A Game for Every Fan: Week 8
October 11, 2012
One team more than half of the 2012 MHSAA football playoff field has been decided, with 129 teams qualified for the 256-team field with two regular-season games to play.
And each of these final weeks includes opportunities for plenty to do something they've never done before.
Over the last two weeks, Swartz Creek, Grand Rapids Northview and Detroit East English have earned their first playoff berths ever (East English in its first year as a school). Detroit Consortium, Mayville, Walled Lake Northern and Saginaw Valley Lutheran all can earn their first berths with wins this weekend.
See below for some of the best games being played in every corner of the state. And visit the MHSAA Score Center all weekend for updated scores and standings.
(All games below are tonight unless noted. Go to Score Center for additional dates and kickoff times.)
Greater Detroit
Clarkston (7-0) at Lake Orion (7-0)
These Oakland Activities Association Red rivals have two of the top three playoff point averages among potential Division 1 teams this fall, and are ranked Nos. 1 and 2, respectively, by The Associated Press' media panel. This is as true a rivalry as they come -- the schools are nearly the same size at more than 2,500 students each, they are located only 11 miles apart, and they've split their last 10 meetings including three in the playoffs.
Others that caught my eye: Detroit Cody (5-2) vs. Detroit East English (6-1) at Detroit Northwestern, Dearborn Heights Robichaud (7-0) at Dearborn Fordson (6-1), Oak Park (7-0) at Oxford (4-3), Detroit Martin Luther King (4-3) vs. Detroit Cass Tech (6-1) at Detroit Northwestern.
Lower Up North
Traverse City St. Francis (4-3) at Maple City Glen Lake (7-0)
At stake this week and potentially next is St. Francis' 22-season playoff berth streak, the state's longest. Its losses are to teams with a combined 19-2 record, but the Gladiators took a significant step last week by beating Saginaw Nouvel. Glen Lake is much like the teams that have beaten St. Francis. The Lakers have given up only 44 points total and own a win over Kingsley, which beat the Gladiators on opening night.
Others that caught my eye: Benzie Central (3-4) at Cheboygan (5-2), Boyne City (7-0) at Elk Rapids (4-3), Lake City (6-1) at Manton (4-3), Kalkaska (5-2) at Frankfort (3-4).
Bay and Thumb
Midland (7-0) at Bay City Western (7-0)
Like some games these teams have won this season, their league race is coming right down to the final minutes. The winner claims a share of the Saginaw Valley Association North championship, with both then facing city rivalry games to finish the regular season. Western has survived three straight eight-point wins, and Midland edged two of those same opponents by seven points apiece. The Chemics have beaten the Warriors in six of their last eight meetings.
Others that caught my eye: Swartz Creek (7-0) at Fenton (6-1), Walled Lake Western (5-2) at Grand Blanc (4-3), Saginaw Valley Lutheran (5-2) at Merrill (4-3), Marine City (6-1) at St. Clair (7-0).
West Michigan
Grand Rapids Catholic Central (7-0) at Hastings (6-1)
The winner of this matchup will claim a share of the O-K Gold championship. Grand Rapids Catholic Central is the reigning champion, but Hastings can claim a league title for the first time since 2001. The Cougars have won three of the four between these two since joining the Gold, but Hastings if off to its best start since that last league championship season.
Others that caught my eye: Lowell (6-1) at Caledonia (6-1), Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central (4-3) at Grand Rapids Christian (6-1), Fruitport (7-0) at Muskegon Catholic Central (5-2), Grandville (4-3) at Rockford (5-2).
Mid-Michigan
Grand Ledge (5-2) at East Lansing (5-2)
This has been one of the best rivalries in mid-Michigan for more two decades. And although this game likely won't decide a league champion this time -- Lansing Everett leads both by a win in the Capital Area Activities Conference Blue standings -- it's remains significant as both the Comets and Trojans' playoff hopes could hinge on which wins tonight. East Lansing might be in better shape, with one-win Okemos coming up in Week 9. But the Comets finish with Holt, 4-3 and another team playing for a postseason berth.
Others that caught my eye: DeWitt (6-1) at Portland (6-1), Walled Lake Northern (5-2) at Hartland (7-0), Williamston (4-3) at Haslett (4-3), Mason (5-2) at Lansing Waverly (4-3).
Southwest and Border
Stevensville Lakeshore (7-0) at Mattawan (7-0)
No region of the state has more big games this week, with titles being decided all over the Kalamazoo area and southwestern corner. But these are the big schools from the biggest league, and the game longest-awaited as both have navigated a tough Southwestern Michigan Athletic Conference West. Mattawan does have to face third-place Portage Northern next week, but the winner tonight will be riding high no matter what opponent is up next. Mattawan did win last season, breaking an eight-game losing streak against the Lancers.
Others that caught my eye: Watervliet (7-0) at Decatur (6-1), Edwardsburg (6-1) at Dowagiac (7-0), Paw Paw (7-0) at Otsego (6-1), Union City (5-2) at Reading (6-1).
Upper Peninsula
L’Anse (6-1) at Eagle River Northland Pines (7-0)
Northland Pines, the only Wisconsin team in the Western Peninsula Athletic Conference, leads both L'Anse and Calumet by a win with this the final weekend of the league schedule. Calumet fell to Northland Pines by two on opening night and defeated L'Anse by 20 last week, which doesn't seem to indicate good things for the latter. But a win tonight would add another huge accomplishment to the Hornets' first winning season since 2007.
Others that caught my eye: Negaunee (7-0) at Marquette (4-3), Pellston (4-3) at St. Ignace (7-0), Crystal Falls Forest Park (5-2) at Bessemer (4-2), Iron Mountain North Dickinson (7-0) at Lake Linden-Hubbell (4-3).
PHOTO: Elk Rapids' Derek Sentieri works to break away from Traverse City St. Francis tacklers during their game earlier this fall. (Click to see more at Terry McNamara Photography.)
Surge Becoming Storied as Boyne City Continues Memorable Playoff March
By
Tom Spencer
Special for MHSAA.com
November 22, 2024
Not many would say Boyne City’s football team followed the script this season.
After the way the Ramblers started this fall, only a scriptwriter could have envisioned the season they’ve enjoyed.
Boyne City started with just 17 varsity players in August. After moving up some from the JV squad and losing their opener to Standish-Sterling 33-14, the Ramblers picked up a couple of wins. They then fell in Week 4 to Kingsley, last year’s Division 6 champion, 26-20.
But that’s where the losses stopped. Boyne City is on an eight-game winning streak – which included a 21-15 victory over Kingsley in the District Final two weeks ago.
And when the Ramblers found themselves down 14-0 to Reed City midway through the second quarter last week in their Division 6 Regional Final, nobody would have blamed them for abandoning the script.
But if there is one, it called junior Owen Hewitt’s number. He took over, scoring four touchdowns to lead Boyne to a 35-28 win that advanced the Ramblers to Saturday’s Semifinal against Lansing Catholic.
“It wasn’t a dire situation,” said Boyne City coach Dave Suttle. “Our quarterback Drew Neer all year long has run our offense very well, and when we need a big play he’s always there. We threw a little curl, dig route over the middle to Owen and he went 63 yards for the score and kind of rejuvenated our team.”
Neer, also a junior, has connected with Hewitt and senior Jaden Alger the most this season. Hewitt’s first TD came with 1:22 left in the first half. Hewitt’s second was Boyne’s first offensive play of the second half and tied the game at 14-14.
It may have been Suttle scripting Hewitt’s performance.
Suttle expected Reed City to focus on stopping senior running back Ryan Spade, who has nearly 1,800 yards on the ground this season.
“Owen looked too good in practice last week, and we knew Owen was going to have a game,” Suttle said. “They were keying so hard on Ryan. We figured this was going to be the week, and we put some things in the game plan for him.”
Hewitt was extremely fired up coming out of halftime break, the sixth-year coach noted.
“Owen’s been our big-play guy all year,” said Suttle. “He’s got probably 600 yards receiving, and I think he’s scored 15 touchdowns between receiving and rushing. He’s been there but hadn’t had that wow game yet, that ‘Hey, who is this kid?’ And that was his game.”
The tough times this season from the small numbers to early losses united the team and created success, their coach proudly noted.
“From football specifically, we have made lifelong friends,” Suttle said. “We’ve learned how to help other people and depend on each other. The boys keep throwing out there they truly feel like they are all one family now. There’s all kinds of kids in this group. They have each other’s back. They’re not looking to blame anybody or point fingers. They’re just a solid group of gritty kids.”
Defensively, the Ramblers also have been led by Spate. He’s been involved in nearly 100 tackles. Sophomore Hyker McKinney has been involved in more than 70 tackles and Alger, junior Thomas Ager, senior Ryan Chapp, Hewitt and sophomore Ben Stanek are right behind them in solo tackles and assists.
Chapp and senior Leon Xiong have anchored the defensive line for the third straight year, Suttle pointed out.
“They’ve really stepped up this year, and they have pretty good stats,” Suttle said. “They are big-time leaders.”
The offensive line, in particular seniors Wiley Belcher and Zach Herrick, also continue to impress.
“They keep getting better every week and just keep pushing on,” Suttle said.
Win or lose this week or next, this team’s legacy already is solidified.
“I want this group to be remembered as the group that may have been counted out by a lot of other people or may have been overlooked,” Shuttle indicated. “We have a pretty good tradition of having a winning program, and we’ll make the playoffs and things like this, but this team sticks together and gets through the rough times and just never gives up.”
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) Boyne City’s Ryan Spade (3) breaks into the open during his team’s 21-15 District Final win over Kingsley. (Middle) Ben Stanek (8) works to break free from a pair of Traverse City St. Francis defenders during a 23-20 Week 9 win over Traverse City St. Francis. (Below) Ramblers coach Dave Suttle, middle, raises the District championship trophy with senior Leon Xiong (11) and junior Owen Hewitt (14). (Photos by Brandon Kish.)