Repeat-Minded North Central Rolling with Playoffs Approaching
By
John Vrancic
Special for MHSAA.com
October 22, 2021
POWERS — Eighteen and counting.
That’s the number at which North Central’s football winning streak stands after taking a forfeit victory from Gogebic last weekend.
The reigning 8-player Division 2 champion, however, has bigger fish to fry.
“The winning streak is something you don’t focus on,” said junior quarterback Luke Gorzinski, who pulled his hamstring in a 71-6 rout of Ontonagon on Oct. 8 but has returned. “First we have Forest Park, then we have the playoffs. It feels great to be back on the field. It feels like I’m part of the team again.”
The Jets naturally hope to retain their title, but know they must first turn their attention to tonight’s regular-season finale at Crystal Falls Forest Park.
North Central (8-0) finished 10-0 last season after defeating Portland St. Patrick 70-48 in Division 2 Final on Jan. 16.
“We try to look at it as if we hadn’t won a state championship yet,” said senior lineman Lane Nehring. “We don’t want to get too comfortable. We still have Forest Park. We’re not close in distance, but we have a rivalry going. Both of us have good teams.”
What has been the key to North Central’s success on the field?
“I think it’s our D line play,” said Nehring. “We work together and communicate. Ontonagon’s hook-and-ladder play caught us off guard. They scored on that play, which was bit of a wake-up call for us. Everybody looks at you to be a contender. We definitely have pressure on us to win another one.”
Off the field, coach Leo Gorzinski believes offseason work also has been key to the Jets’ success.
“The kids are invested,” he said. “They bought into the system and know what’s expected of them here at North Central. The interest in our program is there. The kids stay up, which makes it a little easier to keep them focused.
“We have a few people dinged up. We’re very fortunate to have a lot of depth. We have a couple people down who are key players.”
North Central is averaging 63 points per game, and its defense has allowed just 13 points this season. The Jets held Stephenson to minus-seven yards of total offense in a season-opening 46-0 win.
“You feel on top of the world right away,” said Luke Gorzinski. “You also have to be ready to play right away. It’s a good way to open the season, but any team can beat any other team on any given day or night. Stephenson has a good team. You can’t take any team for granted.”
No team is exempt from adversity, and the Jets will verify that.
They lost senior Alex Naser for the season Oct. 8 due to a hairline fracture below his right kneecap.
“I couldn’t have asked for a better year,” he said. “I’m going to stay on the sidelines and help as much as I can. I’ll be giving the guys a few pointers. It’s a little disappointing to not be able to play, but it’s all part of football.”
The Jets are taking this as a reminder of the importance of depth.
“Other guys have been involved in our offense,” said Coach Gorzinski. “They know what they need to do. We may not be as explosive as we were before, but we should still have an efficient offense.”
John Vrancic has covered high school sports in the Upper Peninsula since joining the Escanaba Daily Press staff in 1985. He is known most prominently across the peninsula for his extensive coverage of cross country and track & field that frequently appears in newspapers from the Wisconsin border to Lake Huron. He received the James Trethewey Award for Distinguished Service in 2015 from the Upper Peninsula Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association.
PHOTOS (Top) Luke Gorzinski (11) eludes a Portland St. Patrick defender during last season’s Division 2 championship win at Legacy Center in Brighton. (Middle) Wyatt Raab (28), another star of last season’s Final, is again a standout for the Jets.
1st & Goal: 2024 Week 8 Preview
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
October 18, 2024
It all comes down to this weekend for several of this football season's league title races across Michigan.
As one might expect at this late date, Week 8’s schedule is filled with clashes that will be remembered for decades by those who are part of them over the next two days.
All but one of our featured matchups have league championship implications, as do several more that will be played this week across both peninsulas.
Games listed below are tonight unless noted, with results posting as they are reported all weekend on the MHSAA Scores page. Updated standings also are available by clicking the schools on the score list, and every division’s playoff points summary updates as well as scores are received.
Bay & Thumb
Frankenmuth (7-0) at Freeland (7-0) WATCH
Another year, another opportunity for these two to play for a Tri-Valley Conference title. The Red championship is again on the line, as is Frankenmuth’s 65-game league winning streak going back to 2014. The Eagles have defeated Freeland in five straight, including 38-13 last season when both entered undefeated as well. The Falcons’ defense has been exceptional this season, with four shutouts and no more than six points given up in a game before allowing 27 last week to Bay City John Glenn. The Eagles will counter with an offense that hasn’t scored fewer than 41 points since a season-opening 22-0 shutout of Goodrich.
Keep an eye on these FRIDAY North Branch (5-2) at Almont (7-0) WATCH, Goodrich (6-1) at Fenton (7-0) WATCH, Grand Blanc (6-1) at Davison (6-1), Clare (6-1) at Pinconning (5-2) WATCH.
Grater Detroit
Detroit Cass Tech (5-2) vs. Detroit Martin Luther King (6-1) at Ford Field WATCH
This is another annual rematch, for the Detroit Public School League City title, with these two playing each other for the second time in the same season for the fifth-straight year. King won the first meeting this season 18-12 in overtime in Week 4, and over the last four years the winner of the first game has won the rematch as well three times – including Cass Tech claiming both a year ago. The Technicians’ defense has remained stellar, giving up just six points with two shutouts in its three games since the first loss to the Crusaders, while King has two shutouts as well over its last three games.
Keep an eye on these FRIDAY Clarkston Everest Collegiate (7-0) at Royal Oak Shrine Catholic (6-1), Dearborn Fordson (5-2) at Belleville (7-0) WATCH, Gibraltar Carlson (6-1) at Allen Park (6-1), Ann Arbor Father Gabriel Richard (5-2) at Macomb Lutheran North (6-1) WATCH, Detroit Central (5-2) vs. Detroit Denby (5-2) at Ford Field WATCH.
Mid-Michigan
Brighton (6-1) at Howell (7-0) WATCH
Howell has already clinched a share of the Kensington Lakes Activities Association West championship thanks to last week’s 35-21 win over Novi. But Brighton can mash things up tonight, as a Bulldogs win would create a three-team title share between Howell, Brighton and Novi. The Highlanders and Bulldogs have split their last four meetings, with Howell winning last year’s 43-7. Brighton’s only loss this fall was 37-34 to Novi in Week 4 – but the Bulldogs also have shown the ability to pull out a close win with one-point victories over Northville and Plymouth.
Keep an eye on these FRIDAY Ogemaw Heights (6-1) at Harrison (7-0), Lansing Sexton (4-3) at Portland (7-0), Lansing Catholic (5-2) at Olivet (5-2) WATCH, Walled Lake Western (7-0) at Mason (6-1).
Northern Lower Peninsula
East Jordan (5-2) at Frankfort (6-1) WATCH
These two will hold out hope for a Mancelona win over Maple City Glen Lake in Week 9 – a victory by the Ironmen next week would give tonight’s winner a share of the Northern Michigan Football League Legacy title. But in the meantime, Frankfort and East Jordan also are setting up playoff position, with Frankfort entering this week No. 15 on the Division 8 playoff points list and East Jordan just one spot behind at No. 16. A home playoff game very well could be on the line, and every little advantage counts as these two have played four straight games decided by six or fewer points – including the Red Devils’ 38-36 victory in East Jordan a year ago.
Keep an eye on these FRIDAY Oscoda (5-2) at Boyne City (5-2) WATCH, Montague (3-4) at Manistee (4-3) WATCH, Bay City Western (2-5) at Traverse City West (4-3) WATCH, Kalkaska (2-5) at Kingsley (5-2) WATCH.
Southeast & Border
Clinton (6-1) at Hudson (6-1) WATCH
The Lenawee County Athletic Association title comes down almost completely to this matchup, as these two are tied atop the standings with two league games to play and the winner tonight clinching a share of the championship. Clinton won it outright last year, with Hudson finishing runner-up thanks to a 29-0 Redwolves victory in the regular-season finale. The Tigers’ lone loss this season came to still-undefeated Fowler, and they haven’t been challenged much since. Clinton also opened with a defeat, to also still-undefeated Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central, and since has advanced through four wins by 10 or fewer points.
Keep an eye on these FRIDAY Bronson (5-2) at Springport (6-1) WATCH, Brooklyn Columbia Central (3-4) at Hanover-Horton (7-0) WATCH, Grass Lake (4-3) at Leslie (7-0) WATCH, Manchester (5-2) at Michigan Center (3-4) WATCH.
Southwest Corridor
Kalamazoo United (6-1) at Parchment (6-1)
This is a winner-take-all for the Southwestern Athletic Conference Lakeshore championship, and both are bringing significant momentum into this matchup. Parchment downed last season’s champion Constantine last week 51-30 and has given up 46 points total this season not counting its 48-16 loss to Dowagiac in Week 3. United’s loss also came in Week 3, 27-18 to Lawton, and the Titans otherwise have allowed just 41 points this fall with the majority also coming during a 33-21 win over Constantine. United has defeated Parchment in six straight, including the last five as league opponents, but only 30-28 a year ago.
Keep an eye on these FRIDAY Kalamazoo Central (5-2) at Mattawan (4-3), Buchanan (4-3) at Dowagiac (5-2), Portage Northern (4-3) at Kalamazoo Loy Norrix (5-2) WATCH, Saugatuck (5-2) at Lawton (5-2) WATCH.
Upper Peninsula
Kingsford (7-0) at Menominee (7-0)
Kingsford and Menominee also met last season with league title implications, and the Flivvers’ 41-32 victory resulted in a shared Western Peninsula Athletic Conference Copper title between Kingsford and Negaunee, while the Maroons finished tied for third. This time, it’s winner take all. Menominee is coming off a 34-19 win over Negaunee, while Kingsford got its 29-27 Negaunee win in Week 4 and hasn’t been challenged much the last few weeks. The Flivvers have three shutouts and are giving up only seven points per game, a notable detail as Menominee is averaging 50 points per game.
Keep an eye on these FRIDAY Iron Mountain (7-0) at Manistique (4-3) WATCH, Houghton (3-4) at Negaunee (5-2), Bark River-Harris (4-3) at West Iron County (3-4) WATCH. SATURDAY Cadillac (4-3) at Marquette (5-2).
West Michigan
Holland Christian (6-1) at Grand Rapids Northview (7-0)
A week after what has to be considered one of the most memorable wins in program history, Northview must finish the job in the Ottawa-Kent Conference Black against another contender enjoying one of its best seasons in some time. The Wildcats are coming off a 12-3 win over always-powerful Grand Rapids Catholic Central, and Holland Christian’s only defeat came to the Cougars 42-18 the week before. The Maroons rebounded off of that loss with a one-point win last week over one-win Middleville Thornapple Kellogg, but now have a chance at a shared league title if they can prevail tonight – although there haven’t been many down moments for Northview during a run that’s also included wins over Southeastern Conference White champion Chelsea and East Grand Rapids to start the league schedule.
Keep an eye on these FRIDAY Coopersville (5-2) at Big Rapids (6-1) WATCH, Muskegon (3-3) at Byron Center (6-1), Hamilton (5-2) at Grand Rapids West Catholic (5-2), Decatur (6-1) at Hopkins (6-1) WATCH.
8-Player
Pickford (7-0) at Norway (6-1) WATCH
This may end up just the first of multiple meetings between these two this season – they played each other during the regular season and playoffs a year ago – but this matchup carries much more significance than their first last fall as the winner tonight will earn a share of the Great Lakes Eight Conference East title. Pickford is the reigning champ, but Norway played in the GLEC West last season and won that division in similarly dominant fashion. The Panthers did claim both of their 2023 meetings, 40-18 and then 34-16 in a Division 1 Regional Final, and they are averaging 54 points per game and allowing just under seven. But Norway might provide the greatest challenge yet, having kicked things up a notch offensively with an already high-caliber offense averaging 45 points a game.
Keep an eye on these FRIDAY Mendon (7-0) vs. Climax-Scotts (6-1), Pittsford (6-1) at Waldron (5-2), Bellaire (6-1) at Indian River Inland Lakes (7-0) WATCH, Bay City All Saints (6-1) at Kinde North Huron (6-1) WATCH.
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PHOTO Grand Rapids Northview's Jalen Gant (1) works to break a tackle against East Grand Rapids during a Week 4 win. (Photo by Michigan Sports Photo.)