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Drive for Detroit: Week 4 in Review

September 17, 2012

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Most conferences in Michigan have between six and eight teams, and all start each season with hopes of ending up number one.

In a few weeks, showdowns to determine those top teams will take place all over the state. But in the meantime, the leg work must be done to set up those colossal matchups. And a number of those games were played during Week 4, although the most notable result came in a game that instead matched potential MHSAA championship contenders.

West Michigan

Muskegon 36, Lowell 21

The Big Reds have two running backs on pace to rush for 1,000 yards this season if the team makes any kind of run in the playoffs, and at this point it looks like they might run away from the rest of the Division 2 field. Muskegon added another win to its impressive start, in a game that some suggested matched the two best teams in the division this fall. Click to read more from the Muskegon Chronicle.

Also noted:

Zeeland East 27, Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central 23 – The Chix have to be considered one of the hottest teams in all of Michigan so far, with this win perhaps its most impressive of a 4-0 start.

Caledonia 14, Grandville 7 – After two straight seasons at 4-5, Caledonia is 4-0 heading into a series of tough O-K White games.

Comstock Park 13, Allendale 8 – This was one of the best rivalries of the old O-K Silver, and this first matchup between the two since 2004 was a strong way to start off the O-K Blue schedule.

Muskegon Mona Shores 21, Grand Haven 14 – Mona Shores’ 3-1 start is its best since 1997, and comes after the team won a combined three games over the last two seasons.

Greater Detroit

Oak Park 24, Southfield 18 (OT)

This has become Oak Park's most serious conversation about league contention since at least 2003, when it finished second in the Oakland Activities Association III to Farmington – which just happens to be the other team tied for first this fall in the OAA White, and also this week’s opponent. Oak Park needed overtime in this one to get past Southfield, which fell to 2-2 but is much better than that middling record suggests. Click to read more from the Oakland Press.

Also noted:

Farmington 19, Oxford 13 (OT) – This is the other overtime thriller that helped set up this week’s OAA White matchup; the Falcons haven’t given up more than 14 points this fall.

Birmingham Brother Rice 28, Warren DeLaSalle 0 – This is usually a much closer matchup (see explanation last week), but Brother Rice’s defensive performance was stunning and earns the Warriors top billing going forward in the Detroit Catholic League Central.

Waterford Our Lady 24, Royal Oak Shrine 21 – The Catholic League has other divisions too, and with this win Our Lady earned the status as biggest contender to Loyola in the Intersectional.

Milan 21, Grosse Ile 14 – Milan moved to 4-0 after winning just one game last season; the Big Reds look like Huron League favorites heading into this week’s matchup with Monroe St. Mary Catholic.

Southwest and Border

Stevensville Lakeshore 41, Portage Central 40

This nearly ended with the classic comeback, with Portage Central trailing by 20 at halftime. But Lakeshore hung on through a two-point conversion called back because of a penalty. That one-point swing will surely come to mean more as the Southwestern Michigan Athletic Conference West season moves into October. Click to read more from the Kalamazoo Gazette.

Also noted:

Bridgman 27, Niles Brandywine 26 – The Lakeland Conference is down to just three teams after playing with six only three seasons ago, and  Bridgman looks like the favorite already after beating Brandywine for the first time since 2006.

Reading 26, Springport 20 – This was a big one as the Rangers move quietly toward another Big Eight Conference decider in Week 8 against Union City.

Portage Northern 7, St. Joseph 0 – This was the other SMAC West game of most note, with these two now among four that are 1-1 in the league and 3-1 overall, but tied for third in the league.

Sturgis 27, Kalamazoo Loy Norrix 12 – The Trojans were in a bit of a rough spot at 1-2 and coming off their first playoff berth in seven seasons; this victory could kick off a run back into the mix.

Lower Up North

Grayling 28, Traverse City St. Francis 20

The Vikings ended a nine-game losing streak against St. Francis, and after falling by three and one point the last two seasons, respectively. Grayling is considered one of the best teams in Division 5 and the Lake Michigan Conference favorite, and beating the Division 7 power Gladiators will no doubt strengthen both expectations. Click to read more from the Traverse City Record-Eagle.

Also noted:

Maple City Glen Lake 56, Benzie Central 12 – The Lakers are 4-0 for the first time since 2001 and appear to have made the Northwest Conference race a two-team battle with Kingsley. 

Boyne City 14, Harbor Springs 7 – Boyne City improved to 4-0 to equal last season’s win total heading into this week’s matchup with St. Francis.

Traverse City Central 40, Petoskey 0 – The Trojans announced their Big North Conference contention in a big way over a usual favorite, and next week can equal their 2011 win total by moving to 4-1.

Elk Rapids 48, Charlevoix 22 – Two losses by a combined 11 points have put the Elks at 2-2 and against the playoff wall, but this was a big step with two more tough games coming up.

Upper Peninsula

Escanaba 31, Marquette 22

This was a little unexpected, perhaps more than a little, with Marquette coming in undefeated and the Eskymos having been outscored 99-37 during their 1-2 start. But Escanaba’s defense shut down the Redmen during the second half to win the Great Northern Upper Peninsula Conference opener. Click to read more from the Marquette Mining Journal.

Also noted:

Bessemer 39, Lake Linden-Hubbell 12 – Bessemer not only broke an eight-game losing streak to Lake Linden-Hubbell, but this victory also helped the Speedboys move to 3-1 and equal last season’s three wins.

Negaunee 28, Iron Mountain 6 – The Miners’ broke a two-game losing streak to Iron Mountain and have started 4-0 for the first time since 2006.

Ishpeming 38, Ishpeming Westwood 8 – Ishpeming pushed it to 16 straight over Westwood and hs now won 11 straight regular-season games.

Iron Mountain North Dickinson 55, Stephenson 30 – The Nordics’ point totals this season, in chronological order, have been 41, 42, 48 and 55.

Mid-Michigan

DeWitt 28, Haslett 27

The Panthers have won this rivalry game 10 straight times, which might make it seem like it shouldn’t be a rivalry anymore. Don’t buy it. This game still matters a ton to both communities, and this brought back memories of the classics from the beginning of the 2000s. It also kept DeWitt tied for first in the Capital Area Activities Conference Red and has Haslett needing to win out to guarantee a playoff berth.

Also noted:

Perry 14, Flint Beecher 13 – The Ramblers should celebrate some small victories, like their best start since 2006;  two wins already equals their most since that same season.

Lansing Everett 21, Holt 3 – This was the first of four tough CAAC Blue foes the Vikings must survive; Grand Ledge, East Lansing and Lansing Sexton still loom after a 4-0 start.

St. Johns 14, Owosso 13 – The CAAC Red has been tough to read so far, but this combined with the DeWitt win means the Panthers and Redwings likely will play for the title again.

Morrice 44, Burton Atherton 14 – Before opening night, the last time Morrice (4-0) had won was 2009; the last time Morrice won four games in a season was 2006, and the last time the Orioles started 4-0 was 1997.

Thumb and Bay

Flint Powers Catholic 34, Saginaw Nouvel Catholic 12

This game may not have turned out as close as might have been expected. But the reigning Division 5 champion Chargers had plenty to celebrate after falling to Nouvel 55-14 in 2011, when Nouvel finished as Division 7 champion. Click to read more from The Saginaw News.

Also noted:

Saginaw Swan Valley 31, Alma 26 – The Vikings handed Alma its first Tri-Valley Conference Central loss, meaning Swan Valley and Hemlock are the only two still perfect in league play. 

Montrose 13, Goodrich 12 – This leaves Montrose and Lake Fenton as the teams to beat in the Genesee Area Conference Red.

Almont 17, Richmond 13 – By way of a series of three and four-point games, including this one, Almont is again among those chasing Croswell-Lexington at the top of the Blue Water Conference standings.

Beaverton 26, Houghton Lake 21 – The Beavers might not contend in the Jack Pine Conference after losing big to Gladwin in Week 3, but this win put them at 3-1 to equal their most wins since 2007 and has them halfway to their first playoff berth since 2000.

Trophy Games

Each week, the MHSAA highlights trophy games around the state. A number were played during Week 4.

  • Little Brown Jug: Union City hosted Athens in a Big Eight Conference matchup and kept the trophy for the 12th straight season. Final: Union City 33, Athens 18.
  • Little Brown Jug: The Kingsley/Suttons Bay matchup has been much more even, with the teams splitting their last 10 games although Kingsley won for the second straight: Final: Kingsley 62, Suttons Bay 7.
  • Little Brown Jug: Concord won its ninth of the last 10 against Homer (including a forfeit in 2006), but this was the closest of the recent renditions. Final: Concord 28, Homer 27.
  • The Axe: Newberry kept its strong start going by breaking a seven-game losing streak to rival Munising. Final: Newberry 29, Munising 12.
  • Rocket-Rebel Trophy: Wyoming Kelloggsville has won all six since it began playing Wyoming Lee annually again in 2007. Final: Kelloggsville 21, Lee 6.
  • Pioneer-Thunderbird Spirit Bowl: Dearborn has won three straight over its Western Wayne Athletic Conference rival Edsel Ford. Final: Dearborn 35, Edsel Ford 14.

PHOTO: Southfield (blue) and Oak Park battled into overtime of a key Oakland Activities Association game that in the end went Oak Park's way, 24-18. (Click to see more at Terry McNamara Photography.) 

Grand Blanc defenders converge on a Muskegon Mona Shores ball carrier during the Sailors' 28-26 win.

1st & Goal: 2024 Week 1 Review

By Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor

September 3, 2024

Football is the only high school sport for which teams prepare an entire week to play just one game, and at most are guaranteed nine games each season.

MI Student AidThat being the case, every week contributes significantly to a team’s overall story. And we're thrilled to tell as many as possible again, starting with what struck us most from season openers this past holiday weekend.

This time, headliners included a pair of victories over 2023 Finals champions, and two of the highest-scoring games in MHSAA history. And those are just a few of the notables from this first chapter, as we restart our weekly "1st & Goal" series to highlight several of the results that especially jumped off the page.

Bay & Thumb

HEADLINER Frankenmuth 22, Goodrich 0 After falling to the Martians on a last-minute score to start the 2023 season, Frankenmuth avenged by handing Goodrich its first regular-season shutout since 2018. Logan Diener led the Eagles’ defensive effort with 15 tackles and two sacks, and Kobbi Ke outran Goodrich as a team 117 yards to 54. Click for more from the Saginaw News.

Watch list Fenton 28, Midland Dow 14 The Tigers also opened last season with a win over Dow, by two points, on the way to a Flint Metro League title – and this victory was even more impressive with quarterback Noah Sheil starring.

On the move Harbor Beach 24, Cass City 22 (OT) These two finished a combined 17-5 last year, and Harbor Beach extended its winning streak against the Red Hawks to three this weekend with an overtime defensive stand. Saginaw Heritage 48, Mount Pleasant 24 Despite graduating one of the most accomplished receivers in MHSAA history, Heritage raced to a second-straight win over the Oilers, who won a league title a year ago. Armada 28, Marine City 27 This ending was unforgettable as well, as both teams scored during the final two minutes, Armada first and then Marine City on a kickoff return – but the Tigers stopped the ensuing two-point conversion try.

Greater Detroit

HEADLINER Belleville 35, Clarkston 28 Belleville quarterback Bryce Underwood started one of the nation’s most anticipated senior seasons running for 177 yards and two scores and throwing two touchdown passes. His 55-yard TD sprint with 18 seconds left was the game-winner at the Xenith Prep Kickoff Classic. Click for more from the Detroit Sports Commission.

Watch list Warren De La Salle Collegiate 21, Davison 3 In another premier Xenith matchup at Wayne State, the 2023 Division 2 runner-up Pilots avenged last season’s 31-26 loss to Davison by dealing the Cardinals their first single-digit scoring day since 2021.

On the move West Bloomfield 42, Clinton Township Chippewa Valley 0 The Lakers left no doubt in this rematch of annual powers, impressing even more after winning last season’s matchup with the Big Reds by just a point. Lake Orion 21, Northville 13 These were both 10-game winners a year ago, and Lake Orion is back on course after last season’s lone loss came by a point in its District Final. Riverview Gabriel Richard 15, Montrose 10 Gabriel Richard began building on last season’s trip to the Division 8 Semifinals by holding on against a Rams team that reached the Division 7 Regional Finals in 2023.

Mid-Michigan

HEADLINER Lansing Everett 28, Lansing Sexton 0 Everett ended a two-game losing streak against its rival in a big way, shutting out a Sexton offense that scored 30 points per game last season and putting up 28 on a Sexton defense that gave up that many only once a year ago. Click for more from the Lansing State Journal.

Watch list East Lansing 31, Portage Central 7 Much is expected of the Trojans this season, and they showed why immediately in this matchup of 2023 league champions. East Lansing shut down a Central offense that averaged nearly 32 points per game last year.

On the move DeWitt 69, Haslett 42 These rivals ran right into the MHSAA record book combining for more than 100 points during one of the most high-scoring games of opening night, as the Panthers’ Elliott Larner and Vikings’ Kory Amachree combined to run for seven touchdowns. Pewamo-Westphalia 8, North Muskegon 7 The Pirates avenged their only two losses of a year ago (on opening night and then in a Regional Final) with a fourth-quarter touchdown and two-point conversion. Fowler 20, Hudson 6 Fowler also made some big-time small-school noise with this win over a Hudson program that was a combined 31-5 over the last three seasons.

Northern Lower Peninsula

HEADLINER Ogemaw Heights 29, Ubly 13 Ogemaw is coming off its best season in over a decade, and it’s impossible to argue with this start against last season’s undefeated Division 8 champion. Ubly has some significant changes on offense as several standouts graduated, and is a much smaller school, but the Falcons still held the Bearcats to their lowest-scoring performance since 2021. Click for more from the Bay City Times.

Watch list Traverse City West 6, Gaylord 0 West avenged last season’s 13-7 loss to the Blue Devils, who are coming off a perfect regular season and league and District titles. The Titans are seeking their first winning season since 2021.

On the move Traverse City St. Francis 67, Charlevoix 22 After opening last season with a one-point win over the Rayders, St. Francis fell to them in their Division 7 District opener. This avenges that, but they could mean again. Elk Rapids 7, Benzie Central 2 This may seem more like a baseball score, and Elk Rapids will take it after losing this matchup 47-26 last season and missing the playoffs at 4-5 while Benzie qualified at 5-4. Petoskey 8, Greenville 6 Only a few points were scored in this one too, but Petoskey knows every one of them counts after making the playoffs at 5-4 as well last season.

Southeast & Border

HEADLINER Onsted 35, Napoleon 20 The Wildcats are seeking their first winning season since 2019 and finished 2-7 a year ago. But they’re halfway to equaling that total after a loud start, as Napoleon is coming off back-to-back league titles. Click for more from the Adrian Daily Telegram.

Watch list Ypsilanti Lincoln 10, Milan 7 The Railsplitters are seeking their first winning season since 2017 and won two games a year ago as well, but they are on the right path with this victory over a 2023 playoff qualifier.

On the move Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central 22, Clinton 14 The Falcons bounced back from losing to Clinton by the same score in last season’s Division 7 District Final. Jackson Lumen Christi 49, Michigan Center 21 This matchup featured two of the Jackson area’s traditional best for the second-straight season, with the reigning Division 7 champion Titans again prevailing. Ann Arbor Pioneer 27, Adrian 17 The Pioneers avenged last season’s 36-30 loss to the Maples as they look to build on their winningest season since 2015.

Southwest Corridor

HEADLINER Paw Paw 32, Big Rapids 14 Paw Paw won this opening matchup for the second season in a row and by an almost identical score as in 2023, when Big Rapids went on to win the Central State Activities Association Gold and the Red Wolves finished second in the Wolverine Conference. PJ DeYoung led the way this time with 203 yards and three touchdowns on the ground. Click for more from the Kalamazoo Gazette.

Watch list St. Joseph 30, Niles 7 St. Joseph rebounded significantly after losing last season’s opener to Niles 55-0. The Bears took strides on both sides of the ball; Niles never scored fewer than 14 points in a game last season, and St. Joseph reached 30 only three times in 2023.  

On the move Hartford 55, Niles Brandywine 24 Hartford has a varsity team for the first time since 2021 and now its first win since 2019. Dowagiac 21, South Haven 11 Dowagiac last year posted its first winning season since 2019 despite a one-point loss to South Haven in their opener, and ending a three-game losing streak against the Rams over the weekend was another solid step. Buchanan 32, Saugatuck 6 Buchanan was another season-opening avenger, having fallen to Saugatuck 25-14 a year ago in what turned into a playoff season for both.

Marquette's Drew Bradley (6) breaks a tackle and gains several yards.

Upper Peninsula

HEADLINER Marquette 55, Gladstone 0 Watch out for the Sentinels. Marquette had lost two in a row to Gladstone, including 36-7 a year ago, and hadn’t reached 50 points in a game since 2021. This also was Marquette’s first season-opening win in three years. Click for more from the Marquette Mining Journal.

Watch list Ishpeming Westwood 36, Bark River-Harris 12 Westwood is coming off a pair of sub-.500 finishes after a string of much better ones, but breaking a two-game losing streak against Bark River-Harris could be the start of a turnaround. The Broncos had won last season’s matchup 50-14.

On the move Gwinn 14, Bridgeport 6 The Modeltowners are 1-0 for the first time since 2018 – the last time the team posted a winning record for the season. Iron Mountain 26, Houghton 16 The Mountaineers ran their winning streak against Houghton to three, but the Gremlins made this the closest matchup since their most recent victory over Iron Mountain in 2021. Kingsford 21, Escanaba 0 These two renewed this rivalry after a year ago, with Kingsford claiming its third-straight victory in the longtime series.

West Michigan

HEADLINER Zeeland West 28, Muskegon 13 This jumps off the page as Muskegon is the reigning Division 2 champion and won 12 straight games – including 22-16 over West – to close last season. But looking back further, it's fair to say the Dux have been on the verge; the Big Reds had won four of the last five matchups, but all of them were decided by eight points or fewer. This one, however, was a nonleague game as they are in separate divisions of the Ottawa-Kent Conference this fall for the first time since 2019. Click for more from the Holland Sentinel.

Watch list Reed City 24, Kingsley 22 Not to be outdone, Reed City also defeated a reigning Finals champion, edging last year’s Division 6 title winner Kingsley with a touchdown and two-point conversion with one second to play. Kingsley had defeated Reed City 37-7 last fall to advance to Ford Field.

On the move Rockford 30, Detroit Cass Tech 23 These Division 1 powers met for the first time, and the next time could be with a championship on the line. Rockford held on with a late defensive stand. Hudsonville Unity Christian 43, Whitehall 21 Unity Christian is coming off its first sub-.500 season in a decade, which began with a loss to Whitehall – which went on to finish 10-1 last fall and is Unity’s only opponent from 2023 on this year’s schedule. Muskegon Mona Shores 28, Grand Blanc 26 Shores followed quarterback Jonathan Pittman across the state for an impressive win at the Vehicle City Gridiron Classic.

Otsego's Lane Blanchard breaks through an opening during his team's loss to Coopersville.

8-Player

HEADLINER Pickford 40, Powers North Central 12 Pickford dealt the Jets a season-opening defeat for the first time since 2018 as the two 8-player powers faced off for the first time since 2019. Both could again be in the championship mix in at the end of this fall; North Central made the Division 2 Regional Finals last season, and Pickford reached the Division 1 Semifinals. Click for more from the Escanaba Daily Press.

Watch list Britton Deerfield 68, Pittsford 58 This tied for the 20th highest-scoring game in MHSAA 8-player history, with Britton Deerfield rebounding nicely off last year’s 2-7 finish to defeat a Pittsford team coming off a 7-3 run.

On the move Brimley 26, St. Ignace 0 The Saints stormed into 8-player last season with a 9-2 finish, but Brimley coming off a 3-6 run pulled off one of the stunners of Week 1 as it pursues a first .500-or-better season since 2019. Gaylord St. Mary 8, Rudyard 0 This was nearly an opposite of last season’s meeting; St. Mary’s won this time after Rudyard claimed last year’s 58-32. Atlanta 40, Rogers City 36 Atlanta closed last season 2-2 over its final four games and might be on the verge of another step forward with this first win over Rogers City after two losses in their previous two 8-player matchups – including 34-24 a year ago.

MHSAA.com's weekly “1st & Goal” previews and reviews are powered by MI Student Aid, a division within the Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential (MiLEAP). MI Student Aid encourages students to pursue postsecondary education by providing access to student financial resources and information. MI Student Aid administers the state’s scholarship and grant programs that help make college Accessible, Affordable and Attainable for you. Click to connect with MI Student Aid and find more information on Facebook and Twitter @mistudentaid.

PHOTOS (Top) Grand Blanc defenders converge on a Muskegon Mona Shores ball carrier during the Sailors' 28-26 win. (Middle) Marquette's Drew Bradley (6) breaks a tackle and gains several yards against Gladstone. (Below) Otsego's Lane Blanchard breaks through an opening during his team's 41-0 loss to Coopersville. (Top photo by Terry Lyons, middle photo by Cara Kamps and below photo by Gary Shook.)