: The Bulldogs (7-2) are back in the playoffs for the first time since 2006 and finished off the regular season by edging the rival Vikings (0-9).
Trophy Games
Each week the MHSAA highlights trophy games from around the state. Here are two in addition to the Copper Bowl mentioned above:
Little Brown Jug: Newberry vs. Sault Ste. Marie. This is the longest-running of the Little Brown Jug games in Michigan. Final: Sault Ste. Marie 41, Newberry 6.
Firefighter's Trumpet: Bay City Western vs. Bay City Central. The trophy for this matchup was created in 1990 but disappeared after the 2003 game until this fall. Final: Central 43, Western 20.
PHOTO: Detroit Cass Tech quarterback Jayru Campbell eludes the Detroit Martin Luther King defense during the PSL championship game. (Photo courtesy of the Detroit Public School League.)
1st & Goal: 2025 11-Player Semifinals Preview
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
November 20, 2025
One more win.
For all 32 teams playing in 11-Player Semifinals on Saturday, that's all it will take to reach the final weekend of this season and an opportunity to play their last game of 2025 at Ford Field.
But it means so much more as well. For 11 teams, its means continuing an undefeated season. For five teams, it means a chance to repeat as a champion.
For six teams, it means continuing the longest playoff run in school history – and for one more, in guarantees that team will accomplish the same when it steps on the field for an MHSAA Final for the first time.
Here's a glance at all 16 games and some of the standouts who could make the difference. All games kick off at 1 p.m. unless noted below, and all can be watched on the NFHS Network at the links provided.
Division 1
East Kentwood (10-2) vs. Detroit Catholic Central (12-0) at Jackson WATCH
East Kentwood’s first Semifinal run since 2014 has been partly on the shoulders of senior quarterback Kayd Coffman, who has thrown for 2,599 yards and 34 touchdowns and also run for a team-high 686 yards and eight scores. Detroit Catholic Central is making a repeat trip to the Semifinals with a big-armed quarterback directing as well. Junior Duke Banta has thrown for 2,091 yards and 26 scores.
Detroit Cass Tech (12-0) vs. Rochester Adams (10-2) at Troy Athens WATCH
Reigning Division 1 champion Cass Tech relies on some especially notable familiar faces, among them senior Corey Sadler Jr., who is averaging 27.5 yards per catch with 1,406 yards and 19 touchdowns receiving total. Adams also is a repeat semifinalist and led by dual-threat senior quarterback Ryland Watters. He’s thrown for 1,348 yards and 13 touchdowns and run for a team-high 14 scores.
Division 2
Orchard Lake St. Mary’s (9-2) vs. Portage Central (12-0) at Haslett, 12:30 p.m. WATCH
Portage Central is giving up only 5.3 points per game this season, but will receive potentially its greatest challenge from St. Mary’s and junior quarterback Jabin Gonzales – he’s thrown for 1,677 yards and 18 touchdowns and run for seven scores. The Mustangs will counter in part with sophomore running back Cam Noe, who’s totaled 1,563 yards and 19 touchdowns to pace a rushing attack that’s stacked nearly 3,500 yards.
Birmingham Groves (9-3) vs. Dexter (11-1) at Ypsilanti Lincoln WATCH
Groves is playing in its third Semifinal over the last four seasons and seeking to reach the championship round for the first time. Junior running back Jeremiah Whitley has carried much of the offensive load, running for 1,402 yards and 17 touchdowns. Dexter also is seeking its first Finals appearance after just missing with a close 2022 Semifinals loss. Senior quarterback Cooper Arnedt is just the fourth 11-player quarterback to throw for 4,000 yards, totaling 4,022 and 48 touchdowns through the air this fall. Those 48 TD passes are tied for third-most all-time.
Division 3
Lowell (10-2) vs. Mount Pleasant (12-0) at Greenville WATCH
Senior quarterback Logan Dawson has helped bring Lowell within a win of reaching the Finals for the first time since 2015. He’s run for 1,756 yards and 33 touchdowns and thrown for 923 yards and 14 scores. The Oilers are seeking their first trip to Ford Field since 2011, and follow a dual-threat quarterback as well. Junior Xavier Creguer has thrown for 1,548 yards and 20 touchdowns and run for 927 yards and eight scores.
Warren De La Salle Collegiate (6-6) vs. DeWitt (12-0) at Grand Blanc WATCH
Playing in Semifinals is plenty familiar to both of these programs, but this will be their first time facing off in the playoffs. Senior quarterback Trav Moore is one of two 1,000-yard rushers pacing the Panthers, and he’s run for 1,768 yards and 25 touchdowns and thrown for 12 more scores. Sophomore Grayson Thurston has taken over directing the Pilots this season and thrown for 1,788 yards and 17 touchdowns, and run for seven more TDs.
Division 4
Vicksburg (8-4) vs. Hudsonville Unity Christian (11-1) at Caledonia WATCH
Vicksburg is playing in its first Semifinal after a one-point win over previously-undefeated Portland, and the Bulldogs showed again they’re capable of lighting up the scoreboard led by junior quarterback Easton Moughton (2,748 yards/32 TDs passing). Unity is seeking to return to the Finals for the first time since 2021 and is closing in on 4,000 yards rushing as a team, led by senior quarterback Justin Febus (979 yards/16 TDs rushing, 1,014 yards/18 TDs passing).
Dearborn Divine Child (11-1) vs. Goodrich (12-0) at Rochester Hills Stoney Creek WATCH
Reigning champion Goodrich has won 25 straight games and remains physically tough to take down with senior running back Jakoby Lagat (1,973 yards/27 TDs) one of two 1,000-yard rushers this fall. Divine Child has held four of its last five opponents to single digits and opened this fall with five shutouts over its first six games. Senior safety/running back Marcello Vitti is among leaders on both sides of the ball.
Division 5
Ogemaw Heights (11-1) vs. Grand Rapids West Catholic (11-1) at Clare WATCH
West Catholic’s first run to the Semifinals since winning the 2022 Division 6 title has been keyed in part by a pair of 1,000-yard runners and senior quarterback Grady Augustyn, who has thrown for 2,015 yards and 19 touchdowns. Ogemaw Heights is playing in its first Semifinal since 2009, with senior running back Calvin Marshall helping set the pace with 1,140 yards and 21 scores on the ground.
Monroe Jefferson (11-1) vs. Pontiac Notre Dame Prep (10-2) at Westland John Glenn WATCH
Reigning champion Pontiac Notre Dame Prep has been led on offense by a familiar standout this fall, as senior quarterback Sam Stowe has completed 70 percent of his passes for 2,498 yards and 38 touchdowns. Jefferson has dominated in the run game – the Bears have rushed for nearly 4,000 yards – but led by a talented quarterback as well, with junior Luke Beaudrie running for a team-high 1,974 yards and 31 touchdowns and throwing for 1,130 yards and 13 more scores.
Division 6
Kingsley (10-2) vs. Kent City (12-0) at Cadillac, Noon WATCH
Kent City’s best season keeps getting better, as the Eagles will play in their first Semifinal and coming off one of their highest-scoring games of the season. Senior Logan Thompson leads a talented set of rushers with 1,121 yards and 13 touchdowns on the ground. Kingsley’s defense should be a good matchup; the Stags have allowed just 24 touchdowns – an average of two per game – with nine interceptions and 12 fumble recoveries.
Almont (12-0) vs. Jackson Lumen Christi (9-3) WATCH
Reigning champion Jackson Lumen Christi has allowed a combined 21 points over the last four games and can wear down opponents with a rushing attack led by senior running back Paul Sattler (1,153 yards/14 touchdowns). Almont succeeds similarly, with Brody Corneau (1,129 yards/17 touchdowns rushing) helping to set the pace on offense and a defense that has given up just 20 points over three playoff games.
Division 7
Pewamo-Westphalia (11-0) vs. Menominee (12-0) at Gaylord, 2 p.m. WATCH
These undefeated contenders also are no strangers to this late stage of the playoffs, as both have played at Ford Field this decade. Menominee has allowed just 23 points during the playoffs and scored 43 or more in every game, and quarterback Tanner Theuerkauf has done his share of the damage all season with 1,379 yards and 22 TDs passing. P-W also can pile up points, and senior quarterback Ty Thelen has been the catalyst throwing for 1,113 yards and 30 touchdowns and running for 1,163 yards and 23 scores.
Schoolcraft (10-2) vs. Clinton (10-2) at Coldwater WATCH
Schoolcraft is seeking its first trip to the Finals since 2001 and has a penchant for making big plays, with junior quarterback Jack DeVries throwing for 2,105 yards and 27 touchdowns – and averaging more than 20 yards per completion. Over the last two weeks, Clinton has defeated both teams that played for last year’s championship – reigning Division 7 title winner Millington and runner-up Monroe St. Mary – and sophomore quarterback Gradyn Whelan averages 19 yards per completion and is among his team’s leading rushers as well.
Division 8
Bark River-Harris (10-1) vs. Harbor Beach (12-0) at Alpena WATCH
Bark River-Harris is playing in its first Semifinal since 2003, with its only loss this season to Pewamo-Westphalia. Juniors Gionni McDonough (1,353 yards/22 TDs rushing) and Andrew Johnson (1,022/13) pace the offense, and the Broncos are holding opponents to just 88 yards per game running the ball. Harbor Beach is averaging nearly 277 yards rushing per game, with senior quarterback Caden Bucholtz running for 20 touchdowns as one of three Pirates who have scored at least 10 on the ground.
Allen Park Cabrini (11-1) vs. Hudson (12-0) at Adrian College WATCH
Hudson is defeating its opponents by an average of 40 points per game, with Grayson Bills (1,601 yards/21 TDs rushing) leading an offense that has topped 4,800 yards on the ground this fall. Cabrini has held opponents to single-digit scoring eight times during this first run to the Semifinals and lost only to Division 5 Ann Arbor Father Gabriel Richard. The Monarchs also can turn to junior quarterback Evan Bergdoll, who has thrown for 2,175 yards and 36 touchdowns.
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PHOTO Goodrich's Jakoby Lagat charges upfield during his team's 63-42 Week 9 win over Gladwin. (Photo by Terry Lyons.)