2015 Week 6 Football Playoff Listing
September 29, 2015
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Here is a list of Michigan High School Athletic Association football playing schools, displaying their win-loss records and playoff averages through the fifth 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. 30. 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. 30.
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. Oct. 25 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, 2921, 4-1, 82.200
2. Grand Blanc, 2727, 4-1, 76.000
3. Clarkston, 2707, 3-2, 55.800
4. Utica Eisenhower, 2669, 3-2, 62.000
5. Sterling Heights Stevenson, 2634, 4-1, 72.600
6. Clinton Township Chippewa Valley, 2611, 4-1, 85.400
7. East Kentwood, 2581, 4-1, 78.800
8. Howell, 2567, 4-1, 74.200
9. Rockford, 2561, 3-2, 60.800
10. Detroit Cass Tech, 2285, 4-1, 76.000
11. Northville ^, 2281, 5-0, 89.600
12. Brighton ^, 2211, 5-0, 94.400
13. Troy Athens, 2153, 3-2, 55.400
14. Detroit Catholic Central, 2138, 4-1, 64.800
15. Utica Ford, 2080, 4-1, 82.400
16. Canton ^, 2076, 5-0, 91.200
17. Monroe, 2066, 3-2, 55.800
18. Lapeer ^, 2059, 5-0, 86.400
19. Plymouth, 2057, 4-1, 72.400
20. Ann Arbor Pioneer ^, 2025, 5-0, 92.800
21. Hartland, 2017, 3-2, 52.600
22. New Baltimore Anchor Bay, 1946, 3-2, 55.000
23. West Bloomfield ^, 1932, 5-0, 96.000
24. Saline ^, 1879, 5-0, 86.400
25. Livonia Stevenson ^, 1831, 5-0, 96.000
26. Warren Mott, 1810, 4-1, 80.600
27. Utica, 1788, 3-2, 59.000
28. Holt, 1788, 3-2, 55.400
29. Davison, 1765, 3-2, 53.600
30. Hudsonville, 1763, 4-1, 78.800
31. Belleville, 1735, 4-1, 72.200
32. Romeo ^, 1673, 5-0, 99.200
33. Grand Ledge ^, 1663, 5-0, 88.000
34. Grosse Pointe South, 1629, 3-2, 57.200
35. Livonia Churchill, 1620, 3-2, 49.400
36. Walled Lake Northern, 1611, 4-1, 76.000
37. Warren DeLaSalle, 1572, 4-1, 77.600
38. Sterling Heights, 1561, 4-1, 67.800
39. Detroit Martin Luther King ^, 1537, 5-0, 100.800
40. Flint Carman-Ainsworth, 1533, 3-2, 50.600
41. Warren Cousino, 1514, 3-2, 52.200
42. Waterford Kettering, 1512, 3-2, 54.200
43. Detroit U-D Jesuit, 1486, 4-1, 65.000
44. Traverse City Central ^, 1474, 5-0, 94.400
45. Walled Lake Western ^, 1462, 5-0, 99.200
46. Midland ^, 1419, 5-0, 88.000
47. Jenison, 1418, 3-2, 60.000
48. Portage Northern, 1375, 3-2, 53.800
49. Lincoln Park, 1363, 4-1, 72.800
50. Portage Central ^, 1351, 5-0, 94.400
51. Wyandotte Roosevelt, 1346, 4-1, 77.400
52. Battle Creek Lakeview, 1344, 3-2, 58.600
53. Detroit East English, 1338, 4-1, 69.600
54. Southfield-Lathrup, 1320, 3-2, 49.200
55. Grand Rapids Ottawa Hills, 1280, 3-2, 49.000
56. Southfield, 1269, 3-2, 62.000
57. North Farmington, 1267, 3-2, 53.400
58. Port Huron Northern, 1260, 3-2, 50.000
59. Midland Dow, 1256, 4-1, 67.600
60. Birmingham Groves ^, 1248, 5-0, 83.200
61. Berkley, 1248, 4-1, 62.800
62. Royal Oak, 1248, 3-2, 50.200
63. Jackson, 1244, 3-2, 50.600
64. Flushing, 1242, 3-2, 55.400
65. Muskegon Mona Shores ^, 1239, 5-0, 97.600
66. Muskegon Reeths-Puffer, 1222, 3-2, 48.800
67. Farmington Hills Harrison, 1218, 4-1, 75.800
68. Farmington, 1176, 3-2, 75.817
69. Lowell, 1168, 4-1, 82.400
70. Gibraltar Carlson, 1140, 3-2, 52.400
71. Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern ^, 1124, 5-0, 92.800
72. Muskegon, 1113, 4-1, 82.200
73. Fenton, 1108, 4-1, 75.600
74. Byron Center, 1070, 4-1, 71.200
75. Holly, 1068, 3-2, 60.400
76. Redford Thurston, 1064, 3-2, 58.800
77. Mt. Pleasant, 1061, 3-2, 60.800
78. Ortonville-Brandon, 1060, 3-2, 53.600
79. Allen Park, 1058, 4-1, 74.200
80. St. Johns, 1053, 4-1, 80.600
81. Zeeland East, 1040, 3-2, 64.400
82. Mason, 1033, 3-2, 54.200
83. Orchard Lake St. Mary's *^, 1032, 4-1, 79.267
84. Hamtramck, 984, 3-2, 44.800
85. St. Joseph, 980, 4-1, 77.200
86. East Grand Rapids, 975, 4-1, 79.000
87. Petoskey, 970, 4-1, 64.600
88. DeWitt ^, 960, 5-0, 96.000
89. Romulus, 956, 4-1, 72.800
90. Trenton ^, 953, 5-0, 89.600
91. Linden, 947, 4-1, 77.600
92. Cedar Springs, 943, 3-2, 47.600
93. Gaylord, 940, 4-1, 63.600
94. Sturgis, 926, 4-1, 64.200
95. Riverview, 912, 3-2, 41.400
96. Grand Rapids Christian, 905, 3-2, 52.400
97. Parma Western, 876, 3-2, 47.800
98. Haslett, 875, 3-2, 57.000
99. Stevensville Lakeshore, 874, 3-2, 60.400
100. Fruitport, 865, 3-2, 44.200
101. Coldwater ^, 863, 5-0, 86.400
102. Marshall, 863, 4-1, 74.400
103. Vicksburg, 858, 3-2, 49.400
104. Edwardsburg ^, 851, 5-0, 80.000
105. Sault Ste. Marie, 850, 3-2, 61.600
106. Bay City John Glenn, 847, 3-2, 47.600
107. Chelsea ^, 845, 5-0, 81.600
108. Zeeland West ^, 840, 5-0, 84.800
109. Detroit Mumford, 837, 3-2, 53.800
110. Ada Forest Hills Eastern ^, 828, 5-0, 80.000
111. Milan, 820, 4-1, 67.800
112. Battle Creek Harper Creek, 816, 3-2, 47.200
113. Plainwell, 807, 3-2, 44.000
114. Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood ^, 794, 5-0, 67.200
115. Marysville, 783, 3-2, 53.800
116. Holland Christian, 759, 3-2, 47.800
117. North Branch, 758, 3-2, 45.400
118. Goodrich, 754, 3-2, 50.600
119. Pontiac Notre Dame Prep, 728, 4-1, 71.000
120. Detroit Douglass, 718, 3-2, 43.800
121. Harper Woods Chandler Park Academy, 692, 3-2, 49.200
122. Detroit Country Day, 685, 4-1, 64.600
123. Comstock Park, 682, 4-1, 74.400
124. Detroit Cesar Chavez Academy, 681, 4-1, 47.200
125. St. Clair Shores South Lake ^, 668, 5-0, 88.000
126. Croswell-Lexington, 668, 4-1, 53.400
127. Hudsonville Unity Christian, 665, 3-2, 39.400
128. Grand Rapids Catholic Central, 658, 4-1, 77.400
129. Williamston, 657, 4-1, 67.800
130. Corunna, 656, 4-1, 62.800
131. Whitehall, 656, 3-2, 48.000
132. Paw Paw, 653, 3-2, 49.400
133. Alma, 642, 3-2, 47.600
134. Wyoming Kelloggsville, 640, 3-2, 39.600
135. Detroit Collegiate Prep ^, 632, 5-0, 78.400
136. Benton Harbor, 631, 3-2, 57.000
137. Lake Fenton, 625, 4-1, 60.000
138. Lake Odessa Lakewood ^, 624, 5-0, 68.800
139. Saginaw Swan Valley, 613, 3-2, 48.800
140. Dowagiac, 611, 3-2, 44.400
141. Flint Powers Catholic, 610, 3-2, 57.000
142. Big Rapids, 609, 4-1, 56.400
143. Richmond, 605, 4-1, 68.000
144. Wyoming Godwin Heights, 602, 3-2, 36.200
145. Remus Chippewa Hills, 600, 4-1, 59.600
146. River Rouge ^, 593, 5-0, 81.600
147. Clawson, 592, 4-1, 53.000
148. Dearborn Heights Robichaud, 573, 4-1, 64.600
149. Gladwin, 571, 3-2, 42.400
150. Portland ^, 563, 5-0, 84.800
151. Freeland ^, 563, 5-0, 83.200
152. Essexville Garber, 557, 3-2, 47.600
153. Ann Arbor Gabriel Richard, 556, 4-1, 60.200
154. Ida ^, 548, 5-0, 81.600
155. Kingsford, 547, 3-2, 50.000
156. Marine City, 540, 3-2, 44.800
157. Muskegon Oakridge, 538, 4-1, 49.800
158. Algonac ^, 532, 5-0, 70.400
159. Frankenmuth ^, 529, 5-0, 72.000
160. Olivet, 524, 3-2, 41.000
161. Chesaning, 523, 3-2, 46.000
162. Detroit Henry Ford, 523, 3-2, 37.800
163. Lansing Catholic, 517, 4-1, 66.400
164. Almont ^, 513, 5-0, 70.400
165. Onsted, 509, 4-1, 48.800
166. Detroit Central Collegiate, 508, 3-2, 40.800
167. Berrien Springs ^, 495, 5-0, 71.200
168. Stockbridge, 493, 4-1, 61.600
169. Parchment, 493, 4-1, 48.000
170. Reed City ^, 491, 5-0, 61.600
171. Ovid-Elsie, 491, 3-2, 48.000
172. Grayling, 489, 4-1, 59.800
173. Standish-Sterling Central, 489, 3-2, 39.000
174. Dundee, 489, 3-2, 32.600
175. Clinton Township Clintondale, 486, 3-2, 50.600
176. Menominee ^, 480, 5-0, 82.133
177. Harper Woods, 476, 4-1, 47.000
178. Manistee ^, 469, 5-0, 66.000
179. Brooklyn Columbia Central, 463, 4-1, 60.000
180. Buchanan ^, 459, 5-0, 72.000
181. Grand Rapids West Catholic, 442, 3-2, 52.600
182. Kalkaska, 437, 3-2, 37.800
183. Harrison, 430, 4-1, 54.600
184. Hillsdale, 430, 3-2, 43.000
185. Jackson Lumen Christi, 426, 4-1, 67.800
186. Warren Michigan Collegiate, 421, 3-2, 47.800
187. Calumet, 419, 3-2, 44.267
188. Lakeview, 417, 3-2, 39.000
189. Sanford Meridian Early College ^, 408, 5-0, 67.200
190. Michigan Center, 406, 3-2, 34.200
191. Detroit Pershing, 405, 3-2, 37.600
192. Ithaca ^, 402, 5-0, 67.200
193. Byron, 399, 3-2, 39.800
194. Millington, 398, 4-1, 64.800
195. Delton Kellogg, 398, 4-1, 56.400
196. Montague ^, 396, 5-0, 68.800
197. Burton Bendle, 393, 4-1, 50.400
198. Oscoda, 391, 4-1, 40.200
199. Detroit Edison Public School Academy, 390, 3-2, 28.000
200. Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central ^, 389, 5-0, 84.800
201. Morley Stanwood, 386, 3-2, 42.600
202. Negaunee ^, 385, 5-0, 65.600
203. Constantine, 385, 3-2, 43.000
204. Maple City Glen Lake, 384, 4-1, 48.600
205. Boyne City, 383, 4-1, 52.000
206. Niles Brandywine, 380, 3-2, 37.800
207. Adrian Madison, 379, 3-2, 36.600
208. Vassar, 377, 4-1, 47.000
209. Mason County Central, 376, 3-2, 39.600
210. St. Louis, 374, 3-2, 37.800
211. Laingsburg, 373, 4-1, 45.400
212. Watervliet, 372, 4-1, 56.800
213. Madison Heights Madison, 367, 4-1, 68.000
214. Manchester, 365, 4-1, 45.600
215. Schoolcraft ^, 357, 5-0, 65.600
216. Charlevoix, 350, 3-2, 31.600
217. Leroy Pine River, 349, 3-2, 42.800
218. Quincy, 346, 3-2, 34.000
219. Grand Rapids NorthPointe Christian ^, 345, 5-0, 67.200
220. Lawton ^, 342, 5-0, 60.800
221. Vandercook Lake ^, 341, 5-0, 59.200
222. Clinton ^, 335, 5-0, 64.000
223. Traverse City St. Francis ^, 320, 5-0, 75.200
224. Hesperia ^, 310, 5-0, 62.400
225. Sandusky ^, 310, 5-0, 62.400
226. Iron Mountain, 309, 3-2, 36.800
227. McBain, 307, 4-1, 56.800
228. Cass City, 304, 4-1, 46.800
229. Bridgman, 303, 4-1, 52.000
230. Gobles, 301, 3-2, 41.000
231. Union City, 298, 3-2, 34.600
232. Marlette, 298, 3-2, 34.200
233. Elkton-Pigeon-Bay Port Laker, 296, 3-2, 39.400
234. Homer, 294, 4-1, 48.400
235. Pewamo-Westphalia ^, 292, 5-0, 60.800
236. Rochester Hills Lutheran Northwest, 292, 3-2, 36.000
237. Flint Hamady ^, 291, 5-0, 59.200
238. Dansville, 289, 4-1, 47.200
239. Springport, 287, 3-2, 33.200
240. Saginaw Nouvel, 285, 4-1, 58.000
241. Riverview Gabriel Richard ^, 284, 5-0, 64.000
242. Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett, 282, 3-2, 42.200
243. Harbor Springs, 281, 3-2, 24.800
244. Ishpeming *, 278, 5-0, 64.000
245. Flint Beecher, 278, 4-1, 59.800
246. New Lothrop ^, 276, 5-0, 72.000
247. Detroit Loyola, 276, 4-1, 71.000
248. Saugatuck ^, 271, 5-0, 62.400
249. Ubly, 271, 3-2, 39.800
250. Cassopolis, 270, 3-2, 38.400
251. Concord, 267, 4-1, 51.800
252. Decatur, 266, 3-2, 36.400
253. Lincoln Alcona, 265, 4-1, 33.800
254. Unionville-Sebewaing, 262, 4-1, 48.800
255. Ottawa Lake Whiteford, 255, 4-1, 40.600
256. Indian River Inland Lakes, 251, 4-1, 42.400
257. Onekama, 250, 4-1, 40.600
258. Petersburg-Summerfield, 240, 4-1, 47.000
259. Beal City, 228, 4-1, 53.000
260. Johannesburg-Lewiston, 226, 4-1, 44.000
261. St. Ignace ^, 225, 5-0, 59.200
262. Saginaw Michigan Lutheran Seminary ^, 223, 5-0, 65.600
263. Mayville, 217, 4-1, 40.800
264. L'Anse, 215, 3-2, 42.600
265. Pittsford, 211, 4-1, 40.600
266. Newberry, 211, 3-2, 36.400
267. Marcellus, 209, 3-2, 29.800
268. Vestaburg, 205, 4-1, 39.000
269. Bark River-Harris ^, 194, 5-0, 52.800
270. Morenci, 191, 4-1, 55.200
271. Munising, 191, 4-1, 44.667
272. Central Lake, 189, 3-2, 25.400
273. Fowler, 183, 4-1, 43.800
274. Sterling Heights Parkway Christian, 178, 3-2, 38.200
275. Muskegon Catholic Central *, 177, 3-1, 55.000
276. Adrian Lenawee Christian, 170, 4-1, 34.800
277. Climax-Scotts ^, 163, 5-0, 46.400
278. Crystal Falls Forest Park *, 163, 3-2, 33.467
279. Frankfort, 160, 4-1, 53.400
280. Waterford Our Lady ^, 157, 5-0, 67.200
281. Lake Linden-Hubbell ^, 155, 5-0, 56.800
282. Colon, 153, 3-2, 33.800
283. Hillman, 146, 4-1, 35.400
284. Bay City All Saints, 118, 3-2, 28.200
8-Player Playoff Listing
1. Owendale-Gagetown, 49, 5-0, 50.400
2. Powers North Central, 198, 5-0, 49.600
3. Posen, 84, 5-0, 48.000
4. Waldron, 88, 5-0, 46.400
5. Deckerville, 178, 5-0, 44.800
6. Battle Creek St. Philip, 144, 5-0, 43.200
7. Rapid River, 111, 4-1, 40.400
8. Cedarville, 144, 4-1, 37.400
9. Lawrence, 189, 5-0, 36.800
10. Morrice, 169, 4-1, 36.000
11. New Haven Merritt Academy, 148, 4-1, 33.600
12. Peck, 152, 4-1, 32.600
13. Portland St. Patrick, 87, 4-1, 31.200
14. Webberville, 184, 4-1, 29.600
15. Stephenson, 186, 3-2, 28.400
16. Engadine, 85, 3-2, 28.400
17. Pickford, 164, 3-2, 27.000
18. Onaway, 196, 3-2, 26.800
19. Akron-Fairgrove, 99, 3-2, 25.050
20. Bellaire, 134, 3-2, 24.000
21. Baraga, 164, 3-2, 23.600
22. Marion, 145, 2-3, 20.600
23. Kingston, 187, 2-3, 18.200
24. Kinde-North Huron, 147, 2-3, 17.600
25. Tekonsha, 148, 2-3, 16.400
26. Caseville, 91, 2-3, 15.800
27. Big Rapids Crossroads Academy, 190, 1-4, 12.250
28. Ewen-Trout Creek, 126, 1-4, 10.400
29. Burr Oak, 75, 1-4, 8.800
30. St. Helen Charlton Heston Academy, 108, 1-4, 8.400
31. Eben Junction Superior Central, 123, 1-4, 8.200
32. Ontonagon, 129, 1-4, 8.000
33. Hale, 132, 1-4, 7.850
34. St Joseph Michigan Lutheran, 103, 0-5, 3.600
35. Carsonville-Port Sanilac, 120, 0-5, 2.400
36. Litchfield, 92, 0-5, 2.400
37. Pellston, 170, 0-5, 1.800
38. Flint Michigan School For The Deaf, 47, 0-4, 1.800
39. Covert, 91, 0-3, 1.650
40. Brimley, 142, 0-5, 1.600
Process, Relationships Still Matter Most as 4-Time Champ Shillito Coaches 41st Season
By
Steve Vedder
Special for MHSAA.com
October 18, 2024
It was John Shillito's third year as Muskegon Orchard View football coach, and while the wolves weren't exactly knocking at the door, some faint low growls could clearly be heard.
Shillito had been successful at Comstock Park with his teams going 21-8 over three seasons, but the move to Orchard View included 3-6 and 4-5 records the first two.
While there wasn't yet widespread anxiety, Shillito recalls there was a bit of concern.
"I was much younger then and wasn't as successful yet in education," Shillito said. "But we weathered it and came through the other side. But you wonder a little; there's always a little self-doubt. I think it was important to go through it, because you can learn as much even when you're not winning."
Michigan high school football is the better for Shillito sticking it out. Two schools later, Shillito finds himself as the state's third winningest active coach and seventh overall with a 333-106 mark over 41 seasons.
His Zeeland West team is 6-1 this season and likely to become his 27th team – and 15th in a row – to qualify for the playoffs. Shillito's teams at Byron Center, Muskegon Orchard View, East Kentwood and Zeeland West have won a combined 16 conference titles.
Not bad for someone whose first love was baseball. Shillito's father, Harry, played three seasons professionally in the Brooklyn Dodgers system during the "Boys of Summer" era of the 1940s and 50s. Shillito grew up as a talented catcher in the spring and top football prospect as a defensive lineman in football. When programs such as Central Michigan, Eastern Michigan and Northern Michigan began showing an interest, the lure of a football scholarship made it an easy decision which sport he would follow.
After playing three years at Central Michigan, his coaching career kicked off with an assistant gig at Central Bucks East in Pennsylvania in 1980. He became head coach at Comstock Park in 1982.
Shillito said the same motivation which drove him into coaching has kept him in the sport for nearly five decades. It's not necessarily winning state championships – he’s won four at Zeeland West – or fulfilling a deep competitive drive or even the lure of Friday Night Lights in a small community. It's showing up at practices, adhering to a process and building and honing relationships with players and other coaches.
Take those away and the 67-year-old Shillito, a member of the Michigan High School Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame, would definitely be looking elsewhere to spend Friday nights in the fall.
"It's the process; I love a good practice. You know when (it's good) and when it isn't. More than even the football, it's the coaching process and the people I work with," he said.
"Winning is a week-to-week deal. This week's game is what we're all about. And then in the offseason, it's preparation for the year coming up. The state titles are always a bonus."
Which isn't to say Shillito isn't competitive. Whether it’s been playing hockey, wiffle ball, 3-on-3 basketball or backyard football with his brothers, Shillito's competitive spirit has thrived.
"Oh yeah," he said. "But I'm a glass half full-type competitor. I can find the positive side in either wins or losses. But for me it's about the preparation, no doubt about it."
Shillito's success has come even with opponents knowing exactly what they'll see offensively from his teams: the famed wing-T offense, which he's run since the mid-1990s and was taught to him by famed West Michigan coach Irv Sigler. In fact, Shillito said if there is anything responsible for his success, it's the ability to implement what he's learned from coaches as a whole such as Mike Henry, the longtime basketball coach at Orchard View, or former Remus Chippewa Hills football coach Ron Reardon.
When he first got into coaching, Shillito said the wing-T seemed the easiest to teach. He's tweaked the process over the years, but it's been highly successful for him wherever he's coached. The number of Michigan teams which run the wing-T has probably lessened over the years as passing has taken over many high school offenses. But Shillito said the run-first philosophy can still be found in pockets all over the state. Shillito said he has no second thoughts about devoting his offense to the wing-T, and the success only underscores the point.
"It can be difficult if you're not winning, no doubt about it," said Shillito, who figures he's coached about three dozen 1,000-yard rushers. "But the value in the system is that it's an easier process. That is, if you get a buy-in from the players and community. We've had that at Zeeland West."
As the sun begins to set on Shillito's coaching career, he's hard-pressed to pick his best, favorite or most surprising teams. For starters, there's the 1983 Byron Center team which reached the Class C Semifinals, or the 1995 and 1999 Orchard View teams which played in Class B Finals and combined for a 24-3 mark.
Or maybe the 13-1 Division 1 runner-up club at East Kentwood in 2002, and the 2006 Zeeland West team which claimed the Division 4 title after winning its last 11 games by an average of 35 points per. Or the 2011 Zeeland West team which went 14-0 to kick off a phenomenal five-year stretch during which the Dux went a combined 60-6.
Ask Shillito about any of those seasons, and his answer as to what he remembers most about his coaching career may be surprising. Many of his most cherished moments include his teams going just 5-6 over the years against Muskegon, including three playoff losses that ended the Dux's season. Balance that with his record against other programs, such as a 73-16 mark against other Lakeshore teams, including an 18-7 record against rival Zeeland East. Or a 10-4 record against traditional Grand Rapids-area powers such as Lowell, Grand Rapids Catholic Central, South Christian, West Catholic and Hudsonville. In the postseason, Shillito's teams are an amazing 54-22 over 26 seasons in the MHSAA Playoffs.
As for knocking heads with Muskegon, Shillito said the thrill of a great rivalry and the consistency his teams have shown over the years is what has always driven him.
"It's the longevity and consistency," Shillito said. "I've gotten to work with great people who have had an equal share in this. I've had such a wide variety of guys I've worked with in four programs, and it’s meaningful. "
He is coy on when he might finally call it a career. He could wake up tomorrow and decide it's the time, or it could be next week, the end of the season or maybe one more season. Who's to say?
"We're getting close now," he will say. "We're always in the moment; that's just where we are. Then we'll evaluate things after the season. That's been true now for several seasons."
PHOTOS (Top) Zeeland West football coach John Shillito, right, receives the Division 4 championship trophy from MHSAA Representative Council member Orlando Medina in 2015 at Ford Field. (Middle) Entering this season, Shillito ranked seventh all-time and third among active coaches for football victories in the MHSAA record book. (Below) Shillito prepares to send in one of his East Kentwood players during the 2002 Division 1 Final at Pontiac Silverdome. (MHSAA file photos.)