Through the Years: Football 1975-2015
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
August 9, 2016
Another football season kicked off Monday with first practices across the state, so it's a perfect time to take a look back at what is annually our most attended MHSAA tournament series.
High schools in this state have played football for more than a century. The first MHSAA champions were awarded in 1975, and the playoffs have continued to evolve to now recognize a total of nine champions over two formats, 11 and 8-player.
This feature is from the spring issue of benchmarks, built and written by Rob Kaminski. Scroll to the bottom of the page for a link to our previous installments. We'll continue to look at more MHSAA postseason events every Tuesday and Friday this fall.
Previous installments
August 5: Girls Volleyball - Read
August 2: Boys Soccer - Read
July 30: Boys Cross Country - Read
July 26: Girls Cross Country - Read
July 22: Boys/Girls Lacrosse - Read
July 19: Boys/Girls Tennis - Read
July 15: Boys/Girls Golf - Read
July 12: Girls Soccer - Read
July 8: Boys Track & Field - Read
July 5: Girls Track & Field - Read
July 1: Baseball - Read
June 28: Softball - Read
Performance of the Week: DeWitt's Traverse Moore
December 5, 2025
Traverse Moore ♦ DeWitt
Senior ♦ Football
Moore ran 32 times for an MHSAA Finals-record 397 yards and four touchdowns as DeWitt defeated Mount Pleasant 54-20 in the Division 3 championship game Sunday at Ford Field to finish this season 14-0. He put his name in the record book that day seven times total, with his three first-quarter touchdowns tying the all-time high for one quarter and his 461 total yards ranking second on that list.
The Finals performance gave Moore – the team’s quarterback and main ball carrier in its single wing-heavy running attack – a total of 2,512 yards and 33 touchdowns rushing and 734 yards and 13 TDs passing this fall. The rushing yards and touchdowns will be added to single-season record book lists. Moore played on the DeWitt varsity all four years and signed this week to continue at Central Michigan University. He also plays baseball for the Panthers.
@mhsaasports 🏈POW: Traverse Moore #football #Dewitt #highschoolsports #performanceoftheweek #MHSAA ♬ Bright and fun upbeat pops, Kids, Animals, Pets, Fun, Cute, Happy, Playful, Upbeat(1465232) - SAKUMAMATATA
@mhsaasports 🏈POW: Traverse Moore #funfacts #tiktalk #performanceoftheweek #highschoolsports #MHSAA ♬ Girly and cute synth pop - SAKUMAMATATA
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Previous 2025-26 honorees
Nov. 28: Elizabeth Eichbrecht, West Bloomfield swimming - Report
Nov. 20: Brady Kieff, Blanchard Montabella football - Report
Nov. 13: Ella Laupp, Battle Creek Harper Creek swimming - Report
Nov. 7: Hunter Eaton, Charlevoix cross country - Report
Oct. 31: Stephen Gollapalli, Lansing Christian tennis - Report
Oct. 23: Talya Schreiber, Pickford cross country - Report
Oct. 16: Avery Manning, Dexter golf - Report
Oct. 9: Brady Van Laecke, Hudsonville football - Report
Oct. 2: Sarah Giroux, Flat Rock volleyball - Report
Sept. 25: Sam Schumacher, Portage Central tennis - Report
Sept. 18: Kaylee Mitzel, Saline field hockey - Report
Sept. 11: Natasza Dudek, Ann Arbor Pioneer cross country - Report
Sept. 4: Kate Posey, Big Rapids golf - Report
(Headshot courtesy of TCP-Photography.)