Eventually, the sun will shine ...
April 25, 2013
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
We all believe that, right?
Rain – and snow for some – has been the buzzword of this spring sports season. Just about every newspaper is writing about it and every athletic director, coach, player and parent is dreading it on a now-daily basis.
But eventually, we expect the weather to clear up and teams to play catch-up. To that end, there are limitations teams in some sports face when attempting to make up their games – but also opportunities to take advantage of while trying to fill out their regular-season schedules.
- Girls soccer and girls and boys lacrosse teams may play only three games during a week, Monday through Sunday. A weekend tournament – which generally includes 2 to 3 shortened games – counts as only one in this equation.
- Baseball and softball teams can play as many games as they want in a week, but no more than two on a school day – and baseball pitchers must not pitch for two days following their 30th out in a week.
- For tennis, an individual may not play more than three matches in one day – unless she or he is playing in a league championship tournament featuring more than eight schools for which a fourth match would decide the championship. That player also could not have played more than six sets that day heading into that fourth and final match.
- Golf and Track and Field do not have weekly contest limitations. Track and field athletes can compete in only four events per day.
As expected, a number of teams – especially for baseball and softball – are scheduling to smash in as many contests as possible into the next four weeks. Postseason play for tennis and lacrosse begins May 16 – three weeks from today.
But teams do have options.
One rarely used but anticipated to be used more this spring is an opportunity to continue playing regular-season contests through the final day of the MHSAA tournament in that sport. For example, a baseball team can continue making up games through June 15, the day of the MHSAA Finals in Battle Creek. A tennis team can play regular-season matches through June 1, etc.
Also, the MHSAA Executive Committee approved Thursday to allow for this spring two additional multi-team tournament dates for soccer and lacrosse, which will give those teams an opportunity to get in a few more games. That means soccer teams will be allowed to play in four multi-team tournaments instead of two, boys lacrosse four instead of two and girls lacrosse five instead of three.
Teams will have to do some juggling, no doubt, and all other tournament stipulations still apply (games generally are shortened so more can be played, etc.). But with a little creativity, teams could at least get in a few of their make-up games in this way.
Also, the Executive Committee approved a motion to waive the four-contest MHSAA tournament entry requirement for all Upper Peninsula schools in all sports this spring. As of the weekend, snow still covered parts of the U.P.
Gaps shrinking
Much has been discussed about minimums for all four MHSAA classes for 2013-14, and how they are the lowest student totals in at least a decade.
It’s true. The floor in Class A is 893 (down from 911 this school year), Class B starts at 429 (down from 449), Class C at 207 (down from 217) and Class D at 206 (down from 216).
However, there is a better way to crunch the numbers: Consider the shrinking gaps between the largest and smallest schools in each class.
For 2013-14, the gap in Class A is 1,888 students – 261 students fewer than 2007-08 and nearly 900 students fewer than in 2005-06. The gaps between largest and smallest in Classes B, C and D also are trending smaller – which means each class actually includes schools more similar in size, instead of a perceived other way around.
SAC 2013-14 on the way
We’re thankful for a valuable group of students who help us throughout the school year – our 16-member Student Advisory Council, made up of eight seniors and eight juniors from all over the state who are charged with providing feedback on issues impacting educational athletics from a student’s perspective, while also assisting at MHSAA championships and with special projects like the “Battle of the Fans.”
Selecting the next class to join is a highlight of every spring – but hardly an easy process.
A six-member selection committee, myself included, considered 62 sophomore applicants today from all over the Lower and Upper Peninsulas, representing all four of our classes and nearly every sport we sponsor.
Every candidate is impressive for a variety of reasons. That’s what makes this difficult – we could pick any number of combinations to make up our new SAC class, and no doubt leaders galore will emerge from another impressive group.
But there are only eight spots on the council. And we’ll announce who received them later next week.
PHOTO: A golfer attempts to keep warm during a round on a dreary day earlier this season. (Click to see more at HighSchoolSportsScene.com.)
1st & Goal: 2024 Week 7 Preview
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
October 11, 2024
There are only three weeks left in the 2024 football regular season. But there's still plenty of time to shake things up.
Several newly-crowned league champions could celebrate tonight or Saturday – but as we detail below, scenarios exist in a number of leagues where one, two or three teams are still in the title mix.
And as we look farther toward the MHSAA Playoffs, there's good news as well (or bad, depending on how your favorite team is sitting). Of last year's field of 288 playoff teams, 27 were not among the top 32 (11-player) or 16 (8-player) in their respective divisions heading into Week 7. That number was consistent with 2022, when 25 eventual playoff teams were outside the field with three weeks to play.
There were 17 games Thursday night, including a matchup for first in the Lakes Valley Conference between co-leaders Milford and Walled Lake Western (which Western won 37-0) and a decider in the Oakland Activities Association Red (where Oxford claimed a title share with a 38-14 win over West Bloomfield). All games listed below are tonight unless noted, with results posting as they are reported all weekend on the MHSAA Scores page. Updated standings also are available by clicking the schools on the score list, and every division’s playoff points summary updates as well as scores are received.
Bay & Thumb
Fenton (6-0) at Flushing (5-1) WATCH
Fenton will be playing to finish off a sixth-straight Flint Metro League divisional championship after clinching a share of the Stripes title last week. Rival Flushing has a chance to claim a piece of a championship for the first time since sharing the formerly one-division Metro title in 2018 – a season which also featured its most recent win over the Tigers. The Raiders’ only loss this fall was to Linden, by a point in Week 4, and Linden also is tied for second place, would gain a title share with a Flushing win, and fell to Fenton by just three points last week.
Keep an eye on these FRIDAY North Branch (5-1) at Armada (5-1) WATCH, Harbor Beach (6-0) at Reese (4-2) WATCH, Marysville (5-1) at St. Clair (5-1), Elkton-Pigeon-Bay Port Laker (4-2) at Millington (5-0) WATCH.
Greater Detroit
Macomb Dakota (6-0) at Utica Eisenhower (5-1) WATCH
Clinton Township Chippewa Valley’s stunning win last week over Eisenhower may have blunted some of the buzz that would have come with this matchup – but could also fire up the Eagles even more. They’ll claim a share of the Macomb Area Conference Red title with a win after Dakota guaranteed a share last week thanks to that Eisenhower loss. The Eagles won last year’s meeting with the Cougars 31-0, but Dakota has given up only 52 points total over six games this fall.
Keep an eye on these FRIDAY Macomb Lutheran North (5-1) at Riverview Gabriel Richard (6-0) WATCH, Port Huron Northern (4-2) at Warren Mott (5-1), Howell (6-0) at Novi (5-1) WATCH. SATURDAY Romulus Summit Academy North (5-0) at Warren Michigan Collegiate (5-1)
Mid-Michigan
Saginaw Nouvel Catholic Central (6-0) at Ithaca (6-0) WATCH
Nouvel is enjoying its best start since finishing Division 8 runner-up in 2017 and already has surpassed last season’s four wins. Tonight provides an opportunity to take another step as the Panthers have lost all five matchups with Ithaca since joining the Tri-Valley Conference in 2018. The winner of this one clinches the TVC Blue title outright – and the Yellowjackets have a pair of impressive streaks on the line as well. They’ve won 19 straight league games going back to 2020 and 15 consecutive league championships.
Keep an eye on these FRIDAY DeWitt (6-0) at Grand Ledge (4-2) WATCH, Chesaning (6-0) at Ovid-Elsie (6-0) WATCH, Ionia (4-2) at Lansing Catholic (4-2), East Lansing (3-3) at Lansing Everett (5-1) WATCH.
Northern Lower Peninsula
Marquette (5-1) at Petoskey (6-0) WATCH
The winner earns a share of the Big North Conference title. Petoskey is seeking its first since 2011, and a victory tonight also would guarantee its best record since 2015. Marquette, meanwhile, is in its second season in the BNC and finished second a year ago. Last season’s pair of games against Marquette may have set the stage for this Petoskey run; the Northmen lost 21-20 in Week 8 but claimed the rematch 26-7 in a playoff opener. Scoring could be limited this time; aside from a Week 4 loss to Lowell, the Sentinels have given up seven points total this fall, while Petoskey is allowing just 9.2 per game.
Keep an eye on these FRIDAY Evart (4-2) at McBain (6-0), Cheboygan (3-3) at Kingsley (4-2) WATCH, Charlevoix (4-2) at Mancelona (3-3), Mount Pleasant (4-2) at Traverse City West (3-3) WATCH.
Southeast & Border
Union City (6-0) at Springport (6-0) WATCH
The winner claims a share of the Big 8 Conference title, which for Springport would be a first since 2016 and for Union City its third straight. The Chargers have won 17 consecutive league games, in fact, and defeated Springport in four straight including 41-0 last fall. But the Spartans are enjoying their best season since 2018 and after going 0-9 only two years ago. They’ve already avenged 2023 losses to Sand Creek, Stockbridge and Quincy and have scored nearly as many points this fall as the last two years combined.
Keep an eye on these FRIDAY Ida (5-1) at Adrian Madison (4-2) WATCH, Flat Rock (5-1) at Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central (6-0), Chelsea (5-1) at Jackson (4-2) WATCH, Traverse City St. Francis (5-1) at Jackson Lumen Christi (5-1) WATCH.
Southwest Corridor
Hastings (6-0) at Battle Creek Harper Creek (5-1)
Save for an upset over the next two weeks, this matchup likely will decide the Interstate 8 Athletic Conference title. These two have some history with that; Hastings, Harper Creek and Jackson Lumen Christi shared the championship in 2021, and since the Saxons have won the last three and 20 straight league games. The Beavers will hope a much-improved offense averaging 40 points per game can continue surging against a Hastings defense that gave up only 11.5 ppg in league play in 2023 – and has lowered that to 7.3 ppg over four league games this fall.
Keep an eye on these FRIDAY Dowagiac (5-1) at Berrien Springs (3-3) WATCH, Parchment (5-1) at Constantine (5-1), Niles (5-1) at Edwardsburg (4-2) WATCH, Saugatuck (5-1) at Schoolcraft (5-1) WATCH, Portage Central (4-2) at Portage Northern (4-2) WATCH.
Upper Peninsula
Menominee (6-0) at Negaunee (5-1) WATCH
Menominee is set up for its toughest tests over its final three games of the regular season, as Negaunee, Week 8 opponent Kingsford and Week 9’s Bark River-Harris are a combined 15-3. Negaunee welcomed the Maroons to the Western Peninsula Athletic Conference last year with a 47-20 win and need a repeat performance to have any hope of a West-PAC Copper shared title after losing to Kingsford in Week 4. Menominee’s only losses last season were to Negaunee and Kingsford before reaching the Division 7 championship game, so there’s extra incentive there as well.
Keep an eye on these FRIDAY Bark River-Harris (4-2) at Iron Mountain (6-0) WATCH, Ishpeming Westwood (2-4) at Kingsford (6-0) WATCH, Calumet (3-3) at Hancock (1-5). SATURDAY Manistique (3-3) at Gwinn (2-4).
West Michigan
Grand Rapids Northview (6-0) at Grand Rapids Catholic Central (5-1)
Northview’s best season since 2018 would have its best highlight yet with a win tonight that would not only clinch a share of the Ottawa-Kent Conference Black championship but deliver Grand Rapids Catholic Central a rare loss. Catholic Central is facing a second-straight undefeated opponent and handed Holland Christian its first loss last week, 42-18; the Cougars have lost only one league game over the last eight seasons.
Keep an eye on these FRIDAY Grand Rapids South Christian (4-2) at Hudsonville Unity Christian (6-0), Big Rapids (5-1) at Newaygo (5-1), Ravenna (4-2) at North Muskegon (5-1) WATCH, Grand Rapids West Catholic (4-2) at Ada Forest Hills Eastern (5-1) WATCH.
8-Player
Gobles (6-0) at Martin (5-0) WATCH
This also is a winner-take-all, for the Southwest Michigan 8-Man Football League Red championship, and with a nice rivalry brewing after Gobles won last season’s regular-season meeting 53-16 but the Clippers won the Regional Final rematch 28-6. Martin is coming off scoring a season-high 70 points and has topped 50 three of the last four games, while Gobles has held its last three opponents (and four total) to single digits and posted its second shutout of the season last week.
Keep an eye on these FRIDAY Au Gres-Sims (5-1) at Atlanta (5-1) WATCH, Kingston (5-1) at Deckerville (6-0) WATCH, Portland St. Patrick (6-0) at Fulton (5-1) WATCH, Powers North Central (5-1) at Ontonagon (4-2).
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PHOTO Escanaba's Alex Morgan (56) and Keagan Braun (21) converge on Marquette's Chase Niemi (9) as he gets closer to the end zone during the Sentinels' Week 6 win. (Photo by Cara Kamps.)