1st & Goal: 2022 Week 2 Preview
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
September 1, 2022
Week 1 of this football season, as is annually the process, was filled with teams grabbing our attention with strong and often unexpected first impressions.
Week 2 is the beginning of making those impressions stick.
We’ll be watching as 245 games are played Thursday, 50 more Friday and two Saturday. Click for the full schedule from MHSAA.com and check out the broadcast schedule from MHSAA.tv.
Bay & Thumb
East Lansing (1-0) at Fenton (1-0), Thursday
Both were among Week 1 winners to give the strongest notice, with Fenton defeating Midland Dow in a big way and East Lansing going on the road and downing Portage Central. The Trojans won last year’s matchup 33-7 on the way to finishing 7-4 overall, but this also looks early like a much-improved Tigers team from the one that ended 2021 at 4-5.
Keep an eye on these THURSDAY Elkton-Pigeon-Bay Port Lake (1-0) at Cass City (1-0), New Lothrop (1-0) at Chesaning (1-0), Frankenmuth (1-0) at Saginaw Swan Valley (0-1). FRIDAY Detroit Catholic Central (0-1) at Davison (1-0).
Greater Detroit
Southfield Arts & Technology (1-0) at Clarkston (0-1), Thursday
Southfield A&T made perhaps the most stunning entrance of all Week 1, defeating Detroit Cass Tech 56-54 in overtime with junior quarterback Isaiah Marshall throwing six touchdown passes and running for two more scores. Up next are the Wolves, who lost 28-21 to Davison last week but won last season’s Southfield matchup 56-27. Sidenote: The last six years these two were in the same Oakland Activities Association division, and this season they are not.
Keep an eye on these THURSDAY Parma Western (1-0) at Detroit Country Day (1-0), Croswell-Lexington (1-0) at Richmond (1-0), Rochester Adams (1-0) at Rochester (0-1). FRIDAY Muskegon (1-0) at Warren De La Salle Collegiate (1-0).
Mid-Michigan
Portland (1-0) at DeWitt (1-0), Thursday
The Raiders have won both recent meetings between these Lansing area powers, in 2019 and then 20-17 a year ago on the way to the Division 5 Semifinals. Portland opened with a big win over Ovid-Elsie, while DeWitt – the reigning Division 3 runner-up – put up an especially strong defensive performance in defeating Haslett last week at University of Michigan. With both expected to do big things again, this one should benefit both in playoff points whichever team comes out on top.
Keep an eye on these THURSDAY Mason (1-0) at Holt (0-1), Standish-Sterling (1-0) at Ithaca (1-0), Williamston (1-0) at Lansing Catholic (0-1). FRIDAY Midland (1-0) at Mount Pleasant (1-0).
Northern Lower Peninsula
Oscoda (1-0) at Maple City Glen Lake (0-1), Thursday
The Owls joined the Northern Michigan Football League last fall, playing in the Legacy division, and this will be their first matchup with the annually-contending Lakers as Glen Lake moved to the Legacy this season. Oscoda missed the playoffs last year for the first time in five, but finished on a four-game winning streak and opened last week with a solid win over Houghton Lake. The Lakers are coming off a similar situation, having won their final three regular-season games last fall to reach the playoffs at 4-5, but they’re coming off a defeat against Kalkaska.
Keep an eye on these THURSDAY Kingsley (1-0) at Gaylord (1-0), Frankfort (1-0) at Mancelona (1-0). FRIDAY Lapeer (1-0) at Traverse City Central (1-0), Cheboygan (1-0) at Boyne City (1-0).
Southeast & Border
Traverse City St. Francis (1-0) at Jackson Lumen Christi (0-1), Friday
These two were both one win away from facing each other in last season’s Division 7 Final, as both saw their seasons end in Semifinals on opposite sides of the bracket. They very well could meet twice this season – St. Francis is ranked No. 2 and Lumen Christi No. 3 in Division 7, with the latter coming off a 12-7 loss to top-ranked New Lothrop. The Gladiators, meanwhile, opened with a league win over Ogemaw Heights.
Keep an eye on these THURSDAY Saline (1-0) at Ann Arbor Huron (0-1), Reading (1-0) at Grass Lake (1-0), Constantine (1-0) at Hudson (1-0), Ottawa Lake Whiteford (1-0) at Ida (0-1). FRIDAY.
Southwest Corridor
Centreville (1-0) at Schoolcraft (1-0), Thursday
The memory of Schoolcraft’s uncharacteristic 3-5 finish a year ago is fading quickly after a major shut out last week of Comstock, and defeating the Bulldogs would further add momentum to the fresh start. The Bulldogs are ranked No. 6 in Division 8 coming off a solid win over Union City, and they defeated Schoolcraft last season 28-7.
Keep an eye on these THURSDAY Plainwell (1-0) at Coldwater (0-1), Stevensville Lakeshore (0-1) at Kalamazoo United (0-1), Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central (1-0) at Portage Central (0-1), Hudsonville Unity Christian (0-1) at St. Joseph (0-1).
Upper Peninsula
Negaunee (1-0) at Calumet (0-1), Thursday
It took just one week for the Western Peninsula Athletic Conference Copper race to get really interesting, with reigning co-champ Westwood falling to Houghton and last season’s third-place finisher Negaunee taking a nice step by defeating 2021 fourth-place finisher Iron Mountain. Calumet was the other co-champ last fall and also lost last week, but nonleague against Gladstone. Negaunee’s 35-21 win over the Copper Kings last fall helped Westwood eventually share the title; this time, a Miners win would make Negaunee a strong favorite just two weeks into the season.
Keep an eye on these THURSDAY West Iron County (0-1) at Bark River-Harris (1-0), Kingsford (1-0) at Gladstone (1-0), Iron Mountain (0-1) at Ishpeming Westwood (0-1), Grayling (1-0) at Sault Ste. Marie (1-0).
West Michigan
Muskegon Mona Shores (1-0) at Rockford (1-0), Thursday
This might be the statewide game of the weekend, as these two perennial powers meet for the first time since 2018. Rockford is ranked No. 4 in Division 1, coming off a big win over East Grand Rapids. Mona Shores is No. 2 in Division 2 after a similarly-solid performance against Wisconsin’s Manitowoc Lincoln. Obviously the rosters have completely turned over, but the Sailors did own a 3-2 advantage in five games against Rockford from 2014-18.
Keep an eye on these THURSDAY Byron Center (1-0) at Grandville (1-0), Muskegon Oakridge (1-0) at Muskegon Catholic Central (1-0). FRIDAY Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice (0-1) at East Kentwood (0-1), Zeeland West (1-0) at Cedar Springs (0-1).
8-Player
Breckenridge (1-0) at Merrill (1-0), Thursday
Despite watching its enrollment fall 30 percent over the last six years, Breckenridge became one of the strongest teams in 11-player Division 8 going 56-11 from 2016-21 before making the move to 8-player this fall. The Huskies edged Fulton 40-36 last season and now get a familiar opponent in Merrill, which played in the same league as Breckenridge from 2016-19 before switching formats. The Vandals opened last week with a significant shut out of Webberville.
Keep an eye on these THURSDAY Grand Rapids NorthPointe Christian (1-0) at Indian River Inland Lakes (1-0), Camden-Frontier (1-0) at Pittsford (1-0). FRIDAY Newberry (1-0) at Munising (1-0), Au Gres-Sims (1-0) at Rogers City (1-0).
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PHOTO Redford Union’s Kyren Ware (7) breaks through the Pewamo-Westphalia defense during last week’s 26-6 victory that broke the Pirates’ 16-game winning streak. (Click for more from High School Sports Scene.)
Playoff Experience Paying Off as Menominee Pursues Return Trip to Ford Field
By
John Vrancic
Special for MHSAA.com
November 14, 2024
MENOMINEE – Survive and advance.
The Menominee Maroons did just that Saturday as they escaped with a 35-32 overtime football triumph over the Traverse City St. Francis Gladiators in a Division 7 District Final.
Menominee sealed the verdict on junior quarterback Tanner Theuerkauf’s seven-yard scoring pass to junior Dawson Bardowski, helping the Maroons (10-1) move a step closer to what they hope will be a return visit to the Finals later this month.
They host North Muskegon (10-1) in Saturday’s Regional Final at noon (CST) – and defeated North Muskegon 32-21 in a Semifinal last season to book their trip to Detroit. Menominee eventually finished last fall as Division 7 runner-up, dropping a 34-30 decision to Jackson Lumen Christi at Ford Field.
But the Maroons have stormed back, thus far improving on their performance from 2023. Their only loss this time has been 13-12 to Division 5 Kingsford in Week 8, and even after St. Francis scored 32 points, Menominee is still giving up only 9.8 per game – and scoring 45.5 per contest, making for an average margin of victory about six points more than this time a year ago.
On Saturday, Menominee trailed 14-0 after St. Francis’ first two possessions but took a 21-17 lead into halftime thanks to a 35-yard interception return by junior defensive back Landen Daigneau with 17 seconds left before the break.
“I’m very proud and excited,” Menominee coach Chad Brandt said after the St. Francis win. “They had a very good football team. Going down by 14 points is not recommended. Our guys missed some assignments, and they got a jump on us.
“I’m proud of our guys for being resilient. That’s a great football team we beat and I just love the way the guys battled until the final play. The kids will never forget playing in this game, and the fans will not forget being at this game. Their fortitude and will to win were the keys.”
The Maroons led late before St. Francis forced overtime with a touchdown with 22 seconds left in regulation. The Gladiators then scored first in overtime on a 21-yard field goal, before Bardowski hauled in the game-winner.
“Holding them to three in the overtime was huge,” Theuerkauf said. “That opened things up for us.
“The effort we gave today was unbelievable. That has been our strength all year. We had our backs against the wall, but knew we couldn’t give up. Our defense did a great job. Lot of our guys have been in big games. We knew what we had to do.”
Theuerkauf gained valuable experience last season as the top receiver for older brother Trevor Theuerkauf, now playing at Northern Michigan. Tanner also was a starting defensive back last fall, as was Bardowski.
Senior offensive lineman Lucas Thoune also was part of the starting lineup last season at Ford Field. His Saturday included snagging his first varsity reception – a 13-yarder off a deflection during the second quarter that helped set up a scoring run two plays later.
“That was a heads-up play,” he said. “You just do what’s got to be done. It’s exciting. We’re here for each other.
“I think last year’s run helped us out. I’m willing to be a play-maker for Menominee 10 times out of 10. I’ll never stop being the player I can be. I’m going to do everything I can while I can. I love this team. I love this sport. I don’t know what I’d do without Menominee football.”
The Maroons finished with 318 yards in total offense against the Gladiators. Theuerkauf hit 6-of-14 passes for 76 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. Sophomore Dylan Beal, who filled in after Theuerkauf was shaken up on a play in the third quarter, completed both of his passes for 56. Bardowski caught four for 79 yards and a TD, and junior running back Clayton Miller gained 87 on 16 carries.
John Vrancic has covered high school sports in the Upper Peninsula since joining the Escanaba Daily Press staff in 1985. He is known most prominently across the peninsula for his extensive coverage of cross country and track & field that frequently appears in newspapers from the Wisconsin border to Lake Huron. He received the James Trethewey Award for Distinguished Service in 2015 from the Upper Peninsula Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association.
PHOTOS (Top) Menominee junior Landen Daigneau returns an interception for a touchdown during Saturday’s District championship game against Traverse City St Francis. (Middle) Menominee junior Tanner Theuerkauf celebrates a touchdown against the Gladiators. (Photos by Mitch Vosburg/Escanaba Daily Press.)