A Game for Every Fan: Week 8
October 11, 2012
One team more than half of the 2012 MHSAA football playoff field has been decided, with 129 teams qualified for the 256-team field with two regular-season games to play.
And each of these final weeks includes opportunities for plenty to do something they've never done before.
Over the last two weeks, Swartz Creek, Grand Rapids Northview and Detroit East English have earned their first playoff berths ever (East English in its first year as a school). Detroit Consortium, Mayville, Walled Lake Northern and Saginaw Valley Lutheran all can earn their first berths with wins this weekend.
See below for some of the best games being played in every corner of the state. And visit the MHSAA Score Center all weekend for updated scores and standings.
(All games below are tonight unless noted. Go to Score Center for additional dates and kickoff times.)
Greater Detroit
Clarkston (7-0) at Lake Orion (7-0)
These Oakland Activities Association Red rivals have two of the top three playoff point averages among potential Division 1 teams this fall, and are ranked Nos. 1 and 2, respectively, by The Associated Press' media panel. This is as true a rivalry as they come -- the schools are nearly the same size at more than 2,500 students each, they are located only 11 miles apart, and they've split their last 10 meetings including three in the playoffs.
Others that caught my eye: Detroit Cody (5-2) vs. Detroit East English (6-1) at Detroit Northwestern, Dearborn Heights Robichaud (7-0) at Dearborn Fordson (6-1), Oak Park (7-0) at Oxford (4-3), Detroit Martin Luther King (4-3) vs. Detroit Cass Tech (6-1) at Detroit Northwestern.
Lower Up North
Traverse City St. Francis (4-3) at Maple City Glen Lake (7-0)
At stake this week and potentially next is St. Francis' 22-season playoff berth streak, the state's longest. Its losses are to teams with a combined 19-2 record, but the Gladiators took a significant step last week by beating Saginaw Nouvel. Glen Lake is much like the teams that have beaten St. Francis. The Lakers have given up only 44 points total and own a win over Kingsley, which beat the Gladiators on opening night.
Others that caught my eye: Benzie Central (3-4) at Cheboygan (5-2), Boyne City (7-0) at Elk Rapids (4-3), Lake City (6-1) at Manton (4-3), Kalkaska (5-2) at Frankfort (3-4).
Bay and Thumb
Midland (7-0) at Bay City Western (7-0)
Like some games these teams have won this season, their league race is coming right down to the final minutes. The winner claims a share of the Saginaw Valley Association North championship, with both then facing city rivalry games to finish the regular season. Western has survived three straight eight-point wins, and Midland edged two of those same opponents by seven points apiece. The Chemics have beaten the Warriors in six of their last eight meetings.
Others that caught my eye: Swartz Creek (7-0) at Fenton (6-1), Walled Lake Western (5-2) at Grand Blanc (4-3), Saginaw Valley Lutheran (5-2) at Merrill (4-3), Marine City (6-1) at St. Clair (7-0).
West Michigan
Grand Rapids Catholic Central (7-0) at Hastings (6-1)
The winner of this matchup will claim a share of the O-K Gold championship. Grand Rapids Catholic Central is the reigning champion, but Hastings can claim a league title for the first time since 2001. The Cougars have won three of the four between these two since joining the Gold, but Hastings if off to its best start since that last league championship season.
Others that caught my eye: Lowell (6-1) at Caledonia (6-1), Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central (4-3) at Grand Rapids Christian (6-1), Fruitport (7-0) at Muskegon Catholic Central (5-2), Grandville (4-3) at Rockford (5-2).
Mid-Michigan
Grand Ledge (5-2) at East Lansing (5-2)
This has been one of the best rivalries in mid-Michigan for more two decades. And although this game likely won't decide a league champion this time -- Lansing Everett leads both by a win in the Capital Area Activities Conference Blue standings -- it's remains significant as both the Comets and Trojans' playoff hopes could hinge on which wins tonight. East Lansing might be in better shape, with one-win Okemos coming up in Week 9. But the Comets finish with Holt, 4-3 and another team playing for a postseason berth.
Others that caught my eye: DeWitt (6-1) at Portland (6-1), Walled Lake Northern (5-2) at Hartland (7-0), Williamston (4-3) at Haslett (4-3), Mason (5-2) at Lansing Waverly (4-3).
Southwest and Border
Stevensville Lakeshore (7-0) at Mattawan (7-0)
No region of the state has more big games this week, with titles being decided all over the Kalamazoo area and southwestern corner. But these are the big schools from the biggest league, and the game longest-awaited as both have navigated a tough Southwestern Michigan Athletic Conference West. Mattawan does have to face third-place Portage Northern next week, but the winner tonight will be riding high no matter what opponent is up next. Mattawan did win last season, breaking an eight-game losing streak against the Lancers.
Others that caught my eye: Watervliet (7-0) at Decatur (6-1), Edwardsburg (6-1) at Dowagiac (7-0), Paw Paw (7-0) at Otsego (6-1), Union City (5-2) at Reading (6-1).
Upper Peninsula
L’Anse (6-1) at Eagle River Northland Pines (7-0)
Northland Pines, the only Wisconsin team in the Western Peninsula Athletic Conference, leads both L'Anse and Calumet by a win with this the final weekend of the league schedule. Calumet fell to Northland Pines by two on opening night and defeated L'Anse by 20 last week, which doesn't seem to indicate good things for the latter. But a win tonight would add another huge accomplishment to the Hornets' first winning season since 2007.
Others that caught my eye: Negaunee (7-0) at Marquette (4-3), Pellston (4-3) at St. Ignace (7-0), Crystal Falls Forest Park (5-2) at Bessemer (4-2), Iron Mountain North Dickinson (7-0) at Lake Linden-Hubbell (4-3).
PHOTO: Elk Rapids' Derek Sentieri works to break away from Traverse City St. Francis tacklers during their game earlier this fall. (Click to see more at Terry McNamara Photography.)
Friday's Game-Winner Latest, Greatest Highlight for Adrian Kicker Hassan
By
Doug Donnelly
Special for MHSAA.com
September 30, 2025
When Zack Hassan was a freshman, he decided to play two sports at Adrian High School – soccer and football.
Because he was a soccer player, the Maples’ football coaches decided he would be a good candidate to be a kicker.
“I had never really kicked a football before, but they thought I could because I played soccer,” Hassan said. “I thought, ‘Sure, why not?’”
Fast forward four years and Hassan is no longer a soccer player. He not only is the Adrian kicker – he is eying a college football scholarship and Friday had the biggest moment of his career when he booted a 37-yard field goal as time expired to give Adrian its biggest football win in years.
“I love the pressure moments,” Hassan said. “I like having all of the eyes on me and going out there and kicking.”
Hassan also played receiver and defensive back the last couple of years, but is focused entirely on kicking this season because of a knee injury suffered toward the end of basketball season. He’s delayed surgery because he didn’t want to miss his senior year of football.
“I could have played receiver this season, but I wanted to be safe,” Hassan said. “I had a choice. I could have had surgery before the season or in the middle, but I just wanted to finish out my last year.”
The injured knee part of his kicking leg – but that’s probably for the best if he had to be injured at all.
“As a kicker its almost better because I don’t have to worry about planting,” he said. “That would be constant impact on it. It’s not super bad. I think I will recover quickly. I should be 100 percent by April or May. I should probably try to save the leg, but I enjoy kicking. I like to kick as much as possible in practice.”
Hassan handles all placekicking duties for Adrian, but doesn’t punt. Maples coach Joel Przygodski said Hassan would make a good punter, though.
“He has a strong leg,” he said. “He regularly kicks off to the 10-yard line. It’s a nice weapon to have.”
Hassan’s family moved to Adrian from Sylvania, Ohio, when he was in middle school.
“When I was growing up, I thought I was going to be a basketball player,” he said.
After he joined the varsity football team as a freshman, he decided he liked kicking.
“After freshman year I thought maybe I could get some free tuition out of this,” he said.
He’s made two college visits already – to Baldwin Wallace in Ohio and Macalester College in Saint Paul, Minn., which has offered him a scholarship. He’s headed back to Macalester in a few weeks to check out what it’s like on game day.
“They are a very good school to get an education,” said Hassan, who has a grade point average above 4.0.
Hassan’s siblings stayed on the soccer route. His older sister was a college goalkeeper and his younger sister plays soccer for Adrian.
On Friday, Adrian was locked in a 0-0 tie with unbeaten Ypsilanti Lincoln. In the fourth quarter the two teams exchanged punts, swapping field position. Adrian got the ball back with fewer than 40 seconds left.
“As coaches, we talked about whether or not we wanted to play it safe, play for overtime,” Przygodski said.
After an incomplete pass on first down, running back Luke Bruggeman carried the ball up the middle and broke a tackle to put the ball past midfield. He even got out of bounds to stop the clock.
“I was thinking, okay, we are in business,” Przygodski said.
After quarterback Jaxon Dowling connected with receiver Adam Parker to reach the Lincoln 25-yard line, Przygodski knew the Maples had a chance. Hassan was warming up.
“We were telling him to be ready,” Przygodski said.
Hassan had missed two field goals earlier in the game. One of those attempts was from 48 yards out.
“My coaches just told me to get ready and told everyone else to stay away from me,” Hassan said.
With less than 1.5 seconds to play, Adrian reached the 20-yard line and called timeout. Hassan trotted out onto the field. The snap was a little slower than he was used to, he said, but he lined up perfectly and hit the 37-yarder, sending the Maples into a frenzy and stunning the home crowd of about 3,000 people at Lincoln’s homecoming.
Hassan was carried off the field by teammates – and not because of an injury.
“After we shook hands, we went into huddle and everyone was like, ‘Lift him up, lift him up,’” he said.
The win was a big one for Adrian, which continues to make strides under Przygodski’s leadership. Adrian is 4-1 with chief rival Tecumseh coming up this week. The Maples have a lot of momentum for the rest of the season.
“Going into the season we were really unsure how we were going to be, because we lost a lot of seniors last year,” Hassan said. “It’s good. We’ve had a lot of people step up. We are turning a lot of eyes right now.”
Doug 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 (Top) Adrian kicker Zack Hassan is carried by his teammates after making the game-winning field goal Friday against Ypsilanti Lincoln. (Middle) Hassan steps into his winning kick. (Photos by Marnette Sutherland.)