Gach Brings Major Spotlight to Groves Football, Major Goals Into Final Season
By
Keith Dunlap
Special for MHSAA.com
September 6, 2024
It’s not like Birmingham Groves head coach Brendan Flaherty hadn’t had players in the past who received a lot of recruiting attention, given several Division I college talents such as Jaden and Jaren Mangham and DeOn’tae Pannell have come through the program under his tenure.
But make no mistake, Flaherty hadn’t coached anyone who has received as much recruiting attention as Avery Gach.
Before committing to Michigan over the summer, Gach held scholarship offers from 40 schools, and we’re not talking about smaller or upstart programs, either.
Alabama, Ohio State, Georgia and Florida State were among the programs to offer Gach, a hulking 6-foot-5, 290-pound senior lineman.
“He’s a unicorn,” Flaherty said. “The attention it has brought the school and the limelight it has shined on us. I haven’t had anybody like this in 24 years. We’ve had Big Ten players before. But he obviously takes it to another level being a national guy. It’s well-deserved, and he’s done a great job handling it.”
Indeed, this fall will be the last chance for Groves to experience a player who might not come around again for a while once he signs and enrolls early at Michigan, as he plans to do.
Gach always has towered over everyone — he said he was 6-3 as an eighth-grader — and has done that on the football field since becoming a rarity at Groves by making the varsity as a freshman.
After getting some experience during his freshman year, Gach really started to reach another level.
“After my ninth-grade season, I knew this was the sport I wanted to do,” said Gach, who also played basketball and baseball growing up. “I just hit the weight room. That helped me a ton.”
It wasn’t just weights and getting stronger, but flexibility and agility training as well that helped him become more than just someone who was bigger than everybody.
Gach also got to work mastering technical aspects of being a lineman.
“Just having heavy hands, containing the bull rush and keeping my core tight,” Gach said.
From there, the scholarship offers and attention started pouring in.
Gach didn’t allow a sack his sophomore and junior years, so it’s a good bet opposing defensive linemen know what they’re up against this fall.
The wrinkle this year, though, is that opposing offensive linemen might be up against the same challenge. Gach is going to spend a significant amount of time at defensive tackle for the Falcons, likely commanding constant double and triple-teams.
“I’m going to play it a lot this year,” he said. “I’m going both ways. I’m excited. I’m going to make plays out there. They’re two separate positions, but you have to be aggressive at both.”
Flaherty, for one, firmly believes Gach can be just as much of a factor on the defensive side of the ball as he has been on offense.
“His mind is wired that he is an offensive lineman,” Flaherty said. “But if you rewired it a little bit and said he was a defensive lineman, he would be a force. He just plays with such a great energy, tenacity and intensity. He’s going to do a lot of great stuff on defense.”
Gach also played baseball for Groves his first two years of high school but decided to give that sport up to throw shot put for the track team this past spring while preparing for the football season.
He’s fully ready and has ambitions that are similarly sizable for a Groves program that has never reached the MHSAA Finals.
“The expectation this season is to win a state championship,” Gach said.
It might seem like an ambitious goal for a program that has never done so. But then again, there also never been a player in program history quite like Gach, as people should once again see on the field this fall.
Keith Dunlap has served in Detroit-area sports media for more than two decades, including as a sportswriter at the Oakland Press from 2001-16 primarily covering high school sports but also college and professional teams. His bylines also have appeared in USA Today, the Washington Post, the Detroit Free Press, the Houston Chronicle and the Boston Globe. He served as the administrator for the Oakland Activities Association’s website from 2017-2020. Contact him at [email protected] with story ideas for Oakland, Macomb and Wayne counties.
PHOTO Groves’ Avery Gach stands in for a photo during Oakland Activities Association media day this preseason. (Photo by Keith Dunlap.)
1st & Goal: 2026 Playoffs Week 2 Preview
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
November 5, 2026
Rematch week often means rivalry week and frequently includes a side of revenge as well when teams earn the opportunity to see each other a second time during the MHSAA Football Playoffs.
Our 11-Player District and 8-Player Regional Finals this season feature notable rematches between rivals and neighbors that will surely rev up those communities. No matter what was on the line the first time around, this time the winner will hoist a mitten trophy – and the team that doesn’t will put away the helmets and pads for the winter.
Tickets for all games are available on GoFan.co, and 70 will be broadcast on MHSAA.tv. Click to follow scores as they are reported and next week’s matchups as they’re determined, and see below for more on a game in each division that could make the most major impact on its bracket.
11-Player Division 1
Grand Ledge (10-0) at East Kentwood (10-0) – Saturday WATCH
The champions of the Capital Area Activities Conference Red and Ottawa-Kent Conference Red, respectively, will meet in a rematch of a 2025 District opener won by East Kentwood 49-15. The Falcons’ closest games this season were 21-point victories over Grandville and Rockford, the latter also defeated by Grand Ledge last week 34-31. That was the Comets’ first game closer than 14 points this fall, and it will be interesting to see if that experience pays off if this matchup is decided by a similarly small margin.
Keep an eye on these FRIDAY Grand Blanc (10-0) at Clarkston (9-1) WATCH, Rochester (7-3) at Romeo (10-0) WATCH, Rochester Adams (7-3) at Rochester Hills Stoney Creek (8-2) WATCH.
11-Player Division 2
South Lyon East (8-2) at South Lyon (8-2) WATCH
South Lyon defeated rival East during both the regular season and District last season and will attempt to finish a repeat this fall after downing the Cougars 21-10 in Week 7. That win eventually allowed South Lyon to claim a share of the Lakes Valley Conference title and kept East from doing the same, and that victory also was the second in a current string of five that has seen the Lions give up no more than 15 points in a game. East has hit its stride offensively again and opened the playoffs by nearly doubling up Saginaw Heritage.
Keep an eye on these FRIDAY Muskegon Mona Shores (9-1) at Caledonia (8-2) WATCH, Midland Dow (8-2) at Milford (9-1) WATCH, Temperance Bedford (8-2) at Grosse Pointe South (9-1) WATCH.
11-Player Division 3
Detroit Martin Luther King (7-3) at Harper Woods (8-2) WATCH
Several eyes statewide will be on this District Final thanks to the star power on the field and potential for the winner to end up the eventual Division 3 champion. Both of Harper Woods’ losses were against teams still in this field as well, Chelsea and Mason, and the Pioneers bounced back from a Week 9 defeat to the latter to get past Warren Fitzgerald in its District opener. King lost its final two regular-season games, to Detroit Cass Tech and Cincinnati Moeller, but also bounced back well last week against Grosse Pointe North to earn this opportunity to win a 12th-straight District title.
Keep an eye on these FRIDAY Redford Thurston (9-1) at Chelsea (10-0) WATCH, Cadillac (8-2) at Mount Pleasant (9-1) WATCH, Warren De La Salle Collegiate (6-4) at Port Huron (10-0) WATCH.
11-Player Division 4
Portland (10-0) at Edwardsburg (10-0) WATCH
CAAC White champion Portland will attempt this week to finish a run through the elite of the Wolverine Conference, having defeated runner-up Paw Paw 22-13 in a District opener to set up this matchup with league leader Edwardsburg. Despite both having plenty of playoff success in the recent past, they’ve never met before, and this matchup will pit a pair of teams known for their offensive efficiency and rushing power, and ability to withstand both on the other side of the ball.
Keep an eye on these FRIDAY Grand Rapids South Christian (9-1) at Stevensville Lakeshore (9-1) WATCH, Adrian (9-1) at Dearborn Divine Child (9-1) WATCH, St. Clair (8-2) at Detroit Country Day (7-3).
11-Player Division 5
Negaunee (6-4) at Kingsford (10-0) – Saturday WATCH
Kingsford proved itself to be undoubtedly the best team in the Upper Peninsula during the regular season, especially with wins during the final two weeks over Menominee and Marquette. But the Flivvers’ closest game this fall – and in fact, one of only three decided by single digits – was 21-16 over Negaunee in Week 4. The Miners have played several tough teams in nail-biters this season, defeating Marquette by two and losing to Calumet, Kingsford, Menominee and Iron Mountain by a combined 19 points.
Keep an eye on these FRIDAY Hopkins (9-1) at Grand Rapids West Catholic (8-2) WATCH, Imlay City (8-2) at Saginaw Swan Valley (9-1) WATCH, Ida (8-2) at Monroe Jefferson (9-1).
11-Player Division 6
Gladwin (6-4) at Sanford Meridian (10-0) WATCH
The Jack Pine Conference division champs will meet for a second time in four weeks, and this is hardly the mismatch their records might seem to indicate. Meridian has been outstanding, 10-0 for the first time since 2015 and defeating six playoff teams to get here, including Gladwin 28-13 in their league crossover Oct. 16. But look at who the Flying Gs have played as well; they’ve defeated four playoff teams and lost to four more, and they opened their postseason last week with a 40-19 win over Northern Michigan Football Conference co-champion Harbor Springs.
Keep an eye on these FRIDAY Traverse City St. Francis (7-3) at Kingsley (10-0) WATCH, Montrose (8-2) at Marine City (10-0) WATCH. SATURDAY Clinton (9-1) at Detroit Edison (9-1) WATCH.
11-Player Division 7
Ithaca (9-1) at Millington (10-0) WATCH
Millington has shined on both sides of the ball in reaching 10-0 for the third time in four seasons, and the defense has made arguably the bigger impression. The Cardinals have given up more than 16 points only once, to Ubly which is also still alive, and their success in stopping Ithaca could decide this power-packed matchup. The Yellowjackets have scored at least 35 points in every game but one – their 29-26 loss to still-undefeated Beal City in Week 9 – and Ithaca also gave up only 26 points total over its other eight games this fall.
Keep an eye on these FRIDAY Ottawa Lake Whiteford (8-2) at Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central (9-1) WATCH. SATURDAY North Muskegon (9-1) at Schoolcraft (8-2) WATCH, Ravenna (8-2) at Constantine (9-1) WATCH.
11-Player Division 8
Springport (9-1) at Decatur (10-0) WATCH
Springport’s Week 3 loss to Beal City is the only defeat between these two teams, who together have put together impressive two-year stretches – Springport is a combined 20-2 with two Big 8 Conference titles, and Decatur a combined 17-3 with a pair of Southwest 10 Conference championships. They do have one shared opponent this fall; Decatur defeated Vermontville Maple Valley 22-6 last week and Springport downed the Lions 21-14 in Week 4. But that’s just another sign of their similar strengths – both teams have multiple-touchdown wins over quality opponents, and both also have shut down the majority of offenses they’ve faced. This could be low-scoring and close.
Keep an eye on these FRIDAY Unionville-Sebewaing (8-2) at Ubly (7-3) WATCH, East Jordan (8-2) at Beal City (10-0) WATCH. SATURDAY Clarkston Everest Collegiate (9-1) at Royal Oak Shrine Catholic (9-1) WATCH.
8-Player Division 1
Deckerville (9-1) at Dryden (10-0) WATCH
Dryden’s most successful season since 2008 already includes a 44-38 win over Deckerville in Week 5 that ended up deciding the Big Thumb Conference Blue title, and a repeat result would give the Cardinals their first Regional title since 1996. Deckerville is more familiar with this stage of the postseason, as the Eagles are seeking a fourth-straight Regional title, but they must show they can further slow down a Dryden attack that averages 55 points per game and has gone over 80 twice.
Other Regional Finals FRIDAY Ishpeming (8-2) at Pickford (8-2) WATCH, Colon (9-1) at Climax-Scotts (8-2), Blanchard Montabella (9-1) at Merrill (9-2) WATCH.
8-Player Division 2
Gaylord St. Mary (10-0) at Lake Linden-Hubbell (10-0) – Saturday WATCH
Both teams are chasing history with this titanic matchup. Lake Linden-Hubbell last won a Regional title just a few seasons ago, in 2023, but an 11th win would give the Lakes their most since their Class D championship season of 1997. Gaylord St. Mary is playing to reach 11 for the first time since 2002 – when the Snowbirds won their most recent Regional title. Lake Linden-Hubbell has played only one single-digit game this fall and follows an offense that has reached 42 points in all 10. St. Mary has played only one single-game digit too and will attempt to match Lakes scores with an attack that’s reached 50 points seven times.
Other Regional Finals FRIDAY Britton Deerfield (8-2) at Bay City All Saints (9-1) WATCH. SATURDAY Grand Rapids Sacred Heart (9-1) at Portland St. Patrick (10-0) WATCH, Marcellus (7-3) at Mendon (10-0) WATCH.
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PHOTO Southfield Bradford’s Dalon Lyons carries the ball during his team’s 30-0 Week 2 win over Detroit Pershing. (Photo by Olivia B. Photography.)