Century of School Sports: Fall to Finish with 50th Football Championships
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
September 4, 2024
We’ve only just begun to celebrate the MHSAA’s 100th anniversary – a “Century of School Sports” dating back to our start Dec. 13, 1924.
This celebration just happens to coincide with another major milestone this fall – the 50th season of MHSAA Football Playoffs.
After decades of football champions being determined by media polls, the MHSAA offered its first postseason for football in 1975 – 16 teams qualified to compete across Class A, B, C and D. Livonia Franklin, Dearborn Divine Child, Ishpeming and Crystal Falls Forest Park, respectively, hoisted those first championship trophies.
The first year’s Finals were played at Central Michigan University and Western Michigan University, two games at each site, before moving to the Pontiac Silverdome the following season – the home for MHSAA football championships until their move to Ford Field in 2005.
Meanwhile, the playoff field grew to 32 teams – eight per class – in 1977, and again to 64 teams over four classes in 1985. Classes AA, BB, CC and DD were added in 1990, bringing the number of 11-player football championships to its current eight. The 11-player field and format expanded one more time in 1999, doubling to 256 teams total – 32 per division – with a fifth week of postseason games bringing the playoff schedule to its current five weeks.
As more small schools began to have difficulty sustaining their programs during the first decade of the 2000s, the 8-player format began to grow with the first playoffs for that division in 2011. The 8-player bracket was split into two divisions in 2017.
Football remains the most played sport in this state, and its playoffs the most attended MHSAA postseason tournament. As of this writing, an estimated 35,000 athletes representing 601 varsity teams are vying for championships this 2024 season. This year's Finals are Nov. 23 for 8-player and Nov. 29-30 for 11-player.
Now, for the fun facts:
- A total of 24 teams have qualified for the MHSAA Football Playoffs at least 30 of the first 49 seasons. Beal City and Crystal Falls Forest Park lead the way with 38 qualifying seasons, followed by Mendon with 37 and Fowler and Traverse City St. Francis with 36. Forest Park and Mendon’s totals include appearances in both the 11 and 8-player brackets. Farmington Hills Harrison remains tied for seventh on the list with 34 postseason appearances despite closing at the end of the 2018-19 school year. NOTE: The totals above do not include the 2020 season, when all schools were entered into the tournament as the regular season was shortened due to COVID-19.
- Rockford has the longest overall and active streaks of qualifying for the playoffs at 28 straight seasons, again not counting 2020 when all teams were added to the bracket. Forest Park at 26 seasons, Jackson Lumen Christi at 25 and Muskegon at 23 seasons are the next four on the overall and active streak lists (Muskegon is tied on the overall list with Felch North Dickinson’s run from 1991-2013).
- Farmington Hills Harrison still has the most appearances in 11-Player Finals, with 18, but with Detroit Catholic Central just one back and Lumen Christi with 16. Lumen Christi has won the last two Division 7 titles to move into a tie for the lead on the total 11-player championship list with 13, the same number won by Harrison during its mighty history.
- On the 8-player side, Powers North Central leads with five appearances in Finals and five championships having won all of them.
- The Jets also own the longest championship streak in 8-player, with three straight titles from 2020-22. Grand Rapids West Catholic from 2013-17, Harrison from 1997-2001 and East Grand Rapids from 2006-10 all have won five 11-player championships in a row, with eight more 11-player programs having won at least three consecutive titles.
This is but a glance at the playoffs’ past. MHSAA historian Ron Pesch has written several exceptional pieces on the MHSAA Football Playoffs for MHSAA.com, and these are a few of our favorites:
- “Culmination of Ideas, Cooperation Lead to Creation of MHSAA Football Playoffs”
- “Farwell Silverdome; Our Memories Live On”
- “Football Finals: Top 10 of the first 15 Years”
You also can check out a list of all-time playoff qualifiers and 11 and 8-Player Finals records by visiting the MHSAA Football Record Book.
Previous "Century of School Sports" Spotlights
Aug. 28: Let the Celebration Begin - Read
PHOTOS Clockwise from top left: (1) Oxford’s Carl Reaves (5) breaks a tackle during Oxford’s 20-13 overtime win over Grand Rapids Kenowa Hills in Class BB in 1992. (2) A Crystal Falls Forest Park ball carrier is wrapped up by a New Lothrop tackler during New Lothrop’s 34-13 win in Division 8 in 2006. (3) Muskegon and Detroit Martin Luther King players collide during the Crusaders’ 41-25 victory in Division 3 in 2018. (4) Schoolcraft’s Paul Garrison (75) applies the pressure during his team’s 42-7 win over Frankfort in Class D in 1988. (5) A Farmington Hills Harrison ball carrier pushes toward the end zone against Midland Dow in 1976; Dow would prevail 36-27.
1st & Goal: 2023 Week 5 Preview
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
September 22, 2023
Over the last decade we’ve previewed intriguing football matchups every week from every region of the state, detailing one and highlighting four others. We usually choose from six or seven possibilities in each area that really stand out.
But as we reach the midpoint of the 2023 football regular season, an abundance of matchups will be worth your time and trip this weekend.
We could have put together a Week 5 list 10 deep in the Detroit area – any other week we may have included Rochester Adams (3-1) at West Bloomfield (3-1), Macomb Dakota (4-0) at Clinton Township Chippewa Valley (2-2), Grosse Pointe South (3-1) at Roseville (3-1), Dearborn Heights Robichaud (3-1) at Redford Union (3-1) or Clarkston Everest Collegiate (2-2) at Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett (3-1) in that group.
Head just west, and Dexter (2-2) at Ann Arbor Huron (3-1) has potential. Go farther west and Hudsonville (4-0) at Grandville (3-1) is in the conversation. In the Thumb, Marlette (3-1) at Harbor Beach (3-1) likely will be important down the road, and Houghton Lake (3-1) at McBain (3-1) would make the Northern Lower Peninsula top five most of the time.
And those are just some of the few that also caught our attention as we dive into many more below.
There’s plenty to enjoy, either in person or watching on MHSAA.tv. Check in as well with the MHSAA Scores page for all of them as they come in. (Games below are Friday unless noted.)
Bay & Thumb
Chesaning (3-1) at Montrose (4-0) - MHSAA.tv
Chesaning’s continued improvement and Montrose’s excellent start have given the Mid-Michigan Activities Conference a fuller field of contenders, and these two are the only ones undefeated in league play. The Rams have defeated both the reigning champion (Durand) and runner-up (Ovid-Elsie) from a year ago – by eight and seven points, respectively – and also have defeated Chesaning all six times (including once in the playoffs) since the two schools began playing in this league together. Chesaning also has an impressive victory this fall, as it provided a loud statement to start the league schedule with a 27-22 win over New Lothrop in Week 2.
Keep an eye on these FRIDAY Armada (2-2) at Almont (4-0) - MHSAA.tv, East Lansing (2-2) at Grand Blanc (3-1), Corunna (4-0) at Lake Fenton (3-1) - MHSAA.tv, Marine City (3-1) at Marysville (3-1).
Greater Detroit
Belleville (4-0) at Livonia Franklin (3-1) - MHSAA.tv
Belleville has won 29 straight games and the last two Division 1 titles, and after getting past River Rouge 35-28 in its season opener has won its first three Kensington Lakes Activities Association East games this fall by a combined score of 165-7. In fact, the Tigers are a combined 36-1 against KLAA East teams since joining the league in 2018. But this weekend’s matchup starts an intriguing month as Belleville pursues big goals again. Franklin has won two straight Division 2 District titles and had the most success among league teams against the Tigers last season, although that still ended with a 42-14 Belleville win.
Keep an eye on these FRIDAY Flat Rock (4-0) at Riverview (3-1), White Lake Lakeland (3-1) at Walled Lake Western (4-0) - MHSAA.tv, Detroit Catholic Central (3-1) at Warren De La Salle Collegiate (2-2) - MHSAA.tv. SATURDAY Detroit Edison (4-0) at Warren Michigan Collegiate (4-0).
Mid-Michigan
Lansing Everett (3-1) at Grand Ledge (4-0) - MHSAA.tv
The Capital Area Activities Conference Blue title race could fall a number of ways, but at this moment these two and East Lansing are undefeated in league play with Grand Ledge also the reigning co-champion and with a win already over last year’s other title winner, Holt. Everett bounced back from an opening 23-20 loss to still-undefeated Sexton and has generated some buzz – the Vikings were just 2-6 a year ago, but their defense especially has impressed this fall giving up a combined 37 points over four games. Grand Ledge won last year’s meeting 34-6 – but also just got past Lansing Waverly last week by a point, after Everett had downed the Warriors by 20 in Week 3.
Keep an eye on these FRIDAY Lake City (3-1) at Beal City (4-0) - MHSAA.tv, Battle Creek Harper Creek (4-0) at Hastings (2-2), Haslett (3-1) at Mason (4-0), Lansing Catholic (2-2) at Portland (4-0).
Northern Lower Peninsula
Whitehall (4-0) at Manistee (4-0) - MHSAA.tv
This might be Manistee’s biggest game since it finished its perfect regular season in 2018, as the Mariners welcome Whitehall in what eventually may determine the West Michigan Conference Lakes champion. Whitehall won last year’s meeting 55-0 – but Manistee already has avenged a 46-19 loss to Muskegon Oakridge and improved on last season’s results over Mason County Central and Muskegon Orchard View as well. A strong defense (35 points allowed over four games) will get its best challenge yet as Whitehall has scored 34 or more in all four of its games.
Keep an eye on these FRIDAY Gaylord (4-0) at Cadillac (3-1), Charlevoix (3-1) at Benzie Central (2-2) - MHSAA.tv, Traverse City St. Francis (2-2) at Kingsley (3-1) - MHSAA.tv, East Jordan (3-1) at Maple City Glen Lake (3-1) - MHSAA.tv.
Southeast & Border
Adrian (4-0) at Chelsea (3-1) - MHSAA.tv
Chelsea saw its three-year Southeastern Conference White title streak end at three last fall, but the Bulldogs are shaping up as favorites again – especially after they followed an opening loss to Grand Rapids Northview by nearly doubling up Edwardsburg the next week. The Bulldogs won a 10-game winning streak against Adrian, including 31-7 a year ago. But this Maples team is resembling more those that made the playoffs all but one season during the first decade of the 2000s, with the 4-0 start their best since 2010. They handed reigning league champion Tecumseh a 29-7 defeat last week.
Keep an eye on these FRIDAY Blissfield (3-1) at Clinton (3-1), Napoleon (4-0) at Grass Lake (4-0), Dearborn Divine Child (3-1) at Jackson Lumen Christi (4-0) - MHSAA.tv, Monroe (3-1) at Saline (4-0) - MHSAA.tv.
Southwest Corridor
Portage Central (3-1) at St. Joseph (3-1) - MHSAA.tv
St. Joseph has bounced back well from an opening-week loss to Niles and can put that first game further out of mind over the next three weeks as the Bears face Central, then Portage Northern and Stevensville Lakeshore – the other three teams that have started 2-0 in the Southwestern Michigan Athletic Conference. St. Joseph has won five of its last six against Central, but only 13-12 a year ago. The Mustangs are rebounding from last season’s 4-5 finish, with a nice win over East Lansing to start and their only loss the closest game Division 3 top-ranked Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central has played this season.
Keep an eye on these FRIDAY Benton Harbor (2-2) at Dowagiac (3-1), Parchment (3-1) at Kalamazoo United (2-2), Centreville (2-2) at White Pigeon (4-0) - MHSAA.tv, Niles (3-1) at Sturgis (2-2) - MHSAA.tv.
Upper Peninsula
Menominee (4-0) at Houghton (2-2) - MHSAA.tv
The Maroons have started well with their move to the Western Peninsula Athletic Conference Copper, outscoring their first three league opponents by a combined 154-6 after opening the season with another shutout of century-old rival Marinette, Wis. But things get only more challenging from here. Houghton has won two straight as it looks to build off last season’s best finish in a decade. Menominee then will face Gladstone, Negaunee and Kingsford over the final three weeks of the league schedule. Those three have been dealing each other losses over the last three weeks but remain in the title hunt.
Keep an eye on these FRIDAY Calumet (1-3) at Kingsford (3-1) - MHSAA.tv, Sault Ste. Marie (3-1) at Marquette (1-2) - MHSAA.tv, Negaunee (3-1) at Hancock (1-3), Ishpeming (1-3) at Bark River-Harris (2-0).
West Michigan
Byron Center (4-0) at Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central (4-0)
Anticipation of this rematch goes back to last season as their Ottawa-Kent Conference White opener ended up deciding the championship in FHC’s favor thanks to its 21-13 win. Byron Center didn’t lose again over the final six weeks of league play, and the Rangers went on to finish Division 2 runners-up at Ford Field. Forest Hills Central is Division 3 this season and, as noted above, top-ranked. Both can boast large average margins of victory and impressive wins over Division 4 No. 3 Grand Rapids Christian. The main difference perhaps is that East Grand Rapids, Grand Rapids Northview and Lowell also are looking like O-K White contenders – and the winner of this matchup surely will have an important edge when considering the full league picture.
Keep an eye on these FRIDAY East Grand Rapids (4-0) at Grand Rapids Northview (3-1) - MHSAA.tv, Spring Lake (4-0) at Grand Rapids West Catholic (4-0), North Muskegon (4-0) at Hart (4-0) - MHSAA.tv, Zeeland West (4-0) at Zeeland East (4-0) - MHSAA.tv.
8-Player
Gaylord St. Mary (3-1) at Onaway (3-1)
Onaway followed a 2-7 finish in 2021 with a 1-8 run a year ago and a forfeit of this fall’s season opener after a late-breaking coaching change. But the Cardinals' immediate resurgence has been awe-inspiring. With boys basketball coach Eddy Szymoniak also taking over this program, Onaway has outscored its last three opponents by a combined 132-38. Gaylord St. Mary has bounced back nicely as well from an opening loss to Pickford, shutting out its first two Ski Valley Conference opponents (and receiving a forfeit from a third). The Snowbirds join Indian River Inland Lakes – which received that Week 1 forfeit from Onaway – as the teams undefeated in league play.
Keep an eye on these FRIDAY Climax-Scotts (4-0) at Bellevue (3-1), Lake Linden-Hubbell (2-2) at Powers North Central (4-0) - MHSAA.tv, Marion (3-0) at Rudyard (3-1), St. Ignace (4-0) at Rogers City (2-2).
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PHOTO Bark River-Harris's Dominick Lantagne (13) finds a big hole and gains several yards during his team’s opening day win over Ishpeming Westwood. (Photo by Cara Kamps.)