A Game for Every Fan: District Finals
November 6, 2014
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
One week of MHSAA football playoffs is behind us, and all nine champions from 2013 are still alive.
Maybe that's not too shocking, considering they were the elite only a short year ago. But don't be too surprised if that number is cut down by at least a few when Saturday night is done.
All nine of those reigning champions remain undefeated heading into Friday and Saturday's District Finals. But three are playing opponents also undefeated through 10 weeks.
All three matchups are among those highlighted below as we look to this week's 11-player District Finals and 8-player Regional Finals. All are Friday unless noted.
DIVISION 1
Lapeer (10-0) at Clarkston (10-0)
The Wolves have fended off a few impressive challenges in building their winning streak to 23 straight including last season's run to their first MHSAA title. Quarterback D.J. Zezula has taken on and thrived in a starring role as Clarkston has earned close wins over Macomb Dakota and Farmington Hills Harrison and double-digit victories over everyone else. But Lapeer is as daunting an unknown as they come in this tournament; the Lightning, in its first season after the combination of Lapeer East and West, also has been challenged only twice but hung tough in its playoff debut last week with a 23-15 win over Romeo.
Others that caught my eye: Hudsonville (6-4) at Rockford (8-2), Detroit Cass Tech (10-0) at Dearborn Fordson (10-0).
DIVISION 2
Muskegon Mona Shores (9-1) at Midland Dow (10-0)
On a night featuring a decent share of 10-0 vs. 10-0 District Finals, this still is among premier games. Dow must defend Midland Community Stadium against the playmaking power of Mona Shores quarterback Tyree Jackson, who has led his offense to 42 or more points five weeks running while facing the likes of Muskegon and Caledonia among others. The Chargers could be up to the task, having given up no more than 21 points in a game this fall in earning this opportunity to tie its record for wins.
Others that caught my eye: Farmington Hills Harrison (8-2) at Walled Lake Western (9-1), Southfield (7-3) at Oak Park (8-2).
DIVISION 3
Stevensville Lakeshore (8-2) at Zeeland West (10-0)
Aside from an odd opening-night score (2-0 over Battle Creek Central), Lakeshore has rather quietly won eight games for the third straight season. But the Lancers could make a major splash by knocking off the reigning MHSAA champion. If the score stays close, it could up Lakeshore's chances significantly; the Lancers are 5-1 this fall in games decided by 10 or fewer points. West has had only one opponent get closer than 27 points, and none come within 10.
Others that caught my eye: Cedar Springs (9-1) at Muskegon (9-1) on Saturday, Grand Rapids Christian (6-4) at Lowell (9-1).
DIVISION 4
Saginaw Swan Valley (10-0) at Lansing Sexton (10-0)
This could be THE game of this weekend, with the winner a favorite to at least reach Ford Field – if not win it all. These two also met in a Regional Final last fall, with Sexton winning 26-21. Vikings running back Alex Grace has at least 212 yards and two rushing touchdowns in eight straight games and is up to third on the MHSAA career rushing yards list with 7,353. He had 242 yards and two touchdowns in the 2013 loss to the Big Reds, who again are sound defensively and capable on offense of holding onto the ball as well.
Others that caught my eye: Vicksburg (8-2) at Edwardsburg (9-1), Hudsonville Unity Christian (6-4) at Grand Rapids South Christian (8-2).
DIVISION 5
Almont (10-0) at Marine City (10-0)
Despite both being successful in the postseason over the last decade, these two have eluded each other with Marine City playing in Division 4. East China Stadium should be rocking with the Mariners representing the best from the Macomb Area Conference Gold and as the reigning Division 4 champion and the Raiders the champs in the Blue Water Area Conference. Almont has set a team record for scoring while averaging 53.4 points per game, and has given up only 49 with five shutouts including 65-0 over Clawson last week.
Others that caught my eye: Clare (8-2) at Freeland (9-1), Reed City (8-2) at Remus Chippewa Hills (8-2).
DIVISION 6
Madison Heights Madison (8-2) at Flint Beecher (10-0)
The winner of this game not only moves on to the Regional – it likely will be considered a favorite by at least some to end Ithaca’s nation-best 11-player winning streak of 66 games. That’s how much both of these teams have been regarded from the start of this fall, and neither has disappointed. Beecher has set a team record for wins, and Madison’s losses were to Division 2 playoff team Walled Lake Western and Division 3 qualifier Warren Woods-Tower.
Others that caught my eye: Clinton (10-0) at Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central (9-1), Hillsdale (8-2) at Jackson Lumen Christi (10-0).
DIVISION 7
Iron River West Iron County (9-1) at Ishpeming (9-0)
The Hematites have turned back West Iron once during their 30-game winning streak, in last season’s District Final 34-0. And the shutouts haven’t ended, with Ishpeming blanking four of its last five opponents. But the Wykons have a chance to show how much they’ve learned since that loss last season – their only loss this fall was 8-6 to playoff team Bark River-Harris, and they looked ready enough in blanking Iron Mountain 40-0 a week ago. That said, Ishpeming also shut out Iron Mountain, 36-0 on opening night.
Others that caught my eye: Traverse City St. Francis (8-2) at Suttons Bay (9-1), Saginaw Michigan Lutheran Seminary (9-1) at Whittemore-Prescott (10-0).
DIVISION 8
Fowler (10-0) at Muskegon Catholic Central (10-0)
These records are identical, but a Fowler win would be considered one of the recent best of that program’s storied history. MCC’s 22-game winning streak also includes a 42-0 District Final win over the Eagles last fall. Fowler has a tough runner in Austin Cook, the leading rusher in the Lansing area with more than 1,700 yards. He and his blockers might have the biggest task of an upset effort.
Others that caught my eye: Waterford Our Lady (9-1) at Harbor Beach (10-0) on Saturday, Johannesburg-Lewiston (9-1) at Beal City (8-2).
8-PLAYER
Cedarville (9-1) at Rapid River (10-0)
One of these years will be Cedarville’s year – the Trojans are 34-6 in four seasons of 8-player football – and they seemed to send a signal that this could be the one with a 39-0 win over Bellaire last week. Rapid River has always been in the way – the reigning MHSAA runner-up Rockets have won three straight over the Trojans including 20-19 in Week 6 and are 22-1 over the last two seasons.
Others Regional Finals: Kingston (7-3) at Deckerville (8-2), Morrice (6-4) at Peck (10-0), Lawrence (10-0) at Battle Creek St. Philip (9-1).
PHOTO: Calumet traveled to Harrison last week and won 30-21 to earn this week’s District Final matchup with Menominee. (Click to see more from HighSchoolSportsScene.com).
Rodammer Stacks 44 Years, 451 Games Tracking Frankenmuth's Football Numbers
By
Steve Vedder
Special for MHSAA.com
September 20, 2024
While Al Rodammer's abbreviated scouting career may have lasted all of one night, it didn't take him long to figure out how he'd spend Friday evenings for the next 44 years.
Rodammer remembers being asked by former Eagles football coach Ralph Munger to drive to Bullock Creek to scout an upcoming playoff opponent. But Rodammer and fellow scout Jeff Reinbold wound up getting lost en route and missed most of the first quarter.
The mix-up didn't sit well with Munger, who "reassigned" Rodammer to a different task: keeping stats for the program.
Instead of fretting about the switch, Rodammer, a former baseball and basketball player at Frankenmuth, embraced the move. Four and a half decades later, Rodammer has kept track of virtually every football stat you can imagine for 451 Eagles games. Starting in 1981, Rodammer has dragged, at first, his trusty pencil and paper, and now laptop to hundreds of cramped press boxes, unsteady roof tops, chilly sidelines or whatever dinky corner space may have been available.
Many people may believe that totaling rushing yards or deciphering passing percentages is a thankless task. The 70-year-old Rodammer, who had the Frankenmuth press box named after him in 2022, prefers to think of his work as a labor of love.
Acting as a bridge between past and present Eagles teams and staying in touch with a community which loves its Friday Night Lights is his way of honoring a highly-successful football program.
"It's a commitment, but it's also a labor of love," he said. "When they named the press box after me, I thought, "Gosh, I don't know if I deserve this.' I don't do it for the recognition. But when the alumni come back, and to see what the work means to them, that's what I get out of it."
Rodammer's connection with the program far exceeds keeping track of how many passes are attempted or how many yards the Eagles' defense surrenders. He's written two books about the program, including an 82-page history of the Frankenmuth-Millington rivalry. While his initial connection may have been as a failed scout, he's recognized as the program's official historian and leading goodwill ambassador as he's constantly stopped on the street and asked what the Eagles’ chances are for the upcoming season.
One of Rodammer's passions is organizing reunions of past teams, a couple of which included his two sons who played football at Frankenmuth.
When you consider all of Rodammer's contributions to the program, Frankenmuth coach Phil Martin said keeping stats is just a small part of his overall contribution to the program. The data turned in to coaches helps them plot offensive and defensive strategies. But Rodammer's work in writing game stories for community media, digging into archives for long-sought but pertinent information and communicating with past teams is his true value.
"But more than statistics, he's cared for the program for 40-plus years," Martin said. "He's helped tradition and the community in understanding what we have in 69 years of Frankenmuth football."
Rodammer, whose statistics career has covered a half-dozen athletic directors and five head coaches, takes particular pride in not just assembling the typical Friday night numbers, but in putting the long history of Eagles football into perspective. His boundless research of Frankenmuth football has taken him from local libraries to Detroit-area facilities which may contain older stories on the team. He uses that information to ensure the accuracy of his records.
"We've been successful in a lot of athletics like soccer or basketball, but Frankenmuth is a football town," said Rodammer, who added tabulating junior varsity statistics to his resume in 2002. "There's something about football that brings out the community. There are always a lot of older people in the stands who get into it.
"Athletics has a definite impact on the community, no doubt about it."
Rodammer has missed only four games over his 44 seasons, 28 of which he has been joined by spotter Frank Bender. Two were for weddings, there was one funeral and once the fastpitch softball team he played for was in Minot, N.D., for a tournament. Rodammer is a member of the American Softball Association Hall of Fame.
He admits to being a "numbers guy," who developed programs for the Vassar Building Center before retiring 13 years ago, and he also kept statistics for his softball team for 20 years. Rodammer has his own definition of what numbers mean to him.
"I was only an average student, but there is something about stats," he said. "Yeah, I'm probably a little geekish about numbers."
Making the job easier – if not more fun – has been the wild success of the Frankenmuth program. The Eagles have won 62 consecutive conference games, including 12 league titles. Frankenmuth has been to two MHSAA Finals at Ford Field over the last four seasons. The Eagles have had 14 consecutive winning seasons, been to the playoffs 13 straight years and 29 times since 1987. The team is off to a 3-0 start this season and last week became the 14th program in state history to reach 500 victories.
Such success has left Rodammer with more than a few memories. For instance, he lists the team's 1987 playoff upset of Cheboygan as his personal favorite moment. Cheboygan was unbeaten, but the unraked Eagles prevailed 28-21. He also mentions a 28-20 win over powerhouse Ithaca in 2016 that interrupted a stunning string of Yellowjackets successes during an 118-5 run that included four MHSAA Finals titles and two more runner-up finishes between 2009-17. Another memory is Frankenmuth playing in its first championship game at a near-empty Ford Field due to COVID restrictions in January 2021.
Rodammer is hard-pressed to answer what he'd do with his Friday nights if he wasn't toiling away in a press box at a Frankenmuth football game. Maybe he'd work closer with his church, travel to see other local teams play or check off a couple stops toward his ultimate goal – to visit every Big 10 school for a game.
For the moment, at least, skipping a Friday night perched on a rickety chair tucked into the corner of a cramped press box isn't in the plan.
"I have a passion, but I don't do it for recognition," he said of connecting with the Eagles program "I want to keep a commitment from past teams to the present. That's what motivates me.
"I love summers, but every year I can't wait for the fall."
PHOTOS (Top) Al Rodammer, left and Eagles coach Phil Martin take a photo on the night the facility was named for its longtime stat person during the 2022 season. (Middle) The Al "Chick" Rodammer Press Box stands tall before the start of a Frankenmuth game this season. (Below) Rodammer does his work in the corner of the press box. (Top two photos by Chip DeGrace; below photo courtesy of Al Rodammer.)