Zeeland West Rumbles to Another Title
November 27, 2015
By Bill Khan
Special for Second Half
DETROIT — The Zeeland West offensive machine was in good hands the last three seasons with Casey Brinks directing the attack.
The Dux’ senior quarterback brought two teams to Ford Field during his varsity career, and ended it Friday night helping hoist a second MHSAA championship trophy.
West scored its first of five touchdowns with 35 seconds left in the first quarter and didn't let up from there, pounding its way to a 40-14 victory over Flint Powers Catholic for a fourth championship in 10 years.
"That one (in 2013) was really fun, but this one to me is a lot better, just being a senior and it's my last year," Brinks said. "To end my football career playing on a state championship team in Ford Field is amazing."
Brinks was the starting quarterback as a sophomore when West won its last title, throwing for one touchdown and running for another in a 34-27 victory over DeWitt in the Division 3 championship game. He also led West to the Semifinal round a year ago.
Brinks was one of three Dux who played in the 2013 championship game, the others being running back Dakota Geurink and lineman Zach VanValkenburg. Geurink ran 14 times for 71 yards and a touchdown Friday. VanValkenburg had two sacks among three tackles for losses.
With his team facing fourth-and five near the end of the first quarter, fullback Darius Perisee scored on an 8-yard run for the opening touchdown and then added a 2-point conversion run. He was the top gainer for West's powerful T offense, finishing this season with 1,982 yards and 30 touchdowns rushing.
Brinks doesn't pass often but he was highly effective when he did. He finished 4 for 4 for 103 yards, with three straight completions on the team’s third possession. Tyler Thompson capped that drive with a 5-yard touchdown run, then added a 2-point run to make it 16-0 with 4:03 left in the second quarter.
Powers (11-3) drove to the West 18 late in the first half, only to be denied on the final play before halftime when Brinks picked off a pass in the end zone. He also had an interception in the third quarter, playing defense for only the second time this season.
"I played defense last week for the first time," said Brinks, who ran five times for 45 yards and a touchdown. "Otherwise, I didn't play defense. It was nice to play. Mostly in the playoffs, we've been playing running teams. We've played two passing teams the past two weeks."
West came into the game running the ball 94 percent of the time and averaging 8.6 yards per carry. Even though Powers knew what was coming, the Chargers were unable to stop the Dux’ power-running attack.
Powers did get a huge stop when Reese Morgan caught Brinks for no gain on fourth-and-three from the Chargers' 5-yard line on the first series of the game, but West went on to score on its next five drives before running out the final 3:55 on its final possession.
"It's just a very deceiving offense they run," Morgan said. "It's hard to know who has the ball."
The Chargers nearly turned the momentum from that first defensive stop into a scoring drive of their own, marching down to West's 14-yard line on their first possession. On fourth-and-one, however, quarterback Noah Sargent came up inches short of a first down with 4:53 left in the first quarter.
"That was tough, but you can't say we lost the game on one play," said Sargent, who ran 17 times for 89 yards and a touchdown while going 12 for 19 for 158 yards, a touchdown and three interceptions through the air. "You've got to play the whole game."
Powers got on the board on the first possession of the second half, scoring on a 15-yard run by Sargent, but a 2-point run by Morgan was stopped by Riley Brinks. With West cashing in on all five of its 2-point conversion tries, the Chargers couldn't afford to miss theirs.
West (14-0) responded with a 13-play, 80-yard march that ended on a 4-yard run by Geurink with 3:14 to go in the third quarter. Following Casey Brinks' second interception, West built its lead to 32-6 on a 2-yard run by Thompson with 10:36 to go in the game.
Luke Brcic caught a 35-yard touchdown pass from Sargent and threw a 2-point conversion to Morgan with 7:28 remaining, getting Powers within 32-14, but Aaron Sleeman recovered the onside kick for the Dux.
Four plays later, West capped the scoring on a 39-yard run by Casey Brinks and Perisee's third 2-point run with 5:13 remaining.
Geurink picked off a pass with 3:55 remaining, and West was able to run out the rest of the clock and celebrate another championship.
"We've won four," West coach John Shillito said. "They're all different, but this one might have been the most complete on both sides of the ball. It's maybe not the deepest team, because we were playing a lot of guys two ways. I looked out there and we looked a little tired at times, because it's warm in here. It's maybe not the deepest (team), but the guys on the field were probably the best we've had."
West was able to score 40 points against a Powers team that had a school-record six shutouts, allowing only 21 points over its first four playoff games.
"I really just figured we had to score every time we had the ball, because no one has really stopped them all year," Powers coach Bob Buckel said. "Playing them, you start doing things you're uncomfortable doing, because you don't want to turn the ball over to them."
Thompson ran 16 times for 117 yards and two touchdowns to lead a West ground attack that had 318 yards and five touchdowns on 55 carries.
Matt Wiskur caught five passes for 70 yards, while Morgan ran 13 times for 61 yards for Powers. Both of them had brothers on the Chargers' 2011 Division 5 championship team.
The MHSAA Football Finals are sponsored by the Michigan National Guard.
PHOTOS: (Top) Darius Perisee breaks free for yardage in leading the Zeeland West rushing attack Friday. (Middle) The Dux hoist a championship trophy for the second time in three seasons.
MHSAA Provides Update on Football Playoff Hopefuls, Bracket Reveal Schedule
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
October 17, 2023
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, plus information on this season's MHSAA Playoffs bracket and Finals schedule announcements.
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. 27. 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 Playoff Point Summary 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. Sunday, Oct. 22, on the “Selection Sunday Show” on Bally Sports Detroit Extra and its website – https://www.ballysports.com/detroit/. The playoff qualifiers and pairings will be posted to the MHSAA Website following the Selection Sunday Show, and times and dates will be added Monday, Oct. 23. The MHSAA also will announce the order for this season’s 11-Player Finals, to be played Nov. 25-26 at Ford Field, during the Selection Sunday Show.
11-PLAYER DIVISION 1
1. Rockford, 8-0, 82.125
2. Northville, 8-0, 79.500
3. Davison, 8-0, 79.250
4. Lake Orion, 8-0, 78.625
5. Saline, 8-0, 78.375
6. Belleville, 8-0, 78.125
7. West Bloomfield, 6-2, 73.625
8. Utica Eisenhower, 7-1, 72.750
9. Grandville, 6-2, 72.125
10. Westland John Glenn, 7-1, 71.875
11. Southfield Arts & Technology, 7-1, 71.250
12. Clinton Township Chippewa Valley, 6-2, 69.250
13. Macomb Dakota, 6-2, 66.750
14. Novi, 6-2, 64.500
15. St. Clair Shores Lakeview, 6-2, 60.875
16. Clarkston, 4-4, 59.500
16. Grand Blanc, 5-3, 59.500
18. Dearborn Fordson, 5-3, 58.875
19. Detroit Cass Tech, 6-2, 58.607
20. Ann Arbor Pioneer, 5-3, 57.375
21. Grand Ledge, 6-2, 57.232
22. Lapeer, 5-3, 57.125
23. Detroit Catholic Central, 6-2, 57.097
24. Hudsonville, 5-3, 56.375
25. Sterling Heights Stevenson, 4-4, 56.250
26. Rochester Adams, 5-3, 55.625
27. Brighton, 4-4, 52.500
28. Romeo, 3-5, 51.750
29. Troy, 5-3, 50.625
30. Ann Arbor Huron, 4-4, 49.750
31. Holland West Ottawa, 3-5, 48.750
32. Oxford, 3-5, 46.750
33. Utica, 3-5, 46.625
34. East Kentwood, 3-5, 46.500
35. Brownstown Woodhaven, 3-5, 42.750
35. Howell, 3-5, 42.750
37. New Baltimore Anchor Bay, 6-Feb, 42.250
38. Plymouth, 3-5, 42.000
39. Monroe, 3-5, 41.500
40. Hartland, 3-5, 41.250
11-PLAYER DIVISION 2
1. Grosse Pointe South, 7-1, 72.375
2. Gibraltar Carlson, 7-1, 70.750
3. Portage Central, 7-1, 70.214
4. Birmingham Seaholm, 7-1, 69.286
5. Allen Park, 7-1, 67.750
6. Caledonia, 6-2, 67.625
7. Muskegon, 6-2, 66.375
8. Warren De La Salle Collegiate, 6-2, 65.250
9. Portage Northern, 7-1, 64.964
10. Byron Center, 7-1, 64.875
11. Dexter, 6-2, 64.750
11. Saginaw Heritage, 6-2, 64.750
13. Muskegon Mona Shores, 6-2, 62.750
13. Waterford Mott, 6-2, 62.750
15. East Lansing, 6-2, 61.821
16. Detroit U of D Jesuit, 6-1, 61.032
17. Birmingham Groves, 6-2, 60.875
18. Roseville, 6-2, 60.375
19. Milford, 6-2, 60.000
20. Port Huron Northern, 6-2, 59.500
21. Livonia Franklin, 5-3, 58.875
22. Muskegon Reeths-Puffer, 6-2, 56.375
23. Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern, 6-2, 56.000
24. Warren Mott, 5-3, 55.625
25. White Lake Lakeland, 5-3, 54.250
26. Midland, 5-3, 52.000
27. North Farmington, 4-4, 51.750
28. Traverse City Central, 4-4, 50.250
29. Livonia Churchill, 4-4, 48.750
30. Warren Cousino, 5-3, 48.000
31. Oak Park, 3-5, 46.411
32. Harrison Township L'Anse Creuse, 3-5, 45.250
33. Lansing Everett, 4-4, 45.214
34. Midland Dow, 4-4, 44.500
35. Dearborn Heights Crestwood, 5-3, 42.750
36. Detroit Renaissance, 4-4, 41.375
37. South Lyon East, 3-5, 41.250
38. Temperance Bedford, 3-5, 40.625
39. Jackson, 4-4, 40.125
40. Orchard Lake St. Mary's, 3-5, 39.875
11-PLAYER DIVISION 3
1. Walled Lake Western, 7-1, 71.625
2. Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central, 7-1, 70.625
3. Mount Pleasant, 7-1, 69.975
4. Mason, 8-0, 68.696
5. Auburn Hills Avondale, 7-1, 65.625
6. Gaylord, 8-0, 64.571
7. Port Huron, 7-1, 63.375
8. Parma Western, 7-1, 62.143
9. Southgate Anderson, 6-2, 61.607
10. DeWitt, 5-2, 59.536
11. Fenton, 6-2, 58.875
12. East Grand Rapids, 6-2, 58.250
13. Zeeland West, 6-2, 57.875
14. St. Joseph, 5-3, 56.339
15. Lowell, 5-3, 55.000
16. Stevensville Lakeshore, 5-3, 53.714
17. Trenton, 4-4, 52.875
18. Battle Creek Harper Creek, 6-2, 52.125
19. Riverview, 7-1, 52.000
20. Marquette, 5-2, 51.786
21. Coopersville, 6-2, 51.000
22. Grosse Pointe North, 6-2, 50.625
23. Zeeland East, 5-3, 49.875
24. Petoskey, 5-3, 48.482
25. Holly, 5-3, 47.375
26. River Rouge, 4-4, 46.556
27. Detroit Martin Luther King, 4-4, 46.458
28. Linden, 4-4, 46.125
29. Warren Fitzgerald, 4-4, 45.375
30. Cadillac, 4-4, 44.607
31. Grand Rapids Northview, 4-4, 44.500
32. Bay City Western, 4-4, 44.125
33. Redford Thurston, 5-3, 43.250
34. Richland Gull Lake, 5-3, 42.732
35. Cedar Springs, 4-4, 42.375
36. Flint Carman-Ainsworth, 3-5, 39.875
37. Detroit University Prep Science & Math, 5-3, 39.554
38. Jackson Northwest, 4-4, 39.125
39. Fowlerville, 3-5, 36.625
40. Sparta, 4-4, 36.125
40. Waterford Kettering, 3-5, 36.125
11-PLAYER DIVISION 4
1. Goodrich, 7-1, 62.000
2. Whitehall, 8-0, 61.250
3. Paw Paw, 8-0, 60.982
4. Redford Union, 7-1, 59.625
5. Chelsea, 7-1, 59.250
6. Harper Woods, 5-3, 57.875
7. Portland, 8-0, 57.375
8. Hastings, 6-2, 57.179
9. Carleton Airport, 7-1, 55.625
10. Lansing Sexton, 7-1, 55.250
11. Niles, 7-1, 55.000
12. Adrian, 6-2, 53.625
13. Spring Lake, 6-2, 52.125
14. Ada Forest Hills Eastern, 6-2, 51.750
14. Grand Rapids South Christian, 6-2, 51.750
16. Croswell-Lexington, 7-1, 51.500
17. Freeland, 7-1, 50.750
18. Lake Fenton, 6-2, 49.750
19. Haslett, 5-3, 49.732
20. Marysville, 6-2, 49.625
21. Allendale, 6-2, 48.875
22. Big Rapids, 7-1, 48.125
23. Madison Heights Lamphere, 6-2, 47.625
24. Detroit East English, 5-3, 46.125
25. Charlotte, 6-2, 46.000
26. Ortonville Brandon, 4-4, 44.125
27. Tecumseh, 4-4, 43.732
28. Dearborn Divine Child, 4-4, 43.714
29. Wayland, 5-3, 42.750
30. Edwardsburg, 4-4, 42.250
31. Ionia, 4-4, 40.375
32. Sault Ste. Marie, 5-3, 38.732
33. Hamilton, 4-4, 38.500
33. Hudsonville Unity Christian, 3-5, 38.500
35. Vicksburg, 3-5, 38.250
36. Detroit Country Day, 3-4, 38.143
37. North Branch, 4-4, 37.250
38. Livonia Clarenceville, 3-Apr, 36.946
39. Ludington, 4-4, 36.500
40. New Boston Huron, 4-4, 35.875
11-PLAYER DIVISION 5
1. Grand Rapids West Catholic, 8-0, 69.000
2. Corunna, 8-0, 66.250
3. Grand Rapids Catholic Central, 7-1, 64.625
4. Pontiac Notre Dame Prep, 7-0, 59.732
5. Belding, 7-1, 55.375
5. Marine City, 7-1, 55.375
7. Williamston, 6-2, 55.000
8. Frankenmuth, 7-1, 54.125
9. Macomb Lutheran North, 7-1, 47.786
10. Dearborn Heights Robichaud, 5-3, 46.875
11. Ogemaw Heights, 7-1, 46.661
12. Flint Hamady, 7-0, 46.446
13. Howard City Tri County, 7-1, 46.000
14. Gladwin, 7-1, 45.804
15. Detroit Southeastern, 5-3, 45.750
16. Kingsford, 7-1, 44.875
17. Romulus Summit Academy North, 6-2, 44.304
18. Saginaw Swan Valley, 5-3, 43.375
19. Armada, 5-3, 43.250
19. Muskegon Oakridge, 5-3, 43.250
21. Detroit Denby, 8-0, 42.250
22. Flat Rock, 5-3, 41.750
23. Berrien Springs, 5-2, 40.339
24. Birch Run, 5-3, 39.125
24. South Haven, 5-3, 39.125
26. Romulus, 4-4, 38.125
27. Ann Arbor Father Gabriel Richard, 6-2, 37.000
28. Richmond, 4-4, 35.875
29. Comstock Park, 4-4, 35.125
30. Yale, 4-4, 34.625
31. Essexville Garber, 4-4, 34.000
32. Dundee, 5-3, 32.625
33. Warren Lincoln, 5-3, 32.125
34. Milan, 3-5, 31.125
35. Standish-Sterling, 4-4, 30.750
36. Dowagiac, 4-4, 30.286
37. Allegan, 4-4, 29.357
38. Benton Harbor, 3-5, 29.286
39. Detroit Cody, 4-4, 28.554
40. Newaygo, 3-5, 28.250
11-PLAYER DIVISION 6
1. Almont, 8-0, 59.875
2. Warren Michigan Collegiate, 8-0, 50.696
3. Constantine, 7-1, 48.125
4. Ecorse, 7-0, 47.536
5. Manistee, 6-2, 46.125
6. Kingsley, 6-2, 44.536
7. Gladstone, 6-2, 44.196
8. Negaunee, 7-1, 43.625
9. Detroit Edison, 6-2, 42.804
10. Chesaning, 7-1, 41.000
11. Reed City, 5-3, 40.875
12. Clawson, 6-2, 40.500
13. Kalamazoo Hackett Catholic Prep, 5-3, 40.357
14. Clare, 6-2, 40.125
15. Hart, 7-1, 38.875
16. Montague, 4-4, 37.625
17. Michigan Center, 6-2, 36.500
18. Kent City, 6-2, 36.375
19. Detroit Pershing, 5-3, 35.875
20. Ovid-Elsie, 4-4, 34.125
21. Detroit Old Redford, 7-1, 34.000
22. Grayling, 5-3, 33.982
23. Buchanan, 5-3, 33.786
24. Lansing Catholic, 3-5, 33.375
25. Central Montcalm, 4-4, 33.250
26. Clinton Township Clintondale, 4-4, 33.000
27. Boyne City, 4-4, 32.500
28. Lake City, 6-2, 32.125
29. Mason County Central, 5-3, 31.875
30. Olivet, 3-5, 31.750
31. Midland Bullock Creek, 5-3, 29.625
32. Ida, 4-4, 29.375
33. Detroit Voyageur College Prep, 4-4, 28.804
34. Remus Chippewa Hills, 3-5, 27.500
35. Parchment, 4-4, 27.375
36. Calumet, 3-5, 26.750
37. Watervliet, 3-5, 26.536
38. Brooklyn Columbia Central, 4-4, 26.375
39. Durand, 3-5, 26.250
40. Houghton, 2-6, 24.375
11-PLAYER DIVISION 7
1. Jackson Lumen Christi, 7-1, 55.429
2. Napoleon, 8-0, 44.000
2. North Muskegon, 8-0, 44.000
4. Millington, 8-0, 43.786
5. Clinton, 7-1, 43.429
6. Lawton, 7-1, 42.786
7. Menominee, 6-2, 42.292
8. Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central, 4-4, 38.625
9. Charlevoix, 7-1, 38.232
10. Pewamo-Westphalia, 7-1, 36.875
11. Montrose, 6-2, 36.625
12. Manchester, 6-2, 34.500
12. Schoolcraft, 6-2, 34.500
14. Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett, 6-2, 33.500
15. Benzie Central, 5-3, 32.750
15. Union City, 6-2, 32.750
17. Detroit Central, 4-4, 32.500
18. Beaverton, 5-3, 32.375
19. Cass City, 6-2, 32.000
20. Bath, 5-3, 31.500
20. Blissfield, 4-4, 31.500
22. Detroit Loyola, 3-5, 30.250
23. Traverse City St Francis, 3-4, 30.125
24. Grass Lake, 5-3, 29.500
25. Perry, 5-3, 29.125
26. Laingsburg, 4-4, 28.875
26. McBain, 5-3, 28.875
28. Sandusky, 5-3, 28.625
29. Burton Bendle, 4-4, 26.411
30. Elkton-Pigeon-Bay Port Laker, 4-4, 26.375
30. Hemlock, 3-5, 26.375
32. Coloma, 3-5, 25.482
33. Houghton Lake, 4-4, 25.125
34. Leslie, 3-5, 24.000
35. Jonesville, 3-5, 23.375
36. Manistique, 4-4, 22.929
37. Ravenna, 3-5, 22.750
38. Sanford Meridian, 2-6, 22.625
39. Bad Axe, 3-5, 21.375
39. Lakeview, 3-5, 21.375
11-PLAYER DIVISION 8
1. Ottawa Lake Whiteford, 8-0, 43.542
2. New Lothrop, 7-1, 41.875
3. Ubly, 8-0, 41.750
4. Ithaca, 8-0, 40.750
5. Beal City, 8-0, 40.250
6. Hudson, 7-1, 39.375
7. Addison, 8-0, 38.500
8. Saugatuck, 7-1, 38.375
9. Fowler, 7-1, 37.875
9. Harbor Beach, 7-1, 37.875
11. Sterling Heights Parkway Christian, 7-1, 35.500
12. East Jordan, 7-1, 35.357
13. White Pigeon, 8-0, 34.417
14. Muskegon Catholic Central, 5-3, 34.375
15. Iron Mountain, 8-0, 34.304
16. Evart, 6-2, 34.125
17. Saginaw Michigan Lutheran Seminary, 6-2, 33.375
18. Clarkston Everest Collegiate, 6-2, 32.625
19. Marlette, 6-2, 32.000
20. Frankfort, 6-2, 30.857
21. Riverview Gabriel Richard, 4-4, 29.292
22. Ishpeming, 5-3, 28.720
23. Burton Bentley, 6-2, 28.339
24. Marine City Cardinal Mooney, 4-4, 27.625
25. Sand Creek, 4-4, 26.458
26. Bark River-Harris, 5-3, 26.429
27. Mount Clemens, 4-4, 26.250
28. Petersburg Summerfield, 5-3, 26.083
29. Maple City Glen Lake, 4-4, 25.482
30. Rochester Hills Lutheran Northwest, 4-4, 25.125
31. Arts & Technology Academy of Pontiac, 5-3, 24.500
31. Centreville, 4-4, 24.500
33. Saginaw Nouvel, 3-5, 23.911
34. Saranac, 4-4, 23.375
35. Allen Park Cabrini, 3-5, 21.375
35. Decatur, 3-5, 21.375
35. Waterford Our Lady of the Lakes, 3-5, 21.375
35. White Cloud, 4-4, 21.375
39. Detroit Douglass, 3-5, 21.000
40. Mancelona, 3-5, 20.482
8-PLAYER DIVISION 1
1. Pickford, 8-0, 36.250
2. Brown City, 8-0, 36.036
3. Kingston, 7-1, 34.411
4. St. Ignace, 7-1, 34.357
5. Norway, 6-2, 33.000
6. Alcona, 7-1, 32.750
7. Carson City-Crystal, 8-0, 32.500
8. Indian River Inland Lakes, 7-1, 32.107
9. Merrill, 7-1, 31.625
10. Marcellus, 6-2, 30.375
10. Mendon, 6-2, 30.375
12. Central Lake, 6-2, 30.107
13. Martin, 6-2, 30.000
14. Gobles, 6-2, 29.625
15. Mesick, 6-2, 29.196
16. Rudyard, 5-3, 29.071
17. Newberry, 6-2, 28.875
18. Gaylord St. Mary, 6-2, 28.500
19. Concord, 5-3, 27.839
20. Bellevue, 5-3, 27.250
21. Mayville, 5-3, 26.286
22. Brethren, 5-3, 26.179
23. Blanchard Montabella, 5-3, 25.750
24. Rogers City, 4-4, 25.571
8-PLAYER DIVISION 2
1. Adrian Lenawee Christian, 8-0, 36.250
2. Climax-Scotts, 8-0, 34.375
3. Marion, 7-0, 34.107
4. Pittsford, 7-1, 32.000
5. Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart, 7-1, 31.250
5. Portland St. Patrick, 7-1, 31.250
7. Au Gres-Sims, 7-1, 30.875
8. Bay City All Saints, 7-1, 30.714
9. Deckerville, 6-2, 30.536
10. Crystal Falls Forest Park, 7-1, 30.500
11. Posen, 7-0, 29.875
12. Morrice, 6-2, 29.250
13. Akron-Fairgrove, 6-2, 29.089
14. Lake Linden-Hubbell, 5-3, 28.375
15. Camden-Frontier, 5-3, 26.875
16. Powers North Central, 6-2, 26.304
17. Wyoming Tri-unity Christian, 5-3, 26.125
18. Cedarville, 6-2, 25.125
19. Fulton, 5-3, 24.250
20. Colon, 4-4, 23.375
21. Litchfield, 4-4, 22.625
22. Ashley, 4-4, 22.464
23. New Haven Merritt Academy, 3-Apr, 22.161
24. Britton Deerfield, 2-6, 21.357