Lawrence Completes Turnaround with Title
November 21, 2014
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
GREENVILLE – Derek Gribler was a sophomore at the Lawrence school board meeting two years ago when it was decided the Tigers would try 8-player football the following fall.
Although the team had finished a combined 1-17 the previous two seasons, playing mostly bigger schools with multiple freshmen trying to match much larger seniors, there was skepticism. Some simply didn’t like the move.
Friday night, it was hard to imagine a better fit.
Counting on a variety of skill players and a speedy defense necessary to succeed in the 8-player game, Lawrence finished its second season after the switch as an MHSAA champion with a 56-12 win over Cedarville at Legacy Field.
Often, successful groups growing up anticipate success at the varsity level. But the Tigers didn’t give championships a thought during their struggles only a few seasons ago.
“Not a single second. Not in any of those practices, not in any of those games,” said Lawrence senior linebacker Jimmy Phelps, like Gribler a four-year varsity player. “Being a 14-year-old kid in a conference where you’d get 60 kids going out for a team; you’re a 14-year-old boy going against 18-year-old men for four quarters every day.
“Football always was my favorite sport, (but) there’s a time you see your rivals in conference and you’re going up against 6-(foot)-2, 200-pound kids and you’re 14-years old and 5-2, 135 pounds. It’s not really fun when those guys hit your guts.”
Moving to 8-player appears to have swung the advantage far into Lawrence’s favor.
The Tigers finished this fall 12-0 and 21-3 over their two seasons of 8-player football, becoming the first team in MHSAA history to win both 8 and 11-player football titles. Lawrence won the Class DD 11-player championship in 1997, but before 2013 hadn’t had a winning season since 2007.
Gribler, a running back before this fall, became over the last four months perhaps the most impressive standout in the MHSAA’s brief history of the 8-player format.
He followed up last week’s six touchdown passes and three touchdown runs against reigning champion Peck with three rushing and two passing scores against the Trojans. Gribler ran for 103 yards on just 12 carries and completed 11 of 14 pass attempts for 256 yards Friday, and for the season he threw for 2,599 yards and 42 touchdowns and ran for 1,704 yards and 24 scores.
With only three seasons against which to compare, Lawrence setting three MHSAA 8-Player Final offensive records might not seem as impressive. But they’re marks that could stand for a while – 23 first downs, 341 yards rushing and 597 total yards.
Lawrence coach Cody Caswell came into 8-player with a spread offense background and has built a network of 8-player coaches including contacts in Oklahoma and Idaho. He tailored the offense this year to allow Gribler to read and make decisions on the fly on nearly every play.
Gribler ran four yards for the team’s first score just 1:06 into the game, and added two more scoring runs and a 27-yard touchdown pass to senior Mike Cammire as the Tigers built a 28-6 lead by the end of the first quarter. Cammire finished with six catches for 110 yards and junior running back Hunter Coombs helped set the tone with 127 yards and two touchdowns on only six rushes.
Meanwhile, the Lawrence defense spent much of the night chasing Cedarville senior quarterback Joey Duncan and forcing him to throw on the run. Cedarville gained only 276 yards and turned the ball over three times. Its 12 points were a season low.
The Tigers finished with a school-record five shutouts under the direction of coordinator Aaron Amthor, and forced 39 turnovers while giving the ball away only five times.
“We believed we had the best defense in the state along with the best offense in the state. We didn’t go in like, ‘I wonder how this is going to go.‘ We thought we should stop them,” Caswell said. “Our motto all year was ‘fast and physical,’ and that’s what they do”
Cedarville had made the 11-player playoffs seven straight seasons before moving to 8-player in 2011. But the Trojans had fallen short of high playoff expectations the last three years, finishing all three with losses to teams they had beaten during the regular season.
Friday’s Final appearance was the program’s first, and its 11 wins this fall a team record.
Duncan threw for 125 yards and a touchdown and ran for 58 more yards. Senior running back Mike Bailey ran for 84, and senior receiver Brad Causley caught seven passes for 95 yards. Senior Blake Melvin ran for a score, and junior Mike Haske caught the other.
Duncan and Causley also played significant roles on the basketball team’s run to the Class D Semifinals in March, and that experience paid off the last four weeks.
“It definitely helped our mindset. We’re used to winning, used to tournament time, and that helped us compose ourselves in big games,” Duncan said. “This year, we knew we had something special. We had a feeling that we were not going to lose, not give up. It definitely was a good mountain to overcome, and hopefully for years to come they can keep the winning going.”
Click for full game statistics.
PHOTOS: (Top) Lawrence’s Derek Gribler drags a Cedarville defensive player into the end zone on one of his three scoring runs. (Middle) Cedarville’s Brad Causley works to get past Tigers defenders. (Below) Lawrence coach Cody Caswell talks with his team after Friday’s championship victory.
2022 Week 9 Football Playoff Listing: Top 40 in 11-Player Divisions & Top 24 in 8-Player Divisions
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
October 19, 2022
Here is a list of Michigan High School Athletic Association football playing schools, displaying their win-loss records and playoff averages through the eighth week of the season.
Schools on this list are divided by division and ordered by playoff average. The top 32 teams by playoff average in each 11-player division and top 16 teams by playoff average in each 8-player division will qualify for the MHSAA Football Playoffs beginning Oct. 28. Divisions were determined prior to the start of the season, and the lists below include not only teams currently positioned to potentially qualify, but also the next eight teams in each division. (Forfeits confirmed for this week already have been added and are reflected in win-loss records and playoff points below.)
To review a list of all football playoff schools, individual school playoff point details and to report errors, visit the Football Playoff Point Summary page.
The announcement of the qualifiers and first-round pairings for both the 11 and 8-player playoffs will take place at 6 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 23, on the “Selection Sunday Show” on Bally Sports Detroit and its website. The playoff qualifiers and pairings will be posted to the MHSAA Website following the Selection Sunday Show.
11-PLAYER DIVISION 1
1. Belleville, 8-0, 79.875
2. Macomb Dakota, 8-0, 79.643
3. Brighton, 8-0, 79.500
3. Rockford, 8-0, 79.500
5. Caledonia, 8-0, 78.875
6. West Bloomfield, 7-1, 75.875
7. Clarkston, 6-2, 75.750
8. Lapeer, 7-1, 74.000
9. Davison, 7-1, 73.375
10. Rochester Adams, 7-1, 72.875
11. Clinton Township Chippewa Valley, 6-2, 71.500
12. Romeo, 6-2, 70.000
13. Northville, 7-1, 69.875
14. Grandville, 6-2, 68.375
15. Utica Eisenhower, 6-2, 66.750
16. Southfield Arts & Technology, 6-2, 65.625
17. Saline, 6-2, 64.125
18. Detroit Catholic Central, 6-2, 63.504
19. Dearborn, 6-2, 61.750
20. Novi, 5-3, 61.500
21. Troy, 6-2, 61.250
22. Holt, 5-3, 59.714
23. Ann Arbor Huron, 5-3, 59.667
24. East Kentwood, 5-3, 58.018
25. Hartland, 5-3, 57.750
26. Grand Ledge, 6-2, 56.714
27. Brownstown Woodhaven, 6-2, 55.804
28. Grand Blanc, 4-4, 52.125
29. Detroit Cass Tech, 5-3, 51.679
30. Lake Orion, 4-4, 50.500
31. Rochester Hills Stoney Creek, 4-4, 49.625
32. Livonia Stevenson, 4-4, 49.000
33. New Baltimore Anchor Bay, 3-5, 48.125
34. Rochester, 4-4, 46.125
35. Holland West Ottawa, 3-5, 45.000
36. Howell, 3-5, 43.500
37. Westland John Glenn, 3-5, 43.000
38. Monroe, 3-5, 42.750
39. Troy Athens, 4-4, 42.625
40. Jenison, 2-6, 41.375
11-PLAYER DIVISION 2
1. Dexter, 8-0, 80.042
2. Birmingham Seaholm, 7-1, 71.250
3. Livonia Franklin, 7-1, 70.750
4. Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central, 8-0, 69.500
5. Muskegon Mona Shores, 7-1, 67.125
6. Midland, 7-1, 66.750
7. Temperance Bedford, 7-2, 65.528
8. Warren De La Salle Collegiate, 7-1, 65.375
9. Roseville, 6-2, 64.875
10. Battle Creek Central, 7-1, 64.107
11. Waterford Mott, 6-2, 63.625
12. Byron Center, 6-2, 63.500
13. Port Huron Northern, 7-1, 60.500
14. Farmington, 6-2, 60.000
15. Saginaw Heritage, 6-2, 59.500
16. Grosse Pointe South, 5-3, 58.875
16. South Lyon East, 6-2, 58.875
18. South Lyon, 6-2, 58.607
19. East Lansing, 6-2, 57.964
20. Port Huron, 6-2, 55.500
21. Swartz Creek, 6-2, 55.250
21. Traverse City Central, 4-4, 55.250
23. Muskegon Reeths-Puffer, 5-3, 52.000
24. Dearborn Heights Crestwood, 6-2, 51.500
25. Harrison Township L'Anse Creuse, 4-4, 50.500
26. Portage Northern, 5-3, 50.357
27. St Clair Shores Lakeview, 5-3, 50.125
28. White Lake Lakeland, 4-4, 49.875
29. Warren Cousino, 5-3, 48.250
29. Warren Mott, 4-4, 48.250
31. Milford, 4-4, 47.875
32. Birmingham Groves, 5-3, 47.750
33. Ypsilanti Lincoln, 3-5, 44.625
34. Portage Central, 3-5, 44.607
35. Ferndale, 4-4, 44.375
36. North Farmington, 2-6, 43.750
37. Bay City Western, 4-4, 43.000
38. Detroit U-D Jesuit, 4-4, 42.286
39. Harper Woods, 3-5, 41.375
40. Midland Dow, 3-5, 39.375
11-PLAYER DIVISION 3
1. Walled Lake Western, 7-1, 72.750
2. Mount Pleasant, 7-1, 67.625
3. Trenton, 7-1, 66.750
4. Mason, 8-0, 65.500
5. Gibraltar Carlson, 7-1, 64.250
6. St. Joseph, 7-1, 63.232
7. Grosse Pointe North, 8-0, 62.875
8. Zeeland West, 7-1, 62.625
9. Muskegon, 6-2, 61.250
10. Fenton, 6-2, 58.875
11. Linden, 5-3, 56.125
12. Detroit Martin Luther King, 5-2, 54.238
13. Southgate Anderson, 5-3, 53.750
14. DeWitt, 5-3, 52.000
15. River Rouge, 5-2, 51.917
16. Haslett, 6-2, 51.125
16. Lowell, 5-3, 51.125
18. Cadillac, 5-3, 50.375
19. Auburn Hills Avondale, 5-3, 49.875
20. Coopersville, 5-3, 49.250
21. Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice, 3-4, 48.000
22. Jackson, 4-4, 46.625
23. Allen Park, 4-4, 46.607
24. East Grand Rapids, 3-5, 45.875
25. Parma Western, 5-3, 45.661
26. Holly, 4-4, 45.500
27. Cedar Springs, 4-4, 44.607
28. Detroit Henry Ford, 5-3, 44.399
29. Detroit Renaissance, 4-4, 44.274
30. St. Clair Shores Lake Shore, 4-4, 43.125
31. Lansing Waverly, 4-4, 43.089
32. Gaylord, 5-3, 43.000
33. Sparta, 5-3, 42.625
34. New Boston Huron, 5-3, 42.250
35. Sturgis, 5-3, 41.750
36. Stevensville Lakeshore, 3-5, 40.857
37. Sault Ste. Marie, 5-3, 39.625
38. Grand Rapids Northview, 3-5, 35.250
39. Zeeland East, 2-6, 34.875
40. Richland Gull Lake, 3-5, 34.500
11-PLAYER DIVISION 4
1. Whitehall, 9-0, 64.097
2. Grand Rapids South Christian, 8-0, 62.250
3. Tecumseh, 8-0, 62.125
4. Goodrich, 7-1, 60.750
5. Redford Union, 8-0, 60.375
6. Riverview, 8-0, 59.875
7. Hastings, 7-1, 58.819
8. Edwardsburg, 7-1, 58.625
9. North Branch, 7-1, 53.917
10. Charlotte, 7-1, 52.875
11. Chelsea, 5-3, 51.458
12. Freeland, 7-1, 50.250
13. Dearborn Divine Child, 6-2, 50.125
14. Hudsonville Unity Christian, 5-3, 50.069
15. Fruitport, 6-2, 49.750
16. Madison Heights Lamphere, 6-2, 49.125
17. Ada Forest Hills Eastern, 6-2, 48.375
18. Croswell-Lexington, 6-2, 46.375
19. Ludington, 6-2, 46.194
20. Ortonville Brandon, 5-3, 45.750
21. Three Rivers, 5-3, 45.625
22. Garden City, 5-3, 45.250
23. Vicksburg, 4-4, 44.875
24. Carleton Airport, 6-2, 44.500
25. Livonia Clarenceville, 5-3, 43.750
26. Orchard Lake St. Mary's, 3-5, 43.625
27. Marysville, 5-3, 42.768
28. Big Rapids, 6-2, 41.000
28. Paw Paw, 4-4, 41.000
30. Grand Rapids Christian, 3-5, 40.750
31. Niles, 4-4, 40.375
32. Adrian, 4-4, 39.875
32. Wayland, 4-4, 39.875
34. Lake Fenton, 3-5, 38.625
35. Marshall, 4-4, 38.000
36. Detroit East English, 4-4, 36.667
37. Lansing Sexton, 4-4, 36.339
38. Center Line, 5-3, 35.768
39. Allendale, 3-5, 35.000
40. Fremont, 4-4, 34.569
11-PLAYER DIVISION 5
1. Frankenmuth, 8-0, 59.875
1. Grand Rapids Catholic Central, 7-1, 59.875
3. Corunna, 7-1, 59.500
4. Marine City, 7-1, 57.125
5. Muskegon Oakridge, 7-1, 56.194
6. Portland, 7-1, 55.750
7. Armada, 7-1, 55.625
8. Belding, 7-1, 53.875
9. Kingsford, 6-2, 51.083
10. Williamston, 6-2, 49.500
11. Gladwin, 8-0, 48.500
12. Detroit Country Day, 5-2, 46.679
13. Berrien Springs, 6-1, 45.732
14. Romulus Summit Academy North, 6-2, 45.250
15. Flat Rock, 5-3, 45.125
16. Kingsley, 6-2, 45.000
17. Howard City Tri County, 7-1, 42.875
18. Dundee, 6-2, 42.750
18. Saginaw Swan Valley, 5-3, 42.750
20. St. Clair Shores South Lake, 6-2, 42.500
21. Olivet, 6-2, 41.750
22. Pontiac Notre Dame Prep, 5-3, 41.000
23. Hopkins, 5-3, 40.875
24. Flint Hamady, 7-1, 40.839
25. Ogemaw Heights, 6-2, 40.125
26. Detroit Denby, 5-3, 39.988
27. Shepherd, 6-2, 39.250
28. Kalamazoo Hackett Catholic Prep, 4-4, 38.524
29. Essexville Garber, 5-3, 38.250
30. Detroit Southeastern, 5-3, 36.696
31. Yale, 4-4, 36.375
32. Lake Odessa Lakewood, 6-2, 36.125
33. Birch Run, 4-4, 35.125
34. Benton Harbor, 4-4, 34.732
35. Grosse Ile, 4-4, 34.250
36. Richmond, 3-5, 34.125
37. Flint Powers Catholic, 3-5, 33.161
38. Whitmore Lake, 6-2, 31.625
39. Midland Bullock Creek, 4-4, 31.429
40. Macomb Lutheran North, 3-5, 30.875
11-PLAYER DIVISION 6
1. Grand Rapids West Catholic, 7-1, 61.750
2. Almont, 6-2, 52.167
3. Gladstone, 6-2, 51.125
4. Ecorse, 8-0, 50.738
5. Madison Heights Bishop Foley, 8-0, 48.750
6. Constantine, 7-1, 48.125
6. Durand, 8-0, 48.125
8. Reed City, 7-1, 48.000
9. Clinton, 8-0, 47.750
10. Negaunee, 8-0, 47.139
11. Warren Michigan Collegiate, 7-1, 46.536
12. Buchanan, 7-1, 45.054
13. Standish-Sterling, 7-0, 44.946
14. Millington, 7-1, 44.804
15. Boyne City, 8-0, 44.750
16. Detroit Voyageur College Prep, 6-2, 41.000
17. Ovid-Elsie, 6-2, 40.000
18. Kent City, 6-2, 37.250
19. Clare, 5-3, 36.875
20. Manistee, 5-3, 35.819
21. Muskegon Catholic Central, 6-2, 35.500
22. Watervliet, 5-3, 35.232
23. Menominee, 4-4, 34.792
24. Detroit Northwestern, 5-3, 34.292
25. Elk Rapids, 6-2, 34.250
26. Calumet, 5-3, 34.014
27. Montague, 3-5, 33.944
28. Houghton, 5-3, 33.764
29. Sanford Meridian, 5-3, 33.250
30. Lansing Catholic, 3-5, 33.000
31. Laingsburg, 6-2, 32.500
32. Dearborn Heights Robichaud, 3-5, 30.500
33. Detroit Pershing, 4-4, 30.321
34. Parchment, 4-4, 30.179
35. Clawson, 4-4, 30.143
36. Lutheran Westland, 5-3, 29.750
36. Stockbridge, 5-3, 29.750
38. Remus Chippewa Hills, 3-5, 29.375
39. Ida, 3-5, 28.500
40. Hillsdale, 3-5, 28.482
11-PLAYER DIVISION 7
1. Traverse City St. Francis, 8-0, 53.250
2. Detroit Central, 8-0, 51.113
3. Hudson, 8-0, 47.750
4. Jackson Lumen Christi, 5-3, 47.000
5. Ithaca, 7-1, 39.804
6. North Muskegon, 7-1, 39.500
7. Lawton, 6-2, 39.232
8. Napoleon, 8-0, 38.750
9. Charlevoix, 7-1, 38.500
10. Elkton-Pigeon-Bay Port Laker, 8-0, 38.125
11. Union City, 7-1, 36.750
12. New Lothrop, 6-2, 36.625
13. Schoolcraft, 6-3, 35.716
14. Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central, 3-5, 34.375
15. Bad Axe, 6-3, 34.083
16. Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett, 6-2, 34.000
17. Pewamo-Westphalia, 5-3, 33.375
18. Delton Kellogg, 4-4, 32.792
19. Homer, 6-2, 32.625
20. Montrose, 5-3, 32.250
21. Ravenna, 5-3, 31.625
22. Manchester, 5-3, 31.500
23. Cass City, 5-3, 30.375
24. Grass Lake, 5-3, 30.250
25. Benzie Central, 3-5, 28.071
26. Lake City, 5-3, 27.500
27. Bath, 5-3, 27.321
28. Niles Brandywine, 4-4, 27.107
29. Erie Mason, 5-3, 26.500
30. L'Anse, 4-4, 26.264
31. Burton Bendle, 4-4, 26.161
32. Jonesville, 4-4, 25.125
33. Perry, 3-5, 23.875
34. Leslie, 2-6, 23.125
35. Beaverton, 2-6, 23.000
36. Detroit Loyola, 1-7, 22.661
37. Hanover-Horton, 2-6, 20.875
38. Sandusky, 2-6, 20.667
39. Galesburg-Augusta, 2-5, 20.577
40. Harrison, 2-6, 20.125
11-PLAYER DIVISION 8
1. Iron Mountain, 7-1, 44.764
2. Ottawa Lake Whiteford, 8-0, 44.250
3. Ubly, 8-0, 40.000
4. Beal City, 8-0, 38.625
5. Marine City Cardinal Mooney, 7-1, 38.250
6. Saginaw Michigan Lutheran Seminary, 7-1, 37.875
7. Harbor Beach, 7-1, 35.875
8. Fowler, 7-1, 35.375
9. Riverview Gabriel Richard, 5-3, 35.125
10. Evart, 7-1, 34.375
11. Reading, 6-2, 33.625
12. St. Ignace, 6-2, 33.375
13. Mount Clemens, 7-1, 32.613
14. Frankfort, 7-1, 32.250
15. Centreville, 6-2, 31.970
16. Bark River-Harris, 6-2, 31.125
17. Saginaw Nouvel, 5-3, 30.964
18. Carson City-Crystal, 7-1, 30.250
19. Clarkston Everest Collegiate, 5-3, 29.214
20. Decatur, 5-3, 29.036
20. White Pigeon, 5-3, 29.036
22. Ishpeming, 4-4, 28.847
23. White Cloud, 6-2, 28.750
24. Flint Beecher, 4-3, 28.536
25. Melvindale Academy for Business & Tech, 6-2, 28.488
26. Detroit Leadership Academy, 3-5, 28.167
27. Addison, 4-4, 25.875
27. McBain, 4-4, 25.875
29. Marlette, 4-4, 25.750
30. East Jordan, 4-4, 25.250
31. Detroit Community, 4-4, 24.292
32. Petersburg Summerfield, 4-4, 24.125
33. Vassar, 4-4, 23.917
34. Sterling Heights Parkway Christian, 3-5, 23.250
35. Dansville, 3-5, 20.250
35. Rochester Hills Lutheran Northwest, 3-5, 20.250
37. Unionville-Sebewaing, 2-6, 20.167
38. Manton, 3-5, 19.625
39. Burton Bentley, 3-5, 19.286
40. Maple City Glen Lake, 3-5, 18.875
8-PLAYER DIVISION 1
1. Munising, 8-0, 37.375
2. Martin, 7-1, 37.250
3. Merrill, 8-0, 36.250
3. Rogers City, 8-0, 36.250
5. Kingston, 8-0, 34.375
6. Brown City, 7-1, 33.875
7. Newberry, 7-1, 32.804
8. Auburn Hills Oakland Christian, 7-1, 31.625
9. Norway, 6-2, 31.083
10. Adrian Lenawee Christian, 6-2, 30.750
11. Breckenridge, 6-2, 30.375
11. Gobles, 6-2, 30.375
13. Tekonsha, 7-1, 29.643
14. Rudyard, 5-3, 28.161
15. Fulton, 6-2, 28.125
16. Indian River Inland Lakes, 5-3, 28.054
17. Deckerville, 5-3, 27.625
18. Pickford, 5-3, 27.411
19. Mesick, 5-3, 26.607
20. Marcellus, 5-3, 26.500
21. Britton Deerfield, 5-3, 26.232
22. Manistee Catholic Central, 5-3, 25.857
23. Battle Creek St. Philip, 4-4, 25.518
24. Suttons Bay, 3-5, 24.804
8-PLAYER DIVISION 2
1. Colon, 8-0, 36.625
2. Marion, 8-0, 34.857
3. Climax-Scotts, 7-1, 34.250
4. Powers North Central, 8-0, 33.958
5. Peck, 7-1, 32.375
6. Au Gres-Sims, 7-1, 31.625
6. Morrice, 7-1, 31.625
8. Crystal Falls Forest Park, 7-1, 30.458
9. Mendon, 6-2, 30.000
10. Posen, 7-1, 29.875
11. Gaylord St. Mary, 6-2, 28.929
12. Central Lake, 6-2, 28.500
13. Lake Linden-Hubbell, 5-3, 25.708
14. Cedarville, 5-3, 25.536
15. Camden-Frontier, 4-4, 25.250
16. Stephenson, 5-3, 24.958
17. Kinde North Huron, 5-3, 24.625
18. Bay City All Saints, 4-4, 23.000
19. Athens, 4-4, 22.625
20. Pittsford, 4-4, 22.250
21. Wyoming Tri-unity Christian, 4-4, 21.875
22. Mio, 3-5, 21.750
23. Atlanta, 3-5, 21.375
24. New Haven Merritt Academy, 4-4, 21.125
The MHSAA is a private, not-for-profit corporation of voluntary membership by more than 1,500 public and private senior high schools and junior high/middle schools which exists to develop common rules for athletic eligibility and competition. No government funds or tax dollars support the MHSAA, which was the first such association nationally to not accept membership dues or tournament entry fees from schools. Member schools which enforce these rules are permitted to participate in MHSAA tournaments, which attract more than 1.3 million spectators each year.
-0-