Zeeland West Puts 'T' in 3rd MHSAA Title
November 30, 2013
By Bill Khan
Special to Second Half
DETROIT — Danny Bauder would rather trade touches for trophies.
In most other offenses, a player of Bauder's ability would be a featured running back. What team wouldn't want to keep feeding the rock to a kid who ran for 1,796 yards and 28 touchdowns this season?
Bauder did all of that damage, despite the fact he shares the load in the shell game that is Zeeland West's run-oriented Wing-T offense.
He once again had maximum impact on minimal carries, running eight times for 144 yards and a touchdown in West's 34-27 victory over DeWitt in the MHSAA Division 3 championship game Saturday at Ford Field.
Two teammates had more carries than Bauder, as the Dux rolled up 441 rushing yards on 66 carries. Cole Hession had 26 carries for 122 yards, quarterback Casey Brinks had 11 carries for 66 yards and Grant Postma had six carries for 71 yards and two touchdowns.
They all shared in the same accomplishment with their teammates — West's third MHSAA title in the nine-year history of the school. The Dux (13-1) were Division 4 champions in 2006 and 2011.
"I love (our offense), because everyone has a chance to get the ball," said Bauder, who got things rolling with an 80-yard touchdown run on the second play from scrimmage. "We have three backs. We rotate them like every other drive. It's a good team offense. It's a team. I don't mind, just as long as we win."
Led by its ground attack, West appeared to be on the verge of running away with this one, building a 28-7 halftime lead.
The Panthers wouldn't allow the Dux to coast to the championship that easily, however.
A 56-yard touchdown run by Chris Ruby and a 29-yard scoring strike from Jake Johnson to Josh Borta in a 72-second span got DeWitt within 28-20 with 6:50 left in the third quarter.
West responded with a 25-yard touchdown run by Brinks with 2:57 to go in the third, but an offense that averaged 48.9 points per game coming into the contest wouldn't score again. Junior defensive back Ben Zamiara led DeWitt's defensive charge with a game-high 20 tackles, 11 more than anyone else on either team. The Panthers held West to 1-for-4 on fourth-down conversions.
"I'm pretty sore right now," Hession said. "This is one of the games I've come out of the most sore. I can feel it right now, and my adrenaline is still rushing. Props to them, because they came out and they had three or four series where they stopped us on fourth down. Not many teams can do that. They're just good."
DeWitt closed the deficit to seven points when Johnson rolled left and hit a wide-open Borta for a 75-yard touchdown with 4:25 left in the game.
The Panthers' offense would watch the rest of the game on the sidelines. The Dux milked some clock by getting two first downs before dropping back to punt from its own 48 for the only time in the game. Postma barely got off the punt, but was knocked to the ground when a DeWitt defender caught him on the leg while going for a block. West retained the ball, running out the remaining 32 seconds by taking a knee one time.
"Our punter was already hurt," West coach John Shillito said. "He was on one leg. So, it was a great effort by Grant to get the ball off and it was a break for us. We knew the game was over. You knew that all you had to do was take a knee."
DeWitt coach Rob Zimmerman said going for the block was a risk the Panthers had to take, given the time on the clock and the potential field position.
"If they punt and pin us down at the 10, that's a long way to go," Zimmerman said. "We went for it. Obviously, it didn't turn out in our favor. You have to take chances when you're in that situation."
DeWitt tried in vain to play catch-up all night after falling behind 8-0 when Bauder took the ball around the left side of the Dux line and broke into the clear for an 80-yard touchdown just 45 seconds into the game. West, which attempted (and missed) only one extra-point kick all year, got two points on a pass from Brinks to Zach Poppema.
West scored on four of its five possessions in the first half, failing only on its second series when a fourth-and-five run from the DeWitt 13 came up a yard short.
The Dux shook off that temporary setback and scored on a 7-yard pass from Brinks to Hession on the first play of the second quarter. Hession ran for the 2-point conversion to make it 16-0.
Following a fumble at the West 49, the Dux took a 22-0 lead on an 18-yard run up the middle by Postma with 6:45 left in the first half. Brinks' conversion run failed.
DeWitt (13-1) finally put a drive together and got back in the game on a 4-yard touchdown pass from Johnson to Justice Shankel with 3:15 left in the first half. Cameron West's extra point made it a 22-7 game.
The Dux didn't get away from their ground game with time winding down in the first half, throwing only one pass on a seven-play, 80-yard drive that yielded a 12-yard touchdown run by Postma with 1:04 to go in the half. Postma's 2-point run failed, resulting in a 28-7 halftime lead for West.
"We dug ourselves too deep a hole," Zimmerman said. "I felt if we got one more possession, we had a shot."
Johnson, a junior, was 15 for 24 passing for 289 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions for DeWitt. Brinks was 3 for 5 for 35 yards and a touchdown for West.
Borta grabbed five passes for 183 yards and two touchdowns.
PHOTOS: (Top) Zeeland West running back Danny Bauder scampers ahead during Saturday's Division 3 Final. (Middle) DeWitt quarterback Jake Johnson tries to pull away from a Dux defender's grasp. (Photos by Hockey Weekly Action Photos).
Week 9 Football Playoff Listing: Top 40 in 11-Player Divisions & Top 24 in 8-Player Divisions
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
October 20, 2021
Here is a list of Michigan High School Athletic Association football playing schools, displaying their win-loss records and playoff averages through the eighth week of the season.
Schools on this list are divided by division and ordered by playoff average. The top 32 teams by playoff average in each 11-player division and top 16 teams by playoff average in each 8-player division will qualify for the MHSAA Football Playoffs beginning Oct. 29. Divisions were determined prior to the start of the season, and the lists below include not only teams currently positioned to potentially qualify, but also the next eight teams in each division.
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 at 5:30 p.m. Oct. 24 on the “Selection Sunday Show” on Bally Sports Detroit. The playoff qualifiers and pairings will be posted to the MHSAA Website following the Selection Sunday Show.
11-PLAYER DIVISION 1
1. Rockford, 8-0, 81.375
2. Grand Blanc, 8-0, 80.875
3. Saline, 8-0, 80.625
4. Rochester Adams, 8-0, 78.500
5. Romeo, 7-1, 76.125
6. West Bloomfield, 7-1, 75.250
7. Troy, 8-0, 71.750
8. Brownstown Woodhaven, 8-0, 71.625
9. Belleville, 7-1, 71.375
9. Hartland, 7-1, 71.375
11. Clarkston, 7-1, 70.750
12. Sterling Heights Stevenson, 6-2, 70.625
13. Howell, 7-1, 70.500
14. Bloomfield Hills, 8-0, 70.375
15. Ann Arbor Huron, 7-1, 69.500
16. Clinton Township Chippewa Valley, 6-2, 69.125
17. Detroit Catholic Central, 6-2, 67.518
18. Dearborn Fordson, 6-2, 66.250
19. Dearborn, 6-2, 66.125
20. New Baltimore Anchor Bay, 7-1, 65.500
21. Grandville, 5-3, 62.375
22. Macomb Dakota, 5-3, 61.125
23. Holt, 6-2, 60.750
24. Canton, 5-3, 59.250
25. Traverse City West, 6-2, 59.125
26. Lapeer, 6-2, 58.875
27. Oxford, 4-4, 58.500
28. Grand Ledge, 6-2, 56.375
29. Troy Athens, 5-3, 54.839
30. Novi, 5-3, 54.750
31. Monroe, 4-4, 52.000
32. Brighton, 4-4, 51.750
33. Hudsonville, 4-4, 51.250
33. Utica, 4-4, 51.250
35. Davison, 5-3, 50.750
35. Rochester, 5-3, 50.750
37. Detroit Cass Tech, 5-3, 50.482
38. Fraser, 5-3, 49.875
39. Livonia Stevenson, 4-4, 49.625
39. Rochester Hills Stoney Creek, 3-5, 49.625
11-PLAYER DIVISION 2
1. Warren De La Salle Collegiate, 7-0, 77.643
2. South Lyon, 8-0, 76.696
3. Caledonia, 7-1, 72.500
4. Traverse City Central, 7-1, 68.500
5. Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central, 7-1, 66.500
6. Milford, 7-1, 66.250
7. Berkley, 6-2, 65.625
8. Temperance Bedford, 6-2, 64.750
9. Livonia Churchill, 6-2, 63.125
10. East Lansing, 5-3, 62.625
10. Harrison Township L'Anse Creuse, 6-2, 62.625
12. Port Huron Northern, 6-2, 61.804
13. Port Huron, 6-2, 61.250
14. Midland Dow, 5-3, 60.500
15. Muskegon Mona Shores, 6-2, 60.196
16. Portage Central, 6-2, 59.750
17. Byron Center, 6-2, 58.208
18. Dexter, 5-3, 57.250
19. Walled Lake Western, 5-3, 55.750
20. White Lake Lakeland, 5-3, 55.000
21. Bay City Western, 6-2, 53.500
22. Battle Creek Lakeview, 5-3, 53.357
23. Roseville, 5-3, 51.804
24. Grosse Pointe South, 4-4, 50.839
25. Dearborn Heights Crestwood, 6-2, 50.375
25. Waterford Mott, 4-4, 50.375
27. Saginaw Heritage, 4-4, 48.500
28. St. Clair Shores Lakeview, 4-4, 47.750
29. Fenton, 4-4, 47.625
30. Livonia Franklin, 3-5, 46.500
31. Wyandotte Roosevelt, 4-4, 46.125
32. Detroit U-D Jesuit, 4-4, 46.054
33. Jackson, 4-4, 45.000
34. Swartz Creek, 4-4, 44.750
35. Farmington, 3-5, 42.125
36. Ypsilanti Lincoln, 3-5, 42.000
37. Oak Park, 3-5, 41.750
38. North Farmington, 3-5, 41.500
39. Warren Mott, 3-5, 39.750
40. Flushing, 4-4, 39.625
11-PLAYER DIVISION 3
1. DeWitt, 7-1, 72.750
2. Detroit Martin Luther King, 7-1, 70.881
3. Mount Pleasant, 8-0, 67.375
4. Muskegon, 7-1, 65.571
5. Gibraltar Carlson, 7-1, 64.125
6. Allen Park, 6-2, 62.500
7. Harper Woods, 6-2, 59.964
8. Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice, 5-3, 57.839
9. Riverview, 8-0, 57.500
10. Stevensville Lakeshore, 6-2, 57.250
11. Zeeland West, 5-2, 55.232
12. Marquette, 6-2, 54.500
13. Cedar Springs, 6-2, 53.500
14. Mason, 6-2, 53.000
15. Warren Fitzgerald, 7-1, 52.375
16. Battle Creek Harper Creek, 6-2, 51.875
17. St Joseph, 5-3, 51.750
18. River Rouge, 5-2, 51.417
19. Haslett, 6-2, 51.125
20. Orchard Lake St. Mary's, 5-3, 50.873
21. Zeeland East, 5-3, 49.732
22. Flint Kearsley, 5-3, 49.125
23. Pinckney, 5-3, 48.375
24. Trenton, 4-4, 48.250
25. Lowell, 4-4, 46.750
26. Coopersville, 5-3, 46.125
27. Parma Western, 5-3, 45.375
28. Melvindale, 5-3, 43.000
29. Grand Rapids Northview, 4-4, 41.125
30. Mattawan, 3-5, 40.464
31. Battle Creek Central, 3-5, 39.375
32. Auburn Hills Avondale, 3-5, 39.250
33. South Lyon East, 3-5, 38.875
34. Ionia, 4-4, 38.000
35. Linden, 3-5, 37.375
36. Richland Gull Lake, 4-4, 36.875
37. Coldwater, 3-5, 36.625
38. East Grand Rapids, 3-5, 36.107
39. Muskegon Reeths-Puffer, 3-5, 35.732
40. Petoskey, 3-5, 35.125
11-PLAYER DIVISION 4
1. Chelsea, 8-0, 65.986
2. Hudsonville Unity Christian, 8-0, 64.875
3. Edwardsburg, 8-0, 63.000
4. Vicksburg, 7-1, 60.625
5. Lake Fenton, 7-1, 58.625
6. Hastings, 7-1, 58.500
7. Redford Union, 7-1, 58.375
8. Cadillac, 6-2, 56.250
9. St. Clair, 6-2, 55.179
10. Grand Rapids Christian, 5-3, 54.875
11. Livonia Clarenceville, 7-1, 54.625
12. Spring Lake, 6-2, 53.625
13. Goodrich, 6-2, 53.500
13. Madison Heights Lamphere, 7-1, 53.500
15. Freeland, 7-1, 52.625
16. Grand Rapids South Christian, 6-2, 51.250
17. Pontiac Notre Dame Prep, 7-1, 50.911
18. Croswell-Lexington, 7-1, 50.875
19. Detroit Country Day, 5-2, 47.750
20. Milan, 6-2, 47.625
21. Sparta, 6-2, 47.315
22. Plainwell, 5-3, 46.875
22. Three Rivers, 5-3, 46.875
24. Whitehall, 7-1, 46.750
25. Paw Paw, 5-3, 46.250
26. Ortonville Brandon, 5-3, 44.679
27. North Branch, 6-2, 44.625
28. Ada Forest Hills Eastern, 4-4, 43.625
29. Charlotte, 5-3, 43.500
30. Niles, 4-4, 42.125
31. Fruitport, 4-4, 41.750
32. Romulus Summit Academy North, 6-2, 41.438
33. Detroit Henry Ford, 4-4, 40.143
34. New Boston Huron, 4-4, 39.750
35. Wyoming Godwin Heights, 4-3, 36.798
36. Alma, 4-4, 36.750
37. Sault Ste. Marie, 5-3, 34.125
38. Battle Creek Pennfield, 3-5, 33.625
39. Allendale, 3-5, 33.125
39. Lansing Sexton, 3-5, 33.125
39. Romulus, 3-5, 33.125
11-PLAYER DIVISION 5
1. Grand Rapids Catholic Central, 8-0, 68.042
2. Frankenmuth, 8-0, 61.000
3. Grand Rapids West Catholic, 7-1, 60.750
4. Marine City, 8-0, 58.000
5. Portland, 6-2, 55.875
6. Comstock Park, 8-0, 54.649
7. Berrien Springs, 8-0, 52.750
8. Williamston, 5-3, 51.000
9. Kingsley, 8-0, 49.250
10. Muskegon Oakridge, 7-1, 48.768
11. Armada, 6-2, 47.125
12. Gladwin, 8-0, 46.250
13. Howard City Tri County, 7-1, 45.250
14. Belding, 5-3, 44.226
15. Kingsford, 5-3, 44.153
16. Essexville Garber, 5-3, 42.125
17. Olivet, 6-2, 41.500
18. Kalamazoo Hackett Catholic Prep, 5-3, 40.607
19. South Haven, 6-2, 40.306
20. Saginaw Swan Valley, 4-4, 39.500
21. Big Rapids, 5-3, 39.125
21. Dundee, 5-3, 39.125
23. Hopkins, 4-4, 38.315
24. Macomb Lutheran North, 5-3, 37.920
25. Clare, 5-3, 37.625
26. Corunna, 4-4, 36.875
27. Flint Powers Catholic, 2-6, 36.750
28. Richmond, 4-4, 35.375
29. St. Clair Shores South Lake, 4-4, 34.000
30. Carrollton, 4-4, 32.125
31. Parchment, 5-3, 31.393
32. Detroit Cody, 4-4, 30.750
33. Grant, 3-5, 30.583
34. Flint Hamady, 5-3, 30.554
35. Birch Run, 3-5, 30.000
36. Cheboygan, 3-5, 29.875
37. Shepherd, 4-4, 29.625
38. Flat Rock, 2-6, 28.750
39. Ogemaw Heights, 2-6, 28.500
40. Midland Bullock Creek, 3-5, 28.375
11-PLAYER DIVISION 6
1. Lansing Catholic, 8-0, 61.750
2. Reed City, 7-1, 49.750
3. Constantine, 8-0, 48.393
4. Millington, 8-0, 45.375
5. Ida, 6-2, 43.875
6. Standish-Sterling, 7-1, 43.750
7. Montague, 6-2, 43.518
8. Warren Michigan Collegiate, 6-2, 42.920
9. Detroit Southeastern, 5-3, 42.893
10. Almont, 5-3, 41.750
11. Negaunee, 7-1, 41.661
12. Dearborn Heights Robichaud, 5-3, 41.250
13. Grayling, 6-2, 40.804
14. Boyne City, 7-1, 40.643
15. Jonesville, 8-0, 40.375
16. Menominee, 5-3, 40.292
17. Clawson, 6-2, 39.875
18. Ecorse, 6-2, 39.625
19. Central Montcalm, 5-3, 38.625
20. Ovid-Elsie, 6-2, 37.589
21. Clinton Township Clintondale, 4-4, 37.250
22. Michigan Center, 7-1, 37.000
23. Clinton, 6-2, 36.607
24. Gladstone, 4-4, 36.125
25. Detroit Pershing, 5-3, 36.063
26. Manistee, 5-3, 36.036
27. Calumet, 6-2, 35.375
28. Watervliet, 5-3, 34.750
29. Durand, 5-3, 32.839
30. Detroit Edison, 5-3, 32.607
31. Detroit Collegiate Prep, 4-4, 31.330
32. Erie Mason, 5-3, 31.000
33. Adrian Madison, 5-3, 30.500
34. Morley Stanwood, 5-3, 30.232
35. Detroit Osborn, 4-4, 29.750
36. Hillsdale, 3-5, 29.250
37. Buchanan, 3-5, 28.750
38. Kent City, 5-2, 28.679
39. Lake City, 5-3, 28.554
40. Maple City Glen Lake, 3-5, 28.125
11-PLAYER DIVISION 7
1. Jackson Lumen Christi, 7-1, 57.875
2. Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central, 7-1, 54.250
3. Traverse City St. Francis, 8-0, 51.500
4. Detroit Central, 8-0, 50.482
5. Pewamo-Westphalia, 8-0, 45.429
6. Muskegon Catholic Central, 7-1, 44.500
7. Madison Heights Bishop Foley, 7-1, 42.857
8. Lawton, 8-0, 42.232
9. Ishpeming Westwood, 7-1, 38.911
10. New Lothrop, 6-2, 38.714
11. Charlevoix, 7-1, 38.518
12. Montrose, 6-2, 38.000
13. Evart, 7-1, 37.804
14. Detroit Community, 6-2, 36.938
15. Hemlock, 5-3, 36.750
16. Delton Kellogg, 5-2, 36.482
17. Lutheran Westland, 7-1, 36.375
18. Ravenna, 5-3, 36.268
19. Detroit Loyola, 3-4, 36.179
20. Bad Axe, 7-1, 35.750
20. Reese, 7-1, 35.750
22. Ithaca, 5-3, 34.375
23. Elkton-Pigeon-Bay Port Laker, 6-2, 33.500
24. McBain, 5-3, 32.554
25. Detroit Leadership Academy, 5-3, 31.875
26. Mancelona, 5-2, 31.732
27. Burton Bendle, 5-3, 30.429
28. Homer, 5-3, 30.125
29. Union City, 4-4, 29.875
30. North Muskegon, 3-5, 29.393
31. Harrison, 5-3, 28.875
32. St. Louis, 5-3, 28.375
33. Niles Brandywine, 3-5, 27.875
34. Laingsburg, 5-3, 27.679
35. Burton Bentley, 4-4, 27.554
36. East Jordan, 6-2, 26.839
37. L'Anse, 4-4, 25.250
38. Madison Heights Madison, 2-6, 23.625
39. Beaverton, 3-5, 23.375
40. Hanover-Horton, 3-5, 23.125
11-PLAYER DIVISION 8
1. Hudson, 8-0, 48.250
2. Ottawa Lake Whiteford, 7-1, 42.958
3. Addison, 8-0, 41.875
4. Carson City-Crystal, 7-1, 39.500
5. Beal City, 7-1, 38.875
6. Ubly, 8-0, 37.804
7. Clarkston Everest Collegiate, 7-1, 36.250
8. Iron Mountain, 5-3, 35.286
9. White Pigeon, 7-1, 34.181
10. Centreville, 6-2, 32.288
11. Flint Beecher, 4-4, 32.179
12. Muskegon Heights Academy, 5-3, 31.679
13. Breckenridge, 6-2, 31.625
13. Reading, 6-2, 31.625
15. Frankfort, 6-2, 31.375
16. Marine City Cardinal Mooney, 6-2, 29.875
17. Sand Creek, 5-3, 29.625
18. Fowler, 5-3, 29.446
19. Marlette, 5-3, 29.179
20. Whitmore Lake, 5-3, 29.000
21. Harbor Beach, 5-3, 28.929
22. Mount Clemens, 5-3, 28.688
23. Saugatuck, 5-3, 27.946
24. Cass City, 4-4, 27.875
24. Petersburg Summerfield, 5-3, 27.875
26. Cassopolis, 5-3, 27.538
27. Holton, 5-3, 27.411
28. White Cloud, 4-4, 25.286
29. Rochester Hills Lutheran Northwest, 4-4, 25.125
30. Bark River-Harris, 5-3, 24.750
31. Decatur, 3-5, 23.625
32. Allen Park Cabrini, 4-4, 23.375
33. Saginaw Nouvel, 3-5, 23.250
34. Dansville, 4-4, 22.679
35. Riverview Gabriel Richard, 2-5, 22.268
36. Vassar, 3-5, 21.750
37. Coleman, 4-4, 20.625
38. Melvindale Academy for Business & Tech, 3-5, 20.563
39. Ishpeming, 3-4, 19.589
40. Unionville-Sebewaing, 2-6, 19.250
8-PLAYER DIVISION 1
1. Adrian Lenawee Christian, 8-0, 38.179
2. Suttons Bay, 8-0, 36.875
3. Martin, 8-0, 35.125
4. Deckerville, 7-0, 33.893
5. Rogers City, 8-0, 33.411
6. Britton Deerfield, 8-0, 33.196
7. Indian River Inland Lakes, 8-0, 32.500
8. Pickford, 7-1, 32.054
9. Munising, 6-2, 31.554
10. Mendon, 6-2, 30.750
11. Lawrence, 6-2, 30.000
12. Newberry, 6-2, 28.179
13. Rudyard, 6-2, 27.804
14. Tekonsha, 6-2, 27.750
15. Mesick, 5-3, 27.357
16. Ontonagon, 5-3, 26.125
17. Genesee, 5-2, 26.054
18. Vestaburg, 5-3, 25.982
19. Merrill, 4-4, 25.625
20. Kingston, 4-4, 24.661
21. Norway, 4-4, 24.500
22. Stephenson, 4-4, 24.125
23. Brethren, 3-5, 23.089
24. Marcellus, 4-4, 23.000
8-PLAYER DIVISION 2
1. Au Gres-Sims, 8-0, 34.750
2. Marion, 7-1, 34.732
3. Portland St. Patrick, 8-0, 34.500
4. Kinde North Huron, 8-0, 34.375
5. Morrice, 8-0, 34.268
6. Powers North Central, 8-0, 34.000
7. Colon, 7-1, 32.482
8. Pellston, 7-1, 31.250
9. Crystal Falls Forest Park, 7-1, 30.500
10. Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart, 6-2, 29.571
11. Mio, 6-2, 29.250
12. Lake Linden-Hubbell, 6-2, 28.500
13. Climax-Scotts, 5-3, 28.107
14. Peck, 5-3, 26.125
15. Bay City All Saints, 6-2, 25.500
16. Hillman, 5-3, 25.375
17. Gaylord St Mary, 5-3, 25.054
18. Bear Lake, 5-3, 23.232
19. Athens, 4-4, 22.732
20. Eben Junction Superior Central, 4-4, 21.875
20. North Adams-Jerome, 4-4, 21.875
22. Fulton, 3-5, 21.750
23. Hale, 3-5, 21.375
24. Waldron, 5-3, 21.250
PHOTO A pair of Plainwell defenders bring down an Otsego ball carrier during Plainwell's 21-6 Week 1 win. (Photo by Gary Shook.)