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 20, 2021
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. 29. 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.
To review a list of all football playoff schools, individual school playoff point details and to report errors, visit the Football page of the MHSAA Website.
The announcement of the qualifiers and first-round pairings for both the 11 and 8-player playoffs will take place at 5:30 p.m. Oct. 24 on the “Selection Sunday Show” on Bally Sports Detroit. The playoff qualifiers and pairings will be posted to the MHSAA Website following the Selection Sunday Show.
11-PLAYER DIVISION 1
1. Rockford, 8-0, 81.375
2. Grand Blanc, 8-0, 80.875
3. Saline, 8-0, 80.625
4. Rochester Adams, 8-0, 78.500
5. Romeo, 7-1, 76.125
6. West Bloomfield, 7-1, 75.250
7. Troy, 8-0, 71.750
8. Brownstown Woodhaven, 8-0, 71.625
9. Belleville, 7-1, 71.375
9. Hartland, 7-1, 71.375
11. Clarkston, 7-1, 70.750
12. Sterling Heights Stevenson, 6-2, 70.625
13. Howell, 7-1, 70.500
14. Bloomfield Hills, 8-0, 70.375
15. Ann Arbor Huron, 7-1, 69.500
16. Clinton Township Chippewa Valley, 6-2, 69.125
17. Detroit Catholic Central, 6-2, 67.518
18. Dearborn Fordson, 6-2, 66.250
19. Dearborn, 6-2, 66.125
20. New Baltimore Anchor Bay, 7-1, 65.500
21. Grandville, 5-3, 62.375
22. Macomb Dakota, 5-3, 61.125
23. Holt, 6-2, 60.750
24. Canton, 5-3, 59.250
25. Traverse City West, 6-2, 59.125
26. Lapeer, 6-2, 58.875
27. Oxford, 4-4, 58.500
28. Grand Ledge, 6-2, 56.375
29. Troy Athens, 5-3, 54.839
30. Novi, 5-3, 54.750
31. Monroe, 4-4, 52.000
32. Brighton, 4-4, 51.750
33. Hudsonville, 4-4, 51.250
33. Utica, 4-4, 51.250
35. Davison, 5-3, 50.750
35. Rochester, 5-3, 50.750
37. Detroit Cass Tech, 5-3, 50.482
38. Fraser, 5-3, 49.875
39. Livonia Stevenson, 4-4, 49.625
39. Rochester Hills Stoney Creek, 3-5, 49.625
11-PLAYER DIVISION 2
1. Warren De La Salle Collegiate, 7-0, 77.643
2. South Lyon, 8-0, 76.696
3. Caledonia, 7-1, 72.500
4. Traverse City Central, 7-1, 68.500
5. Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central, 7-1, 66.500
6. Milford, 7-1, 66.250
7. Berkley, 6-2, 65.625
8. Temperance Bedford, 6-2, 64.750
9. Livonia Churchill, 6-2, 63.125
10. East Lansing, 5-3, 62.625
10. Harrison Township L'Anse Creuse, 6-2, 62.625
12. Port Huron Northern, 6-2, 61.804
13. Port Huron, 6-2, 61.250
14. Midland Dow, 5-3, 60.500
15. Muskegon Mona Shores, 6-2, 60.196
16. Portage Central, 6-2, 59.750
17. Byron Center, 6-2, 58.208
18. Dexter, 5-3, 57.250
19. Walled Lake Western, 5-3, 55.750
20. White Lake Lakeland, 5-3, 55.000
21. Bay City Western, 6-2, 53.500
22. Battle Creek Lakeview, 5-3, 53.357
23. Roseville, 5-3, 51.804
24. Grosse Pointe South, 4-4, 50.839
25. Dearborn Heights Crestwood, 6-2, 50.375
25. Waterford Mott, 4-4, 50.375
27. Saginaw Heritage, 4-4, 48.500
28. St. Clair Shores Lakeview, 4-4, 47.750
29. Fenton, 4-4, 47.625
30. Livonia Franklin, 3-5, 46.500
31. Wyandotte Roosevelt, 4-4, 46.125
32. Detroit U-D Jesuit, 4-4, 46.054
33. Jackson, 4-4, 45.000
34. Swartz Creek, 4-4, 44.750
35. Farmington, 3-5, 42.125
36. Ypsilanti Lincoln, 3-5, 42.000
37. Oak Park, 3-5, 41.750
38. North Farmington, 3-5, 41.500
39. Warren Mott, 3-5, 39.750
40. Flushing, 4-4, 39.625
11-PLAYER DIVISION 3
1. DeWitt, 7-1, 72.750
2. Detroit Martin Luther King, 7-1, 70.881
3. Mount Pleasant, 8-0, 67.375
4. Muskegon, 7-1, 65.571
5. Gibraltar Carlson, 7-1, 64.125
6. Allen Park, 6-2, 62.500
7. Harper Woods, 6-2, 59.964
8. Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice, 5-3, 57.839
9. Riverview, 8-0, 57.500
10. Stevensville Lakeshore, 6-2, 57.250
11. Zeeland West, 5-2, 55.232
12. Marquette, 6-2, 54.500
13. Cedar Springs, 6-2, 53.500
14. Mason, 6-2, 53.000
15. Warren Fitzgerald, 7-1, 52.375
16. Battle Creek Harper Creek, 6-2, 51.875
17. St Joseph, 5-3, 51.750
18. River Rouge, 5-2, 51.417
19. Haslett, 6-2, 51.125
20. Orchard Lake St. Mary's, 5-3, 50.873
21. Zeeland East, 5-3, 49.732
22. Flint Kearsley, 5-3, 49.125
23. Pinckney, 5-3, 48.375
24. Trenton, 4-4, 48.250
25. Lowell, 4-4, 46.750
26. Coopersville, 5-3, 46.125
27. Parma Western, 5-3, 45.375
28. Melvindale, 5-3, 43.000
29. Grand Rapids Northview, 4-4, 41.125
30. Mattawan, 3-5, 40.464
31. Battle Creek Central, 3-5, 39.375
32. Auburn Hills Avondale, 3-5, 39.250
33. South Lyon East, 3-5, 38.875
34. Ionia, 4-4, 38.000
35. Linden, 3-5, 37.375
36. Richland Gull Lake, 4-4, 36.875
37. Coldwater, 3-5, 36.625
38. East Grand Rapids, 3-5, 36.107
39. Muskegon Reeths-Puffer, 3-5, 35.732
40. Petoskey, 3-5, 35.125
11-PLAYER DIVISION 4
1. Chelsea, 8-0, 65.986
2. Hudsonville Unity Christian, 8-0, 64.875
3. Edwardsburg, 8-0, 63.000
4. Vicksburg, 7-1, 60.625
5. Lake Fenton, 7-1, 58.625
6. Hastings, 7-1, 58.500
7. Redford Union, 7-1, 58.375
8. Cadillac, 6-2, 56.250
9. St. Clair, 6-2, 55.179
10. Grand Rapids Christian, 5-3, 54.875
11. Livonia Clarenceville, 7-1, 54.625
12. Spring Lake, 6-2, 53.625
13. Goodrich, 6-2, 53.500
13. Madison Heights Lamphere, 7-1, 53.500
15. Freeland, 7-1, 52.625
16. Grand Rapids South Christian, 6-2, 51.250
17. Pontiac Notre Dame Prep, 7-1, 50.911
18. Croswell-Lexington, 7-1, 50.875
19. Detroit Country Day, 5-2, 47.750
20. Milan, 6-2, 47.625
21. Sparta, 6-2, 47.315
22. Plainwell, 5-3, 46.875
22. Three Rivers, 5-3, 46.875
24. Whitehall, 7-1, 46.750
25. Paw Paw, 5-3, 46.250
26. Ortonville Brandon, 5-3, 44.679
27. North Branch, 6-2, 44.625
28. Ada Forest Hills Eastern, 4-4, 43.625
29. Charlotte, 5-3, 43.500
30. Niles, 4-4, 42.125
31. Fruitport, 4-4, 41.750
32. Romulus Summit Academy North, 6-2, 41.438
33. Detroit Henry Ford, 4-4, 40.143
34. New Boston Huron, 4-4, 39.750
35. Wyoming Godwin Heights, 4-3, 36.798
36. Alma, 4-4, 36.750
37. Sault Ste. Marie, 5-3, 34.125
38. Battle Creek Pennfield, 3-5, 33.625
39. Allendale, 3-5, 33.125
39. Lansing Sexton, 3-5, 33.125
39. Romulus, 3-5, 33.125
11-PLAYER DIVISION 5
1. Grand Rapids Catholic Central, 8-0, 68.042
2. Frankenmuth, 8-0, 61.000
3. Grand Rapids West Catholic, 7-1, 60.750
4. Marine City, 8-0, 58.000
5. Portland, 6-2, 55.875
6. Comstock Park, 8-0, 54.649
7. Berrien Springs, 8-0, 52.750
8. Williamston, 5-3, 51.000
9. Kingsley, 8-0, 49.250
10. Muskegon Oakridge, 7-1, 48.768
11. Armada, 6-2, 47.125
12. Gladwin, 8-0, 46.250
13. Howard City Tri County, 7-1, 45.250
14. Belding, 5-3, 44.226
15. Kingsford, 5-3, 44.153
16. Essexville Garber, 5-3, 42.125
17. Olivet, 6-2, 41.500
18. Kalamazoo Hackett Catholic Prep, 5-3, 40.607
19. South Haven, 6-2, 40.306
20. Saginaw Swan Valley, 4-4, 39.500
21. Big Rapids, 5-3, 39.125
21. Dundee, 5-3, 39.125
23. Hopkins, 4-4, 38.315
24. Macomb Lutheran North, 5-3, 37.920
25. Clare, 5-3, 37.625
26. Corunna, 4-4, 36.875
27. Flint Powers Catholic, 2-6, 36.750
28. Richmond, 4-4, 35.375
29. St. Clair Shores South Lake, 4-4, 34.000
30. Carrollton, 4-4, 32.125
31. Parchment, 5-3, 31.393
32. Detroit Cody, 4-4, 30.750
33. Grant, 3-5, 30.583
34. Flint Hamady, 5-3, 30.554
35. Birch Run, 3-5, 30.000
36. Cheboygan, 3-5, 29.875
37. Shepherd, 4-4, 29.625
38. Flat Rock, 2-6, 28.750
39. Ogemaw Heights, 2-6, 28.500
40. Midland Bullock Creek, 3-5, 28.375
11-PLAYER DIVISION 6
1. Lansing Catholic, 8-0, 61.750
2. Reed City, 7-1, 49.750
3. Constantine, 8-0, 48.393
4. Millington, 8-0, 45.375
5. Ida, 6-2, 43.875
6. Standish-Sterling, 7-1, 43.750
7. Montague, 6-2, 43.518
8. Warren Michigan Collegiate, 6-2, 42.920
9. Detroit Southeastern, 5-3, 42.893
10. Almont, 5-3, 41.750
11. Negaunee, 7-1, 41.661
12. Dearborn Heights Robichaud, 5-3, 41.250
13. Grayling, 6-2, 40.804
14. Boyne City, 7-1, 40.643
15. Jonesville, 8-0, 40.375
16. Menominee, 5-3, 40.292
17. Clawson, 6-2, 39.875
18. Ecorse, 6-2, 39.625
19. Central Montcalm, 5-3, 38.625
20. Ovid-Elsie, 6-2, 37.589
21. Clinton Township Clintondale, 4-4, 37.250
22. Michigan Center, 7-1, 37.000
23. Clinton, 6-2, 36.607
24. Gladstone, 4-4, 36.125
25. Detroit Pershing, 5-3, 36.063
26. Manistee, 5-3, 36.036
27. Calumet, 6-2, 35.375
28. Watervliet, 5-3, 34.750
29. Durand, 5-3, 32.839
30. Detroit Edison, 5-3, 32.607
31. Detroit Collegiate Prep, 4-4, 31.330
32. Erie Mason, 5-3, 31.000
33. Adrian Madison, 5-3, 30.500
34. Morley Stanwood, 5-3, 30.232
35. Detroit Osborn, 4-4, 29.750
36. Hillsdale, 3-5, 29.250
37. Buchanan, 3-5, 28.750
38. Kent City, 5-2, 28.679
39. Lake City, 5-3, 28.554
40. Maple City Glen Lake, 3-5, 28.125
11-PLAYER DIVISION 7
1. Jackson Lumen Christi, 7-1, 57.875
2. Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central, 7-1, 54.250
3. Traverse City St. Francis, 8-0, 51.500
4. Detroit Central, 8-0, 50.482
5. Pewamo-Westphalia, 8-0, 45.429
6. Muskegon Catholic Central, 7-1, 44.500
7. Madison Heights Bishop Foley, 7-1, 42.857
8. Lawton, 8-0, 42.232
9. Ishpeming Westwood, 7-1, 38.911
10. New Lothrop, 6-2, 38.714
11. Charlevoix, 7-1, 38.518
12. Montrose, 6-2, 38.000
13. Evart, 7-1, 37.804
14. Detroit Community, 6-2, 36.938
15. Hemlock, 5-3, 36.750
16. Delton Kellogg, 5-2, 36.482
17. Lutheran Westland, 7-1, 36.375
18. Ravenna, 5-3, 36.268
19. Detroit Loyola, 3-4, 36.179
20. Bad Axe, 7-1, 35.750
20. Reese, 7-1, 35.750
22. Ithaca, 5-3, 34.375
23. Elkton-Pigeon-Bay Port Laker, 6-2, 33.500
24. McBain, 5-3, 32.554
25. Detroit Leadership Academy, 5-3, 31.875
26. Mancelona, 5-2, 31.732
27. Burton Bendle, 5-3, 30.429
28. Homer, 5-3, 30.125
29. Union City, 4-4, 29.875
30. North Muskegon, 3-5, 29.393
31. Harrison, 5-3, 28.875
32. St. Louis, 5-3, 28.375
33. Niles Brandywine, 3-5, 27.875
34. Laingsburg, 5-3, 27.679
35. Burton Bentley, 4-4, 27.554
36. East Jordan, 6-2, 26.839
37. L'Anse, 4-4, 25.250
38. Madison Heights Madison, 2-6, 23.625
39. Beaverton, 3-5, 23.375
40. Hanover-Horton, 3-5, 23.125
11-PLAYER DIVISION 8
1. Hudson, 8-0, 48.250
2. Ottawa Lake Whiteford, 7-1, 42.958
3. Addison, 8-0, 41.875
4. Carson City-Crystal, 7-1, 39.500
5. Beal City, 7-1, 38.875
6. Ubly, 8-0, 37.804
7. Clarkston Everest Collegiate, 7-1, 36.250
8. Iron Mountain, 5-3, 35.286
9. White Pigeon, 7-1, 34.181
10. Centreville, 6-2, 32.288
11. Flint Beecher, 4-4, 32.179
12. Muskegon Heights Academy, 5-3, 31.679
13. Breckenridge, 6-2, 31.625
13. Reading, 6-2, 31.625
15. Frankfort, 6-2, 31.375
16. Marine City Cardinal Mooney, 6-2, 29.875
17. Sand Creek, 5-3, 29.625
18. Fowler, 5-3, 29.446
19. Marlette, 5-3, 29.179
20. Whitmore Lake, 5-3, 29.000
21. Harbor Beach, 5-3, 28.929
22. Mount Clemens, 5-3, 28.688
23. Saugatuck, 5-3, 27.946
24. Cass City, 4-4, 27.875
24. Petersburg Summerfield, 5-3, 27.875
26. Cassopolis, 5-3, 27.538
27. Holton, 5-3, 27.411
28. White Cloud, 4-4, 25.286
29. Rochester Hills Lutheran Northwest, 4-4, 25.125
30. Bark River-Harris, 5-3, 24.750
31. Decatur, 3-5, 23.625
32. Allen Park Cabrini, 4-4, 23.375
33. Saginaw Nouvel, 3-5, 23.250
34. Dansville, 4-4, 22.679
35. Riverview Gabriel Richard, 2-5, 22.268
36. Vassar, 3-5, 21.750
37. Coleman, 4-4, 20.625
38. Melvindale Academy for Business & Tech, 3-5, 20.563
39. Ishpeming, 3-4, 19.589
40. Unionville-Sebewaing, 2-6, 19.250
8-PLAYER DIVISION 1
1. Adrian Lenawee Christian, 8-0, 38.179
2. Suttons Bay, 8-0, 36.875
3. Martin, 8-0, 35.125
4. Deckerville, 7-0, 33.893
5. Rogers City, 8-0, 33.411
6. Britton Deerfield, 8-0, 33.196
7. Indian River Inland Lakes, 8-0, 32.500
8. Pickford, 7-1, 32.054
9. Munising, 6-2, 31.554
10. Mendon, 6-2, 30.750
11. Lawrence, 6-2, 30.000
12. Newberry, 6-2, 28.179
13. Rudyard, 6-2, 27.804
14. Tekonsha, 6-2, 27.750
15. Mesick, 5-3, 27.357
16. Ontonagon, 5-3, 26.125
17. Genesee, 5-2, 26.054
18. Vestaburg, 5-3, 25.982
19. Merrill, 4-4, 25.625
20. Kingston, 4-4, 24.661
21. Norway, 4-4, 24.500
22. Stephenson, 4-4, 24.125
23. Brethren, 3-5, 23.089
24. Marcellus, 4-4, 23.000
8-PLAYER DIVISION 2
1. Au Gres-Sims, 8-0, 34.750
2. Marion, 7-1, 34.732
3. Portland St. Patrick, 8-0, 34.500
4. Kinde North Huron, 8-0, 34.375
5. Morrice, 8-0, 34.268
6. Powers North Central, 8-0, 34.000
7. Colon, 7-1, 32.482
8. Pellston, 7-1, 31.250
9. Crystal Falls Forest Park, 7-1, 30.500
10. Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart, 6-2, 29.571
11. Mio, 6-2, 29.250
12. Lake Linden-Hubbell, 6-2, 28.500
13. Climax-Scotts, 5-3, 28.107
14. Peck, 5-3, 26.125
15. Bay City All Saints, 6-2, 25.500
16. Hillman, 5-3, 25.375
17. Gaylord St Mary, 5-3, 25.054
18. Bear Lake, 5-3, 23.232
19. Athens, 4-4, 22.732
20. Eben Junction Superior Central, 4-4, 21.875
20. North Adams-Jerome, 4-4, 21.875
22. Fulton, 3-5, 21.750
23. Hale, 3-5, 21.375
24. Waldron, 5-3, 21.250
PHOTO A pair of Plainwell defenders bring down an Otsego ball carrier during Plainwell's 21-6 Week 1 win. (Photo by Gary Shook.)
Inspired by Past, Kingsley Adds to Tradition with 1st Championship since 2005
By
Scott DeCamp
Special for MHSAA.com
November 25, 2023
DETROIT – When Kingsley head football coach Tim Wooer was presented the MHSAA Division 6 championship trophy Saturday night at Ford Field, he turned, raised it over his head, and acknowledged the roaring throng of orange-clad Stags fans in the stands.
Community, tradition, and history mean everything to the 1998 Kingsley alumnus.
All of those things were recognized and on display during and after Kingsley’s 38-24 victory over Almont, which secured the Stags their second Finals championship and first since 2005.
Kingsley senior Eli Graves made history in his own right. He rushed for 210 yards and four touchdowns, plus he accounted for three two-point conversions, for a total of 30 points to tie the all-division 11-player Finals record for points in a game by one player.
“We have the best O-line in D6, so it’s pretty easy to run behind those guys,” Graves said. “When they get the job done, it makes my job easy. And I’ve just got a coach that trusts me with the ball.”
Wooer believes in his players, present and past. They share a special bond, which was apparent during the postgame press conference after Kingsley put a memorable finish on its 12-2 season.
Graves was one of four Stags players Wooer brought to the postgame press conference. Wooer also brought assistant coach Connor Schueller, a fullback on the 2021 team, whose mother Trina Schueller died from COVID-19 in October 2021.
“I think the reason I’ve got him in here tonight is because sometimes as a coach – and this is true of (the late) Justin Hansen, too – there’s a shift of where you’re supposed to be the role model,” an emotional Wooer said, pausing to collect himself. “You’re supposed to be the role model for players, you’re supposed to teach them everything.
“And then there comes a time when your players teach you about life. And Justin Hansen did that for sure, and so did Connor Schueller. Two pretty important people in our lives in our community.”
Hansen was a captain on Kingsley’s 2002 conference championship team. He was a special-ops Marine, who was killed in action in July 2012.
On Saturday, Wooer wore a red T-shirt with the letters “USA” on the front and the name “Hansen” on the back.
“It’s truly taken me about 10 to 11 years to be able to talk about it. But I can remember as I driving out of town that evening, crying and sobbing and being angry and having all these emotions, I wanted to make sure that he was always remembered,” Wooer said, his eyes welling up before a momentary pause to compose himself. “So he was here today, and he was remembered.”
Graves put on a performance that will not soon be forgotten. The wiry 6-foot-3, 175-pounder scored on TD runs of 3, 30, 5, and 6 yards.
Graves tacked on a pair of two-point conversion runs, and he hauled in a two-point conversion pass with some fine footwork along the sideline.
“He’s a good player downhill. Not much to say about it,” Almont senior Ayden Ferqueron said. “The wing-T is hard to stop. When you’ve got a running back that goes downhill and able to follow his blocks, see holes, and hit them (it’s tough to stop).”
Kingsley outgained Almont in total yards (371-191), holding a big advantage in rushing yardage (331-174) and an edge in its timely passing game (66-17).
Stags junior tight end Chase Bott caught a 35-yard TD pass from senior Gavyn Merchant, and senior Skylar Workman ran in the two-point conversion for a 30-17 lead eight seconds into the fourth quarter.
Almont hung around throughout the game, pulling within 30-24 on senior Cole Walton’s 35-yard TD pass from senior Chase Davedowski and sophomore Sean O’Neil’s PAT with 7:55 remaining.
But every time the Raiders pulled within striking distance, the Stags had an answer and it usually came from Graves, who put it away with his final TD run with 2:19 left.
Almont, which was making its first Finals appearance since 2019 and looking for its first title, finished with a 12-2 record.
“Nothing that we didn’t prepare for. They were just more physical off the ball than us,” Almont coach James Leusby said. “Defensively-wise, we got pushed back a little and hadn’t faced that all year, so hats (off) to them.”
Almont senior Chase Battani scored on a 65-yard TD sprint, while Ferqueron ran for a 2-yard score. Ferqueron and Battani led all defensive players in the game with 15 and 13 stops, respectively.
Graves said he wore jersey No. 2 for his brother, Owen Graves, who was part of Kingsley’s 2020 team that had to forfeit in the playoffs because of COVID.
Eli Graves said he did not get the chance to see his brother after the game, but added he’ll probably brag to him about his performance once he sees him. He knows his brother is proud.
“He never got to finish his senior season because they had to forfeit due to COVID, so we always play our hardest for that team because they didn’t get a chance to do this,” Graves said.
Wooer was the architect who helped build Kingsley into the program it has become. His 2005 team defeated Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central, 31-21, for the Stags’ first championship.
Wooer left Kingsley and coached at Traverse City West for a decade before he returned to his alma mater in 2018.
For coaches, comparing state-title teams is like comparing one’s children. You love them all the same.
“They’re both fun,” Wooer said with a chuckle when asked to compare Kingsley’s two title winners. “I would say, people have asked me that question in terms of, ‘Which team was better? How were they similar? How were they different?’
“I think the one characteristic when you get a team of this caliber is the character and the morals and the ethics and just the leadership. When I was 24 years old, it was all about having the biggest, fastest, strongest kids. And the longer I coach, the more I understand that having guys like this lead your team is the magic potion.”
PHOTOS (Top) Kingsley’s Chase Bott (84) makes his move toward the goalline while Chase Battani works to wrap him up Saturday at Ford Field. (Middle) Eli Graves (2) follows teammate James Pearson upfield. (Below) Max Goethals (11) pulls in a pass for the Stags. (Photos by Hockey Weekly Action Photos.)