Prep Zone: Semifinals Preview
November 18, 2011
And then there were 32. That's all that remains from the original 256 MHSAA playoff football teams heading into Saturday's Semifinals.
This week's Prep Zone games feature three top-ranked contenders and four that remain 12-0 with only two possible games left in this season. Next weekend, it's off to Ford Field and the Finals.
All four Prep Zone Semifinals begin at 1 p.m. and can be viewed at FoxSportsDetroit.com. They later will be archived at MHSAA.tv.
Here's a look at some of what you'll see. (Rankings below are by The Associated Press' panel of media voters.)
DIVISION 1: Rockford (11-1) vs. Detroit Catholic Central (11-1)
Battle Creek Central’s C.W. Post Field
These two entered the postseason ranked Nos. 1 and 2, respectively. Oddly, this will be just the second time these powers will meet, and first since DCC’s 27-23 win over the Rams in the 1998 Class AA Final. The Shamrocks’ only loss this fall came to Orchard Lake St. Mary in Week 8, and DCC avenged it with a 21-7 win seven days later. Not much has changed during the postseason, aside from the Shamrocks’ defense getting a little bit stingier – they’ve given up 20 points total in three playoff games. Rockford has done a little more surviving, advancing with two wins by seven points or fewer. The Rams always run the ball hard, and both Brady Gent and Ryan Hartley have had 100-plus yards in playoff games so far. This game also pits two of the winningest coaches in MHSAA history – DCC’s Tom Mach has 314 victories since 1976 and Rockford’s Ralph Munger has 271 since 1980.
DIVISION 3: Mount Pleasant (12-0) vs. East Grand Rapids (9-3)
Ferris State University’s Top Taggart Field
The top-ranked Oilers have played their part in East Grand Rapids’ 28-game playoff winning streak, getting knocked out by the Pioneers two of the last three seasons. But this is the third straight Mount Pleasant team to post at least 11 wins, and might be the best of this recent run. Sophomore running back Michael Tweh is the name to know on offense, with 1,726 yards and 24 touchdowns rushing this season, while senior Dustin Lee has run for 14 touchdowns and scored four more on passes. As for No. 9 East Grand Rapids, it could well end up the final team standing again. The Pioneers have avenged two of their losses since the start of the playoffs – against Grand Rapids Christian and Holland – and have scored at least 42 points four weeks in a row. David Drummond has run for 1,739 yards and 16 touchdowns, and Travis Palmer has 15 TD passes.
DIVISION 3: Battle Creek Harper Creek (12-0) vs. Orchard Lake St. Mary (10-2)
Jackson Withington Stadium
Orchard Lake St. Mary, ranked No. 4, is used to reaching this round, going for its fourth Finals appearance in five seasons and third straight. At least defensively, this might be the best of those Eaglets teams – linebacker James Ross, who has committed to sign with Michigan this winter, is arguably the top defensive player in the state. This will be a much newer experience for No. 3 Harper Creek, which is in its first Semifinal since 1999 but also set a school record for wins. But the Beavers’ game is a great fit on what should be a chilly afternoon on fast turf – Harper Creek runs behind a massive offensive line, led by 6-foot-4, 300-pound Kelby Latta. He blocks for an offense averaging 41 points a game.
DIVISION 8: Mendon (12-0) vs. New Lothrop (12-0)
Howell High School
Top-ranked Mendon’s run through the playoffs has included a win over co-No. 1 Muskegon Catholic and another last week against No. 8 Climax-Scotts. But this might be the toughest test of all. The Hornets have given up fewer than four points a game this fall, and no more than eight since opening night. Oh, and they also score 52 points per game, led by multi-talented junior quarterback Austin Newman. Mendon keeps on trucking in its bid for a fifth MHSAA championship in 11 years. Junior Tyler Harris is up to 1,623 yards and 22 touchdowns running the ball, and two more teammates are over 900. Harris ran for 253 yards and four scores in last week’s Regional final.
(Photo courtesy of Terry McNamara Photography.)
1st & Goal: 2025 Week 1 Preview
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
August 27, 2025
If you’re looking for storylines for this weekend’s Michigan high school football openers, you’ve landed just in time for launch of the 2025 season.
There will be 305 games played this weekend with at least one Michigan team – 258 tonight, 46 Friday and one Saturday. Several of the most intriguing will play out at traditional Week 1 showcase events – the Amazon Prep Kickoff Classic at Wayne State and Vehicle City Gridiron Classic at Flint’s Atwood Stadium – but those are just the start of the newsy and noteworthy.
This weekend’s slate also includes two matchups of teams that ended last season playing for MHSAA 11-player championships in Detroit, and a third between a reigning Michigan champion (Detroit Cass Tech in Division 1) and an Ohio state runner-up (Toledo Central Catholic). One of the state's longest running rivalries also gets a reboot.
The great majority of varsity games are scheduled to be broadcast this weekend on the NFHS Network. Click the names of the events bolded above for specific broadcast landing pages for those showcases.
Like most, we’re still at the start of learning about this season’s contenders. But every game has a story, and tune in each week for details building up the biggest matchups all over Michigan. All games are tonight unless noted, and follow the MHSAA Scores page all weekend for scores as they’re submitted.
Bay & Thumb
Frankenmuth (13-1) at Goodrich (13-1)
This is one of those matchups of teams that ended last season at Ford Field, as Goodrich is the reigning Division 4 champion and Frankenmuth finished Division 5 runner-up. This will actually be the fifth-straight season they’ll meet in an opener; Frankenmuth has a 3-1 advantage in the recent series coming off a 22-0 win a year ago. Both teams graduated substantial star power from their backfields and lines, likely making this a high-profile debut for several players expected to fill more significant roles at the varsity level this fall.
Keep an eye on these THURSDAY Marysville (8-2) at Almont (9-1), Mount Pleasant (6-5) at Saginaw Heritage (8-4). FRIDAY Marine City (10-3) at Armada (10-2), Cass City (7-4) at Harbor Beach (11-1).
Greater Detroit
Clarkston (7-4) vs. Belleville (10-2) at Wayne State
The post-Bryce Underwood era will begin at Belleville after he quarterbacked the team to Ford Field three of the last four seasons. He and the Tigers defeated Clarkston 35-28 in their opener a year ago at Wayne State, and Belleville’s only other loss of the season came in a Regional Final. Clarkston will attempt to avenge that 2024 defeat keyed in part by an offense that features power up front and a notable passing attack as well.
Keep an eye on these THURSDAY Walled Lake Western (11-1) at Milford (7-3), Davison (7-3) at Roseville (7-3). FRIDAY Warren Michigan Collegiate (9-2) at Clarkston Everest Collegiate (9-2), Detroit Cass Tech (12-2) vs. Toledo Central Catholic (14-2) at Wayne State.
Mid-Michigan
Haslett (8-4) at DeWitt (12-1)
These two combined for 111 points in their opener last season, a 69-42 DeWitt win, and the scoreboard should be ready again as both return playmakers considered among the best in the state – Haslett’s Kory Amachree and DeWitt’s Trav Moore. Both also are coming off nice playoff runs last fall – DeWitt reaching the Division 3 Semifinals and Haslett winning a Division 4 District championship – adding further anticipation to a rivalry renewed despite the Panthers’ dominance in the matchup over the last two decades.
Keep and eye on these THURSDAY Dexter (10-1) at Brighton (8-3), Lansing Catholic (10-4) at Williamston (3-7), Lansing Everett (6-4) at Lansing Sexton (5-5), Detroit Country Day (3-6) at Portland (11-1).
Northern Lower Peninsula
Maple City Glen Lake (9-2) at Traverse City St. Francis (7-4), Friday
These two are facing off for the first time since 2021, with the Lakers coming off their best season since a 2019 run to Ford Field and the Gladiators also looking to build on a District championship game appearance after most recently reaching the MHSAA Finals in 2022. They were both champions in the Northern Michigan Football League last fall – Glen Lake outright in the Legacy and St. Francis sharing the title in the Legends.
Keep an eye on these THURSDAY Howell (11-1) at Traverse City West (6-4), Midland (9-2) at Cadillac (4-6). FRIDAY Sault Ste. Marie (1-8) at Cheboygan (4-5), Edwardsburg (7-4) at McBain (9-2).
Southeast & Border
Fowler (12-1) at Hudson (10-2)
The Eagles won this season-opening matchup 20-6 a year ago and this time head to Hudson after ending last fall with a one-point Division 8 Semifinal loss to eventual champion Beal City. After losing to Fowler in Week 1 last season, Hudson didn’t fall again until its Division 7 Regional Final against Schoolcraft – which capped its longest playoff run since winning the Division 8 title in 2021.
Keep an eye on these THURSDAY Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central (13-1) vs. Clinton (7-4) at Adrian College, Ottawa Lake Whiteford (5-5) at Blissfield (4-6), Flushing (7-3) at Ann Arbor Pioneer (5-5), Jackson (4-6) at Parma Western (6-4).
Southwest Corridor
St. Joseph (9-2) at Niles (12-2), Friday
This is another season-opening rematch, and last year's game was referred to frequently – after St. Joseph's 30-7 win, Niles didn't lose again until falling to Goodrich in the Division 4 championship game. In fact, the Vikings gave up only 27 more points during the regular season. The Bears went on to enjoy a successful fall as well, sharing their league's championship before falling to eventual Division 3 champion Zeeland West in a District Final.
Keep an eye on these THURSDAY Kalamazoo Hackett Catholic Prep (9-3) at Berrien Springs (7-4), East Lansing (9-4) at Portage Central (8-4), Lawton (8-3) at Decatur (11-2), Union City (9-2) at Parchment (7-3).
Upper Peninsula
Marquette (6-3) at Negaunee (6-4)
This matchup of Upper Peninsula neighbors is a rivalry restored, resparking a series that goes back to 1894. These two faced off 141 times – still ranking third-highest for total games played between two Michigan teams – before taking a break after the 2017 meeting with Negaunee leading the series 70-60-11. The Miners have strung together six straight playoff seasons, while the Sentinels just missed the playoffs last year but finished second in the Big North Conference for the second season in a row.
Keep and eye on these THURSDAY Kingsford (9-1) at Escanaba (5-4), East Jordan (8-3) at Manistique (4-6), Houghton (4-5) at Iron Mountain (11-1). FRIDAY Menominee (10-2) at Marinette, Wis. (2-7).
West Michigan
Byron Center (12-2) at Hudsonville (12-2)
This is another matchup of teams that finished their 2024 playoff runs at Ford Field, Hudsonville runner-up in Division 1 and Byron Center in Division 2. Even with both graduating significant star power after last spring and turning to new quarterbacks this fall, this seems the perfect time for this matchup. Hudsonville's double-digit win total last year was its first since 2007, and Byron Center is a combined 22-4 over the last two seasons.
Keep an eye on these THURSDAY Grand Blanc (9-3) at Muskegon Mona Shores (9-2), Pewamo-Westphalia (9-3) at North Muskegon (11-2), Saline (7-4) at Rockford (7-3), Hudsonville Unity Christian (10-1) at Whitehall (8-4).
8-Player
Britton Deerfield (10-2) at Pittsford (8-3)
This was another of the most high-powered openers a year ago, as Britton Deerfield won 68-58 to kick off the program’s best season. The Patriots later advanced to the Semifinals for the first time with a 60-26 rematch win over the Wildcats, who otherwise claimed a league championship and lost just once more over the remainder of their season.
Keep an eye on these THURSDAY Climax-Scotts (8-2) at Gobles (9-1), Bridgman (5-4) at Martin (8-2), Powers North Central (9-2) at Munising (6-4), Mendon (10-2) at Suttons Bay (6-3).
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PHOTO Grand Ledge takes the field during a home game last season. (Click for more from High School Sports Scene.)