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Second Half by MHSAA

Week 8 Football Playoff Listing

October 15, 2013

Here is a list of Michigan High School Athletic Association football playing schools, displaying their win-loss records and playoff averages through the seventh 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. Utica Eisenhower, 2772, 4-3, 58.429                   
2. Clarkston, 2737, 6-1, 87.286                    
3. Macomb Dakota, 2693, 7-0, 100.571                   
4. Howell, 2672, 4-3, 57.857                                         
5. Grand Blanc, 2624, 6-1, 91.000                              
6. East Kentwood ^, 2612, 5-2, 73.143                    
7. Rockford, 2572, 6-1, 91.000                                    
8. Clinton Township Chippewa Valley, 2506, 7-0, 104.000
9. Lake Orion, 2490, 6-1, 85.143                 
10. Dearborn Fordson, 2309, 4-3, 61.048               
11. Holland West Ottawa, 2293, 4-3, 59.286         
12. Northville, 2275, 6-1, 86.000                
13. Detroit Cass Tech, 2262, 7-0, 100.571               
14. Brighton ^, 2164, 5-2, 77.000                                               
15. Monroe ^, 2145, 5-2, 67.857                
16. Detroit Catholic Central, 2132, 6-1, 85.810     
17. Plymouth ^, 2126, 5-2, 67.429                             
18. Canton, 2078, 7-0, 106.286                   
19. Novi, 1986, 4-3, 55.571                                           
20. Macomb L'Anse Creuse North, 1965, 6-1, 85.000        
21. West Bloomfield, 1941, 4-3, 57.857                   
22. Saline, 1897, 6-1, 88.000                                        
23. Westland John Glenn, 1880, 4-3, 54.143         
24. Holt, 1866, 4-3, 58.000                                            
25. Warren Mott, 1796, 7-0, 92.571                          
26. Rochester Hills Stoney Creek ^, 1759, 5-2, 72.000       
27. Hudsonville, 1736, 4-3, 62.571                             
28. Ann Arbor Skyline, 1715, 4-3, 54.143
29. Grand Ledge, 1715, 4-3, 55.571                          
30. Belleville ^, 1714, 5-2, 69.714                               
31. Davison, 1692, 4-3, 47.571                    
32. Walled Lake Northern ^, 1688, 5-2, 70.714    
33. Traverse City West, 1653, 4-3, 61.857              
34. Rochester, 1615, 4-3, 55.286                
35. Waterford Kettering, 1604, 4-3, 54.571           
36. Temperance Bedford, 1600, 7-0, 108.571       
37. Grosse Pointe South, 1598, 4-3, 57.571           
38. Rochester Adams, 1582, 4-3, 60.286                 
39. Saginaw Heritage, 1575, 4-3, 57.000                 
40. Warren DeLaSalle ^, 1564, 5-2, 79.200                             
41. Walled Lake Western, 1556, 7-0, 99.429         
42. Flint Carman-Ainsworth, 1488, 6-1, 84.286    
43. Detroit U-D Jesuit, 1476, 4-3, 59.857
44. Midland, 1462, 6-1, 87.571                    
45. Ypsilanti Lincoln, 1460, 6-1, 79.714                     
46. Pinckney ^, 1452, 5-2, 72.143                              
47. Traverse City Central, 1448, 4-3, 52.952          
48. Oak Park ^, 1438, 5-2, 71.143                               
49. Detroit Martin Luther King *, 1432, 6-0, 97.714            
50. Ypsilanti Community, 1399, 4-3, 49.000           
51. Port Huron ^, 1398, 5-2, 68.548                          
52. Wyandotte Roosevelt, 1373, 7-0, 102.857      
53. Portage Central, 1372, 7-0, 99.429                     
54. Lansing Everett ^, 1369, 5-2, 63.714                  
55. Portage Northern ^, 1364, 5-2, 72.571             
56. Southfield, 1356, 6-1, 93.429                               
57. North Farmington *^, 1352, 4-3, 53.810          
58. Caledonia ^, 1350, 5-2, 66.714                             
59. Battle Creek Lakeview, 1348, 7-0, 84.571       
60. Birmingham Seaholm, 1337, 7-0, 93.714         
61. Birmingham Brother Rice, 1326, 7-0, 104.857
62. Grosse Pointe North, 1323, 4-3, 58.571           
63. Muskegon Mona Shores, 1314, 6-1, 86.429   
64. Midland Dow, 1304, 6-1, 83.000                         
65. Farmington Hills Harrison, 1300, 6-1, 91.000  
66. South Lyon ^, 1277, 5-2, 72.143                          
67. Swartz Creek, 1277, 4-3, 57.024                          
68. Birmingham Groves, 1274, 7-0, 93.714            
69. Grand Rapids Ottawa Hills, 1231, 4-3, 46.143
70. Fenton, 1188, 7-0, 97.143                      
71. Grand Rapids Northview, 1182, 4-3, 54.857   
72. Warren Woods Tower ^, 1170, 5-2, 55.429    
73. Muskegon Reeths-Puffer, 1151, 6-1, 86.143 
74. Lowell, 1146, 7-0, 110.857                     
75. Taylor Truman, 1131, 6-1, 81.714                       
76. Holly, 1124, 4-3, 55.714                                          
77. Muskegon, 1118, 6-1, 92.286                               
78. Lapeer East, 1113, 4-3, 55.714                             
79. Marquette *, 1110, 5-1, 79.381                          
80. Detroit East English ^, 1109, 5-2, 64.738          
81. Detroit Cody, 1106, 4-3, 51.429                           
82. Allen Park ^, 1103, 5-2, 72.429                            
83. Detroit Renaissance, 1097, 4-3, 48.857            
84. Detroit Mumford, 1090, 6-1, 78.571 
85. Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern, 1079, 6-1, 77.429
86. Zeeland East ^, 1071, 5-2, 72.286                       
87. Lapeer West, 1063, 6-1, 89.571                           
88. Redford Thurston, 1063, 4-3, 60.714
89. Byron Center ^, 1039, 5-2, 63.714                      
90. Mt. Pleasant, 1033, 6-1, 87.714                           
91. Riverview ^, 993, 5-2, 59.857                               
92. St. Joseph, 986, 7-0, 97.143                  
93. Petoskey, 965, 4-3, 55.571                    
94. Mason ^, 958, 5-2, 62.000                                     
95. East Grand Rapids, 949, 4-3, 56.857                  
96. Linden, 944, 4-3, 52.000                                         
97. DeWitt, 941, 7-0, 101.943                      
98. Sault Ste. Marie, 928, 4-3, 52.857                       
99. Grand Rapids Christian, 927, 6-1, 87.571         
100. Detroit Denby ^, 909, 5-2, 60.833                    
101. Haslett ^, 907, 5-2, 65.143                  
102. Stevensville Lakeshore, 892, 4-3, 51.429      
103. Fruitport ^, 886, 5-2, 58.571                               
104. Romulus, 882, 4-3, 44.000                                   
105. Milan, 872, 7-0, 94.857                                         
106. St. Clair, 869, 7-0, 92.571                                     
107. Tecumseh ^, 869, 5-2, 66.000                            
108. Sturgis, 868, 4-3, 53.286                                       
109. Wayland Union, 861, 4-3, 59.143                     
110. Melvindale, 860, 6-1, 84.286                              
111. Plainwell, 852, 6-1, 77.429                  
112. Ionia ^, 851, 5-2, 62.000                                       
113. Sparta ^, 851, 5-2, 61.571                    
114. Eaton Rapids, 844, 4-3, 49.143                          
115. Detroit Old Redford *, 838, 5-2, 59.571         
116. Zeeland West, 833, 6-1, 78.286                        
117. Charlotte ^, 830, 5-2, 71.000                                              
118. Battle Creek Harper Creek, 823, 6-1, 76.286               
119. Dearborn Heights Annapolis, 818, 4-3, 49.143
120. North Branch, 809, 6-1, 70.429                         
121. Marysville, 791, 4-3, 51.000                                
122. Detroit Collegiate Prep, 790, 4-3, 44.286      
123. Three Rivers, 789, 4-3, 43.429                           
124. Edwardsburg, 787, 7-0, 81.143                          
125. Holland Christian, 785, 4-3, 50.000                  
126. Spring Lake, 783, 6-1, 72.714                             
127. Cadillac, 779, 7-0, 94.095                     
128. Ogemaw Heights ^, 754, 5-2, 63.381              
129. Croswell-Lexington, 738, 4-3, 47.714             
130. Pontiac Notre Dame Prep ^, 732, 5-2, 65.571             
131. Harper Woods Chandler Park Academy, 724, 6-1, 70.476
132. Yale ^, 704, 5-2, 58.143                                        
133. Comstock Park, 701, 7-0, 98.667                      
134. Detroit Country Day, 700, 4-3, 54.571            
135. Fremont, 697, 4-3, 40.714                   
136. St. Clair Shores South Lake, 690, 4-3, 49.571               
137. Otsego ^, 688, 5-2, 54.143                  
138. Corunna, 686, 4-3, 45.143                   
139. Lansing Sexton, 684, 7-0, 99.429                      
140. Grand Rapids Catholic Central, 678, 4-3, 48.429
141. Allendale *, 676, 6-1, 77.429                              
142. Cheboygan ^, 660, 5-2, 66.238                          
143. Belding, 654, 4-3, 44.429                     
144. Battle Creek Pennfield, 652, 6-1, 65.857       
145. Williamston *^, 651, 4-3, 46.714                      
146. Grand Rapids South Christian, 645, 6-1, 81.857
147. Saginaw Swan Valley, 644, 7-0, 85.714          
148. Richmond, 642, 6-1, 74.000                
149. Dearborn Heights Robichaud, 635, 4-3, 54.714
150. Grosse Ile, 632, 4-3, 47.571                
151. Paw Paw, 632, 7-0, 78.857                  
152. Dowagiac, 621, 6-1, 67.000                                 
153. Lake Fenton, 613, 6-1, 70.429                           
154. Ludington, 610, 4-3, 43.000                                
155. Remus Chippewa Hills, 600, 4-3, 43.286        
156. Marine City, 596, 7-0, 98.286                             
157. Wyoming Kelloggsville ^, 591, 5-2, 53.286    
158. Clawson ^, 584, 5-2, 55.429                
159. Essexville Garber ^, 583, 5-2, 60.857              
160. Livonia Clarenceville, 577, 7-0, 84.571            
161. Portland *, 572, 7-0, 89.143                               
162. Freeland, 568, 6-1, 69.429                  
163. River Rouge, 568, 6-1, 57.619                            
164. Kingsford ^, 561, 5-2, 56.095                             
165. Wyoming Godwin Heights, 560, 4-3, 36.000
166. Parchment, 552, 4-3, 43.286                              
167. Ovid-Elsie ^, 549, 5-2, 55.429                             
168. Ann Arbor Gabriel Richard, 544, 6-1, 77.429
169. Clinton Township Clintondale, 544, 7-0, 81.143
170. North Muskegon ^, 541, 5-2, 51.571              |
171. Gladwin ^, 539, 5-2, 55.000                                
172. Frankenmuth, 527, 6-1, 79.000                         
173. Hopkins ^, 527, 5-2, 66.286                
174. Almont, 524, 6-1, 71.571                     
175. Newaygo, 523, 6-1, 66.000                                 
176. Standish-Sterling Central *, 520, 6-1, 72.571               
177. Olivet, 505, 6-1, 63.571                        
178. Ida ^, 504, 5-2, 60.143                                          
179. Detroit University Prep ^, 501, 5-2, 52.714  
180. Menominee, 501, 7-0, 86.857                           
181. Muskegon Oakridge, 496, 6-1, 67.143           
182. Grayling, 494, 6-1, 63.286                    
183. Reed City, 490, 7-0, 83.429                 
184. Riverview Gabriel Richard ^, 490, 5-2, 56.857             
185. Dundee ^, 489, 5-2, 45.857                
186. Lansing Catholic, 480, 4-3, 50.429                    
187. Clare ^, 451, 5-2, 51.857                                      
188. Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central, 445, 6-1, 76.286
189. Jackson Lumen Christi, 441, 7-0, 93.714        
190. Kingsley ^, 439, 5-2, 48.286                
191. Houghton, 437, 4-3, 34.196                
192. Roscommon, 431, 4-3, 36.286                           
193. Millington ^, 430, 5-2, 59.571                            
194. Warren Michigan Collegiate ^, 428, 5-2, 57.143
195. Kalkaska ^, 425, 5-2, 49.429                               
196. Madison Heights Madison, 424, 7-0, 86.857
197. Sanford Meridian, 423, 6-1, 61.143 
198. Michigan Center, 416, 6-1, 56.714   
199. Negaunee, 416, 6-1, 52.286                               
200. Hanover-Horton, 412, 4-3, 35.857                   
201. Montrose Hill-McCloy, 411, 7-0, 82.286        
202. Lakeview ^, 409, 5-2, 56.429                              
203. Grass Lake, 402, 6-1, 64.714                               
204. Shelby, 401, 7-0, 76.571                                       
205. Elk Rapids ^, 400, 5-2, 57.143                             
206. Ithaca, 399, 7-0, 80 .000                       
207. Manchester, 398, 6-1, 61.429                            
208. Hillsdale, 397, 4-3, 47.429                    
209. Niles Brandywine, 397, 7-0, 79.286 
210. Jonesville, 389, 6-1, 66.000                 
211. Grandville Calvin Christian, 388, 4-3, 47.143
212. Maple City Glen Lake, 388, 7-0, 72.000                          
213. Watervliet, 387, 7-0, 62.857                               
214. Vassar, 385, 4-3, 36.429                                       
215. Boyne City, 383, 6-1, 62.571                               
216. Clinton, 383, 7-0, 76.571                      
217. Byron Area, 380, 6-1, 58.000                              
218. Constantine ^, 379, 5-2, 46.857                        
219. Adrian Madison, 374, 4-3, 35.000                    
220. Burton Bendle ^, 374, 5-2, 51.476                   
221. Montague ^, 373, 5-2, 58.714                           
222. St. Charles, 367, 4-3, 36.000                                               
223. Quincy, 361, 4-3, 32.571                                      
224. Hartford, 351, 4-3, 39.000                                   
225. Cass City, 350, 4-3, 35.714                  
226. Indian River Inland Lakes ^, 348, 5-2, 40.333               
227. Schoolcraft, 346, 6-1, 70.429                              
228. Flint Beecher ^, 345, 5-2, 55.286                      
229. Reese, 337, 6-1, 58.000                        
230. Saginaw Nouvel, 333, 6-1, 73.429                    
231. Marlette, 332, 7-0, 69.714                  
232. Grand Rapids NorthPointe Christian, 331, 6-1, 68.000
233. McBain, 326, 4-3, 38.571                     
234. Bath, 325, 4-3, 38.000                                           
235. Hesperia, 324, 4-3, 38.714                  
236. Carson City-Crystal, 323, 7-0, 74.286              
237. Bridgman, 320, 4-3, 39.000                                 
238. Lake City, 314, 6-1, 55.714                  
239. Whittemore-Prescott ^, 309, 5-2, 49.571     
240. Springport ^, 308, 5-2, 47.286                           
241. Lawton, 307, 7-0, 60.571                     
242. Southfield Christian, 306, 6-1, 55.571             
243. East Jordan, 302, 4-3, 33.857                             
244. Elkton-Pigeon-Bay Port Laker ^, 301, 5-2, 51.714
245. Ishpeming, 301, 7-0, 67.857                   &

Next Players Up Keep Whiteford Surging

October 5, 2017

By Doug Donnelly
Special for Second Half

OTTAWA LAKE – For many smaller Class C football teams, losing four starters to injuries during the first six weeks of the season would be devastating.

In Ottawa Lake, however, probably only those close to the Whiteford football program have noticed.

Despite the injury bug, the Bobcats are rolling like never before in school history. They are 6-0, averaging 53 points per game and sit alone atop the Tri-County Conference. The key is an unusual amount of depth – and a 28-player roster with 14 seniors and 14 juniors.

“Some of it has to do with a couple of innate classes, with more than the usual amount of kids,” sixth-year Bobcats coach Jason Mensing said. “There’s always an ebb and flow from one grade to the next. But, what we are experiencing is different. In Hunter Lake, not only did we lose a running back, but he was also a cornerback, kick returner and punt returner. And, Alex (Kohler) is a second-year starting guard, but is also our punter and he kicked off.”

Typically, only two or three players start on both sides of the ball for the Bobcats – a rare occurrence for a team has played in the Division 8 playoffs each of the past four seasons (they were in Division 7 in 2012).

“We try and coach every kid the same,” Mensing said. “That’s a very important piece. We really try and develop every player into a starting player. The ultimate goal is to make sure every kid gets on the field.”

Part of the reason the Bobcats have developed such depth is their deep playoff runs the past couple of seasons. The 2015 team advanced to the Division 8 Semifinals, and last year the Bobcats played in the championship game at Ford Field against Muskegon Catholic Central. Since Mensing arrived at Whiteford, he has invited every junior varsity player to practice with the varsity for all of the playoff weeks.

“Those playoff runs have allowed our JV players a ton of extra practice over the past couple of seasons,” Mensing said. “If you think about that, it’s another season and then some. That makes a really big difference, especially the first two weeks or so of the next season. The players come in and already know what to expect, and they know the routine and the pace. They are playing at a higher level at an earlier time.”

Mensing and his staff of 10 varsity coaches work with grades 9-12 in practice on a daily basis.

“That’s a critical piece of coaching – every kid is receiving the same instruction,” he said.

A Tecumseh graduate and former Adrian College football player, Mensing is 53-13 since becoming head coach of the Bobcats, giving him the highest winning percentage of any coach in school history. The program has never been stronger – six straight playoff appearances, a 9-0 regular season last year and two consecutive 9-0 seasons by the JV team. He said he developed his coaching style from playing small college football.

“My background is small college football,” he said. “It always seemed to me to be the best way to operate that I know.”

Whiteford’s offense has rushed for more than 2,200 yards heading into Friday’s game against Sand Creek – an average of about 10 yards a carry. Many of those yards are gained behind 6-foot-5, 280-pound all-state tackle Lucas Tesznar. Jacob Lewis, Jordan Book and Jaret Atherton all are starting for a second year on the offensive line. There are five solid backups in the mix, too, who have received plenty of playing time even though Whiteford has had a running clock at some point in each of its six games.

“At the line of scrimmage we have guys who can come in and play that would start in just about any other year,” Mensing said.

Whiteford lost two 1,000-yard running backs to graduation after last season, but have found several capable replacements in six juniors: Logan Murphy (823 yards on just 61 carries), Zach Bertz (266 yards and 10 touchdowns), Nathan Bauman (258 yards), Ty Eitniear (188 yards) and Lake (148 yards in three games). Bradyn Clark-Gilmore started the season at running back and had a 100-yard game but shifted to tight end and is now the leading receiver on the team (280 yards on 11 receptions).

Thomas Eitniear is the Bobcats’ quarterback. As the starting signal-caller, Eitniear is 29-4, already setting a record for most starts and wins by a Whiteford QB. He holds the school record for career passing touchdowns and is nearing the school record for career passing yards. This season he has 567 yards passing and 409 yards rushing. He’s committed to play baseball at the University of Toledo next year.

“We’ve got a Division I athlete playing quarterback,” Mensing said. “He is a difference-maker. I can’t tell you how many drives or even games have changed over the last three years because of him making a big play.”

Inside linebacker Eli Shelton, safety Abba Risley, cornerback Ty Eitniear (three interceptions) and end Ethan Inman have been standouts on defense. Jack Garrison stepped up when Lake was injured and had several big games. One of the few two-way starters, Matthew Taylor, has been solid all season.

Mensing said players like Thomas Eitniear and Murphy won’t put up gaudy numbers because of the system they are in, but that doesn’t make them any less effective.

“It’s not about any one individual effort,” he said. “It’s about a collective group. That’s what we’ve always been about.”

Whiteford is seeking to win back-to-back league championships for the first time in more than 50 years, the last time when it was a member of the River Raisin Conference. They have games remaining against Sand Creek (3-3), Clinton (4-2) and Britton Deerfield (1-5) on the regular-season schedule. Then the playoffs begin. Lake and Kohler are expected back before the end of the season to help solidify the depth.

“We still have room to show improvement from week to week,” Mensing said. “As long as we continue to improve, and if we can continue to get better over the next three weeks, it will determine where we will end up on the season.”

Doug Donnelly has served as a sports and news reporter and city editor over 25 years, writing for the Daily Chief-Union in Upper Sandusky, Ohio from 1992-1995, the Monroe Evening News from 1995-2012 and the Adrian Daily Telegram since 2013. He's also written a book on high school basketball in Monroe County and compiles record books for various schools in southeast Michigan. E-mail him at [email protected] with story ideas for Lenawee and Monroe counties.

PHOTOS: (Top) Ottawa Lake Whiteford’s Eli Shelton, standing for the national anthem, is one of the defense’s standouts this fall. (Middle) Quarterback Thomas Eitniear takes off around a corner during his third season as a starter. (Below) From left: Jacob Lewis, Lucas Tesznar and coach Jason Mensing confer on the sideline. (Top and middle photos by Carl Hayes, below photo by Doug Donnelly.)