2020 Football Playoff Pairings Released
October 25, 2020
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Here are the pairings for the 2020 MHSAA Football Playoffs, which begin Oct. 29-31 with District First Round games in the 11-Player Playoffs and Regional First Round Games in the 8-Player Playoffs.
For the first time this season, all 11-player teams were divided into eight divisions before play began. Because of the shortened 2020 regular season due to COVID-19, all 11-player teams were then divided into Districts of up to eight teams each, then paired into four regions. For 8-player, teams also were divided into two divisions before the start of play this fall, and the top 32 teams in each division based on playoff-point average were selected to a postseason field of 64 teams, which were then divided into four regions of eight teams apiece.
Pairings for the first four weeks of the tournament are based on regular-season playoff point averages, with the highest-ranked team hosting, regardless of the distance between the two schools. For District First Round and Regional First Round play, the top-seeded team in each bracket will host the eighth-seeded team; and the second-seeded team will host the seventh-seeded team, etc.
District Semifinals for 11-player and Regional Semifinals for 8-player will follow during the weekend of Nov. 6-7, and the weekend of Nov. 13-14 will have District Finals in the 11-Player Playoffs and Regional Finals in the 8-Player Playoffs. Both rounds will be played at the site of the highest-ranked team which was victorious in the previous round of play.
Regional Finals in the 11-Player Playoffs will take place Nov. 20-21, at the site of the highest-ranked team that was victorious in District Final play. The 8-Player Playoff Semifinals will take place on Nov. 20-21, pairing the winners of Region 1 vs. Region 2 and the winners of Region 3 vs. Region 4, at the sites of the highest-ranked team.
Semifinal games in the 11-Player Playoffs will take place Nov. 27-28, pairing the winners of Region 1 vs. Region 2 and the winners of Region 3 vs. Region 4. Highest-ranked teams will host unless participating teams are 200 or more miles apart; in those cases the MHSAA will assign the game at a prearranged site if one can be secured in a reasonable location.
All playoff tickets will be sold online only via GoFan to provide for a cashless and contactless purchasing process that also allows for contact tracing. Tickets for single-session Pre-District, District and Regional games are $6. Single-session Semifinal tickets are $8. A per-ticket convenience fee will be applied.
The 8-Player Finals will take place Nov. 27-28, and the 11-Player Finals will be played Dec. 4-5. An announcement on where those Finals will be played, and including additional spectator information, will be forthcoming.
A total of 10 8-player teams did not qualify for the MHSAA Playoffs, and they are allowed to schedule one more game, against another of the non-qualifier group, to be played this upcoming week. Four schools with enrollments too large to qualify for the 8-player postseason – Bridgman, Vandercook Lake, Vermontville Maple Valley and Concord – will play a two-round playoff over the next two weeks to conclude their seasons. That playoff is not sponsored by the MHSAA but allowed because of the shortened schedule.
A total of nine 11-player teams and seven 8-player teams that began this season withdrew from participation in the MHSAA Playoffs. Eight tie-breakers were necessary to determine bracket placement in 11-player; the first tie-breaker of head-to-head winner was used once, the second tie-breaker of opponents’ winning percentage was used five times, and the third tie-breaker – coin flip – was employed for two games. Those tie-breakers are noted below.
Pairings for both the 11 and 8-Player brackets are as follows:
11-Player Pairings
DIVISION 1
REGION 1
DISTRICT 1
Holland West Ottawa (0-5) 16.500 at Rockford (4-0) 69.500
East Kentwood (2-3) 34.667 at Hudsonville (4-2) 51.567
Grand Haven (0-6) 19.700 at Grandville (5-1) 62.067
Grand Rapids Union (1-5) 25.333 at Traverse City West (5-1) 53.167
DISTRICT 2
Ann Arbor Pioneer (0-5) 9.500 at Saline (5-1) 66.533
Ann Arbor Huron (2-2) 31.000 at Kalamazoo Central (2-4) 33.567
Kalamazoo Loy Norrix (0-6) 10.167 at Grand Ledge (4-2) 51.100
Ann Arbor Skyline (1-4) 20.000 at Holt (2-3) 38.167
REGION 2
DISTRICT 3
White Lake Lakeland (6-0) 64.167 - BYE
Howell (3-3) 42.000 at Hartland (3-3) 46.000
Walled Lake Northern (2-4) 33.833 at Detroit Catholic Central (6-0) 61.917
Novi (2-4) 35.000 at Brighton (4-2) 57.000
DISTRICT 4
Oxford (2-4) 31.367 at Clarkston (6-0) 75.333
Lake Orion (3-2) 45.000 at Grand Blanc (5-1) 60.667
Rochester Adams (2-4) 36.167 at Rochester (6-0) 70.000
Lapeer (3-3) 40.000 at Davison (6-0) 64.667
REGION 3
DISTRICT 5
Wayne Memorial (0-6) 15.000 at Canton (6-0) 75.000
Westland John Glenn (2-4) 33.167 at Livonia Stevenson (3-3) 44.000
Plymouth (1-5) 24.000 at Belleville (6-0) 74.333
Salem (1-5) 24.000 at Northville (4-2) 57.000
(Salem won tie-breaker with Plymouth, head-to-head result.)
DISTRICT 6
Dearborn Edsel Ford (1-5) 20.000 at Detroit Cass Tech (6-0) 62.167
Detroit Western (5-1) 48.500 at Dearborn Fordson (4-2) 54.167
Taylor (1-5) 21.767 at Brownstown Woodhaven (5-1) 59.267
Dearborn (2-4) 32.000 at Monroe (4-2) 54.167
(Monroe won tie-breaker with Dearborn Fordson, opponents’ winning percentage.)
REGION 4
DISTRICT 7
Farmington (0-6) 15.400 at Sterling Heights Stevenson (5-1) 64.367
Troy Athens (2-3) 37.000 at Southfield Arts & Technology (2-3) 39.000
Utica Ford (1-5) 25.500 at West Bloomfield (5-1) 64.167
Troy (3-3) 34.867 at Bloomfield Hills (3-3) 46.067
DISTRICT 8
Rochester Hills Stoney Creek (6-0) 71.900 - BYE
Utica Eisenhower (2-4) 38.400 at Clinton Township Chippewa Valley (2-3) 39.000
Macomb L'Anse Creuse North (0-4) 7.000 at Macomb Dakota (5-1) 67.733
Romeo (2-4) 36.200 at New Baltimore Anchor Bay (4-2) 50.833
DIVISION 2
REGION 5
DISTRICT 9
Wyoming (1-3) 18.000 at Muskegon Mona Shores (6-0) 62.667
Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern (4-2) 47.667 at Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central (5-1) 59.333
Caledonia (2-4) 37.167 at Jenison (5-1) 62.067
Lowell (3-3) 39.333 at Byron Center (5-1) 59.500
DISTRICT 10
East Lansing (6-0) 69.900 - BYE
Jackson (3-3) 32.833 at Portage Central (2-4) 34.033
Battle Creek Central (1-4) 17.500 at Portage Northern (5-1) 54.733
Okemos (0-6) 18.000 at Battle Creek Lakeview (4-2) 49.733
REGION 6
DISTRICT 11
Alpena (0-6) 12.167 at Midland (6-0) 62.500
Flushing (2-4) 29.667 at Midland Dow (4-2) 45.000
Saginaw Heritage (0-5) 19.667 at Traverse City Central (5-1) 58.167
Flint Carman-Ainsworth (1-5) 21.833 at Swartz Creek (4-2) 47.833
DISTRICT 12
Walled Lake Central (0-6) 14.700 at Fenton (6-0) 67.667
Waterford Kettering (2-4) 35.233 at North Farmington (3-3) 44.000
Milford (1-5) 26.400 at South Lyon (4-2) 49.200
Waterford Mott (2-3) 30.000 at Walled Lake Western (4-2) 46.067
REGION 7
DISTRICT 13
Livonia Churchill (4-2) 55.167 - BYE
Ypsilanti Lincoln (3-3) 40.533 at Dexter (4-2) 47.333
Ypsilanti Community (3-3) 35.167 at Dearborn Heights Crestwood (5-1) 53.167
Temperance Bedford (3-3) 39.033 at Livonia Franklin (3-3) 48.000
DISTRICT 14
Oak Park (0-6) 15.600 at Grosse Pointe South (4-2) 56.567
Detroit U-D Jesuit (2-4) 31.400 at Grosse Pointe North (3-3) 38.667
Lincoln Park (1-5) 21.767 at Wyandotte Roosevelt (4-1) 56.167
Detroit Renaissance (2-4) 28.333 at Ferndale (4-2) 53.400
REGION 8
DISTRICT 15
Sterling Heights (0-5) 12.200 at Birmingham Seaholm (4-2) 56.333
Birmingham Groves (3-3) 40.333 at Auburn Hills Avondale (3-3) 40.700
Warren Cousino (1-5) 21.567 at Warren Mott (5-1) 56.000
Royal Oak (1-5) 22.333 at Berkley (4-2) 50.900
DISTRICT 16
St Clair Shores Lake Shore (1-5) 25.167 at Port Huron (6-0) 70.400
Harrison Township L'Anse Creuse (4-2) 48.700 at Fraser (4-2) 49.067
Port Huron Northern (2-3) 34.000 at St Clair Shores Lakeview (4-2) 51.167
Warren De La Salle Collegiate (2-4) 37.083 at Roseville (4-2) 49.833
DIVISION 3
REGION 9
DISTRICT 17
Greenville (0-5) 10.667 at Muskegon (5-1) 58.333
Petoskey (2-4) 32.833 at Cedar Springs (4-2) 44.167
Gaylord (1-5) 23.000 at Mount Pleasant (5-1) 57.333
Muskegon Reeths-Puffer (2-4) 31.367 at Marquette (5-1) 45.167
DISTRICT 18
Grand Rapids Ottawa Hills (0-6) 10.000 at Zeeland West (4-1) 52.167
Grand Rapids Kenowa Hills (2-4) 27.500 at Middleville Thornapple Kellogg (3-3) 35.833
Holland (0-6) 14.667 at Zeeland East (4-2) 46.333
Grand Rapids Northview (1-5) 20.667 at East Grand Rapids (3-3) 39.333
REGION 10
DISTRICT 19
Richland Gull Lake (0-6) 10.000 at St Joseph (5-1) 56.333
Parma Western (4-2) 37.833 at Battle Creek Harper Creek (4-2) 41.833
Niles (1-5) 18.667 at Stevensville Lakeshore (4-2) 56.200
Sturgis (3-3) 31.833 at Coldwater (4-2) 43.333
DISTRICT 20
Jackson Northwest (0-5) 10.333 at DeWitt (6-0) 66.833
St Johns (2-4) 31.333 at Lansing Waverly (3-3) 37.867
Ionia (1-5) 17.500 at Mason (6-0) 60.167
Haslett (2-4) 28.333 at Fowlerville (3-3) 42.400
REGION 11
DISTRICT 21
Linden (4-2) 47.833 - BYE
Holly (1-5) 21.500 at Bay City Western (2-4) 28.833
Clio (0-6) 8.833 at Flint Kearsley (3-3) 44.333
Pontiac (0-6) 15.000 at Bay City Central (3-3) 38.167
DISTRICT 22
Redford Thurston (1-4) 22.000 at Chelsea (6-0) 67.000
Garden City (3-3) 35.833 at South Lyon East (4-2) 50.500
Dearborn Divine Child (2-4) 25.500 at Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice (5-1) 62.250
Orchard Lake St Mary's (1-3) 27.083 at Pinckney (4-2) 50.833
REGION 12
DISTRICT 23
Melvindale (2-4) 28.500 at Riverview (6-0) 54.000
Gibraltar Carlson (4-2) 47.433 at River Rouge (4-1) 48.667
Southgate Anderson (2-4) 33.967 at New Boston Huron (5-1) 49.833
Trenton (3-3) 40.167 at Allen Park (4-2) 49.667
DISTRICT 24
Detroit East English (2-4) 22.667 at Eastpointe (6-0) 63.000
Warren Fitzgerald (4-2) 34.000 at Detroit Mumford (3-3) 39.167
Warren Woods Tower (2-4) 28.667 at Detroit Martin Luther King (3-3) 48.667
Harper Woods (2-4) 33.167 at Marysville (5-1) 42.000
DIVISION 4
REGION 13
DISTRICT 25
Cadillac (4-2) 45.500 - BYE
Escanaba (1-2) 18.600 at Alma (2-4) 24.333
Bay City John Glenn (1-5) 14.833 at Ludington (4-2) 37.667
Saginaw Arthur Hill (1-5) 18.500 at Sault Ste Marie (4-2) 37.467
DISTRICT 26
Fremont (2-4) 23.833 at Spring Lake (4-2) 42.667
Ada Forest Hills Eastern (3-3) 35.000 at Allendale (3-3) 35.167
Fruitport (2-4) 25.833 at Whitehall (5-1) 38.667
Coopersville (2-4) 26.833 at Sparta (4-2) 36.833
REGION 14
DISTRICT 27
Holland Christian (0-6) 9.333 at Hudsonville Unity Christian (6-0) 58.333
Hamilton (2-4) 26.000 at Wyoming Godwin Heights (2-4) 26.000
Wyoming Kelloggsville (1-5) 16.500 at Grand Rapids South Christian (5-1) 54.167
Wayland (1-5) 18.333 at Grand Rapids Christian (3-3) 41.833
(Godwin Heights won tie-breaker with Hamilton, opponents’ winning percentage.)
DISTRICT 28
Edwardsburg (6-0) 59.667 - BYE
Plainwell (3-2) 38.500 at Vicksburg (4-2) 41.167
Three Rivers (1-5) 21.667 at Hastings (5-1) 47.667
Otsego (2-4) 27.500 at Paw Paw (4-2) 45.667
REGION 15
DISTRICT 29
Owosso (1-5) 18.167 at Williamston (5-1) 54.167
Lake Fenton (2-4) 27.667 at Charlotte (2-4) 28.167
Eaton Rapids (1-5) 21.500 at Battle Creek Pennfield (3-3) 34.500
Marshall (2-4) 26.333 at Flint Powers Catholic (2-4) 32.833
DISTRICT 30
Dearborn Heights Annapolis (1-5) 8.833 at Redford Union (5-1) 49.667
Tecumseh (1-4) 25.200 at Livonia Clarenceville (4-2) 31.333
Adrian (0-5) 11.000 at Milan (5-1) 49.167
Romulus (2-3) 23.667 at Carleton Airport (3-3) 34.833
REGION 16
DISTRICT 31
Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood (0-4) 8.167 at Madison Heights Lamphere (6-0) 48.500
Center Line (2-4) 24.667 at Harper Woods Chandler Park (3-3) 26.500
Hazel Park (1-5) 18.167 at Pontiac Notre Dame Prep (5-1) 48.000
Detroit Henry Ford (3-3) 24.500 at Detroit Country Day (3-2) 43.500
DISTRICT 32
Yale (0-6) 12.333 at North Branch (6-0) 56.667
Imlay City (4-2) 40.167 at Croswell-Lexington (5-1) 47.000
St Clair (1-5) 23.500 at Ortonville Brandon (5-1) 51.167
Armada (3-3) 36.000 at Goodrich (5-1) 48.667
DIVISION 5
REGION 17
DISTRICT 33
Cheboygan (0-6) 10.667 at Reed City (6-0) 51.433
Ogemaw Heights (3-3) 25.833 at Kingsford (3-2) 28.133
Standish-Sterling (1-5) 17.133 at Kingsley (6-0) 48.167
Hancock (2-3) 20.967 at Gladwin (3-3) 31.333
DISTRICT 34
Saginaw Valley Lutheran (1-4) 8.100 at Freeland (5-1) 44.167
Carrollton (2-4) 22.667 at Midland Bullock Creek (3-3) 32.167
Saginaw (0-6) 12.500 at Essexville Garber (5-1) 43.000
Shepherd (2-3) 20.333 at Saginaw Swan Valley (3-3) 33.500
REGION 18
DISTRICT 35
Howard City Tri County (2-4) 21.967 at Central Montcalm (4-2) 36.800
Grant (2-3) 25.333 at Muskegon Orchard View (2-4) 27.000
Remus Chippewa Hills (2-4) 23.500 at Muskegon Oakridge (4-2) 33.333
Newaygo (2-4) 24.100 at Big Rapids (3-3) 30.433
DISTRICT 36
Grand Rapids Catholic Central (6-0) 62.500 - BYE
Belding (5-1) 41.833 at Hopkins (5-1) 44.000
Comstock Park (1-5) 17.333 at Grand Rapids West Catholic (5-1) 50.833
Lake Odessa Lakewood (3-3) 22.833 at Portland (5-1) 50.167
REGION 19
DISTRICT 37
Berrien Springs (3-3) 28.833 at Lansing Catholic (4-2) 41.000
South Haven (4-2) 35.333 at Dowagiac (3-3) 36.167
Benton Harbor (2-4) 30.667 at Kalamazoo Hackett Catholic Prep (5-1) 39.333
Hillsdale (4-2) 34.000 at Olivet (5-1) 39.333
(Hackett won tie-breaker with Olivet, opponents’ winning percentage.)
DISTRICT 38
Flat Rock (0-6) 12.667 at Romulus Summit Academy North (5-1) 38.833
Whitmore Lake (3-3) 20.333 at Dearborn Heights Robichaud (2-4) 28.000
Dundee (1-5) 15.500 at Ann Arbor Father Gabriel Richard (2-1) 29.000
Monroe Jefferson (1-5) 19.833 at Grosse Ile (3-3) 29.000
(Father Gabriel Richard won tie-breaker with Grosse Ile, opponents’ winning percentage.)
REGION 20
DISTRICT 39
Bridgeport (1-5) 16.833 at Frankenmuth (6-0) 52.500
Ovid-Elsie (3-3) 25.000 at Almont (2-2) 27.417
Birch Run (1-5) 18.333 at Corunna (3-3) 35.000
Richmond (2-4) 24.167 at Macomb Lutheran North (4-2) 33.000
DISTRICT 40
Detroit Osborn (0-6) 7.833 at Marine City (5-1) 46.833
Detroit Communication Media Arts (3-3) 24.667 at Warren Lincoln (3-3) 30.833
Detroit Cody (1-5) 16.667 at Detroit Denby (3-3) 39.500
Clawson (2-4) 24.167 at St Clair Shores South Lake (4-2) 36.333
DIVISION 6
REGION 21
DISTRICT 41
Menominee (4-2) 39.000 - BYE
Houghton (2-2) 22.100 at Calumet (2-3) 23.033
Ishpeming Westwood (5-1) 33.967 - BYE
Negaunee (3-3) 22.000 at Gladstone (2-3) 24.933
DISTRICT 42
Kalkaska (0-5) 6.333 at Manistee (4-2) 36.167
Benzie Central (2-4) 23.667 at Grayling (3-3) 26.667
Elk Rapids (1-5) 13.833 at Maple City Glen Lake (4-2) 33.167
Mason County Central (2-4) 19.667 at Boyne City (4-2) 29.333
REGION 22
DISTRICT 43
Shelby (0-6) 9.333 at Muskegon Catholic Central (6-0) 51.333
Harrison (4-2) 31.933 at Sanford Meridian (4-2) 33.333
Hart (1-5) 13.833 at Montague (6-0) 46.333
Kent City (5-1) 30.000 at Clare (6-0) 44.767
DISTRICT 44
Tawas (0-6) 10.333 at Montrose (5-1) 40.500
Chesaning (2-4) 20.500 at Caro (3-3) 22.167
Otisville LakeVille Memorial (1-5) 10.833 at Millington (5-1) 39.500
Pinconning (0-6) 11.467 at Mt Morris (2-4) 23.833
REGION 23
DISTRICT 45
Fennville (0-6) 10.667 at Buchanan (6-0) 52.833
Comstock (3-3) 26.767 at Niles Brandywine (3-3) 31.667
Watervliet (2-4) 18.833 at Constantine (5-1) 40.667
Parchment (2-4) 21.333 at Coloma (4-2) 32.000
DISTRICT 46
Onsted (0-6) 9.000 at Jonesville (5-1) 38.967
Stockbridge (2-4) 20.000 at Brooklyn Columbia Central (2-4) 20.167
Napoleon (1-5) 12.167 at Michigan Center (3-1) 28.917
Quincy (2-4) 18.033 at Adrian Madison (5-1) 28.167
REGION 24
DISTRICT 47
Lutheran Westland (2-2) 18.083 at Blissfield (6-0) 45.167
Dearborn Advanced Tech Academy (3-3) 26.167 at Ida (3-3) 26.667
Detroit Voyageur Prep (2-4) 19.333 at Clinton (5-1) 40.833
Ecorse (2-4) 25.500 at Erie Mason (6-0) 34.500
DISTRICT 48
Southfield Bradford Academy (0-6) 8.000 at Warren Michigan Collegiate (6-0) 46.833
Flint Hamady (3-3) 23.500 at Detroit Pershing (3-3) 26.000
Algonac (1-5) 16.000 at Detroit Edison (4-2) 34.667
Detroit Collegiate Prep (2-4) 16.667 at Durand (4-2) 31.500
DIVISION 7
REGION 25
DISTRICT 49
Roscommon (1-4) 11.000 at Charlevoix (6-0) 41.000
Manistique (2-3) 19.700 at Mancelona (2-4) 21.333
L'Anse (1-5) 15.533 at Traverse City St Francis (4-2) 35.000
Lake City (2-4) 19.100 at Harbor Springs (3-3) 22.500
DISTRICT 50
Farwell (0-6) 11.467 at McBain (6-0) 38.333
Houghton Lake (4-2) 25.767 at Evart (4-2) 28.600
LeRoy Pine River (1-5) 12.667 at Beaverton (5-1) 38.267
St Louis (2-4) 21.133 at Oscoda (6-0) 31.100
REGION 26
DISTRICT 51
Lakeview (0-6) 6.667 at Ithaca (6-0) 41.667
Morley Stanwood (4-2) 27.000 at Ravenna (3-3) 28.167
Hesperia (4-2) 24.500 at Pewamo-Westphalia (5-1) 31.167
Grand Rapids NorthPointe Christian (2-4) 24.500 at North Muskegon (3-3) 28.167
(North Muskegon won tie-breaker over Ravenna, coin flip. NorthPointe Christian won tie-breaker over Hesperia, opponents’ winning percentage.)
DISTRICT 52
Vassar (0-6) 8.833 at Hemlock (6-0) 45.667
Elkton-Pigeon-Bay Port Laker (4-2) 26.833 at Bad Axe (4-2) 29.833
Reese (2-4) 20.000 at Cass City (6-0) 36.333
St Charles (4-2) 21.567 at Sandusky (6-0) 35.000
REGION 27
DISTRICT 53
New Lothrop (6-0) 46.167 - BYE
Byron (1-5) 13.667 at Burton Bendle (2-4) 15.533
Laingsburg (3-3) 21.333 - BYE
Perry (0-6) 7.667 at Bath (3-3) 18.833
DISTRICT 54
New Haven (0-6) 9.500 at Detroit Loyola (5-1) 53.333
Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett (2-4) 17.417 at Clinton Township Clintondale (2-4) 23.167
Madison Heights Madison (0-6) 11.000 at Madison Heights Bishop Foley (5-1) 36.167
Detroit Community (1-5) 15.167 at Detroit Central (4-2) 32.000
REGION 28
DISTRICT 55
Galesburg-Augusta (0-5) 6.667 at Schoolcraft (5-1) 39.667
Delton Kellogg (3-3) 22.667 at Bronson (3-2) 26.250
Hartford (0-6) 8.200 at Lawton (5-1) 32.833
Union City (2-4) 15.283 at Homer (4-2) 28.800
DISTRICT 56
Springport (1-3) 9.950 at Riverview Gabriel Richard (5-1) 37.833
Jackson Lumen Christi (2-4) 29.833 at Hanover-Horton (4-2) 30.000
Leslie (2-4) 18.867 at Monroe St Mary Catholic Central (4-2) 36.833
Manchester (2-4) 19.167 at Grass Lake (4-2) 33.500
DIVISION 8
REGION 29
DISTRICT 57
Rogers City (2-4) 11.833 at Iron Mountain (5-1) 36.933
Gwinn (3-3) 18.867 at East Jordan (3-3) 19.833
Norway (1-4) 11.900 at West Iron County (6-0) 32.600
St Ignace (1-5) 13.167 at Bark River-Harris (3-2) 22.300
DISTRICT 58
Alcona (0-5) 5.500 at Johannesburg-Lewiston (6-0) 34.333
Frankfort (3-3) 22.167 at Saginaw Nouvel (4-2) 27.967
Coleman (1-4) 10.100 at Beal City (5-1) 32.267
Manton (1-5) 11.167 at Breckenridge (5-1) 32.183
REGION 30
DISTRICT 59
Fulton (0-6) 6.000 at Fowler (4-2) 26.500
White Cloud (2-4) 16.083 at Holton (2-4) 19.167
Blanchard Montabella (1-4) 10.500 at Carson City-Crystal (3-1) 25.500
Saranac (1-5) 11.167 at Potterville (3-3) 20.667
DISTRICT 60
Flint New Standard Academy (0-6) 6.433 at Flint Beecher (5-1) 37.533
Saginaw Michigan Lutheran Seminary (2-4) 21.633 at Harbor Beach (3-3) 23.500
Brown City (2-4) 16.267 at Ubly (4-2) 28.500
Marlette (3-3) 20.667 at Unionville-Sebewaing (4-2) 25.833
REGION 31
DISTRICT 61
Centreville (6-0) 34-733 - BYE
Saugatuck (3-3) 21.933 at White Pigeon (3-2) 23.500
Decatur (1-4) 12.333 at Reading (5-1) 32.250
Cassopolis (2-4) 16.800 at Mendon (5-1) 28.400
DISTRICT 62
Addison (6-0) 36.500 - BYE
Morenci (2-4) 18.833 at Dansville (4-2) 25.333
Pittsford (0-6) 9.500 at Sand Creek (5-1) 28.167
East Jackson (1-5) 11.167 at Hudson (3-3) 27.000
REGION 32
DISTRICT 63
Detroit Douglass (0-5) 5.833 at Detroit Southeastern (5-1) 35.833
Petersburg Summerfield (1-5) 14.167 at Allen Park Cabrini (2-4) 15.533
Melvindale Academy for Business & Tech (1-5) 11.417 at Detroit Leadership Academy (3-3) 26.500
Britton Deerfield (1-5) 14.167 at Ottawa Lake Whiteford (4-2) 23.333
(Summerfield won tie-breaker over Britton Deerfield, coin flip.)
DISTRICT 64
Rochester Hills Lutheran Northwest (0-6) 7.667 at Clarkston Everest Collegiate (6-0) 38.833
Marine City Cardinal Mooney (2-3) 14.000 at Sterling Heights Parkway Christian (3-3) 21.700
Mount Clemens (1-3) 7.750 at Auburn Hills Oakland Christian (5-1) 36.667
Waterford Our Lady of the Lakes (0-6) 9.600 at Royal Oak Shrine Catholic (4-2) 24.533
Opted out of tournament: Allegan, Bessemer, Burton Bentley, Concord, Mattawan, Memphis, Three Oaks River Valley, Utica, Wyoming Lee.
8-Player Pairings
DIVISION 1
REGION 1
Brimley (2-4) 15.333 at Pellston (6-0) 31.500
Munising (4-2) 24.167 at Indian River Inland Lakes (5-1) 25.933
Newberry (3-3) 19.300 at Onaway (6-0) 30.200
Stephenson (3-3) 20.800 at Pickford (5-1) 27.833
REGION 2
Manistee Catholic Central (1-5) 12.667 at Suttons Bay (6-0) 33.500
Fife Lake Forest Area (2-4) 17.833 at Whittemore-Prescott (4-2) 23.767
Central Lake (2-4) 15.333 at Gaylord St Mary (5-1) 28.833
Vestaburg (2-3) 16.100 at Mesick (4-2) 27.167
REGION 3
Kingston (1-5) 14.167 at Morrice (6-0) 33.600
Deckerville (4-2) 26.167 at Merrill (5-1) 30.333
International Academy of Flint (3-3) 18.500 at Adrian Lenawee Christian (6-0) 32.700
Genesee (4-2) 23.167 at Mayville (6-0) 32.000
REGION 4
Athens (1-5) 12.367 at Martin (5-1) 28.833
Camden-Frontier (2-4) 16.833 at New Buffalo (3-3) 20.300
Gobles (2-3) 15.800 at Lawrence (5-1) 26.633
Bellevue (2-4) 16.333 at Marcellus (3-2) 21.800
DIVISION 2
REGION 1
Engadine (0-6) 8.500 at Powers North Central (6-0) 31.250
Lake Linden-Hubbell (3-3) 21.500 at Crystal Falls Forest Park (4-1) 25.000
Carney-Nadeau (3-3) 18.900 at Cedarville (5-1) 29.833
Rudyard (3-3) 19.000 at Rapid River (5-1) 27.833
REGION 2
Bellaire (1-5) 14.167 at Marion (5-1) 26.233
Hillman (2-4) 19.033 at Atlanta (3-3) 22.500
Posen (2-3) 15.500 at Hale (5-1) 24.533
Bear Lake (2-4) 15.933 at Brethren (4-2) 22.767
REGION 3
Au Gres-Sims (1-5) 10.267 at Kinde North Huron (5-1) 27.633
Ashley (3-3) 18.700 at Peck (3-3) 20.500
Akron-Fairgrove (1-5) 10.367 at Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart (5-1) 26.133
Carsonville-Port Sanilac (1-5) 11.667 at Bay City All Saints (3-2) 21.000
REGION 4
North Adams-Jerome (2-4) 15.633 at Portland St Patrick (6-0) 33.200
Waldron (4-2) 21.667 at Tekonsha (4-2) 22.667
Wyoming Tri-unity Christian (2-4) 16.933 at Burr Oak (5-1) 28.833
Climax-Scotts (3-3) 19.500 at Colon (5-1) 27.833
Did not qualify: (Division 1) Battle Creek St Philip, Eau Claire, Eben Junction Superior Central, Litchfield, New Haven Merritt Academy, St Helen Charlton Heston, Webberville. (Division 2) Baldwin, Caseville, Mio.
Opted out of tournament: Felch North Dickinson, Onekama, Ontonagon, St Joseph Michigan Lutheran.
PHOTO by Robert Batzloff.
Suttons Bay Succeeding at Football Numbers Game
By
Tom Spencer
Special for MHSAA.com
December 3, 2021
Suttons Bay is, well, playing the numbers game.
Not by choice. It’s been by necessity — since a painful football decision was made in September 2016. Many of Michigan’s smaller schools have made a similar decision.
Most of the numbers, the Norsemen can use just one hand to count. Some take two hands. Others you can’t use your hands. We’re not talking illegal use of the hands either.
The first number is 11, the healthy and available Norsemen for their third game of 2016, their last season of 11-man football.
Hand counting starts now with 1. The 2016 quarterback and only football player to join the soccer team, Jack Pasche, actually kicked off to start of the Norsemen’s homecoming game win that season against Glen Lake. Suttons Bay, known as NorthBay through a co-op with Northport and Leelanau St. Mary’s, beat Glen Lake 4-0 as the soccer match took center stage for homecoming due to the tough decision to forfeit the remaining seven games on the 2016 football schedule.
Move on to the number 8. The Norseman started competing in 8-player football in 2017 and went the playoffs, losing to eventual champion Central Lake. Fast forward to 4. Garrick Opie took over the head coaching duties and just completed his fourth season.
Now to 5. Suttons Bay, which also co-ops with Leelanau St. Mary’s for football, has lost only five games total over Opie’s four seasons. Back to one … just one loss in regular season. The other four came during the MHSAA Playoffs.
Before getting to 3 – perhaps the most notable number – count to 14. That’s the number of players on the 2021 Suttons Bay football roster – and six of them were seniors.
“We’re going to have to fill some shoes on defense especially,” said assistant coach Stan Pasch. ‘We’ve got some good offensive lineman coming back. We’ve got to fill some shoes on our offensive ends too.”
Hand counting becomes more challenging now, starting with 47.
Pasch has coached football for 47 years. He has a long history with Suttons Bay and Leelanau St. Mary, including providing guidance in basketball, volleyball and track. He’s also been on the sidelines for Beal City and Traverse City St. Francis.
He’s had long stints as an assistant for legendary coaches Larry Sellers of St. Francis and Joe Trudeau of Suttons Bay. He was with St. Francis when they won the Class C championship in 1992.
Among those coached by Pasch on that ‘92 Gladiators team was Mark Bramer, a four-year letterman with St. Francis and the father of Shawn Bramer. The younger Bramer scored the game-tying touchdown in Suttons Bay’s 42-36 overtime win against Rudyard in the Division 1 Semifinal three weeks ago.
The junior running back Bramer, who attends St. Mary, was one of three Norsemen named first-team all-state. The other two were wide receiver Brayden Opie and defensive lineman Cam Alberts.
Mark Bramer has been thrilled to have his son play under his former coach and enjoy the playoff runs the past three seasons.
“Coach Pasch still has the passion and the spark and everything,” Mark Bramer said. “He hasn’t really changed, and it’s a good thing.
“I know the excitement as an athlete and now watch it as a parent – it is a great community thing,” he continued. “As a player back then, you never really knew that side of it, and now on the flip side you get to see the excitement of the community.”
Pasch came back to the Suttons Bay coaching staff in 2000 and has been there since. He credits Opie’s leadership for the Norsemen reaching championship games each of the last three seasons.
“Garrick does a great job of leading the team,” Pasch said. “He has really worked hard to solidly the passing game with the kids and getting the kids to believe in themselves.
“He has done a lot of good things and really opened up the offense,” Pasch continued. “When you need a big play – which the kids have done quite a bit – the kids pull it off because they had fun with it in practice.”
Opie, who previously coached all his players in Pop Warner football, has compiled a 43-5 record at Suttons Bay. He too is thrilled to have Pasch and his experience on the sidelines with him.
“I can’t do it without Stan,” he said. “Not only is he my right-hand man … he brings so much experience from his St. Francis days and his 260-plus games with Suttons Bay.
“His experience and way he deals with young men … Stan is invaluable.”
Now back to the number 3. The head coach’s sons Bryce, Braden and Grayson, have all played for Suttons Bay during playoff runs. Grayson will be back next year as the Norsemen strive to make another.
Football fans know the history of John Elway losing his first three Super Bowls, and the Buffalo Bills losing their four straight from 1991-94. But the Norsemen players aren’t really aware of it.
“They’d be lucky if they remember Brett Favre,” joked the Mark Bramer. “I have to tell them about Barry Sanders!”
Opie can laugh about it too as he knows the Norseman can rebuild again. Mike Lodish, a personal friend of Opie and former all-state player with Birmingham Brother Rice, held the record for most Super Bowl appearances with six until Tom Brady broke it. Lodish played his first four with the Bills and then won two with Elway. He played five years with the Bills under coach Marv Levy, and six with the Broncos.
“You can call me Marv Levy,” Opie said with a laugh. “You can call me whatever you want as far as that’s concerned.
“Every year it is our intentions to get to the state finals and win one,” he continued. “Is it a prediction? No. I never do that.”
Opie and Pasch will work in the offseason that number 1. They’ll use a familiar formula.
“I never make any assumptions about any season no matter what players we have,” Opie said. “We’ve had a lot of talent, but we’ve also been able to place kids in the spots (where) they will best succeed.
“We never want to put them in a spot where they will fail,” he went on. “Our goal is to find where each young man can succeed, and we’ve been very fortunate we’ve been right many of the times the last four years.”
Tom Spencer is a longtime MHSAA-registered basketball and soccer official, and former softball and baseball official, and he also has coached in the northern Lower Peninsula area. He previously has written for the Saginaw News, Bay County Sports Page and Midland Daily News. He can be reached at [email protected] with story ideas for Manistee, Wexford, Missaukee, Roscommon, Ogemaw, Iosco, Alcona, Oscoda, Crawford, Kalkaska, Grand Traverse, Benzie, Leelanau, Antrim, Otsego, Montmorency, Alpena, Presque Isle, Cheboygan, Charlevoix and Emmet counties.
PHOTOS (Top) Suttons Bay coach Garrick Opie hugs his son Brayden at midfield after Brayden caught the game-winning touchdown pass in the Semifinal. (Middle) Shawn Bramer outruns his stunned teammates on his way to the game-tying score during the final seconds of regulation against Rudyard. (Photos by Mike Spencer.)