2022 MHSAA Football Playoff Pairings Announced
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
October 23, 2022
Here are the pairings for the 2022 MHSAA Football Playoffs, which begin Oct. 28-29 with District Semifinals in the 11-Player Playoffs and Regional Semifinals in the 8-Player Playoffs.
For 11- and 8-player, teams were divided into divisions before the start of play this fall. The top 32 teams in each division in 11-player and top 16 per division in 8-player, based on playoff-point average, were selected to the field. For 11-player, qualifiers were then divided into four regions with eight teams apiece, and for 8-player qualifiers were divided into four regions with four teams in each.
Pairings for the first three 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 11-Player District Semifinal and 8-Player Regional Semifinal play, the top-seeded team in each bracket will host the fourth-seeded team, and the second-seeded team will host the third-seeded team.
District Finals for 11-player and Regional Finals for 8-player will follow during the weekend of Nov. 4-5, and the weekend of Nov. 11-12 will have Regional Finals in the 11-Player Playoffs and Semifinals in the 8-Player Playoffs. The 8-Player Semifinals will pair 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. 18-19, pairing the winners of Region 1 vs. Region 2 and the winners of Region 3 vs. Region 4. The MHSAA will assign 11-Player Semifinals at neutral sites.
All playoff tickets except for Finals (both 11 and 8-player) will be sold online only via GoFan at https://gofan.co/ to provide for a cashless and contactless purchasing process.
For 11-Player, tickets to District Semifinals and District Finals cost $7, tickets to Regional Finals are $9, and tickets to Semifinals cost $10. For 8-player, tickets for Regional Semifinals are $7, tickets for Regional Finals are $9, and tickets for Semifinals cost $10.
The 8-Player Finals will take place Nov. 19 at Northern Michigan University’s Superior Dome in Marquette, and the 11-Player Finals will be played Nov. 25-26 at Ford Field in Detroit. An all-day ticket for 8-Player Finals costs $10 and includes admission to both games, and an all-day ticket for the 11-Player Finals costs $20 and includes admission to that day’s four games.
2022 Printable Playoff Brackets
Division 1 | Division 2 | Division 3 | Division 4 | Division 5
Division 6 | Division 7 | Division 8 | 8P Division 1 | 8 P Division 2
Go here for game times and results throughout the tournament: 2022 Football Playoffs Home
Pairings for both the 11 and 8-Player brackets are as follows:
11-Player Pairings
DIVISION 1
REGION 1
DISTRICT 1
East Kentwood (5-4) 58.097 at Rockford (9-0) 85.222
Grandville (7-2) 73.444 at Caledonia (8-1) 78.111
DISTRICT 2
Grand Ledge (7-2) 62.278 at Brighton (8-1) 79.333
Hartland (6-3) 62.667 at Holt (6-3) 64.833
REGION 2
DISTRICT 1
Grand Blanc (4-5) 52.333 at Davison (8-1) 79.528
Lapeer (7-2) 73.111 at Clarkston (7-2) 76.778
DISTRICT 2
Lake Orion (4-5) 51.556 at Rochester Adams (8-1) 75.653
Rochester (5-4) 52.778 at Rochester Hills Stoney Creek (5-4) 56.111
REGION 3
DISTRICT 1
Brownstown Woodhaven (6-3) 55.917 at Belleville (9-0) 85.000
Ann Arbor Huron (5-4) 58.889 at Saline (7-2) 68.778
DISTRICT 2
Novi (5-4) 62.000 at Northville (7-2) 69.444
Detroit Catholic Central (6-2) 63.611 at Dearborn (7-2) 67.556
REGION 4
DISTRICT 1
Detroit Cass Tech (6-3) 54.389 at West Bloomfield (8-1) 80.778
Troy (7-2) 62.556 at Southfield Arts & Technology (7-2) 71.014
DISTRICT 2
Utica Eisenhower (6-3) 66.667 at Macomb Dakota (9-0) 78.875
Clinton Township Chippewa Valley (7-2) 74.056 at Romeo (7-2) 74.222
DIVISION 2
REGION 1
DISTRICT 1
Muskegon Reeths-Puffer (6-3) 56.056 at Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central (9-0) 73.000
Traverse City Central (5-4) 60.222 at Muskegon Mona Shores (7-2) 65.667
DISTRICT 2
Portage Northern (6-3) 56.056 at Byron Center (7-2) 65.556
East Lansing (6-3) 57.944 at Battle Creek Central (7-2) 63.611
REGION 2
DISTRICT 1
Swartz Creek (7-2) 57.556 at Midland (8-1) 69.333
Saginaw Heritage (7-2) 60.333 at Waterford Mott (7-2) 64.556
DISTRICT 2
Milford (5-4) 53.778 at Dexter (9-0) 81.444
South Lyon (6-3) 57.944 at South Lyon East (7-2) 64.333
REGION 3
DISTRICT 1
Dearborn Heights Crestwood (6-3) 50.889 at Livonia Franklin (8-1) 76.889
Farmington (6-3) 56.667 at Temperance Bedford (7-2) 65.444
DISTRICT 2
Ferndale (5-4) 49.556 at Birmingham Seaholm (7-2) 69.222
Warren Mott (5-4) 51.556 at Birmingham Groves (6-3) 55.222
REGION 4
DISTRICT 1
Warren Cousino (6-3) 50.889 at Roseville (7-2) 69.111
Grosse Pointe South (6-3) 66.333 at Warren De La Salle Collegiate (8-1) 68.528
DISTRICT 2
St Clair Shores Lakeview (6-3) 54.667 at Port Huron Northern (8-1) 61.778
Harrison Township L'Anse Creuse (5-4) 58.222 at Port Huron (7-2) 58.889
DIVISION 3
REGION 1
DISTRICT 1
Gaylord (6-3) 45.778 at Mount Pleasant (8-1) 70.444
Cadillac (5-4) 51.111 at DeWitt (6-3) 56.194
DISTRICT 2
Holly (4-5) 46.778 at Fenton (7-2) 60.889
Haslett (6-3) 49.778 at Linden (5-4) 57.889
REGION 2
DISTRICT 1
Sparta (6-3) 45.222 at Muskegon (7-2) 67.667
Cedar Springs (5-4) 48.944 at Coopersville (6-3) 53.111
DISTRICT 2
East Grand Rapids (4-5) 50.000 at St Joseph (8-1) 69.722
Lowell (6-3) 54.556 at Zeeland West (8-1) 67.333
REGION 3
DISTRICT 1
Sturgis (5-4) 43.222 at Mason (9-0) 64.889
Parma Western (6-3) 48.667 at Jackson (5-4) 53.222
DISTRICT 2
New Boston Huron (6-3) 51.222 at Gibraltar Carlson (8-1) 70.222
Southgate Anderson (5-4) 53.000 at Trenton (8-1) 69.222
REGION 4
DISTRICT 1
Detroit Renaissance (4-5) 43.833 at Walled Lake Western (8-1) 75.444
Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice (3-5) 47.542 at Auburn Hills Avondale (6-3) 52.333
DISTRICT 2
Allen Park (5-4) 52.167 at Grosse Pointe North (8-1) 61.000
River Rouge (5-3) 52.278 at Detroit Martin Luther King (5-3) 54.639
DIVISION 4
REGION 1
DISTRICT 1
Big Rapids (7-2) 43.667 at Whitehall (9-0) 63.667
Ludington (7-2) 48.222 at Fruitport (7-2) 53.000
DISTRICT 2
Grand Rapids Christian (3-6) 43.111 at Grand Rapids South Christian (9-0) 65.778
Ada Forest Hills Eastern (6-3) 49.556 at Hudsonville Unity Christian (5-4) 50.333
REGION 2
DISTRICT 1
Paw Paw (4-5) 40.889 at Edwardsburg (8-1) 62.556
Niles (5-4) 43.333 at Three Rivers (5-4) 46.667
DISTRICT 2
Vicksburg (5-4) 47.222 at Hastings (8-1) 59.222
Chelsea (5-4) 54.778 at Charlotte (8-1) 56.000
REGION 3
DISTRICT 1
Ortonville Brandon (6-3) 49.556 at Goodrich (8-1) 61.556
Freeland (7-2) 49.778 at North Branch (8-1) 56.111
DISTRICT 2
Marysville (5-4) 43.000 at Madison Heights Lamphere (7-2) 51.889
Orchard Lake St. Mary's (3-5) 44.083 at Croswell-Lexington (7-2) 51.556
REGION 4
DISTRICT 1
Adrian (5-4) 43.222 at Riverview (9-0) 65.333
Carleton Airport (7-2) 48.111 at Tecumseh (9-0) 63.444
DISTRICT 2
Livonia Clarenceville (5-4) 43.889 at Redford Union (9-0) 60.889
Garden City (6-3) 46.889 at Dearborn Divine Child (7-2) 52.778
DIVISION 5
REGION 1
DISTRICT 1
Ogemaw Heights (7-2) 42.444 at Gladwin (9-0) 52.167
Kingsley (7-2) 48.444 at Kingsford (6-3) 48.778
DISTRICT 2
Shepherd (6-3) 39.000 at Muskegon Oakridge (8-1) 58.000
Howard City Tri County (7-2) 42.667 at Belding (8-1) 56.667
REGION 2
DISTRICT 1
Kalamazoo Hackett Catholic Prep (5-4) 41.056 at Grand Rapids Catholic Central (8-1) 62.222
Hopkins (5-4) 41.556 at Berrien Springs (6-2) 44.639
DISTRICT 2
Olivet (7-2) 45.778 at Portland (8-1) 59.556
Williamston (7-2) 53.778 at Corunna (7-2) 57.889
REGION 3
DISTRICT 1
Birch Run (5-4) 38.667 at Frankenmuth (9-0) 60.889
Essexville Garber (6-3) 41.333 at Saginaw Swan Valley (6-3) 46.111
DISTRICT 2
Yale (5-4) 39.222 at Marine City (7-2) 56.333
Flint Hamady (8-1) 41.833 at Armada (7-2) 52.111
REGION 4
DISTRICT 1
Dundee (6-3) 41.111 at Flat Rock (6-3) 50.889
Grosse Ile (5-4) 42.111 at Romulus Summit Academy North (7-2) 48.000
DISTRICT 2
Detroit Southeastern (6-3) 38.500 at Detroit Country Day (5-3) 44.722
St. Clair Shores South Lake (6-3) 40.444 at Pontiac Notre Dame Prep (6-3) 42.667
DIVISION 6
REGION 1
DISTRICT 1
Houghton (6-3) 34.778 at Negaunee (9-0) 49.333
Calumet (6-3) 36.667 at Menominee (5-4) 39.764
DISTRICT 2
Elk Rapids (6-3) 34.222 at Gladstone (7-2) 54.222
Manistee (6-3) 40.556 at Boyne City (9-0) 44.889
REGION 2
DISTRICT 1
Montague (3-6) 35.444 at Reed City (8-1) 52.889
Kent City (7-2) 39.667 at Muskegon Catholic Central (7-2) 40.444
DISTRICT 2
Sanford Meridian (6-3) 34.333 at Millington (8-1) 45.389
Clare (5-4) 36.778 at Standish-Sterling (7-1) 44.153
REGION 3
DISTRICT 1
Watervliet (6-3) 40.125 at Grand Rapids West Catholic (8-1) 65.556
Buchanan (8-1) 46.083 at Constantine (8-1) 50.889
DISTRICT 2
Lansing Catholic (4-5) 36.333 at Durand (9-0) 52.778
Ovid-Elsie (7-2) 45.556 at Almont (6-3) 51.222
REGION 4
DISTRICT 1
Ida (4-5) 34.667 at Clinton (9-0) 50.667
Detroit Voyageur College Prep (7-2) 44.667 at Ecorse (8-1) 47.444
DISTRICT 2
Clawson (5-4) 33.556 at Madison Heights Bishop Foley (9-0) 49.667
Detroit Northwestern (6-3) 33.667 at Warren Michigan Collegiate (8-1) 47.889
DIVISION 7
REGION 1
DISTRICT 1
L'Anse (4-5) 26.889 at Traverse City St. Francis (9-0) 56.833
Benzie Central (3-6) 30.333 at Charlevoix (8-1) 38.778
DISTRICT 2
Lake City (5-4) 28.444 at Ithaca (8-1) 44.222
Ravenna (6-3) 36.667 at North Muskegon (8-1) 41.000
REGION 2
DISTRICT 1
Burton Bendle (4-5) 26.236 at New Lothrop (7-2) 42.000
Bath (6-3) 30.222 at Pewamo-Westphalia (5-4) 33.000
DISTRICT 2
Cass City (5-4) 31.000 at Montrose (6-3) 37.667
Bad Axe (6-3) 33.111 at Elkton-Pigeon-Bay Port Laker (8-1) 36.667
REGION 3
DISTRICT 1
Niles Brandywine (4-5) 27.139 at Lawton (7-2) 40.236
Delton Kellogg (4-5) 31.944 at Schoolcraft (6-3) 36.192
DISTRICT 2
Homer (7-2) 35.000 at Jackson Lumen Christi (6-3) 51.333
Union City (7-2) 36.333 at Hudson (8-1) 48.111
REGION 4
DISTRICT 1
Erie Mason (6-3) 30.000 at Napoleon (9-0) 41.556
Grass Lake (5-4) 31.444 at Manchester (5-4) 31.778
DISTRICT 2
Southfield Bradford Academy (3-6) 26.889 at Detroit Central (9-0) 52.167
Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett (7-2) 35.444 at Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central (4-5) 41.556
DIVISION 8
REGION 1
DISTRICT 1
Ishpeming (4-5) 28.889 at Iron Mountain (8-1) 45.556
Bark River-Harris (7-2) 32.556 at St. Ignace (7-2) 34.444
DISTRICT 2
East Jordan (5-4) 26.889 at Frankfort (8-1) 36.222
McBain (5-4) 27.222 at Evart (8-1) 35.889
REGION 2
DISTRICT 1
White Cloud (6-3) 28.000 at Beal City (9-0) 40.667
Carson City-Crystal (8-1) 30.667 at Fowler (8-1) 36.778
DISTRICT 2
Saginaw Nouvel (6-3) 34.056 at Ubly (9-0) 40.222
Harbor Beach (8-1) 37.222 at Saginaw Michigan Lutheran Seminary (8-1) 38.556
REGION 3
DISTRICT 1
Decatur (6-3) 30.331 at Reading (7-2) 35.556
White Pigeon (6-3) 32.109 at Centreville (6-3) 33.206
DISTRICT 2
Addison (5-4) 29.111 at Ottawa Lake Whiteford (9-0) 46.778
Melvindale Academy for Business & Tech (7-2) 31.000 at Riverview Gabriel Richard (6-3) 40.444
REGION 4
DISTRICT 1
Marlette (5-4) 27.333 at Marine City Cardinal Mooney (7-2) 39.667
Flint Beecher (4-4) 29.875 at Clarkston Everest Collegiate (6-3) 31.500
DISTRICT 2
Sterling Heights Parkway Christian (4-5) 26.889 at Detroit Leadership Academy (4-5) 31.333
Detroit Community (5-4) 27.722 at Mount Clemens (7-2) 31.056
8-Player Pairings
DIVISION 1
REGION 1
Norway (6-3) 30.583 at Munising (9-0) 37.833
Newberry (8-1) 33.681 at Rogers City (9-0) 37.333
REGION 2
Indian River Inland Lakes (6-3) 31.000 at Merrill (9-0) 37.000
Fulton (7-2) 31.444 at Breckenridge (7-2) 31.444
REGION 3
Tekonsha (7-2) 30.361 at Martin (7-2) 37.736
Gobles (7-2) 32.444 at Adrian Lenawee Christian (7-2) 33.444
REGION 4
Deckerville (6-3) 31.000 at Kingston (9-0) 35.667
Auburn Hills Oakland Christian (8-1) 33.556 at Brown City (8-1) 34.014
DIVISION 2
REGION 1
Stephenson (6-3) 28.000 at Powers North Central (9-0) 36.333
Lake Linden-Hubbell (6-3) 28.000 at Crystal Falls Forest Park (7-2) 30.778
REGION 2
Posen (7-2) 29.873 at Marion (9-0) 37.315
Central Lake (7-2) 29.944 at Gaylord St Mary (7-2) 30.486
REGION 3
Kinde North Huron (6-3) 26.000 at Au Gres-Sims (8-1) 34.556
Morrice (7-2) 31.444 at Peck (7-2) 31.778
REGION 4
Camden-Frontier (5-4) 26.889 at Colon (9-0) 39.333
Mendon (7-2) 31.778 at Climax-Scotts (8-1) 35.972
Seeing is Believing as Confident Britton Deerfield Playing for Finals Trip
By
Doug Donnelly
Special for MHSAA.com
November 12, 2024
A little confidence can go a long way. A lot of confidence could get you to the state championship game.
Britton Deerfield is enjoying a remarkable turnaround season this year and will host Morrice for an 8-Player Division 2 Semifinal on Saturday.
Last year at this time, head coach Erik Johnson was shaking off the pain of a 2-7 season.
“It’s a great story,” Johnson said. “You go 2-7 and, really, last year, the last five weeks of the year we weren’t even in the game. We were getting blown out by halftime in most of those games.
“For those kids to have the resolve and come back and have the kind of success they are having this year is just great to see.”
Britton Deerfield is in its fourth season of 8-player football and having its best season yet. The Patriots have won nine straight games heading into Saturday’s Semifinal against Morrice and have set a school record for points scored in a season. Over the last six weeks, they are averaging 60.3 points per game and set the school’s single-game scoring record.
Senior Luke Wiser said the difference from last season is the team’s confidence.
“It’s all in the mindset,” Wiser said. “Last year we didn’t have the great confidence we have now.”
BD struggled early this season until that confidence kicked in. The Patriots defeated Pittsford in Week 1 but gave up 58 points. They lost in Week 2 to Mendon, giving up 66 points.
Johnson went to the defensive drawing board and challenged his players to get better.
“We talked a lot about the mental aspect of tackling,” he said. “They’ve been tackling since middle school. They’ve been through every tackling drill you can do. Now, it’s about the mental part of football, wrapping up and making the play.”
Over the next two weeks BD held Colon and Concord to one touchdown each.
The new Patriots offense started to soar as well. Johnson had favored a spread offense with a lot of jet sweeps and the quarterback alternating running and throwing the ball. In the offseason, he made a change.
“I knew we were going to have a stable of kids who could run the ball and a couple of different kids who could throw the ball, so I started to think of how I could maximize their efforts,” he said. “We went to more of a single wing offense. I watched a video series about the single wing and worked on ways to adjust that to make it work for our 8-man game.”
The single wing look requires the center to snap the ball to one of three backs and none playing the traditional role of quarterback. The results have been great.
The Patriots have rushed for 68 touchdowns this season and average 7.9 yards a carry. Wiser has rushed for 1,549 yards and scored 27 touchdowns. Caden Freeman has rushed for 806 yards, Caden Kubacki 666 and Cayden Allshouse 569.
Wiser credits the BD offensive line.
“It’s almost like I’m not running,” he said. “I follow my blocks and break off a run, but I think they really do an outstanding job, and our offense moves through them.”
Johnson said as the linemen settled in this season, they started to come to him to suggest different things.
“You know things are going well when the kids see something on the field and come talk to the coaches about it,” he said. “I’ll just say, ‘Yeah, let’s give that a try.’”
On defense, seniors Hunter Kniffin and Jayden Brooks lead the Patriots in tackles. Junior Liem Roe has eight interceptions.
In the first round of the playoffs, BD knocked out Adrian Lenawee Christian, which had won three Finals championships over the last four years. That, in itself, turned some heads.
“To beat LCS was huge for our confidence,” Johnson said. “We have been able to beat some teams that have had our number. LCS had handled us in every game we have had with them until this year.”
BD has eight seniors who have stepped into leadership roles. Juniors who played a lot as sophomores are contributing too.
“We had some younger guys in the backfield last year, but those guys have all grown up,” Johnson said. “The seniors have done an outstanding job of being there, ever since summer. When all of your seniors are there, that feeds down through the program. Other kids see that.”
Johnson said four years ago he couldn’t have predicted the current group of seniors would be where they are today.
“Some of those kids didn’t even play when they were a freshman,” he recalled. “It’s been a pleasant surprise to watch that group mature, and to see them now have success is awesome.”
The Patriots captured the first Regional championship for the program since Britton and Deerfield combined to form one high school in 2010.
From 1993 to 2010, the two schools played a cooperative football program and reached the 11-Player Semifinals in 1999 and 2000. A photo hangs in the school showing a huge crowd ringing the field during the playoff runs those seasons.
The team plays in a new stadium, just a few hundred yards from the old stadium, which is now the practice field.
“The crowd was great,” Johnson said of the Regional championship win over Pittsford. “They were into it. They stayed until after the trophy presentation and celebrated. It was great.”
If Britton Deerfield wants to get to the Division 2 championship game Nov. 23 in Marquette, the Patriots will need that crowd and confidence when they face the 10-1 Orioles this weekend.
“Our kids are really confident,” Johnson said. “That’s a good thing. You get that feeling like you can’t be stopped, and you can win every game you play. That’s good to have.”
Doug Donnelly has served as a sports and news reporter and city editor over 25 years, writing for the Daily Chief-Union in Upper Sandusky, Ohio from 1992-1995, the Monroe Evening News from 1995-2012 and the Adrian Daily Telegram since 2013. He's also written a book on high school basketball in Monroe County and compiles record books for various schools in southeast Michigan. E-mail him at [email protected] with story ideas for Jackson, Washtenaw, Hillsdale, Lenawee and Monroe counties.
PHOTOS (Top) Britton Deerfield’s Caden Kubacki, with the ball, stretches forward for extra yardage against Adrian Lenawee Christian. (Middle) Luke Wiser (4) takes on a Pittsford tackler. (Top photo by Deloris Clark-Cheaney. Wiser photo by John Discher.)