Michigan Gridiron - All About Mid-Michigan High School Football

Poll: Saginaw Valley League Champs

2008-07-17T14:20:00.001-04:00

The first poll of the year up, so let's hear who you expect to win the always-competitive Saginaw Valley League in 2008. After last year's logjam, it's anybody's guess as to who will take the title this year!

2008 Sports and Fitness Expo

2008-06-18T11:30:00.002-04:00

The 2008 Sports and Fitness Expo will be held September 5-7 at the Birch Run Expo Center. The event will mark the first of its kind to ever be held in the state of Michigan. There will be competitions, professional athlete appearences, demonstrations of sports (including skydiving, martial arts, and BMX stunt biking!), prizes, and sports and fitness businesses from around the state showing off their services and products.

If you own a sports-related business and would like more information on getting a booth to exhibit your business at the Expo, check out the website and contact STEVE CRONK at Steve@HighImpactMe.com.

Nouvel over St. Charles in OT thriller

2007-11-02T22:31:00.000-04:00

In a tale of two halves, it was the third one that made the difference in Nouvel Catholic Central’s overtime victory over the St. Charles Bulldogs.

In the first half, the Bulldogs could do no wrong. Senior Ryan Humpert put the Bulldogs on the board early with an 80 yard touchdown run. The 2-point conversion attempt failed; this would become an unfortunate habit for the ‘Dogs.

On the ensuing drive, Nouvel runningback Christian Miller fumbled the ball and St. Charles found themselves with quality field position. They ran an efficient drive downfield and Humpert capped it with an 14 yard scoring run.

Early in the second quarter, the Bulldog defense came up big again, this time on an interception by sophomore Dugan Roosa, his second of the game. On the very next play, Humpert scurried 14 yards to paydirt to give his team a big 18-0 advantage.

The Panthers came roaring back as time began to run low on the first half. Quarterback David Kazmierski led his team downfield, and his long run gave Nouvel 1st and goal. The St. Charles defense made a valient goal line stand. On 4th down, Bo Themm’s field goal attempt went wide right with less than a minute in the half. The score as the teams entered the locker rooms was St. Charles 18, Nouvel 0.

The Panthers entered the field for the 2nd half invigorated, and it didn’t take long for them to get started on the comeback. Miller took a run to the 1 yard line, and Kazmierski followed it up with a touchdown dive on the very next play.

On the Bulldogs’ next drive, Halas dropped back to pass but was sacked and stripped of the ball by a host of blue pass rushers. The Panthers failed to convert the turnover into points, but the message was clear; this would be a different ball game in the 2nd half.

Early in the 4th quarter, the Bulldog faithful finally found a reason to be nervous. Nouvel first converted a 3rd and 17, then pulled a trick out of their hat with a halfback pass to Tony Awrey from Kyle Barankski for a touchdown. After a successful PAT kick by Themm, the Panthers were only down by 3 points.

With time becoming a factor, the Nouvel offense didn’t lose their composure. Kazmierski completed a long pass to give his squad 1st and goal from the St. Charles 8 yard line. Pushed to the edge, the Bulldog defense stepped up in a big way, but still permitted Themm to kick a short field goal to tie the game with less than 4 minutes remaining.

With the clock running low, St. Charles began to drive down the field for a potentially game-winning score. They came close, but a penalty and a stingy Panther defense kept the Bulldogs from winning the game.

And so to overtime we go.

St. Charles won the coin toss and chose to defend first. On the very first play from scrimmage, Christian Miller scored his first touchdown of the game with a 10 yard scamper.

That left the Bulldogs with a lot of pressure. A Nouvel defensive linemen blew through the St. Charles blockers and put the ‘Dawgs in a precarious position; 2nd down, 14 yards from the end zone, and having to score to keep their season alive. Unfortunately for them, Halas’ pass attempt on 3rd down fell short. On 4th down, they attempted a swing pass to Ryan Humpert, but he was eaten up before sniffing the goal line.

The Nouvel faithful flooded the field as their players celebrated wildly; the final score was Nouvel Catholic Central 24, St. Charles 18.

The key to the game was Nouvel’s resilience. They entered the 2nd half with a large deficit to overcome, but they were able to leave with a victory. Also worth mentioning was their ability to stop St. Charles on extra point attempts. The Bulldogs attempted three two-point conversions, all of which were stuffed by the Panthers. Had Nouvel allowed even one of those, perhaps they would have left Bulldog Stadium with a different taste in their mouths.

In the end, it was a battle between two teams with the passion and dedication that make high school football such an amazing game. The Bulldogs’ season ends at 10-1, but they have nothing to hang their head over; they created a great season and took one of the state’s toughest perennial powerhouses to overtime.

Nouvel will host Sanford-Meridian in a battle between 3-loss teams for the regional championship. Meridian upset Clare (9-2) in their district match-up.

St. Charles escapes Marlette

2007-10-26T21:54:00.000-04:00

The St. Charles Bulldogs entered their first play-off game with an undefeated record and ranked 2nd in the final Associated Press Division 6 poll.

Marlette wasn't intimidated. Their big-play offense was able to keep pace with the vaunted Bulldog run game, but the Red Raiders still fell in a heart-wrenching 36-34 loss.

After a scoreless first quarter, it was Marlette's senior quarterback Austin Comment that ignited the scoring with a deep touchdown pass to Dan Gymomory. From here on out, the touchdowns would come in droves; the two squads combined for 50 points in the 2nd quarter.

Ryan Humpert's carry put the Bulldogs on the board, but a failed 2-point conversion left Marlette ahead 8-6. On the Red Raiders' next drive, a fumble was picked up by St. Charles defender and returned 25 yards to the 1 yard line. On the next play, Brian Halas called his own number up the middle to give the Bulldogs a 14-8 advantage.

It wasn't long before the home team made another big play. A host of defenders was able to penetrate the Red Raiders' line and block a punt. They recovered the ball deep in enemy territory and quickly put it in the end zone for a 22-8 lead.

Comment, however, led his team back into the game with a flawless pass to Jon Bishop for a 71 yard touchdown.

St. Charles took the ball over with only a few minutes remaining in the half, and ran a perfect drive that both added 8 points to their total and left almost no time on the game clock.

Unfortunately for them, almost no time was enough for the Red Raiders to create some momentum of their own. In a huge game-changing play, Comment took the ensuing kick-off back for a touchdown. Suddenly the game was back in reach at half-time with the score at 30-20, St. Charles ahead.

A bit of momentum was all that it took. Marlette took charge in the 2nd half, this time relying on their running attack. Hayward and Comment were able to find running room against the normally-stingy St. Charles defensive front, especially off tackle. A few explosive runs by Comment gave them a 34-30 lead with only half of the 4th quarter left to play.

St. Charles had not trailed for even 1 second at any point during the regular season, so the Bulldogs were entering unfamiliar territory as they took over possession. They kept their composure and, a few minutes of game time later, found themselves with a 4th and 2 situation 30 yards from paydirt.

If you ran the wing T and had 4th and 2, you'd probably go with a Fullback dive. A halfback trap. Maybe, if you're feeling a bit adventurous, a QB sweep.

You've got to admire the St. Charles coaching staff's boldness. Brian Halas attempted his first pass of the night on 4th and 2. Marshall Davenport, who had spent the entire first half on the sideline with an injured shoulder, caught the pass and ran it into the end zone.

A block in the back penalty negated the score, but the first down remained. Ryan Humpert finished the drive with the game's final score, a 2 yard plunge that gave his team the 36-34 edge.

Marlette managed to make a heroic effort of their own, but were stopped on 4th down when Brad Saunders blew through the offensive line and thwarted the reverse attempt in the backfield.

With Davenport out of the game, Humpert carried the load for St. Charles to the tune of 189 yards and 3 touchdowns. Austin Comment led the Red Raiders with 240 total yards (94 rushing and 146 passing) and all 5 of Marlette's touchdowns.

The Red Raiders bowed out at 6-4, while the Bulldogs remained undefeated at 10-0 and are looking at a rematch with Nouvel Catholic Central (6-3) in the second round. Last season, the Panthers blew through the Bulldogs 52-0 in the 3rd round en route to their State Championship.

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For more area coverage, check out www.SportsXtraHS.com and http://www.MLive.com/highschool/football/index.ssf .

Play-off Predictions

2007-10-24T14:23:00.000-04:00

Boy, oh boy! It's finally play-off time on the Michigan Gridiron. There are already a plethora of intriguing match-ups involving Mid-Michigan teams, and I can't help myself; here are my predictions for this Friday's games including teams in the area, as well as my predictions for the state champions in each division.

DIVISION 1:

Predicted Champion - Rockford Rams

Holt - 28
Battle Creek Central - 7
The Rams should roll in their first round game, but a match-up against also-undefeated Rockford appears likely to occur in the second.

Everett - 21
South Lyon - 7
Similar to Holt, Everett is heavily favored in the first round and should provide an exciting match-up against the winner of the Howell/Detroit C.C. game.

DIVISION 2:

Predicted Champion - Muskegan Big Reds

Heritage - 20
Bay City Central - 14
The Hawks dropped their regular season game to BCC, but showed a lot of improvement in their week 9 romp of Flint Southwestern.

Arthur Hill - 30
Midland - 22
Two of the four Saginaw Valley Co-Champions meet in the play-offs for the first time this season. Arthur Hill has shown a tendency to overcome favored opponents.

Davison - 21
Oxford - 8
Oxford has an 8-1 record and homefield advantage, but the Cardinals' huge edge with strength of schedule will reveal itself with a big victory over the Flint Metro League Co-Champions.

Flushing - 21
Lapeer West - 20
Another exciting match-up between the FML and Big 9. I forsee a close game, with Flushing's close-game experience giving them the edge.

Farmington Hills Harrison - 28
Okemos - 14
The Chieftains' successful season might end at the hands of the battle-tested Hawks.

DIVISION 3:

Predicted Champion - Orchard Lake St. Mary Eaglets

Sault Ste Marie - 20
John Glenn - 7
Glenn came through with a big victory over Garber to make the play-offs, but their losses raise questions as to whether they can compete with a top-tier D4 team like the Blue Devils.

Mt. Pleasant - 35
Gaylord - 21
I have a feeling that the Oilers will find a second life in the play-offs. Tyler Mills' performance last week showed that the Mt. Pleasant passing game should get back into its early-season form.

Sexton- 14
Harper Creek - 13
The outcome of the battle between the two 6-3 teams is in the air; I'm going to let my hometown biases decide this one.

Adrian - 21
Fowlerville - 14
This game could go either way, as neither squad has been able to hang with the top tier teams in their respective areas.

East Lansing - 35
Linden - 14
All 3 of East Lansing's losses have come from extremely tough teams; Linden lost its last two games, and appears to be on a freefall.

DeWitt - 40
Haslett - 20
DeWitt beat Haslett 41-18 in week 7.

DIVISION 4:

Predicted Champion - Zeeland West Dux

Bullock Creek- 26
Ogemaw Heights - 20
Both teams are very physical, but the Hawks have appeared to be declining as the season advances while the Lancers have been gaining steam.

Alma - 35
Lansing Catholic - 14
Alma is battle-tested and undefeated. I expect them to reach round 2.

Belding - 21
Williamston - 14
Williamston was routed by Chesaning in week 9, which raises doubts about the Hornets' competitiveness.

Powers - 28
Yale - 10
Powers is 6-3 with victories over Detroit Country Day and a number of class A schools. Yale is 8-1, but only beat Caro (1-8) by 4 points.

DIVISION 5:

Predicted Champion - Menominee Maroons

Standish-Sterling - 40
Gladwin - 14
The Flying G's barely scraped together a play-off berth in the Jack Pine Conference, while Standish-Sterling is 8-1 with a convincing victory over TVC-East champion Frankenmuth.

Tawas - 21
Garber - 14
This one could go either way, but I think Tawas will have to defend their regular-season victory over Standish in round 2.

Muskegan Oakridge - 28
Central Montcalm - 14
The 7-2 Hornets might struggle to overcome a very tough draw.

Portland - 16
Allendale - 10
I think Portland will get their shot to knock off undefeated Grand Rapids West Catholic in the district championship.

Frankenmuth - 21
Chesaning - 14
Chesaning pulled off an upset to make it to the dance, but Frankenmuth is capable of keeping the Indians from getting 2 in a row.

Montrose - 28
Millington - 20
One of the best first-round games in the state will be between two 8-1 squads in Millington. The Rams have been rolling since their week 2 loss to Lake Fenton, and I'm not sure the Cardinals have the firepower to match them.

Almont - 21
Lake Fenton - 8
Lake Fenton went 8-1, but received a horrendous draw against undefeated Almont; they'll need to play better than they have over the last few weeks.

DIVISION 6:

Predicted Champion - Kalamazoo Christian Comets

Clare - 18
Laingsburg - 14
Clare is 8-1, but has come very close to the edge in a couple games. The Wolfpack should make it close, but the Pioneers are the team with more close-game experience.

Ithaca - 32
Sanford-Meridian - 14
Ithaca's spread offense and physical defense might prove too much for the 6-3 Mustangs.

St. Charles - 30
Marlette - 14
St. Charles is heavily favored, but has shown a tendency to allow less-talented teams to stay in the game with them.

Reese - 21
Nouvel C.C. - 20
Both teams are extremely good and could find themselves on Ford Field in 4 weeks. In a week of great match-ups, this is the most exciting in the area.

Hamady - 40
Beecher - 21
The Hawks have a very high-powered offense and are favored in this battle of turnaround programs.

Harper Woods - 40
Byron - 14
Byron struggled whenever they faced a quality opponent in the regular season, and Harper Woods is 9-0.

DIVISION 7:

Predicted Champion - Muskegan Catholic Central Crusaders

Pewamo-Westphalia - 24
Fife Lake Forest Area - 14
The Pirates' only loss came to undefeated Fulton.

Harbor Beach - 35
Whittemore-Prescott - 14
Harbor Beach is undefeated and rolling through their schedule.

Merrill - 35
Lake City - 34
Both teams have played quality teams and lost, but are prepared to make a play-off run; hometown bias rears its head once again.

Ubly - 20
Unionville-Sebawaing - 14
The Patriots won 19-14 in week 1, but it's always difficult to beat a team twice in the same season.

DIVISION 8:

Predicted Champion - Fulton Pirates

Webberville - 28
New Lothrop - 18
The Hornets might make the game surprisingly close, but I don't see them upsetting undefeated Webberville.

Fulton - 35
Fowler - 14
Fulton won this match-up in the regular season, and they are my (admittedly underdog) pick to win the state championship in Division 8.

For more Mid and West Michigan play-off coverage, check out http://www.sportsxtrahs.com/ . There are brackets, scoreboards, and other things related to the Michigan football play-offs.

St. Charles handles Hemlock

2007-10-20T09:44:00.000-04:00

The St. Charles Bulldogs wrapped up their first undefeated regular season since 1999, but Hemlock made sure that it didn’t come easy. The winless Huskies were able to stay in the game and even threaten a late-game rally, however a comeback never materialized.

It was St. Charles’ senior quarterback Brian Halas who opened the scoring with a pass, uncharacteristic of the Bulldogs’ wing T offense. Marshall Davenport made the reception and sprinted uncontested into the end zone to give the ‘Dogs an 8-0 lead.

Hemlock returned the favor - almost. The Huskies found a way to drive all the way to inside their opponents’ 5-yard line. Senior runningback Mitch Wagoner took a hand-off and sprinted off tackle into the end zone.

Unfortunately, a holding penalty negated the score. Hemlock went on to turn the ball over on downs.

Like the first half, junior runningback Marshall Davenport accounted for the first touchdown of the second half, this time on a simple trap play. Dugan Roosa ran the 2-point conversion in to give the Bulldogs a 16-0 advantage.

The Huskies retaliated. Mitch Wagoner carried his squad on an efficient drive, then capped it with a 4-yard run. The Huskies failed in their attempt to keep pace with a 2-point conversion, but had finally entered the scoreboard.

Only a couple plays later, though, Davenport found room to run around the left side and answered with his third touchdown of the night. The points-after pass attempt failed.

The scoring stalled early in the fourth quarter until Brad Saunders, St. Charles’ stand-out defensive end, lived every big man’s dream. Hemlock quarterback Justin Herline dropped back and attempted to complete a pass. Saunders, who was applying a pass rush, stretched out his arm, caught the ball one-handed, and sprinted as fast as he could into the end zone.

With the score at 28-6 halfway through the final quarter, it appeared as if the St. Charles players were ready to enter cruise control.

Hemlock didn’t give them the chance.

St. Charles’ back-up punter, positioned near his own end zone, fumbled a snap in the rain and Hemlock recovered the ball at the Bulldog 2-yard line. Three plays later, Herline rushed for a touchdown. Once again, the conversion attempt failed, leaving the score at 28-12.

They weren’t done. The Huskies successfully recovered their own onside kick, and appeared to be garnering momentum. Unfortunately for them, though, the drive stalled out and Hemlock was forced to turnover on downs. St. Charles executed every coach’s favorite play - the knee - to leave the field with a hard-earned victory.

The difference in the game was the well-rounded St. Charles rushing attack. Ryan Humpert led the way with 13 rushes for 136 yards. Marshall Davenport accumulated 115 yards and 2 touchdowns on 12 carries to accompany his touchdown reception, and quarterback Brian Halas added 93 yards on 11 attempts. Hemlock’s Mitch Wagoner led the Huskies with 85 rushing yards, including one touchdown.

The Bulldogs will be preparing for their first-round play-off game next week. Hemlock’s season is over, but they should congratulate themselves on a great year. Despite a lack of victories, the Huskies played close games with a variety of very tough teams and should be proud of the way they handled themselves.

Week 9 Rankings

2007-10-14T10:16:00.000-04:00

Class A

1. Davison (6-2)
The Cardinals have a mammoth task at hand against Holt, who is undefeated and ranked 3rd in Division 1 in the latest AP poll.

2. Flint Southwestern Academy (4-4) (7-1)*
The Knights kept their play-off aspirations alive with a thrilling victory against Midland last Friday.

3. Midland (6-2)
The Chemics lost last week, but showed that they are as good a team as there is in the Saginaw Valley League.

4. Arthur Hill (6-2)
They won, but a 7-point victory over Flint Central (1-7) raises questions. This team seems to come to play against the big boys, but falter when favored.

5. Mt. Pleasant (6-2)
The Oiler defense stepped up last week to shut out Midland Dow.

ON THE BUBBLE
Flushing
Bay City Central
Oxford
Lapeer West

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Class B

1. Frankenmuth (8-0)
The Eagles earn the number 1 spot after dismantling Millington in the highly-anticipated Tri-Valley East showdown.

2. Alma (8-0)
The Alma Panthers finished the conference schedule with a resounding victory over Swan Valley.

3. Linden (7-1)
Yes, they lost, but the Eagles still have a plethora of victories over class A competition and a chance for part of the conference championship.

4. Standish-Sterling (7-1)
The Panthers' 28-8 victory over Reed City (6-2) sent a message to other teams in division 5: Watch out for Standish!

5. Bullock Creek (7-1)
The Lancers thrashed Shephard 40-0, and will aim to do the same to MLS this week.

6. Millington (7-1)
Despite losing their first game last Friday, the Cardinals will be a serious contender when the second season arrives.

7. Ogemaw Heights (7-1)
The Falcons struck down class A Gaylord (4-3) by a comfortable margin.

8. Flint Powers (5-3)
Powers may be 5-3, but their losses came from 3 very talented squads.

9. Montrose (7-1)
The Rams are no doubt salivating at the thought of avenging their only loss when the play-offs roll around.

10. Lake Fenton (7-1)
Not only did the Blue Devils barely scrape past Goodrich (2-6), but Mt. Morris lost to Pinconning (2-6). Their recent story on espn is inspiring, but could Lake Fenton have peaked too early in the season?

ON THE BUBBLE
Garber
Chesaning
Tawas
Birch Run
Freeland

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Class C/D

1. Reese (8-0)
The Rockets crushed USA (5-3) to remain undefeated.

2. St. Charles (8-0)
The Bulldogs have been cruising, but they'll have to be sure that they don't overlook a Hemlock team that is better than their record indicates.

3. Fulton (8-0)
The Pirates won yet another close game against Pewamo-Westphalia to earn the Central Michigan Athletic Conference championship.

4. Nouvel Catholic Central (5-2)
Watch out! The Panthers blanked John Glenn, and have been improving throughout the season; whoever faces this team in the play-offs will have their work cut out for them.

7. Ithaca (6-1)
The Yellowjackets continue to beat teams the way they are expected to.

5. Hamady (7-1)
The Hawks were on the ropes for most of the game, but reacted like champions to avoid being upset by Flint Northwestern.

6. Pewamo-Westphalia (7-1)
The Pirates nearly struck down Fulton, but instead will have to set their sights on a long play-off run.

8. Merrill (6-2)
Vestaburg should provide a good measuring stick to dermine how far the Vandals have come since last season's 7-4 record.

9. Clare (7-1)
With their 1-point victory over Gladwin, the Pioneers clinched the Jack Pine Conference title.

10. Flint Beecher (6-2)
The Buccaneers played Holly, a class A team, close.

ON THE BUBBLE
New Lothrop
Unionville-Sebawaing
Whittemore-Prescott
Byron
Laingsburg
St. Patrick

Flint SWA Slips Past Midland

2007-10-13T19:37:00.001-04:00

The Midland Chemics dominated the first half and kept Mark Ingram, Flint Southwestern Academy’s star runningback, contained to 77 yards. However, that wasn’t enough to prevent from Midland dropping a 1-point decision to the visiting Knights.

The game started out as well as Midland might have hoped. Michael Albrecht put the first touchdown on the board after a 6:00+ drive to start the game. After completely shutting down Southwestern’s offense, including a failed fake punt attempt by Mark Ingram, the Chemic offense returned to the field. Once again, they found themselves effectively and efficiently moving the ball with solid running from Colter Roberson.

After switching sides of the field to start the second quarter, the Knight defense finally stiffened up. They stopped Midland’sadvance in the red zone for the first time in the game and the Chemics were forced to settle for a field goal.

Down 10-0, Flint SWA finally created some offense of their own. The Chemics did a great job on stopping the vaunted Southwestern run game, so the Knights went to the air. Quarterback Anthony Kemp led his team on a methodical drive that culminated on a touchdown reception by Tyrone Ward. After a sucessful PAT, the score was 10-7 Midland.

Once again, though, SWA found themselves unable to solve the Midland running game. For the third consecutive time, the Chemics drove deep into their opponent’s territory. Also once again, the Knights were not able to hold ground until backed against their own end zone.

Midland found themselves in a 4th down situation from the red zone. Instead of attempting a field goal like the previous drive, coach Wilczek put some confidence in his offense. Andrew Maxwell’s pass fell through his receivers hands, and SWA took over until the first half was over.

The key to the game may have been that, despite being within smelling distance of the red zone in every drive, Midland only scored 10 points in the first half.

In the second half, the Knights took over. They received the opening kick-off and were hitting on all cylinders. Kemp completed two clutch fourth-down passes, the second of which was Tyrone Ward’s second touchdown of the night.

Midland’s Andrew Cox blocked the extra point attempt, so the score was set at 13-10: SWA’s first lead of the night.

The Chemics answered. Roberson carried his team down the field, but the Knights held tight in the red zone yet another time. Catlin Porter’s second field goal of the night tied the game.

The enviroment in the stadium was electric by the time the fourth quarter rolled around.

Southwestern got the ball to begin the quarter, and they made the most of it. Mark Ingram found his only running room of the night, but it couldn’t have come in a more timely manner. Kemp completed yet another fourth-down conversion, and Ingram finished the drive with a 2 yard touchdown run.

With the score 20-13 halfway through the final period, Midland responded the way a team against the ropes should. Albrecht hauled in a Andrew Maxwell bomb to put the Chemics in scoring position.

The series that occurred next will go down among the most thrilling this season has seen.
Midland drove until they reached fourth and goal from the 1 yard line. With the game on the line and both teams squashed in the same small area, it appeared as if we’d reached the climax of the contest.

Maxwell handed the ball to Colter Roberson, who lowered his shoulders and collided with a massive pile of blue and white jerseys. When the dust settled, the visiting stands erupted: there was no touchdown.

Their elation was short-lived, though. A few plays after their dramatic stand, the Knights fumbled the ball still close to their own end zone. Midland recovered, and Roberson rushed for a touchdown 2 plays later.

The score was tied.

Or was it?

The automatic point-after attempt was anything but automatic; Porter’s kick was errant, and suddenly the Chemics found themselves losing by 1 point despite their fortuitous score.

The Midland team was not about to relent, though. With time running low, they recovered their own onside kick and began an urgent march downfield to earn a victory.

For a moment, it looked as if they’d done exactly that. Unfortunately for them, a fumbled rush attempt ended up in their opponent’s hands. The Knights ran the clock out and left Midland with a hard-earned victory and their outside shot of a play-off berth in tact.

The Knights will travel to Heritage next week. They hope to win in order to end the season at 5-4 and have a shot to make the state play-offs with an at-large bid. Midland travels across the city to take on the Dow Chargers in each team’s biggest rivalry game.

Week 8 Predictions

2007-10-11T19:35:00.000-04:00

GAME OF THE WEEK
Frankenmuth Eagles at Millington Cardinals
It couldn't be scripted any better. Two undefeated teams meet in the last week of conference play, and the winners walk off the field with the Tri-Valley East championship. Frankenmuth has come out on top in close games against both Birch Run and Garber. They'll look for their 1-2 runningback attack of Ryan Keith and Nathan Cormier to control the clock and do most of the scoring. The Eagle defense, though, will have to be ready for senior quarterback Dustin Griesing and the dynamic Cardinal offense that exploded for 45 points against Birch Run 2 weeks ago. I anticipate a historical battle, but I have a feeling that the Cardinals have a stronger overrall team.
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Frankenmuth: 21
Millington: 35

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Fulton Pirates at Pewamo-Westphalia Pirates

Like the game in Millington, the match-up between the Pirates of the Central Michigan Athletic Conference is a climactic battle of the two undefeated conference powers. Fulton has won the last two meetings between the two teams by a combined 4 points; expect another thriller this year. Fulton's Clevelyn Jefferson has been one of the most dominant runningbacks in the area, but if anyone can stop him, P-W might be the team. In fact, neither team has allowed more than 19 points in any game this year. Tough defenses and explosive offenses abound, so this is an extremely difficult pick.

I'd love to predict a minor upset, but I'm leaning towards a Fulton victory because one game sticks out in my mind. P-W escaped Laingsburg 29-19, while Fulton routed the Wolfpack by a score of 47-14. Yes, the infamous "common opponent score theory"; you know it's a toss-up when I've resorted to this.

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Fulton: 21

Pewamo-Westphalia: 20

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Flint Southwestern Academy Knights at Midland Chemics

If you follow this blog, you know that I've developed an affinity for the Knights this season. Despite a plethora of hurdles, they showed immense courage and heart in their victory over Mt. Pleasant last week. However, it will take more than courage to defeat the 6-1 Midland Chemics, who make use of a dynamic offense including quarterback Andrew Maxwell and the effective runningback tandem of Joel Parsons and Colter Roberson. If SWA hadn't forfeited their first three games, we'd be looking at a likely battle for the conference championship. Instead, this is just a game between two tough teams; after their performance last week, it's hard to bet against the chip on the shoulder of Mark Ingram and company.

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Flint SWA: 35

Midland: 28

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Traverse City Central Trojans at Bay City Central Wolves

A battle between the Centrals will be exciting because both 5-2 squads have the same goal - a play-off berth. The Trojans dropped a close battle to the Wolves' rival Bay City Western in week 5, and I believe that Bay City Central has even more talent than the Warriors do. I predict a bit of a route; expect Trenton Robinson and Luther Ware to run wild.

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Traverse City Central: 7
Bay City Central: 28

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Lapeer West Panthers at Linden Eagles

Linden is undefeated and looking toward a third straight Flint Metro League title. Lapeer West (5-2) may have something to say about that, though; perhaps Linden looks vulnerable after they escaped Muskegan Catholic Central by 2 points last week. This game will go a long ways towards answering questions about both teams. If the Panthers can pull off the upset, they'll likely receive partial owernership in the conference title. I expect that Linden will recover from last week and return to their dominant form.

-----------------------------

Lapeer West: 10

Linden: 20
-----------------------------

Reese Rockets at Unionville-Sebawaing Area Patriots

Reese is undefeated and expected to make a very long play-off run; USA is hoping to clinch a play-off berth. Both teams will have a bit of extra motivation this week in order to claim the 14th Suger Bowl, which is awarded to the winner of the annual rivalry game between the two schools. The Rockets will be favored, but the Pariots, led by senior runningback Lance VanHoost, might make this one of the most exciting match-ups of the season. I think Reese's momentum and overrall team skill will subdue USA, but not until late in the game.

-----------------------------
Reese: 22
USA: 18

-----------------------------

John Glenn Bobcats at Nouvel Catholic Central Panthers
Last season, Nouvel laid a whooping down against Glenn; this year may be different. Nouvel hasn't dominated like they have in years past, but John Glenn isn't in top form, either. Both teams are 4-2 due to an bye week, and looking for their 5th win to secure a play-off berth. Both Nouvel and Glenn need to win, as they have large challenges ahead of them in week 9 in Muskegon Catholic Central and Garber, respectively. I am going to put my confidence in Nouvel, partly because it is physically impossible for Nouvel to NOT qualify for the play-offs.

-----------------------------

John Glenn: 18

Nouvel: 28
-----------------------------

Week 8 Rankings

2007-10-08T11:48:00.000-04:00

Class A

1. Davison (5-2)
The Cardinals have steamrolled their last five opponents.

2. Flint Southwestern Academy (3-4) (6-1)*
Had the Knights not forfeited three victories, they would be heading into Midland with the Saginaw Valley League crown on the line.

3. Arthur Hill (5-2)
In the last three weeks, the Lumberjacks have defeated three top-tier SVL squads.

4. Midland (6-1)
Mt. Pleasant's loss to Flint SWA gives the Chemics control of their own destiny this Friday against the Knights.

5. Mt. Pleasant (5-2)
The Oilers have faltered in the last two weeks, but are still one of the toughest teams in the area.

ON THE BUBBLE
Flushing
Bay City Central
Oxford

-------------------------------------------

Class B

1. Linden (7-0)
The Eagles got their first scare of the season against Muskegon Catholic Central last week.

2. Millington (7-0)
This week against Frankenmuth will determine the Tri-Valley East championship.

3. Flint Powers (5-2)
The Chargers are headed into a big game against Flushing this Friday.

4. Alma (7-0)
The Panthers are undefeated, but have appeared vulnerable in the last couple weeks with slim margins of victory over Chesaning and Ovid-Elsie.

5. Frankenmuth (7-0)
Friday's match-up against Millington should be a great one.

6. Bullock Creek (6-1)
The Lancers are likely looking at a home play-off game or two.

7. Standish-Sterling (6-1)
Standish is an interesting team with a chance to make a serious play-off run.

8. Ogemaw Heights (6-1)
The Falcons beat Tawas to earn a share of the NEMC title.

9. Montrose (6-1)
The Rams have been rolling ever since their close loss to Lake Fenton in week 2.

10. Lake Fenton (6-1)
Last week's loss to Mt. Morris is hard to read; is it an aberration, is Mt. Morris better than advertised, or is Lake Fenton vulnerable?

ON THE BUBBLE
Garber
Ovid-Elsie
Tawas
Birch Run

-------------------------------------------

Class C/D

1. St. Charles (7-0)
The Bulldogs have been rolling, but will have to stay vigilant to avoid overlooking trap games against St. Louis and Hemlock.

2. Reese (7-0)
If the Rockets prevail against USA and Birch Run, they'll go into the play-offs with the number one spot.

3. Fulton (7-0)
Even against undefeated Pewamo-Westphalia, the Pirates are heavily favored this week.

4. Nouvel Catholic Central (4-2)
Despite two losses, the Panthers could be favored over any of the three teams on top of them.

5. Hamady (6-1)
The GAC Blue champions are a team to keep track of come play-off time.

6. Pewamo-Westphalia (7-0)
The Pirates will get their shot to strike down Fulton and take the CMAC championship this Friday.

7. Ithaca (6-1)
Could another thrilling match-up against St. Charles be on the horizon?

8. Merrill (5-2)
The Vandals could make a run in the division 7 play-offs.

9. Clare (6-1)
The Pioneers' only loss was a 1-point decision in week 1. However, their lack of dominance over a relatively weak schedule gives questions about how they compare to other teams in the area.

10. Flint Beecher (6-1)
The Bucs are to be commended for their most successful season in recent memory, but how will they do when the level of competition steps up in the play-offs?

ON THE BUBBLE
New Lothrop
Unionville-Sebawaing
Whittemore-Prescott
Byron
Laingsburg
St. Patrick

In Praise of SWA

2007-10-06T16:26:00.000-04:00

Despite what the headlines might suggest, the players on the Flint Southwestern football team have as much pride and character as any team in the state.

They endured headlines about the integrity of their program after it was discovered two of their players were convicted felons. They endured a suspended head coach.

Last Friday, they discovered they would have to endure yet another hurdle; they would forfeit their first three victories of the season due to an ineligible player. With that, the Knights went from 5-1 and looking toward a long post-season run to 2-4, and looking for a miracle. Not only that, but they lost control of their destiny; they were about to face the top two teams in the competitive Saginaw Valley league. Their forfeits made a conference championship impossible.

It would be easy to give up after that.

The Knights, though, had too much character. Too much pride. Too much integrity.

That's why they marched into Mt. Pleasant and ruined the Oilers' championship hopes with a 47-42 victory. If the Knights hadn't forfeited their games, this would have made them heavy SVL favorites with Midland as their only remaining challenge. Instead, they played for pride. They played because that's what football is about; working hard and playing clean, no matter the circumstances off of the field.

According the Flint Journal, Oilers coach Jason McIntyre had this to say after his team lost.

"I'm glad for the community of Flint. What a great game, what a great thing to happen to these kids who have been through so much this season."

Character. Pride. Integrity.

Class.

Say what you want, but the Knights' rollercoaster of a season has brought out what is best in high school football.

That is why I'm hoping for a 5-4 play-off berth for Southwestern. Not only because it would add another chapter to an exciting season, but because the young men on the team absolutely deserve it.

Week 7 Rankings

2007-10-01T11:18:00.000-04:00

Week 6 caused a lot of movement in the rankings! Arthur Hill's victory over Mt. Pleasant, Standish-Sterling's win against Ogemaw Heights, and Millington's thrashing of Birch Run caused some of the biggest movement.

Class A

1. Davison (4-2)
The Cardinals have won 4 straight.

2. Mt. Pleasant (5-1)
Yes, they lost to Arthur Hill last week, but let's not forget that they defeated Midland, Heritage, and Bay City Central handily.

3. Midland (5-1)
The Chemics are back into the conference race with Mt. Pleasant's loss on Friday.

4. Arthur Hill (4-2)
The Lumberjacks are one of the hottest teams in the state, but you can't be ranked at the top with losses to both Bay City Central and Heritage.

5. Oxford (6-0)
The Wildcats are the only undefeated class A team left in the area, but it may be due to their subpar schedule. Week 9 against Linden will be revealing.

ON THE BUBBLE
Flint Southwestern Academy
Bay City Central
Heritage

-------------------------------------

Class B

1. Linden (6-0)
The Eagles continue to dismantle their class A opponents.

2. Millington (6-0)
Their 45-14 route of the Birch Run Panthers has catapulted the Cardinals up the rankings.

3. Alma (6-0)
The Panthers have endured the toughest part of their schedule, and will be favored to go 9-0.

4. Flint Powers (4-2)
On one hand, the Chargers just beat Detroit Country Day by a comfortable margin. On the other hand, Ogemaw Heights, who beat Powers earlier in the year, just lost to Standish. I think this team has greatly improved since the season began.

5. Ogemaw Heights (5-1)
Despite losing to Standish, the Falcons still have marquee victories over Flint Powers and John Glenn.

6. Bullock Creek (5-1)
The Lancers will be a team to be reckoned with come play-off time.

7. Lake Fenton (6-0)
The Blue Devils are still on track for an undefeated regular season.

8. Standish-Sterling (5-1)
Their victory over Ogemaw Heights assures the Panthers a share of the NEMC title.

9. Frankenmuth (6-0)
Week 8 against Millington should decide the Tri-Valley East championship.

10. Chesaning (4-2)
The Indians dropped a close game to Alma last week.

ON THE BUBBLE
Garber
Tawas
Montrose

-------------------------------------

Class C/D

1. St. Charles (6-0)
The Bulldogs are undefeated and rolling after their 37-7 romp of Michigan Lutheran Seminary.

2. Reese (6-0)
If the Rockets finish undefeated, they'll probably overcome the top spot.

3. Fulton (6-0)
Fowler gave the Pirates their closest game of the year; perhaps Fulton is beatable?

4. Nouvel Catholic Central (3-2)
They've lost to some quality teams, but the Panthers will definitely make some noise come play-off time.

5. Hamady (5-1)
Their victory over Byron all but assures the Hawks of their first GAC Blue title.

6. Ithaca (5-1)
The Yellowjackets appear to be improving each week.

7. Pewamo-Westphalia (6-0)
Their toughest test will come in week 9 against Fulton.

8. Byron (4-2)
The Eagles have dropped 2 games to a pair of quality teams; they'll have a chance at redemption come play-off time.

9. Merrill (4-2)
Could the Vandals be the dark horse in the Division 7 play-off picture?

10. Flint Beecher (5-1)
The Buccaneers are the feel good story of the area, but will it translate to post-season success?

ON THE BUBBLE
Clare
Unionville-Sebawaing
Whittemore-Prescott
New Lothrop
Fowler

Upsets Blur the Conference Picture

2007-09-30T10:18:00.000-04:00

If forced to define week 5 in one word, I would have absolutely no problem.

The word would be "upset".

Two undefeated teams that had been all but coronated already lost to a conference opponent they were heavily favored against. Mt. Pleasant had been completely dominant over their Saginaw Valley League opponents, and nobody expected 3-2 Arthur Hill - a traditionally mediocre program - to walk into the Oilers' homecoming and ruin the party.

Similarly, the Ogemaw Heights Falcons beat a powerhouse team in Flint Powers in week 1, then crushed rival John Glenn by 34 points. Standish-Sterling barely slipped by Glenn, but lost to Tawas; in other words, you could call them "the team that lost to the team that lost to John Glenn". It was unexpected, then, when they overtook Ogemaw and virtually assured themselves a share of the Northeast Michigan Conference title.

Let's take a look at why these upsets ocurred and their implications in their respective conference championship races.

This isn't Arthur Hill's first upset of the season. Just previous to their win over the Oilers, the Lumberjacks beat formerly-undefeated Flint Southwestern Academy. There were a lot of excuses for this:

Flint SWA just had an off night.

Arthur Hill got lucky, it was a fluke.

The Knights just aren't that good.

With their victory over Mt. Pleasant, the Lumberjacks showed the real reason for the upset - Arthur Hill is a hell of a team.

And while it was definitely surprise, maybe it shouldn't have been; the 'Jacks clearly have some talent. Quarterback Mike Schaaf, a 6'8'' junior, has had his breaking out party in Hill's two upsets. He earned 2 consecutive Saginaw News Player of the Night awards with 495 yards and 9 touchdowns passing as well as one rushing touchdown in the Lumberjacks' 2 upsets. Runningbacks Jerrell Wilson has been impressive all year; in fact, he has quietly come in 2nd in the Saginaw Valley in rushing yards, rushing touchdowns, and scoring so far this year.

And they aren't simply an offensive squad. Their victory over Mt. Pleasant included 3 interceptions from the Oiler's all-everything QB Will Arnold. Arnold had only thrown 1 in the first 5 games combined.

And now the Saginaw Valley League, which had been widely considered won, is wide open with Mt. Pleasant, Flint Southwestern Academy, and Midland all having 1 conference loss. Arthur Hill has 2, as they dropped early-season contests to both Saginaw Heritage and Bay City Central, which along with Bay City Western are the other teams with 2 conference losses.

So who will win the league crown? Flint SWA is in control of the outcome; they face off against Mt. Pleasant in week 7 and Midland in week 8. Two victories would give them the outright conference championship. Keep an eye out for these huge games, and watch out for Arthur Hill when the play-offs roll around!

Before last Friday's upset, Ogemaw Heights had been untouchable. They had defeated a perennial power (forgive the pun) in the first game of the year by a wide margin, and went into cruise control for the rest of their games. They had outscored opponents 162-53 in 5 weeks and appeared destined for an undefeated season.

However, it was not to be.

The Panthers of Standish-Sterling saw to that.

In a highly anticipated, yet seemingly predictable, game, the Panthers grabbed a victory over state-ranked Ogemaw Heights, their first over the Falcons since 1991.

Two main factors caused this win; early momentum and the leadership of Quarterback Aaron Collier. Standish used Ogemaw's sluggish start to take an early lead. As any football player will tell you, momentum is a huge part of the game.

Their more tangible advantage was the play of their quarterback. Collier accounted for 5 touchdowns, 3 passing and 2 rushing. In a night in which the Falcons could do nothing right, Collier was the difference between the squads.

But what does this mean for the conference race? Three teams - Ogemaw Heights, Standish-Sterling, and Tawas - have 1 loss in the conference. Standish will get at least a share of the title, and the other share will be decided next week when Tawas meets Ogemaw Heights.

Week 6 Predictions

2007-09-27T12:41:00.000-04:00

Five games done, four left until we know exactly how the play-off picture turns out. There are a couple games this week with big impacts that will help to uncover how the second season will unfold; let's take a look at a few of them

Game of the Week
Detroit Country Day Yellowjackets at Flint Powers Chargers
This battle between two of the better class B teams in the state should be a great one! Country Day (4-1) has already defeated a well-known Mid-Michigan team in Nouvel C.C., but Powers is a bit larger and a bit more experienced that Nouvel is. The key will be whether they can contain the Yellowjackets' Nebraska-committed runningback Jonas Gray. The Chargers have their own stud back in Ronnie Lark. I see the game being close, but Powers taking home a close victory.
Prediction:
Country Day - 22
Powers - 28

Midland High Chemics at Bay City Western Warriors
The Chemics have been riding high since their week 1 loss to undefeated Mt. Pleasant, outscoring opponents 147-13 in 4 consecutive wins, including 3 straight shut-outs. The combination of a stingy defense, quality play from quarterback Andrew Maxwell, and a stable of talented runningbacks makes Midland tough to beat. Western will have its shot, though; they've won 5 of the last 8 meeting between these two squads. The Warriors should be riding a wave of momentum after their victory in Traverse City last Friday. I anticipate a close first quarter, followed by Midland pulling away and holding the game in check with their defense.
Prediction:
Midland - 28
Western - 7

Millington Cardinals at Birch Run Panthers
The Cards are undefeated and unchallenged so far this year, but Birch Run will have a shot at changing both of these facts. Millington is rolling, coming off of a 47-6 stomping of Vassar. They're about to hit the meet of their schedule now, with Garber and Frankenmuth following this week. The Panthers just dropped two very close games to those exact teams, but their program has proven that it is resilient enough to defend their home turf well. This game will reveal exactly how tough Millington is, and I think they'll make a big statement.
Prediction:
Millington - 22
Birch Run - 14

Arthur Hill Lumberjacks at Mt. Pleasant Oilers
Nobody expected much from the Lumberjacks last week; they responded by upsetting formerly-undefeated Flint SWA Knights. This week, Mike Schaaf, Jerrell Wilson, and the rest of the cast from Arthur Hill are heading northward to Mt. Pleasant to play the underdog once again, this time to the 5-0 Oilers. Arthur Hill is play-off bound, but they probably don't have the firepower to keep up with the high-scoring Mt. Pleasant offense that includes stars Will Arnold, Tyler Mills, Fisayo Famayo, and Nick St. John.
Prediction:
Arthur Hill - 15
Mt. Pleasant - 35

Hamady Hawks at Byron Eagles
This could very well be the game that decides the GAC Blue championship. Byron has been successful against conference foes so far, but they've yet to face a team as talented as the Hawks, whose only loss came against Nouvel Catholic Central. Unfortunately for Byron, I just don't see them keeping up with the speedy Hamady squad.
Prediction:
Hamady - 35
Bryon - 14

Chesaning Indians at Alma Panthers
This match-up lost a bit of its appeal when the Indians received their first loss last week, but the game should be exciting nonetheless. Alma is undefeated and facing perhaps its biggest hurdle towards the TVC-Central crown. Defining the match-up is the duel between two of the area's top quarterbacks: Indiana-bound Adam Follet from Alma and 4-year starter Joe Bitterman for Chesaning. I think that the game will be decided, not on passing like you might assume, but on the run game; Alma's fullback Kraig Williams might be the deciding factor.
Prediction:
Chesaning - 14
Alma - 28

Week 6 Rankings

2007-09-23T11:40:00.000-04:00

Class A

1. Mt. Pleasant (5-0)
Another week, another dominating performance by the Oilers.

2. Davison (3-2)
The Cardinals have recovered from their slow start and now have an inside track to the play-offs.

3. Midland (4-1)
The Chemics rebounded from their season-opening loss with four consecutive victories.

4. Oxford (5-0)
They're still undefeated, but Oxford's subpar schedule keeps them out of the top 3.

5. Arthur Hill (3-2)
Bay City Central, Bay City Western, Heritage, or Flint Southwestern all might have had this spot, but Arthur Hill is the team with the momentum right now after their upset of Flint SWA on Friday.

ON THE BUBBLE
Flint Southwestern Academy (4-1)
Bay City Central (3-2)
Bay City Western (4-1)
Heritage (3-2)

------------------------------------------

Class B

1. Linden (5-0)
All 5 of the Eagles' victories have come over class A opponents; can you say "homefield advantage"?

2. Ogemaw Heights (5-0)
The Falcons move up one spot after dismantling John Glenn last week.

3. Alma (5-0)
With Chesaning's loss to Bullock Creek, the Panthers are now the only undefeated team left in the Tri-Valley Central.

4. Frankemuth (5-0)
The Eagles are undefeated and looking towards week 8 against Millington for the TVC-East title.

5. Flint Powers (3-2)
It's tough to downgrade a class B team for losing to Davison.

6. Bullock Creek (4-1)
The Lancers will most likely finish 8-1.

7. Lake Fenton (5-0)
Barring an upset, the Blue Devils should finish the regular season 9-0.

8. Millington (5-0)
The Cardinals made quick work of Vassar, but Birch Run awaits; that game will reveal what the Cardinals' squad is about.

9. Garber (4-1)
Randon Henika was a playmaker is the Dukes' victory over Birch Run.

10. Montrose (4-1)
Save for their 8 point loss to Lake Fenton, the Rams have been rolling.

ON THE BUBBLE
Chesaning
Birch Run
Tawas
Standish-Sterling
Roscommon

------------------------------------------

Class C/D

1. St. Charles (5-0)
With the toughest stretch of their season done, the Bulldogs' toughest test left will be at Michigan Lutheran Seminary this week.

2. Reese (5-0)
The undefeated Rockets are riding a wave of momentum that might carry them to an undefeated season.

3. Nouvel C.C. (2-2)
Despite their misleading record, the Panthers are a very talented team.

4. Fulton (5-0)
The Pirates have yet to be challenged by any team so far this year.

5. Flint Hamady (4-1)
There isn't anybody left on the Hawks' schedule tougher than Nouvel or New Lothrop.

6. Ithaca (4-1)
The Yellowjackets rode an impressive second half to victory over Merrill on Friday.

7. Pewamo-Westphalia (5-0)
Their victory over Fowler means that P-W is probably the only CMAC team left with a shot at striking down Fulton.

8. Flint Beecher (4-1)
Say what you want, but the Bucs are on their way to their first winning season since going 5-4 in 1994.

9. Unionville-Sebawaing (3-2)
The Patriots are the most unpredictable and confusing team in the area. They lost to Laker High 32-8 two weeks ago. However, Laker was smashed 44-14 by Ubly, whom the Patriots beat 19-14 in week 1. Their week 8 match-up against Reese should serve to clear up some of the questions surrounding this squad.

10. Whittermore-Prescott (4-1)
The Cardinals beat New Lothrop last Friday.

ON THE BUBBLE
Clare
Byron
Merrill

Ithaca Rallies to Overcome Merrill

2007-09-21T23:08:00.000-04:00

In front of a large home crowd, the Ithaca Yellowjackets overcame a rough start by scoring 34 consecutive points to overcome the visiting Merrill Vandals.

It was the Vandals that got on the board first to gain a 6-0 upper hand. It appeared as if Merrill had not only come to play, they'd come to dominate; an Ithaca fumble led to junior runningback Ricky Chapin running downfield, and over a few defenders, into paydirt to establish a 12-0 lead.

Momentum was on Merrill's side. The Vandals restrained the Yellowjackets on the ensuing drive, then took over possession from the middle of the field. From there, star quarterback Jason Pratt directed his team on yet another efficient drive.

Ithaca did not give up, however; when the Vandals stalled on 4th and 6, one of the biggest plays of the night occurred. Pratt swung the ball out to Chapin, who was able to evade one defender and sprinted his way straight to the end zone. He was met there by two Yellowjacket defenders, who were able to collide with him and, despite Chapin's best efforts, keep him out of the end zone by about 1 foot.

Invigorated, momentum began to shift towards the home squad. A few plays later, Ithaca QB Jared Cline launched a rocket to Stephen Katt, who caught and ran with the ball for an 89 yard touchdown play. Just like that, the Vandals had gone from 1 foot away from an 18-0 lead, and now settled for a 12-7 margin.

Merrill took the ball back and made a statement. Last year, Ithaca ran over the Tri-Valley West with their quarterback traps, swing passes, and quick slants. Jason Pratt and the Vandals must have studied some game tape, because that is exactly what Merrill was using to dismantle the Yellowjacket defense. Their drive was capped when Ricky Chapin completed a 46-yard run up the middle to give his squad an 18-7 lead.

At this point, Merrill had played almost perfectly. Each of their drives had been long, 3 for touchdowns and one came within inches of another. Ithaca, on the other hand, had failed to sustain a drive; their only points came from a deep pass play. This was about to change completely.

Late in the second quarter, Ithaca took charge once again. This time, they were able to drive all the way down the field before Cline threw an absolutely perfect touchdown pass to Drew Moomey from about 20 yards out. The extra point was no good, and the teams went into halftime entrenched in a 18-13 battle.

The beginning of the second half was defined by each defense making critical plays. It wasn't until Merrill's special teams made a blunder that momentum got rolling.

On fourth down in their own territory, the Vandal long-snapper hiked the ball well over the head of the punter, and Ithaca's opportunistic rushers pounced on the ball at the 1 yard line. On the next play, Cline plowed his way behind the line and into the end zone. With 3:37 left in the 3rd quarter, Ithaca had their first lead of the game; they would never relinquish it.

The Yellowjacket defensive backfield stepped up. On the next drive, Pratt's pass attempt was intercepted. Ithaca took over with strong field position, and marched downfield. With the end zone within smelling distance, however, disaster nearly struck.

Cline completed a swing pass to runningback Brandon Walker, who evaded a handful of defenders and reached toward the end zone. As he extended his arm, he was hit and the ball dropped from his arms. What happened next was murky; depending on who you ask, the ball either bounced out of bounds just past the pile-on that marks the end zone, or just before it at the 1-inch mark.

Fortuitously for the Jackets, the referee ruled that Ithaca would retain possession on the cusp of the goal line. On the next play from scrimmage, Cline collected another touchdown run.

From that point on, Ithaca would do nothing wrong, and Merrill could do nothing right. With the score favoring the Yellowjackets 27-18, Pratt threw his second interception of the night. Ithaca took advantage of this by scoring another touchdown to put the score at 34-18 with one-third of the fourth quarter gone. Ithaca caught one more interception and scored another touchdown.

The Vandals weren't quite done, though; they scored with a little less than half of the final period remaining in order to keep themselves within striking distance. They botched this, though, by fumbling on the Ithaca 7 yard line with about 2:00 left when they were down 41-26. Ithaca took the ball over and was able to run the clock out and take their hard-earned victory.

Jared Cline accounted for 4 touchdowns, 2 passing and 2 rushing, for the Yellowjackets, who will travel to Breckenridge (3-2) next Friday. Ricky Chapin led the Vandal attack with 3 touchdown runs. Merrill welcomes St. Louis as they try to climb their way back to the play-offs next week.

Week 5 Predictions

2007-09-19T18:58:00.000-04:00

Last week I went 6-3, my worst week yet. This puts my record for the season at 20-8 . With a plethora of big match-ups on Friday, let's take a look at some of the most interesting ones.

GAME OF THE WEEK
Davison Cardinals at Flint Powers Chargers
Davison has recouped from their rough 0-2 start to reach their current 2-2 record. With Holt still on the way, Jared Cowan, Richard Kirksey, and the rest of the Cardinal squad have very little room for error if they want to be sure of reaching 6 wins and an automatic berth to the second season. Similarly, Powers was able to bounce back from their opening-season loss to Ogemaw Heights with victories over St. Johns, Grand Blanc, and Carman-Ainsworth. With a couple of tough teams still ahead, the Chargers would be build some breathing room if they can pull off a win this week. Unfortunately for them, I believe that Davison may have too much talent to overcome. In a hard-fought battle for Big 9 dominance, my money is on the Cardinals.
Prediction:
Davison - 28
Powers - 19

Pewamo-Westphalia Pirates at Fowler Eagles
Two of the three undefeated CMAC teams meet to decide who will most likely play Fulton for the conference championship. The Pirates pulled off a 10-point victory against a tough Laingsburg squad last week on the back of Jason Fedewa's 3 touchdown performance. Fowler has relied on their defense so far, allowing only 19 points in the first 4 weeks. They'll have trouble keeping up such stats with the P-W offense breathing down their neck. I predict that the Pirates pull away in the second half and meet the OTHER Pirates from the CMAC in a week 8 showdown for the conference championship.
Prediction:
P-W - 21
Fowler - 8

Chesaning Indians at Bullock Creek Lancers
Last year, the play-off bound Bullock Creek Lancers marched into Chesaning heavily favored, yet left with the sour taste of defeat after losing to the Indian team that finished with a 2-7 record.
On Friday, they'll have a chance to return the favor.
Chesaning upset (if you want to call it that) Swan Valley last week and gained some conference-wide respect in the process. They'll take their 4-0 record to Bullock Creek to face the Lancers and their vaunted wing T attack. Quarterback Joe Bitterman has been absolutely phenomenal for the Indians so far this year, but he has yet to face a team quite as hard-hitting as Bullock Creek. The Lancers are loaded with weapons on both sides of the ball. Led by signal-caller Matt Peterson and all-conference backs Kyle O'Boyle and Andrew Copus, Creek has been cruising save for one hiccup against 4-0 Alma. It's a tough game to call, but last year's game may have been a sign that the Indians are built perfectly to stop the Creek.
Prediction:
Chesaning - 22
Bullock Creek - 14

Bay City Western Warriors at Traverse City Central Trojans
The battle between 3-1 squads should be an exciting one. Traverse City Central has only one loss, but they don't face a schedule as rough as the SVL's is. They beat 0-4 Alpena, who lost 33-0 to Heritage last week, by a score of 10-0 and defeated 0-4 Petosky by 1 point. Bay City Western hasn't overcome a top tier opponent either, but their margins of victoriy have at least been a bit more wide.
Prediction:
Bay City Western - 18
T.C. Central - 15

John Glenn Bobcats at Ogemaw Heights Falcons
Ogemaw made a huge statement to all of Michigan with their week 1 victory over Flint Powers. Since then, they haven't come up against a team capable of beating them. John Glenn sure hasn't had that problem; they've already played both Tawas and Standish-Sterling, with one close victory as well as a slight defeat to accompany their week 1 romp of Cadillac. They're hoping that a victory over the Falcons will put them back on track for a share of the NEMC title. Ogemaw won't roll over for them, though; led by a host of second year starters, their offense has been explosive so far in 2007. Glenn is a quality team, but they'll struggle to keep pace with one of the best teams in the area.
Prediction:
Ogemaw - 28
John Glenn - 14

Merrill Vandals at Ithaca Yellowjackets
Expect a shoot-out the two best spread offenses that the Tri-Valley West has to offer meet in Ithaca. Merrill, at 3-1, has been a pleasant surprise this year and quiet contender to pull off an upset this season. Ithaca is also 3-1 behind the strong running of Brandon Walker. Both teams suffered their sole loss in a one-touchdown decision to St. Charles. Merrill's junior quarterback Jason Pratt has been dominant so far, but he may be up against the best secondary in the conference. As far at the Merrill defense goes, both MLS and St. Charles have run wild against the Vandals; this bodes well for Walker and the rest of the powerful Yellowjacket offense.
Prediction:
Merrill - 26
Ithaca- 35

Results - Top Class C Teams

2007-09-18T15:33:00.000-04:00

For the last couple days, there's been a poll on the right hand side asking you who you believed to be the best class C team in Mid-Michigan. Like I predicted, not one team dominated the race; in fact, St. Charles and Nouvel tied at 19 votes a piece, and the Reese Rockets fell one vote short with 18. Fulton was right up there as well with 14 votes, while USA and Flint Hamady brought up the rear with 5 and 3 votes, respectively.

The results are exactly why this season is so interesting; there appears be a lot of parity this year, unlike previous years where Nouvel might have been the runaway favorite. Let's take a look at these squads.

Nouvel Catholic Central has a lot of live up to; after all, it can be tough to be the follow up to a team that goes 14-0 and absolutely dominated throughout the entire season. With the familiar names of Birnbaum, Sonntag, and Ryan gone, along with many other impact players, the Panthers were forced to reload for 2006. While they haven't quite been the steamroller that they hoped to be, they've put themselves in a position to win games. Without the star power, the Panthers have been relying on their depth to beat teams; its a good thing they have a lot of it. Quartberback David Kazmierski hasn't been quite as, well, Class C Player of the Year, as his predecessor, but he's been effective. Nick Awry, whose brother Tony was also a star player at Nouvel a few years back, has provided an athletic spark for the group. Despite losses from some quality teams (Detroit Country Day and Traverse City St. Francis), the Panthers still receive my vote for the top class C team in Mid-Michigan.

St. Charles went 8-4 last season, with losses to New Lothrop, Ithaca, Hemlock, and the eventual state champions, Nouvel. A lot of players from last year's team have returned as seniors to improve upon their district championship. Brian Halas has played well in his second year as quarterback, providing a 4th running option in the Bulldogs' vaunted wing T attack. So far, though, the bulk of the yards have been split between runningbacks Ryan Humpert and junior Marshall Davenport. Speed and elusiveness define the St. Charles backfield, but the backs aren't in it alone. A host of returning linemen, led by senior tackle Brad Saunders, have made plenty of room to run in. Mix that with the traditional Bulldog defense that always loves to hit, and you may have a combination for a long post-season run. They better be careful, though; they've defeated some quality teams, but one-touchdown victories against Ithaca and Merrill mean that they'll have to battle to keep teams at bay when the second season begins.

Reese has made the play-offs in each of the last nine years, and 2007 looks like it make a decade of success. If the Rockets looked a bit off in week 2 against All Saints, they sure made up for it against Deckerville last Friday. In what was expected by many to be a close game, Reese dominated 41-6 and sent a message to the state of Michigan - the Rockets are contenders once again. Josh Bierlein, from a long line of Reese stars with the surname, is calling the signals for the 4-0 Rockets. He has led the team with both his arm and explosive running ability. The Rockets' backfield is constantly rotating; indeed, their deep reserve talented backs has become one of their strengths. Hard-hitting, intelligent Thumb football is what Reese is known for; perhaps this year will be the one in which it takes them to the state finals.

Fulton is undefeated and favored to win the competitive CMAC. They have outscored opponents 180-22 after four weeks, and there are no signs that they won't be able to keep that pace for the rest of the regular season. Tailback Clevelyn Jefferson leads the Pirate offense, as he has accumulated over 100 yards in each game so far this year. With the toughest part of their schedule kicking off in week 5 against Laingsburg, Fulton will have to fight to stay on top with two other undefeated CMAC squads drooling at the chance of knocking off the Pirates.

Week 5 Mid-Michigan Rankings

2007-09-15T17:40:00.000-04:00

Week 4 saw some big games that led to a big shake-up in some of the rankings. Reese, Chesaning, and Standish-Sterling all shot up in the rankings, as well as a new #1 in Class C/D.

Class A

1. Mount Pleasant (4-0)
Last week's dominant performance over Bay City Central served to solidify their #1 position.

2. Flint Southwestern Academy (4-0)
Mark Ingram accumulated 377 and 6 touchdowns against Bay City Western; Mt. Plesant better be careful come week 7.

3. Davison (2-2)
The Cardinals dismantled Carman-Ainsworth on Friday.

4. Midland (3-1)
The Chemics have won their last three games, including victories over Bay City Central and Heritage.

5. Oxford (4-0)
A victory over Lapeer West kept the Wildcats on their collision course with Linden in week 7.

ON THE BUBBLE
Bay City Western

-----------------------------------

Class B

1. Linden (4-0)
Another week, another victory for the Eagles.

2. Alma (4-0)
The Panthers ran roughshod over the Hemlock Huskies last week.

3. Ogemaw Heights (4-0)
Week 5 against John Glenn should reveal a lot about this team.

4. Frankenmuth (4-0)
Their victory over Garber means that only one undefeated team (Millington) stands between the Eagles and a TVC-East title.

5. Flint Powers (3-1)
The Chargers appear to be gaining steam, winning their last two games against class A opponents.

6. Bullock Creek (3-1)
The Lancers dominated Freeland on Friday.

7. Standish-Sterling (4-0)
Their victory over John Glenn on Friday has NEMC fans anxious for the Panthers' week 7 game against Ogemaw Heights. First, though, they'll have to overcome Tawas this Friday.

8. Chesaning (4-0)
The Indians enter the poll for the first time due to their 28-0 route of Swan Valley. Could they perhaps serve as a dark horse in the race for the Tri-Valley Central?

9. Lake Fenton (4-0)
The Blue Devils will have a good shot at an undefeated regular season.

10. Birch Run (3-1)
The Panthers are only one field goal against #4 Frankenmuth from an undefeated record.

ON THE BUBBLE
Millington
Montrose
Garber
John Glenn
Tawas

-----------------------------------

Class C/D

1. Saint Charles (4-0)
The undefeated Bulldogs blew out Carrollton 38-0 last Friday.

2. Reese (4-0)
The Rockets have, well, rocketed up the rankings by demloshing Deckerville last Friday.

3. Nouvel (2-2)
Despite their misleading record, the Panthers are a very talented team.

4. Hamady (3-1)
The Hawks are heavily favored to go undefeated in the GAC Blue.

5. Fulton (4-0)
The Pirates are beating teams 257-22 so far. However, they've yet to face a real challenge.

6. Ithaca (3-1)
The Yellowjackets have a tough challenge ahead of them against Merrill this Friday.

7. Merrill (3-1)
The Vandals will have a chance to prove themselves when the visit Ithaca on Friday.

8. Pewamo-Westphalia (4-0)
Their victory over Laingsburg means that next week's game against Fowler will be a battle of the unbeaten.

9. Flint Beecher (3-1)
The Buccaneers have been a huge surprise this season. They have a legit shot at the play-offs after going 2-7 and 1-8 the two previous years.

10. Fowler (4-0)
A big game next week between Fowler and P-W will determine who gets a shot at Fulton for the conference title.

ON THE BUBBLE
Clare
USA
Byron

Chesaning Shuts Down Swan Valley

2007-09-14T21:28:00.001-04:00

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Chesaning's stingy defense and big play offense led them to a 28-0 route over the visiting Swan Valley Vikings.

It didn't take long for the Indians to take control of the game. A reception by David Hawes and long Jesse Maldonado run in the first quarter quickly put Chesaning ahead and in the driver's seat. After two unsuccessful 2-point attempts, the score was 12-0. When another interception stopped a Swan Valley drive dead in Indian territory, it appeared as if the game might be decided in the first half.

The Vikings were not about to relent, though; Chesaning's next two plays from scrimmage were botched snaps that quarterback Joe Bitterman narrowly recovered. When Bitterman tried a surprise 3rd down punt from a normal formation, it was blocked. Fortunately for the home team, it flew high into the air and back into Bitterman's arms, who settled for a third consecutive loss yardage play. Despite the fact that they were forced to punt the ball away on about 4th and 50, the series may have been a defining moment in the game. Chesaning had three straight plays that should have been turnovers, but the Vikings failed to steal possession - and the momentum that would come with it - with any of the plays.

Regardless, Swan Valley did receive the ball in Chesaning territory to start the drive. A promising start, led by runningback Herb Waits, was cut short by yet another Chesaning interception. Just like that, all the momentum that the Vikings had garnered with a tough defensive stand was lost; they would struggle to regain it for the rest of the game.

Chesaning still struggled to get their offense moving. The shotgun snapping woes continued. Two more fumbles occurred, but once again, Bitterman managed to thwart Swan Valley's recovery attempts. A long pass to Cal Bishop took the Indians to 1st and goal.

The Vikings stood strong. Swan Valley held the home squad to 4th and goal until Marck Berden intercepted a pass in the end zone as time expired in the first half.

The third quarter started off quietly enough, but the parity didn't last long. Halfway into the quarter, Joe Bitterman called his own number on a run up the middle for what was no doubt the play of the night. He collided violently with the middle linebacker and appeared to have been stuffed. However, he kept his feet moving, completely plowed his opponent into the ground, and out-raced the Swan Valley defensive backfield 63 yards to the end zone. After a succssful 2-point conversion, Chesaning led 20-0 and put the Vikings into scramble mode.

Still, Swan Valley struggled to create offense. Chesaning's linemen and linebackers were on top of their game, constantly chasing down purple QB Pat Foy and meeting the speedy Waits at the line of scrimmage.

The Indians eventually managed to put one more score on the board with a exclamation point drive, capped by Joe Bitterman powering his way into the end zone for yet another touchdown.

With the score at 28-0, Chesaning held off the Vikings to secure the victory and remain undefeated.

Things are only going to get tougher from here on out for the Indians (4-0), as they look towards Tri-Valley Central powers Bullock Creek and the undefeated Alma Panthers after that.

Swan Valley (2-2) will look to regroup against the Ovid-Elsie Marauders next week to put their play-off dreams back on track.

Week 4 Predictions

2007-09-12T19:23:00.000-04:00

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Last week, my picks went 6-2, putting me at 14-5 on the season. This week is chock full of big games, and here are my humble predictions for the most exciting 9.

Game of the Week
Nouvel Panthers at Country Day Yellowjackets
Last year, Nouvel's team of destiny prepared well for this highly-anticipated game and blew out the Yellowjackets. This year, the game might be closer. Nouvel has not dominated like they did in 2006, but they have established themselves as one of the best teams the Saginaw area has to offer. Detroit Country Day is home to one of the nation's top-rated runningbacks, Nebraska commit Jonas Gray. Last year, Gray was shut down, but this year very well may be different. One team will leave the game with two losses; who it will be is anybody's guess, but I have a feeling that Nouvel will leave with a misleading 2-2 record.
Prediction:
Nouvel - 21
Country Day - 31

Mt. Pleasant Oilers at Bay City Central Wolves
This game has been circled on a lot of calenders ever since the schedules came out. Despite losing some luster with Bay City Central's narrow defeat from Midland, you should still expect a great game. Mt. Pleasant is most well-known for the connection between quarterback Will Arnold and receiver Tyler Mills, while Bay City Central is led by defensive back/runningback and Michigan State commit Trenton Robinson. In a battle between the Valley's best passing offense against the league's toughest secondary, the Wolves will need to generate turnovers and make some big plays if they want to have a chance at the upset. However, it's tough to pick against the Oilers until they lose. So far, they've been having their way with opponents.
Prediction:
Mt. Pleasant - 38
Bay City Central - 21

Flint Southwestern Knights at Bay City Western Warriors
Week 4 will be a defining moment in the 2007 season for the Saginaw Valley conference. Flint SWA has been riding high, though amidst a storm of local controversy. Meanwhile, Bay City Western has quietly started off with a 3-0 record and hopes for a SVL title. This game should be one of the two most important for the Warriors, along with Midland in week 6. It's still difficult to believe in them since they've yet to defeat a high-profile opponent. Because of this, I'm putting my money on the Mark Ingram and company in this battle of the "West"s.
Prediction:
Flint SWA - 28
Bay City Western - 14

Swan Valley Vikings at Chesaning Indians
Chesaning has been the surprise team of the Tri-Valley Central so far, compiling 3 consecutive wins to start the season after last year's 2-7 mark. Senior quarterback Joe Bitterman has led the Indians to prominance, but they've still yet to beat a marquee team. Swan Valley may provide that opportunity, but they won't take it laying down. The Vikings, who are led by runningback Herb Waits, rebounded from their opening-season loss to win convincingly against Freeland and Hemlock. I predict a hard-fought struggle with Chesaning walking out with their first loss of the season.
Prediction:
Swan Valley - 21
Chesaning - 14

Garber Dukes at Frankenmuth Eagles
After three weeks, three Tri-Valley East teams remain undefeated. Two of them will meet in a heads-up match to help determine the direction of the conference crown. Garber is led by tailback Josh Pierson, who accumulated 196 yards and 3 touchdowns in Garber's last big game, against Vassar. Frankenmuth is still riding the emotional high of defeated perennial champs Birch Run with a last moment field goal. Both teams have played well and both teams could claim to be the favorite in this one. Momentum and home field advantage are the two great intangibles in a football game, and Frankenmuth has both.
Prediction:
Garber - 18
Frankenmuth - 23

Carman-Ainsworth Cavaliers at Davison Cardinals
The always athletic Cavs dropped a tough contest to Flint Powers last Friday, and will have no time to recoup as they take on a hungry Davison squad. The Cardinals can't afford to lose, as consecutive losses to start the season have given them very little wiggle room. Davison is probably the more talented and experienced team, but C-A will give the Cardinals a game.
Prediction:
Carman-Ainsworth - 20
Davison - 42

Pewamo-Westphalia Pirates at Laingsburg Wolfpack
In the most important CMAC match-up of the night, PW looks to extend their undefeated record against the 2-1 Wolfpack. Keep in mind, though, that only 2 points and about 1 yard against 3-0 Fowler seperates Laingsburg and an undefeated record. Quarterback Klinton Koonter will try to lead the Wolfpack past the undefeated Pirates of Pewamo-Westphalia. PW is led by a stingy defense that intercepted 5 passes last week against Carson-City Crystal. It's a tough call - I actually like the Wolfpack in this one, but a Pirate victory would not shock me at all.
Prediction:
Pewamo-Westphalia - 14
Laingsburg - 20

Deckerville Eagles at Reese Rockets
Two of the top teams in their respective classes will clash in a battle between two of the top programs from the Thumb. Deckerville, a class D team, is undefeated and ranked as an honorable mention in the latest Division 8 AP poll. Reese is a powerhouse in its own right. They are also undefeated, ranked 7th in the Division 7 AP poll, and are looking to make their 8th consecutive play-off appearance. However, I have a feeling that this game may have the makings of a minor upset; Reese might be vulnerable to their toughest test so far in this season.
Prediction:
Deckerville - 24
Reese - 18

Ithaca Yellowjackets at Michigan Lutheran Seminary
For Ithaca, this is a game to prove that they are still a dominant team; MLS, on the other hand, cannot afford a loss. Close early season losses to Vassar and Merrill have put the Cardinals in a rough situation. Luckily for them, MLS is far from a push-over; their option attack featuring QB Joe Lindloff and RB Caleb Dietreich has been very effective so far. Ithaca, only one touchdown from an unblemished record, will be ready. Tailback Brandon Walker spearheads the Yellowjacket offense. Expect a shoot-out, with Ithaca's firepower overwhelming the tough Seminary squad.
Prediction:
Ithaca: 42
MLS: 32

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Week 4 Rankings

2007-09-12T10:09:00.000-04:00

Class A

1. Mt. Pleasant (3-0)
The Oilers are at the top until someone knocks them off.

2. Midland (2-1)
The Chemics shook off their opening game loss with convincing victories over Heritage and Bay City Central.

3. Flint Southwestern Academy (3-0)
Recent controversy doesn't change the fact that the Knights have been rolling.

4. Davison (1-2)
While I admire the courage, the Cardinals' vicious schedule leaves little room for error. Their win against Flushing (2-1) last week was step forward.

5. Bay City Western (3-0)
The Warriors are still undefeated. This Friday's game against Flint SWA will reveal a lot.

ON THE BUBBLE
Oxford
Bay City Central
Flushing

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Class B

1. Linden (3-0)
A convincing route of Swartz Creek last week put the Eagles back atop the rankings.

2. Alma (3-0)
The Panthers didn't impress like expected, but they eeked out a win last week against Shephard.

3. Ogemaw Heights (3-0)
Week 5 against John Glenn should decide the conference.

4. Frankenmuth (3-0)
Last week's classic against Birch Run made the Eagles the tentative favorites in the volatile TVC-East.

5. Bullock Creek (2-1)
The Lancers shut out Ovid-Elsie last Friday.

6. Flint Powers (2-1)
Beating class A Carman-Ainsworth may have put the Powers back on track for the dominance we've come to expect from the program.

7. John Glenn (2-0)
A victory over Tawas solidified Glenn as a contender in the NEMC.

8. Garber (3-0)
The Dukes continue to win when they are supposed to.

9. Birch Run (2-1)
If not for a late Frankenmuth field goal, the Panthers may be undefeated and favorited in the TVC-East race right now.

10. Lake Fenton (3-0)
The Blue Devils beat Clawson 22-12 last week.

ON THE BUBBLE
Millington
Chesaning
Swan Valley
Montrose

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Class C/D

1. Nouvel Catholic Central (2-1)
Despite a blemished record, they would still be favored over any Mid-Michigan class C team.

2. Saint Charles (3-0)
The Bulldogs have defeated three quality teams in their first three games.

3. Flint Hamady (2-1)
Hamady dominated 2-1 Bendle last Friday.

4. Fulton (3-0)
The Pirates keep on rolling. Last week's 25 point victory was the closest of the season.

5. Unionville-Sebawaing (2-1)
Lance VanHoost has been phenomonal for the Patriots so far this year.

6. Ithaca (2-1)
With MLS this Friday and Merrill the week after, the Yellowjackets are about to find out a lot about themselves.

7. Reese (3-0)
The Rockets steamrolled Bad Axe on Friday.

8. Merrill (2-1)
The Vandals' offense looked impressive despite losing to St. Charles last week

9. Clare (2-1)
Only one point in the first week seperated the Pioneers from an undefeated record.

10. Tie - Pewamo Westphalia (3-0) and Fowler (3-0)
Both CMAC teams are undefeated and have been winning convincingly.

ON THE BUBBLE
Cass City
Whittemore-Prescott
Breckenridge
Flint Beecher
Bendle

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Team Spotlight: Alma Panthers

2007-09-10T16:07:00.000-04:00

Week 3 Predictions

2007-09-06T10:23:00.000-04:00

The Mid-Michigan Gridiron Blog has moved to http://www.everyseasonhasastory.com/blogs/. However, I will continue to update this site for a bit as well. If you like what you're reading, please continue to follow the blog at its new location.

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Last week, I went 4-2 in my picks for the Mid-Michigan games of the week. Lake Fenton and Midland both got me, but we all knew that those were going to be close games, anyways. This puts me at 8-3 on the year. This week, I'm going for 8-0.

GAME OF THE WEEK
Frankenmuth Eagles at Birch Run Panthers
In the TVC East's most compelling rivalry, it's always tough to be confident about a pick; both teams have played brilliantly up to this point. You could contend that the Panthers have yet to face a tough test, but they are definitely winning the way they are expected to. They better be ready to play, though; Frankenmuth beat Swan Valley in week 1 and proceeded to blow out the Caro Tigers last Thursday. Quarterback Brett Cook has played well up to this point, but will it be enough to carry Birch Run past their arch nemesis? Unfortunately for the Eagles, I expect so.
Prediction:
Frankenmuth - 20
Birch Run - 28

Midland Chemics at Heritage Hawks
The Hawks are looking face-to-face with their toughest test of the young season. Midland upset Bay City Central in week 2, and will be looking to run the table after losing the Mt. Pleasant to start the year. The key here will be defense; both teams have quality runningbacks in DeShawn Hayes and Joel Parsons, so whichever team contains the other will win the game. Because the Hawks have yet to be truly challenged and didn't blow teams out the way they could have, I think Midland may be the tougher team this year.
Prediction:
Midland - 28
Heritage - 18

Flint Powers Chargers at Carman-Ainsworth Cavaliers
This should be a good one. Powers lost their first game to Ogemaw Heights, but appears to have put their season back on track by beating St. John's convincingly. The Cavaliers will probably be the most athletic team that the Chargers see all season. Last week, C-A played a tough game against Warren DeLaSalle, the defending state runners-up in D2. Nobody saw it coming, but I expect that the Cavs contain Ronnie Lark and put Powers in an 1-2 hole.
Prediction:
Powers - 8
Carman-Ainsworth - 18

Flint Southwestern Academy Knights at Grand Blanc Bobcats
Here it is; star runningback Mark Ingram spent his first three varsity season with Grand Blanc, making the play-offs twice and cemented his status as one of the state's best runningbacks.

Then he transferred to Flint SWA for his senior season, which has been exceptional so far.

Expect a battle in this one. The grudge match between these two squads should be hard-hitting and explosive; SWA seems to be the favorite, though. Their offense has been tuned in the first two weeks, and the freshman quarterback from Grand Blanc will likely struggle to keep up with the Knights' firepower. They will put up a good fight, but a chip on your shoulder and a home crowd won't make up for losing one of the best players in the state of Michigan.
Prediction:
Flint SWA - 32
Grand Blanc - 20

Bay City Central Wolves at Arthur Hill Lumberjacks
Before the season, this might not have seemed like much of a game. However, the Lumberjacks have been impressive in both victory and defeat so far. Runningback Jerrell Wilson has proven to be among the best SVL backs. Bay City Central has some talent of their own though, namely RB Luther Ware and MSU commit Trenton Robinson. There will be fireworks, but I think that the upset attempt will come close but never quite take form.
Prediction:
Bay City Central - 42
Arthur Hill - 30

Tawas Braves at John Glenn Bobcats
Two of the favorites in the NEMC, along with Ogemaw Heights, square off in week 3. Tawas has yet to be challenged so far; their victories over Harrison and Beaverton came against little struggle. John Glenn hasn't faced much better - their first game of the season was a 35-6 route of Cadillac. A big factor in the game will be how Glenn approached their bye week. Will they be hungry for contact and twice as prepared, or rusty and have to reaccustom themselves to game speed? I have confidence in the Bobcats, so I'm assuming its the former.
Prediction:
Tawas - 14
John Glenn - 28

Merrill Vandals at Saint Charles Bulldogs
Many people wrote the Bulldogs' names on the championship trophy after last week's victory over conference favorite ithaca, but the 'Dogs won't have a chance to rest on their laurals. Jason Pratt and the up-and-coming Merrill Vandals are coming to town with dreams of an upset. Although they've dominated the last couple match-ups between these two, St. Charles better stay on its heels. Merrill beat MLS last week and is definitely capable of striking down the Bulldogs if they are underestimated. Coach Welzein and his staff are the not type to let their squad overlook anybody, though, especially not an undefeated team that made the play-offs last season. I don't anticipate the upset occurring.
Prediction:
Merrill - 18
St. Charles - 36

Freeland Falcons at Swan Valley Vikings
Who would have thought that this game would be as big as it is? Swan Valley has yet to play up to their potential so far this season, while Freeland has been surprisingly competitive. Their 1-point win over Clare and overtime loss to Ovid-Elsie have provided the Falcons with close game experience. I think this might be the game that we see the Vikings break out from their shell.
Prediction:
Freeland - 22
Swan Valley - 28

Carrying the Load

2007-09-05T16:26:00.000-04:00

Team Spotlight - Merrill Vandals

2007-09-04T15:06:00.000-04:00

Moving

2007-09-03T12:19:00.000-04:00

The Mid-Michigan blog has moving. It is now be located at www.everyseasonhasastory.com/blogs/. As part of Sportsxtrahs.com (formerly Friday Night Titans), this should be an exciting change. I hope all of you that enjoy reading my blog will continue to follow it!

Week 3 Rankings

2007-09-01T11:17:00.000-04:00

Week 2 brought a bit clarity to foggy early-season rankings. Important match-ups mixed with some surprising upsets have changed some perceptions regarding the best teams in the area.

CLASS A

1. Mt. Pleasant (2-0)
Midland's victory over Bay City Central shows that the Oilers beat a very good team in week 1.

2. Davison (0-2)
Close games against Rockford and Lowell, two state powerhouses, make the Cardinals the best winless team in the state.

3. Flint Southerwestern Academy (2-0)
Ingram and the gang impressed against Flint Central.

4. Oxford (2-0)
The Wildcats dominated Clio in week 2.

5. Midland (1-1)
The victory over Bay City Central put the Chemics back on track for the play-offs.

ON THE BUBBLE
Heritage
Flushing
Bay City Western

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CLASS B

1. Alma (2-0)
The Panthers took over the number one spot due to their solid victory against Bullock Creek.

2. Linden (2-0)
The Eagles easily dismantled Lapeer East last Thursday.

3. Ogemaw Heights (2-0)
Ogemaw Heights beat Petoskey 21-0 in week 2.

4. Bullock Creek (1-1)
The Lancers lost to #1 Alma last week, but are still an extremely tough team.

5. Birch Run (2-0)
Against North Branch, Birch Run looked like a team ready to contend for the TVC-East title.

6. John Glenn
A bye week doesn't invoke much movement in the rankings.

7. Lake Fenton (2-0)
The defending GAC Red champs upset the Montrose Rams to take control of the conference race.

8. Flint Powers (1-1)
The traditionally tough Chargers got back on track against St. Johns.

9. Garber (2-0)
The victory over Vassar showed that the Dukes will be a contender for the Tri-Valley East crown.

10. Frankenmuth (2-0)
The Eagles blew out Caro to remain undefeated.

ON THE BUBBLE
Tawas
Swan Valley
Millington
Ovid-Elsie
Freeland

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CLASS C

1. Nouvel Catholic Central (1-1)
The Panthers had their 32-game regular season win streak broken, but they still may be the best class C team in Mid-Michigan.

2. St. Charles (2-0)
Their victory over Ithaca puts them in a position for an attainable 9-0 season.

3. Hamady (2-0)
The Hawks dominated New Lothrop and are looking like the class of the GAC Blue.

4. Ithaca (1-1)
Only 7 yards against St. Charles seperated the Yellowjackets from a potential 2-0 record.

5. Unionville-Sebawaing (1-1)
The Patriots lost by 1 point to a solid Harbor Beach squad last week.

6. Cass City (2-0)
The GTW contenders fought to come out with a victory against Laker High.

7. Whittemore-Prescott (2-0)
The Cardinals are beating the teams they are supposed to.

8. Fulton (2-0)
The Pirates are undefeated and are the favorites in the CMAC.

9. Merrill (2-0)
The Vandals' program took a step forward by beating the quality Michigan Lutheran Seminary team.

10. Reese (2-0)
They got the win, but the Rockets didn't look too impressive against All-Saints.

ON THE BUBBLE
Clare
Fowler
Bentley
Genesee
Pewamo-Westphalia

Ithaca vs. St. Charles Recap

2007-08-30T23:08:00.000-04:00

The St. Charles Bulldogs defeated the Ithaca Yellowjackets in a thrilling instant classic that was even more exciting than imagined.

Both teams started the games with a vigor. St. Charles drove down the field with a dominating run game. It wasn’t long before they got on the board first when QB Brian Halas’ pass found sophomore end Travis Crane, who trucked his way into the end zone.

Both squads did their best to jump-start their offenses. Tough defenses kept the ball out of the end zone. The Bulldogs’ Matt Schalow led the way with two first-half interceptions, while Ithaca’s star linebacker Conrad Bovee punished the St. Charles runningbacks.

The Yellowjackets did eventually get on the board, though. QB Jared Cline directed a long drive down the field, and Brandon Walker rushed into the end zone. Both teams were able to convert on their two-point conversion attempts, and the score was tied at 8-8.

Still before half-time, the Bulldogs wrested back momentum. With their signature ground attack working on all cylinders, run after run led to first and goal from the 9 yard line for the ‘Dawgs. Ithaca wasn’t about to let up, though; their defense stiffened and held St. Charles to a 3rd and 10 situation. Unfortunately for them, though, junior runningback Marshall Davenport found room to run around the left corner and snuck into the end zone. Travis Crane kicked the extra point and the Bulldogs went into halftime with a slight advantage, 15-8.

In the second half, both teams failed to capatalize on opportunities to gain an edge over their opponent. Ithaca’s effective passing game seemed to stall out whenever the Yellowjackets reached St. Charles territory.

St. Charles first seemed to have fortune on their side inside the Ithaca 20 yard line, but had it taken away just as fast. On fourth and 1, Halas appeared to have attained the yardage he needed, but an Ithaca defender hit him hard and the ball was fumbled out of his hands, off of a yellow helmet, and, luckily, right into the hands of another Bulldog player. Just when the stars looked to be aligned for the home team, though, a lost fumble ruined all the work they had invested in the drive.

By the time the fourth quarter arrived, Ithaca was under pressure; they would have to score a touchdown with less than 3:00 left on the game clock, or lose.

If you know anything about Yellowjacket football, you know they were up to the challenge.

Play by play, Jared Cline led his team on an epic 4th quarter drive. Pass after pass was completed with pinpoint accuracy. With about one minute remaining, Ithaca had covered over 50 yards and only 10 more stood between them and a chance at victory.

With all momentum drained from them, St. Charles regained their intensity just in time to stifle the Yellowjackets on three consecutive plays. This led to the defining moment of the game, and perhaps even the season for both squads.

With 0:54 showing on the game clock, Ithaca had 4th and goal from the St. Charles 7 yard line. Fans from both stands were cheering fanatically, desperate for their team to make the clutch play to win their biggest game of the year.

With intense anticipation, the ball was snapped. Cline rolled out with a host of Bulldog linemen on his tail, but found room to release the ball; Matt Schalow intercepted the ball and, in a victory lap of sorts, returned it 100 yards for 6 points. The Bulldog faithful screamed elatedly – the game was over.

Or so it seemed.

Penalties by both squads led to the down being replayed. The fortuitous shift of momentum gave the Yellowjackets a second hope while the St. Charles fans were filled with nervousness once again.

Once again, Cline sprinted out towards his sideline, ready to rocket the ball at his target at a moment’s notice. Unfortunately, he wouldn’t get the chance. Pressure by the Bulldogs’ blitzers forced the Ithaca quarterback too throw too early, and the ball slipped from his hand and hit the ground. St. Charles recovered the fumble and took the driver’s seat in the race for the Tri-Valley West championship.

The Bulldogs will not get a break; their killer 4 game schedule to start the season continues against a Merrill Vandal team that is on the upswing. Ithaca will have an easier task against the young St. Louis Sharks.

Players of the Game
St. Charles
RB/DB - Marshall Davenport
Davenport accounted for a large chunk of the Bulldog rushing yards, but his greatest contribution was the multiple 20+ yard kick and punt returns that gave the Bulldogs strong field position

Ithaca
QB - Jared Cline
The Yellowjacket signal-caller passed effectively throughout the game and kept his composure to nearly lead Ithaca to an exciting comeback at the end of the game.

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Week 2 Predictions

2007-08-29T13:08:00.000-04:00

In week 1, I was correct in four of my five predictions; only Swan Valley's loss to Frankenmuth threw me off. Week 2 looks to be much tougher, though; with a couple match-ups between conference frontrunners and one game between state powerhouses, it looks to be an exciting Thursday and Friday!

GAME OF THE WEEK
Bullock Creek Lancers at Alma Panthers
For the last couple days, a poll have been up here at Michigan Gridiron regarding who would win the Tri-Valley Central. When the results were finalized, Alma was the leader with 34 votes. Right behind them, and well ahead of the nearest team, was Bullock Creek with 28 votes. Week 2 could crown the conference champions; will it be the balanced Panther team including star QB Adam Follet and WR Jake Blake, or the rough Lancers that employ the wing T offense with multiple all-conference athletes in the backfield? Personally, I think that Bullock Creek will struggle to stop Alma's offense, and the Panthers' stingy defense will keep the game in hand. Neither team should lose another game until the play-offs after this week.
Prediction:
Bullock Creek: 21
Alma: 32

Ithaca Yellowjacks at Saint Charles Bulldogs
This is the game that has been hotly anticipated ever since the classic district championship last year. The Tri-Valley West favorites meet, this time at Bulldog Stadium, for another heavyweight bout. Ithaca employs a prolific spread offense with senior Jared Cline behind the helm. He has a tough job filling the shoes of 1st Team All-Stater Andy Graham, but some help from senior runningback Brandon Walker, who scored four touchdowns in the opening game against Farwell, should keep the Yellowjacket offense balanced.
St. Charles, on the other hand, runs the wing T offense. With four returning starting lineman from last year, two starting runningbacks, and senior quarterback Brian Halas, the 'Dogs will try to turn the game into a very physical one. Their week 1 32-8 victory over the defending state champion New Lothrop Hornets made a big statement, and a victory here would catapault the Bulldogs into a clear title contender in division 6.
The all-time series is set at 24-25 in favor of Ithaca, but my vote goes towards St. Charles pulling off a close one and evening the record after 50 games.
Prediction:
Ithaca: 21
St. Charles: 23

Rockford Rams at Davison Cardinals
Rockford is one of the most dominating programs in all of Michigan football. They've been to the last three state finals, including back-to-back wins in 2004 and 2005. Their opening route of Brighton makes it clear that a fourth consecutive trip to Detroit may be in order.
Davison is no slouch, though; star RB/DE Richard Kirksey leads the team that is recovering from a 7-0 loss to Lowell, another state powerhouse.
Unfortunately for the Cardinals, they've started their season against two of the best squads from around the state. I predict an 0-2 start, but a long play-off run.
Prediction:
Rockford: 21
Davison: 10

Montrose Rams at Lake Fenton Blue Devils
The highly-anticipated game between two of the top GAC Red programs is an interesting match-up. Montrose is led by runningbacks Cody Groulx and James person and QB Seth Hursh. Their season opening win against Croswell-Lexington, a traditionally tough team, may be a sign of a resurgence of the dominance that the Rams displayed before 2005.
Lake Fenton, the team that won the last two conference titles, also started well. They beat Kelloggsville 18-0 to start the 2007 campaign, and no doubt have their eyes set on yet another GAC Red crown.
Montrose might be too much, though; in the end, Lake Fenton may not have enough this year to beat the rising Rams squad.
Prediction:
Montrose: 23
Lake Fenton: 15

Midland Chemics at Bay City Central Wolves
Last week, Midland lost to SVL frontrunner, the Mt. Pleasant Oilers. There were bright spots, however; they were winning at halftime and RB Joel Parson looked very impressive. Midland may have lost their first game, but they are still a serious contender.
Bay City Central entered the season as a favorite alongside Mt. Pleasant, but a sloppy victory against Saginaw High has raised questions as to whether those aspirations were warranted. Bad weather and a host of suspended players may have impacted that, though; this week will determine whether the Wolves are for real.
I predict that the Wolves' backfield combo of Luther Ware and Trenton Robinson will come to play in week 2 and set themselves on a collision course for week 4 against Mt. Pleasant.
Prediction:
Midland: 18
Bay City Central: 28

Garber Dukes at Vassar Vulcans
Vassar's new head Coach, Jason Kiss, received the best welcoming present a coach could ask for - a week 1 win. Against the Dukes, the Vulcans will look to their runningback tandem of Mike Arksey and Justin Woolwine to make big plays and keep the clock running.
Garber will look to build upon last week's victory over Pinconning. Star quarterback Randon Henika will lead the team through the air, while Josh Pierson, who tallied 77 yards on 14 carries last week, will be the workhorse runningback.
I anticipate that Vassar will struggle to get their offense going against the stifling Garber defense. As long as the Dukes produce offense like they're capable, they should win it.
Prediction:
Garber: 18
Vassar: 6

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Premature Coronation

2007-08-28T12:34:00.000-04:00

Before I say anything, let me preface it with this; anything can happen in a football game. All it takes is a fortuitous bounce of the ball, a single mental error, or a bit too much funnelcake in the pre-game meal, and any team will have a shot against any opponent. To write any team off before the second game of the season does nothing but provide locker room motivation and make you look like a moron when you're proven incorrect.

To MLS, Merrill, Valley Lutheran, Carrollton, St. Louis, Breckenridge, Goodrich, Durand, Mt. Morris, and Lakeville; I have a challenge. Prove me wrong. Beat the favorites. Make me look like a moron. Please.

Now on to the meat of my post.

------------------------------------

Last season, both the Genesee Area Red and Tri-Valley West conferences were decided, with eager anticipation, in week 7. Lake Fenton closed the book on Mt. Morris in the last conference game of the year. Ithaca and St. Charles fought it out in a classic slugfest that left fans salivating at the possibility of a play-off rematch. Both games provided an exciting climax to the conference race.

This season, though, looks like the two leagues might reach their climax, well, a little prematurely.

Week 2 features two match-ups - Lake Fenton @ Montrose and Ithaca @ St. Charles - that will most likely decide who leaves the season with a conference championship. While these will no doubt be exciting gridiron battles, a part of me wishes that the conference race wouldn't be over as soon as it started. I can't help but understand how my girlfriend must feel.

School hasn't even started by week 2; conference championships should be accompanied with pep rallies, a packed-full student section, and a week off of schoolwork for the star players! Small town high school football is all about community support, which usually doesn't kick into high gear until the players are wearing their jerseys to school. Quite frankly, it just won't be as exciting playing in one of the biggest games of the year if you could still go swimming outside in the UP.

That is managable, though; after all, the game in its purest form is about the players and coaches. You could argue that things like community support and weather are not important. I would diagree, but you could argue it.

The worst part about the situation, though, is that neither team will be at its peak. Anybody who watched a game last Friday understands what I mean. Week 2 is too early to expect squads to have melded perfectly. Players are still unsure of their niche on the team, the offense is still adding plays, and nobody has quite yet found that late-season crispness that defines play-off season. Now, you could argue that its the team's responsibility to prepare for every game, not just the late ones - I would agree with you. No team, though, is going to be better in week 2 than week 8; let's see both teams at their peak if possible.

I'm no idiot. I understand that no athletic director can schedule a game a year in advance like, "Hey, we'll definitely be the two best teams in the league. Let's play the little guys to start and save each other for last." That's rediculous, it's insulting to the other teams, it's a bit presumptive. However, it's just more enjoyable, more exciting, more satisfying to endure a long season before crowning a champ.

MichiganFB.com

2007-08-28T12:23:00.000-04:00

If you're looking for a online community related to high school football, as well as college and professional football, check out MichiganFB.com. It has impressive message boards and information about Michigan football.

Week 2 Rankings

2007-08-27T09:37:00.000-04:00

It's always tough to rank teams; unless they've played each other, it can be difficult to downright impossible to determine who the stronger team is. In week 7, it can be tricky; in week 1, you might as well put a blindfold on and throw darts at a map. Regardless, in the interest of conversation, here is how I see the top teams in Mid-Michigan.

CLASS A

1. Mt. Pleasant (1-0)
A dominant performance over Midland makes them the heavy favorite in the SVL.
2. Davison (0-1)
Even though they lost in the season opener, they are still expecting a deep play-off run.
3. Flint Southwestern Academy
The addition of D1 prospect Mark Ingram and a sound defeat of the traditionally tough Midland Dow Chargers makes the Knights look like a real contender.
4. Bay City Central
The Wolves' sloppy performance against Saginaw High has raised questions, but they are still a contender in the SVL.
5. Oxford
Won a close game to open the season against the Holly Broncos.

ON THE BUBBLE
Bay City Western
Flushing
Carman-Ainsworth

---------------------------------

CLASS B

1. Linden
The Eagles are pretty much a class A team, and a very talented class A team at that.
2. Alma
The TVC-East favorites are led by Indiana-bound quarterback Adam Follet.
3. Ogemaw Heights
A sound defeat of the powerhouse Flint Powers squad made a statement to the entire state of Michigan; the 2007 Falcons are for real.
4. Bullock Creek
The always-tough Lancers started the season by crushing Sanford-Meridian; a long post-season run appears imminent.
5. John Glenn
The Bobcats dominated Cadillac in the season opener.
6. Frankenmuth
Time will tell how big their victory against Swan Valley was.
7. Garber
One of the early favorites in the TVC-East didn't disappoint against Pinconning.
8. Montrose
Their early victory over Cros-Lex was a huge step towards a return to dominance.
9. Birch Run
The Panthers won their first game like expected, and are eyeing a 4th straight TVC-East crown.
10. Lake Fenton
The Blue Devils should battle with the Montrose Rams for the GAC-Red championship.

ON THE BUBBLE
Ovid-Elsie
Millington
Flint Powers
Swan Valley
North Branch

---------------------------------

CLASS C/D

1. Nouvel
The Panthers will be #1 until someone beats them. Last week's close one against Hamady made it clear that this is NOT the steamroller of a team that the 2006 Nouvel squad was.
2. Unionville-Sebawaing
With a host of returning starters, this USA team looks to return to glory after the 5-4 2006 season ended consecutive state finals appearances.
3. Flint Hamady
Any team that plays Nouvel close deserves a high ranking.
4. Saint Charles
Time will tell if their week 1 victory was an impressive show over a talented team or simply a display of dominance over a struggling one.
5. Ithaca
The Yellowjackets are still completely unproven. Blowing out Farwell doesn't really guage their ability, but the week 2 match-up against St. Charles should be extremely telling.
6. Reese
The Rockets had no problem dispatching the struggling Hemlock Huskies, and are consistantly one of the top class C programs in the area. Look for them to catapault the rankings in the next couple weeks.
7. Whittemore-Prescott
Week 3 against Montrose and week 5 against New Lothrop should reveal a lot about the Cardinals.
8. New Lothrop
The defending division 8 state champs lost handily in week 1, but their successful program will no doubt keep them in the hunt for a GAC-Blue title.
9. Cass City
Cass City is always a contender for the GTW crown.
10. Michigan Lutheran Seminary
Unfortunately for the Cardinals, a difficult schedule indicates that they'll have to beat either St. Charles, Ithaca, or Bullock Creek to make the play-offs after losing to Vassar in week 1. They should settle neatly into third place in the Tri-Valley West.

ON THE BUBBLE
Laingsburg
Merrill
Pewamo-Westphalia
Clare
Fulton

Looking for Bloggers

2007-08-26T23:21:00.000-04:00

Do you have a passion for high school football and a desire to share it with others? Michigan Gridiron, currently only a Mid-Michigan blog, is looking to branch out. If you'd like to help create the Michigan Gridiron network by writing your own blog about local football teams, leave a comment or email adcents123@hotmail.com. Your site will be set up for you and your only responsibility will be to write whatever you wish related to high school football.

Looking for authors from:
Upper Penninsula
Northern LP
Eastern Michigan
Western Michigan
Detroit-Area

Figuring out the Tri-Valley Central

2007-08-26T14:40:00.000-04:00

Two years ago when the Tri-Valley Central was formed, every single team in the league entered after a winning season, and 7 of the 8 were play-off teams. It was deservingly touted as one of the most competetive class B conferences in the state, and its inaugural season didn't disappoint. Swan Valley, Ovid-Elsie, Alma, and Bullock Creek all represented the Central in the play-offs, and the Vikings didn't suffer a single loss until the state semi-finals.

This season never looked like it would be easy to predict, but after week 1, the conference outlook is even murkier than imagined.

The clear favorite appears to be Alma. Led by Indiana-bound transfer Adam Follet at quarterback and returning first team all-conference wide receiver Jake Blake, the Panthers appear to be poised for shot at the conference championship and a serious post-season run. If there wasn't so much competition for the top spot, it would be easy to say Alma would walk their way to a title; unfortunately for them, Swan Valley, Bullock Creek, and Ovid-Elsie are also looking forward to a strong play-off perfomance.

Swan Valley is led by a speedy backfield that includes two of the fastest backs in the state, Marck Berden and Herb Waits. Questions have been raised, though, after their week 1 loss to TVC-East powerhouse Frankenmuth. The young squad will have to grow up quickly, but the Viking tradition will ensure that they will compete for the conference championship regardless of the year.

Bullock Creek feels the same way; after going 24-2 in 2004 and 2005, they are hoping that the experienced full-house backfield that includes all-conference athletes Kyle O'Boyle, Andrew Copus, and Matt Peterson will return them to the play-offs for the 6th consecutive year. Last year, close losses to Swan Valley and Ovid-Elsie and an inexplicable loss to 2-7 Chesaning kept them from the top tier of the league. If they can show some consistancy and win the close ones in 2007, then the sky - or Ford Field - may be the limit for the Lancers.

Like Bullock Creek, Ovid-Elsie came close to a conference championship last year; a one point loss to Alma and one touchdown to Swan Valley is all that seperated the Marauders from a perfect regular season. Similar to the Vikings, however, an early season loss to a traditional powerhouse has raised questions as to whether Ovid-Elsie has the same talent this year as last year's squad.

The strength of the TVC-C, though, is that it is tough from top to bottom. Freeland's week 1 victory over Clare is difficult to read; Clare made the play-offs last year, but only time will tell if Freeland's 1-point victory was a triumph between two upcoming teams or simply a close game between two struggling squads.

Hemlock was probably the best D5 team in the state that didn't make the play-offs last year, but graduated a lot of star players including Derek Hirschman, Jamie Slate, Jordan Keyser, and Cory Pitt. Senior Mitch Wagoner remains, but the Huskies might struggle to match last season's 5-4 mark.

Chesaning returns first team all-conference quarterback Joe Bitterman, but only beat the typically mediocre Durand Railroaders by a slim margin. Shephard is looking improved since last season's 2-7 mark, but the Bluejays will still probably struggle to beat any of the conference powerhouses.

PREDICTED CONFERENCE STANDINGS
1. Alma Panthers (7-0) (9-0)
2. Bullock Creek Lancers (6-1) (8-1)
3. Ovid-Elsie Marauders (5-2) (6-3)
4. Swan Valley Vikings (4-3) (5-4)
5. Freeland Falcons (3-4) (4-5)
6. Chesaning Indians (2-5) (3-6)
7. Hemlock Huskies (1-7) (1-8)
7. Shepard Bluejays (1-7) (1-8)

WHO DO YOU FEEL IS THE FAVORITE IN THE TRI-VALLEY CENTRAL? VOTE FOR YOUR TEAM IN THE POLL ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE!

St. Charles vs. New Lothrop Recap

2007-08-24T23:25:00.000-04:00

When the St. Charles Bulldogs and New Lothrop Hornets met to open the 2006 season, it was the future state champion Hornets that turned a close first half into a route with an impressive second half performance. Since then, the faces have changed drastically for both squads, and the re-match between two small schools was a complete reversal from the year before.

Neither team was able to generate any offense during their first offensive possessions. It was the Bulldogs that scored, first, though; with their second possession of the game, they marched down the field into a first and goal from the New Lothrop 3 yard line.

The Hornets, though, weren’t about to hand away a touchdown. A valient stand by the home team stuffed three consecutive Bulldog run attempts. On fourth down on the 1 yard line, however, St. Charles went with their first pass play of the night and quarterback Brian Halas found sophomore tight end Travis Crane wide open in the corner of the end zone to give the Dawgs an early 6-0 lead.

New Lothrop rallied their way down the field, led by playmaking senior runningback Ryan Praski. The drive stalled out deep in St. Charles territory, though, and the Bulldogs took the ball back. Once again, though, the defenses for both teams stood strong.

It wasn’t long, though, before St. Charles was able to wrest momentum back. This time, Halas found Marshall Davenport for a short swing pass that the junior runningback took to within the opponent’s 10 yard line. Once again, New Lothrop made a valient stand, but sophomore runningback Dugan Roosa was able to wiggle his way into the end zone, and after another failed 2-point conversion, the Bulldogs had a 12-0 lead that they nursed into halftime.

Unfortunately for the Hornets, a 15 minute break wasn’t enough to slow down the Bulldogs’ run attack. On the very first play of the second half, senior Ryan Humpert took a run 50+ yards, and a few plays later, capped the drive with a short touchdown carry.

Just when it looked like the Bulldogs might run away with the game, however, the Hornets came roaring back. The invigorated New Lothrop squad converted several first-downs before Ryan Praski took a direct snap 30+ yards to the end zone. Just like that, the game was 20-8 and the Hornets looked poised to make a comeback.

It was not to happen, though; on the next drive, Ryan Humpert made another long run up the middle, this time all the way to paydirt. A few minutes later, he broke yet another one; with the score at 32-8, the subs were in and the route was on.

Neither team will have a chance to relax next week. New Lothrop will be looking to regroup against a Hamady team that came within two points of defeating them last year. St. Charles might have their toughest test of the season next week against defending conference champions, the Ithaca Yellowjackets. The winner of that game will be in the driver’s seat in the race for the Tri-Valley West conference championship.

PLAYERS OF THE GAME
St. Charles
RB/DB - Ryan Humpert
Humpert scored three touchdowns for the Bulldogs and tallied 211 yards of rushing.

New Lothrop
RB/DB - Ryan Praski
Praski provided the majority of the Hornet offensive production with 142 rushing yards on 20 carries.

Opening Week

2007-08-24T15:38:00.000-04:00

The two-a-days and anticipation have come to an end; the first Friday night of football season is upon us! It's time for touchdowns, tackles, and inaccurate pre-season predictions! Let's take a look at a few crucial games being played tonight.

GAME OF THE WEEK
Mt. Pleasant Oilers at Midland Chemics
Two of the early-season favorites in the Saginaw Valley League meet in a week one showdown for the driver's seat in the race for a conference championship. The Oilers' QB-WR tandem of Will Arnold and Tyler Mills should be good for a few touchdowns, but the traditionally tough Chemics, led by runningback Joel Parsons, will make one hell of a game of it. Ultimately, this game could go either way, but the Oilers are my personal favorite to win both this match-up and the entire conference.
Prediction:
Mt. Pleasant: 28
Midland: 21

St. Charles Bulldogs at New Lothrop Hornets
One of the most intriguing match-ups will be between two traditionally tough teams who graduated a strong senior class; New Lothrop is without most of the starters on last year's undefeated state championship team, but the perennial GAC Blue champs are always tough. St. Charles is without stud runningback Travis Marietta, but returns a handful of All-Conference players from the team that made it to the state quarterfinals in 2006. I anticipate that it will be a close game, but St. Charles' experienced backfield will have the edge over a young New Lothrop defense.
Prediction
St. Charles: 20
New Lothrop: 14

Swan Valley Vikings at Frankenmuth Eagles
Frankenmuth and Swan Valley are two of the most consistant Class B programs in Mid-Michigan. Both teams will have speed in the backfield, but the Vikings take it to another level; both FB Herb Waits and HB Mark Berden run the 100 meter dash in less than 11 seconds. A state semi-final berth in 2006 should make Swan Valley hungry for even more success, while Frankenmuth is eyeing a return to conference dominance in the Tri-Valley East. Fortunately for them, Swan Valley resides in the Central division.
Prediction
Swan Valley: 42
Frankenmuth: 20

Nouvel Catholic Central Panthers at Hamady Hawks
In the first round of the play-offs last year, Hamady ran into the buzzsaw that was the state champion Nouvel Panthers. This year, however, might not be so one-sided. Hamady is a program on the upswing after spending years in the GAC Blue cellar, and Nouvel is graduating almost their entire starting roster from last year's 14-0 team. However, it's hard to bet against the defending state champions who haven't lost a regular season game since 2002.
Prediction
Nouvel: 35
Hamady: 21

Reese Rockets at Hemlock Huskies
Last year's match-up between these two schools at the annual Red Feather game was an immediate classic; this year's match-up should be similarly thrilling. Reese returns talented QB Josh Bierlein, while Hemlock will look to ride tailback Mitch Wagoner, a third-year starter, to victory. The Huskies, however, may have lost a bit too much to graduation to keep up with the consistantly successful Reese program.
Prediction
Reese: 28
Hemlock: 14