The Playoff Picture

Division 1

R1: Rockford 25, Clarkston 14

R2: Detroit Catholic Central 28, Plymouth 7

R3: Detroit Cass Tech 21, Saline 14

R4: Lake Orion 51, Macomb Dakota 35

Going by playoff points, the only game that wasn't an upset in D1 was Lake Orion beating Dakota. Clarkston was the favorite to win it all this year, and they were heavy favorites against Rockford. After finishing the regular season at 5-4, DCC wasn't even supposed to be in the playoffs, proving they are much better than their record showed. It's possible that we see a rematch of last year's Cass Tech vs. DCC game at Ford Field. Would Jehru Campbell slice the CC secondary apart again, or would Anthony Darkangelo get his revenge? At this point, I don't really see a clear favorite to win it all. Every team left has a legitimate shot.

Division 2

R1: Muskegon 49, Midland 21

R2: Caledonia 42, Mattawan 28

R3: Birmingham Brother Rice 42, Walled Lake Western 12

R4: Wyandotte Roosevelt 10, Oak Park 6

Like in D1, three out of the four games were technically upsets based on playoff points. Roosevelt was the only team that was favored to win here. Of course, most of us predicted Muskegon and Brother Rice would win, but they were upsets nonetheless. In D2, we could see a replay of the Brother Rice vs. Muskegon game at Ford Field a few years ago. I see those two teams as the favorites at this point.

Division 3

R1: DeWitt 29, St Johns 27

R2: Grand Rapids Christian 31, Stevensville Lakeshore 7

R3: Battle Creek Harper Creek 26, Tecumseh 24

R4: Orchard Lake St Mary's 42, Detroit East English 24

D3 was a little different than the others from an upset standpoint. GR Christian was the only underdog to win, and for anyone following high school football lately, that was no upset. Harper Creek and OLSM winning sets up a rematch of last year's Semi-Final game that OLSM won. DeWitt has been playing extremely well, but at this point, I think we're going to see GR Christian vs. OLSM at Ford Field. I don't see anyone stopping Grant Niemiec and Parker McInnis, so I have to pick OLSM winning it all again.

Division 4

R1: Comstock Park 62, Ogemaw Heights 27

R2: Grand Rapids South Christian 38, Three Rivers 14

R3: Saginaw Swan Valley 35, Croswell-Lexington 13

R4: Detroit Country Day 47, Grosse Ile 14

Swan Valley's win over Croswell-Lexington was the only upset in D4 based on playoff points. Their Power-I offense bulldozed its way to an impressive victory. The other three games were also blowouts. At this point, Country Day looks like a favorite to go to Ford Field, but the Comstock Park vs. GR South Christian game is a toss-up. That game is going to be incredible, as both teams are on a tear. It's too bad that one of them has to lose, but that's the way the playoffs work.

Division 5

R1: Menominee 28, Clare 21

R2: Grand Rapids West Catholic 21, Newaygo 7

R3: Portland 45, Flint Powers Catholic 28

R4: Ann Arbor Gabriel Richard 16, River Rouge 6

Portland convincingly knocking off Flint Powers is one of the biggest upsets of the playoffs. Many people thought this was Powers year. Does that make Portland the few favorite? Maybe. I would say they are now favored to beat Gabriel Richard, but the Menominee vs. GW West Catholic game should be epic. I'm going to pick West Catholic in this one, but it's really a toss-up.

Division 6

R1: Shelby 26, Negaunee 22

R2: Ithaca 31, Montrose Hill-McCloy 0

R3: Constantine 49, Hillsdale 35

R4: Monroe St Mary Catholic Central 28, Grass Lake 21

Playoff points didn't predict the D6 games very well - three out of four were "upsets." Ithaca was the only team favored to win, and they look absolutely unstoppable at this point. It would be a major upset if they don't win it all. Constantine could make back to back appearances at Ford Field, but they'll have to get through a strong Monroe St. Mary squad. Shelby knocked off Negaunee in a close game, but their reward is Ithaca - not a great reward.

Division 7

R1: Ishpeming 28, Lake City 12

R2: Pewamo-Westphalia 26, Decatur 21

R3: Detroit Loyola 32, Britton Deerfield Schools 0

R4: Flint Beecher 19, Saginaw Nouvel 15

If Portland's win over Flint Powers in D5 wasn't the upset of the playoffs, then Flint Beecher beating Saginaw Nouvel certainly was. Pewamo-Westphalia beating Decatur was technically an upset, but not completely unexpected. Ishpeming is showing everyone that they are legit contenders as well, but Loyola getting revenge over Britton Deerfield was the statement game of the week. BD beat Loyola last season, and they've been upset about it all year. This time, Malik McDowell and company left no doubt who the favorite it in D7.

Division 8

R1: St Ignace La Salle 26, Felch North Dickinson 20

R2: Beal City 49, Johannesburg-Lewiston 16

R3: Muskegon Catholic Central 28, Mendon 6

R4: Harbor Beach 17, Waterford Our Lady 10

Muskegon CC beating Mendon was the upset of the week in D8, but MCC seems to do that quite a bit. They are a D8 school, but with all the talent they're able to attract from the Muskegon area, they could win against opponents in much larger divisions. St. Igance La Salle beating Felch North Dickinson was technically another upset, but those two schools were very evenly matched and it turned out to be a great game. Harbor Beach and Beal City have quietly asserted themselves as legit contenders, and I'd be surprised if Beal City doesn't find themselves having Thanksgiving in Detroit again this year.