Inside Selection Sunday: Mapnalysis '14
October 26, 2014
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
The pictures we drew Sunday morning at the MHSAA office won’t be found hanging on anyone’s walls.
But we worked toward something suitable for framing, designing this season’s football playoff brackets while considering the months and years of work put in by our schools and their teams, parents and fans to earn an opportunity to continue their seasons this weekend.
The work completed today to draw up the 2014 MHSAA Football Playoffs began long before opening night in August. Our football tournament is like none other sponsored by the MHSAA – it’s the only team tournament in which every team doesn’t qualify – and we began talking about this tournament not long after last season’s champions were decided.
Then came April and May and tracking down schedules for 613 MHSAA varsity football teams, plus 45 out-of-state opponents our Michigan schools were set to play including 14 from Ontario and one from Minnesota.
The fun part was monitoring the scores and standings for all of these teams over the nine weeks of the regular season, each Friday night a stream of chatter from kickoff into our weekly highlights show on Fox Sports Detroit.
And then came Sunday – and navigating the most difficult maps to draw in my four seasons assisting in the process.
We often have versions “a” and “b” and on occasion “c” when considering which best accomplishes our goal – to create the correct geographical picture for each of eight 11-player divisions and our 8-player bracket.
Sunday morning, we saw a version “e” for the first time I can remember and some shapes that didn’t make much sense without explanation.
Some of those explanations are below – the stories behind how we made some of the toughest decisions. I start with a quick history lesson you can skip if you’re familiar with this annual report or our playoff selection process in general, then move into some of the specifics many will be discussing this week as they begin focusing on their Pre-District opponents. (Click for the full schedule.)
The process
Our past: The MHSAA playoff structure – with 256 teams in eight divisions, and six wins equaling an automatic berth (or five wins for teams playing eight or fewer games) – debuted in 1999. An 8-player tournament was added in 2011, resulting in nine champions total each season.
The first playoffs were conducted in 1975 with four champions. Four more football classes were added in 1990 for a total of eight champions each fall. Through 1998, only 128 teams made the postseason, based on their playoff point averages within regions (four for each class) that were drawn before the beginning of the season. The drawing of Districts and Regions after the end of the regular season did not begin until the most recent playoff expansion.
In early years of the current process, lines were drawn by hand. Dots representing qualifying schools were pasted on maps, one map for each division, and those maps were then covered by plastic sheets. Districts and Regionals literally were drawn with dry-erase markers.
Our present: After a late Saturday night tracking scores, we file in as the sun rises Sunday morning for a final round of gathering results we may still need (which can include making a few early a.m. calls to athletic directors). Re-checking and triple-checking of enrollments, what schools played in co-ops and opted to play as a higher class start a week in advance, and more numbers are crunched Sunday morning as the fields are set.
This season, there were 229 automatic qualifiers by win total – with the final 27 at-large then selected, by playoff-point average, one from each class in order (A, B, C, D) until the field is filled.
Those 256 11-player teams are then split into eight equal divisions based on enrollment, and their locations are marked on digital maps that are projected on wall-size screens and then discussed by nearly half of the MHSAA staff plus a representative from the Michigan High School Football Coaches Association. Only the locations themselves are marked (by yellow dots) – not records, playoff point averages or names of the schools or towns. In fact, mentions of those are strictly prohibited. Records and playoff points are not part of the criteria. Matchups, rivalries, previous playoff pairings, etc. also DO NOT come into play.
The same process is followed for organizing the 8-player bracket, with the difference that the 16 teams are selected purely on playoff-point average.
Geography rules: This long has been rule number one for drawing MHSAA brackets in any sport, and is a repeat as well for those who have read this report the last three Octobers. Travel distance and ease DO come into play. Jumping on a major highway clearly is easier than driving across county-wide back roads, and that’s taken into consideration. Also, remember there’s only one Mackinac Bridge and hence only one way to cross between peninsulas – and boats are not considered a possible form of transportation. When opponents from both peninsulas will be in the same District, distance to the bridge is far more important than as the bird flies.
Tradition doesn’t reign: Every group of 32 dots is a new group – these 32 teams have not been placed in a bracket together before. That said, how maps have been drawn in the past isn’t considered – it’s hard to say a division has been drawn in a certain way traditionally when this set of 32 teams is making up a division for the first time.
Observations and answers: 2014
Class A ripple: A total of 80 Class A teams qualified for the playoffs in 2013 after three seasons of 79 each. But 89 Class A teams are part of the 2014 field, and that increase in turn shifted a number of smaller schools into different divisions – including some annual favorites. Muskegon, Division 2 runner-up the last two seasons, is in Division 3. Marine City, last season’s Division 4 champion, will play in Division 5. Five-time Division 5 champ Jackson Lumen Christi moved into Division 6, where it could be the toughest obstacle as Ithaca attempts to win that division for the fifth straight season.
Stranger on paper: Yes, Division 1’s District 2 stretches from Grandville to Hartland. This isn’t a desirable outcome, but was necessary with this field. Six districts are filled with teams all east of U.S. 23, and a seventh is completely north and west of Grand Rapids. That left the four teams in the middle – Grandville, East Kentwood, Grand Ledge and Hartland.
Something similar came down in the 8-player bracket – why would we break up four teams in the Thumb to include three with Big Rapids Crossroads Academy all the way west of U.S. 127? It had to do with creating the appropriate semifinal matchup for whichever team emerges from the Rapid River/Cedarville/Engadine/Bellaire regional; keeping the Thumb teams together might’ve meant Lawrence or Waldron from near the Indiana border going all the way to Rapid River instead of Thumb teams that are still far away but closer to the convenient highways.
Line falls through Warren: Division 2 presented a few challenges. There are five districts made up of schools predominantly in the Greater Detroit and Port Huron areas, so one was going to end up potentially matching up farther from home. At first we drew a region across the bottom of the Lower Peninsula that connected teams from the Kalamazoo/Battle Creek area with a district from Ypsilanti and south of Detroit. But rearranging districts to draw a line between Warren DeLaSalle and Warren Counsino, although they’re nearly neighbors, helped make the rest of the map much cleaner – and eliminated that I-94 Regional we didn’t prefer.
Deconstructing D3: This was another toughie given the locations of teams involved. Three districts are all east of U.S. 23 and south of Pontiac, and four more are all west and/or north of Greater Lansing. Usually the Lansing area has a large share of Division 3 qualifiers – but not this season. So that left five schools somewhat without a sure home – St. Johns, DeWitt, Mason, Tecumseh and Linden. DeWitt is much closer to Mason and even Tecumseh, with the differences between St. Johns and DeWitt to Linden and St. Johns and DeWitt to Grand Rapids small enough to cancel out in the big picture.
Stretching Division 6: In the end, this map looks good – but there was a lot of conversation. The tough part was finding the fairest possible situation for whichever district champ might end up playing Negaunee – Bad Axe in the Thumb, Madison Heights Madison or Warren Michigan Collegiate as possibilities coming out of northern Detroit, or even Fennville near Lake Michigan south of Holland. Proximity to I-75 helped make this decision.
Crisscrossing Division 8: Figuring out this bracket started out easy enough with eight teams in the Upper Peninsula or just south of Mackinac Bridge and with the southwest and southeast Lower Peninsula set. But a group of 10 across the top of the Lower Peninsula – including neighbors Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart, Beal City and Coleman – made this interesting. A rule of thumb is we don’t want a team passing through a different district or regional to reach its opponent – and with three teams so closely bunched, that was a challenge in drawing this one out.
At the end of the day ...
What you see is what our committee decided upon after multiple discussions among multiple groups that broke down every sensible possibility we could muster. There are certainly points open to argument – and we likely made those arguments as well.
In the end, we present a group of dots on a map – as stated above, we don’t identify the schools until after the groupings are drawn. Part of the fun is then finding out what first-round matchups we’ve created: Muskegon Mona Shores vs. Caledonia and Detroit Martin Luther King vs. Southfield should be incredible, as well as the Ishpeming/Westwood and Iron Mountain/West Iron County rivalry games in the Upper Peninsula.
And no doubt, those who play for and support Burton Atherton, Ypsilanti Community, first-year Lapeer High School, Big Rapids Crossroads and New Haven Merritt Academy are ready to enjoy the playoff ride for the first time.
We’re excited to watch them all – and see which end up in Detroit with us to finish the fall over Thanksgiving weekend. We hope to see you there as well.
PHOTO: The Division 4 map for 11-player football has each region shaded; champion of the white plays green in a semifinal with yellow facing blue in the other.
1st & Goal: 2022 11-Player Finals Preview
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
November 23, 2022
We like to say every score has a story, and this weekend's 11-Player Football Finals at Ford Field have foundations laid for many to be told.
The Division 1 and 2 matchups feature reigning champions against opponents returning to the Finals for the first time in a decade or more. The Division 5 and 8 games pit undefeated teams, with three of the four seeking their first championship at this level. The Division 3 and 7 games are rematches of powerhouse-packed playoff rivalries. The Division 4 and 6 games feature former Finals mainstays making their returns, but against teams looking to start their own traditions of traveling to Detroit for the holiday weekend. And the list goes on and on.
Here's the schedule for Friday and Saturday's games:
Friday, Nov. 25
Division 8 – Ottawa Lake Whiteford (13-0) vs. Ubly (13-0) – 10 a.m.
Division 2 – Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central (13-0) vs. Warren De La Salle Collegiate (12-1) – 1 p.m.
Division 6 – Grand Rapids West Catholic (12-1) vs. Negaunee (13-0) – 4:30 p.m.
Division 4 – Grand Rapids South Christian (13-0) vs. Goodrich (12-1) – 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, Nov. 26
Division 7 – Traverse City St. Francis (13-0) vs. Jackson Lumen Christi (10-3) – 10 a.m.
Division 1 – Belleville (13-0) vs. Caledonia (12-1) – 1 p.m.
Division 5 – Frankenmuth (13-0) vs. Gladwin (13-0) – 4:30 p.m.
Division 3 – Muskegon (11-2) vs. Detroit Martin Luther King (9-3) – 7:30 p.m.
All games will be broadcast live on Bally Sports Detroit’s primary channel except the Division 4 Final, which will be broadcast on the Bally Sports Detroit website and Bally Sports app, and Stadium College Sports. Additionally, all eight championship games will be available for listening from the MHSAA Network at MHSAANetwork.com.
Below is a glance at all eight matchups. Statistics are through Semifinals unless noted.
Division 1
BELLEVILLE
Record/rank: 13-0, No. 1
Coach: Dejuan Rogers, interim coach (4-0)
League finish: First in Kensington Lakes Activities Association East and overall
Championship history: Division 1 champion 2021.
Best wins: 29-28 (OT) over Detroit Cass Tech in Semifinal, 33-10 over No. 10 (tie) Detroit Catholic Central in Regional Final, 62-44 over Saline in District Final, 42-3 over No. 10 (tie) Brighton, 42-14 over Division 2 No. 3 Livonia Franklin.
Players to watch: QB Bryce Underwood, 6-2/180 soph. (2,599 yards/35 TDs passing, 478 yards/7 TDs rushing); RB/LB Jeremiah Beasley, 6-1/215 jr. (1,177 yards/23 TDs rushing); RB Colbey Reed, 5-9/210, jr. (462 yards/9 TDs rushing); DL Jeremiah Warren, 6-3/285, sr.
Outlook: The Tigers bring a 24-game winning streak into this Final, with Cass Tech last week the only team to come within single digits of matching them. Underwood is considered one of the top sophomores nationally, and he showed why in leading Belleville’s comeback win over the Technicians with two touchdowns rushing and another passing. He was The Associated Press’ Division 1-2 all-state Player of the Year as a freshman, while junior defensive back James Robinson also made the first team and Warren, junior receiver/safety Jalen Johnson, senior defensive lineman Camden Weaver, Beasley and senior receiver/defensive back Mychal Yharbrough earned honorable mentions. Junior offensive lineman Nathaniel Johnson (6-5/330) is another highly-regarded talent.
CALEDONIA
Record/rank: 12-1, No. 8
Coach: Derek Pennington, second season (22-3)
League finish: Second in Ottawa-Kent Conference Red
Championship history: Division 3 champion 2005.
Best wins: 14-13 (2OT) over No. 3 Rockford in District Final, 21-0 over No. 7 Clarkston in Semifinal, 48-26 (District Semifinal) and 50-40 over Grandville, 42-14 over Grand Ledge in Regional Final.
Players to watch: RB/DB Brock Townsend, 6-0/200 RB/DB jr. (1,179 yards/17 TDs rushing, 5 interceptions); QB Mason McKenzie, 6-0/180 sr. (1,375 yards/20 TDs passing, 1,537 yards/19 TDs rushing); HB/LB Derek Pennington Jr., 6-2/225 jr. (308 yards/5 TDs receiving); OL/DL Carlo Aybar, 6-1/275 sr.
Outlook: The Fighting Scots have shown remarkable resilience over the last month, bouncing back from a 38-15 loss to Rockford in Week 9 to rumble back to the Finals – with their best win arguably a 14-13 victory over the Rams only two weeks after the defeat, although the shutout of Clarkston clearly was noteworthy as well. A strong running attack long has been the name of Caledonia’s game, and the Fighting Scots went over 3,400 yards and 45 touchdowns rushing in the Semifinal win. Last week’s also was their fifth shutout of the season, but really the last three weeks have seen some of the team’s most impressive performances on that side of the ball as Rockford was averaging 37 points per game, Grand Ledge was averaging 30 and Clarkston was averaging 41.
Division 2
GRAND RAPIDS FOREST HILLS CENTRAL
Record/rank: 13-0, No. 4
Coach: Tim Rogers, 11th season (76-39)
League finish: First in O-K White
Championship history: Class A runner-up 1994.
Best wins: 20-17 (2OT) over No. 1 Dexter in Semifinal, 31-21 over No. 7 Muskegon Mona Shores in District Final, 21-17 over East Lansing in Regional Final, 21-13 over Byron Center.
Players to watch: WR/DB Ty Hudkins, 6-0/182 jr. (843 yards/10 TDs receiving); DB/QB Mason McDonald jr. (355 yards/6 TDs passing, 374 yards/2 TDs rushing); LB/RB JT Hartman jr. (941 yards/8 TDs rushing); DL/OL Crandall Quinn, 6-2/235 sr. (Statistics through Regional Finals.)
Outlook: The Rangers have pulled through one-score games the last two weeks with a defense that’s given up 8.6 points per game on the season and hasn’t backed down against the tougher competition of the playoffs – seeing that average rise to only 15 ppg over four postseason games. Quinn and senior linebacker Raymond Cargill are among the pacesetters of that group. McDonald has stepped in admirably at quarterback the last two weeks – he threw and ran for another touchdown in the Dexter win – after senior Justin Osterhouse (654 yards/15 TDs rushing, 1,070 yards/13 TDs passing) was reportedly on crutches following the District Final.
WARREN DE LA SALLE COLLEGIATE
Record/rank: 12-1, No. 2
Coach: Dan Rohn, third season (32-6)
League finish: Tied for first in Detroit Catholic League Central
Championship history: Four MHSAA titles (most recent 2021), three runner-up finishes.
Best wins: 37-7 over No. 9 Roseville in District Final, 28-0 over Division 1 No. 10 (tie) Detroit Catholic Central, 19-18 over Division 3 No. 4 River Rouge, 49-16 over Division 3 No. 7 Muskegon.
Players to watch: QB/DB Brady Drogosh, 6-4/215 sr. (1,839 yards/33 TDs passing, 1,088 yards/13 TDs rushing); RB/LB Rhett Roeser, 6-0/225 jr. (727 yards/13 TDs rushing); DL/TE Mason Muragin, 6-3/240 sr. (71 tackles/14.5 sacks); LB/TE James McDonald, 6-1/220 sr. (115 tackles/17 tackles for loss).
Outlook: The Pilots navigated another strong regular-season schedule with their only loss by a point to Bloomfield Brother Rice, and that’s no doubt paid off as they’ve been unchallenged during the playoffs outscoring their four opponents by a combined 175-29. Drogosh, who will continue at Cincinnati, made the all-state first team as a junior, while Muragin – playing next at Illinois – earned an honorable mention last season. Defensive back Jamari Allen is committed to continue at Central Michigan. Senior receivers Jack Yanachik (523 yards/8 TDs receiving) and Triston Nichols (449/8) are among top Drogosh targets.
Division 3
MUSKEGON
Record/rank: 11-2, No. 7
Coach: Shane Fairfield, 13th season (142-26)
League finish: Tied for first in O-K Green
Championship history: Six championships (most recent 2017), six runner-up finishes.
Best wins: 27-20 over No. 6 Zeeland West in Regional Final, 49-21 over No. 9 DeWitt in Semifinal, 55-35 over Division 2 No. 7 Muskegon Mona Shores, 28-20 over Muskegon Reeths-Puffer.
Players to watch: QB/DB M’Khi Guy, 5-9/155 jr. (1,638 yards/24 TDs rushing, 647 yards/11 TDs passing); SL/DB Destin Piggee, 5-7/160, sr. (718 yards/5 TDs rushing, 351 yards/5 TDs receiving); RB/LB Jakob Price, 5-7/175 jr. (971 yards/14 TDs rushing); OL/DL D’Andre Hudgins, 6-3/285 sr.
Outlook: The Big Reds are making a familiar trip back to Ford Field for the first time since 2019, featuring familiar strengths – multiple playmakers including a tough-to-tackle running quarterback, and a giant line leading the way. Hudgins is joined by three more linemen 6-4 or 6-5, with two of those at 300 or more pounds. Guy ran for more than 300 yards and six touchdowns against DeWitt, and Price and Piggee stretch defenses as well – all three were averaging at least seven yards per carry entering last weekend. The losses came Week 2 to Division 2 finalist Warren De La Salle and Week 5 to Zeeland West, the latter avenged in the Regional Final. Price earned an all-state honorable mention last season.
DETROIT MARTIN LUTHER KING
Record/rank: 9-3, No. 1
Coach: Tyrone Spencer, seventh season (74-17)
League finish: Second in Detroit Public School League Blue
Championship history: Five MHSAA titles (most recent 2021), three runner-up finishes.
Best wins: 52-17 over No. 3 Mason in Semifinal, 22-12 over Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice in Regional Final, 41-28 over No. 4 River Rouge in District Semifinal, 28-23 over Detroit Cass Tech.
Players to watch: QB Dante Moore, 6-2/210, sr. (2,239 yards/28 TDs passing, 5 TDs rushing – includes Semifinal); WR/DB Jameel Croft Jr., 6-1/185 sr. (671 yards/8 TDs receiving, 6 interceptions); DE Kenny Merrieweather, 6-3/235, sr. (45 tackles, 16 tackles for loss, 12 sacks); RB Sterling Anderson Jr., 5-8/165, sr. (918 yards/12 TDs rushing). (Statistics through Regional Finals except Moore’s.)
Outlook: The reigning Division 3 champion will return with a star-studded cast, headlined by Moore as he finishes his four-year varsity career before continuing at Oregon. Anderson went over 1,000 yards rushing during the Semifinal win and scored six total touchdowns against Mason, while Croft snagged two more interceptions. Croft is committed to Kansas, Merrieweather is committed to Iowa and both joined Moore on the all-state first team last season, when Moore also was named Associated Press Division 3-4 Player of the Year. The Crusaders lost their final two games of the regular season, to Cass Tech and Cincinnati Moeller, but had only one single-digit game before (against Cass Tech) and none since.
Division 4
GRAND RAPIDS SOUTH CHRISTIAN
Record/rank: 13-0, No. 2
Coach: Danny Brown, fourth season (35-11)
League finish: First in O-K Gold
Championship history: Three MHSAA titles (most recent 2014), four runner-up finishes.
Best wins: 26-20 over No. 5 Edwardsburg in Semifinal, 28-21 over No. 1 Whitehall in Regional Final, 35-20 over Hudsonville Unity Christian in District Final, 36-34 over Division 1 No. 5 Grand Rapids Catholic Central.
Players to watch: QB/LB Jacob DeHaan, 6-2/190 sr. (2,574 yards/33 TDs passing, 1,128 yards/17 TDs rushing); WR/DB Seth Ritsema, 6-2/200 sr. (776 yards/10 TDs receiving); WR/RB Carson Vis, 6-3/180, soph. (659 yards/15 TDs receiving); OL/LB Cameron Post, 6-4/250 sr. (54.5 tackles/14.5 tackles for loss).
Outlook: South Christian is making its first Finals trip since that championship season in 2014, and after not only defeating two top-five teams in the playoffs but also downing last season’s Division 4 runner-up in Unity Christian. The regular-season win over GRCC ended the Cougars’ 41-game winning streak. DeHaan earned an all-state honorable mention last season as a junior, as did running back/kicker Nate Brinks (689 yards/8 TDs rushing, 60-64 XP/1 FG kicking). Senior linebacker Cayden Dykema (6-5/205) leads the defense with 77.5 tackles, plus has totaled 12.5 tackles for loss.
GOODRICH
Record/rank: 12-1, unranked
Coach: Tom Alward, 30th season (186-113)
League finish: First in Flint Metro League Stars
Championship history: Has never played in an MHSAA Final.
Best wins: 51-26 over No. 3 Riverview in Semifinal, 40-20 over Orchard Lake St. Mary’s in Regional Final, 10-9 over No. 6 Freeland in District Final, 42-21 over Almont.
Players to watch: QB/DB Gavin Hart, 6-3/180 sr. (1,732 yards/20 TDs passing); RB/LB Jace Simerson, 5-10/200 sr. (1,380 yards/20 TDs); WR/DB Caden Kolanowski, 6-1/180, sr. (622 yards/6 TDs receiving); TE/DE Jace Williams, 6-4/200, sr.
Outlook: Goodrich has won 12 straight games on the way to Ford Field after suffering its only loss Week 1 to Division 5 finalist Frankenmuth, and also set a program record for victories along the way. Only three of those wins were decided by a score or less, and Goodrich improved on a 6-0 win over Linden in Week 2 with a 21-0 shutout in a Week 8 rematch. Simerson ran for five touchdowns last weekend in the victory over previously-undefeated Riverview. Kolanowski earned an all-state honorable mention last season as a specialist; he’s kicked and connected on 50 of 51 extra-point attempts and four field goals this season. Junior linebacker Easton Phipps joins Williams in anchoring the defense.
Division 5
FRANKENMUTH
Record/rank: 13-0, No. 5
Coach: Phil Martin, 10th season (104-16)
League finish: First in Tri-Valley Conference 8
Championship history: Division 5 runner-up 2020.
Best wins: 38-0 over No. 7 Detroit Country Day in Semifinal, 49-7 over Flint Hamady in Regional Final, 21-0 over Division 4 No. 6 Freeland, 27-2 over Goodrich.
Players to watch: QB Aidan Hoard, 6-4/205 sr. (1,406 yards/18 TDs passing, 682 yards/11 TDs rushing); RB/LB Griffin Barker, 5-9/170 jr. (861 yards/14 TDs rushing); TE/DE Brenden Marker, 6-3/220 sr. (40 tackles/16 tackles for loss/8 sacks); RB/LB Dalton DeBeau, 6-0/220 sr. (79 tackles/23 tackles for loss).
Outlook: The Eagles are headed back to the Finals for the second time in three years in part driven by a defense that has given up 64 points this season – with two of their five shutouts coming over the last three playoff games. The most points Frankenmuth has given up is 16, to Saginaw Swan Valley in Week 2, and the Eagles shut out Swan Valley 31-0 in the District Final. Frankenmuth also has allowed 135 total yards per game this fall – and 317 rushing yards total over 13 games. Junior Colin Main is another impressive defender, with 69 tackles, 22 for loss and nine sacks. The Eagles spread the wealth offensively; Hoard has thrown a touchdown pass to 10 receivers, and senior Sam Barger is another reliable rusher with 717 yards and 11 touchdowns on the ground.
GLADWIN
Record/rank: 13-0, No. 2
Coach: Marc Jarstfer, fourth season (27-13)
League finish: First in Jack Pine Conference
Championship history: Has never played in an MHSAA Final.
Best wins: 28-21 over No. 1 Grand Rapids Catholic Central in Semifinal, 26-8 over No. 4 Muskegon Oakridge in Regional Final, 33-27 over No. 8 Pontiac Notre Dame Prep, 38-0 over Clare.
Players to watch: QB/S Nick Wheeler, 6-1/190 sr. (956 yards/11 TDs passing, 881 yards/19 TDs rushing, 57 tackles/5 interceptions); RB/LB Logan Kokotovich, 5-11/195 sr. (932 yards/13 TDs rushing, 84 tackles); SL/LB Earl Esiline, 5-10/170 sr. (1,073 yards/14 TDs rushing, 45 tackles); OL/DL Lincoln McKinnon, 6-2/240 sr.
Outlook: A long-anticipated senior class has made good in taking Gladwin on its first trip to the Finals, after the Flying Gs also claimed their first Jack Pine Conference title since sharing it in 2002. The win over GRCC last weekend ended the Cougars’ three-year Finals streak and earned Gladwin a major dose of attention to help shine a light on those other accomplishments. The defense opened this fall with four straight shutouts and five over six games, giving up only seven points through the end of September. Senior safety Kaden McDonald (56 tackles) made the all-state second team last season, while McKinnon, Kokotovich and Wheeler earned honorable mentions. Four players have caught multiple touchdowns passes, led by junior Jhace Massey (5) and senior Lucas Mead (4).
Division 6
GRAND RAPIDS WEST CATHOLIC
Record/rank: 12-1, No. 1
Coach: Landon Grove, first season (12-1)
League finish: Tied for first in O-K Blue
Championship history: Six MHSAA titles (most recent 2017), two runner-up finishes.
Best wins: 33-14 over No. 2 Clinton in Semifinal, 50-24 over No. 8 Constantine in District Final, 36-18 over Hudsonville Unity Christian, 28-20 over Division 4 No. 5 Edwardsburg.
Players to watch: QB Bernie Varnesdeel, 6-1/192 sr. (1,424 yards/20 TDs passing); RB/OLB Timmy Kloska, 6-0/220 sr. (2,158 yards/35 TDs rushing, 52 tackles/12 sacks); WR/DB Ryer Snow, 6-4/180 jr. (510 yards/7 TDs receiving, 75 tackles/12 sacks/4 interceptions); RB/SL/LB Charlie DeBruyn, 6-0/170 jr. (102 tackles/15 sacks).
Outlook: West Catholic last left Ford Field with a fifth-straight championship in 2017, and the Falcons are making their return with their statistically-strongest offensive and defensive units since that season. DeBruyn helps key a defense with 79 sacks total – junior Ethan Stoner adds another 10 to those leaders listed above – and junior Josh Mitchell (39 tackles) starts on both lines. Kloska is the name most know – he made the all-state first team last season, and his 35 rushing touchdowns qualify for the MHSAA record book. The team’s only loss came 28-20 to Fruitport in Week 7, and the Falcons came back with two shutouts over their next three games and last week limited a Clinton offense averaging 41 points per game to just 14.
NEGAUNEE
Record/rank: 13-0, No. 3
Coach: Paul Jacobson, 23rd season (177-69)
League finish: First in Western Peninsula Athletic Conference Copper
Championship history: Division 6 champion 2002, Class CC runner-up 1991.
Best wins: 13-12 over No. 5 Reed City in Semifinal, 18-12 (Regional Final) and 24-6 over Gladstone, 19-14 over Division 8 No. 4 Iron Mountain.
Players to watch: WR/DB/K/P Phil Nelson, 6-1/185 sr. (326 yards/2 TDs receiving, 39-47 XP/2 FG kicking); RB/DB Kai Lacar, 5-11/185, jr. (1,233 yards/17 TDs rushing, 4 interceptions); WR/LB Niko Lukkarinen, 6-0/215 sr. (1,174 yards/19 TDs rushing); OL/DL Drake Spickerman, 5-11/225 sr.
Outlook: The Miners opened with a close win over Iron Mountain and advanced with one-score victories the last two weeks, but absolutely dominated in between. They didn’t allow a point from Week 8 through the District Final, and total have given up only 148 yards and 6.7 points per game this fall. Senior Easton Palomaki has added another 509 yards and 13 touchdowns on the ground as total Negaunee has rushed for 3,400 and 58, respectively. Sophomore quarterback Ty Jacobson has kept defenses honest with 580 yards and seven touchdowns through the air. Nelson made the all-state second team as a specialist last season, and in addition to kicking and punting he’s also returned three punts for touchdowns this fall.
Division 7
TRAVERSE CITY ST. FRANCIS
Record/rank: 13-0, No. 2
Coach: Josh Sellers, 13th season (145-19)
League finish: First in Northern Michigan Football Conference Legends
Championship history: Six MHSAA titles (most recent 2009), four runner-up finishes.
Best wins: 53-8 over No. 5 New Lothrop in Semifinal, 63-0 over No. 8 Ithaca in Regional Final, 42-7 over No. 10 Lawton, 42-35 over No. 4 Jackson Lumen Christi, 45-20 over Division 5 No. 7 Detroit Country Day
Players to watch: QB/DB Wyatt Nausadis, 6-4/210 sr. (1,145 yards/19 TDs passing, 1,007 yards/11 TDs rushing); RB/DB Burke Flowers, 5-11/175 jr. (699 yards/7 TDs rushing, 347 yards/7 TDs receiving); RB/LB Joey Donahue, 6-2/215 sr. (563 yards/14 TDs rushing, 105 tackles/13 tackles for loss); RB/LB Garrett Hathaway, 6-2/220 sr. (851 yards/17 TDs rushing, 4 TDs receiving, 64 tackles).
Outlook: The Gladiators have mostly dominated on their way back to Ford Field for the first time since finishing Division 7 runner-up in 2020; their only close game other than the Week 2 win over Lumen Christi was a 16-pointer over Benzie Central in the District Final after previously defeating Benzie 49-12 in Week 3. Nausadis was an all-state receiver last season and has taken over for a graduated all-state quarterback with the best possible results. Donahue also made the all-state first team last season and leads a defense that’s raised its game even more during the playoffs giving up only 34 points total over four wins.
JACKSON LUMEN CHRISTI
Record/rank: 10-3, No. 4
Coach: Herb Brogan, 43rd season (394-94)
League finish: Second in Interstate 8 Athletic Conference
Championship history: 11 MHSAA titles (most recent 2018), three runner-up finishes.
Best wins: 20-7 over No. 7 Napoleon in Semifinal, 7-6 over No. 10 Lawton in Regional Final, 35-0 over No. 3 Hudson in District Final, 19-14 over Parma Western.
Players to watch: FB/LB Devian Franklin, 6-1/210, sr. (438 yards/11 TDs rushing); RB/DB Derrick Walker, 6-0/195 sr. (1,159 yards/15 TDs rushing); QB/LB Joe Lathers, 6-1/190 sr. (844 yards/7 TDs passing, 743 yards/17 TDs rushing); TE/LB Conor Smith, 6-1/210 sr. (Lathers’ passing does not include Semifinal.)
Outlook: Lumen Christi returns to Ford Field for the first time since finishing Division 7 runner-up in 2019. Freshmen who made that trip are now seniors, and the backfield features three veterans in Lathers, Franklin and Walker. They helped the Titans pulled off the rare feat of starting 0-3 but making the final weekend of the season, but those three losses also require context – they came 12-7 to No. 5 New Lothrop, 42-35 to St. Francis and 24-21 to Division 4 No. 8 Hastings. The defense, keyed in part by Smith, Franklin and Lathers at linebacker, has given up a combined 20 points over four playoff games and only 11.5 points per game all season. Brogan sits third on the all-time state football coaching wins list.
Division 8
OTTAWA LAKE WHITEFORD
Record/rank: 13-0, No. 2
Coach: Todd Thieken, first season (13-0)
League finish: First in Tri-County Conference
Championship history: Division 8 champion 2017, runner-up 2016.
Best wins: 44-6 over Clarkston Everest Collegiate in Semifinal, 38-26 over White Pigeon in Regional Final, 56-19 over Riverview Gabriel Richard in District Final, 50-14 over Erie Mason.
Players to watch: QB/DB Shea Ruddy, 5-11/170 sr. (1,129 yards/19 TDs passing, 725 yards/17 TDs rushing, 64 tackles); RB/DB Hunter DeBarr, 5-11/150 jr. (1,116 yards/10 TDs rushing, 361 yards/7 TDs receiving, 59 tackles); RB/LB Jake Iott, 6-1/180 jr. (1,121 yards/21 TDs rushing, 190 tackles/14 tackles for loss); TE/DB Ryin Ruddy, 6-1/170 jr. (279 yards/8 TDs receiving, 115 tackles/4 interceptions).
Outlook: Whiteford built back to the Semifinals last season and took the next step this fall winning every game by double digits and 49-12 on average. Shea Ruddy made the all-state second team at quarterback last year and has helped the Bobcats top 50 points seven times including during the first two rounds of the playoffs. His 19 touchdown passes are a school record, as are Iott’s 190 tackles. Thieken previously served as head coach from 2005-10 at Evergreen, Ohio, and more than 25 seasons as an assistant before taking over the Whiteford varsity this fall. Junior fullback Drew Knaggs is another reliable option on offense; he’s run for 524 yards and seven touchdowns.
UBLY
Record/rank: 13-0, No. 1
Coach: Eric Sweeney, third season (35-0)
League finish: First in Greater Thumb Conference East
Championship history: Division 8 runner-up 2020, Division 7 runner-up 2008.
Best wins: 41-14 over No. 4 Iron Mountain in Semifinal, 49-7 over No. 8 Fowler in Regional Final, 49-14 over No. 5 Saginaw Michigan Lutheran Seminary in District Final, 42-0 over Harbor Beach.
Players to watch: QB/DB Evan Peruski, 5-11/170 jr. (312 yards/6 TDs passing, 1,165 yards/20 TDs rushing, 46 tackles); RB/LB Aiden Mackowiak, 5-10/175 sr. (943 yards/13 TDs rushing, 121 tackles); RB/DB Mark Heilig, 5-10/175 sr. (1,354 yards/29 TDs rushing, 77 tackles); RB/DE Seth Maurer, 5-11/190 jr. (714 yards/12 TDs rushing, 59 tackles).
Outlook: Ubly can argue it’s been the most dominant team in Michigan, relative to division, this fall. The Bearcats’ closest game was last week’s 27-point win over Iron Mountain, and their average score this fall is 49-7. On defense, no opponent has scored more than 16 points and three have put up more than seven. The offense has scored at least 41 points in every game. Peruski started at quarterback as a freshman at Ford Field in 2020, and he earned an all-state honorable mention last season. Heilig and Mackowiak are among others who saw action in that last championship game appearance, and Mackowiak also earned all-state honorable mention last season, at linebacker. Junior Brett Mueller is another important option on offense; he made the all-state first team last season and this fall has connected on 84 of 87 extra-point attempts and a field goal.
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