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Meet Jared Smith, P-W's Record Setter

November 10, 2016

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

WESTPHALIA – Jared Smith saw the parking lot full and cars lining Clintonia Road to the west and Centerline Road south of Pewamo-Westphalia’s stadium Saturday as his Pirates prepared to kick off their District Final against Saugatuck.

He knew once again there was no place else he’d rather be.

And that goes to the core of what Smith would tell anyone who might be curious about the senior back making a run at the MHSAA’s career rushing yards record.

Smith showed a little to the statewide audience with 149 yards and a touchdown in P-W’s 22-16 loss to Ishpeming in last season’s Division 7 Final at Ford Field. But with most of his games over the last three-plus seasons played for a 300-student school on rural fields like his on the Clinton/Ionia County line, there are probably a few more eager to see the back they’ve mostly only read about as he’s made his run at 8,000 yards.

“I guess I’m just a hard-working kid from a small town,” he said Monday in explaining how he’d describe himself to those who haven’t seen him play. “I grew up in a great community that loves football, and they’re always out here supporting it. And I wouldn’t rather be anywhere else.”

Smith heads into the Pirates’ Division 7 Regional Final on Saturday at Traverse City St. Francis with five MHSAA football records and ranking second or third in three other categories, and he will graduate in the spring on a short list of the most accomplished high school backs in Michigan history.

He helped carry the Pirates to the cusp of their first MHSAA title last fall with a  single-season record 3,250 yards and 53 touchdowns – his scores set records both for total touchdowns and total rushing TDs in one season – on 315 carries, which came out to 10.3 yards per carry and a touchdown every sixth time he ran the ball.

This fall, Smith has only 2,318 yards on 197 carries (11.8 per rush) with 34 scores on the ground – giving him an MHSAA-record 119 rushing touchdowns for his career with at least one more game to play. Total over three seasons and parts of a fourth – Smith came up in Week 6 to back up Ross Wolniakowski as a freshman in 2013 – he has run for 7,930 yards, only 501 shy of the career record set by East Grand Rapids’ Kevin Grady, Jr., from 2001-04.

Another big finish would allow fans outside mid-Michigan and those who follow our smallest schools one more glimpse at the player who will end up all over the MHSAA record book. But in the meantime, here’s a primer based on viewpoints from those who have coached the 6-foot, 205-pound hammer, and those who have tried to stop him.

“I tell them that he is the same kid that he was when I brought him up as a freshman,” P-W coach Jeremy Miller said. “He hasn’t changed. His outlook, his work ethic. He’s a tremendous teammate, a tremendous kid to coach. I’ve never had to say two words to him: ‘Hey, knock it off. Be quiet. Pay attention. You’re not working hard.’ So he’s a tremendously gifted athlete, but he has all the intangibles to be every coach’s dream. He really does.”

Smith came up to varsity as a freshman, again mostly as the scout team back, but he picked up 226 yards and four touchdowns to begin his record book march.

He’ll be the first to explain how much of his last three seasons have been a result of a strong cast around him. Anchor Matt Fox was the only member of last season’s offensive line to graduate – leaving now-seniors Dominic Spitzley, Austin Thelen and Devon Pung and junior Isaiah Schafer to form a veteran nucleus. Thelen suffered a season-ending knee injury on the first play of this season, but senior Nick Jandernoa – pulling off the rare double as a cornerback on defense – took Thelen’s spot at offensive guard, while 6-foot-5 senior Nolan Hagen has moved from tight end last year to play the other guard and senior Jason Smith has taken on that tight end spot key to the blocking scheme.

Smith also has benefitted from last season’s starting tight end, junior Bryce Thelen, now playing fullback, and the return of junior quarterback Jimmy Lehman, a threat through the air. Senior Ryan Smith is an option quarterback who switches in and can pull some of the attention away from his lead back.

But if Jared Smith was just a great small-town back, more programs would have one like him – and only a few players at that level the last few years have been comparable.

One is Saugatuck’s Blake Dunn, who Saturday finished his four-year varsity career with 6,954 yards on the ground. The Indians are one of few teams to play P-W close the last two years, falling 38-28 in a 2015 District Final before being edged 25-19 last week – games in which Smith ran for 300 yards and two touchdowns and then 210 yards and two scores, respectively.

“He has great leg strength, great balance, and then on top of that, his vision and his ability to cut back really make him unique,” said Saugatuck coach Bill Dunn, also Blake’s dad, whose team has navigated the Southwestern Athletic Conference the last two years to go a combined 20-2. “What he did last year versus this year was very similar. His running style was very similar. Our preparation was to not let him cut back, but he’s got a very good offensive line, and you have to give credit to those guys as well.

“(But) absolutely, I think he’d do well in any league. Just with his size alone, and the fact that he can run.”

Laingsburg coach Brian Borgman is among those from the Central Michigan Athletic Conference who have appreciated Smith’s work – but won’t miss trying to stop it. The 15-year Wolfpack coach, who played collegiately at Bowling Green, has watched Smith help the Pirates win 14 straight league games and 27 of 28 over the last four seasons.

After this fall’s 40-7 P-W win over Laingsburg – which won eight games for the second straight season – Borgman told Smith, “Congratulations” and also he was glad he wouldn’t have to plan for him again.

“When he was a sophomore, he basically was just an outside runner, able to take the ball to the edge. They didn’t ask him to take it between the tackles much,” Borgman said. “But as he’s matured, as he’s been lifting, with his strength – he’s become a bear to take down. (And) just his confidence. Our game we played in a downpour. They direct snapped to him and we were able to corral him for a quarter and a half, but you never saw him get worried. He kept his cool, kept his poise and eventually ran right past us” for 271 yards and two touchdowns.

“He is by far the most talented player I’ve had to try to defend,” Borgman added. “His special blend of power, speed, vision and balance make him so dangerous. He gives a lot of credit to the O-line in front of him, as well he should, but I’ve seen him turn a blown play into an 80-plus yard TD all by himself. He is a rare talent, and I wish him well in the future.”

That future is something Smith knows he’ll eventually have to figure out and feels a little bit of pressure to get started – but there’s another potential trip to Detroit to plan first.

Despite his success, while also starting at linebacker – and carrying a 3.97 grade-point average – Smith isn’t getting as much college interest as one might expect. He mixes that physical running style with speed; he made the MHSAA Lower Peninsula Division 3 Track & Field Finals in the spring for 300-meter hurdles and as part of the 1,600 relay. But his 4.65-second 40 time isn’t considered “top-end” – “But give him the football and see if you can tackle him,” Miller said.

And Smith learns. He scored the first points of the Division 7 Final and had 100 yards by halftime. But what Smith remembers instead is that he fumbled – a rarity at the time, but Smith hasn’t fumbled once this season.

And he’s only improved as a leader too, driven more by team aspirations than trying to one-up his records or add to the growing pile.

“The biggest motivator for me was coming off that loss at states,” Smith said. “Other than that, I just enjoy coming out here and working.

"(The 2015 Final) was just a game where we could've come out and done a lot of things better. We were so close, and just came up a little short. ... Now that's our ultimate goal. Everyone is working for it." 

Geoff Kimmerly joined the MHSAA as its Media & Content Coordinator in Sept. 2011 after 12 years as Prep Sports Editor of the Lansing State Journal. He has served as Editor of Second Half since its creation in Jan. 2012. Contact him at [email protected] with story ideas for the Barry, Eaton, Ingham, Livingston, Ionia, Clinton, Shiawassee, Gratiot, Isabella, Clare and Montcalm counties.

PHOTOS: (Top) Pewamo-Westphalia's Jared Smith came into this season with single-season rushing and touchdown records. (Middle) Smith works for yardage against Ishpeming during last season's Division 7 Final. (Click to see more from HighSchoolSportsScene.com.)

Negaunee's David Juchemich is able to get to Iron Mountain's quarterback Brayden Kassin.

1st & Goal: 2025 Week 9 Review

By Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor

October 27, 2025

Before we could get to Sunday and the announcement of brackets for this season’s MHSAA Football Playoffs, we cheered through Friday and Saturday’s regular-season finales as teams had one more chance to affect their postseason destinies this fall.

MI Student AidSeveral capitalized on those opportunities.

We highlight many of those matchups below, as well as a few final league title deciders and other games of note as 288 teams prepare to continue on this week.

Bay & Thumb

HEADLINER Harbor Beach 41, Millington 7 This impressive win over the reigning Division 7 champion Cardinals (6-3) is another indication Harbor Beach is going to be tough to beat in the Division 8 bracket. The Pirates have held strong in the fourth spot on their division’s playoff list and are set to host through the Regional Final if they advance. Click for more from the Huron Daily Tribune.

Watch list Marysville 19, Marine City 8 These two kept their annual series going despite playing in different divisions of the Macomb Area Conference for the first time since 2011, with the Vikings (7-2) Gold runners-up and Marine City (6-3) the Silver champ. Marysville won the matchup for the second straight, closing the regular season with only a pair of losses coming during the first three weeks and both by three points or fewer.

On the move Grand Blanc 40, Romeo 36 The Bobcats (9-0) finished a second perfect regular season over the last four, but not without facing their toughest challenge as Romeo (6-3) lost for the first time since Week 2. Almont 53, Detroit Edison 46 Almont (9-0) capped its second-straight perfect regular season with its closest win since opening day, as Edison (7-2) lost for the first time since Week 2. Frankenmuth 42, Armada 14  These two could meet again in a Division 5 District Final after this result sent the Eagles to 8-1 and Armada to 6-3.

Greater Detroit

HEADLINER Detroit Catholic Central 26, Detroit Martin Luther King 14 The final game statewide of the 2025 regular season matched two expected contenders in Divisions 1 and 3, respectively, in a Prep Bowl showdown at Ford Field. King (5-4) pulled within one score multiple times during the fourth quarter, but DCC (9-0) answered both to finish a second-straight perfect regular season. Click for more from the Detroit Free Press.

Watch list Birmingham Groves 21, Birmingham Seaholm 14 Groves (6-3) defeated the Maples for the third-straight time to lock up homefield advantage through two potential District games, including a possible rematch with Seaholm (5-4) in two weeks.

On the move Harper Woods 21, Mason 17 The Pioneers (9-0) hung on for their third one-score win this fall to finish their first perfect regular season since  2007, while sending Mason to 5-4 with a third defeat by seven points or fewer. Pontiac Notre Dame Prep 34, Hudsonville Unity Christian 25 The reigning Division 5 champion Fighting Irish (7-2) have won six straight with this arguably the most impressive of the run as they handed Division 4 Unity (8-1) its only loss. Salem 34, Livonia Stevenson 6 The Rocks (5-4) won their league crossover to qualify for the playoffs for the first time since 2017 (not counting 2020, when nearly all teams made the field because of COVID-19).

Mid-Michigan

HEADLINER Howell 57, Belleville 36 The Highlanders (8-1) claimed their second-straight overall Kensington Lakes Activities Association championship as these two division winners met for a repeat of last year’s title game. Howell’s Christian Farren scored three touchdowns during the first quarter, and Bryce Kish scored three over the final three quarters as Belleville (7-2) lost for the first time since the season opener. Click for more from the Detroit News.

Watch list East Lansing 28, Holt 14 The Trojans reached the Division 2 playoffs at 4-5 in part after winning their third game in a row and also because their losses came against opponents with a combined record of 42-3, including three teams that finished 9-0.

On the move Beal City 39, Ithaca 8 The Aggies (9-0) completed their second perfect regular season in four years, and this one while giving up only 31 points total against a schedule with five playoff teams including Ithaca (6-3). DeWitt 63, Lansing Everett 7 The Panthers (9-0) closed an outright Capital Area Activities Conference Blue title, running their league winning streak to 17 games while scoring at least 51 points in all six Blue games this fall. St. Johns 28, Ypsilanti Lincoln 23 The Redwings (5-4) ended a four-game losing streak to secure a second-straight playoff berth and send also playoff-bound Lincoln to 6-3, which is still the Railsplitters’ best record since 2017 when they last qualified for the postseason (not counting COVID-shortened 2020).

Durand hands off the ball as blockers hold back Bath's defenders during the Railroaders' 50-0 victory.

Northern Lower Peninsula

HEADLINER Maple City Glen Lake 23, Mancelona 22 Glen Lake (7-1) went to Mancelona to claim this winner-take-all matchup for the Northern Michigan Football Conference Legacy championship, the Lakers’ second-straight outright league title. Glen Lake now will host Mancelona (5-4) in a Division 8 District Semifinal. Click for more from the Traverse City Record-Eagle.

Watch list Traverse City West 21, Traverse City Central 20 (OT) You’ll literally have a chance to watch again as these two will face off this week as well in a first-round Division 2 game. The Titans (5-4) have won three straight in the series and will see Central (5-4) in the playoffs for the first time since 2017.

On the move Kingsley 44, Charlevoix 18 The Stags (7-2) will jump into the postseason as the No. 7 team on the Division 6 playoff list – their highest rank since Week 4 – and coming off handing Charlevoix (8-1) its only defeat. Boyne City 27, Kalkaska 20 The Ramblers (6-3) have reached the playoffs every season this decade but kept the Blazers (5-4) from advancing as they fell to the No. 37 spot on the Division 6 list. McBain 21, Fowler 14 These two have put together a nice regular season-ending showdown the last three seasons, with this the second straight decided by seven points and this time for McBain (7-2) after Fowler (6-3) won last season’s meeting.

Southeast & Border

HEADLINER Hanover-Horton 20, Michigan Center 14 The Comets (7-2) showed again how much can change over the course of a season, winning this championship matchup of Cascades Conference division winners after falling to Michigan Center (8-1) in nonleague play 53-14 in Week 3. Click for more from the Jackson Citizen Patriot.

Watch list Ann Arbor Father Gabriel Richard 42, Allen Park Cabrini 7 FGR (9-0) impressively won this Prep Bowl matchup of undefeated opponents to complete its first perfect regular season since 1976 (according to Michigan-Football.com).

On the move Jonesville 22, Manchester 0 The Comets (6-3) were close to the line for making the playoffs heading into the weekend but secured their spot in Division 7, as did Manchester (5-4) in Division 8 despite the defeat. Napoleon 40, Brooklyn Columbia Central 36 The Pirates (6-3) bounced back from falling to Michigan Center in a title decider the week before to get past the Golden Eagles (5-4) in a matchup of Cascades runners-up. Onsted 36, Detroit Henry Ford 16 The Wildcats (4-5) – winners of three of their last four games – sat anywhere from No. 37-44 on the Division 6 playoff list between Weeks 3-8 before jumping seven spots to No. 32 with this victory and earning first postseason appearance this decade.

Otsego's Lane Blanchard (8) is chased by Plainwell defenders during the Bulldogs' 39-0 win. 

Southwest Corridor

HEADLINER Portage Central 40, St. Joseph 8 Central avenged last season’s loss that led to shared league title, this time clinching the outright championship in the Southwestern Michigan Athletic Conference West and completing its first perfect regular season since 2013. The Mustangs (9-0) gave up their first points since Week 6 – making the total just 18 this season. The Bears (5-4) were averaging more than 37 points per game entering the weekend. Click for more from the St. Joseph Herald-Palladium.

Watch list Niles 21, Edwardsburg 12 Niles (9-0) completed an outright championship run in the Wolverine Conference despite facing their stiffest challenge in league play in the third-place Eddies (6-3). After back-to-back one-loss regular seasons, Niles also capped its first perfect one since 1979.

On the move Buchanan 46, Muskegon Catholic Central 6 The Bucks (6-3) were treading near the playoff qualification line in Division 6, but will return to the field for a fourth-straight season. Kalamazoo United 25, Schoolcraft 20 The Titans (7-2) have won six straight this fall and most recently against Schoolcraft (7-2) had lost back-to-back games in 2022 and 2023. Kalamazoo Central 52, Kalamazoo Loy Norrix 10 The Maroon Giants (6-3) clinched a second-straight outright championship in the SMAC East and will next face Howell in a District opener for the second-straight season as well.

Upper Peninsula

HEADLINER Marquette 21, Kingsford 13 In breaking a three-year losing streak against the Flivvers, Marquette (6-3) bumped up four spots to No. 23 on the Division 3 playoff list to secure a spot in the postseason after just missing a year ago. Kingsford (6-3) fell only one spot in the Division 5 field, to No. 18, and will host its first-round District game this weekend. Click for more from MyUPNow.

Watch list West Iron County 42, Hancock 38 After ranking between No. 36-48 on the Division 8 playoff list over the last six weeks, West Iron (4-4) played this win into a four-spot jump and its first postseason berth this decade.

On the move Escanaba 38, Gladstone 12 Escanaba not only capped its most successful regular season since 1998 at 8-1, but guaranteed itself at least two home playoff games if it advances this week against Freeland. Negaunee 44, Iron Mountain 7 The Miners (6-3) broke a two-game losing streak to the rival Mountaineers (6-3), and in doing so held on to a spot in the Division 5 playoff field. Calumet 42, L’Anse 8 The Copper Kings (7-2) capped their best regular season since 2019 with a fourth-straight win, and L’Anse (5-4) as well was able to hang on to a first playoff berth in three seasons.

Marquette's Ford Richardson (11) eludes a Kingsford defender.

West Michigan

HEADLINER Belding 52, Wyoming Godwin Heights 20 The Black Knights took this winner-take-all title matchup in the Ottawa-Kent Conference Silver, running its league championship streak to four and its league game winning streak to 23. Belding (8-1) also clinched homefield advantage through Regional Finals if it advances, and Godwin Heights (7-2) also will host this week. Click for more from the Greenville Daily News.

Watch list Holland Christian 35, Grand Rapids Christian 22 Despite going 1-4 in O-K Black play, Holland Christian (5-4) hung on with this win over O-K White runner-up Grand Rapids Christian (5-4) as both landed in the playoffs.

On the move Grand Rapids West Catholic 28, Zeeland West 16 West Catholic (8-1) avenged last season’s loss to the eventual Division 3 champion Dux (6-3). Grand Rapids Catholic Central 24, Grand Rapids South Christian 17 The Cougars (9-0) survived one of their closest games this fall to clinch their first perfect regular season since 2021. Muskegon Oakridge 41, North Muskegon 27 Oakridge (6-3) bounced back from two straight losses by avenging last season’s defeat to North Muskegon (6-3).

8-Player

HEADLINER Indian River Inland Lakes 47, Gaylord St. Mary 20 This one receives top billing because it determined one of the final league titles still outstanding, and Inland Lakes (9-0) indeed clinched its fifth-straight Ski Valley Conference championship and ran its regular-season winning streak to 23 games. St. Mary (7-2) finished Ski Valley runner-up for the fourth-straight season but did hold on to one of the final spots in the Division 2 playoff field. Click for more from the Petoskey News-Review.

Watch list Portland St. Patrick 42, Blanchard Montabella 16 Montabella’s pursuit of a perfect regular season has been rightfully noted these last few weeks. But the Shamrocks (9-0) completed theirs by handing the Mustangs (8-1) their only loss, and in the process St. Patrick moved up to become the overall No. 1 in Division 2 playoff points – especially key if it ends up facing No. 2 Mendon in a Regional Final.

On the move St. Helen Charlton Heston Academy 43, AuGres-Sims 6 The Patriots (7-2) went from a three-year losing streak ending in 2023 to this fall the North Star League Big Dipper championship and their first season ending with a winning record. AuGres-Sims (5-4) shared the Little Dipper title. Climax-Scotts 72, Pittsford 64 These two finished the regular season with a bang, with their combined 136 points tying for ninth-most in an 8-player game when the losing team scored at least 40. Hillman 28, Rogers City 24 With this first win over Rogers City (4-5) in four recent attempts, Hillman (6-3) hung on to the final playoff qualifying spot in Division 2.

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PHOTOS (Top) Negaunee's David Juchemich is able to get to Iron Mountain's quarterback Brayden Kassin on Thursday. (2) Durand hands off the ball as blockers hold back Bath's defenders during the Railroaders' 50-0 victory. (3) Otsego's Lane Blanchard (8) is chased by Plainwell defenders during the Bulldogs' 39-0 win. (4) Marquette's Ford Richardson (11) eludes a Kingsford defender. (Negaunee/Iron Mountain photo by Cara Kamps. Durand/Bath photo by John Johnson. Otsego/Plainwell photo by Gary Shook. Marquette/Kingsford photo by Randy Ritari.)