A Game for Every Fan: Playoffs Week 1
October 28, 2015
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
This first week of the 41st MHSAA Football Playoffs will be filled with firsts and familiar faces.
Benton Harbor, Detroit Cesar Chavez Academy and Parma Western will take part in the first playoff games in their football programs’ histories. Ten more teams will be making their first postseason appearance in more than a decade.
Beal City will enjoy the playoffs for the 33rd time, most of any MHSAA school and one of 18 that have appeared in the tournament at least 25 seasons. Rockford will play in its 21st straight playoffs and Menominee in its 20th, those two enjoying the two longest active streaks. Eight of nine champions return from 2014 – and Clarkston, Grand Rapids West Catholic and Muskegon Catholic Central hope to be playing in five weeks for their third straight MHSAA titles.
But first things first – below are some of the most intriguing openers, all to be played Friday, unless noted. Keep up with the MHSAA Score Center all weekend as scores come in, and check out the Football Page for up-to-date pairings and scores by division.
Division 1
Clarkston (7-2) at Romeo (8-1)
A 1-2 start – albeit, with losses to eventual league champions Macomb Dakota and West Bloomfield – knocked Clarkston out of most conversations about the state’s elite this season, despite the Wolves coming off back-to-back Division 1 titles. But Clarkston won its next six games – including over playoff team Oak Park last week – and drew a Romeo team that started 8-0, beat Dakota by two touchdowns, but is coming off an unexpected three-point loss to Utica Eisenhower in Week 9.
Others that caught my eye: Grandville (6-3) at Rockford (6-3), Plymouth (6-3) at Northville (9-0), Ann Arbor Pioneer (6-3) at Belleville (8-1), Utica Eisenhower (6-3) at Clinton Township Chippewa Valley (7-2).
Division 2
Muskegon (7-2) at Traverse City Central (9-0)
Traverse City Central is undefeated for the first time since its Class A championship season of 1988, and at home, hosting a team with a few hours of road time ahead. And yet, it’s fair to assume most will consider the Trojans underdogs against a Muskegon program that has finished each of the last three seasons at Ford Field. The Big Reds are back in Division 2 after finishing Division 3 runner-up a year ago, and have lost only to Detroit Catholic Central and Muskegon Mona Shores – a possible opponent next week for the winner of this game.
Others that caught my eye: Midland (7-2) at Midland Dow (8-1). Farmington Hills Harrison (7-2) at Birmingham Groves (9-0), Lincoln Park (6-3) at Wyandotte Roosevelt (7-2), Detroit East English (7-2) at Warren DeLaSalle (6-3).
Division 3
Grand Rapids Christian (5-4) at East Grand Rapids (6-3)
The Pioneers held a 26-0 lead in the first matchup between these Ottawa-Kent Conference White rivals, in Week 6, before the Eagles outscored them 39-7 the rest of the way. The math worked out such that East Grand Rapids is the host this time after Christian qualified with an at-large bid, and it's fair to expect another close tilt between teams that have split their last eight meetings, including two during the playoffs.
Others that caught my eye: Haslett (6-3) at DeWitt (8-1), Parma Western (6-3) at Coldwater (9-0), Ortonville-Brandon (6-3) at Linden (7-2), Warren Fitzgerald (6-3) at Redford Thurston (5-4).
Division 4
Flint Powers Catholic (7-2) at Goodrich (7-2)
Both of these teams should be among the most prepared to up their games for the postseason. Powers quietly put together one of the most solid defensive performances in the state, giving up only 101 points total while shutting out four teams and finishing second to Division 2 contender Midland Dow in the Saginaw Valley League Blue. Goodrich emerged as one of five playoff teams from the seven-team Genesee Area Conference Red and played two more playoff teams nonleague, so it too is used to playoff-caliber competition.
Others that caught my eye: Dowagiac (6-3) at Benton Harbor (5-4), Big Rapids (6-3) at Escanaba (5-4), Detroit Denby (5-4) at Detroit Collegiate Prep (9-0), Harper Woods Chandler Park (6-3) at Detroit Country Day (8-1), Saturday.
Division 5
Marine City (6-3) at Almont (7-2)
With its proximity to Port Huron, it’s easy to forget that Marine City plays in the Macomb Area Conference Gold and not the Blue Water Area Conference, and actually has faced BWAC power Almont only once over the last 65 seasons – in a District Final a year ago. Both have deceiving records this time around; Marine City’s three losses were by a combined 12 points to three playoff teams, while Almont’s two defeats came by a combined 15 points to two playoff qualifiers (both fell to Algonac).
Others that caught my eye: Muskegon Oakridge (7-2) at Grand Rapids West Catholic (7-2), Hillsdale (6-3) at Buchanan (9-0), Clinton Township Clintondale (5-4) at Algonac (8-1), Harrison (7-2) at Kingsford (6-3), Saturday.
Division 6
Clinton (9-0) at Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central (8-1)
Division 6 might have the most intriguing set of opening games, topped by this matchup of the reigning champion Falcons against one of two undefeated teams that finds itself on the road this week. This is a rematch of last season’s District Final, won by St. Mary; in 2013 it was Clinton that reached Ford Field and finished runner-up in Division 6. St. Mary’s earned this home game with a schedule loaded with Class A and B teams, but that doesn’t mean Clinton doesn’t know how to ramp up for good competition – the Redskins are one of four playoff teams from the Tri-County Conference.
Others that caught my eye: Vassar (8-1) at Ithaca (9-0), Millington (8-1) at Sanford Meridian (9-0), Calumet (7-2) at Negaunee (7-2), Jackson Lumen Christi (6-3) at Vandercook Lake (8-1).
Division 7
Saugatuck (9-0) at Hesperia (9-0)
Matchups of undefeated teams in the first round are rare, but so is having three undefeated teams in the same District, which these two share with Pewamo-Westphalia. Hesperia is one of the incredible stories of this season. The Panthers, known best for their wrestling, were 1-8 a year ago and hadn’t made the playoffs since 2002 – but did have four 0-9 seasons during the drought. Only once this fall, in Week 4 against Morley-Stanwood, did an opponent come within 25 points of Hesperia. But Saugatuck has been both impressive and consistent on offense, scoring no fewer than 42 points in any game and beating their opponents by an average of 48.
Others that caught my eye: Flint Hamady (7-2) at Flint Beecher (6-2), Cass City (7-2) at Ubly (7-2), Concord (7-2) at Dansville (8-1), Harbor Springs (6-3) at Iron Mountain (6-3), Saturday.
Division 8
Mendon (5-4) at Climax-Scotts (9-0)
A first-round game between an at-large qualifier and an undefeated host is generally viewed as a slam dunk for the home team. But it’s doubtful anyone recently has considered Mendon and its eight straight seasons with at least 10 wins an easy out. The four losses this fall were all to playoff teams, three now playing in higher divisions. Climax-Scotts has seen its last four seasons end against the Hornets and is the last team that would take them lightly, even after giving up a total of only 27 points this season.
Others that caught my eye: Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart (6-3) at Muskegon Catholic Central (6-2), Bark River-Harris (7-2) at Munising (7-2), Ottawa Lake Whiteford (7-2) at Petersburg-Summerfield (7-2), Crystal Falls Forest Park (5-3) at Lake Linden-Hubbell (9-0), Saturday.
8-Player
Rapid River (6-3) at Engadine (7-2)
Engadine’s Week 5 62-30 win over Rapid River sent a shockwave through 8-player football, as it was Rapid River’s first regular-season loss since 2012. The Eagles still haven’t lost since Week 3, with only Stephenson coming reasonably close to taking a game. But the short history of 8-player football in this state has shown that this division allows more than any other for massive turnarounds between the regular-season and playoff meetings between teams – and Rapid River knows well the possibility this weekend after beating Cedarville 20-19 during the 2014 regular season and then falling to the Trojans 28-0 five weeks later in a Regional Final.
Others that caught my eye: Cedarville (7-2) at Owendale-Gagetown (9-0), Peck (7-2) at Deckerville (8-1).
PHOTO: Montrose, carrying the ball, earned an at-large bid to its 23rd MHSAA Playoffs as one of five qualifiers from the Genesee Area Conference Red.
For Their Teams, For Each Other, St. Mary Seniors Team Up 2 More Times
By
Tom Spencer
Special for MHSAA.com
March 17, 2023
Shawn Bramer and Dylan Barnowski, as middle schoolers, attended the MHSAA Boys Basketball Finals every year.
Last year, they nearly played in the Division 3 title game – falling in a Semifinal but almost making a dream come true for the then-juniors and their Lake Leelanau St. Mary coach, Matt Barnowski, also Dylan’s father.
That dream began for some when the boys were coached by Matt as third graders, and they made serious strides last season. Before last winter, the last time the Eagles had won a Regional championship was 1950 – and no St. Mary boys basketball team had reached the Semifinals. Bramer and Dylan Barnowski – along with current seniors Jack Glynn, Drew Thompson and Nick Linguar – had high hopes of making more history this winter.
The dream ended Wednesday night with a Regional Final loss to Frankfort, which St. Mary had defeated 54-41 during the regular season. This time, the Eagles were faced with a large number of K-12 students succumbing to illness – with all five of its starters at least somewhat sick – as nearly a third of the school’s tiny enrollment was out of school the day after the loss to the Panthers.
But you won’t hear any of the players or coaches making excuses. They give all the credit to Frankfort, and they’re ready to move on. And many in the LSM family know reaching the Regional Finals this season and Breslin Center in 2022 had absolutely no probability had Bramer and Barnowski not made an iron-clad agreement last summer.
The two friends vowed to help each other despite their personal, opposing challenges.
Barnowski and Bramer, through LSM’s cooperative agreement with Suttons Bay, went 3-for-3 playing in 8-Player Division 1 Football Finals during their first three years of high school. But through last summer Barnowski, who quarterbacked the Norseman, had no interest in football.
Bramer, meanwhile, had been nursing a quad tendon injury since his sophomore football season and battling two bad knees but was thinking he could suffer though football and sit out the basketball season to recover. The all-state running back experienced training difficulties and even had his strength training severely hampered.
Football was king for Bramer, and he also loved basketball too. Basketball is number one to Barnowski. The longtime friends decided cut a deal to help each other — and their teammates — out.
“I was kind of on the edge,” said Bramer, who plays with braces on both knees. “After talking to each other, we both ended up just playing.
“I really shouldn’t be playing sports, but I couldn’t miss out playing with my friends,” he continued. “We just figured it was our last season so we might as well just do it.”
Barnowski had been considering ending his football days immediately after the Norse fell short in their third-straight trip to the Finals, at Superior Dome in Marquette in Fall 2021. That loss was at the hands of Adrian Lenawee Christian 31-20.
The Norseman graduated most of their offensive and defense lines last spring and expected to be small in numbers. Until this fall, they had lost only one regular-season game on their way to three straight title game appearances. This year they finished 3-5.
The big linemen losses — Barnowski’s protection — was forcing him to weigh his injury risk against having a senior basketball season.
“We did it for each other,” Barnowski said. “I talked with Shawn, and we knew we had a big community behind us and it would be hard for them if we just quit.
“I knew we weren’t going to have the same powerhouse team we had,” he continued. “We weren’t very good this year, but we still had a blast.”
This week’s loss put an end to the possible Breslin championship finish, but it left the friends happy with the decision to play both sports. The Eagles finished 20-4.
Barnowski led St. Mary in scoring. He averaged better than 20 points a game with more than seven rebounds and five assists. Bramer averaged just under 15 points per game, and almost 10 rebounds.
The two big men each scored 11 in the season-ending loss. Thompson scored 14. This year’s senior-dominated team likely will be remembered for its basketball success for some time. Barnowski, Bramer and Glynn experienced only one loss in District play over their four seasons.
“It’s a really special groups of kids,” Coach Barnowski said. “These kids kind of transformed St. Mary’s basketball.
“They’ve really built the program,” he continued. “It’s been a roller coaster ride.”
Bramer and Dylan Barnowski also played baseball in the past for the Eagles, but that likely won’t happen this spring. Barnowski plans to golf, and Bramer expects to sit the spring season out and heal.
“We’ll never forget these last four years of varsity we played,” Barnowski said. “I‘ve decided to go a more relaxing route, and I’m going for some golf.”
With their Breslin dream over, the friends are ready to enjoy the St. Mary’s community support and move on. They’re bummed so many were sick in the end but won’t use it as an excuse.
“Hats off to Frankfort,” Barnowski said. “They did an incredible job of shutting us down.”
Bramer agreed.
“They just played their game better than we did,” he said. “They took the lead at the end of the third quarter, and it was a battle from there.”
Tom Spencer is a longtime MHSAA-registered basketball and soccer official, and former softball and baseball official, and he also has coached in the northern Lower Peninsula area. He previously has written for the Saginaw News, Bay County Sports Page and Midland Daily News. He can be reached at [email protected] with story ideas for Manistee, Wexford, Missaukee, Roscommon, Ogemaw, Iosco, Alcona, Oscoda, Crawford, Kalkaska, Grand Traverse, Benzie, Leelanau, Antrim, Otsego, Montmorency, Alpena, Presque Isle, Cheboygan, Charlevoix and Emmet counties.
PHOTOS (Top) St. Mary’s seniors Dylan Barnowski, left, and Shawn Bramer hold up the team’s District championship trophy last week. (2) Eagles coach Matt Barnowski, center, and assistant Sander Scott coach up their team during last week’s Regional Semifinal win over Mesick. (3) Dylan Barnowski and Bramer also teamed up during successful football careers. (4) St. Mary’s seniors, from left: Shawn Bramer, Jack Glynn, Dylan Barnowski, Drew Thompson and Nick Linguar. (Sideline photo by Tom Spencer; player photos by Emmerson Lamb Photography.)