A Game for Every Fan: Week 7

October 10, 2013

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Something's gonna give in many football leagues all over Michigan this weekend. 

In the southeastern corner alone at least seven matchups feature first and second-place teams aiming at claiming league titles. And titanic face-offs can be found continuing north to the coast of Lake Superior. 

Here's a look at some that stuck out most from this week's schedule. Be sure to check MHSAA Score Center all weekend for up-to-date scores and standings, and then again each morning for updated playoff points averages. 

West Michigan

Caledonia (5-1) at Lowell (6-0)

There's never much of a break in the O-K White, and Lowell gets to follow up last week’s four-overtime win at East Grand Rapids with a home game against second-place Caledonia. The Fighting Scots’ only loss was to much-improved Muskegon Mona Shores, and they’ve scored a combined 136 points in three wins since that Week 3 defeat. The Red Arrows are used to top competition with wins also against River Rouge (4-1) and Muskegon (5-1) this fall, and they get to follow this one with Grand Rapids Christian next week. 

Others that caught my eye: Holland West Ottawa (4-2) at East Kentwood (4-2), Belding (4-2) at Hopkins (4-2), Spring Lake (5-1) at Ludington (4-2), Zeeland East (5-1) at Muskegon Mona Shores (5-1).

Greater Detroit and Southeast

Canton (6-0) at Plymouth (5-1)

A set of baseball and softball fields separate these neighbors, and they’ve also seen each other twice each of the last five seasons – once during league play and again during the playoffs. A three-point loss by Plymouth to Livonia Franklin is all that kept this from being a matchup of undefeated teams – and if Plymouth wins, it will force Canton to share the Kensington Lakes Activities Association South title.  

Others that caught my eye: Belleville (4-2) at Dearborn Fordson (4-2), Detroit Denby (5-1) at Detroit Martin Luther King (5-0), Oak Park (5-1) at Farmington Hills Harrison (5-1), Detroit Mumford (6-0) at Detroit Cass Tech (6-0)

Thumb and Bay

Montrose (6-0) at Flint Beecher (5-1)

Beecher’s only loss this season was two weeks ago against Lake Fenton – which is tied with Montrose for first place in the Genesee Area Conference Red. If the Buccaneers can beat the Rams, a three-team shared title will remain a possibility – Montrose ends the regular season against Lake Fenton and has beaten the Blue Devils in three straight.

Others that caught my eye: Reese (5-1) at Elkton-Pigeon-Bay Port (5-1), Flint Powers (3-3) at Flint Carman-Ainsworth (5-1), Traverse City St. Francis (4-2) at Saginaw Nouvel (5-1), Gladwin (4-2) at Sanford Meridian (6-0).

Southwest and Border

Paw Paw (6-0) at Plainwell (6-0)

How little have these Wolverine Conference East leaders been tested this fall? Combined, they’ve given up 68 points. It’s fair to say the Trojans have been the tiniest bit more impressive – they have three shutouts including one over Wolverine Conference West leader Dowagiac. But Paw Paw does have history on its side – the Redskins have won all eight meetings (including one in the playoffs) since the two became league foes in 2006.

Others that caught my eye: Climax-Scotts (6-0) at Bellevue (4-2), St. Joseph Lake Michigan Catholic (5-0) at Niles Brandywine (6-0), Coldwater (3-3) at Battle Creek Lakeview (6-0), Three Rivers (4-2) at Dowagiac (5-1).

Lower Up North

Beal City (6-0) at Lake City (6-0)

Talk about two teams that have simply dominated so far; these two have outscored their opponents by a combined 678-33. The winner claims a share of the Highland Conference title, which Beal City has won nine of the last 10 seasons. It’s anyone’s guess how this matchup might go; Lake City has given up six points this season and Beal City has scored at least 60 four times.

Others that caught my eye: Traverse City West (4-2) at Cadillac (6-0), Kalkaska (5-1) at Grayling (5-1), Evart (5-1) at McBain (4-2), Maple City Glen Lake (6-0) at Suttons Bay (3-3).

Upper Peninsula

Negaunee (6-0) at Ishpeming (6-0)

Ishpeming finished an incredible playoff run as the Division 7 champion last fall, but Negaunee can boast that it claimed the Mid-Peninsula Conference championship during the regular season thanks to a 20-8 win over the Hematites. Both have been similarly dominating again this season, making this arguably the best game in the Upper Peninsula for all of 2013.

Others that caught my eye: Powers North Central (5-1) at Felch North Dickinson (5-1), Cheboygan (5-1) at Sault Ste. Marie (3-3), Pickford (4-2) at St. Ignace (5-1), Marinette, Wis. (2-5) at Menominee (6-0).

Mid-Michigan

Fowler (5-1) at Pewamo-Westphalia (6-0)

That this Central Michigan Athletic Conference clash is considered one of the best rivalries throughout mid-Michigan despite including two of its smallest schools speaks volumes both to how much these programs are respected by others big and small and how good this matchup has been over the last 40-plus seasons. During the last decade alone both have played in MHSAA Finals at Ford Field and faced each other in four games decided by eight or fewer points.

Others that caught my eye: Lansing Everett (5-1) at Grand Ledge (3-3), Carson City-Crystal (6-0) at Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart (5-1), Battle Creek Pennfield (5-1) at Olivet (6-0), Homer (6-0) at Springport (5-1).

PHOTO: Detroit Martin Luther King (white jerseys), here against Detroit East English, has claimed a share of the Detroit Public School League East title, but can win it outright by defeating second place Detroit Denby tonight. (Photo courtesy of the Detroit Public School League). 

2015 Week 5 Football Playoff Listing

September 22, 2015

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Here is a list of Michigan High School Athletic Association football playing schools, displaying their win-loss records and playoff averages through the fourth week of the season.

Schools on this list are in enrollment order for 11-player teams, with 8-player teams ordered by playoff average. An asterisk (*) beside a record indicates a team has eight or fewer games scheduled. A caret (^) beside a school’s name indicates a team is one win away from playoff qualification.

Those schools with 11-player teams with six or more wins playing nine-game schedules, or five or more wins playing eight games or fewer, will qualify for the MHSAA Football Playoffs beginning Oct. 30. Schools with 5-4, 4-3 or 4-4 records may qualify if the number of potential qualifiers by win total does not reach the 256 mark. Schools with six or more wins playing nine-game schedules or five or more wins playing eight games or fewer may be subtracted from the field based on playoff average if the number of potential qualifiers exceeds the 256 mark.

Once the 256 qualifying schools are determined, they will be divided by enrollment groups into eight equal divisions of 32 schools, and then drawn into regions of eight teams each and districts of four teams each. Those schools with 8-player teams will be ranked by playoff average at season’s end, and the top 16 programs will be drawn into regions of eight teams each for the playoff in that division, which also begins Oct. 30.

To review a list of all football playoff schools, individual school playoff point details and to report errors, visit the Football page of the MHSAA Website.

The announcement of the qualifiers and first-round pairings for both the 11 and 8-player playoffs will take place at 7 p.m. on Oct. 25 on the Selection Sunday Show on FOX Sports Detroit. The playoff qualifiers and pairings will be posted to the MHSAA Website following the Selection Sunday Show.

11-Player Playoff Listing

1. Macomb Dakota, 2921, 3-1, 72.750
2. Grand Blanc, 2727, 3-1, 64.750
3. Utica Eisenhower, 2669, 3-1, 74.500
4. Sterling Heights Stevenson, 2634, 3-1, 66.500
5. Clinton Township Chippewa Valley, 2611, 3-1, 76.500
6. East Kentwood, 2581, 4-0, 94.000
7. Howell, 2567, 4-0, 90.000
8. Detroit Cass Tech, 2285, 4-0, 90.000
9. Northville, 2281, 4-0, 86.000
10. Brighton, 2211, 4-0, 101.111
11. Detroit Catholic Central, 2138, 3-1, 45.167
12. Utica Ford, 2080, 3-1, 68.750
13. Canton, 2076, 4-0, 92.000
14. Monroe, 2066, 3-1, 66.750
15. Lapeer, 2059, 4-0, 80.000
16. Plymouth, 2057, 3-1, 64.500
17. Ann Arbor Pioneer, 2025, 4-0, 84.000
18. West Bloomfield, 1932, 4-0, 92.000
19. Saline, 1879, 4-0, 84.000
20. Livonia Stevenson, 1831, 4-0, 92.000
21. Warren Mott, 1810, 4-0, 94.000
22. Hudsonville, 1763, 3-1, 68.500
23. Belleville, 1735, 3-1, 66.250
24. Romeo, 1673, 4-0, 96.000
25. Grand Ledge, 1663, 4-0, 80.000
26. Walled Lake Northern, 1611, 3-1, 66.750
27. Warren DeLaSalle, 1572, 3-1, 58.750
28. Sterling Heights, 1561, 4-0, 78.000
29. Detroit Martin Luther King, 1537, 4-0, 94.000
30. Warren Cousino, 1514, 3-1, 64.500
31. Waterford Kettering, 1512, 3-1, 62.750
32. Detroit U-D Jesuit, 1486, 3-1, 45.417
33. Traverse City Central, 1474, 4-0, 86.000
34. Walled Lake Western, 1462, 4-0, 98.000
35. Midland, 1419, 4-0, 84.000
36. Lincoln Park, 1363, 3-1, 68.750
37. Portage Central, 1351, 4-0, 95.778
38. Wyandotte Roosevelt, 1346, 3-1, 72.500
39. Detroit East English, 1338, 3-1, 64.750
40. Southfield, 1269, 3-1, 74.750
41. Midland Dow, 1256, 3-1, 62.500
42. Berkley, 1248, 3-1, 54.250
43. Birmingham Groves, 1248, 4-0, 82.000
44. Jackson, 1244, 3-1, 58.250
45. Flushing, 1242, 3-1, 68.500
46. Muskegon Mona Shores, 1239, 4-0, 90.000
47. Farmington Hills Harrison, 1218, 3-1, 64.750
48. Farmington, 1176, 3-1, 70.500
49. Lowell, 1168, 3-1, 72.750
50. Gibraltar Carlson, 1140, 3-1, 62.500
51. Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern, 1124, 4-0, 90.000
52. Muskegon, 1113, 3-1, 76.500
53. Fenton, 1108, 3-1, 68.250
54. Byron Center, 1070, 3-1, 64.750
55. Mt. Pleasant, 1061, 3-1, 70.750
56. Ortonville-Brandon, 1060, 3-1, 64.500
57. Allen Park, 1058, 3-1, 64.500
58. St. Johns, 1053, 3-1, 74.500
59. Zeeland East, 1040, 3-1, 70.500
60. Orchard Lake St. Mary's *^, 1032, 4-0, 90.400
61. St. Joseph, 980, 3-1, 70.500
62. East Grand Rapids, 975, 3-1, 70.500
63. Petoskey, 970, 3-1, 58.250
64. DeWitt, 960, 4-0, 96.000
65. Romulus, 956, 3-1, 62.750
66. Trenton, 953, 4-0, 86.000
67. Linden, 947, 3-1, 66.750
68. Gaylord, 940, 4-0, 76.667
69. Sturgis, 926, 3-1, 54.250
70. Grand Rapids Christian, 905, 3-1, 64.500
71. Haslett, 875, 3-1, 68.500
72. Stevensville Lakeshore, 874, 3-1, 72.750
73. Coldwater, 863, 4-0, 84.000
74. Marshall, 863, 3-1, 64.750
75. Vicksburg, 858, 3-1, 58.750
76. Edwardsburg, 851, 4-0, 74.000
77. Sault Ste. Marie, 850, 3-1, 71.833
78. Chelsea, 845, 4-0, 78.000
79. Zeeland West, 840, 4-0, 82.000
80. Ada Forest Hills Eastern, 828, 4-0, 72.000
81. Milan, 820, 3-1, 60.500
82. Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood, 794, 4-0, 68.000
83. North Branch, 758, 3-1, 54.250
84. Pontiac Notre Dame Prep, 728, 4-0, 84.000
85. Detroit Country Day, 685, 3-1, 56.500
86. Comstock Park, 682, 3-1, 70.750
87. Detroit Cesar Chavez Academy, 681, 3-1, 40.750
88. Croswell-Lexington, 668, 3-1, 52.750
89. St. Clair Shores South Lake, 668, 4-0, 86.000
90. Hudsonville Unity Christian, 665, 3-1, 48.250
91. Grand Rapids Catholic Central, 658, 3-1, 65.667
92. Williamston, 657, 3-1, 62.500
93. Corunna, 656, 3-1, 56.250
94. Whitehall, 656, 3-1, 64.556
95. Detroit Collegiate Prep, 632, 4-0, 72.000
96. Lake Fenton, 625, 3-1, 50.750
97. Lake Odessa Lakewood, 624, 4-0, 60.000
98. Saginaw Swan Valley, 613, 3-1, 56.500
99. Dowagiac, 611, 3-1, 54.500
100. Flint Powers Catholic, 610, 3-1, 68.500
101. Big Rapids, 609, 4-0, 68.000
102. Richmond, 605, 4-0, 78.000
103. Remus Chippewa Hills, 600, 3-1, 54.500
104. River Rouge, 593, 4-0, 82.000
105. Clawson, 592, 3-1, 44.000
106. Dearborn Heights Robichaud, 573, 4-0, 78.000
107. Freeland, 563, 4-0, 76.000
108. Portland, 563, 4-0, 84.000
109. Ann Arbor Gabriel Richard, 556, 3-1, 56.500
110. Southfield Bradford Academy, 550, 3-1, 46.250
111. Ida, 548, 4-0, 74.000
112. Kingsford, 547, 3-1, 59.417
113. Marine City, 540, 3-1, 50.750
114. Muskegon Oakridge, 538, 3-1, 43.833
115. Algonac, 532, 4-0, 68.000
116. Frankenmuth, 529, 4-0, 66.000
117. Olivet, 524, 3-1, 48.000
118. Detroit Henry Ford, 523, 3-1, 44.000
119. Lansing Catholic, 517, 3-1, 60.750
120. Almont, 513, 4-0, 62.000
121. Onsted, 509, 3-1, 44.750
122. Berrien Springs, 495, 4-0, 68.800
123. Parchment, 493, 3-1, 42.000
124. Stockbridge, 493, 3-1, 54.750
125. Ovid-Elsie, 491, 3-1, 56.750
126. Reed City, 491, 4-0, 56.667
127. Grayling, 489, 3-1, 50.750
128. Clinton Township Clintondale, 486, 3-1, 62.750
129. Menominee, 480, 4-0, 76.800
130. Harper Woods, 476, 3-1, 50.500
131. Manistee, 469, 4-0, 68.667
132. Brooklyn Columbia Central, 463, 4-0, 68.000
133. Buchanan, 459, 4-0, 66.000
134. Harrison, 430, 3-1, 50.250
135. Jackson Lumen Christi, 426, 4-0, 80.000
136. Lakeview, 417, 3-1, 48.250
137. Sanford Meridian Early College, 408, 4-0, 66.000
138. Ithaca, 402, 4-0, 62.000
139. Byron, 399, 3-1, 48.500
140. Delton Kellogg, 398, 3-1, 50.500
141. Millington, 398, 4-0, 74.000
142. Montague, 396, 4-0, 60.000
143. Burton Bendle, 393, 3-1, 46.750
144. Oscoda, 391, 3-1, 34.000
145. Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central, 389, 4-0, 82.000
146. Negaunee, 385, 4-0, 64.000
147. Maple City Glen Lake, 384, 3-1, 38.500
148. Boyne City, 383, 4-0, 60.000
149. Vassar, 377, 3-1, 38.750
150. St. Louis, 374, 3-1, 44.250
151. Laingsburg, 373, 3-1, 42.750
152. Watervliet, 372, 3-1, 48.750
153. Madison Heights Madison, 367, 3-1, 62.750
154. Manchester, 365, 3-1, 44.750
155. Schoolcraft, 357, 4-0, 64.000
156. Grand Rapids NorthPointe Christian, 345, 4-0, 64.000
157. Lawton, 342, 4-0, 56.000
158. Vandercook Lake, 341, 4-0, 56.000
159. Clinton, 335, 4-0, 60.000
160. Traverse City St. Francis, 320, 4-0, 68.000
161. Hesperia, 310, 4-0, 58.000
162. Sandusky, 310, 4-0, 56.000
163. McBain, 307, 3-1, 50.750
164. Cass City, 304, 3-1, 40.500
165. Bridgman, 303, 4-0, 60.000
166. Gobles, 301, 3-1, 48.000
167. Marlette, 298, 3-1, 42.500
168. Union City, 298, 3-1, 40.500
169. Elkton-Pigeon-Bay Port Laker, 296, 3-1, 44.500
170. Homer, 294, 3-1, 40.500
171. Pewamo-Westphalia, 292, 4-0, 60.000
172. Flint Hamady, 291, 4-0, 54.000
173. Dansville, 289, 3-1, 40.750
174. Saginaw Nouvel, 285, 3-1, 45.417
175. Riverview Gabriel Richard, 284, 4-0, 56.000
176. Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett, 282, 3-1, 46.250
177. Harbor Springs, 281, 3-1, 28.500
178. Flint Beecher, 278, 4-0, 70.000
179. Ishpeming *^, 278, 4-0, 60.000
180. Detroit Loyola, 276, 3-1, 60.750
181. New Lothrop, 276, 4-0, 68.000
182. Saugatuck, 271, 4-0, 56.000
183. Ubly, 271, 3-1, 48.500
184. Cassopolis, 270, 3-1, 40.750
185. Concord, 267, 3-1, 50.500
186. Decatur, 266, 3-1, 44.250
187. Lincoln Alcona, 265, 4-0, 40.000
188. Unionville-Sebewaing, 262, 3-1, 46.750
189. Ottawa Lake Whiteford, 255, 3-1, 36.500
190. Indian River Inland Lakes, 251, 3-1, 38.750
191. Onekama, 250, 4-0, 48.000
192. Petersburg-Summerfield, 240, 3-1, 42.750
193. Beal City, 228, 4-0, 60.000
194. Johannesburg-Lewiston, 226, 4-0, 50.000
195. St. Ignace, 225, 4-0, 48.000
196. Saginaw Michigan Lutheran Seminary, 223, 4-0, 62.000
197. Mayville, 217, 3-1, 40.750
198. L'Anse, 215, 3-1, 50.250
199. Newberry, 211, 3-1, 42.750
200. Pittsford, 211, 3-1, 34.750
201. Vestaburg, 205, 3-1, 36.500
202. Bark River-Harris, 194, 4-0, 54.000
203. Morenci, 191, 4-0, 64.000
204. Munising, 191, 3-1, 43.700
205. Fowler, 183, 4-0, 52.000
206. Adrian Lenawee Christian, 170, 3-1, 28.750
207. Climax-Scotts, 163, 4-0, 48.000
208. Frankfort, 160, 3-1, 46.500
209. Waterford Our Lady, 157, 4-0, 66.000
210. Lake Linden-Hubbell, 155, 4-0, 47.067
211. Colon, 153, 3-1, 36.750
212. Hillman, 146, 3-1, 28.250
213. Bay City All Saints, 118, 3-1, 28.500

8-Player Playoff Listing

1. Rapid River, 111, 4-0, 46.000
2. Owendale-Gagetown, 49, 4-0, 45.333
3. Deckerville, 178, 4-0, 44.000
4. Battle Creek St. Philip, 144, 4-0, 42.000
5. Powers North Central, 198, 4-0, 42.000
6. Posen, 84, 4-0, 40.000
7. Waldron, 88, 4-0, 40.000
8. Cedarville, 144, 3-1, 36.750
9. Webberville, 184, 4-0, 34.000
10. Peck, 152, 3-1, 32.500
11. Lawrence, 189, 4-0, 32.000
12. Morrice, 169, 3-1, 30.750
13. Pickford, 164, 3-1, 28.500
14. Baraga, 164, 3-1, 28.250
15. Portland St. Patrick, 87, 3-1, 26.750
16. Akron-Fairgrove, 99, 3-1, 26.333
17. New Haven Merritt Academy, 148, 3-1, 24.750
18. Stephenson, 186, 2-2, 23.000
19. Marion *, 145, 2-2, 22.583
20. Bellaire, 134, 2-2, 21.500
21. Kingston, 187, 2-2, 21.500
22. Onaway, 196, 2-2, 21.250
23. Engadine, 85, 2-2, 19.250
24. Kinde-North Huron, 147, 2-2, 18.750
25. Tekonsha, 148, 1-3, 12.000
26. Ontonagon, 129, 1-3, 9.750
27. Burr Oak, 75, 1-3, 9.500
28. Caseville, 91, 1-3, 9.500
29. St. Helen Charlton Heston Academy, 108, 1-3, 9.500
30. Eben Junction Superior Central, 123, 1-3, 9.250
31. St. Joseph Michigan Lutheran, 103, 0-4, 2.750
32. Ewen-Trout Creek, 126, 0-4, 2.250
33. Litchfield, 92, 0-4, 2.250
34. Carsonville-Port Sanilac, 120, 0-4, 2.000
35. Big Rapids Crossroads Academy, 190, 0-4, 1.833
36. Flint Michigan School For The Deaf *, 47, 0-3, 1.750
37. Covert *, 91, 0-3, 1.583
38. Hale, 132, 0-4, 1.333
39. Pellston, 170, 0-4, 1.250
40. Brimley, 142, 0-4, 1.000