Drive for Detroit: Week 5 in Review
September 30, 2013
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
The most significant celebrations of MHSAA football season Week 5 arguably were thrown by Portland and Felch North Dickinson, the first teams this fall to claim spots in the playoffs.
Both won their fifth games and are playing only eight. They'll no doubt be joined in the postseason field by many more expected to win their sixth games (of nine) this weekend.
But the main focus at this point remains on league title races, and most of our significant scores this week either affected those or broke long streaks among annual foes.
Greater Detroit
Birmingham Brother Rice 28, Detroit Catholic Central 21
This could be the final time Brother Rice coach Al Fracassa faces DCC – he will retire after this, his 54th season, and the teams aren’t guaranteed to face each other again in the Week 9 Prep Bowl. But what a way to potentially finish off his part in one of Michigan’s best rivalries. A late touchdown pass gave the Warriors (5-0) its third win in its last five games against the Shamrocks (4-1) and the lead in the Detroit Catholic League Central. Click to read more from the Detroit Free Press.
Also noted:
Southfield 20, Farmington Hills Harrison 19: The Bluejays (4-1) continued to build after an opening-night loss to Cass Tech, handing Harrison (4-1) its first loss.
Wyandotte Roosevelt 17, Melvindale 10: Roosevelt (5-0) gained an edge over the Cardinals (4-1) thanks to what could decide the Downriver League champion.
Detroit Loyola 36, Pontiac Notre Dame Prep 29: The Catholic League AA also has a couple teams capable of reaching Ford Field, with reigning Division 7 runner-up Loyola (5-0) claiming this league opener over the Fighting Irish (4-1).
Temperance Bedford 33, Saline 17: Beating previously-undefeated Saline (4-1) was its best performance so far as Bedford (5-0) has put together its best start since 2010.
Bay and Thumb
Mount Pleasant 50, Midland 42
These teams combined for 49 points during the first quarter alone, with Mount Pleasant (4-1) left trailing with three and then two quarters to play. But a big third quarter put the Oilers ahead for good and earned them a half-game advantage atop the Saginaw Valley Association North standings, while dropping reigning champion Midland (4-1) a game back. Click to read more from the Saginaw News.
Also noted:
Reese 34, Vassar 28 (OT): Beating the Vulcans (3-2) makes Reese (4-1) likely to face Elkton-Pigeon-Bay Port to decide the Greater Thumb League West championship.
Harbor Beach 49, Elkton-Pigeon-Bay Port 6: This nonconference loss didn’t hurt Laker (4-1) in its league race, but it did give reigning Division 8 champion Harbor Beach (4-1) its most impressive win this fall.
Lake Fenton 33, Flint Beecher 14: Beecher (4-1) was beginning to look unbeatable in the Genesee Area Conference Red, but now Lake Fenton (4-1) looks most likely to push Montrose for first place.
Midland Dow 42, Saginaw Arthur Hill 20: At least five SVA North teams look like possible playoff qualifiers, with Dow (4-1) looking much better off after handing Arthur Hill (3-2) its second straight loss.
Mid-Michigan
Holt 24, East Lansing 21 (OT)
The demise of Holt football surely has been overstated. After opening with tough losses to Hudsonville and Rockford, Holt’s Rams (3-2) have won three straight and beaten Capital Area Activities Conference Blue contenders Lansing Everett and East Lansing (3-2) in successive weeks. Next up: impressive favorite Lansing Sexton, which hasn't lost or given up more than 14 points in a game. Click to read more from the Lansing State Journal.
Also noted:
Carson City-Crystal 50, Coleman 48: Go back to 1999 to find the last Eagles team to start 5-0. Coleman (4-1) also should still be proud; its four wins are as many as all of last season.
Charlotte 37, Mason 16: The Orioles (3-2) have been tough to figure out, but there’s no denying this win over the Bulldogs (4-1) was impressive.
DeWitt 35, Haslett 7: Make that 11 straight for the Panthers (5-0) over the rival Vikings (3-2).
Portland St. Patrick 47, Burr Oak 36: The Shamrocks (5-0) have now won all 14 regular-season games since moving to 8-player football last season; Burr Oak at 3-2 already has equaled last season’s win total and its highest since 2005.
Upper Peninsula
Menominee 42, Kingsford 13
The Maroons further avenged last season’s one-point loss to Kingsford, and in a big way. Menominee also had beaten Kingsford (4-1) during last fall’s playoffs after falling to the Flivvers during the regular season, and made it two straight Friday after jumping out to a 21-0 lead. Given that one of these teams has at least shared the Great Northern UP Conference title every season going back to 1999, it’s a good expectation the Maroons (5-0) will come away with the championship later this month. Click to read more from the Iron Mountain Daily News.
Also noted:
Munising 26, Manistique 21: After three losses to open, Munising (2-3) has equaled last season’s win total; Manistique (0-5) is continuing to seek its first this fall with three losses by six points or fewer.
St. Ignace 29, Sault Ste. Marie 21: The Saints (4-1) have stormed back after an opening-night loss to Charlevoix; two of Sault Ste. Marie’s three losses have come by eight points or fewer.
Rapid River 46, Engadine 22: The Rockets (5-0) are firing again, undefeated heading into this week’s matchup with Bridge Alliance rival Cedarville; Engadine fell to 1-4 but with four losses to undefeated teams.
Hurley, Wis. 30, Bessemer 0: This matchup of 2012 co-Great Western Conference champions likely eliminated Bessemer (3-2) from contention this time.
Lower UP North
Maple City Glen Lake 42, Kingsley 14
Glen Lake (5-0) looks strong atop the Northwest Conference as it plays for its second straight championship, with only Kingsley and Suttons Bay now a win back and the rival Stags (3-2) out of the way. The Lakers scored on five plays of 52 or more yards to beat them. Click to read more from the Traverse City Record-Eagle.
Also noted:
Boyne City 27, Traverse City St. Francis 14: The Ramblers (4-1) have followed up a 10-game losing streak to St. Francis (3-2) with two straight wins.
Cadillac 53, West Branch Ogemaw Heights 27: Last season’s three-point loss to Ogemaw Heights (3-2) was one of few obstacles that kept Cadillac from Big North Conference contention; the Vikings (5-0) now are the only undefeated team in the league.
Cheboygan 9, Petoskey 6: The Chiefs (4-1) ended a five-game losing streak to Petoskey (2-3) in one of the state’s lowest-scoring games this season.
Lincoln Alcona 28, Whittemore-Prescott 26 (2 OT): The Tigers (5-0) are lined up favorably to at least their equal their most wins (seven) since 1986, and ending a 19-game losing streak against the Cardinals (3-2) has been the highlight so far.
Southwest and Border
Lawton 25, Decatur 21
Lawton (5-0) remains tied for first in the Southwestern Athletic Conference South thanks to a 42-yard go-ahead touchdown pass with 26 seconds to play against the Raiders (4-1). Four of the formerly six-team league made the playoffs last season, and that looks possible again even as the division now has only five teams. Lawton is only one win away and tied with Watervliet atop the title hunt. Click to read more from the Kalamazoo Gazette.
Also noted:
Watervliet 41, Hartford 17: As mentioned above, Watervliet (5-0) also is in first in the SAC South, with Hartford (3-2) hoping to remain in the mix despite falling in this league opener.
Portage Central 49, Portage Northern 7: The goalposts of these teams’ shared stadium will be painted for Central (5-0) after its second straight win over the rival Huskies (3-2).
Edwardsburg 40, Three Rivers 22: If this season plays out like last, dispatching of Three Rivers (3-2) should allow the Eddies (5-0) to decide the Wolverine Conference West championship in three weeks against Dowagiac.
Battle Creek St. Philip 67, St. Joseph Michigan Lutheran 14: The Tigers (5-0) have one of the most potent offenses in 8-player football, averaging 58 points per game while giving up 29 total; Michigan Lutheran (1-4) scored nearly half of those.
West Michigan
Muskegon Oakridge 31, Ravenna 27
Oakridge (5-0) has had little to fear over the last two seasons aside from Grand Rapids West Catholic, which eliminated the Eagles in last season’s District Final and fell to them by only six on opening night. But Ravenna (2-3) showed plenty of fight as it works to get back to its previous status as a West Michigan Conference contender. Click to read more from the Muskegon Chronicle.
Also noted:
Comstock Park 30, Belding 7: Four teams in the O-K Blue are 4-1 or better including both of these, but Comstock Park is the only one at 5-0.
Grand Rapids Christian 28, East Grand Rapids 17: The Eagles (4-1) continue to impress and now own three wins in their last four games against the Pioneers (3-2) and 27 wins in their last 30 games overall.
Rockford 20, Holland West Ottawa 13: At midseason, these looked like the best of the O-K Red, with Rockford (4-1) now holding a slight edge on the Panthers (3-2) and two others in the title hunt.
Muskegon 26, Muskegon Mona Shores 20: Coming off a disappointing loss to Lowell, Muskegon (4-1) got a scare from the much-improved Sailors (4-1).
Trophy Games
Each week the MHSAA highlights trophy games played around the state. All six of these were contested Friday:
Red, White & Blue Bell: Whitehall vs. Montague. The Wildcats made it seven straight over rival Whitehall. Final: Montague 56, Whitehall 34.
The Silver Football: Coldwater vs. Sturgis. The Cardinals broke a three-game losing streak to reclaim this prize. Final: Coldwater 34, Sturgis 14.
Bobcat-Bulldog Award: Ottawa Lake Whiteford vs. Petersburg-Summerfield. This game was made bigger this season in that both entered 3-1. Final: Whiteford 38, Summerfield 13.
Iosco County News-Herald/Oscoda News-Press Trophy: Tawas vs. Oscoda. Tawas scored its most points in more than two seasons, dating back to its last win over Oscoda in 2011. Final: Tawas 50, Oscoda 14.
Cipriano Cup: Dearborn vs. Dearborn Fordson: Fordson got some revenge for last season's District opener loss to the Pioneers. Final: Fordson 34, Dearborn 7.
WBRN Victory Bell: Big Rapids vs. Remus Chippewa Hills: These two have split their last 22 regular-season meetings. Final: Chippewa Hills 42, Big Rapids 7.
PHOTO: Maple City Glen Lake (white jerseys) shut down Kingsley's offense in taking the Northwest Conference lead and moving to 5-0 last week. (Photo courtesy of Glen Lake athletic department).
Gooding & King Work to Fill SW Michigan's Officiating Ranks, Schedules
By
Pam Shebest
Special for MHSAA.com
December 12, 2023
KALAMAZOO – Cheer them or boo them, without officials, there are no games. That’s just a fact in the sports world.
Two area men are tasked with supplying those officials for Southwest Michigan schools, and it is not always as easy as it seems.
Portage’s Todd Gooding is in charge of assigning football referees for 70 schools across eight leagues, with 500 officials on his staff.
Vicksburg’s Rob King assigns officials for girls and boys basketball in five leagues and has 290 men and women on his roster to work 1,100 games throughout the hoops season.
“We have six females on staff,” King said. “We’re looking to add more. I think the girls who are playing enjoy having a female ref on the court with them, plus it shows them they can do this, too.”
Although totals were dropping a few percentage points every year, the MHSAA still registered an average of 10,317 officials annually during the decade ending in 2019-20. But the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic that spring played a large part in a decrease in registered officials by 12 percent for 2020-21, down to 8,090.
The last two school years saw a bounce-back of four percent, and recruiting and retaining efforts continue. But Gooding and King – also veteran officials themselves, Gooding for 25 years and King for 24 – and their assigning colleagues across the state have the closest look at the effects of fewer officials as they work to schedule at the local level and make sure everything is covered.
Doing so gets even harder with unforeseen roadblocks.
One of those challenges for Gooding came in August when extreme heat forced most schools to reschedule or delay their football games.
“Everyone was trying to get their games in,” he said. “We were moving start times back, then we were moving days. Football is a little different than basketball or baseball because you can only play within so many days, so we were really squeezed against the schedule.
“I had a school or two reach out on Monday or Tuesday (before the Friday night game), so they looked ahead at the heat. Some of them waited, waited, waited, and then in some cases, it posed some big challenges because most of those crews had been spoken for.”
For a typical football Friday, Gooding staffs 30 or 35 games, “which is really difficult because everybody wants to play Friday night.”
Some referees in both football and basketball “double dip” by officiating games at freshman or junior varsity levels on nights other than Friday.
Gooding said at one time he hoped to go to seven officials for a football game, but with a shortage of officials, “Right now we’re just lucky to staff five in the games we have, and we’re still very short.
“Parents are a key component to a shortage of officials. A lot of it is more at the youth level, but everyone has to remember the sportsmanship aspect. Without officials there are no games, and sometimes we lose track of that, and that’s one reason there’s a shortage.”
Still, King noted that officiating provides more advantages than disadvantages.
“Everyone hears about the bad stuff, getting yelled at by fans and coaches, but those are so small,” he said.
“After a season of doing this, you learn to block out that stuff and realize it’s just part of the game. Fifty percent of people are mad at you every time you blow the whistle, so you get used to that.”
Pay raises in some leagues enticed many of those who “retired” to return, King said, but both he and Gooding agree the camaraderie developed while officiating is what makes it most special.
“It’s more about the time you spend on the floor with guys, in the locker room, driving to games, grabbing something to eat after the games, just talking about life, just building friendships,” King said. “That’s the part you remember.”
Gooding added some games stick in his memory more than others.
“My first varsity game (refereeing) was Lawton playing Saugatuck,” he said. “I show up and Channel 3 was there. I wondered what’s going on.
“Both schools were 0-8, both senior classes were 0-35. Somebody had to win, and it was my first varsity game. I think Saugatuck won, and it was close to 25 years ago.”
Another memory came as he officiated a basketball game.
“A girl from Benton Harbor (Kysre Gondrezick in 2016) had 72 points,” he said. “It’s in the record books. and you’re just one small part of that and you remember them.”
Officiating is not only for adults. Even teenagers still in high school can become referees as part of the MHSAA Legacy Program.
King recently hosted an officiating summit at Paw Paw for high school athletes.
“There are nine schools in the Wolverine Conference and six of them brought 10 to 15 kids,” he said. “Myself and another official presented on basketball. They also did something on other sports.
“We got the kids up blowing the whistles and doing some of the signals. Three reached out wanting to get involved.”
King said officiating is a great way to earn money, especially while in college.
“You’ll work maybe two or three hours at the most and make $150 to $300 depending on the level,” he said. “Your friends will have to work six-, seven-, eight-hour days to make that much money.
“You can also block your schedule. We have a software with a calendar on it. If there are days you know you can’t work because you have classes or other things, you just block those days out, so you control your own schedule.”
With training, freshmen and sophomores can work junior high/middle school games, and juniors and seniors are able to officiate at the freshman and junior varsity levels.
“Usually what we do is get you a mentor,” King said, “and you work with that mentor and make some money.”
Those Legacy officials hopefully continue in the avocation, eventually becoming the next mentors.
Officiating, like school sports in general, is a cycle that’s constantly in motion – both when it comes to filling the ranks and filling the schedule to cover games ahead.
For example, although football season is over, “I don’t know if there really is an offseason,” Gooding said. “Leagues are going to start giving me their schedules. We’ll get those into an Arbiter system. Everything’s assigned by Arbiter, a computer system where officials get their assignments.
“I’ll start evaluating the crews, reach out to the crew chiefs. They’ll let me know any changes in their crew dynamics. I’ll evaluate the year gone by, how they performed and then start getting ready to work on getting those games staffed. That will start after the new year.”
For more information on officiating, including the Legacy Program, go to the Officials page of MHSAA.com.
Pam Shebest served as a sportswriter at the Kalamazoo Gazette from 1985-2009 after 11 years part-time with the Gazette while teaching French and English at White Pigeon High School. She can be reached at [email protected] with story ideas for Calhoun, Kalamazoo and Van Buren counties.
PHOTOS (Top) Todd Gooding, left and Rob King take a photo together while officiating the Division 4 Final at Ford Field in 2022. (Middle) Gooding signals during that contest between Goodrich and Grand Rapids South Christian. (Below) King officiates the 2019 Division 4 Boys Basketball Final at Breslin Center. (Photos courtesy of Gooding and King.)