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.
Drive Complete: 2017 Finals in Review
November 27, 2017
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Every November, the MHSAA Football Finals give players, coaches and fans an opportunity to see what everyone else has been talking about.
These last two weekends were no different. We saw powers restored and others emerging. We witnessed two first-time winners finish perfect seasons and another champion win for the fifth straight year. We enjoyed performances from some of the talented stars we’d only read about, and encores by others returning to the championship round – including the now-winningest coach in Michigan high school history.
Second Half covered all 10 championship games last weekend at Ford Field and two weekends ago at the Superior Dome, with quick recaps and links (click on the game scores) to those stories below followed by notations of performances entered into the MHSAA record book and a report on some of the biggest and best stories to emerge from the 2017 Finals.
Finals in Review
11-Player Division 1: Clarkston 3, West Bloomfield 2
This one had an intriguing circumstance from the start: West Bloomfield, playing its first Final, had tied for first and Clarkston finished third in the Oakland Activities Association Red during the regular season with the Lakers beating the Wolves 37-16 in Week 4. The rematch ended with the second fewest points scored in MHSAA Finals history.
11-Player Division 2: Warren DeLaSalle 41, Livonia Franklin 6
DeLaSalle took its lead 16 seconds into the game on a fumble return touchdown and never slowed down in winning its second championship in four seasons. Franklin, playing in its first title game since 1975, had turnovers on three of its first four possessions (and a turnover on downs to end the other one) and never got rolling again.
11-Player Division 3: Muskegon 28, Farmington Hills Harrison 10
Muskegon won its first championship since 2008 after finishing runner-up four of the last five seasons. The Big Reds finished one of the most impressive runs in recent playoff history, winning on average by 37 points over its five postseason victories. Harrison – led by all-time winningest coach John Herrington – did give Muskegon one of its toughest tests.
11-Player Division 4: Grand Rapids Catholic Central 42, Edwardsburg 31
After winning a 2016 Division 4 title game that saw only 17 points scored between the two teams, GRCC repeated in a game featuring 73. The Cougars came back from an early deficit as standout running back Nolan Fugate put together one of the top rushing performances in Finals history. The Eddies were playing in their first championship game and made this arguably the most entertaining of the weekend.
11-Player Division 5: Grand Rapids West Catholic 34, Saginaw Swan Valley 7
Grand Rapids West Catholic tied two more programs by winning its fifth straight MHSAA championship, jumping out to a 34-0 lead led by three-year quarterback Gaetano Vallone and a number of others who have contributed to multiple titles. Swan Valley was making its first Finals appearance, but will be a strong candidate to return next fall.
11-Player Division 6: Jackson Lumen Christi 40, Ithaca 34
What was expected to be one of the most competitive Finals didn’t disappoint, as the Titans came back from a 13-8 halftime deficit to repeat. They put up some of the biggest rushing numbers in championship game history to offset the dual danger posed by Ithaca quarterback Joey Bentley, who threw three touchdown passes in the fourth quarter as the Yellowjackets worked for a chance to win.
11-Player Division 7: Pewamo-Westphalia 21, Saugatuck 0
These teams met in the playoffs for the third straight season but first in a championship game. P-W, despite losing quarterback/defensive end Jimmy Lehman to a hand injury near the end of the second quarter, hung on through a scoreless second half to repeat as champion.
11-Player Division 8: Ottawa Lake Whiteford 42, Saginaw Nouvel 21
Whiteford returned after finishing runner-up in 2016 to claim its first MHSAA football championship. The Bobcats got on the board before the first minute was over and totaled 484 yards as quarterback Thomas Eitniear and running back Logan Murphy both ran for three touchdowns.
8-Player Division 1: Central Lake 32, Deckerville 30
Central Lake came back from 2-7 last season, its last in 11-player, and 10 points down during the second half of this game to win its first MHSAA football championship and first in any sport since 1980. The Trojans went ahead to stay with 2:49 to play.
8-Player Division 2: Crystal Falls Forest Park 54, Portland St. Patrick 12
The Trojans claimed their first championship since 2007 and first as an 8-player program, but in similar style as their 11-player winners. Forest Park ran for 481 yards and built a 30-point lead by halftime.
Record Report
Clarkston’s three points against West Bloomfield tied the record for fewest by a winning team (with Ann Arbor Pioneer’s 1987 team) and the five points scored between the teams ranked as the second fewest for a Final. The two also combined to tie the record for most punts, with 14, with Clarkston’s Jermaine Roemer tying the individual Finals record with eight.
Brandan Madigan made the “quickest touchdown” list by returning a fumble return 13 yards for a touchdown 16 seconds into Warren DeLaSalle’s Division 2 win. Warren DeLaSalle also tied for the third-most points in a quarter, putting up 31 during the second in its win over Livonia Franklin.
Warren DeLaSalle’s Riley Garrison and Grand Rapids West Catholic’s Liam Putz both drilled two field goals, joining seven others who have done the same (two hold the record at three field goals). Garrison also made the extra points list with five on five tries.
Farmington Hills Harrison broke the record it previously held with Detroit Catholic Central by playing in an 18th MHSAA championship game, this its first since 2010. The MHSAA Football Playoffs began in 1975.
Muskegon sits 11th with 10 MHSAA Finals appearances and moved up to tied for 10th with six championships. La’Darius Jefferson earned multiple entries with his 245 yards and four touchdowns rushing, tying for fourth-most points (24) in one Final, third most total touchdowns and also rushing touchdowns in a game and eighth most rushing yards.
Harrison’s Ben Williams earned entries for his 91-yard opening kickoff touchdown, both among the longest kickoff returns and fastest touchdowns (16 seconds into the game) scored in a Final.
Nolan Fugate capped his career with one more jaw-dropping rushing performance. The Grand Rapids Catholic Central running back ran for 306 yards, one shy of tying the Finals record, and his 392 total yards ranked seventh all-time. He did tie Finals records with five touchdowns and 30 points and tied for third with four rushing scores. Kicker Alec Winden tied for the fourth-most extra points making all six of his tries.
Edwardsburg also took home two Finals records, as Nick Bradley tied the longest running play with a 90-yard touchdown dash; his run equaled Nick Williams’ for Farmington Hills Harrison in 1994. Caden Goggins tied the 2014 record set by Tommy Scott of Muskegon Catholic Central by bringing a kickoff back 99 yards for a touchdown.
Grand Rapids West Catholic moved up lists with its eighth MHSAA Finals appearance and sixth championship, and into a first-place tie with a fifth-straight title. Farmington Hills Harrison 1997-2001 and East Grand Rapids 2006-2010 also won five consecutive Finals. Grand Rapids Catholic Central also moved up the Finals appearances list with its seventh, while Jackson Lumen Christi is tied for eighth most with 12 and Ithaca added its seventh as well. Lumen Christi’s championship was its 10th, good to tie for the sixth-most titles.
Jackson Lumen Christi became the third team to rush for more than 500 yards in a Final, its 514 yards the third most and its 67 carries second. Sebastion Toland ran for 244 yards – ninth-most by one player – and teammate Kyle Minder made that list with 206 yards. The team’s 523 yards of total offense tied for fifth most, and its 24 first downs tied for eighth.
Ithaca’s Joey Bentley made his last game another great one, even in defeat. His four touchdown passes tied for fifth-most in a championship game, and his 329 total yards of offense – 89 rushing, 240 passing – also earned a record book entry.
Ottawa Lake Whiteford’s offense impressed to open Finals weekend, tying for third with six rushing touchdowns and becoming the latest of 24 teams that did not punt in a championship game.
Crystal Falls Forest Park set an 8-Player Finals record with 481 yards on the ground, rushing 52 times without throwing a pass. Peter Ropiak had the second-most yards in one game, 275 on 16 carries, while backfield mate Connor Bortolini was added for scoring 26 points on four rushing touchdowns and a two-point conversion. Ropiak’s total yards also qualified in the total offense category, and the team’s eight rushing touchdowns also set a record.
Central Lake made the rushing list with 316 yards in its 8-Player Division 1 win over Deckerville, and also the first downs list with 21.
Portland St. Patrick’s Colin Cook was added for seven punts in the 8-Player Division 2 game against Forest Park. Cook averaged 34.1 yards per punt with a long of 63.
Stories behind the scores
Repeat again: For the second straight season, there were four repeat champions at the 11-Player Finals – this time, as noted above, Grand Rapids Catholic Central in Division 4, Grand Rapids West Catholic in Division 5, Jackson Lumen Christi in Division 6 and Pewamo-Westphalia in Division 7. Also noted above, West Catholic next fall will attempt to become the first team in MHSAA football history to win six straight titles.
First-time celebrations: Ottawa Lake Whiteford in 11-Player Division 8 and Central Lake in 8-Player Division 1 claimed their first championships, showing off powerful running games against opponents who had won championships previously – Whiteford over Saginaw Nouvel and Central Lake over Deckerville.
Running ran the day(s): In an era of wide-open spread offenses, power running ruled the 2017 Finals. Start with Whiteford and Central Lake mentioned above; Crystal Falls Forest Park set an 8-Player Finals record for rushing while Jackson Lumen Christi put rushers on the all-time record book list for the second straight season. Muskegon threw two passes and didn’t complete any in running away in Division 3, and the Division 4 Final between GRCC and Edwardsburg featured a combined 675 rushing yards.
We may never see this again: Clarkston’s 3-2 win over West Bloomfield was the lowest-scoring Final in 30 years, but how the teams got to five total points might end up rarer. Clarkston’s points, of course, came on a field goal by Roemer from 30 yards out on the final play of the second quarter. But to that point, West Bloomfield led for 15 minutes thanks to a safety when a punt snap sailed through the end zone. For unrelated comparison’s sake, two of our four Baseball Finals in the spring were higher scoring, and only one was decided by the same close margin.
Hawks’ last stand: Farmington Hills Harrison finished something of an unexpected run by playing in its 18th MHSAA football championship game, capping the season that saw Herrington become the winningest coach in state history with a 435-108-1 record. The school will close in spring 2019, and Herrington will coach the final season next fall; he has served as coach since the school opened in 1970. Harrison’s enrollment likely will fall without the usual underclassmen next year – which could make the Hawks an interesting contender staying in Division 3 or moving into Division 4 or 5.
The MHSAA Playoffs are sponsored by the Michigan Army National Guard.