Week 7 Football Playoff Listing
October 8, 2013
Here is a list of Michigan High School Athletic Association football playing schools, displaying their win-loss records and playoff averages through the sixth week of the season. Schools on this list are in enrollment order. An asterisk (*) beside a record indicates that a team has eight or fewer games scheduled. A caret (^) beside a school’s name indicates that a team is one win away from playoff qualification.
Those schools with 11-player teams with six or more wins playing nine-game schedules, or five or more wins playing eight games or fewer, will qualify for the MHSAA Football Playoffs beginning Nov. 1-2. Schools with 5-4, 4-3 or 4-4 records may qualify if the number of potential qualifiers by win total does not reach the 256 mark. Schools with six or more wins playing nine-game schedules or five or more wins playing eight games or fewer may be subtracted from the field based on playoff average if the number of potential qualifiers exceeds the 256 mark.
Once the 256 qualifying schools are determined, they will be divided by enrollment groups into eight equal divisions of 32 schools, and then drawn into regions of eight teams each and districts of four teams each.
Those schools with 8-player teams will be ranked by playoff average at season’s end, and the top 16 programs will be drawn into regions of eight teams each for the playoff in that division, which also begins Nov. 1-2.
To review a list of all football playoff schools, individual school playoff point details and to report errors, visit the Football page of the MHSAA Website.
The announcement of the qualifiers and first-round pairings for both the 11 and 8-player playoffs will take place on Oct. 27 on the Selection Sunday Show at 7 p.m. on FOX Sports Detroit. The playoff qualifiers and pairings will be posted to the MHSAA Website following the Selection Sunday Show.
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11-Player Playoff Listing
1. Sterling Heights Stevenson, 2781, 3-3, 45.667
2. Utica Eisenhower, 2772, 3-3, 49000
3. Clarkston ^, 2737, 5-1, 83.167
4. Macomb Dakota, 2693, 6-0, 101.333
5. Howell, 2672, 4-2, 66.500
6. Grand Blanc ^, 2624, 5-1, 86.000
7. East Kentwood, 2612, 4-2, 65.000
8. Rockford ^, 2572, 5-1, 86.000
9. Clinton Township Chippewa Valley, 2506, 6-0, 100.000
10. Lake Orion ^, 2490, 5-1, 82.000
11. Dearborn Fordson, 2309, 4-2, 67.733
12. Holland West Ottawa, 2293, 4-2, 65.500
13. Northville ^, 2275, 5-1, 79.000
14. Detroit Cass Tech, 2262, 6-0, 92.000
15. Brighton, 2164, 4-2, 69.500
16. Monroe, 2145, 4-2, 61.500
17. Detroit Catholic Central ^, 2132, 5-1, 78.433
18. Plymouth ^, 2126, 5-1, 75.000
19. Canton, 2078, 6-0, 100.000
20. Novi, 1986, 4-2, 62.333
21. Macomb L'Anse Creuse North ^, 1965, 5-1, 79.167
22. West Bloomfield, 1941, 3-3, 45.667
23. Saline ^, 1897, 5-1, 83.500
24. Westland John Glenn, 1880, 3-3, 48.333
25. Holt, 1866, 3-3, 52.500
26. Warren Mott, 1796, 6-0, 92.000
27. Romeo, 1793, 3-3, 54.333
28. Rochester Hills Stoney Creek ^, 1759, 5-1, 80.667
29. Livonia Franklin, 1746, 3-3, 51.000
30. Hudsonville, 1736, 3-3, 55.333
31. Ann Arbor Skyline, 1715, 4-2, 62.000
32. Grand Ledge, 1715, 3-3, 43.167
33. Belleville, 1714, 4-2, 61.000
34. Davison, 1692, 3-3, 43.167
35. Walled Lake Northern, 1688, 4-2, 62.333
36. White Lake Lakeland, 1655, 3-3, 52.333
37. Traverse City West, 1653, 4-2, 66.833
38. Rochester, 1615, 3-3, 48.167
39. Waterford Kettering, 1604, 3-3, 47.167
40. Temperance Bedford, 1600, 6-0, 104.000
41. Grosse Pointe South, 1598, 3-3, 48.167
42. Rochester Adams, 1582, 4-2, 66.667
43. Saginaw Heritage, 1575, 4-2, 64.000
44. Warren DeLaSalle, 1564, 4-2, 71.000
45. Walled Lake Western, 1556, 6-0, 98.667
46. Kalamazoo Central, 1554, 3-3, 40.167
47. Brownstown Woodhaven, 1502, 3-3, 46.667
48. Flint Carman-Ainsworth ^, 1488, 5-1, 80.833
49. Detroit U-D Jesuit, 1476, 4-2, 65.000
50. Midland ^, 1462, 5-1, 87.333
51. Ypsilanti Lincoln ^, 1460, 5-1, 76.833
52. Pinckney, 1452, 4-2, 67.833
53. Traverse City Central, 1448, 3-3, 44.167
54. Oak Park ^, 1438, 5-1, 80.667
55. Detroit Martin Luther King *, 1432, 5-0, 89.867
56. Ypsilanti Community, 1399, 3-3, 42.000
57. Port Huron, 1398, 4-2, 63.800
58. Wyandotte Roosevelt, 1373, 6-0, 98.667
59. Portage Central, 1372, 6-0, 94.667
60. Lansing Everett ^, 1369, 5-1, 73.667
61. Portage Northern, 1364, 4-2, 65.667
62. Southfield ^, 1356, 5-1, 86.167
63. North Farmington *^, 1352, 4-2, 59.267
64. Caledonia ^, 1350, 5-1, 76.667
65. Battle Creek Lakeview, 1348, 6-0, 82.667
66. Birmingham Seaholm, 1337, 6-0, 94.667
67. Birmingham Brother Rice, 1326, 6-0, 110.667
68. Grosse Pointe North, 1323, 4-2, 63.667
69. Muskegon Mona Shores ^, 1314, 5-1, 78.000
70. Midland Dow ^, 1304, 5-1, 76.667
71. Farmington Hills Harrison ^, 1300, 5-1, 82.000
72. South Lyon, 1277, 4-2, 67.833
73. Swartz Creek, 1277, 4-2, 63.000
74. Birmingham Groves, 1274, 6-0, 88.000
75. Berkley, 1260, 3-3, 40.333
76. Grand Rapids Ottawa Hills, 1231, 4-2, 52.833
77. Fenton, 1188, 6-0, 94.667
78. Grand Rapids Northview, 1182, 4-2, 63.500
79. Warren Woods Tower, 1170, 4-2, 49.667
80. St Clair Shores Lake Shore, 1168, 3-3, 40.333
81. Muskegon Reeths-Puffer ^, 1151, 5-1, 84.333
82. Lowell, 1146, 6-0, 103.467
83. Taylor Truman ^, 1131, 5-1, 80.500
84. Holly, 1124, 3-3, 48.667
85. East Lansing, 1124, 3-3, 46.333
86. Muskegon ^, 1118, 5-1, 88.833
87. Lapeer East, 1113, 3-3, 44.500
88. Marquette *, 1110, 5-1, 78.667
89. Detroit East English, 1109, 4-2, 59.233
90. Detroit Cody, 1106, 3-3, 46.333
91. Allen Park, 1103, 4-2, 68.167
92. Detroit Renaissance, 1097, 3-3, 39.167
93. Detroit Mumford, 1090, 6-0, 86.667
94. Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern ^, 1079, 5-1, 70.167
95. St Johns, 1079, 3-3, 44.500
96. Zeeland East ^, 1071, 5-1, 79.333
97. Lapeer West ^, 1063, 5-1, 85.833
98. Redford Thurston, 1063, 3-3, 53.167
99. Byron Center, 1039, 4-2, 60.833
100. Mt. Pleasant ^, 1033, 5-1, 82.167
101. Riverview ^, 993, 5-1, 67.500
102. St. Joseph, 986, 6-0, 100.000
103. Orchard Lake St. Mary's, 980, 3-3, 50.000
104. Saginaw Arthur Hill, 973, 3-3, 43.167
105. Petoskey, 965, 3-3, 48.667
106. Mason, 958, 4-2, 58.667
107. East Grand Rapids, 949, 3-3, 48.667
108. Linden, 944, 4-2, 58.833
109. DeWitt, 941, 6-0, 100.667
110. Sault Ste. Marie, 928, 3-3, 42.467
111. Grand Rapids Christian ^, 927, 5-1, 82.000
112. Cedar Springs, 911, 3-3, 47.833
113. Detroit Denby ^, 909, 5-1, 68.500
114. Haslett, 907, 4-2, 62.500
115. Stevensville Lakeshore, 892, 4-2, 56.333
116. Fruitport, 886, 4-2, 53.333
117. Romulus, 882, 3-3, 39.000
118. Coldwater, 878, 3-3, 44.667
119. Milan, 872, 6-0, 94.667
120. St. Clair, 869, 6-0, 86.667
121. Tecumseh, 869, 4-2, 62.167
122. Sturgis, 868, 3-3, 45.833
123. Wayland Union, 861, 3-3, 51.167
124. Melvindale ^, 860, 5-1, 79.500
125. Plainwell, 852, 6-0, 85.333
126. Sparta ^, 851, 5-1, 68.333
127. Ionia, 851, 4-2, 54.667
128. Jackson Northwest, 847, 3-3, 40.500
129. Eaton Rapids, 844, 4-2, 55.333
130. Detroit Old Redford *, 838, 5-1, 64.667
131. Zeeland West ^, 833, 5-1, 75.333
132. Carleton Airport, 832, 3-3, 38.833
133. Charlotte ^, 830, 4-2, 66.667
134. Battle Creek Harper Creek ^, 823, 5-1, 72.833
135. Dearborn Heights Annapolis, 818, 4-2, 53.833
136. North Branch ^, 809, 5-1, 66.000
137. Dearborn Divine Child, 802, 3-3, 48.000
138. Marysville, 791, 4-2, 57.000
139. Detroit Collegiate Prep, 790, 4-2, 49.667
140. Three Rivers, 789, 4-2, 48.333
141. Edwardsburg, 787, 6-0, 78.667
142. Holland Christian, 785, 3-3, 42.000
143. Spring Lake ^, 783, 5-1, 66.000
144. Cadillac, 779, 6-0, 86.933
145. Ogemaw Heights, 754, 4-2, 53.600
146. Croswell-Lexington, 738, 4-2, 53.167
147. Pontiac Notre Dame Prep, 732, 4-2, 58.833
148. Harper Woods Chandler Park Academy ^, 724, 5-1, 67.433
149. Yale, 704, 4-2, 55.667
150. Comstock Park, 701, 6-0, 97.600
151. Detroit Country Day, 700, 3-3, 44.667
152. Fremont, 697, 3-3, 35.167
153. St. Clair Shores South Lake, 690, 3-3, 46.667
154. Otsego, 688, 4-2, 47.000
155. Corunna, 686, 3-3, 40.333
156. Lansing Sexton, 684, 6-0, 93.333
157. Grand Rapids Catholic Central, 678, 3-3, 41.333
158. Allendale *, 676, 5-1, 71.500
159. Cheboygan ^, 660, 5-1, 74.000
160. Belding, 654, 4-2, 50.833
161. Battle Creek Pennfield ^, 652, 5-1, 55.333
162. Williamston *^, 651, 4-2, 52.333
163. Grand Rapids South Christian ^, 645, 5-1, 71.333
164. Saginaw Swan Valley, 644, 6-0, 81.333
165. Richmond ^, 642, 5-1, 70.167
166. Dearborn Heights Robichaud, 635, 3-3, 44.667
167. Paw Paw, 632, 6-0, 70.667
168. Grosse Ile, 632, 3-3, 41.833
169. Dowagiac ^, 621, 5-1, 60.833
170. Lake Fenton ^, 613, 5-1, 67.333
171. Ludington, 610, 4-2, 46.500
172. Remus Chippewa Hills, 600, 3-3, 38.000
173. Marine City, 596, 6-0, 94.667
174. Mt. Morris, 593, 3-3, 39.333
175. Wyoming Kelloggsville, 591, 4-2, 51.167
176. Clawson, 584, 4-2, 48.333
177. Essexville Garber, 583, 4-2, 54.667
178. Birch Run, 579, 3-3, 43.000
179. Livonia Clarenceville, 577, 6-0, 82.667
180. Portland *, 572, 6-0, 86.667
181. Freeland ^, 568, 5-1, 67.500
182. River Rouge ^, 568, 5-1, 54.967
183. Kingsford, 561, 4-2, 49.310
184. Wyoming Godwin Heights, 560, 4-2, 39.500
185. Parchment, 552, 3-3, 36.833
186. Ovid-Elsie, 549, 4-2, 51.000
187. Clinton Township Clintondale, 544, 6-0, 80.000
188. Ann Arbor Gabriel Richard ^, 544, 5-1, 71.500
189. North Muskegon ^, 541, 5-1, 56.667
190. Gladwin, 539, 4-2, 45.333
191. Chesaning, 532, 3-3, 37.500
192. Frankenmuth ^, 527, 5-1, 76.167
193. Hopkins, 527, 4-2, 57.000
194. Almont ^, 524, 5-1, 64.667
195. Newaygo ^, 523, 5-1, 66.167
196. Standish-Sterling Central, 520, 6-0, 78.667
197. Flint Powers Catholic, 517, 3-3, 37.500
198. Olivet, 505, 6-0, 69.333
199. Ida ^, 504, 5-1, 65.667
200. Allen Park Cabrini, 504, 3-3, 36.333
201. Menominee, 501, 6-0, 83.048
202. Detroit University Prep, 501, 4-2, 49.333
203. Macomb Lutheran North, 501, 3-3, 44.500
204. Stanton Central Montcalm, 501, 3-3, 31.833
205. Muskegon Oakridge ^, 496, 5-1, 63.500
206. Bridgeport, 495, 3-3, 37.500
207. Grayling ^, 494, 5-1, 56.500
208. Reed City, 490, 6-0, 78.667
209. Riverview Gabriel Richard, 490, 4-2, 48.833
210. Dundee, 489, 4-2, 37.333
211. Lansing Catholic, 480, 3-3, 41.000
212. Brooklyn Columbia Central, 474, 3-3, 31.500
213. Clare, 451, 4-2, 45.500
214. Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central ^, 445, 5-1, 66.167
215. Jackson Lumen Christi, 441, 6-0, 88.000
216. Kingsley, 439, 4-2, 46.667
217. Houghton, 437, 3-3, 27.548
218. Roscommon, 431, 3-3, 34.000
219. Millington, 430, 4-2, 57.167
220. Warren Michigan Collegiate, 428, 4-2, 47.667
221. Kalkaska ^, 425, 5-1, 54.000
222. Madison Heights Madison, 424, 6-0, 84.000
223. Sanford Meridian, 423, 6-0, 68.000
224. Detroit Consortium, 422, 3-3, 32.000
225. Harper Woods, 420, 3-3, 29.333
226. Negaunee, 416, 6-0, 60.000
227. Michigan Center ^, 416, 5-1, 54.000
228. Hanover-Horton, 412, 3-3, 28.167
229. Montrose Hill-McCloy, 411, 6-0, 77.333
230. Lakeview, 409, 4-2, 49.500
231. Grass Lake ^, 402, 5-1, 620
232. Shelby, 401, 6-0, 74.667
233. Elk Rapids, 400, 4-2, 51.833
234. Ithaca, 399, 6-0, 74.667
235. Manchester ^, 398, 5-1, 60.833
236. Niles Brandywine, 397, 6-0, 72.838
237. Hillsdale, 397, 3-3, 36.333
238. Mt. Clemens, 390, 3-3, 34.333
239. Jonesville ^, 389, 5-1, 62.167
240. Maple City Glen Lake, 388, 6-0, 68.000
241. Grandville Calvin Christian, 388, 3-3, 44.167
242. Watervliet, 387, 6-0, 61.333
243. Vassar, 385, 3-3, 28.833
244. Clinton, 383, 6-0, 72.000
245. Boyne City ^, 383, 5-1, 62.167
246. Byron Area ^, 380, 5-1, 52.833
247. Constantine, 379, 4-2, 45.000
248. Burton Bendle, 374, 4-2, 44.967
249. Adrian Madison, 374, 3-3, 27.167
250. Montague, 373, 4-2, 49.500
251. St. Charles, 367, 3-3, 29.667
252. Quincy, 361, 4-2, 34.667
253. Whitmore Lake, 360, 3-3, 36.667
254. Hartford, 351, 3-3, 29.000
255. Cass City, 350, 3-3, 36.167
256. Indian River Inland Lakes, 348, 4-2, 34.500
257. Schoolcraft ^, 346, 5-1, 64.833
258. Flint Beecher ^, 345, 5-1, 62.000
259. Reese ^, 337, 5-1, 50.167
260. Saginaw Nouvel ^, 333, 5-1, 69.633
261. Marlette, 332, 6-0, 65.333
262. Grand Rapids NorthPointe Christian ^, 331, 5-1, 59.167
263. Iron Mountain, 330, 3-3, 30.500
264. McBain, 326, 4-2, 41.333
265. Bath, 325, 3-3, 28.167
266. Hesperia, 324, 4-2, 42.500
267. Carson City-Crystal, 323, 6-0, 69.333
268. Bridgman, 320, 4-2, 42.433
269. Lake City, 314, 6-0, 61.333
270. Whittemore-Prescott, 309, 4-2, 45.667
271. Springport ^, 308, 5-1, 52.667
272. Lawton, 307, 6-0, 60.000
273. Southfield Christian ^, 306, 5-1, 48.667
274. East Jordan, 302, 3-3, 28.500
275. Ishpeming, 301, 6-0, 60.571
276. Elkton-Pigeon-Bay Port Laker ^, 301, 5-1, 55.333
277. Sandusky, 299, 3-3, 25.167
278. Dansville, 298, 4-2, 38.833
279. Pewamo-Westphalia, 295, 6-0, 65.333
280. Madison Heights Bishop Foley, 295, 4-2, 53.167
281. Evart ^, 292, 5-1, 51.500
282. Traverse City St. Francis, 291, 4-2, 54.833
283. Genesee, 289, 3-3, 30.000
284. Mancelona, 286, 4-2, 41.167
285. Unionville-Sebewaing, 285, 4-2, 33.000
286. Homer, 284, 6-0, 64.000
287. Detroit Loyola, 282, 6-0, 96.000
288. Gobles, 280, 3-3, 28.500
289. St. Joseph Lake Michigan Catholic *, 279, 36647, 56.800
290. Decatur ^, 279, 5-1, 52.833
291. Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett, 279, 3-3, 34.167
292. Royal Oak Shrine Catholic ^, 278, 5-1, 63.167
293. Cassopolis Ross Beatty, 278, 3-3, 34.867
294. Auburn Hills Oakland Christian, 276, 4-2, 37.000
295. Lincoln Alcona, 273, 6-0, 57.333
296. Iron River West Iron County, 268, 6-0, 66.667
297. Hudson ^, 268, 5-1, 51.333
298. Reading, 268, 3-3, 23.500
299. Burton Bentley, 264, 3-3, 27.833
300. Britton Deerfield, 260, 4-2, 47.833
301. Saugatuck ^, 255, 5-1, 43.333
302. New Buffalo, 253, 3-3, 34.533
303. Suttons Bay, 253, 3-3, 29.833
304. Harbor Beach ^, 252, 5-1, 58.167
305. Merrill, 250, 3-3, 34.333
306. Kalamazoo Christian, 250, 3-3, 31.000
307. Ottawa Lake Whiteford, 248, 4-2, 43.833
308. Vestaburg, 248, 4-2, 37.767
309. Johannesburg-Lewiston, 246, 4-2, 36.667
310. New Lothrop, 243, 6-0, 72.000
311. Bessemer, 241, 4-2, 37.748
312. Onekama, 240, 3-3, 23.000
313. Petersburg-Summerfield, 239, 3-3, 34.833
314. L'Anse ^, 236, 5-1, 47.500
315. Saginaw Michigan Lutheran Seminary ^, 233, 5-1, 60.833
316. White Pigeon, 228, 4-2, 41.433
317. Detroit Allen Academy *, 226, 41335, 41.700
318. Coleman ^, 225, 5-1, 46.433
319. St. Ignace La Salle ^, 224, 5-1, 58.667
320. Pittsford, 219, 4-2, 33.667
321. Beal City, 218, 6-0, 73.333
322. Mendon, 211, 6-0, 66.133
323. Mio ^, 210, 5-1, 47.167
324. Stephenson, 206, 3-3, 26.333
325. Morenci, 205, 4-2, 44.167
326. Fowler ^, 200, 5-1, 52.833
327. Powers North Central ^, 196, 5-1, 42.167
328. Munising, 196, 3-3, 26.167
329. Rogers City, 192, 3-3, 24.500
330. Atlanta, 186, 3-3, 25.667
331. Climax-Scotts, 185, 6-0, 56.000
332. Waterford Our Lady, 173, 4-2, 53.333
333. Bellevue, 172, 4-2, 34.167
334. Muskegon Catholic Central, 167, 4-2, 43.667
335. Lake Linden-Hubbell, 166, 4-2, 38.714
336. Crystal Falls Forest Park, 163, 6-0, 62.857
337. Sterling Heights Parkway Christian, 160, 3-3, 25.500
338. Adrian Lenawee Christian, 155, 4-2, 34.667
339. Gaylord St. Mary, 154, 3-3, 27.600
340. Hillman, 151, 3-3, 26.667
341. Pickford, 150, 4-2, 37.267
342. Baldwin, 129, 4-2, 35.100
343. Mt. Pleasant Sacred Heart ^, 124, 5-1, 48.833
344. Clarkston Everest Collegiate ^, 110, 5-1, 60.500
345. Felch North Dickinson *, 103, 5-1, 46.167
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8-Player Playoff Listing
1. Rapid River, 120, 6-0, 52.000
2. Peck, 171, 6-0, 49.600
3. Portland St. Patrick, 107, 6-0, 46.667
4. Battle Creek St. Philip, 157, 6-0, 44.267
5. Owendale-Gagetown, 68, 6-0, 41.333
6. Cedarville, 191, 5-1, 40.033
7. Carsonville-Port Sanilac, 151, 5-1, 39.533
8. Bellaire, 147, 5-1, 35.533
9. Kinde-North Huron, 169, 4-2, 32.433
10. Lawrence *, 191, 4-1, 31.767
11. Akron-Fairgrove, 99, 5-1, 30.167
12. Burr Oak, 76, 4-2, 29.667
13. Posen, 82, 3-3, 28.867
14. Deckerville, 185, 3-3, 26.967
15. Waldron, 89, 3-3, 21.333
16. Engadine, 88, 2-4, 19.167
17. Eben Junction Superior Central *, 136, 2-3, 17.133
18. Brimley, 149, 2-4, 14.367
19. Webberville, 177, 2-4, 14.333
20. Marine City Cardinal Mooney, 182, 1-5, 12.167
21. St. Joseph Michigan Lutheran, 111, 1-5, 12.100
22. Kingston *, 195, 1-4, 10.400
23. New Haven Merritt, 141, 1-5, 9.000
24. Tekonsha, 158, 1-5, 8.000
25. Ewen-Trout Creek, 155, 1-5, 7.500
26. Flint Michigan School for the Deaf *, 50, 0-6, 3.000
27. Litchfield, 117, 0-6, 2.667
All Eyes on Ithaca's Winning Streak
November 1, 2012
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Terry Hessbrook has sensed this level of buzz around Ithaca's football program once before.
He was a senior running back during the 1984 "dream season" when the team finished the regular season 9-0 and made the playoffs for the first time. The Yellowjackets' postseason run lasted only a week – Ithaca fell to Grand Rapids South Christian 20-0 in the first round, which in those days of shorter playoffs was the Regional Final – but the excitement was reminiscent of the attention his program is getting heading into Friday's Division 6 District Final against Hemlock.
Except this hype extends far outside the city limits of his 2,900-resident hometown. Ithaca has won 38 straight games, the fifth-longest streak in MHSAA football history, and is only three more wins from a third straight trip to the Finals at Ford Field.
“It’s been really neat to have people take a look at what we’re doing in Ithaca,” Hessbrook said. “We’re not doing anything different. We’re not reinventing the wheel. We’re not a bunch of geniuses or anything like that. We just have a coaching staff that works really hard and supports each other, and we don’t care who gets the credit. And the players don’t care who gets the credit.”
How much the ninth-year coach is beaming comes through the phone as he talks of his players' handling of the growing expectations or how fortunate he is to be surrounded by assistants he's been close with, in at least a few cases, for decades.
And winning makes everything more fun. The Yellowjackets get a Second Half High 5 this week as they work toward becoming just the fifth school to win three straight MHSAA titles since the first playoffs were held in 1975. The winning streak is the third-longest among those that included at least one season since the postseason was added.
Ahead of Ithaca on that consecutive wins list are Hudson (72), Morenci (44), Cheboygan (43) and New Lothrop (39). But only Cheboygan accomplished its streak completely within the playoff era, with Hudson’s coming to an end in the first MHSAA Class C Final.
Making this run more special is that half the team has been together for nearly all of it.
Hessbrook brought his players into a huddle at the start of practice this August, and as he started looking at their faces, a thought crossed his mind.
“Wow, you guys have been around for a long time,” he told them.
Ithaca’s football players haven’t been around any longer than those on any other team in Michigan. But it sure feels that way. The Yellowjackets have played in 12 playoff games over the last three years, and five seniors who moved to varsity at the start of 2010 – receiver Markes Gadlen, linebackers Tyler Gibson and Jacob Barnes and linemen Bradley Martyn and Josh Capen – have played in 38 varsity games. That’s the equivalent of more than four regular seasons. And the team's other 12 seniors all came up for the playoffs in 2010, giving them more postseason experience than perhaps any group currently playing in this state.
During that 2010 run, they felt like they were along for the ride. Last season’s championship was about seniors like Garrett Miniard and David Brown showing they could win one too after following all-state quarterback Alex Niznak’s lead the year before. Now, these seniors similarly want to be the leaders of another title run.
But Hessbrook is sure to credit one more group – the 2009 team that played in the team's first MHSAA Semifinal.
“In 2009, that group of players raised the bar, and they made it possible, although they didn’t win,” Hessbrook said. “They didn’t get to the big game. But in 2009, for one quarter (in the Semifinal), we played with Montague (which went on to finish 14-0).
“The bar has been raised. I don’t know that the goal now is to (just) get into the playoffs. I think the kids are hungry enough that they don’t want to just get in. They want to get in and make noise.”
The name statewide observers are coming to know is that of junior quarterback Travis Smith. He took over in the 2011 opener and quarterbacked the team through the 42-14 championship game win over Constantine, throwing for 299 yards – fifth-best all-time for an MHSAA championship game.
His numbers this fall say plenty – 107 completions in 175 attempts for 1,696 yards and 30 touchdowns, with only four interceptions. Smith also leads the team with 610 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns on the ground. He’s 6-foot-2 and 200 pounds and already getting the college looks that came to Niznak during his senior season after he’d already committed to Central Michigan.
Total, the team is outscoring opponents on average 53-6. The defense is a little smaller but faster this fall, and is averaging exactly three turnovers per game.
Another stat helps it all make more sense. Teams submit the grade-point average for their top 11 players for academic all-state – and Ithaca’s group comes in at 3.85.
And visitors to Ithaca don’t get the feel they’re in a small town once they enter the stadium. Recent renovations included the addition of viewing platforms 15 feet above the track that put fans closer to the field than the first row of bleachers. There are new bathrooms and a larger concessions area, but the biggest blast comes from the 13 by 24-foot Jumbotron scoreboard that’s made the stadium feel more like the home of a Division II college team.
Hessbrook estimates at least 2,000 fans are showing up for home games, and similarly large crowds have followed his team on the road.
To Ithaca’s credit, the team is taking all of this in stride. It’s not that the streak isn’t a big deal – “It is what it is,” Hessbrook said – but the players just don’t talk about it too much.
“They’re really a mature group of seniors, really grounded, from great families with great parents who are very supportive of what we’re doing and just keep their kids grounded. The coaching staff does a good job keeping the kids grounded," Hessbrook said. "You’re only as good as your last game. Nobody’s going to care what you did last week or last month. And I think the players believe that.”
PHOTOS: (Top) Ithaca's Caden Kipp and Zach Allen (12) celebrate after a touchdown during last week's win over Grandville Calvin Christian. (Middle) Quarterback Travis Smith already is in the MHSAA record book for his performance during last season's Division 6 Final. (Click to see more from HighSchoolSportsScene.com).