1st & Goal: 2022 Week 7 Review
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
October 10, 2022
The home stretch is here, and with it more of the unexpected even as we continue to learn a few new details every week about this season’s contenders.
Several more league champions were rewarded this week, but nearly as many races seemed to re-open thanks to unpredicted performances.
Bay & Thumb
HEADLINER Elkton-Pigeon-Bay Port Laker 32, Bad Axe 14 The Lakers (7-0) finished an outright championship run in the Greater Thumb Conference West, defeating Bad Axe in a winner-take-all league finale. Those two and Reese had shared the championship a year ago. Bad Axe entered scoring 37 points per game, but Laker still hasn’t given up more than 15 to any opponent this fall. Click for more from the Huron Daily Tribune.
Here are the highlights of the Bad Axe at Elkton Pigeon Bay Port Laker that aired on Football Fridays Overtime powered by STATE CHAMPS! on @BallySportsDET pic.twitter.com/QZEqcrLMn7
— STATE CHAMPS! Michigan (@statechampsmich) October 9, 2022
Watch list Armada 37, North Branch 28 The top of the Blue Water Area Conference is shuffling weekly, and suddenly Armada (6-1) finds itself on top alone after knocking the Broncos (6-1) off their former solo perch.
On the move Marine City 47, Clinton Township Clintondale 8 The Mariners (6-1) haven’t lost again since falling to Armada by a point in their season opener, and they finished a Macomb Area Conference Silver outright title run. Lapeer 42, Grand Ledge 28 The Lightning (7-0) turned away another strong challenge from the Comets (5-2) with Clarkston and Davison coming up to close the regular season. Fenton 28, Linden 21 This combined with Swartz Creek’s win over Flushing ended the Flint Metro League Stripes schedule with a shared championships among the Tigers (5-2), Eagles (5-2) and Dragons (6-1).
Greater Detroit
HEADLINER Riverview 18, Carleton Airport 13 The Pirates (6-0) ran their regular-season winning streak to 26 and Huron League streak to 21 in clinching a third-straight conference championship. The Jets (5-2) entered averaging 32 points per game but were held to their second fewest this season.
Here are the highlights of the Riverview vs. Airport game that aired on Football Fridays Overtime powered by STATE CHAMPS! on @BallySportsDET
@RivBucsFootball | @maroonmonsoon01 | @jacobshank5 pic.twitter.com/6lJKNEEye8— STATE CHAMPS! Michigan (@statechampsmich) October 8, 2022
Watch list Grosse Pointe North 50, Warren Fitzgerald 0 After going a combined 7-27 over the last four seasons, North is 7-0 and the Macomb Area Conference Green champion. The Norsemen have given up 32 points this season and allowed only six over five league wins.
On the move Grosse Pointe South 20, St. Clair Shores Lakeview 16 After two seasons in the MAC Red, South returned to the MAC White this season – and after an 0-2 nonconference start won all five league games to take back the title after previously winning the White four straight seasons from 2016-19. Redford Union 40, Melvindale 6 The Panthers (7-0) ran their Western Wayne Athletic Conference winning streak to 17 and clinched a share of a second-straight league title. Southfield Arts & Technology 35, Oak Park 12 In addition to guaranteeing its first overall winning record since its first season in 2016, A&T (6-1) clinched an outright Oakland Activities Association White title while no league opponent got closer than 14 points.
Mid-Michigan
HEADLINER Durand 54, Chesaning 8 This combined with Ovid-Elsie’s 14-13 win over New Lothrop earned the Railroaders (7-0) a share of the Mid-Michigan Activities Conference title. The seven wins are the team’s most since winning seven in 2009, and tied their most since 1983 according to Michigan-football.com. Click for more from the Flint Journal.
Watch list Laingsburg 27, Fowler 14 Coming off a Week 6 win over many-season reigning champ Pewamo-Westphalia, the Eagles (6-1) looked to be control in the Central Michigan Athletic Conference. But Laingsburg, which opened its CMAC schedule with a loss to P-W, instead guaranteed itself a share of the championship with Fowler and the Pirates able to earn the same with wins this week.
On the move Ithaca 50, Saginaw Michigan Lutheran Seminary 18 The Yellowjackets (6-1) claimed the Tri-Valley Conference West 2 title, their 14th straight league championship, while handing MLS (6-1) its only loss. Ovid-Elsie 14, New Lothrop 13 In avenging four MMAC losses to New Lothrop over the last four seasons, Ovid-Elsie (5-2) also gained an opportunity to claim a share of the league title if the Hornets (6-1) defeat Durand this week. Olivet 42, Lake Odessa Lakewood 7 The Eagles (6-1) ended their (and Lakewood’s) time in the Greater Lansing Activities Conference by clinching a sixth-straight league championship while sending the Vikings (5-2) into second place.
Northern Lower Peninsula
HEADLINER Boyne City 34, Elk Rapids 0 The Ramblers (6-0) clinched a share of the Northern Michigan Football Conference Leaders championship, with the opportunity to earn it outright this week against Tawas. The shutout was the team’s second in three games and the championship is their second straight. Elk Rapids moved to 5-2. Click for more from the Petoskey News-Review.
Watch list Cadillac 24, Belding 6 The Vikings (5-2) not only are Big North Conference champions but now own a win over another league leader as the Black Knights (6-1) sit atop the Ottawa-Kent Conference Silver standings.
On the move Tawas 44, Maple City Glen Lake 14 Tawas entered the season with 15 straight losses and added five more, but now has won two straight and this time with its best offensive performance since 2019. Traverse City St. Francis 35, Sault Ste. Marie 7 The Gladiators (7-0) finished a repeat title run in the NMFC Legends and ran their regular-season win streak to 19. Lake City 45, Roscommon 6 The Trojans (5-2) equaled their 2021 win total and with two regular-season games to play against opponents that could significantly improve their postseason possibilities as they sit No. 24 in Division 7 playoff points.
Southeast & Border
HEADLINER Tecumseh 50, Chelsea 34 The Tecumseh dream season continues and now includes the program’s first win over Chelsea since 2013 and a Southeastern Conference White championship to go with a 7-0 start. Chelsea (5-2) provided the stiffest challenge this season, but Tecumseh’s offense continued to churn going over 50 points for the fifth time this fall. Click for more from the Ann Arbor News.
Watch list Temperance Bedford 7, Saline 0 The Kicking Mules (5-2) had given Saline (6-1) some of its closest games over the last eight years. But their first win over Saline since 2013 not only ended a personal losing streak but the Hornets’ run of 50 straight SEC Red wins since that last Bedford defeat.
On the move Napoleon 29, Michigan Center 27 Napoleon (7-0) is the Cascades Conference champion, and outright thanks to some help from Grass Lake (see below). Adrian Madison 14, Erie Mason 8 The Trojans (3-4) need to make up 12 spots to get into the Division 6 playoff field, but two straight wins is the right start especially with Mason at 5-2 this fall. Grass Lake 34, Addison 18 The Warriors (4-3) have pushed to the No. 26 spot in the Division 7 playoff field with Addison sitting No. 27 on the Division 8 list.
Southwest Corridor
HEADLINER Buchanan 26, Niles Brandywine 24 The Bucks are the first football champions of the Lakeland Athletic Conference, and they earned that historic title by avenging a 2021 loss to Brandywine (4-3). The Bobcats made a run at the lead late, but Buchanan (6-1) held on and sits No. 15 in Division 5 playoff points with tough games to go against Benton Harbor and Centreville. Click for more from the St. Joseph Herald-Palladium.
Watch list Lawton 49, Schoolcraft 14 The Blue Devils (6-1) remain on a roll, with this win clinching a share of the Southwestern Athletic Conference Valley title and their fourth straight scoring at least 42 points and giving up no more than 16.
On the move Decatur 37, Delton Kellogg 22 The Raiders (5-2) guaranteed their winningest season since 2018 and against a Delton team eying a third-straight playoff appearance and sitting No. 12 in Division 7 playoff points. Niles 49, Paw Paw 8 The Vikings (3-4) had a rough stretch midseason, but with a second-straight win are sitting just one spot outside the Division 4 playoff field. St. Joseph 42, Stevensville Lakeshore 14 The Bears (6-1) continued to push toward a possible Week 9 decider in the Southwestern Michigan Athletic Conference while sending Lakeshore (3-4) into a tie for third.
Upper Peninsula
HEADLINER Negaunee 24, Gladstone 6 The Miners (7-0) fortified their status as the Upper Peninsula’s top team this fall, adding this win to another over Iron Mountain – the two opponents that also have been in the mix for that praise. The Braves were averaging 36 points per game entering the contest, but Negaunee brought its points-allowed average down to nine per game this season. Click for more from RRN Sports.
Watch list St. Ignace 20, East Jordan 14 The Saints (6-1) clinched a share of the NMFC Legacy championship and can claim it outright Week 9 against winless Harbor Springs. East Jordan (3-4) is hanging on to a spot in the Division 8 playoff field.
On the move Calumet 35, Houghton 12 The Copper Kings (4-3) bounced back from a Week 6 loss with a must-win against the Gremlins (5-2) and are holding onto the No. 32 spot in the Division 6 playoff field. Ishpeming Westwood 14, L’Anse 6 The Patriots (4-3) ran their winning streak to four as they prepare to finish with a pair of potential league champions in Bark River-Harris and Negaunee. Marquette 21, Menominee 6 After a 1-4 start, Marquette has won two straight including this one to avenge a 2021 loss to the Maroons (4-3).
West Michigan
HEADLINER North Muskegon 28, Ravenna 7 The Norsemen (6-1) drew another important win closer to a possible West Michigan Conference title with this win over second-place Ravenna (5-2) to go with an earlier victory over third-place Hart. The Bulldogs are the highest-scoring team in the Rivers division this fall, but North Muskegon held them to well below their previous average of 39 points per game. Click for more from CatchMark SportsNet.
Watch list Fruitport 28, Grand Rapids West Catholic 20 This was the stunner of the weekend, but maybe shouldn’t have been as Fruitport is enjoying its best season in a decade after finishing below .500 the last eight. West Catholic (6-1) hadn’t had an opponent come within two touchdowns since opening night.
On the move Big Rapids 27, Howard City Tri County 27 The Cardinals (5-2) shook up the Central State Activities Association Gold and ended up on top with a guaranteed share of the title with Tri County and Reed City also with one loss in league play. Reed City 52, Kent City 0 The Coyotes (6-1) won big over the CSAA Silver champ Kent City (6-1), a nice bonus to getting back into the Gold title race. Sparta 34, Hopkins 14 The Spartans are 4-1 over their last five games and back in the Ottawa-Kent Conference Silver mix after pulling the Vikings (5-2) out of a tie for the top spot.
8-Player
HEADLINER Peck 46, New Haven Merritt 6 The Pirates clinched the North Central Thumb League Stripes title and haven’t lost since Week 1. Peck has won its league games by an average of 37 points per, with one more to play. Merritt (4-3) is part of a three-way tie for second place.
Watch list Au Gres-Sims 50, Alcona 34 The Wolverines (6-1) are tied for first in the North Star League Little Dipper with a Week 9 matchup against Posen likely to decide the championship, and Alcona (6-1) playing Rogers City next for the Big Dipper title.
On the move Tekonsha 62, Burr Oak 6 Tekonsha (6-1) finished a second-straight perfect run through the Southern Central Athletic Association B. Indian River Inland Lakes 36, Pellston 6 The Bulldogs (5-2) finished an outright title run in the Ski Valley Conference and have yet to lose a league game over two seasons. Brown City 64, Mesick 62 The Green Devils (6-1) went over 60 points for the second-straight week to lock up their closest win of a strong first season of 8-player.
Second Half’s weekly “1st & Goal” previews and reviews are powered by MI Student Aid, a part of the Office of Postsecondary Financial Planning located within the Michigan Department of Treasury. MI Student Aid encourages students to pursue postsecondary education by providing access to student financial resources and information. MI Student Aid administers the state’s 529 college savings programs (MET/MESP), as well as scholarship and grant programs that help make college Accessible, Affordable and Attainable for you. Connect with MI Student Aid at www.michigan.gov/mistudentaid and find more information on Facebook and Twitter @mistudentaid.
PHOTO A Pine River ball carrier looks for an opening during McBain’s 46-0 win Friday. (Photo by Tonya Holmes.)
1st & Goal: 2021 11-Player Semifinals Preview
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
November 19, 2021
Our final 32 11-player football teams are one more win from playing at Ford Field.
At this time of year, and with the added detail we have on each Semifinal below, that’s plenty of introduction.
All 16 games will be broadcast live. Bally Sports Detroit will feature on its primary channel the Division 1 Semifinal between Sterling Heights Stevenson and Belleville, and the other 15 games can be watched on MHSAA.tv.
Division 1
Rochester Adams (12-0) vs. Grand Blanc (12-0) at Howell
This might be one of the weekend’s most difficult games to predict, because these teams seem to match up so well. Senior running back Elijah Jackson-Anderson (1,119 yards/16 TDs rushing) and senior quarterback Hunter Ames (1,795 yards/21 TDs passing), plus a defense giving up 15 points per game, has keyed Grand Blanc’s school-record playoff run. Adams, aiming for its first Final since 2003, is giving up 11 points per game and following the lead of junior quarterback Parker Picot (1,165 yards/18 TDs rushing, 4 TDs passing) and senior running back Griffin Henke (863 yards/15 TDs rushing).
Sterling Heights Stevenson (10-2) vs. Belleville (11-1) at Troy Athens
Belleville is playing a Semifinal for the fourth-straight season and hoping to book its first trip to Ford Field. Freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood is a player to remember this weekend and for the next three years. Stevenson is playing in its second Semifinal in three seasons and seeking its first Finals berth since 2009 on the rushing attack of seniors Jordan Ramsey (1,204 yards/16 TDs rushing ) and Jordan Kwiatkowski (1,283 yards/15 TDs). Senior Biagio Madonna is another big-time playmaker, running for 872 yards and 12 touchdowns and throwing for 1,011 yards and five scores.
Division 2
Traverse City Central (11-1) vs. South Lyon (12-0) at Greenville
A long-awaited opportunity is on the line for both; Central is seeking to reach the Finals for the first time since 1988 (and first time since Traverse City West opened), while South Lyon last played in a championship game in 1995. Senior Josh Burnham (6-foot-4, 230 pounds) has exceeded high expectations, running for 1,315 yards and 25 touchdowns and throwing for 934 yards and 14 scores while also starting at linebacker. Junior Reed Seabase (1,175 yards/12 TDs rushing) carries a significant load on offense as well. Last week’s 29-23 overtime win over Portage Central was South Lyon’s first by fewer than 14 points. Junior Tommy Donovan (895 yards/16 TDs rushing) is among playmakers, and senior Braden Fracassi (865 yards/8 TDs passing) has stepped in well after the Lions lost their starting quarterback to injury midway through the regular season.
Livonia Franklin (7-5) vs. Warren De La Salle Collegiate (11-0) at Hazel Park
The Pilots – last season’s Division 2 runners-up – have been one of the teams most expected to reach this point, especially after their undefeated run through the Detroit Catholic League Central. Junior quarterback Brady Drogosh led last season’s run and remains tough to slow down – he’s run for 1,440 yards and 21 touchdowns and thrown for 1,285 yards and 10 scores. Franklin entered the playoffs 4-5 and defeated three teams that were a combined 22-8. Two of the Patriots’ top three scoring outputs of the season have come during the postseason run.
Division 3
St. Joseph (8-4) vs. DeWitt (11-1) at Jenison
The reigning Division 3 champion Panthers returned the majority of their playmakers this fall and have scored 48 points per game led by senior quarterback Tyler Holtz (2,483 yards/36 TDs passing, 829 yards/11 TDs rushing) and senior receiver Tommy McIntosh (1,107 yards/19 touchdowns receiving). St. Joseph is playing to make the Finals for the first time since 1988. The Bears are grinders, with more than 2,800 yards rushing led by juniors Trey McGinnis (902 yards/14 TDs) and Joron Brown (850 yards/12 TDs).
Mason (10-2) vs. Detroit Martin Luther King (11-1) at Wayne Memorial
The Bulldogs coming off one of the biggest wins in their history, 20-17 over Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice, to reach the Semifinals for the first time. Next up is another team most expected to be back at this level. King is looking to return to Ford Field for the third time in four seasons. Junior quarterback Dante Moore is one of the most heralded players in Michigan, and for plenty of reasons – he’s thrown for 2,626 yards and 37 touchdowns over 10 games on the field (two wins were by forfeit). Mason has put together more than 4,000 yards of total offense, with sophomore running back AJ Martel (1,430 yards/23 TDs rushing) the key cog.
Division 4
Edwardsburg (12-0) vs. Hudsonville Unity Christian (12-0) at Portage Northern
A pair of recent champions will face off – both won titles in 2018, Edwardsburg in Division 4 and Unity in Division 5. Three years later, both are on similar paces as those title winners. Edwardsburg’s average margin of victory this fall is 48 points, thanks to a defense giving up less than five points per game and a rushing attack that’s run for 4,400 yards with five backs gaining between 400-700. Unity’s average margin of victory is 45 points with an offense that has scored at least 40 every game. Senior Drew Chandler has run for 1,242 of the Crusaders’ 4,500 on the ground.
Freeland (11-1) vs. Chelsea (12-0) at Lapeer
The Falcons are playing in their fifth Semifinal – and second straight – hoping to reach the Finals for the first time. Senior quarterback Bryson Huckeby (1,522 yards/15 TDs passing, 8 TDs rushing) and senior Garrett Pistro (1,037 yards/18 touchdowns rushing) lead a balanced offense. Chelsea has reached the Semifinals four straight seasons and eliminated reigning champion Detroit Country Day last week. The Bulldogs hope to return to Ford Field for the first time since 2018 with senior running back Trenton Hill (1,400 yards/29 TDs rushing) and senior quarterback Lucas Dunn (1,440 yards/18 TDs passing) leading a similarly-balanced attack.
Division 5
Frankenmuth (12-0) vs. Grand Rapids Catholic Central (12-0) at Mount Pleasant
This is a rematch of last season’s Division 5 championship game, a 48-21 Catholic Central win. The Cougars lost star quarterback Joey Silveri to injury early this season, but senior John Passinault (1,765 yards/33 TDs passing) has stepped in and been outstanding as well with lots of help from senior tight end Nolan Ziegler (1,039 yards/23 TDs receiving). Frankenmuth also returns one of its best playmakers in senior running back Cole Lindow (1,794 yards/20 TDs rushing), while senior Cole Jankowski has stepped in well at quarterback with 18 rushing touchdowns and six more passing.
Portland (10-2) vs. Marine City (12-0) at Novi
These are two more teams familiar with this stage, as both last made the Semifinals in 2018 and won championships during the last decade. Marine City is giving up only nine points per game and has three players averaging at least 10 yards per carry, led by junior Zach Tetler (1,302 yards/27 TDs rushing). Portland’s strategy also isn’t a secret, and just as effective – four Raiders have run for 700 or more yards and eight touchdowns apiece.
Division 6
Standish-Sterling (10-2) vs. Lansing Catholic (11-1) at Clare
Standish-Sterling is one of the comeback stories of the year, after finishing 1-6 a season ago. The Panthers now run into Lansing Catholic, making its third-straight trip to the Semifinals and having won Division 5 in 2019. Senior Joey Baker (2,523 yards/27 TDs passing) is the latest great Cougars quarterback, and senior Alex Watters (1,063 yards/14 TDs receiving) also was among stars of that 2019 team. Standish-Sterling’s defense has been outstanding during the playoffs, giving up 21 points over three games, and senior Laine Thibault (1,396 yards rushing) is solid leading the offense.
Michigan Center (11-1) vs. Warren Michigan Collegiate (10-2) Ypsilanti Lincoln
Both are seeking their first championship game appearances. Michigan Center has gotten here with a defense giving up 11 points per game and an offense keyed by multi-talented senior quarterback Kaydin Hiland (1,322 yards/19 TDs rushing, 7 TDs passing, 7 TDs receiving). Michigan Collegiate is paced by an excellent dual-threat QB as well – senior Deion Black has run for 1,134 yards and 14 touchdowns and thrown for 13 scores.
Division 7
Pewamo-Westphalia (12-0) vs. Traverse City St. Francis (12-0) at Cedar Springs
These two combined have played in seven Semifinals and three championship games over the last five years. P-W complements a defense giving up six points per game with an offense led by two runners with at least 800 yards and 10 touchdowns apiece. All of the Pirates’ nonleague wins, including in the playoffs, have been over teams that won conference titles this fall. St. Francis is the reigning Division 7 runner-up, having fallen by just seven points in last season’s Final. The Gladiators haven’t scored less than 48 points during the playoffs, led by senior quarterback Charlie Peterson (1,677 yards/21 TDs passing).
Lawton (12-0) vs. Jackson Lumen Christi (11-1) at Battle Creek Harper Creek
These two have vastly different playoff pasts but could look very similar when they meet. Lawton is playing in its first Semifinal, relying on a defense giving up eight points per game and a senior running back in Jake Rueff with incredible numbers – 2,253 yards and 46 touchdowns on the ground. Lumen Christi is a regular in late November, and the recipe is similar – the defense gives up 13 points per game, and the offense runs the ball with five backs gaining between 400-900 yards this fall.
Division 8
Ubly (12-0) vs. Beal City (11-1) at Mt. Morris
Reigning runner-up Ubly has yet to play a single-digit game this fall. Sophomore quarterback Evan Peruski is averaging 11.1 yards per carry for 1,009 total, along with 17 touchdowns rushing, and he’s thrown for eight more scores. Beal City’s only loss was opening night by a point to Ravenna, and the Aggies have been rarely challenged otherwise. They are winning by 29 points per game, giving up just under nine on average.
Ottawa Lake Whiteford (11-1) vs. Hudson (12-0) at Adrian College
Hudson’s defense has been an intriguing follow, giving up just under six points per game and last allowing more than eight in Week 5. The Tigers match that with an offense that’s rushed for 3,600 yards, led by senior Nick Kopin’s 1,397 with 16 touchdowns on the ground. Whiteford is undefeated in-state, with its lone defeat to an opponent from Ohio, and all of the Bobcats’ wins have been by double digits. Senior Cole Giesige is a big part of a balanced offense, running for 1,241 yards and 21 scores this fall.
Second Half’s weekly “1st & Goal” previews and reviews are powered by MI Student Aid, a part of the Office of Postsecondary Financial Planning located within the Michigan Department of Treasury. MI Student Aid encourages students to pursue postsecondary education by providing access to student financial resources and information. MI Student Aid administers the state’s 529 college savings programs (MET/MESP), as well as scholarship and grant programs that help make college Accessible, Affordable and Attainable for you. Connect with MI Student Aid at www.michigan.gov/mistudentaid and find more information on Facebook and Twitter @mistudentaid.
PHOTO Sterling Heights Stevenson’s Jordan Ramsey (5) fends off a potential tackler during his team’s Semifinal win. (Photo courtesy of C&G Newspapers.)