Playoff Experience Paying Off as Menominee Pursues Return Trip to Ford Field
By
John Vrancic
Special for MHSAA.com
November 14, 2024
MENOMINEE – Survive and advance.
The Menominee Maroons did just that Saturday as they escaped with a 35-32 overtime football triumph over the Traverse City St. Francis Gladiators in a Division 7 District Final.
Menominee sealed the verdict on junior quarterback Tanner Theuerkauf’s seven-yard scoring pass to junior Dawson Bardowski, helping the Maroons (10-1) move a step closer to what they hope will be a return visit to the Finals later this month.
They host North Muskegon (10-1) in Saturday’s Regional Final at noon (CST) – and defeated North Muskegon 32-21 in a Semifinal last season to book their trip to Detroit. Menominee eventually finished last fall as Division 7 runner-up, dropping a 34-30 decision to Jackson Lumen Christi at Ford Field.
But the Maroons have stormed back, thus far improving on their performance from 2023. Their only loss this time has been 13-12 to Division 5 Kingsford in Week 8, and even after St. Francis scored 32 points, Menominee is still giving up only 9.8 per game – and scoring 45.5 per contest, making for an average margin of victory about six points more than this time a year ago.
On Saturday, Menominee trailed 14-0 after St. Francis’ first two possessions but took a 21-17 lead into halftime thanks to a 35-yard interception return by junior defensive back Landen Daigneau with 17 seconds left before the break.
“I’m very proud and excited,” Menominee coach Chad Brandt said after the St. Francis win. “They had a very good football team. Going down by 14 points is not recommended. Our guys missed some assignments, and they got a jump on us.
“I’m proud of our guys for being resilient. That’s a great football team we beat and I just love the way the guys battled until the final play. The kids will never forget playing in this game, and the fans will not forget being at this game. Their fortitude and will to win were the keys.”
The Maroons led late before St. Francis forced overtime with a touchdown with 22 seconds left in regulation. The Gladiators then scored first in overtime on a 21-yard field goal, before Bardowski hauled in the game-winner.
“Holding them to three in the overtime was huge,” Theuerkauf said. “That opened things up for us.
“The effort we gave today was unbelievable. That has been our strength all year. We had our backs against the wall, but knew we couldn’t give up. Our defense did a great job. Lot of our guys have been in big games. We knew what we had to do.”
Theuerkauf gained valuable experience last season as the top receiver for older brother Trevor Theuerkauf, now playing at Northern Michigan. Tanner also was a starting defensive back last fall, as was Bardowski.
Senior offensive lineman Lucas Thoune also was part of the starting lineup last season at Ford Field. His Saturday included snagging his first varsity reception – a 13-yarder off a deflection during the second quarter that helped set up a scoring run two plays later.
“That was a heads-up play,” he said. “You just do what’s got to be done. It’s exciting. We’re here for each other.
“I think last year’s run helped us out. I’m willing to be a play-maker for Menominee 10 times out of 10. I’ll never stop being the player I can be. I’m going to do everything I can while I can. I love this team. I love this sport. I don’t know what I’d do without Menominee football.”
The Maroons finished with 318 yards in total offense against the Gladiators. Theuerkauf hit 6-of-14 passes for 76 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. Sophomore Dylan Beal, who filled in after Theuerkauf was shaken up on a play in the third quarter, completed both of his passes for 56. Bardowski caught four for 79 yards and a TD, and junior running back Clayton Miller gained 87 on 16 carries.
John Vrancic has covered high school sports in the Upper Peninsula since joining the Escanaba Daily Press staff in 1985. He is known most prominently across the peninsula for his extensive coverage of cross country and track & field that frequently appears in newspapers from the Wisconsin border to Lake Huron. He received the James Trethewey Award for Distinguished Service in 2015 from the Upper Peninsula Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association.
PHOTOS (Top) Menominee junior Landen Daigneau returns an interception for a touchdown during Saturday’s District championship game against Traverse City St Francis. (Middle) Menominee junior Tanner Theuerkauf celebrates a touchdown against the Gladiators. (Photos by Mitch Vosburg/Escanaba Daily Press.)
1st & Goal: 2025 Week 7 Preview
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
October 10, 2025
The MHSAA Football Playoffs don't start for three more weeks. But this weekend definitely feels playoff caliber.
At least 25 games could end tonight or Saturday with a team celebrating a share or more of a league championship. A few more of our top matchups will set up similar showdowns over the final two weeks of the regular season.
Follow scores for every game across the state this weekend on the MHSAA Scores page, check out standings for every league on those teams' pages, and watch several of those title deciders unfold on the NFHS Network, including all games with “WATCH” linked below.
Bay & Thumb
Millington (5-1) at Elkton-Pigeon-Bay Port Laker (6-0) WATCH
Millington’s loss to Cass City in Week 4 was in league play since 2022, but the Cardinals still can claim a share of the Big Thumb Conference West title with a win over the Lakers, whose only single-digit game this season was an 18-13 win over Cass City in Week 3. Millington won last year’s regular-season matchup 28-0 and then a 42-14 playoff rematch on the way to claiming the Division 7 title. Laker has given up only 47 points this season with impressive shutouts of Ubly and Central Montcalm.
Keep an eye on these FRIDAY Linden (5-1) at Fenton (4-2) WATCH, Bay City John Glenn (4-2) at Freeland (5-1) WATCH, Reese (4-2) at Harbor Beach (6-0) WATCH, Ithaca (5-1) at Saginaw Nouvel Catholic Central (5-1) WATCH.
Greater Detroit
Gibraltar Carlson (6-0) at Brownstown Woodhaven (6-0) WATCH
Carlson brings a combined 34-3 record in Downriver League play this decade as it seeks a fifth-straight league title – and fifth-straight win over Woodhaven, which last won the Downriver in 2019. The Marauders spent their lone nonleague week doubling up reigning Division 5 champion Pontiac Notre Dame Prep 42-21 in Week 3, and a week later they avenged last season’s lone Downriver defeat by edging Trenton 17-14. Woodhaven also working to return to the playoffs for the first time since 2022 and hasn’t had a game closer than 24 points this fall.
Keep an eye on these FRIDAY Clarkston (5-1) at West Bloomfield (5-1) WATCH, Detroit Central (5-1) at Detroit Pershing (4-2), Almont (6-0) at Richmond (6-0) WATCH, Detroit Edison (5-1) at Harper Woods Chandler Park (5-1).
Mid-Michigan
Fowler (5-1) at Pewamo-Westphalia (5-0) WATCH
These longtime rivals have split their last four games against each other, Fowler claiming last year’s 14-11 on the way to the Central Michigan Athletic Conference title. This time they’ll meet in a league schedule finale, with a winner-take-all for the title guaranteed. The lone loss between them this fall was Fowler’s to still-undefeated Hudson in a season opener, and the Eagles have not given up more than seven points in a game since. The Pirates haven’t given up more than six points in a game all season and had an extra week to prepare for this one with an open date last week.
Keep an eye on these FRIDAY Kent City (6-0) at Central Montcalm (5-1) WATCH, Montrose (6-0) at New Lothrop (5-1) WATCH, Grand Ledge (6-0) at DeWitt (6-0) WATCH, Battle Creek Harper Creek (5-1) at Hastings (5-1) WATCH.
Northern Lower Peninsula
Mancelona (4-2) at Charlevoix (6-0) WATCH
Charlevoix has clinched an outright championship in the Northern Michigan Football Conference Leaders division, while Mancelona is tied for first in the Legacy with two league games to play and the big one a Week 9 date with co-leader Maple City Glen Lake. The Rayders certainly will provide some prep as the Ironmen ready for that deciding matchup, but there’s plenty at stake for Charlevoix too as it’s downed Mancelona in eight straight and is one of only six Division 7 teams still undefeated this fall.
Keep an eye on these FRIDAY Kingsley (4-2) at Cheboygan (3-3) WATCH, East Jordan (3-3) at Harbor Springs (3-3) WATCH, LeRoy Pine River (4-2) at Manton (4-2), Bay City Western (3-3) at Traverse City Central (3-3).
Southeast & Border
Hudson (6-0) at Clinton (5-1) WATCH
Undefeated and with all of its games against Division 5, 6 and 7 opponents, Hudson has the highest playoff-point average in Division 8 by a comfortable margin and can add to it against Division 7 Clinton. More importantly, they are the only two teams undefeated in Lenawee County Athletic Association play, and the winner this weekend clinches a share of the championship. They’ve split their last two meetings, Hudson claiming last year’s 22-6 during an outright championship run and after Clinton handed the Tigers their most recent league loss, in 2023.
Keep an eye on these FRIDAY Riverview (4-2) at Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central (6-0), Leslie (4-2) at Napoleon (4-2), Harper Woods (6-0) at Saline (6-0) WATCH, Adrian (5-1) at Ypsilanti Community (3-3).
Southwest Corridor
Portage Northern (5-1) at Portage Central (6-0) WATCH
The winner clinches a share of the Southwestern Michigan Athletic Conference West title. Northern also is seeking its first win in the rivalry since 2022, and they almost assuredly will meet again in the playoffs next month with Central fourth in Division 2 playoff-point average and Northern No. 13. Central also has given up only 10 points this season – all coming over the last two weeks – giving Northern another potential spoiler goal coming off last week’s 42-36 win over St. Joseph and having scored at least that many in four straight games. To that end, Central has yet to score fewer than 41 this season.
Keep an eye on these FRIDAY Kalamazoo Central (3-3) at Battle Creek Central (4-2), Dowagiac (4-2) at Buchanan (4-2) WATCH, Bronson (5-1) at White Pigeon (6-0) WATCH, Springport (6-0) at Quincy (4-2).
Upper Peninsula
Gaylord (6-0) at Escanaba (6-0) WATCH
Neither of these teams made the playoffs in 2024, much less competed for the Big North Conference title. But they did play one of the league’s closest games, a 19-15 Gaylord win, and this time the victor will clinch a share of the league title and keep an undefeated season going. Escanaba is coming off breaking a seven-game losing streak against rival Marquette with last week’s 38-20 victory – while Gaylord started league play with a 28-27 win over the Sentinels a month ago.
Keep an eye on these FRIDAY Iron Mountain (4-1) at Bark River-Harris (4-1) WATCH, L’Anse (4-2) at West Iron County (2-3) WATCH, Petoskey (3-3) at Marquette (3-3) WATCH, Negaunee (4-2) at Menominee (6-0) WATCH.
West Michigan
East Kentwood (5-1) at Hudsonville (6-0) WATCH
East Kentwood faded just a bit from the Ottawa-Kent Conference Red spotlight after a 21-14 Week 4 loss to Rockford, but can reclaim it almost entirely with a win over the Eagles – who themselves are coming off a 35-28 win over the rival Rams. When last these two met, Hudsonville edged East Kentwood 25-23 in a District opener last fall. A Falcons win this time could result in up to four teams being tied for first in the league, while a Hudsonville win would put them one away from clinching a repeat title.
Keep an eye on these FRIDAY Grand Rapids South Christian (3-3) at Zeeland East (4-2), Grand Rapids Catholic Central (6-0) at Holland Christian (4-2) WATCH, Whitehall (4-2) at Ludington (6-0), Belding (5-1) at Muskegon Oakridge (5-1) WATCH.
8-Player
Deckerville (6-0) at Kingston (6-0) WATCH
No one should be stunned if both of these rivals end up playing for 8-player championships next month at Superior Dome; Deckerville is No. 4 in Division 2 playoff-point average, and Kingston is No. 5 in Division 1. But first they must face off in what may turn end up one of the best 8-player games this regular season, with a share of the Big Thumb Conference Blue title on the line. Deckerville swept last year’s meetings, winning by 44 and then 34 points on the way to a perfect season and Division 1 title. Kingston has reached 64 points in four games this season and will face an Eagles defense that hasn’t given up more than 20.
Keep an eye on these FRIDAY Breckenridge (4-2) at Gaylord St. Mary (6-0), Rogers City (4-2) at Mio (5-1) WATCH, Norway (6-0) at Newberry (5-1). SATURDAY Gogebic (6-0) at Lake Linden-Hubbell (5-1) WATCH.
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PHOTO A pair of Holland Christian defenders pursue an East Grand Rapids ball carrier during the Pioneers' 41-21 win last week. (Click for more by MI Sports Photo.)