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Week 9 Football Playoff Listing
October 16, 2012
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 in enrollment order. An asterisk (*) beside a record indicates that a team has eight or fewer games scheduled. A caret (^) beside a school’s name indicates that a team is one win away from playoff qualification.
Those schools with 11-player teams with six or more wins playing nine-game schedules, or five or more wins playing eight games or fewer, will qualify for the MHSAA Football Playoffs beginning Oct. 26-27. Schools with 5-4, 4-3 or 4-4 records may qualify if the number of potential qualifiers by win total does not reach the 256 mark. Schools with six or more wins playing nine-game schedules or five or more wins playing eight games or fewer may be subtracted from the field based on playoff average if the number of potential qualifiers exceeds the 256 mark.
Once the 256 qualifying schools are determined, they will be divided by enrollment groups into eight equal divisions of 32 schools, and then drawn into regions of eight teams each and districts of four teams each.
Those schools with 8-player teams will be ranked by playoff average at season’s end, and the top 16 programs will be drawn into regions of eight teams each for the playoff in that division, which also begins Oct. 26-27. All 8-player teams, regardless of win total, are listed below.
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 6 p.m. on Oct. 21 on the Selection Sunday Show on FOX Sports Detroit. The playoff qualifiers and pairings will be posted to the MHSAA Website following the Selection Sunday Show.
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11-Player Playoff Listing
1. Utica Eisenhower, 2772, 6-2, 85.250
2. Sterling Heights Stevenson, 2766, 6-2, 81.375
3. Clarkston, 2721, 8-0, 109.000
4. Howell ^, 2692, 5-3, 67.750
5. Grand Blanc, 2644, 4-4, 57.000
6. Macomb Dakota, 2608, 7-1, 94.750
7. Lake Orion, 2565, 7-1, 94.875
8. Rockford, 2526, 6-2, 81.625
9. Troy ^, 2502, 5-3, 65.125
10. Clinton Township Chippewa Valley ^, 2462, 5-3, 69.750
11. Dearborn Fordson, 2442, 7-1, 102.375
12. Holland West Ottawa, 2262, 6-2, 77.250
13. Northville ^, 2220, 5-3, 65.875
14. Detroit Cass Tech, 2200, 6-2, 80.125
15. Canton ^, 2166, 5-3, 63.500
16. Monroe, 2154, 6-2, 72.250
17. Detroit Catholic Central ^, 2060, 5-3, 65.792
18. Plymouth, 2050, 7-1, 89.875
19. Salem ^, 2039, 5-3, 67.500
20. Livonia Stevenson, 2005, 6-2, 78.250
21. Holt ^, 1992, 5-3, 61.750
22. Hartland, 1932, 7-1, 92.625
23. Warren Mott, 1879, 7-1, 79.625
24. Livonia Churchill, 1877, 8-0, 111.000
25. Macomb L'Anse Creuse North, 1853, 6-2, 76.125
26. Saline, 1849, 7-1, 91.500
27. Grandville, 1846, 4-4, 47.750
28. Romeo, 1802, 4-4, 59.500
29. Dearborn ^, 1790, 5-3, 71.000
30. Rochester Hills Stoney Creek ^, 1777, 5-3, 62.125
31. Flint Carman-Ainsworth, 1772, 7-1, 80.875
32. Grand Ledge, 1743, 6-2, 76.125
33. Rochester ^, 1725, 5-3, 63.125
34. Traverse City West ^, 1720, 5-3, 64.625
35. White Lake Lakeland ^, 1700, 5-3, 62.750
36. Harrison Township L'Anse Creuse, 1680, 4-4, 48.500
37. Belleville, 1678, 4-4, 54.500
38. Ann Arbor Pioneer ^, 1670, 5-3, 65.625
39. Davison, 1664, 6-2, 69.750
40. Grosse Pointe South, 1648, 7-1, 90.625
41. Walled Lake Northern, 1599, 6-2, 84.375
42. Temperance Bedford ^, 1581, 5-3, 63.125
43. Walled Lake Western, 1553, 6-2, 77.375
44. Warren DeLaSalle, 1550, 4-4, 53.292
45. Brownstown Woodhaven, 1520, 7-1, 88.750
46. Ypsilanti Lincoln ^, 1520, 5-3, 58.500
47. Wyoming, 1515, 4-4, 41.429
48. Dearborn Edsel Ford ^, 1508, 5-3, 60.625
49. Midland, 1485, 8-0, 109.000
50. Oxford ^, 1481, 5-3, 69.875
51. Port Huron, 1473, 6-2, 76.000
52. Pinckney, 1448, 4-4, 50.000
53. Traverse City Central, 1429, 7-1, 88.250
54. Oak Park, 1391, 7-1, 99.500
55. Bay City Central, 1385, 4-4, 46.000
56. Kalamazoo Loy Norrix, 1364, 4-4, 46.250
57. Lansing Everett, 1359, 8-0, 111.000
58. Grosse Pointe North ^, 1353, 5-3, 60.875
59. Midland Dow ^, 1350, 5-3, 58.500
60. Birmingham Seaholm, 1349, 7-1, 90.750
61. Battle Creek Lakeview ^, 1347, 5-3, 61.875
62. Garden City, 1344, 4-4, 48.125
63. Portage Central ^, 1340, 5-3, 62.375
64. Muskegon Mona Shores, 1337, 4-4, 48.750
65. Birmingham Brother Rice, 1336, 6-2, 84.250
66. Portage Northern, 1328, 7-1, 87.875
67. Caledonia, 1308, 6-2, 73.500
68. Wyandotte Roosevelt, 1304, 7-1, 90.750
69. Farmington Hills Harrison ^, 1302, 5-3, 67.750
70. Detroit Martin Luther King ^, 1287, 5-3, 66.375
71. Detroit Cody ^, 1282, 5-3, 57.589
72. Farmington, 1278, 6-2, 79.250
73. Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central, 1278, 4-4, 52.000
74. South Lyon, 1262, 4-4, 48.625
75. Taylor Truman, 1253, 7-1, 91.750
76. Berkley, 1225, 4-4, 47.125
77. Flushing, 1225, 4-4, 44.375
78. Swartz Creek, 1223, 7-1, 86.750
79. Southfield ^, 1218, 5-3, 69.625
80. Fenton, 1202, 7-1, 88.750
81. Grand Rapids Northview, 1180, 7-1, 82.500
82. Lowell, 1177, 7-1, 93.875
83. Holly, 1172, 4-4, 48.875
84. Bay City Western, 1171, 7-1, 79.875
85. Gibraltar Carlson, 1160, 4-4, 46.375
86. Muskegon, 1144, 8-0, 114.000
87. East Lansing ^, 1142, 5-3, 59.000
88. Mattawan, 1124, 7-1, 86.875
89. Allen Park ^, 1120, 5-3, 60.250
90. Marquette *, 1112, 5-3, 66.875
91. Grand Rapids Kenowa Hills, 1109, 4-4, 57.125
92. Lapeer West, 1101, 6-2, 78.375
93. Detroit Renaissance, 1094, 4-4, 45.125
94. Redford Thurston ^, 1088, 5-3, 60.000
95. Auburn Hills Avondale, 1080, 7-1, 84.750
96. St. Johns ^, 1068, 5-3, 62.375
97. Zeeland East, 1067, 8-0, 102.000
98. Byron Center ^, 1032, 5-3, 63.000
99. Detroit East English, 1030, 7-1, 89.750
100. Mt. Pleasant, 1014, 4-4, 52.125
101. Owosso ^, 1012, 5-3, 57.875
102. Lansing Waverly ^, 1011, 5-3, 57.375
103. St. Joseph, 974, 4-4, 53.875
104. Mason ^, 969, 5-3, 52.000
105. Petoskey ^, 967, 5-3, 64.875
106. Milan, 959, 8-0, 93.000
107. Sault Ste. Marie ^, 959, 5-3, 55.625
108. Grand Rapids Christian, 954, 7-1, 92.625
109. Cedar Springs, 950, 4-4, 37.000
110. DeWitt, 931, 6-2, 78.625
111. Fruitport, 929, 8-0, 86.000
112. Orchard Lake St. Mary's, 926, 6-2, 85.575
113. Bloomfield Hills Lahser ^, 925, 5-3, 60.375
114. Linden, 923, 7-1, 87.625
115. Niles, 920, 4-4, 45.750
116. Hazel Park, 909, 4-4, 46.625
117. Stevensville Lakeshore, 906, 8-0, 117.000
118. St. Clair, 901, 7-1, 83.750
119. Haslett, 894, 4-4, 50.125
120. South Lyon East, 891, 4-4, 51.125
121. Tecumseh, 887, 7-1, 78.500
122. Sturgis, 882, 4-4, 47.375
123. Melvindale, 879, 4-4, 49.500
124. Carleton Airport ^, 868, 5-3, 55.250
125. Detroit Central Collegiate ^, 868, 5-3, 59.750
126. Charlotte, 851, 6-2, 67.375
127. Chelsea ^, 851, 5-3, 63.875
128. Hastings, 850, 6-2, 67.750
129. Plainwell, 832, 6-2, 67.750
130. Cadillac, 820, 6-2, 68.000
131. Edwardsburg, 805, 6-2, 61.500
132. North Branch ^, 803, 5-3, 51.000
133. Hamilton ^, 801, 5-3, 60.071
134. Marysville, 794, 6-2, 71.500
135. Escanaba, 791, 4-4, 48.750
136. Warren Lincoln, 791, 4-4, 42.250
137. Zeeland West ^, 791, 5-3, 62.750
138. Detroit Old Redford, 787, 4-4, 33.107
139. Coopersville ^*, 781, 4-3, 48.607
140. Battle Creek Harper Creek, 780, 6-2, 78.375
141. Spring Lake ^, 778, 5-3, 53.321
142. Holland Christian, 771, 4-4, 46.750
143. Three Rivers ^, 760, 5-3, 48.125
144. Ogemaw Heights ^, 759, 5-3, 63.750
145. Goodrich, 748, 6-2, 61.500
146. Harper Woods Chandler Park Academy *, 729, 6-1, 73.036
147. Hudsonville Unity Christian, 727, 4-4, 48.125
148. Marshall ^, 723, 5-3, 55.500
149. Dearborn Heights Robichaud, 720, 7-1, 89.750
150. Big Rapids, 706, 7-1, 68.875
151. Croswell-Lexington, 704, 8-0, 91.000
152. St. Clair Shores South Lake, 704, 6-2, 70.000
153. Pontiac Notre Dame Prep, 701, 8-0, 98.000
154. Otsego, 698, 6-2, 62.500
155. Yale, 689, 4-4, 45.250
156. Detroit Country Day, 685, 7-1, 90.125
157. Comstock Park, 678, 7-1, 83.071
158. Grand Rapids Catholic Central, 674, 8-0, 93.000
159. Armada, 667, 4-4, 44.750
160. Whitehall, 663, 4-4, 38.625
161. Grand Rapids South Christian ^, 660, 5-3, 58.000
162. Battle Creek Pennfield, 656, 7-1, 64.875
163. Richmond ^, 656, 5-3, 58.750
164. Grosse Ile, 649, 7-1, 76.875
165. Saginaw Swan Valley, 642, 6-2, 64.375
166. Paw Paw, 639, 8-0, 85.000
167. Allendale, 636, 7-1, 81.750
168. Williamston ^, 636, 5-3, 54.375
169. Cheboygan, 631, 6-2, 72.000
170. Marine City, 629, 7-1, 89.500
171. Alma ^, 614, 5-3, 54.750
172. Saginaw Valley Lutheran ^, 608, 5-3, 38.125
173. Dowagiac, 605, 8-0, 88.000
174. Livonia Clarenceville ^, 597, 5-3, 53.125
175. Midland Bullock Creek, 586, 4-4, 45.125
176. Clawson ^, 582, 5-3, 50.250
177. Remus Chippewa Hills ^, 581, 5-3, 49.250
178. Essexville Garber ^, 572, 5-3, 49.125
179. Clinton Township Clintondale, 570, 8-0, 83.000
180. Lake Fenton, 564, 7-1, 76.750
181. Grant ^, 562, 5-3, 54.000
182. Freeland, 561, 6-2, 70.250
183. Kingsford, 559, 7-1, 83.750
184. Portland, 555, 7-1, 83.750
185. Gladwin, 547, 6-2, 62.125
186. Almont ^, 543, 5-3, 57.125
187. Detroit Community, 543, 4-4, 25.696
188. Flint Powers Catholic, 542, 8-0, 98.000
189. Menominee, 539, 7-1, 90.750
190. Macomb Lutheran North ^, 537, 5-3, 53.875
191. North Muskegon, 532, 4-4, 40.875
192. Standish-Sterling Central ^, 532, 5-3, 54.750
193. Hopkins, 531, 8-0, 81.000
194. Detroit University Prep, 528, 7-1, 65.714
195. Grayling, 516, 8-0, 77.000
196. Ann Arbor Gabriel Richard, 515, 7-1, 81.875
197. Allen Park Cabrini, 512, 6-2, 56.625
198. Olivet ^, 509, 5-3, 47.375
199. Frankenmuth, 507, 8-0, 90.000
200. Newaygo, 507, 6-2, 59.625
201. Grand Rapids West Catholic ^, 503, 5-3, 65.542
202. Ida ^, 503, 5-3, 48.875
203. Capac, 495, 4-4, 42.125
204. River Rouge, 495, 8-0, 74.286
205. Manistee ^, 493, 5-3, 44.958
206. Carrollton, 492, 7-1, 65.875
207. Lansing Catholic, 487, 7-1, 85.625
208. Reed City, 480, 8-0, 90.000
209. Dundee, 476, 6-2, 58.125
210. Muskegon Oakridge, 474, 8-0, 84.000
211. Kingsley ^, 473, 5-3, 42.750
212. Jackson Lumen Christi, 472, 8-0, 94.000
213. Buchanan, 467, 6-2, 61.625
214. Leslie, 467, 8-0, 77.000
215. Clare, 465, 6-2, 66.500
216. Roscommon ^, 461, 5-3, 48.125
217. Kalkaska, 459, 6-2, 44.750
218. Millington, 459, 7-1, 72.875
219. Lakeview ^, 457, 5-3, 43.000
220. Warren Michigan Collegiate, 446, 6-2, 62.464
221. Harper Woods ^, 440, 5-3, 41.083
222. Boyne City, 437, 8-0, 72.000
223. Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central, 437, 6-2, 63.625
224. Negaunee, 433, 7-1, 73.500
225. Elk Rapids, 432, 4-4, 37.000
226. Manistique ^, 430, 5-3, 43.875
227. Beaverton, 422, 4-4, 33.750
228. Hemlock, 421, 7-1, 82.875
229. Shelby, 417, 6-2, 64.625
230. Detroit Consortium, 416, 6-2, 53.411
231. Vassar, 416, 7-1, 59.875
232. Clinton, 413, 8-0, 80.000
233. Maple City Glen Lake, 409, 8-0, 66.000
234. Michigan Center, 406, 7-1, 65.625
235. Manchester, 404, 6-2, 57.625
236. Calumet ^, 402, 5-3, 50.375
237. Ithaca, 402, 8-0, 84.000
238. Montrose Hill-McCloy, 400, 7-1, 74.875
239. Niles Brandywine, 396, 6-2, 50.982
240. Grass Lake, 395, 7-1, 69.750
241. Hillsdale, 391, 8-0, 80.000
242. Madison Heights Madison, 391, 7-1, 78.250
243. Ecorse ^, 390, 5-3, 43.411
244. Montague, 390, 7-1, 72.875
245. Laingsburg, 388, 4-4, 33.375
246. Sanford Meridian ^, 388, 5-3, 46.625
247. Jonesville, 383, 6-2, 54.250
248. Saranac, 383, 4-4, 39.250
249. Cass City, 379, 4-4, 34.375
250. Constantine, 371, 7-1, 64.875
251. Grandville Calvin Christian, 371, 6-2, 56.625
252. Vandercook Lake, 371, 4-4, 37.375
253. Watervliet, 369, 8-0, 69.000
254. Schoolcraft, 366, 8-0, 83.000
255. Blissfield, 364, 4-4, 43.500
256. Byron Area, 364, 7-1, 56.875
257. Indian River Inland Lakes, 364, 4-4, 33.500
258. Bronson ^*, 361, 4-3, 34.679
259. Iron Mountain, 354, 4-4, 41.625
260. Reese, 350, 8-0, 78.000
261. Union City ^, 350, 5-3, 40.875
262. Burton Bendle, 348, 7-1, 56.875
263. Flint Beecher, 347, 4-4, 39.375
264. Pellston, 347, 4-4, 20.375
265. Grand Rapids NorthPointe Christian ^, 346, 5-3, 38.750
266. Saginaw Nouvel, 344, 6-2, 77.250
267. Carson City-Crystal, 337, 6-2, 48.125
268. Hartford, 337, 6-2, 65.929
269. Marlette, 336, 4-4, 35.375
270. Flint Hamady ^, 334, 5-3, 39.375
271. Whittemore-Prescott, 328, 6-2, 59.375
272. Sandusky, 327, 4-4, 37.554
273. Bloomingdale, 326, 4-4, 31.375
274. Dansville, 323, 6-2, 52.375
275. Springport ^, 319, 5-3, 43.750
276. Bridgman ^, 318, 5-3, 47.089
277. Lawton, 317, 7-1, 65.625
278. Lake City, 316, 7-1, 58.875
279. Pewamo-Westphalia, 316, 6-2, 56.500
280. Manton, 315, 4-4, 26.500
281. Madison Heights Bishop Foley, 309, 4-4, 38.625
282. Ishpeming, 307, 7-1, 66.750
283. Detroit Douglass *, 306, 5-3, 58.750
284. Unionville-Sebewaing, 303, 4-4, 34.750
285. Evart, 302, 6-2, 44.625
286. Homer, 302, 4-4, 29.375
287. Traverse City St. Francis, 299, 4-4, 41.125
288. Detroit Loyola, 298, 8-0, 87.000
289. Rochester Hills Lutheran Northwest *, 298, 5-3, 45.875
290. Lincoln Alcona *, 292, 6-2, 47.125
291. Genesee ^, 288, 5-3, 36.000
292. Mancelona, 288, 8-0, 63.000
293. Royal Oak Shrine Catholic, 284, 4-4, 45.500
294. Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett, 283, 7-1, 63.625
295. Reading, 283, 7-1, 65.375
296. Decatur, 277, 6-2, 48.625
297. Britton Deerfield ^, 276, 5-3, 49.250
298. Ubly ^, 275, 5-3, 36.625
299. Brown City ^, 272, 5-3, 51.000
300. Gobles, 271, 7-1, 53.750
301. Iron River West Iron County, 270, 4-4, 38.375
302. Ottawa Lake Whiteford, 268, 7-1, 61.875
303. Hudson, 264, 4-4, 39.125
304. Waterford Our Lady, 263, 6-2, 57.500
305. Mayville ^, 258, 5-3, 44.554
306. Saugatuck, 257, 4-4, 30.125
307. Melvindale Academy for Business & Tech, 254, 6-2, 54.137
308. New Buffalo, 250, 4-4, 29.875
309. Marcellus ^, 249, 5-3, 34.250
310. Harbor Beach, 245, 7-1, 65.750
311. Johannesburg-Lewiston, 243, 6-2, 40.536
312. Vestaburg, 242, 6-2, 50.375
313. Coleman, 239, 4-4, 34.125
314. New Lothrop, 237, 8-0, 71.000
315. Bessemer *, 233, 5-2, 41.929
316. L'Anse, 233, 6-2, 45.375
317. Petersburg-Summerfield, 232, 4-4, 33.625
318. Stephenson, 229, 6-2, 44.125
319. Merrill ^, 228, 5-3, 46.000
320. Saginaw Michigan Lutheran Seminary, 220, 4-4, 38.375
321. Manistee Catholic Central ^, 219, 5-3, 34.625
322. Mendon, 216, 8-0, 76.571
323. Beal City, 213, 8-0, 82.000
324. Pittsford, 213, 6-2, 43.250
325. St. Ignace La Salle, 207, 8-0, 56.000
326. Lutheran Westland ^, 204, 5-3, 50.679
327. Mio ^, 203, 5-3, 36.696
328. AuGres-Sims ^, 199, 5-3, 36.071
329. Pickford, 197, 6-2, 47.750
330. Onaway ^, 194, 5-3, 36.000
331. Powers North Central ^, 194, 5-3, 30.875
332. Central Lake ^, 193, 5-3, 38.411
333. Fowler, 186, 7-1, 67.875
334. Climax-Scotts, 183, 8-0, 56.000
335. Muskegon Catholic Central ^, 181, 5-3, 49.458
336. Morrice, 171, 4-4, 28.875
337. St. Joseph Lake Michigan Catholic *, 171, 6-1, 50.196
338. Colon ^, 164, 5-3, 31.750
339. Crystal Falls Forest Park, 164, 6-2, 44.446
340. Baldwin *, 160, 6-2, 42.286
341. Lake Linden-Hubbell, 159, 4-4, 26.321
342. Hillman, 145, 4-4, 28.768
343. Mt. Pleasant Sacred Heart, 121, 7-1, 70.875
344. Iron Mountain North Dickinson *, 112, 8-0, 66.429
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8-Player Playoff Listing
1. Deckerville, 194, 7-1, 55.875
2. Marine City Cardinal Mooney, 185, 4-4, 24.917
3. Battle Creek St. Philip, 182, 5-3, 34.375
4. Kinde-North Huron, 180, 4-4, 27.583
5. Kingston, 175, 4-4, 27.583
6. Cedarville, 169, 8-0, 65.571
7. Tekonsha, 163, 1-7, 10.750
8. Carsonville-Port Sanilac, 162, 4-4, 32.625
9. Bellaire, 161, 5-3, 36.429
10. Peck, 156, 7-1, 46.083
11. Ewen-Trout Creek *, 146, 1-6, 9.250
12. Brimley *, 145, 2-5, 15.107
13. Eben Junction Superior Central *, 132, 5-2, 39.196
14. New Haven Merritt *, 130, 1-5, 9.542
15. St. Joseph Michigan Lutheran *, 118, 1-5, 7.208
16. Litchfield, 115, 1-7, 8.625
17. Rapid River, 115, 7-1, 48.875
18. Portland St. Patrick, 104, 8-0, 57.000
19. Akron-Fairgrove, 95, 6-2, 36.458
20. Caseville, 90, 0-8, 3.750
21. Engadine *, 89, 3-4, 21.554
22. Rock Mid Peninsula, 87, 2-6, 17.418
23. Waldron, 87, 6-2, 37.375
24. Posen, 84, 2-6, 14.268
25. Burr Oak, 79, 3-5, 17.875
26. Owendale-Gagetown, 60, 6-2, 36.333
27. Flint Michigan School For The Deaf *, 45, 1-5, 7.833
![Chesaning’s Mason Struck (27) goes high to get his hands on the ball in the end zone during his team’s win over Durand.](/sites/default/files/2023-10/231025_Chesaning_2H.png)
Chesaning Turnaround Ahead of Schedule with League Title, Playoff Return
By
Paul Costanzo
Special for MHSAA.com
October 25, 2023
Brayden Florian knew this was coming eventually.
The Chesaning junior running back and middle linebacker was sure the coaching staff and players were in place for a program turnaround.
But this fast?
“No,” Florian said matter-of-factly. “I definitely saw the progress, and we had gotten better and better since my freshman year. We just kept getting better. I didn’t expect it to happen this fast.”
Chesaning is 8-1 in its second year under head coach Matthew Walter, won the Mid-Michigan Activities Conference for the first time, and – not counting the 2020 COVID season when every team was added to the playoffs – qualified for the postseason for the first time since 2007, playing host to Central Montcalm on Friday.
It’s the best regular season for the program since 2001, the year Chesaning won its second MHSAA Finals title in four years.
You can forgive Florian for not expecting this to happen this quickly. Even his coach had a more long-term plan in place.
“When I took over, my plan was more to build the program than just wins and losses,” Walter said. “Numbers were dwindling. I felt like the community was not happy. I know that winning solves a lot of problems, but when I came in I wanted to make sure I built a program from the bottom up. We brought back (youth) tackle football. We have (youth) flag in the fall and spring. That’s kind of where you have to start. Once you do that, you have people buy in up higher and higher into middle school, then high school. I didn’t expect it to be this quick. I kind of had like a five or six-year plan, just trying to generate some excitement.”
It didn’t take long, however, to realize that maybe his timeline wasn’t accelerated enough.
In Year 1, Chesaning went 5-4, its first winning record since 2014. And while some of the losses were lopsided, Walter said people both in and out of the program noticed that things were looking up.
So, heading into this season, there was complete buy-in all around. And while Walter had been laying a foundation for future success, his 5-6 year plan was becoming a 2-year one.
“We have a great group of kids right now,” he said. “They work really hard, and they bought in right away.”
Chesaning players were so bought in, that not even a Week 1 loss to Bath could deter them. In fact, when Walter was cleaning up in the locker room following the game, he found that his team had left him – and themselves – a note on the whiteboard.
“It said, ‘The 1998 team started 0-1,’” Walter said. “I was like, ‘Wow, they know that?’”
The 1998 team won Chesaning’s first Finals title, rattling off 12 straight wins after dropping its opener against then arch-rival Millington.
Like this year’s version of Chesaning, the 1998 team had much of its production come from a stellar junior class. Walter said he’s also been told of the extreme competitiveness of that team, something he sees while watching his current players not only on the field, but when they’re in practice, or even coaching youth flag football against one another.
While Walter wants his team to create its own identity, the comparisons certainly aren’t a bad thing.
“We talk about it – about our history and how much history we’ve made and our team has made,” senior receiver and defensive end Keighan Stoddard said. “It’s a really big inspiration, honestly.”
Wherever the inspiration came from, it worked. After the loss against Bath, Chesaning rattled off eight straight wins with an average margin of victory of 24.8 points per game.
Chesaning knocked off rivals New Lothrop and Montrose – both on the road – for the first time since 2005.
Those wins came behind a dynamic run game, led by Florian. He finished the regular season with 1,689 yards and 17 touchdowns on the ground. He did so behind linemen Seth Schlicht, Braden Burtch, Ben Fowler, Braydn Wendling, and John Talbot. Only Fowler is a senior.
Junior quarterback Max Volk threw just 100 passes on the year, but he accumulated 801 yards and 14 TDs. Florian caught five of those touchdowns, as did 6-foot-6 senior wideout Mason Struck. Stoddard, an all-state selection at receiver a year ago, is also an option and has a pair of touchdown grabs. But his focus has been shifted more toward defensive end, a new position in which he’s flourished with 58 tackles, 12 for loss, and six sacks.
“Anything to help my teammates,” he said. “Anything to help the team out, I’ll do anything. As long as we get that win, it doesn’t matter.”
With 2023 giving off feelings of 1998 and 2001, the Friday night atmosphere from those days has also come back to Chesaning.
It’s been evident on game nights, and even during the playoff selection show, when a team trip to the Riverfront Bar and Grill turned into a community event.
“I told the families that we were going to (be there) at 5, and at 6 they were more than welcome to come down and join us,” Walter said. “By 5:30, that place was packed. There were no spots; it was standing room only.”
So when Chesaning hosts a playoff game Friday night for the first time since 2001, the anticipation is an atmosphere not seen since.
“It’s the first playoff game in a long time, and one we actually earned,” Florian said. “I think it’s going to be a big-time atmosphere.”
Paul Costanzo served as a sportswriter at The Port Huron Times Herald from 2006-15, including three years as lead sportswriter, and prior to that as sports editor at the Hillsdale Daily News from 2005-06. He can be reached at [email protected] with story ideas for Genesee, Lapeer, St. Clair, Sanilac, Huron, Tuscola, Saginaw, Bay, Arenac, Midland and Gladwin counties.
PHOTOS (Top) Chesaning’s Mason Struck (27) goes high to get his hands on the ball in the end zone during his team’s win over Durand. (Middle) Ben Fowler (63) prepares to lead his team onto the field. (Below) Brayden Florian (11) gets to the edge against Ovid-Elsie. (Photos courtesy of the Chesaning football program.)