Football: Final Countdown
November 23, 2011
Ford Field, here we come.
The 37th MHSAA Football Finals need little more introduction than that. Over nearly four months, more than 600 teams were boiled down to 256, with that field then cut in half every week for a month as a fortunate few continued on in hopes of winning the top prize in Michigan high school football.
Sixteen weeks after practice began, 16 teams have that opportunity.
Eight championships will be won this weekend, four on Friday (Divisions 8, 6, 4 and 2) and four more Saturday. Mendon and Detroit Catholic Central both will attempt to win an 11th MHSAA championship to move into a third-place tie for the most football titles – and just two behind Farmington Hills Harrison. Then there are Detroit Cass Tech, Mount Pleasant and Pewamo-Westphalia, all making their first Finals appearances.
All eight games will be broadcast on Fox Sports Detroit Plus (click to find that channel in your area) or audio-only on the MHSAA Network web site. Tickets cost $10 and are good for all four games on one day. Click for a full schedule.
Here’s a look at all 16 finalists. (Rankings and all-state honors were voted upon by The Associated Press’ media panel. Statistics were provided by schools; those for Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice, Marine City, Lansing Catholic, Constantine, Ithaca, Mendon, Saginaw Nouvel and Fowler are through Semifinals, while the rest are through Regionals.)
DIVISION 1
DETROIT CASS TECH
Record/rank: 10-3, unranked
Coach: Thomas Wilcher, 14th season (93-53)
League finish: Tied for first in Detroit Public School League I
Championship history: Has never appeared in an MHSAA Final.
Best wins: 20-18 over Detroit Martin Luther King, 6-3 over No. 3 Utica Eisenhower (Semifinal), 6-0 over Warren DeLaSalle (Regional).
Players to watch: FB/LB Royce Jenkins-Stone, 6-1/215, sr.; WR/DB William Rembert, 6-0/175, sr.; WR/DB Terry Richardson, 5-9/162, sr.; FB/LB Laron Taylor, 6-1/215, sr.; WR/S Ruben Lile, 6-2, 180, sr.
Outlook: A defense giving up 9.5 points per game has gotten stingier as the season has gone on. Star power abounds: Jenkins-Stone and Richardson have committed to sign with Michigan this winter, Taylor and Lile will sign with Iowa and Rembert will sign with Buffalo. And junior receiver/defensive back Jordan Lewis might be the best of the next class. A point of concern might be that Cass Tech scored fewer than 10 points in six games. But if the Technicians can contain Detroit Catholic Central, they might be able to rely on a few big plays to score just enough.
DETROIT CATHOLIC CENTRAL
Record/rank: 12-1, No. 2
Coach: Tom Mach, 36th season (322-77)
League finish: Second in Detroit Catholic League Central
Championship history: 10 championships (most recently 2009), three runner-up finishes.
Best wins: 23-20 over No. 1 Rockford (Semifinal), 21-14 over No. 6 Canton (District), 56-6 over No. 7 Northville (Pre-District), 14-10 over Warren DeLaSalle, 21-19 over Division 2 No. 7 Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice, 21-7 over Division 3 No. 4 Orchard Lake St. Mary.
Players to watch: QB/DB Kyle Cooper, 6-7/215, sr. (56 for 104, 963 yards, nine TDs passing); OT/DT Matthew Godin, 6-5/270, sr.; RB/DE Wyatt Shallman, 6-3/260, jr. (73 carries, 397 yards, eight TDs rushing); TE/DE Matt Doneth, 6-5/245, sr. (12 receptions, 218 yards, four TDs).
Outlook: With a win Saturday, DCC would tie East Grand Rapids with the third-most MHSAA championships in the tournament’s 37-year history. The Shamrocks haven’t backed down from tough competition, with 10 games this season against teams that made the playoffs (not counting a game against an Ohio opponent). And just like for Saturday’s opponent, Cass Tech, defense has been key this fall – DCC is giving up just 8.9 points per game. Godin is a giant presence in the middle and will sign with Michigan. If the Final is as low-scoring as appears possible, keep an eye on this guy’s foot: Senior Alex Kozlowski made 43 of 47 extra-point attempts and averaged 42.8 yards per punt through the team’s first 12 games – and hit a 27-yard field goal that eventually pushed the Semifinal to overtime.
DIVISION 2
BLOOMFIELD HILLS BROTHER RICE
Record/rank: 9-4, tied for No. 7
Coach: Al Fracassa, 43rd season (404-115-7)
League finish: Fourth in Detroit Catholic League Central
Championship history: Six championships (most recently 2005), four runner-up finishes.
Best wins: 30-7 over No. 1 Farmington Hills Harrison (District), 27-26 (Quarterfinal) and 28-21 over Detroit Martin Luther King.
Players to watch: RB/DB Devin Church, 5-9/182, sr. (255 carries, 1,675 yards, 17 TDs rushing); DB James Hendrix, 6-0/180, sr. (52 tackles, five interceptions); LB/TE Jon Reschke, 6-2/223, jr. (130 tackles); OL Dylan Anderson, 6-5/270, sr.
Outlook: Rarely has a 5-4 qualifier advanced to an MHSAA Final – but Rice’s run also has been a little different than the norm. The Warriors played in a league with two more finalists (Detroit Catholic Central and Orchard Lake St. Mary), and despite finishing fourth in the Catholic League Central lost three league games by a combined four points. Passing might’ve taken over this sport at most contending schools, but the Warriors continue to win on the ground with more than 3,000 yards rushing to just 880 passing this fall. Church, who will sign with Northern Illinois, runs behind a line that averages a solid 245 pounds and is led by Anderson, a Central Michigan prospect.
LOWELL
Record/rank: 12-1, No. 2
Coach: Noel Dean, 16th season (161-28)
League finish: Second in Ottawa-Kent White
Championship history: Three championships (most recently 2009), one runner-up finish.
Best wins: 36-7 over No. 3 Muskegon (District), 42-35 (OT) over No. 9 Walled Lake Western (Semifinal), 28-7 over Division 1 No. 1 Rockford.
Players to watch: QB Gabe Dean, 5-10/195, sr. (114 for 179, 1,744 yards, 13 TDs passing; 333 carries, 1,722 yards, 25 TDs rushing); RB Josh Addington, 5-9/180, sr. (186 carries, 927 yards, 11 TDs rushing); WR/DB Blake Lyman, 5-10/170, sr. (28 receptions, 564 yards, four TDs; two interceptions).
Outlook: This will be Lowell’s third-straight MHSAA Finals appearance – the Red Arrows fell to Farmington Hills Harrison 38-28 last season after beating Inkster in the 2009 championship game. Dean ran the offense in the two previous finals as well and will cap a career that’s already put him among Lowell’s great quarterbacks. The Red Arrows' only loss was to Grand Rapids Christian, which entered the postseason ranked No. 1 in Division 3.
DIVISION 3
MOUNT PLEASANT
Record/rank: 13-0, No. 1
Coach: Jason McIntyre, sixth season (60-11)
League finish: First in Saginaw Valley League
Championship history: Has never appeared in an MHSAA Final.
Best wins: 38-37 over No. 9 East Grand Rapids (Quarterfinal), 21-7 over Division 2 No. 4 Midland.
Players to watch: WR/DB Colton Odykirk, 6-2/200, sr. (45 receptions, 684 yards, six TDs; 67 tackles); LB/TE Spencer Moran, 6-0/205, sr. (118 tackles); QB/DB Ryan Elliott, 5-10/175, sr. (119 for 192, 1,685 yards, 13 TDs passing); RB/DB Michael Tweh, 5-10/195, soph. (234 carries, 1,726 yards, 24 TDs rushing).
Outlook: The Oilers have improved from 11 to 12 to now 13 wins the last three seasons, respectively, and finally got past East Grand Rapids after falling to the Pioneers two of the last three seasons. Mount Pleasant has relied mostly on a tough running game on the way to averaging 40 points and 400 yards of total offense per contest. McIntyre, a 1995 Mount Pleasant graduate, has led the team to four conference and District titles in the last five seasons.
ORCHARD LAKE ST. MARY
Record/rank: 11-2, No. 4
Coach: George Porritt, 23rd season (204-57)
League finish: First in Detroit Catholic League Central
Championship history: Four championships (most recently 2000 in Division 4), five runner-up finishes.
Best wins: 14-10 over No. 3 Battle Creek Harper Creek (Semifinal), 14-13 over Division 1 No. 2 Detroit Catholic Central, 35-10 over Warren DeLaSalle, 10-9 over Division 2 No. 7 Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice, 35-0 over Division 5 No. 7 Grand Rapids West Catholic.
Players to watch: FB/LB Grant Niemiec, 6-0/210, jr. (188 carries, 1,099 yards, 15 TDs rushing); RB/OLB Spencer McInnis, 5-11/180, sr. (167 carries, 1,254 yards, 20 TDs rushing); TE/LB James Ross, 6-1/220, sr.
Outlook: The Eaglets have fallen in MHSAA Finals two straight seasons and three of the last four, all to East Grand Rapids – which didn’t advance this fall. St. Mary always is loaded with talent, but this might be one of the strongest of recent groups as evidenced by winning arguably the toughest league in the state while giving up only 11.6 points per game. Ross has committed to sign with Michigan this winter and is considered by many the top defensive player in the state. Niemiec and McInnis provide a great assist to the defense by allowing the team to eat up the clock – both are averaging at least 5.9 yards per carry.
DIVISION 4
MARINE CITY
Record/rank: 13-0, No. 1
Coach: Tony Scarcelli, seventh season (80-7)
League finish: First in Macomb Area Conference Gold
Championship history: Won championship in 2007.
Best wins: 15-7 over No. 5 Detroit Crockett (Regional), 55-31 over No. 6 Pontiac Notre Dame Prep (District), 45-21 over No. 8 Croswell-Lexington (Pre-District), 61-38 over No. 7 Marysville, 28-13 over Division 6 No. 10 Madison Heights Madison.
Players to watch: RB/DB Anthony Scarcelli, 6-0/190, sr. (178 carries, 1,804 yards, 32 TDs rushing; 16 receptions, 383 yards, six TDs receiving); RB Jaime Salisbury, 5-8/160, sr. (129 carries, 959 yards, 11 TDs rushing); DB/WR Jack Badovinac, 6-0/165, sr. (30 tackles, six interceptions); LB/WR Aaron Loconsole, 5-9/185, sr. (109 tackles, seven sacks)
Outlook: Tony Scarcelli can cap his Marine City career – he’s announced he’ll resign after this season – with a second MHSAA championship and celebration with his son Anthony, who will sign with Central Michigan this winter. Although the Mariners’ league didn’t provide a ton of challenges during the regular season, Marine City showed it’s worthy of that top ranking against one of the toughest playoff slates faced by a finalist this fall. From the interesting stats file: Marine City has outscored opponents 179-16 in the second quarter. Once the Mariners have gotten rolling, they’ve been nearly impossible to stop.
ZEELAND WEST
Record/rank: 13-0, No. 2
Coach: John Shillito, seventh season (64-16)
League finish: First in Ottawa-Kent Green
Championship history: Won championship in 2006.
Best wins: 43-21 over No. 4 Grand Rapids Catholic Central (District), 26-21 over Zeeland East.
Players to watch: FB/DB Brad Mesbergen, 5-7/155, sr. (74 carries, 849 yards, 11 TDs rushing); HB/DB Derek Postma, 5-11/185, sr. (130 carries, 1,014 yards, 19 TDs rushing); HB/DB Kyle Kujawa, 5-10/190, sr. (114 carries, 923 yards, 14 TDs).
Outlook: Although the Dux faced only three eventual playoff teams during the regular season, the rampage has continued during the postseason – Zeeland West has won its last four games by an average of 32 points per. The Dux have crushed opponents on the ground, running for more than 4,600 yards. Senior linebacker Josh Blanton has keyed a steady defense for two seasons, but was injured in the Semifinal and is questionable according to media reports. A win would be the 220th of Shillito’s career, which has seen him also lead Comstock Park, Muskegon Orchard View and East Kentwood over 28 seasons total.
DIVISION 5
FLINT POWERS CATHOLIC
Record/rank: 9-4, unranked
Coach: Bob Buckel, first season (9-4)
League finish: Second in Big Nine Conference
Championship history: Won Division 4 championship in 2005.
Best wins: 28-7 over No. 2 Millington (District), 27-10 over No. 4 Almont (Semifinal).
Players to watch: DT Danny O’Brien, 6-3/302, sr. (59 tackles, three sacks); QB Garrett Pougnet, 6-2/179, jr. (75 for 163, 1,131 yards, nine TDs passing; 154 carries, 818 yards, nine TDs rushing); DE Idris Hobdy, 6-1/212, sr. (41 tackles, five sacks, four fumble recoveries).
Outlook: Like Brother Rice above, Powers advanced to this weekend despite entering the playoffs 5-4 – after a 1-3 start. But the Chargers come in well-prepared after a tough league schedule against much larger schools, plus games against Division 7 No. 1 Saginaw Nouvel and this weekend’s opponent, Lansing Catholic (Powers lost that Week 2 game 37-17). Buckle has won 179 games over 29 seasons total, including successful stints at Otisville-Lakeville, Flushing and Birch Run. He was named Associated Press state Coach of the Year for his respective class at both Flushing and Birch Run. O’Brien will sign with Tennessee this winter.
LANSING CATHOLIC
Record/rank: 13-0, No. 1
Coach: Jim Ahern, third season (28-5)
League finish: First in Capital Area Activities Conference White
Championship history: Won Class C championship in 1985.
Best wins: 42-35 over No. 7 Grand Rapids West Catholic (Semifinal), 49-24 and 50-33 (District) over No. 3 Portland, 37-17 over Flint Powers, 21-19 over Division 6 No. 10 Madison Heights Madison.
Players to watch: QB Cooper Rush, 6-4/230, sr. (217 for 371, 3,714 yards, 45 TDs passing; 103 carries, 711 yards, 15 TDs rushing); WR/DB Matt Macksood, 6-0/170, sr. (88 receptions, 1,528 yards, 21 TDs receiving; 74 carries, 808 yards, 10 TDs rushing); RB/LB Dan Liesman, 6-3/225, sr. (99 tackles, 6.5 sacks).
Outlook: Rush and Macksood will graduate with their names all over the MHSAA record book for both single-season and career feats. Rush was named The Associated Press’ Division 5-6 Player of the Year on Wednesday and will sign with Central Michigan, while Macksood made the all-state team and is a threat to score every time he touches the ball. Two other receivers have at least 35 catches, and junior Jack Swain has scored 14 times. This could be a crowning achievement for Ahern, who is 225-133-6 in 35 seasons total, including 32 at Ithaca from 1972-2003.
DIVISION 6
CONSTANTINE
Record/rank: 11-2, unranked
Coach: Shawn Griffith, seventh season (71-14)
League finish: Tied for second in Kalamazoo Valley Association
Championship history: One championship (2004), two runner-up finishes.
Best wins: 42-25 over No. 5 Grass Lake (Regional), 45-44 over Ecorse (Semifinal), 28-21 and 37-30 (2 OT, District) over Schoolcraft.
Players to watch: RB/LB Payton White, 6-1/230, jr. (226 carries, 1,374 yards, 23 TDs rushing); Tommy Reed, 5-8/170, jr. (44 of 92, 787 yards, nine TDs passing; 108 carries, 504 yards, 10 TDs rushing); RB/LB Ben Mallo, 5-8/165, jr. (148 carries, 993 yards, 11 TDs rushing).
Outlook: Constantine has rolled since starting 1-2 and is perhaps most dangerous in a close game – the Falcons have won four of their last five by seven or fewer points. They’ve done it by running the ball behind big blockers like seniors Jacob Mechling (6-2/250), A.J. Cox (5-8/265) and Joe Wuthrich (5-11/240) for more than 3,900 yards. Those two losses were to Battle Creek Pennfield – No. 3 in Division 4 heading into the playoffs – and reigning Division 5 runner-up Olivet.
ITHACA
Record/rank: 13-0, No. 1
Coach: Terry Hessbrook, eighth season (72-17)
League finish: First in Tri-Valley Conference West
Championship history: Won championship in 2010.
Best wins: 28-13 over No. 2 Montrose (District), 22-19 over No. 7 Montague (Regional), 28-0 over No. 3 Iron Mountain (Semifinal).
Players to watch: QB/DB Travis Smith, 6-1/180, soph. (144 for 209, 2,011 yards, 22 TDs passing; 136 carries, 925 yards, 23 TDs rushing); RB/LB Garrett Miniard, 5-11/210, sr. (167 carries, 1,268 yards, 16 TDs rushing; 108 tackles); WR Charles Schnetzler, 6-2/190, sr. (58 receptions, 858 yards, 12 TDs receiving); LB Lucas Slater, 6-2/215, sr. (127 tackles).
Outlook: The Yellowjackets returned most of their starters from last season’s championship team and are hoping to finish undefeated for the second straight season. The most impressive part of this run has been how the team has worked through two new starters at quarterback – 2010 Finals hero Alex Niznak graduated in the spring, and his replacement David Brown was injured on opening night. Smith has starred since, but Brown, a senior, will still be one to watch Friday – a dynamic playmaker, he ran for 129 yards and three scores at quarterback on opening night, and had his best receiving game last week with five catches for 137 yards and two touchdowns. Miniard was named all-state as a linebacker, and also averages nearly eight yards per carry.
DIVISION 7
PEWAMO-WESTPHALIA
Record/rank: 13-0, No. 6
Coach: Brad Weber, fourth season (35-9)
League finish: First in Central Michigan Athletic Conference
Championship history: Has never appeared in an MHSAA Final.
Best wins: 22-14 over No. 3 Hudson (Semifinal); 15-14 over Division 8 No. 9 Fowler.
Players to watch: QB/CB Justin Thelen, 6-2/190, sr. (39 for 81, 814 yards, 12 TDs passing; 118 carries, 740 yards, 13 TDs rushing); TB/CB Alex Thelen, 5-7/150, sr. (231 carries, 1,650 yards, 23 TDs rushing); OL/LB Gavin Smith, 6-2/202, sr.
Outlook: P-W is one of two teams from the Central Michigan Athletic Conference that have reached Detroit this weekend. Although this will be the Pirates’ first Finals appearance, they have a proud history with 16 straight winning seasons and 13 playoff berths during that string. Although there are only nine seniors, the class is loaded with talent – Smith has earned all-state recognition multiple times, Alex Thelen is a two-time 1,000-yard rusher, and Justin Thelen moved from receiver to quarterback this fall and is a speedy two-way threat.
SAGINAW NOUVEL
Record/rank: 12-0, No. 1
Coach: Michael Boyd, 12th season (116-26)
League finish: Plays as an independent.
Championship history: Two championships (most recently 2007 in Division 6), two runner-up finishes.
Best wins: 55-14 over Flint Powers, 48-12 and 14-3 (Semifinal) over No. 4 Traverse City St. Francis, 28-0 over No. 7 Harbor Beach (Regional).
Players to watch: RB/DB Bennett Lewis, 5-9/181, sr. (173 carries, 1,877 yards, 31 TDs rushing); QB/DB Joseph Buchalski, 5-9/161, sr. (74 for 122, 1,345 yards, 16 TDs passing; 35 carries, 514 yards, four TDs rushing; 3 TDs receiving).
Outlook: Many eyes will be on Lewis, The Associated Press’ Division 7-8 Player of the Year. He’s the main reason Nouvel is playing for its third MHSAA championship in six seasons, although hardly the only one. The Panthers are giving up only 7.5 points per game despite a strong schedule against teams from all over the Lower Peninsula and parts of Canada. Five of six regular-season opponents (Nouvel played two Canadian teams) ended up making the playoffs, including Division 5 finalist Powers.
DIVISION 8
FOWLER
Record/rank: 11-2, Tied for No. 9
Coach: Craig Koenigsknecht, second season (20-3)
League finish: Third in Central Michigan Athletic Conference
Championship history: Four championships (most recently 1998 in Class D), two runner-up finishes.
Best wins: 45-8 over No. 4 St. Ignace La Salle (Semifinal), 24-21 over Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart (District), 34-18 over Beal City (Regional).
Players to watch: RB/LB Mitch Thelen, 5-11/185, sr. (149 carries, 1,379 yards, 17 TDs rushing), RB/LB Tyler Koenigsknecht, 5-8/175, jr. (195 carries, 1,433 yards, 13 TDs rushing; 134 tackles); OL/DE Cameron Bongard, 6-1/220, jr.
Outlook: Fowler had a few uncharacteristically tough years over the last decade, but won 11 games for the first time since 2002. Its losses were by a combined two points – and both to Division 6 teams, including finalist Pewamo-Westphalia. Tyler Koenigsknecht, Bongard and quarterback/cornerback Dustin Wirth are among a strong group of juniors who became starters last season and have helped bring the program back to elite status under Craig Koenigsknecht, who played on the 1993 championship team. Although the Eagles beat just one ranked team, they faced a number of larger schools plus 2010 Division 8 Semifinalist Fulton during the regular season, and Fulton again in the Pre-District.
MENDON
Record/rank: 13-0, Tied for No. 1
Coach: John Schwartz, 23rd season (236-39)
League finish: First in St. Joseph Valley League
Championship history: 10 championships (most recently 2007 in Division 7), one runner-up finish.
Best wins: 28-21 over co-No. 1 Muskegon Catholic Central (District), 35-10 over No. 8 Climax-Scotts (Regional), 34-13 over No. 3 New Lothrop (Semifinal), 56-7 over Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart.
Players to watch: RB/DB Tyler Harris, 5-6/140, jr. (212 carries, 1,776 yards, 32 TDs rushing); QB/DB Chance Nightingale, 6-1/180, sr. (42 for 77, 1,048 yards, 14 TDs passing; 98 carries, 993 yards, 20 TDs rushing); RB/LB Tanner Cook, 5-9/175, sr. (140 carries, 1,025 yards, 10 TDs rushing), LB/TE Cody Bingaman, 5-11/210, sr. (113 tackles, five TDs receiving).
Outlook: Mendon beat all of its regular-season opponents by at least 28 points, then took out two more top-three teams during the playoffs. Nightengale and Bingaman were named all-state earlier this week – Nightengale running an offense that averages 46 points per game, and Bingaman leading a defense giving up 7.5 per contest. With another championship.
PHOTO
Full speed ahead: Marine City and quarterback Adam Kroll hope to claim their second MHSAA championship in five seasons Friday against Zeeland West. (Photo courtesy of Port Huron Times-Herald.)
Culmination of Ideas, Cooperation Lead to Creation of MHSAA Football Playoffs
By
Ron Pesch
MHSAA historian
August 26, 2022
In November of 1972, Dave Driscoll, football coach at Jackson Parkside, was talking by phone with Larry Paladino of The Associated Press about the goals of the recently-formed Michigan High School Football Coaches Association (MHSFCA).
“Football has been around a long time in Michigan, and we just haven’t moved forward as other sports have. Now with an organization to speak and help us, I think we will see some real movement …”
Driscoll, president of the MHSFCA, was pitching the idea of a football postseason in Michigan – a goal of the young organization.
“It took us a couple of years to get it done,” recalled Driscoll, now age 86 and still in the Jackson area. “The first year or two was a challenge because that’s when you’re instituting something. But it has turned out to be a very progressive, positive influence in the state.”
A Postseason
Michigan was one of only 20 states that did not conduct a football playoff, and the sport was the only one sponsored by the MHSAA that did not have a tournament to determine champions. Newspaper ranking systems, in use since the early 1940s in Michigan, were the method by which football teams were awarded “state titles.” Prior to that, schools with undefeated marks against in-state opponents could make a rightful claim to a championship. Because there was no postseason system in place for teams to square off, those are referred to as “mythical” titles.
A state gridiron playoff had been discussed for many years. But, as a cold weather state, few could see a way to devise an equitable system to accomplish the task. With basketball, every high school squad qualified for the annual MHSAA Tournament. Logistically and geographically, the concept of a football postseason presented numerous challenges. Unpredictable late fall weather meant the season could be expanded by only a couple of weeks. That limited the number of teams that could be involved.
Yet Colorado and Massachusetts, both with weather that could replicate Michigan’s in late autumn, hosted football postseasons.
“They just extend the season by two weeks,” said Driscoll, the MHSFCA spokesperson at the time. “They divide the state by regions. If you win a region, you have a semifinal game the next week, then a final a week after that in each class.”
The MHSFCA, broken into 18 regions across the Upper and Lower Peninsulas, recognized that was far too many to work within a two-week playoff system. So, determining the teams that would participate in the tournament was a major concern.
“Ohio rates its teams by computer. Pennsylvania has a system for it. … Our association would have to investigate these and come up with the best one for our situation,” Driscoll said.
Only eight months old, the MHSFCA planned to present its research, and a possible approach, to the Michigan High School Athletic Association. Driscoll had spoken to both Allen W. Bush, MHSAA executive director, and Vern Norris, associate director, about the goal.
“They’re listening,” he told the press. “If we can come up with a feasible plan, I think they’re willing to listen. We hope to have playoffs in two or three years.”
So the MHSFCA went to work, scheduling meetings around the state – talking with, and listening to, membership.
“We’re not going to press for any certain system at this time. It will take time to work out the details. We just want to sell the idea,” Driscoll said.
The MHSFCA recognized it could take a while.
“Iowa had to present the playoff five years before it was approved,” noted Driscoll.
While the administrative wheels turned, the MHSFCA worked on developing a point system designed to reward teams based on strength of schedule. The goal was to create a test – ideally during the 1973 season – designed to prove the concept, with the hope for an actual playoff in the fall of 1974.
One thing almost certain to occur, if a system could be developed, would be a recasting of those newspaper rankings.
“Indiana had a dry run on their (proposed) playoffs last year and four of the top five teams in the football polls did not make the playoffs on a point system.”
“No matter how honestly polls are conducted,” stated Jim DeLand of the Benton Harbor Herald-Palladium in April 1973, “they inevitably favor unbeaten teams with an easier schedule over teams with a tougher schedule, and say, one loss.”
Financing the Idea
According to the coaches’ group, most football playoffs in other states had been self-supporting and profitable. “Ohio played its semifinals in a doubleheader at the Ohio State stadium last fall and drew 20-some thousand people,” noted Ike Muhlenkamp, coach at St. Joseph High School and Region 5 director of the MHSFCA, in conversation with DeLand. That additional revenue, he noted, could be used to support other things that were coming along, like girls athletics.
MHSFCA regional directors conducted meetings around the state in April 1973 to explain the proposal.
The idea was to use a point system to determine which teams would qualify for play. A school’s classification – Class A, B, C, or D – determined by enrollment size, would be used here as well. Just like basketball, four schools would emerge as champions at the end of the tournament.
“It’s complicated … complicated,” said Bush about the proposal to institute a football playoff just prior to a May pitch by the coaches to the MHSAA Representative Council. “There’s a tremendous mass of bookkeeping involved. Other states are doing it, and we can’t turn our backs on it, but I don’t anticipate it happening this year.”
The Council was receptive to the idea, but it needed examination and testing. The Council called for the assembly of a “Blue-Ribbon panel” of superintendents, principals, athletic directors and coaches from around the state to determine the potential of a football postseason and to explore and address the challenges. Harley Pierce, Sturgis football coach, was named chairman of the committee.
“We’d like to see it operate on paper first,” Driscoll told Dean Howe of the Flint Journal. “That way, we’d know approximately how the real thing would operate.”
“Right now, the Blue-Ribbon committee is studying three point systems, ones used in Ohio, Virginia, and Iowa,” noted Howe. “In Ohio, ratings are done strictly by computer. It costs $5,000 a season to use the computer system.”
In October, the Council asked that the proposed point system be refined.
A key component, as envisioned by the MHSFCA, was to create a system that factored in the quality of competition played by a team during the regular season.
“A team with an 8-1 record might be picked over a 9-0 club by season’s end if that team had played much better competition,” explained Howe.
A special questionnaire was distributed by the MHSAA in February 1974. “By almost a 5 to 1 margin, prep coaches throughout the state supported the playoff,” stated Bob Gross in the Lansing State Journal.
Under the refined system, football game results would be gathered and run through a formula that awarded points based on wins and ties constructed around enrollment classifications, and bonus points for the results of games played by your opponents. League affiliation and margin of victory held no bearing on playoff points awarded.
In May, the Representative Council, acting on the strong support by coaches for a football tournament, instructed staff at the MHSAA to conduct a sample playoff, on paper, during the 1974 season. The approach would serve as a testing ground – a place to run the idea around the track with live data.
The reality of an actual postseason was still, at minimum, a year away. If all worked as intended, the hope was for an actual tournament in 1975 and 1976, with a re-evaluation of the system to follow. But obstacles remained.
“Weather, playing conditions, sites, records of teams and you name it, we’re faced with just about everything when it comes to something like this,” said Bush. “Teams in the U.P. start the regular season two weeks early so naturally they’re finished by the time teams in the Lower Peninsula are in their sixth and seventh games.” If a U.P. team qualified for the proposed tournament, “they’d have to wait two weeks at least to prepare for a playoff.”
In the end, the idea would still need approval by the Association of Secondary School Principals, which had the “final word on all athletic policies.”
“The coaches are on one side of the fence and administrators (on) the other,” Bush continued. “(T)here’s still a lot of work to do before we actually have a playoff.”
Paper and Pencil
University of Michigan’s Bo Schembechler endorsed the idea and stated in a letter to the MHSFCA that he’d like to see the title game played at U-M. Within, he addressed a concern expressed in some administrative circles. At the time, 652 schools in Michigan played football.
“The fact is that only 16 schools will have an extended season,” stated Schembechler. “There should be little, if any, effect on the basic philosophy of scholastic emphasis.”
Michigan State football coach Denny Stolz also wrote a letter to the group stating he, too, favored the playoff system.
Labeled the “Paper Playoffs,” the proof of concept was handled in the old-fashioned manner, as according to Bush, a computer would not be used for point calculations. It would cost too much.
Instead, at schools that believed they deserved consideration, athletic directors were to fill out a rating form after the season’s sixth game with appropriate information about the results of games played. School principals were to sign the form and mail it to the MHSAA. A single MHSAA staff member each week would then manually “tabulate the results and determine the top teams in each class of four regions” and release them for publication.
The resulting rank of teams was expected to be controversial by both the MHSAA and the MHSFCA. Smaller schools beating teams above their enrollment classification would benefit from the system. Larger schools facing smaller schools would receive fewer points for a win than they would by defeating a team within their own classification. As predicted, an undefeated season was no guarantee of a place within the 16-team field of qualifiers.
“After the formula was devised, the coaches applied it to the top teams in the 1973 Class A poll,” stated Dave Matthews in a State Journal article that appeared just prior to the start of the 1974 season. Saginaw Arthur Hill – undefeated, untied, and unscored upon across nine games – had been named state champion in every state newspaper poll. The Lumberjacks had outscored their opponents, 443-0, but would have finished third in their region in the playoff rankings behind both Flint Southwestern (8-1) and East Lansing (9-0). Simply put, Arthur Hill would not have qualified for the playoffs. Based on the formula, both Southwestern and East Lansing had played more challenging schedules than Arthur Hill.
Controversy
Results needed for the first tabulation following the Week 6 games were slow in arriving. As of the Tuesday following the game, the MHSAA had received only 60 forms. With Wednesday as the cutoff date, the first round of calculations didn’t include teams – like undefeated South Haven – that appeared in the weekly newspaper polls. (South Haven’s form didn’t arrive until after the deadline). That illustrated the need for timely reporting.
Comparisons between the press polls and the “paper playoff” rankings were common, and by season’s end, they illustrated the seismic shift that was approaching – and a call for action.
“Football games aren’t won or lost on paper. Neither are state championships,” wrote Roger Neumann in the State Journal in early November as the season headed for its conclusion. “That’s why most mid-Michigan prep coaches are anxious to see the state’s experimental ‘paper playoffs’ taken a step further and put on the gridiron.”
While it appeared a large majority of coaches – and school administrators – favored moving forward, support for the proposed system certainly wasn’t unanimous.
East Lansing coach Jeff Smith questioned the approach.
‘I’m still for a playoff,’ Smith told Neumann. ‘‘But I have some reservations. I’m not sure that the No. 1 team in each region is the best team.” While Smith admitted he didn’t have an answer on how to improve upon the suggested point system in place, he offered a suggestion.
“If we’re going to do this, I think we should do it right and have eight teams in the playoffs (per classification). Eight teams would be more representative. You’d still be going with the elite of the state.”
Smith noted an expanded playoff with three rounds could still be accomplished within two weeks as the MHSAA allowed teams to play every five days.
“With or without such a change, however, Smith said he’d vote for a true playoff, adding, ‘Any playoff is better than no playoff at all. Once you’ve got it, you can always make changes later,” reported Neumann.
The final AP polls, released Tuesday, Nov. 12, showed Birmingham Brother Rice, Muskegon Catholic Central, Hudson, and Traverse City St. Francis as respective state champions in Classes A, B, C, and D, respectively. United Press International (UPI) differed in only Class C, with Battle Creek St. Philip as the top-ranked team, just five points ahead of Hudson.
According to the final “paper playoff” rankings, only Muskegon Catholic and St. Philip would have qualified for postseason play.
Approved
“It’ll be the principals who’ll really decide if there’ll be playoffs,” said Dick Comar, publicity director for the MHSFCA in late January of 1975. The principals were to receive a questionnaire within a week asking their opinion on the proposal. They had until Feb. 24 to cast their vote.
The results of the survey would be presented to the MHSAA Representative Council at its March 21 meeting in Ann Arbor (coinciding with the annual basketball championships at U-M’s Crisler Arena), with a final decision concerning the issue “at that meeting or at their meeting in May.”
On March 22, Bush announced the proposal had passed, indicating that 73 percent of high schools that had responded to the survey had voted in favor of postseason play. Michigan would have a football tournament. Sites and dates were to be determined. The Council requested that semifinal games be played on high school fields, and that, if possible, the final-round contests be played on artificial turf.
By May, the MHSAA had contracted ESR Corporation, a data processing firm in Lansing, to handle the input of weekly game results. Using the same formula developed and tested, ESR would be responsible for calculating point totals to determine the state’s best teams by Class and region.
Norris called the plan “a combination of the best features already in use in Ohio, Iowa, and West Virginia.” He credited former Alpena coach Art Gillespie with doing much of the work for “carrying the ball through the preparation stages.”
Five members of the media – Howe of the Flint Journal, Jack Moss of the Kalamazoo Gazette, Joe Walker of the Saginaw News, Ed Senyczko of the State Journal, and John Carlisle of the Sault Ste. Marie Evening News – were tasked with capturing the results of games played by 679 schools, including 28 from outside of Michigan, and mailing the results to the MHSAA.
“We’re not interested in the score,” said Bush. “We want to know if a team won, lost, tied, or did not play.”
In August, the MHSAA announced that state title games would be played at two sites on Saturday, Nov. 22. Western Michigan University would host the Class A and D games, while Class B and C were slated for Central Michigan University.
The four regions used to divide up the state for the annual basketball tournament also were used as the regions for football.
In September, with the results of the season’s first games – played by the state’s Upper Peninsula teams – fed into ESR’s computers, Bush was clear that the final playoff rankings would cause controversy.
“It’s not necessarily the four best teams in the state that will compete in the semifinals,” he said, “but the best in each region.”
The result was both popular and controversial. The papers continued their weekly football polls. The first MHSAA rankings were not released until Oct 8.
UPI was unimpressed: “If the playoffs were held this weekend – which they are not – not a single one of the teams UPI has rated first in the four classes would qualify.”
Hal Schram of the Detroit Free Press expressed a similar emotion.
“The first computerized points were announced last week and there were glaring differences between the media polls and the MHSAA system,” he wrote.
“’There is no reason to attempt a state football championship, and extend the season two more weeks, when you’re inviting only four teams in each class to perform,’ said Joe Vanderhof, veteran sportswriter of the Grand Rapids Press.
Skepticism continued as the weeks went on, culminating in joy for 16 schools – but disappointment for many others – when the final MHSAA rankings were released Nov. 9.
Norway, undefeated in nine games, was the first to experience heartbreak, as U.P. teams finished their season earlier than others. Tied with Ishpeming in the Region 4 Class C rankings, the Knights lost the playoff spot by a tie-breaking formula. Since the two schools had not played each other, a second method was employed to break the deadlock. The summed win-loss percentage of each school’s opponents was compared, with Ishpeming coming out two-tenths of a percent higher. Two of Norway’s top challengers had not played a ninth game. If either had at least tied another contest, Norway would have slipped ahead in the rankings.
“We’ve been ranked … in the AP ahead of Ishpeming all year,” stated Knights coach Bob Giannunzio. “This is hard to swallow.”
Jim Crowley, coach of Jackson Lumen Christi, was also among the disappointed: “You do everything you can and still don’t make it. Undefeated, the team finished No. 1 in Class B according to UPI.”
“But had it not been Lumen Christi,” noted UPI writer Richard Shook, “then it would have been Dearborn Divine Child (missing out). They were both in the same playoff region.”
Trenton in Class A, Divine Child in Class B, Hudson in Class C and North Adams in Class D finished on top in the final AP poll. Only Trenton did not qualify for the postseason. Traverse City topped Trenton in the final UPI and Free Press polls and did qualify. Lumen Christi finished No. 1 in Class B, Hudson in Class C, and Crystal Falls Forest Park – another qualifier – finished on top in Class D in the Free Press.
“I’ve got the best football team in the state,” Trenton coach Jack Castignola told Schram. “I’ve got at least two future Big Ten players. We had three goals at the opening of practice in August, to go unbeaten, win the conference and the state. We’ve been deprived of reaching our final goal and there’s nothing we can do about it. Corrections are going to have to be made in future years.”
Flint Ainsworth, with a 7-2-0 record, ranked 14th in the UPI poll, was the only team unranked and without even honorable mention in the AP poll to qualify for the tournament.
Livonia Franklin, Divine Child, Ishpeming, and Forest Park emerged as the MHSAA’s first gridiron champions. Since that time, various alterations have been made to the football playoffs. Seasons now begin sooner, many more teams qualify for the postseason, and, beginning in 1976, championship games were moved indoors. Today, 10 teams – eight 11-player squads and two 8-player teams – will be awarded titles come November.
But it was the efforts and collaboration of many that got us here.
“There were a lot of great people involved,” said Driscoll, reflecting on those efforts some 50 years later, and emphasizing that he was only one of many individuals on the same team, uniting behind a goal. “We got great cooperation. We had some super coaches and … some administrators that were not afraid to step forward and say, ‘Hey! These are good people and I know if they do it, they’ll do it the right way.’”
Ron Pesch has taken an active role in researching the history of MHSAA events since 1985 and began writing for MHSAA Finals programs in 1986, adding additional features and "flashbacks" in 1992. He inherited the title of MHSAA historian from the late Dick Kishpaugh following the 1993-94 school year, and resides in Muskegon. Contact him at [email protected] with ideas for historical articles.
PHOTOS (Top) The MHSAA program greets fans for the first Football Finals. (2) Jackson Parkside coach Dave Driscoll talks with one of his players in 1971. (3) A points system was created to determine the field for the first MHSAA Football Playoffs in 1975. (4) Media members were responsible for collecting scores for the MHSAA to tabulate playoff rankings. (Photos gathered by Ron Pesch.)