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Inside Selection Sunday: Mapnalysis '19

By Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor

October 27, 2019

This will be the final MHSAA Football Playoffs under the format created in 1999, with significant changes coming beginning with the 2020 season.

But the soon-to-be old way isn’t going out without a bang.

From a record number of additional qualifiers, to a first-ever coin flip to determine the final team in the 11-player field, to a series of maps that arguably included the toughest to draw at least this decade, this year’s “Selection Sunday” was jammed with notable moments that will play out in 10 divisions over the next five weeks.

Below, we explain how we made many of the most difficult decisions – and follow with a few points of interest that immediately jump out from this season’s brackets.

This process actually begins in April, when we start collecting schedules for the upcoming season – this time for 607 teams, from which 531 ended up eligible for the 11-player playoffs and 71 were eligible in 8-player. And of course, now that the brackets are drawn the major lifting begins – assigning officials for every game, gathering potential Semifinal sites in 11-player and working with our Finals hosts to again create once-in-a-lifetime experiences (for most) when our 8-player finalists face off Nov. 23 at Northern Michigan University’s Superior Dome and our 11-player finalists play for titles Nov. 29-30 at Ford Field.

So let’s dive in. Those familiar with this “Selection Sunday” recap will recognize first a refresher on the playoff selection process, followed by “Observations & Answers: 2019.” That’s followed by thoughts after a glance at this year’s brackets, and be sure to visit MHSAA.com to see all of the pairings in full.

Ground Rules

Our past: The MHSAA 11-player 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, and in 2017 a second division of 8-player football was introduced.

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 Regionals after the end of the regular season did not begin until the most recent 11-player 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: The last few scores of this regular season were added to MHSAA.com by 8 p.m. Saturday. 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 final season of 6-wins-and-in (or five wins playing eight games or fewer) produced 202 automatic qualifiers for the 11-player field with a record 54 additional qualifiers then selected by playoff point average – that group of additional qualifiers easily blowing past last year’s then-record total of 43. Additional qualifiers were selected from each class in order (A, B, C, D) until the field was filled. There were only two Class D additional qualifiers with 5-4 or 4-4 (playing eight games) records from which we could choose, and likewise there were 16 additional qualifiers available in Class C – so with those 18 spots filled, we added 18 teams from both Class A and B to fill out the field.

Here’s where the tie-breaker was forced into play. Among Class B teams, Durand and Imlay City tied for the 18th spot with playoff point averages of 42.667. They did not play each other during the regular season – so the first tie-breaker of head-to-head result couldn’t be used. The next tie-breaker is opponents’ winning percentage – and both teams’ opponents won 45.7 percent of their games this season. So we went to the coin flip, and Durand was awarded the final spot in the field.

Those 256 11-player teams were then split into eight equal divisions based on enrollment, and their locations were marked on digital maps then projected on wall-size screens and discussed by nearly half of the MHSAA staff plus two representatives from the Michigan High School Football Coaches Association. Only the locations themselves were marked (by red 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 8-player process is different for team selection and similar for designation of Regionals. We take the top 32 teams in 8-player based on playoff point average as our field, then re-sort those 32 by enrollment – the 16 biggest make up Division 1, followed by the next 16 in Division 2. There are no automatic qualifiers by record for 8-player, and those fields remain in flux right through the last Week 9 games. For example: Colon as recently as after Week 7 was slated for Division 2. But the Magi after this weekend ended up in Division 1 with the second-highest playoff-point average but the 16th-highest enrollment – meaning Colon (160 students) and Cedarville (154) were the line between Divisions 1 and 2 this year.

Our future: 11-player divisions determined in March. More bonus points awarded in losses. Read all about it: Comparison of old and new playoff formats

Geography rules: This long has been rule number one for drawing MHSAA brackets in any sport. 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 (or in 8-player, 16) dots is a new group – these 32 teams have not been placed in a bracket together before. 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 & Answers: 2019

We always start with CONGRATULATIONS: Detroit Leadership Academy, Detroit Communication Media Arts, and Pellston will be making their debuts in the MHSAA Playoffs this week, taking the list of teams that have never qualified for the postseason down to 11. Beal City and Crystal Falls Forest Park will make their MHSAA-best 35th playoff appearances. Five teams will be playing in at least their 17th consecutive playoffs – Rockford (25), Forest Park (23), Jackson Lumen Christi (22), Macomb Dakota (20) and Climax-Scotts (17).

Head-to-head rules: As noted above, it’s the first tie-breaker and comes into play immediately this week. In Division 3, East Lansing and DeWitt have identical playoff point averages, and East Lansing will host their first-round game thanks to a 21-2 Week 5 win. If Portland and Lansing Catholic both advance to an 11-Player Division 5 District Final, Portland will host thanks to a 21-20 Week 5 win over the Cougars. Same in 8-player Division 2, where if Powers North Central and Pickford meet in a Regional Final, the Jets will host thanks to their 20-14 win when the teams met in Week 3.

Traverse City traveling: Many years, we have to pay special consideration to ease of travel when we have one of 32 teams from a division in the Upper Peninsula. This year, we spent a lot more time discussing Traverse City schools – notably how to position Traverse City West in Division 1 and Traverse City Central in Division 2. There are three main north-south highways in the Lower Peninsula, with U.S. 131 the thoroughfare out of Traverse City. We also used it as the defining line in Division 1, with West going west with Grand Haven, Grandville and Hudsonville instead of staying with a more northern group that would’ve included Rockford and split Grandville and Hudsonville – which are six miles apart down I-196. In Division 2, we brought U.S. 127 into the mix, figuring it made more sense for travel to use that and 131 in grouping Traverse City Central with Muskegon Mona Shores, Midland and Midland Dow instead of creating a western District stretching from Traverse City to south of Kalamazoo.

Avoid the crisscross: Sometimes Districts drawn on the maps look perfect – but we run into trouble putting them together for a logical Regional. Sometimes we know eight dots should be a Regional, but there’s no reasonable way to split them into two four-team Districts. We do everything possible to keep a team from driving past a different District (or in 8-player Regional) on the way to its first or second-round game. The 8-Player Division 1 map probably looks a little odd with Deckerville possibly playing Morrice in the second round and the Orioles driving past Mayville or Kingston from another Regional to get there. However, there is a distinct northeast-to-southwest line separating those four schools – and if the Regional had been drawn to keep Deckerville with Mayville and Kingston, it would’ve meant Regional champs “jumping” over each other for their Semifinal matchup.

North/South vs. East/West: There isn’t one guiding directional when creating these Districts and Regionals. The 11-player Division 7 map has a little bit of both, with a pair of Districts along I-94 on the south side of the Lower Peninsula, but then Madison Heights Bishop Foley grouped with three Thumb-area teams for a north-south grouping. The other option was sending Bishop Foley northwest toward Flint and Lansing, but that would’ve left the Thumb schools and Beaverton maneuvering around Saginaw Bay.

At the end of the day …

Here’s my annual reminder: We draw these maps not knowing which schools are represented by the dots. The Division 5 and 6 maps were so easy to draw, I had no idea which schools were matched up until checking out the brackets hours later to put together this report.

But with all of that in front of me, here’s a glance at what jumps off the page:

• The Division 1 District made up of unbeaten Belleville and Brownstown Woodhaven, Saline (8-1) and Ann Arbor Pioneer (5-4) is obviously loaded. Belleville and Saline both made the Semifinals last season, and Saline’s only loss this fall was to reigning Division 1 champion Clinton Township Chippewa Valley. Woodhaven finished the regular season unbeaten for the second time in six years and its seeking its first District title.

• Last season’s Division 4 champion Edwardsburg has won 23 straight games and is back in the Division 3 bracket – the Eddies played in Division 4 the last two seasons and most recently in Division 3 in 2016. A possible return to Ford Field starts this week with St. Joseph and could include a trip to Zeeland West and matchup with also-unbeaten Mason.

• Hudsonville Unity Christian is another reigning champion in a new division, moving into Division 4 after winning the championship in Division 5 last fall. Unity begins with Otsego and would play either Grand Rapids Christian or South Christian with a win.

• Make way for Division 7. Unbeaten New Lothrop is the reigning champion and shares a District with undefeated Beaverton and a Regional with also-undefeated Pewamo-Westphalia. Iron Mountain, Lawton, Jackson Lumen Christi and Clinton also have yet to lose a game this season. Lumen Christi has won the last three Division 6 championships and 31 straight games.

• Math can lead to some unpredictable situations, including the occasional undefeated road team during the first round. Almont defeated Richmond 28-10 in Week 7 on the way to the Blue Water Area Conference title and a perfect regular-season record. But the Raiders will travel this week back to Richmond because the Blue Devils finished with a better playoff point average – Almont’s two nonleague opponents finished a combined 1-17, and Richmond’s both made the playoffs with a combined 13-5 record. That difference made the difference in playoff point average by about nine-tenths of a point in Richmond’s favor.

• This year’s 8-player brackets are loaded with intrigue, especially with 2018 Division 2 champion Rapid River not in the field and last year’s Division 1 runner-up Pickford in Division 2 this time. Morrice is the reigning Division 1 champion and could see undefeated Deckerville in a Regional Final. Pickford has to get through another 8-1 team in Engadine this week but could see undefeated Powers North Central in a Division 2 Regional Final.

• And it should shock no one if a team entering the playoffs 4-5 makes it to NMU. Gaylord St. Mary had to forfeit four victories but still made the playoffs with that record. Undefeated Suttons Bay is a possible Regional Final opponent, and St. Mary won their Week 6 matchup on the field 48-47 before later forfeiting that game.

That’s the start of what we’re looking forward to over the next five weeks. The steps taken today were just a few along the way as memories are made for thousands of Michigan high school football players this November.

PHOTOS: (Top) The Division 5 map, with clear-cut Districts, received quick support from the selection committee. (Middle) The Division 1 map split Grand Rapids-area teams along U.S. 131.

Drive for Detroit: Playoff Week 3 Review

November 18, 2019

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Only 36 teams remain from the original 602 that opened this fall with hopes of reaching the biggest stages in Michigan high school football.

Suttons Bay, Colon, Pickford and Portland St. Patrick earned the first championship opportunities with 8-Player Semifinal wins over the weekend. And 32 more 11-player teams are one more victory from booking Thanksgiving trips to Detroit.

Below is a glance at all 36 games played during the third round of the MHSAA Playoffs. There’s plenty coming up on Second Half later this week as well as we’ll preview both 8-Player Finals and all 16 11-Player Semifinals, followed by coverage of both Saturday championship games from The Superior Dome.

"Drive for Detroit" is sponsored by MI Student Aid.

8-Player

Division 1

HEADLINER Suttons Bay 45, Kingston 14 The Norsemen (12-0) earned their first trip to the MHSAA Finals since 2004, putting up their most points since Week 6 while holding the Cardinals (9-3) to their fewest since Week 1. Suttons Bay scored 33 unanswered points to close the game, while holding Kingston scoreless during the second half. Click for more from the Traverse City Record-Eagle and see below for highlights from MI Sports Now.  

HEADLINER Colon 27, Morrice 8 The Magi (12-0) are headed to the MHSAA Finals for the first time. As expected, Colon got its toughest challenge this season from the reigning Division 1 champion Orioles – but still managed to extend its season-long streak of all 12 wins by double digits while holding Morrice (10-2) to its fewest points since the 2017 Regional Final. Click for more from the Battle Creek Enquirer and see below for highlights from JoeInsider.com.

Division 2

HEADLINER Pickford 40, Hillman 8 The 2018 Division 1 runner-up Panthers (11-1) earned another chance to play for a first championship with one of their best defensive showings of the fall. Quarterback Jimmy Storey ran for two touchdowns and threw for another score, and the Panthers held Hillman (10-2) to its fewest points since Week 2 of its final season of 11-player in 2017. Click for more from the Sault Ste. Marie Evening News and see highlights below from State Champs Sports Network.

HEADLINER Portland St. Patrick 49, Climax-Scotts 6 The Shamrocks (12-0) have put up at least 42 points in every game this season. But the story Saturday may have been the defense, which gave one of its best showings of the fall in locking down a Climax-Scotts offense averaging 34 points per game. The Panthers finished their first season of 8-player 9-3. Click for more from the Lansing State Journal.

11-Player

Division 1

HEADLINER Belleville 27, West Bloomfield 22 These two were seen as Division 1 favorites before the first kickoff this fall, and as anticipated the Lakers gave Belleville one of only two single-digit games of an otherwise dominating run this season. West Bloomfield (10-2) scored the game’s first 15 points and led into the third quarter, but the Tigers (12-0) came back and then held off a final rally to advance to the Semifinals for the second straight season. Click for more from State Champs Sports Network.

Regional Roundup Brighton 35, Hudsonville 20 The Bulldogs (10-2) are headed to the Semifinals for the first time since 2005. Brighton got up 21-0 early, and the Eagles (8-4) were unable to catch up. Davison 35, Utica Eisenhower 7 The Cardinals (10-2) will play in their first Semifinal since 2008 after holding Eisenhower (9-3) to its first single-digit scoring output since Week 1. Sterling Heights Stevenson 9, Detroit Cass Tech 7 Both entered the playoffs as additional qualifiers, but Stevenson (8-4) is carrying a five-game winning streak into its first Semifinal since 2009 after ending a five-game winning streak for the Technicians (7-5).

Division 2

HEADLINER Muskegon Mona Shores 28, Portage Northern 23 The Sailors (10-2) have had to defeat three league champions to get within another win of returning to Ford Field after finishing Division 2 runners-up a year ago. Portage Northern (10-2) led into the third quarter before a Mona Shores comeback brought the Huskies’ first double-digit wins season to a close. Click for more from the Muskegon Chronicle and see highlights below from WZZM.

Regional Roundup Walled Lake Western 21, Livonia Churchill 14 A Warriors defense giving up only 14 points per game held on through a late rally to end a six-game winning streak for Churchill (7-5) and get Western back to the Semifinals for the third time in five seasons. Detroit Martin Luther King 49, Detroit U-D Jesuit 21 This matchup of league champions went to the Detroit Public School League’s Crusaders (10-2), who won their fifth straight Regional title in ending the winningest season for Jesuit (8-4) since 2001. Birmingham Seaholm 44, Port Huron 28 The Maples (9-3) are headed back to the Semifinals for the first time since 1997 after jumping out to a big lead and holding off the Big Reds (8-4), who closed their winningest season and longest playoff run since 2011.

11-Player

Division 3

HEADLINER DeWitt 35, Edwardsburg 14 As a set, Division 3 might have had the most captivating games in the state this weekend. DeWitt (10-2) earns the “headliner” by ending a 25-game winning streak for the Eddies (11-1), who won Division 4 a year ago. Edwardsburg had given up only 69 points over its first 10 games on the field (not counting a 2-0 forfeit win Week 5), but DeWitt’s defense also earned some of the spotlight holding the Eddies to their fewest points since a 2016 Semifinal. Click for more from the Lansing State Journal.

Regional Roundup Muskegon 49, East Grand Rapids 10 After getting past East Grand Rapids just 28-23 in Week 3, the Big Reds (12-0) held the Pioneers to their season-low points total and scored the most that EGR (8-4) gave up this fall. Chelsea 28, Allen Park 27 A blocked extra point followed by a late score and conversion sent Chelsea to 12-0 for the first time and the Semifinals for the second-straight season, while Allen Park ended 9-3 for the second-straight year. River Rouge 49, Orchard Lake St. Mary’s 14 The Panthers (11-1) are headed to the Semifinals for the fourth time in five seasons after scoring the most points the Eaglets (10-2) had given up since Week 2 of 2018.

Division 4

HEADLINER Detroit Country Day 24, Milan 6 The Yellowjackets (12-0) won this matchup of undefeated contenders on the strength of a defense that has held every opponent this season to 12 points or fewer and lowered its average with this win to 5.6 points allowed per game. Milan (11-1) hadn’t been held to single-digit scoring since Week 5 of 2017. Click for more from the Oakland Press.

Regional Roundup Grand Rapids Catholic Central 42, Cadillac 7 The Cougars (11-1) are in the Semifinals for the fourth-straight season after a fifth-straight game giving up seven points or fewer, as Cadillac (7-5) closed its longest playoff run since 2013. Hudsonville Unity Christian 38, Paw Paw 17 Last season’s Division 5 champion Unity (9-3) is one more win from playing for the Division 4 title this time after putting up the second-most points Paw Paw (10-2) had surrendered this fall while giving up only 11.9 per game. Flint Powers Catholic 12, Pontiac Notre Dame Prep 9 The Chargers (10-2) won their first Regional title since 2015 with the go-ahead touchdown midway through the fourth quarter, ending Notre Dame Prep’s first 10-win season since 2011 at 10-2.

Division 5

HEADLINER Detroit Denby 40, Dearborn Heights Robichaud 18 The Tars (10-2) reached double-digit wins and won a Regional title both for the first time, continuing a run that has seen them lose this season only to Division 2 contender King (twice). Robichaud (9-3) closed its winningest season since 2012. Click for more from the Dearborn Press & Guide.

Regional Roundup Kingsley 43, Freeland 21 The Stags (12-0) are headed to the Semifinals for the first time since 2005 after scoring the most Freeland (9-3) gave up in a game this fall. Kingsley has won all of its games by 12 or more points. Lansing Catholic 40, Kalamazoo United 13 The Zac Gillespie-to-Alex Watters connection played a major part in getting the Cougars (11-1) back to the Semifinals for the first time since 2015, as they connected for three of Gillespie’s four touchdown passes. The 40 points tied the most United (7-5) had given up this season. Almont 25, Saginaw Swan Valley 14 After opening the playoffs with two road games, Almont (12-0) came home to earn its first Regional title since 2014 as Swan Valley (8-4) was seeking to make the Semifinals for the third-straight season.

Division 6

HEADLINER Onsted 12, Hillsdale 0 This no doubt was the biggest stunner statewide of the weekend, as Onsted (10-2) – which three weeks ago won a playoff game for the first time since 2008 – avenged a Week 4 loss to unbeaten Hillsdale to claim its first Regional title since 1993. The Hornets (11-1) hadn’t been shut out since Week 2 of 2016 and won that first meeting with Onsted this fall 28-19. Click for more from the Adrian Daily Telegram.

Regional Roundup Maple City Glen Lake 15, Calumet 14 The Lakers (11-1) are headed to the Semifinals for the second time in four seasons after winning by the slimmest of margins, with a second-quarter 2-point conversion run the eventual decider. Calumet (10-2) suffered its two defeats this season both by 15-14 scores against teams still alive in the playoffs. Montague 48, Sanford Meridian 14 The reigning Division 6 runner-up Wildcats (10-2) have won six straight since back-to-back close league defeats, and the 14 points scored by Meridian (8-4) tied the most given up during Montague’s current run. Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central 36, Montrose 7 After Regional Finals losses the last two years by a combined three points, St. Mary (10-1) is headed back to the Semifinals for the first time since 2014 after handing Montrose (10-2) its first loss since Week 4.  

Division 7

HEADLINER Pewamo-Westphalia 36, New Lothrop 35 In what might be remembered as the top non-Finals matchup of these playoffs, the Pirates (12-0) – Division 7 champions in 2016 and 2017 – got out to a three-touchdown lead and held on to edge last season’s champion New Lothrop (11-1). The Hornets had won 11 straight games and defeated P-W 26-14 in last year’s Regional Final. Click for more from the Lansing State Journal and see below for highlights from FOX 17.

Regional Roundup Iron Mountain 21, Traverse City St. Francis 7 The Mountaineers (12-0) won their first Regional title since 2011 and reached 12 wins for the first time since 2000 by ending St. Francis’ quest for a third straight Semifinals berth. Iron Mountain held the Gladiators (8-4) scoreless into the fourth quarter. Jackson Lumen Christi 35, Schoolcraft 30 The Eagles (10-2) rallied from more than three scores down but couldn’t catch up to the reigning Division 6 champion Titans (11-0), who ran their winning streak to 24. Cass City 6, Detroit Loyola 0 The Red Hawks’ fifth shutout this season came with historic rewards as Cass City (11-1) added its first Regional title to its most successful season, with a fourth-quarter score the difference against the defensively-tough Bulldogs (6-5).

Division 8

HEADLINER Reading 26, Adrian Lenawee Christian 21 The reigning Division 8 champion Rangers were trailing into the fourth quarter before scoring the go-ahead points with just over eight minutes to play. Both teams’ defenses bent just a bit: Reading (11-1) hadn’t given up more than 14 points all season, and Lenawee (10-2) hadn’t given up more than 14 since its Week 2 loss to Sand Creek. The Cougars concluded their winningest season, which included their first playoff victory two weeks ago. Click for more from the Hillsdale Daily News.

Regional Roundup Beal City 27, Ishpeming 14 The Aggies (11-1) won their first Regional title since 2014, scoring all of their points before Ishpeming (9-3) got on the board. The Hematites were making a second-straight Regional Final appearance. Ubly 56, Saginaw Nouvel 36 The Bearcats (10-2) went over 50 points for the fifth time this season to win their second Regional title in four years and despite giving up a season-high point total to Nouvel (7-5). Fowler 33, Royal Oak Shrine 0 The Eagles (11-1) won their first Regional title since 2011, continuing a bounce-back run after two straight 4-5 finishes. Shrine finished 9-3, also with more wins than the last two seasons combined.

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PHOTO: Pewamo-Westphalia's Ethan Thelen (10) breaks multiple New Lothrop tackles during Friday's Division 7 Regional Final win. (Click to see more from HighSchoolSportsScene.com.)