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.)
After Team's 2024 Turnaround, Cranmore Eager to Add to Leslie's Return to Glory
By
Doug Donnelly
Special for MHSAA.com
August 19, 2025
Joel Cranmore is getting a head start on his budding college career, and it will probably make him an even better high school quarterback this fall.
As a first-year starting sophomore last season, Cranmore busted all expectations by throwing for 2,682 yards and 35 touchdowns. He not only completed 153 of his whopping 274 passes, but he also rushed 95 times for 472 yards and another 11 touchdowns in Leslie’s quarterback-friendly offense.
Leslie coach Tim McCann called Cranmore “the face of the program” at their school.
“We look forward to him building off of that going into his junior year,” McCann said.
It would be hard for any signal-caller to top those numbers, but Cranmore just might be the one to do it. Since the winter, he has spent two days a week attending Donovan Dooley’s Quarterback University – known by most as QBU – in Detroit. The work he put in, Cranmore said, will help him get to the next level.
It also will help him shred even more defenses in 2025.
“We do 45 minutes of field work, then we go into classroom and go over coverages, blitz concepts, the things you will need at the next level,” Cranmore said. “It really helps me learn what (offensive) concepts you will want against different coverages and how to see blitzes coming. We learn how to break down film.”
Cranmore is leaving nothing to chance. He said his film study sessions helped him earn even more trust from McCann – and that he’ll have more input on the play calling once he gets to the line of scrimmage.
“He trusts me and sees my growth,” Cranmore said.
Leslie had its best season in 16 last year, thanks to McCann’s high-powered offense and Cranmore winging the ball all over the place.
The Blackhawks went 10-2, won the Cascades Conference championship and won two playoff games before losing to eventual Division 7 runner-up Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central in the Regional Finals.
The Blackhawks put up monster numbers. They scored 62 against Vandercook Lake, 45 against previously-unbeaten Manchester, 54 against East Jackson and 49 against Burton Atherton in a playoff game. They squeaked by Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett to get to the Regional Finals.
It was the first time Leslie qualified for the playoffs since 2012 and its first season with double-digit wins since 2008.
Leslie was once a regular in the playoffs and regularly competed for conference championships. From 2000 to 2012, the Blackhawks were in the playoffs all but four times and had 11 winning seasons. Then hard times hit. Leslie went 0-9 in 2013, starting a string of 11 sub-.500 finishes.
McCann played football at Leslie during its successful era. And when the Blackhawks started last season 7-0, he knew the team was ahead of schedule.
“It goes back to my roots when I was in high school here,” he said. “We are playing Leslie High School football, doing things right on and off the field, building life skills, getting it done in the classroom. These kids really bought into that."
The climb back to respectability began in 2023 when Cranmore was a freshman. McCann summoned him to the varsity despite Leslie having athletic Jaydin Colby occupying the quarterback position. Cranmore got into a few late-season games. He earned the starting job in 2024, with Colby shifting to receiver where he had an all-state season.
"We knew he was going to blossom into something special," McCann said of Cranmore. "He spent a tremendous amount of time in the offseason being a student of the game. He spent a lot of time with the guys around him, building relationships.”
Colby and some of those other weapons have graduated, but Cranmore continued building relationships and getting comfortable with his new crew of receivers. That could spell trouble for opponents this season.
“When I was in middle school, I always told myself I wanted to change things and bring it back to when Leslie was making the playoffs every year and the state championship game,” he said. “I think we are just as good if not better than last year. Now we know what it’s like to win. Nothing is given to you. You have to work a lot harder than you did last year.”
Doug Donnelly has served as a news and sports reporter at the Adrian Daily Telegram and the Monroe News for 30 years, including 10 years as city editor in Monroe. He's written a book on high school basketball in Monroe County and compiles record books for various schools in southeast Michigan. He is now publisher and editor of The Blissfield Advance, a weekly newspaper. E-mail him at [email protected] with story ideas for Jackson, Washtenaw, Hillsdale, Lenawee and Monroe counties.
PHOTOS (Top) Leslie quarterback Joel Cranmore and his teammates celebrate a touchdown last season. (Middle) Cranmore looks back while running off the field. (Photos courtesy of Jeff Steers/JTV.)