2014 Week 9 Football Playoff Listing
October 21, 2014
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Following is a list of Michigan High School Athletic Association football playing schools with at least four wins, displaying their win-loss records and playoff averages through the eighth week of the season.
Schools on this list are in enrollment order for 11-player teams, with 8-player teams ordered by playoff average. An asterisk (*) beside a record indicates a team has eight or fewer games scheduled. A caret (^) beside a school’s name indicates 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 Oct. 31. 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 Oct. 31.
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 7 p.m. on Oct. 26 on the Selection Sunday Show on FOX Sports Detroit. The playoff qualifiers and pairings will be posted to the MHSAA Website following the Selection Sunday Show.
11-Player Playoff Listing
1. Macomb Dakota, 2814, 6-2, 84.500
2. Sterling Heights Stevenson, 2767, 6-2, 83.875
3. Clarkston, 2742, 8-0, 111.000
4. Utica Eisenhower ^, 2712, 5-3, 75.500
5. Grand Blanc ^, 2668, 5-3, 63.875
6. Howell, 2595, 4-4, 57.750
7. East Kentwood, 2592, 7-1, 93.500
8. Rockford, 2555, 6-2, 88.375
9. Clinton Township Chippewa Valley ^, 2538, 5-3, 69.750
10. Lake Orion, 2459, 4-4, 50.750
11. Dearborn Fordson, 2411, 8-0, 108.000
12. Northville ^, 2298, 5-3, 63.000
13. Holland West Ottawa ^, 2293, 5-3, 72.500
14. Canton, 2289, 6-2, 85.375
15. Detroit Cass Tech, 2277, 8-0, 106.000
16. Brighton, 2133, 4-4, 52.125
17. Plymouth, 2116, 6-2, 77.250
18. Lapeer, 2112, 8-0, 101.000
19. Utica Ford, 2090, 4-4, 47.125
20. Hartland, 2007, 6-2, 84.125
21. Monroe, 1992, 6-2, 81.625
22. West Bloomfield, 1929, 7-1, 93.875
23. Dearborn ^, 1876, 5-3, 71.375
24. Westland John Glenn ^, 1872, 5-3, 60.875
25. Warren Mott, 1870, 4-4, 58.250
26. Oxford, 1864, 6-2, 78.625
27. Ann Arbor Pioneer, 1857, 4-4, 48.250
28. Livonia Stevenson, 1848, 6-2, 76.125
29. Saline, 1844, 7-1, 92.083
30. Grandville, 1820, 4-4, 56.750
31. Walled Lake Central, 1815, 6-2, 83.250
32. Romeo ^, 1770, 5-3, 66.625
33. Hudsonville ^, 1759, 5-3, 67.875
34. Waterford Mott ^, 1738, 5-3, 69.750
35. Rochester Hills Stoney Creek, 1711, 4-4, 50.625
36. Livonia Churchill, 1696, 6-2, 79.250
37. Grand Ledge ^, 1689, 5-3, 61.875
38. Fraser ^, 1684, 5-3, 61.625
39. Grosse Pointe South, 1674, 4-4, 57.750
40. Traverse City West, 1658, 4-4, 54.625
41. Rochester Adams, 1614, 4-4, 49.375
42. Walled Lake Northern, 1613, 4-4, 54.250
43. Waterford Kettering, 1610, 4-4, 49.250
44. Temperance Bedford, 1600, 4-4, 54.125
45. Warren Cousino ^, 1588, 5-3, 67.250
46. Flint Carman-Ainsworth, 1568, 6-2, 77.375
47. Warren DeLaSalle ^, 1562, 5-3, 59.100
48. Davison, 1531, 4-4, 47.000
49. Detroit Western International, 1521, 4-4, 41.125
50. Detroit Martin Luther King, 1507, 8-0, 109.143
51. Walled Lake Western, 1502, 7-1, 97.500
52. Traverse City Central, 1490, 6-2, 79.875
53. Oak Park, 1486, 6-2, 79.500
54. Brownstown Woodhaven, 1484, 8-0, 107.000
55. East Detroit, 1422, 4-4, 45.750
56. Ypsilanti Lincoln, 1422, 6-2, 74.875
57. Caledonia, 1417, 6-2, 86.875
58. Midland, 1400, 4-4, 48.375
59. Southfield-Lathrup, 1388, 4-4, 49.250
60. Portage Central *, 1384, 6-1, 86.911
61. Detroit Pershing, 1379, 4-4, 40.518
62. Southgate Anderson ^, 1374, 5-3, 59.000
63. Lansing Everett ^, 1364, 5-3, 63.125
64. Dearborn Edsel Ford, 1356, 4-4, 51.250
65. Wyandotte Roosevelt, 1351, 6-2, 77.625
66. Detroit East English ^, 1345, 5-3, 62.768
67. Portage Northern ^, 1345, 5-3, 69.571
68. Port Huron, 1336, 6-2, 80.375
69. Grosse Pointe North ^, 1310, 5-3, 66.625
70. Ypsilanti Community ^, 1300, 5-3, 59.500
71. Birmingham Brother Rice, 1298, 8-0, 109.000
72. Swartz Creek ^, 1285, 5-3, 61.875
73. Battle Creek Lakeview *, 1278, 6-1, 90.071
74. Muskegon Mona Shores, 1274, 7-1, 95.625
75. Okemos ^, 1273, 5-3, 66.750
76. Bay City Central, 1271, 4-4, 51.750
77. Birmingham Groves, 1270, 6-2, 76.375
78. Berkley, 1265, 6-2, 75.125
79. Flushing, 1260, 6-2, 79.250
80. Midland Dow, 1255, 8-0, 101.000
81. South Lyon, 1254, 7-1, 94.250
82. Southfield, 1239, 6-2, 78.500
83. Farmington Hills Harrison, 1212, 7-1, 94.625
84. Mattawan ^, 1184, 5-3, 64.929
85. Fenton, 1181, 8-0, 107.000
86. Farmington, 1178, 7-1, 94.750
87. Grand Rapids Northview, 1177, 6-2, 76.375
88. Warren Woods Tower, 1175, 6-2, 76.500
89. Muskegon, 1157, 8-0, 105.000
90. St. Clair Shores Lake Shore, 1153, 4-4, 48.375
91. Lowell, 1145, 7-1, 85.625
92. Detroit Renaissance ^, 1144, 5-3, 58.893
93. Greenville, 1130, 4-4, 43.125
94. Gibraltar Carlson, 1129, 4-4, 45.750
95. Grand Rapids Kenowa Hills, 1125, 4-4, 49.750
96. Battle Creek Central, 1124, 4-4, 49.339
97. Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern, 1113, 6-2, 78.375
98. Holland, 1109, 4-4, 46.000
99. Detroit Cody ^, 1096, 5-3, 58.893
100. Marquette, 1090, 7-1, 81.292
101. St. Johns, 1088, 7-1, 90.875
102. Byron Center, 1085, 6-2, 74.500
103. Allen Park, 1069, 7-1, 88.875
104. Richland Gull Lake, 1064, 4-4, 46.964
105. Auburn Hills Avondale ^, 1056, 5-3, 58.000
106. Orchard Lake St. Mary's, 1054, 7-1, 85.875
107. Mt. Pleasant ^, 1050, 5-3, 59.125
108. Mason ^, 1032, 5-3, 61.125
109. St. Joseph, 1028, 4-4, 50.214
110. Redford Thurston ^, 1024, 5-3, 62.875
111. East Grand Rapids ^, 986, 5-3, 69.250
112. Petoskey, 965, 6-2, 77.375
113. Trenton ^, 955, 5-3, 60.250
114. Romulus, 950, 6-2, 65.500
115. Riverview ^, 935, 5-3, 55.250
116. DeWitt, 930, 8-0, 107.000
117. Gaylord ^, 927, 5-3, 59.875
118. Linden, 921, 6-2, 74.500
119. Detroit Mumford ^, 919, 5-3, 61.125
120. Middleville Thornapple Kellogg, 914, 4-4, 46.000
121. Cedar Springs, 910, 7-1, 87.500
122. Grand Rapids Christian ^, 895, 5-3, 65.125
123. Fruitport, 890, 4-4, 48.625
124. Stevensville Lakeshore, 887, 6-2, 80.071
125. Sault Ste. Marie, 886, 4-4, 46.750
126. Niles ^, 885, 5-3, 60.589
127. Coldwater, 876, 7-1, 73.875
128. Haslett, 874, 4-4, 55.750
129. Tecumseh ^, 869, 5-3, 62.125
130. New Boston Huron, 867, 7-1, 78.875
131. Warren Fitzgerald ^, 857, 5-3, 55.625
132. Zeeland West, 850, 8-0, 95.000
133. Dearborn Divine Child, 848, 6-2, 66.857
134. Bay City John Glenn, 847, 6-2, 59.500
135. Battle Creek Harper Creek ^, 845, 5-3, 53.250
136. St. Clair, 844, 6-2, 76.375
137. Edwardsburg, 839, 7-1, 84.625
138. Chelsea, 838, 6-2, 75.125
139. Detroit Old Redford ^, 837, 5-3, 47.889
140. Charlotte, 836, 4-4, 41.500
141. Milan, 828, 4-4, 40.750
142. Plainwell, 812, 7-1, 77.750
143. Ada Forest Hills Eastern, 808, 4-4, 46.750
144. Marysville ^, 806, 5-3, 62.250
145. Spring Lake ^, 802, 5-3, 56.625
146. Detroit Denby, 800, 4-4, 54.375
147. Ionia, 796, 4-4, 46.375
148. Vicksburg, 794, 6-2, 68.250
149. Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook-Kingswood ^, 790, 5-3, 44.750
150. Eaton Rapids ^, 773, 5-3, 55.000
151. Cadillac, 747, 8-0, 103.000
152. Goodrich, 737, 7-1, 76.875
153. Ferndale, 723, 4-4, 47.500
154. Three Rivers ^, 722, 5-3, 62.000
155. Dearborn Heights Robichaud, 717, 7-1, 79.786
156. Yale, 716, 6-2, 61.625
157. Comstock Park, 703, 4-4, 46.875
158. Hudsonville Unity Christian, 693, 4-4, 46.000
159. Harper Woods Chandler Park Academy, 691, 6-2, 67.875
160. Detroit Country Day, 690, 4-4, 46.500
161. Allendale, 689, 4-4, 46.250
162. Muskegon Orchard View ^, 662, 5-3, 50.750
163. Williamston, 659, 6-2, 69.250
164. Paw Paw ^, 657, 5-3, 53.875
165. Grand Rapids Catholic Central ^, 655, 5-3, 60.000
166. Lansing Sexton, 652, 8-0, 111.000
167. Whitehall, 644, 6-2, 59.500
168. Grosse Ile, 640, 6-2, 67.625
169. Kalamazoo Hackett ^, 635, 5-3, 45.536
170. Detroit Collegiate Prep, 634, 4-4, 42.250
171. Richmond, 630, 7-1, 77.875
172. Imlay City, 629, 4-4, 36.500
173. Grand Rapids South Christian, 623, 6-2, 74.125
174. Wyoming Kelloggsville ^, 610, 5-3, 51.750
175. Wyoming Godwin Heights ^, 609, 5-3, 44.625
176. Saginaw Swan Valley, 602, 8-0, 89.000
177. Clawson ^, 589, 5-3, 49.125
178. North Muskegon, 577, 4-4, 36.250
179. Birch Run, 575, 7-1, 75.750
180. Essexville Garber ^, 574, 5-3, 51.250
181. Remus Chippewa Hills, 567, 6-2, 70.250
182. Flint Powers Catholic, 553, 6-2, 68.500
183. Marine City, 553, 8-0, 96.000
184. Freeland, 549, 7-1, 74.875
185. Kingsford, 546, 4-4, 45.667
186. Ann Arbor Gabriel Richard, 545, 6-2, 56.786
187. Stanton Central Montcalm ^, 539, 5-3, 55.750
188. Portland, 538, 4-4, 48.875
189. Menominee, 532, 8-0, 91.730
190. Detroit University Prep, 530, 6-2, 60.264
191. River Rouge, 530, 7-1, 73.143
192. Frankenmuth, 528, 7-1, 75.750
193. Gladwin ^, 528, 5-3, 47.000
194. Ida, 527, 6-2, 58.500
195. Hopkins, 522, 7-1, 74.804
196. Grayling, 517, 4-4, 41.643
197. Lansing Catholic, 515, 8-0, 94.000
198. Almont, 512, 8-0, 85.889
199. Carrollton, 511, 4-4, 37.250
200. Newaygo, 506, 7-1, 73.625
201. Olivet, 505, 6-2, 64.125
202. Berrien Springs ^, 501, 5-3, 53.500
203. Muskegon Oakridge, 501, 7-1, 72.875
204. Onsted ^, 499, 5-3, 41.125
205. Ovid-Elsie ^, 487, 5-3, 53.000
206. Chesaning, 480, 4-4, 41.375
207. Detroit Central Collegiate ^, 479, 5-3, 52.018
208. Manistee, 479, 4-4, 40.375
209. Stockbridge ^, 462, 5-3, 50.625
210. Reed City, 461, 7-1, 77.750
211. Clare, 445, 6-2, 65.625
E-TC's Witt Bulldozing Path from Small Town to Football's Biggest Stage
By
Jason Juno
Special for MHSAA.com
June 28, 2024
Ewen-Trout Creek graduate Jake Witt is playing for a spot on the Indianapolis Colts’ 53-man roster. The memories of high school sports, and the impact they’ve had on his journey to the NFL, have stuck with him through his college days and even now as a professional.
The 300-plus receiving yards he went for in a game against the eventual 8-player state champion back in 2017.
The regular-season basketball game where 3,276 fans turned out to watch his Panthers play just a few months later.
The teamwork prep sports taught him. The family atmosphere he got to be a part of on the high school football team.
“Football was definitely the sport I felt the most family-type feeling with it,” Witt said earlier this week after fishing on Erickson Lake while back in the Upper Peninsula before training camp begins next month. “That’s what drew me back to wanting to play football in college, was my opportunity in high school to play and getting that feeling with the guys and that family-oriented feel.”
Witt played two years of high school football. He lined up exclusively at wide receiver for Ewen-Trout Creek as a junior and then was more of a blocking tight end when E-TC and Ontonagon joined forces as a co-op program when he was a senior.
He ultimately decided to play basketball first in college, at Michigan Tech. But two of his three finalists were football opportunities.
“Obviously playing basketball from second grade on, people would probably assume that I would want to play basketball in college,” Witt said. “I think that just goes to show that football in those two years had a big impact and obviously it led me to where I am when I played at Northern and where I am today.”
Witt played only one year of basketball at Tech. He transferred to Northern Michigan University to attend as a student only before being talked into playing football.
He was initially a tight end there before moving to tackle because of injuries during a game against Ferris State. He dominated, not allowing a sack or even a quarterback pressure against what was considered the best Division II defensive line in the country.
He stayed at tackle for what was left of that season and then all of his final year at Northern. Despite his limited time at the position, he had the attention of NFL scouts and entered the draft. The attention reached a fever pitch during his pro day at Central Michigan when he wowed with his athleticism. His 9.92 Relative Athletic Score, a way to measure players’ athletic testing while accounting for their size, was one of the best for an offensive tackle prospect since it began being used in 1987.
He was drafted with the 236th pick, in the seventh round, by the Colts in 2023.
His first training camp was cut short due to a hip injury, and he was then placed on season-ending injured reserve. But he’s back healthy and ready to go. He practiced at second-string left tackle during the offseason camp this spring and now hopes to earn a spot on the 53-man roster with training camp set to begin in a month.
“I want to go into training camp, play well and then play well enough to where they can’t release me off the 53,” Witt said. “The next goal is to play in a game. And I think that will start with special teams, that will start with field goal. And then from there, obviously, everybody is one week of great practice away from playing with the offense, one injury away from playing in a game with the offense.”
Those who watched him during his high school days in the U.P. likely wouldn’t be at all surprised to see that happen.
Witt is still the only receiver to go for 300 or more receiving yards in 8-player football in state history, according to the MHSAA record book. And he did it twice, a 325-yard game against Eben Junction Superior Central as a junior and the 305-yard performance against Crystal Falls Forest Park as a senior.
The Ontonagon co-op team had mostly stucsk to running the ball that season, but looked for Witt through the air against the eventual state champion Trojans.
“I think it was 345 (yards), I think they sent in the wrong number,” Witt said. “That was one game where we switched things up with our offensive attack and threw the ball a lot more, and it ended up paying off for us very well. We were down big at halftime, and we pushed back and we were in a battle with them in the second half. It was a great game. We didn’t end up winning, but it was a lot of fun.”
He enjoyed both years of high school football – even while mostly blocking on the line as a senior despite having shown previously to be a more-than-capable receiver.
“A lot of the offense wasn’t focused on me anymore, which was great,” Witt said. “It made me a much more well-rounded football player. It made me a much better athlete, it gave me a better perception on things as a football player versus just being a receiver. I think both years were great for different reasons.”
Witt said every sport he played in high school was beneficial to him going forward. Basketball, for example, taught him teamwork and coordination.
“And just relationship building is huge; for me, it helped me move on to the professional football level,” he said.
No high school game was quite as memorable for him as that regular-season basketball game at Michigan Tech on a chilly Wednesday night in Houghton.
Ewen-Trout Creek and Dollar Bay were tied atop the U.P. small-school poll. With that type of matchup, and the chance for fans in the Copper Country to see the 6-7 Witt and his above-the-rim play that’s pretty unique in the U.P., the game was moved from Dollar Bay’s tiny gym to Michigan Tech. (He wasn’t quite 300 pounds like he is now, but he was close – and he came into that game averaging 27 points and 16 rebounds per game with no one able to match his size and strength.)
They expected a crowd; they got 3,276. The latest arriving fans had to sit on the floor on the baseline.
“You don’t see that very much in Division 4 basketball even in the playoffs,” Witt said. “Just having that atmosphere, and especially having it between two of the best U.P. teams at the time, and having the storyline that was behind the game was great – and one of the most memorable events to this day still for me.”
Witt is looking forward to the challenge of training camp and achieving his goals in Indianapolis. But he’s not rushing away a U.P. summer.
He helped out at last week’s U.P. Football All-Star game. He was happy to provide insight for any players headed off to play college ball, and they helped the Marquette County Habitat for Humanity with the finishing touches on one of their houses.
Over the next month, he’ll still be training, going over the playbook and doing position skill work. As happy as he was to help out last week, he’s happy to be on the lake again, too, fishing like a normal Yooper.
“That’s what I’ve been trying to do, that and train,” Witt said. “Just trying to destress before I get back into it.”
PHOTOS (Top) At left, Jake Witt played for Ewen-Trout Creek during a 2018 basketball game at Michigan Tech, and at right Witt takes a photo with area youth baseball players last summer. (Middle) Witt, right, umpires a baseball game last summer. (Below) Witt warms up during the Indianapolis Colts’ rookie camp in May 2023. (Photos by Jason Juno.)