Football Fridays: Welcome to Our House
October 27, 2017
The latest issue of "benchmarks" focused on the nation's most participated in and attended high school sport, football, and efforts to keep Fridays reserved for games at the high school level. Below is an opening editorial by MHSAA Executive Director Jack Roberts, followed by the magazine's cover story published earlier this fall.
By John E. “Jack” Roberts
MHSAA Executive Director
There is no less opportunity to help student-athletes mature into positive people in one sport than another or on one day or night of the week compared to others. That is an unshakable truth of educational athletics.
But that truth has not diminished the efforts of the Michigan High School Athletic Association, time and again for decades, to protest encroachment on Friday night high school football by both professional and college sports. The reasons go far beyond football and Friday nights.
Done right, as it very often is in very many Michigan communities, Friday night is a festival that engages far more than the football team and its fans. It is a forum for showcasing a variety of school activities:
• A volleyball-football doubleheader with a community barbeque in between.
• A cross country run starting and/or ending at the football stadium with the roar of the crowd.
• A showcase for the marching band and a variety of other musical groups to perform, as well as cheerleaders and pompon squads.
• An opportunity for all school groups to provide information booths so students and parents may become aware of these student programs and initiatives.
• An opportunity to announce results of golf, tennis and swimming meets and provide the upcoming schedule of events, both athletic and non-athletic.
Done right, 30 to 70 percent or more of a school’s student body has an active part at most Friday night football games.
It has been said that the interscholastic athletic program provides a window to the entire school – to what it stands for and how it operates. If so, then Friday night football games are the front porch – a place for the entire school body and surrounding community to feel welcomed and to become more engaged.
By Rob Kaminski
MHSAA benchmarks editor
At a time when so many everyday distractions, mediums and changing ideals tear at the fabric of a cohesive society, school sports still offers a huge slice of Americana that continues to bond neighbors and promote community like few others can: high school football on Friday nights.
And now, that, too, is being threatened. Once “the only game in town,” prep football lights shone brightest on local kids playing on nearby fields while generating business for merchants on Main Street and providing inexpensive family entertainment. Friday nights were reserved for high schools.
In recent years, however, the lure of TV dollars led to a wave of universities which could not compete with the perennial powerhouses for exposure on Saturdays, shifting games to all nights of the week. For the most part, they steered clear of Fridays, respecting the hand that feeds their programs.
Not so anymore.
ESPN began to schedule and televise NCAA Friday night games in 2002, and last November things really hit home when the Big Ten announced a slate of games for Friday nights this fall.
Protecting Friday nights is paramount, and as the following illustrates, the MHSAA is not alone in its fight.
It’s difficult to project the effect that such scheduling will have on MHSAA football games, but to borrow an axiom from the go-to book of coaches quotes, it will be prudent to take things one play at a time, one week at a time.
“The Big Ten Conference and other collegiate leagues enjoy high school football within their shadows; but the foray into Friday nights can be problematic,” said MHSAA Executive Director Jack Roberts.
“With lengthier seasons which now reach 12 games – and 13 weeks if there is a bye week – the collegiate seasons extend well into postseason play for the MHSAA and other state associations. Clearly there is a concern when some traditional collegiate rivalries occupy the same dates as high school championships.”
It looked like things would become much worse this year. Originally, Michigan State was scheduled to play at Northwestern on Oct. 27, potentially keeping countless Green and White enthusiasts in front of their televisions during the most pivotal financial weekend of the fall for the MHSAA: the first Friday of the Football Playoffs.
That game was moved to Saturday due to “unintended consequences” had the game remained on Friday. Northwestern also had a Friday tilt against Maryland moved to a Saturday.
So, already things have changed since the first announcement of Friday games by the Big Ten last November.
While there are six Friday games on the Big Ten docket for this Fall, five were in September, including two on Labor Day weekend.
Labor Day Friday games have played out in the MHSAA’s back yard for quite some time, as MSU often hosted such season-opening contests. Those games, however, seldom created conflicts due to most high schools playing on Thursdays leading into the holiday weekend.
This year was no different, with 215 games involving MHSAA schools being played on Thursday, Aug. 31, compared to 58 on Friday, Sept. 1, and five on Saturday, Sept. 2.
Further, it should be noted that neither the University of Michigan nor MSU has a Friday night game this fall, largely because administrators at those schools voiced strong objections to hosting any of the Friday night contests.
Similar sentiments are shared throughout the league.
“I'm very concerned about (Friday night games),” said first-year Indiana University Head Coach Tom Allen at the Big Ten preseason media gathering this summer. “I'm not going to sit here and try and make a big issue in terms of what I think. My history as a high school coach for 15 years is strong. It's who I am, it's how I started, and it's been so many years.
"I think that's a special night. I don't like playing games on Friday night. I think that's high school night. It's not always my decision. But I'm not going to just not tell you what I believe.”
During a May conference involving administrators from Midwest high school associations and the Big Ten, several collegiate stakeholders voiced opinions favoring the high school spotlight on Friday nights.
MSU Athletic Director Mark Hollis made it known that his school would agree to Friday nights only on Labor Day or Thanksgiving weekends. Michigan Head Coach Jim Harbaugh proclaimed to local radio stations that day that, “I'm for traditional Saturdays. Friday is for high school games.”
Decades ago, a million dollar offer by the NCAA to the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) which would have allowed for televised collegiate games on Friday nights was turned down.
Additionally, the NFL is barred by law from televising games on Fridays and Saturdays from mid-September through mid-December to avoid conflict with high school or NCAA games.
The landscape began to change with the formation of the College Football Association, a group formed by many of the American colleges with top-level college football programs in order to negotiate contracts with TV networks to televise football games. It was formed in 1977 by 63 schools from most of the major college football conferences and also select schools whose football programs were independent of any conference.
By 1982, a CFA legal challenge led to a 1984 Federal court decision that dissolved the NCAA’s exclusive control over television rights, allowing athletic conferences, independent schools and others to bargain for contracts.
As games now run rampant across TV screens and weekly calendars like tumbleweeds in the wild, wild west, could there finally be enough backlash to lasso this runaway horse?
The American Football Coaches Association – comprised of coaches from high schools to the pro ranks – unanimously opined in January at its annual convention that the NCAA should refrain from scheduling Friday night contests.
AFCA Executive Director Todd Berry issued a strong statement at the winter meeting, saying, “It was unanimous among all levels of coaches that the AFCA is in support of protecting Friday night for our high schools. We recognize the impact of having college football games on Friday night for our spectators, along with those viewing on television, can be significant. The AFCA feels very strongly that Friday night should be protected, not just for football, because the revenues generated by those high school football game ticket sales impact everything at those high schools such as other sports and organizations.”
That rings true not only from school to school, but also across state associations around the country which, like the MHSAA, depend upon football tournament attendance as one of the main sources of income from which to fund other programs throughout the year.
While the Big Ten’s announcement to increase Friday night television appearances has just recently brought glaring attention to the subject here at home, the unpopular trend has been affecting areas around the country for years.
The year 2001 was a landmark year of sorts for collegiate football telecasts, when the Mountain West Conference, Conference USA and the Mid-American Conference sought to gain exposure by scheduling Friday night contests. While it was long after the deregulation of 1984 and faced opposition from larger conferences such as the SEC, there was no legal ground to stand on for conferences then wishing to ban Friday night telecasts.
Even the larger conferences then – in certain extenuating circumstances – began to utilize Friday nights as an option.
In 2003, the Michigan-Minnesota football game was moved to Friday night to avoid a potential conflict with Major League Baseball as the Minnesota Twins could have hosted a playoff game on that particular Saturday.
At the time, Big Ten Commissioner Jim Delaney said, “The Conference and the Administrators Council regret having to reschedule football games to a Friday night. The Big Ten continues to support the protection of Friday night as a traditional high school football playing date.”
One year later, a high-profile contest between Florida State and Miami was moved to Friday night when several storms hit the area. The problem was no one from the universities or the Atlantic Coast Conference bothered to inform the Florida High School Athletic Association ahead of time.
“In our opinion, (the decision) demonstrates their complete lack of sensitivity to our high school athletic programs, many of which are reeling financially due to the effects of hurricanes Charley and Frances,” said then-FHSAA Commissioner Robert Hughes said. “Most of our schools depend on the revenue from home football games to fund their entire athletic programs throughout the school year. Now, we find out that our schools will have to compete for an audience with the primetime telecast of arguably the biggest college football game that will played this year in this state.”
After watching an increasing number of games fill the prime Saturday slots and spill onto other days of the week, the Big Ten decided to modify its “Fridays are for high schools” stance, embarking on a path that will last until at least 2022.
The news release accompanying the decision stated that the conference “appreciates the significance of high school football within the region and has worked to minimize the impact of this initiative by limiting the number of Friday night games. Overall, these games represent approximately six percent of Big Ten home games annually, and no institution will host more than one game in any given year.”
It’s that top-down communication that doesn’t sit well with those involved in high school sports, the very level that the colleges count on to supply the talent pool. In that regard, the Friday night collegiate games don’t make sense.
“We have so many more teams in the Big Ten, that trying to find those windows that allow you to get that exposure for the whole league is important,” MSU’s Hollis has told reporters.
It’s not just the college football power conferences that have an effect on high school gridirons. Any city or town which includes a college campus shares a similar fan base.
With the MAC playing on any given night of the week for the last couple of decades, high schools in those cities have tried to adjust. After mixed results, however, some schools are simply standing their ground.
“Both (Mt. Pleasant) Sacred Heart and Mt. Pleasant High have avoided the same night as CMU Football over the years,” said Mt. Pleasant Athletic Director Jim Conway. “As of this year, though, both schools have elected to not change schedules based on the CMU schedule. Altering our schedules over the years has had a great effect on the visiting teams and their fan base coming to our sites.”
Further south, Middle Tennessee State University plays rival Western Kentucky on the same Friday as the TSSAA state high school football quarterfinals this fall. Additionally, a home game with Marshall was moved to another Friday night.
“My belief is that college coaches want to keep Fridays for high school only. But they are going to play when TV tells you to,” local high school coach Kevin Creasy, whose team plays that night, said in a story from the Murfreesboro Daily News Journal. “If TV said to us they want us to play on Saturday, we would. College coaches don’t want to play on Friday, but they do want their team to be on TV.”
Yet, it will be difficult for prep players to watch prospective colleges when they are busy playing. It also will minimize the number of live looks afforded college coaches for their recruits.
SBNATION.com writer Alex Kirshner surmised in an article last fall that, “If high school coaches are unified in opposition to something, college football programs have little choice but to listen. Taking a stand against your own state’s high school coaches is a horrible recruiting strategy.
“Friday night games in September and October mean recruits typically can’t visit for college games, because they’re busy playing.”
For those fans who prefer the college game, travel would be more difficult on Fridays, and/or would force many to take time off work to make their destinations by kickoff, versus driving just a few miles to root for the local high school team.
In that regard, logistics favor the high schools when it comes to “butts in the seats.” But, the proliferation of television provides an ample excuse for those more inclined to click remotes rather than drive to games of any level.
“Any diversion from the traditional Friday night football has a direct impact on high school game attendance. High-profile collegiate games clearly will allow people to sit home in comfortable climate and watch football. This is not good for local games,” Conway said.
Losing any number of spectators can be felt throughout athletic departments and booster clubs which count on fall Fridays as a main source of revenue for their overall programs. With most schools having just four or five home football games per year, it’s vital to make the most of them financially.
“When CMU plays on the same night here, it takes away some fundraising opportunities for some of our teams and Booster Clubs,” Conway said. “Obviously it puts our local fan base in a position where they have to decide which game to attend, but also many people who volunteer for our Booster Club and our event staff are paid to work on crews at CMU games. The result is both the high schools and CMU trying to replace game management personnel, as many of us work the high school events and CMU Football.”
Executive Director of the Michigan High School Football Coaches Association Larry Merx believes that in many cases the prep and collegiate followings are different, but agrees with Conway for those locations which share geographic boundaries.
“I think high school football fans will stay with the high school game,” Merx said. “But, especially in and near college towns, many high school fans have work or other support responsibilities related to college games and will have to make some decisions.”
Fridays also provided a special stage for thousands of contest officials across the country. For the vast majority, working a regular schedule of high school varsity football games is the reward for countless hours and preparation.
For the select few fortunate enough to reach higher levels in the avocation, college opportunities and pay will trump Friday nights every time.
There is a vast pool of officials capable of working each week, but the absence of such veteran officials results in missed training opportunities as a new crop of officials is brought forward. In football more than most sports, there are limited chances for live officials training outside the school season.
“I’ve done college games on Saturday and high school games on the same Friday,” said NFL back judge Tony Steratore in a recent Referee magazine story. “Many officials do this, but I have to tell you something, if you’re going to do this you have to bring your ‘A-game’ to Friday night as much as you bring it to Saturday. If you don’t, you’re doing yourself and the game a disservice. When it comes down to it, if you can’t guarantee both games are getting equal attention, then you have to choose one or the other.”
When the games are both on Friday it’s a no brainer for the official faced with the choice.
For spectators, the choice often isn’t as clear-cut. That’s where school sports leaders – from the NFHS to the state high school associations to athletic administrators and coaches – must continue to promote the grand scenes that take place right down the street from their neighbors on Friday nights in the fall.
Portrayed in that light, scholastic sports leaders have an easy product to sell.
“Local high school games bring complete amateurism to the sport of football,” Conway said. “The band plays while moms and dads pop the popcorn and grill the hot dogs. Good high school games last no more than two-and-a-half hours, which is preferred to the length of collegiate games.”
It’s the perfect mix for a Friday night in the fall.
PHOTOS: (Top) Grand Ledge players man the sideline during a home game. (Top middle) The St. Johns' marching band takes the field. (Middle) Walled Lake Western cheerleaders run their flag around the stadium. (Middle below) Watervliet's concession stand feeds the crowd. (Below) Menominee's game provides the true scholastic vibe, complete with school buses parked in the background. (File photos.)
1st & Goal: 2022 11-Player Finals Preview
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
November 23, 2022
We like to say every score has a story, and this weekend's 11-Player Football Finals at Ford Field have foundations laid for many to be told.
The Division 1 and 2 matchups feature reigning champions against opponents returning to the Finals for the first time in a decade or more. The Division 5 and 8 games pit undefeated teams, with three of the four seeking their first championship at this level. The Division 3 and 7 games are rematches of powerhouse-packed playoff rivalries. The Division 4 and 6 games feature former Finals mainstays making their returns, but against teams looking to start their own traditions of traveling to Detroit for the holiday weekend. And the list goes on and on.
Here's the schedule for Friday and Saturday's games:
Friday, Nov. 25
Division 8 – Ottawa Lake Whiteford (13-0) vs. Ubly (13-0) – 10 a.m.
Division 2 – Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central (13-0) vs. Warren De La Salle Collegiate (12-1) – 1 p.m.
Division 6 – Grand Rapids West Catholic (12-1) vs. Negaunee (13-0) – 4:30 p.m.
Division 4 – Grand Rapids South Christian (13-0) vs. Goodrich (12-1) – 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, Nov. 26
Division 7 – Traverse City St. Francis (13-0) vs. Jackson Lumen Christi (10-3) – 10 a.m.
Division 1 – Belleville (13-0) vs. Caledonia (12-1) – 1 p.m.
Division 5 – Frankenmuth (13-0) vs. Gladwin (13-0) – 4:30 p.m.
Division 3 – Muskegon (11-2) vs. Detroit Martin Luther King (9-3) – 7:30 p.m.
All games will be broadcast live on Bally Sports Detroit’s primary channel except the Division 4 Final, which will be broadcast on the Bally Sports Detroit website and Bally Sports app, and Stadium College Sports. Additionally, all eight championship games will be available for listening from the MHSAA Network at MHSAANetwork.com.
Below is a glance at all eight matchups. Statistics are through Semifinals unless noted.
Division 1
BELLEVILLE
Record/rank: 13-0, No. 1
Coach: Dejuan Rogers, interim coach (4-0)
League finish: First in Kensington Lakes Activities Association East and overall
Championship history: Division 1 champion 2021.
Best wins: 29-28 (OT) over Detroit Cass Tech in Semifinal, 33-10 over No. 10 (tie) Detroit Catholic Central in Regional Final, 62-44 over Saline in District Final, 42-3 over No. 10 (tie) Brighton, 42-14 over Division 2 No. 3 Livonia Franklin.
Players to watch: QB Bryce Underwood, 6-2/180 soph. (2,599 yards/35 TDs passing, 478 yards/7 TDs rushing); RB/LB Jeremiah Beasley, 6-1/215 jr. (1,177 yards/23 TDs rushing); RB Colbey Reed, 5-9/210, jr. (462 yards/9 TDs rushing); DL Jeremiah Warren, 6-3/285, sr.
Outlook: The Tigers bring a 24-game winning streak into this Final, with Cass Tech last week the only team to come within single digits of matching them. Underwood is considered one of the top sophomores nationally, and he showed why in leading Belleville’s comeback win over the Technicians with two touchdowns rushing and another passing. He was The Associated Press’ Division 1-2 all-state Player of the Year as a freshman, while junior defensive back James Robinson also made the first team and Warren, junior receiver/safety Jalen Johnson, senior defensive lineman Camden Weaver, Beasley and senior receiver/defensive back Mychal Yharbrough earned honorable mentions. Junior offensive lineman Nathaniel Johnson (6-5/330) is another highly-regarded talent.
CALEDONIA
Record/rank: 12-1, No. 8
Coach: Derek Pennington, second season (22-3)
League finish: Second in Ottawa-Kent Conference Red
Championship history: Division 3 champion 2005.
Best wins: 14-13 (2OT) over No. 3 Rockford in District Final, 21-0 over No. 7 Clarkston in Semifinal, 48-26 (District Semifinal) and 50-40 over Grandville, 42-14 over Grand Ledge in Regional Final.
Players to watch: RB/DB Brock Townsend, 6-0/200 RB/DB jr. (1,179 yards/17 TDs rushing, 5 interceptions); QB Mason McKenzie, 6-0/180 sr. (1,375 yards/20 TDs passing, 1,537 yards/19 TDs rushing); HB/LB Derek Pennington Jr., 6-2/225 jr. (308 yards/5 TDs receiving); OL/DL Carlo Aybar, 6-1/275 sr.
Outlook: The Fighting Scots have shown remarkable resilience over the last month, bouncing back from a 38-15 loss to Rockford in Week 9 to rumble back to the Finals – with their best win arguably a 14-13 victory over the Rams only two weeks after the defeat, although the shutout of Clarkston clearly was noteworthy as well. A strong running attack long has been the name of Caledonia’s game, and the Fighting Scots went over 3,400 yards and 45 touchdowns rushing in the Semifinal win. Last week’s also was their fifth shutout of the season, but really the last three weeks have seen some of the team’s most impressive performances on that side of the ball as Rockford was averaging 37 points per game, Grand Ledge was averaging 30 and Clarkston was averaging 41.
Division 2
GRAND RAPIDS FOREST HILLS CENTRAL
Record/rank: 13-0, No. 4
Coach: Tim Rogers, 11th season (76-39)
League finish: First in O-K White
Championship history: Class A runner-up 1994.
Best wins: 20-17 (2OT) over No. 1 Dexter in Semifinal, 31-21 over No. 7 Muskegon Mona Shores in District Final, 21-17 over East Lansing in Regional Final, 21-13 over Byron Center.
Players to watch: WR/DB Ty Hudkins, 6-0/182 jr. (843 yards/10 TDs receiving); DB/QB Mason McDonald jr. (355 yards/6 TDs passing, 374 yards/2 TDs rushing); LB/RB JT Hartman jr. (941 yards/8 TDs rushing); DL/OL Crandall Quinn, 6-2/235 sr. (Statistics through Regional Finals.)
Outlook: The Rangers have pulled through one-score games the last two weeks with a defense that’s given up 8.6 points per game on the season and hasn’t backed down against the tougher competition of the playoffs – seeing that average rise to only 15 ppg over four postseason games. Quinn and senior linebacker Raymond Cargill are among the pacesetters of that group. McDonald has stepped in admirably at quarterback the last two weeks – he threw and ran for another touchdown in the Dexter win – after senior Justin Osterhouse (654 yards/15 TDs rushing, 1,070 yards/13 TDs passing) was reportedly on crutches following the District Final.
WARREN DE LA SALLE COLLEGIATE
Record/rank: 12-1, No. 2
Coach: Dan Rohn, third season (32-6)
League finish: Tied for first in Detroit Catholic League Central
Championship history: Four MHSAA titles (most recent 2021), three runner-up finishes.
Best wins: 37-7 over No. 9 Roseville in District Final, 28-0 over Division 1 No. 10 (tie) Detroit Catholic Central, 19-18 over Division 3 No. 4 River Rouge, 49-16 over Division 3 No. 7 Muskegon.
Players to watch: QB/DB Brady Drogosh, 6-4/215 sr. (1,839 yards/33 TDs passing, 1,088 yards/13 TDs rushing); RB/LB Rhett Roeser, 6-0/225 jr. (727 yards/13 TDs rushing); DL/TE Mason Muragin, 6-3/240 sr. (71 tackles/14.5 sacks); LB/TE James McDonald, 6-1/220 sr. (115 tackles/17 tackles for loss).
Outlook: The Pilots navigated another strong regular-season schedule with their only loss by a point to Bloomfield Brother Rice, and that’s no doubt paid off as they’ve been unchallenged during the playoffs outscoring their four opponents by a combined 175-29. Drogosh, who will continue at Cincinnati, made the all-state first team as a junior, while Muragin – playing next at Illinois – earned an honorable mention last season. Defensive back Jamari Allen is committed to continue at Central Michigan. Senior receivers Jack Yanachik (523 yards/8 TDs receiving) and Triston Nichols (449/8) are among top Drogosh targets.
Division 3
MUSKEGON
Record/rank: 11-2, No. 7
Coach: Shane Fairfield, 13th season (142-26)
League finish: Tied for first in O-K Green
Championship history: Six championships (most recent 2017), six runner-up finishes.
Best wins: 27-20 over No. 6 Zeeland West in Regional Final, 49-21 over No. 9 DeWitt in Semifinal, 55-35 over Division 2 No. 7 Muskegon Mona Shores, 28-20 over Muskegon Reeths-Puffer.
Players to watch: QB/DB M’Khi Guy, 5-9/155 jr. (1,638 yards/24 TDs rushing, 647 yards/11 TDs passing); SL/DB Destin Piggee, 5-7/160, sr. (718 yards/5 TDs rushing, 351 yards/5 TDs receiving); RB/LB Jakob Price, 5-7/175 jr. (971 yards/14 TDs rushing); OL/DL D’Andre Hudgins, 6-3/285 sr.
Outlook: The Big Reds are making a familiar trip back to Ford Field for the first time since 2019, featuring familiar strengths – multiple playmakers including a tough-to-tackle running quarterback, and a giant line leading the way. Hudgins is joined by three more linemen 6-4 or 6-5, with two of those at 300 or more pounds. Guy ran for more than 300 yards and six touchdowns against DeWitt, and Price and Piggee stretch defenses as well – all three were averaging at least seven yards per carry entering last weekend. The losses came Week 2 to Division 2 finalist Warren De La Salle and Week 5 to Zeeland West, the latter avenged in the Regional Final. Price earned an all-state honorable mention last season.
DETROIT MARTIN LUTHER KING
Record/rank: 9-3, No. 1
Coach: Tyrone Spencer, seventh season (74-17)
League finish: Second in Detroit Public School League Blue
Championship history: Five MHSAA titles (most recent 2021), three runner-up finishes.
Best wins: 52-17 over No. 3 Mason in Semifinal, 22-12 over Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice in Regional Final, 41-28 over No. 4 River Rouge in District Semifinal, 28-23 over Detroit Cass Tech.
Players to watch: QB Dante Moore, 6-2/210, sr. (2,239 yards/28 TDs passing, 5 TDs rushing – includes Semifinal); WR/DB Jameel Croft Jr., 6-1/185 sr. (671 yards/8 TDs receiving, 6 interceptions); DE Kenny Merrieweather, 6-3/235, sr. (45 tackles, 16 tackles for loss, 12 sacks); RB Sterling Anderson Jr., 5-8/165, sr. (918 yards/12 TDs rushing). (Statistics through Regional Finals except Moore’s.)
Outlook: The reigning Division 3 champion will return with a star-studded cast, headlined by Moore as he finishes his four-year varsity career before continuing at Oregon. Anderson went over 1,000 yards rushing during the Semifinal win and scored six total touchdowns against Mason, while Croft snagged two more interceptions. Croft is committed to Kansas, Merrieweather is committed to Iowa and both joined Moore on the all-state first team last season, when Moore also was named Associated Press Division 3-4 Player of the Year. The Crusaders lost their final two games of the regular season, to Cass Tech and Cincinnati Moeller, but had only one single-digit game before (against Cass Tech) and none since.
Division 4
GRAND RAPIDS SOUTH CHRISTIAN
Record/rank: 13-0, No. 2
Coach: Danny Brown, fourth season (35-11)
League finish: First in O-K Gold
Championship history: Three MHSAA titles (most recent 2014), four runner-up finishes.
Best wins: 26-20 over No. 5 Edwardsburg in Semifinal, 28-21 over No. 1 Whitehall in Regional Final, 35-20 over Hudsonville Unity Christian in District Final, 36-34 over Division 1 No. 5 Grand Rapids Catholic Central.
Players to watch: QB/LB Jacob DeHaan, 6-2/190 sr. (2,574 yards/33 TDs passing, 1,128 yards/17 TDs rushing); WR/DB Seth Ritsema, 6-2/200 sr. (776 yards/10 TDs receiving); WR/RB Carson Vis, 6-3/180, soph. (659 yards/15 TDs receiving); OL/LB Cameron Post, 6-4/250 sr. (54.5 tackles/14.5 tackles for loss).
Outlook: South Christian is making its first Finals trip since that championship season in 2014, and after not only defeating two top-five teams in the playoffs but also downing last season’s Division 4 runner-up in Unity Christian. The regular-season win over GRCC ended the Cougars’ 41-game winning streak. DeHaan earned an all-state honorable mention last season as a junior, as did running back/kicker Nate Brinks (689 yards/8 TDs rushing, 60-64 XP/1 FG kicking). Senior linebacker Cayden Dykema (6-5/205) leads the defense with 77.5 tackles, plus has totaled 12.5 tackles for loss.
GOODRICH
Record/rank: 12-1, unranked
Coach: Tom Alward, 30th season (186-113)
League finish: First in Flint Metro League Stars
Championship history: Has never played in an MHSAA Final.
Best wins: 51-26 over No. 3 Riverview in Semifinal, 40-20 over Orchard Lake St. Mary’s in Regional Final, 10-9 over No. 6 Freeland in District Final, 42-21 over Almont.
Players to watch: QB/DB Gavin Hart, 6-3/180 sr. (1,732 yards/20 TDs passing); RB/LB Jace Simerson, 5-10/200 sr. (1,380 yards/20 TDs); WR/DB Caden Kolanowski, 6-1/180, sr. (622 yards/6 TDs receiving); TE/DE Jace Williams, 6-4/200, sr.
Outlook: Goodrich has won 12 straight games on the way to Ford Field after suffering its only loss Week 1 to Division 5 finalist Frankenmuth, and also set a program record for victories along the way. Only three of those wins were decided by a score or less, and Goodrich improved on a 6-0 win over Linden in Week 2 with a 21-0 shutout in a Week 8 rematch. Simerson ran for five touchdowns last weekend in the victory over previously-undefeated Riverview. Kolanowski earned an all-state honorable mention last season as a specialist; he’s kicked and connected on 50 of 51 extra-point attempts and four field goals this season. Junior linebacker Easton Phipps joins Williams in anchoring the defense.
Division 5
FRANKENMUTH
Record/rank: 13-0, No. 5
Coach: Phil Martin, 10th season (104-16)
League finish: First in Tri-Valley Conference 8
Championship history: Division 5 runner-up 2020.
Best wins: 38-0 over No. 7 Detroit Country Day in Semifinal, 49-7 over Flint Hamady in Regional Final, 21-0 over Division 4 No. 6 Freeland, 27-2 over Goodrich.
Players to watch: QB Aidan Hoard, 6-4/205 sr. (1,406 yards/18 TDs passing, 682 yards/11 TDs rushing); RB/LB Griffin Barker, 5-9/170 jr. (861 yards/14 TDs rushing); TE/DE Brenden Marker, 6-3/220 sr. (40 tackles/16 tackles for loss/8 sacks); RB/LB Dalton DeBeau, 6-0/220 sr. (79 tackles/23 tackles for loss).
Outlook: The Eagles are headed back to the Finals for the second time in three years in part driven by a defense that has given up 64 points this season – with two of their five shutouts coming over the last three playoff games. The most points Frankenmuth has given up is 16, to Saginaw Swan Valley in Week 2, and the Eagles shut out Swan Valley 31-0 in the District Final. Frankenmuth also has allowed 135 total yards per game this fall – and 317 rushing yards total over 13 games. Junior Colin Main is another impressive defender, with 69 tackles, 22 for loss and nine sacks. The Eagles spread the wealth offensively; Hoard has thrown a touchdown pass to 10 receivers, and senior Sam Barger is another reliable rusher with 717 yards and 11 touchdowns on the ground.
GLADWIN
Record/rank: 13-0, No. 2
Coach: Marc Jarstfer, fourth season (27-13)
League finish: First in Jack Pine Conference
Championship history: Has never played in an MHSAA Final.
Best wins: 28-21 over No. 1 Grand Rapids Catholic Central in Semifinal, 26-8 over No. 4 Muskegon Oakridge in Regional Final, 33-27 over No. 8 Pontiac Notre Dame Prep, 38-0 over Clare.
Players to watch: QB/S Nick Wheeler, 6-1/190 sr. (956 yards/11 TDs passing, 881 yards/19 TDs rushing, 57 tackles/5 interceptions); RB/LB Logan Kokotovich, 5-11/195 sr. (932 yards/13 TDs rushing, 84 tackles); SL/LB Earl Esiline, 5-10/170 sr. (1,073 yards/14 TDs rushing, 45 tackles); OL/DL Lincoln McKinnon, 6-2/240 sr.
Outlook: A long-anticipated senior class has made good in taking Gladwin on its first trip to the Finals, after the Flying Gs also claimed their first Jack Pine Conference title since sharing it in 2002. The win over GRCC last weekend ended the Cougars’ three-year Finals streak and earned Gladwin a major dose of attention to help shine a light on those other accomplishments. The defense opened this fall with four straight shutouts and five over six games, giving up only seven points through the end of September. Senior safety Kaden McDonald (56 tackles) made the all-state second team last season, while McKinnon, Kokotovich and Wheeler earned honorable mentions. Four players have caught multiple touchdowns passes, led by junior Jhace Massey (5) and senior Lucas Mead (4).
Division 6
GRAND RAPIDS WEST CATHOLIC
Record/rank: 12-1, No. 1
Coach: Landon Grove, first season (12-1)
League finish: Tied for first in O-K Blue
Championship history: Six MHSAA titles (most recent 2017), two runner-up finishes.
Best wins: 33-14 over No. 2 Clinton in Semifinal, 50-24 over No. 8 Constantine in District Final, 36-18 over Hudsonville Unity Christian, 28-20 over Division 4 No. 5 Edwardsburg.
Players to watch: QB Bernie Varnesdeel, 6-1/192 sr. (1,424 yards/20 TDs passing); RB/OLB Timmy Kloska, 6-0/220 sr. (2,158 yards/35 TDs rushing, 52 tackles/12 sacks); WR/DB Ryer Snow, 6-4/180 jr. (510 yards/7 TDs receiving, 75 tackles/12 sacks/4 interceptions); RB/SL/LB Charlie DeBruyn, 6-0/170 jr. (102 tackles/15 sacks).
Outlook: West Catholic last left Ford Field with a fifth-straight championship in 2017, and the Falcons are making their return with their statistically-strongest offensive and defensive units since that season. DeBruyn helps key a defense with 79 sacks total – junior Ethan Stoner adds another 10 to those leaders listed above – and junior Josh Mitchell (39 tackles) starts on both lines. Kloska is the name most know – he made the all-state first team last season, and his 35 rushing touchdowns qualify for the MHSAA record book. The team’s only loss came 28-20 to Fruitport in Week 7, and the Falcons came back with two shutouts over their next three games and last week limited a Clinton offense averaging 41 points per game to just 14.
NEGAUNEE
Record/rank: 13-0, No. 3
Coach: Paul Jacobson, 23rd season (177-69)
League finish: First in Western Peninsula Athletic Conference Copper
Championship history: Division 6 champion 2002, Class CC runner-up 1991.
Best wins: 13-12 over No. 5 Reed City in Semifinal, 18-12 (Regional Final) and 24-6 over Gladstone, 19-14 over Division 8 No. 4 Iron Mountain.
Players to watch: WR/DB/K/P Phil Nelson, 6-1/185 sr. (326 yards/2 TDs receiving, 39-47 XP/2 FG kicking); RB/DB Kai Lacar, 5-11/185, jr. (1,233 yards/17 TDs rushing, 4 interceptions); WR/LB Niko Lukkarinen, 6-0/215 sr. (1,174 yards/19 TDs rushing); OL/DL Drake Spickerman, 5-11/225 sr.
Outlook: The Miners opened with a close win over Iron Mountain and advanced with one-score victories the last two weeks, but absolutely dominated in between. They didn’t allow a point from Week 8 through the District Final, and total have given up only 148 yards and 6.7 points per game this fall. Senior Easton Palomaki has added another 509 yards and 13 touchdowns on the ground as total Negaunee has rushed for 3,400 and 58, respectively. Sophomore quarterback Ty Jacobson has kept defenses honest with 580 yards and seven touchdowns through the air. Nelson made the all-state second team as a specialist last season, and in addition to kicking and punting he’s also returned three punts for touchdowns this fall.
Division 7
TRAVERSE CITY ST. FRANCIS
Record/rank: 13-0, No. 2
Coach: Josh Sellers, 13th season (145-19)
League finish: First in Northern Michigan Football Conference Legends
Championship history: Six MHSAA titles (most recent 2009), four runner-up finishes.
Best wins: 53-8 over No. 5 New Lothrop in Semifinal, 63-0 over No. 8 Ithaca in Regional Final, 42-7 over No. 10 Lawton, 42-35 over No. 4 Jackson Lumen Christi, 45-20 over Division 5 No. 7 Detroit Country Day
Players to watch: QB/DB Wyatt Nausadis, 6-4/210 sr. (1,145 yards/19 TDs passing, 1,007 yards/11 TDs rushing); RB/DB Burke Flowers, 5-11/175 jr. (699 yards/7 TDs rushing, 347 yards/7 TDs receiving); RB/LB Joey Donahue, 6-2/215 sr. (563 yards/14 TDs rushing, 105 tackles/13 tackles for loss); RB/LB Garrett Hathaway, 6-2/220 sr. (851 yards/17 TDs rushing, 4 TDs receiving, 64 tackles).
Outlook: The Gladiators have mostly dominated on their way back to Ford Field for the first time since finishing Division 7 runner-up in 2020; their only close game other than the Week 2 win over Lumen Christi was a 16-pointer over Benzie Central in the District Final after previously defeating Benzie 49-12 in Week 3. Nausadis was an all-state receiver last season and has taken over for a graduated all-state quarterback with the best possible results. Donahue also made the all-state first team last season and leads a defense that’s raised its game even more during the playoffs giving up only 34 points total over four wins.
JACKSON LUMEN CHRISTI
Record/rank: 10-3, No. 4
Coach: Herb Brogan, 43rd season (394-94)
League finish: Second in Interstate 8 Athletic Conference
Championship history: 11 MHSAA titles (most recent 2018), three runner-up finishes.
Best wins: 20-7 over No. 7 Napoleon in Semifinal, 7-6 over No. 10 Lawton in Regional Final, 35-0 over No. 3 Hudson in District Final, 19-14 over Parma Western.
Players to watch: FB/LB Devian Franklin, 6-1/210, sr. (438 yards/11 TDs rushing); RB/DB Derrick Walker, 6-0/195 sr. (1,159 yards/15 TDs rushing); QB/LB Joe Lathers, 6-1/190 sr. (844 yards/7 TDs passing, 743 yards/17 TDs rushing); TE/LB Conor Smith, 6-1/210 sr. (Lathers’ passing does not include Semifinal.)
Outlook: Lumen Christi returns to Ford Field for the first time since finishing Division 7 runner-up in 2019. Freshmen who made that trip are now seniors, and the backfield features three veterans in Lathers, Franklin and Walker. They helped the Titans pulled off the rare feat of starting 0-3 but making the final weekend of the season, but those three losses also require context – they came 12-7 to No. 5 New Lothrop, 42-35 to St. Francis and 24-21 to Division 4 No. 8 Hastings. The defense, keyed in part by Smith, Franklin and Lathers at linebacker, has given up a combined 20 points over four playoff games and only 11.5 points per game all season. Brogan sits third on the all-time state football coaching wins list.
Division 8
OTTAWA LAKE WHITEFORD
Record/rank: 13-0, No. 2
Coach: Todd Thieken, first season (13-0)
League finish: First in Tri-County Conference
Championship history: Division 8 champion 2017, runner-up 2016.
Best wins: 44-6 over Clarkston Everest Collegiate in Semifinal, 38-26 over White Pigeon in Regional Final, 56-19 over Riverview Gabriel Richard in District Final, 50-14 over Erie Mason.
Players to watch: QB/DB Shea Ruddy, 5-11/170 sr. (1,129 yards/19 TDs passing, 725 yards/17 TDs rushing, 64 tackles); RB/DB Hunter DeBarr, 5-11/150 jr. (1,116 yards/10 TDs rushing, 361 yards/7 TDs receiving, 59 tackles); RB/LB Jake Iott, 6-1/180 jr. (1,121 yards/21 TDs rushing, 190 tackles/14 tackles for loss); TE/DB Ryin Ruddy, 6-1/170 jr. (279 yards/8 TDs receiving, 115 tackles/4 interceptions).
Outlook: Whiteford built back to the Semifinals last season and took the next step this fall winning every game by double digits and 49-12 on average. Shea Ruddy made the all-state second team at quarterback last year and has helped the Bobcats top 50 points seven times including during the first two rounds of the playoffs. His 19 touchdown passes are a school record, as are Iott’s 190 tackles. Thieken previously served as head coach from 2005-10 at Evergreen, Ohio, and more than 25 seasons as an assistant before taking over the Whiteford varsity this fall. Junior fullback Drew Knaggs is another reliable option on offense; he’s run for 524 yards and seven touchdowns.
UBLY
Record/rank: 13-0, No. 1
Coach: Eric Sweeney, third season (35-0)
League finish: First in Greater Thumb Conference East
Championship history: Division 8 runner-up 2020, Division 7 runner-up 2008.
Best wins: 41-14 over No. 4 Iron Mountain in Semifinal, 49-7 over No. 8 Fowler in Regional Final, 49-14 over No. 5 Saginaw Michigan Lutheran Seminary in District Final, 42-0 over Harbor Beach.
Players to watch: QB/DB Evan Peruski, 5-11/170 jr. (312 yards/6 TDs passing, 1,165 yards/20 TDs rushing, 46 tackles); RB/LB Aiden Mackowiak, 5-10/175 sr. (943 yards/13 TDs rushing, 121 tackles); RB/DB Mark Heilig, 5-10/175 sr. (1,354 yards/29 TDs rushing, 77 tackles); RB/DE Seth Maurer, 5-11/190 jr. (714 yards/12 TDs rushing, 59 tackles).
Outlook: Ubly can argue it’s been the most dominant team in Michigan, relative to division, this fall. The Bearcats’ closest game was last week’s 27-point win over Iron Mountain, and their average score this fall is 49-7. On defense, no opponent has scored more than 16 points and three have put up more than seven. The offense has scored at least 41 points in every game. Peruski started at quarterback as a freshman at Ford Field in 2020, and he earned an all-state honorable mention last season. Heilig and Mackowiak are among others who saw action in that last championship game appearance, and Mackowiak also earned all-state honorable mention last season, at linebacker. Junior Brett Mueller is another important option on offense; he made the all-state first team last season and this fall has connected on 84 of 87 extra-point attempts and a field goal.
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