After a big week one that saw some upsets in the Pre-District, we are back with our DIstrict Final picks. Again, we will give you a closer look at some games we feel are the best. We will have our staff Josh Abeare, Jason Kirby, Natalia Terleckyj, and a guest pick the winner of each matchup.
This week’s guest picker is Plymouth High School Baseball Coach Jake Pacholski. Pacholski is entering his third season as the Head Coach of the Plymouth Wildcats.
Last Week: Josh finished 27-7, Jason finished 19-15, Nat finished 22-12, and Coach Bonmon finished 26-8
All Games will take place on Friday, November 3, 2023, unless otherwise noted.
Division 1
Grandville (8-2) at Rockford (10-0)
Last Week, Grandville just squeezed by Hudsonville 22-21, while Rockford laid the hammer on Holland West Ottawa 48-6.
This will be the 79th all-time meeting between the two schools. Rockford is currently riding a six-game winning streak over Grandville. Earlier this season, Rockford beat Grandville 34-13. That game happened on October 13.
Josh: Rockford
Jason: Rockford
Nat: Rockford
Pacholski: Rockford
Grand Blanc (6-4) at Davison (10-0)
Last Week, Grand Blanc beat Grand Ledge 48-13, and Davison came out firing as they beat Lapeer 76-35.
This will be the school’s 67th all-time meeting, with Grand Blanc leading the series 34-31-1. Division has won the last three meetings, including the October 13 meeting 35-21.
Josh: Davison
Jason: Davison
Nat: Davison
Pacholski: Davison
Detroit Catholic Central (8-2) at Northville (9-1)
Last week Northville beat Brighton 42-18 and Catholic Central took down Novi 49-22.
This will be the fifth meeting between the two schools. Detroit Catholic Central and Northville last met in the district final last season when Catholic Central beat Northville 42-17
Josh: Northville
Jason: Northville
Nat: Detroit CC
Pacholski: Detroit CC
Saline (9-1) at Belleville (10-0) Saturday, November 4 at 1 PM
Last week, Saline took down Ann Arbor Pioneer by a final of 56-14, and Belleville beat Ann Arbor Huron 48-7.
Last year in the Playoffs, these two met in an instant classic as Belleville came out on top 62-44. This year’s game will be the seventh time the two teams will face off, with Saline leading it 4-2 over Belleville.
Josh: Belleville
Jason: Belleville
Nat: Belleville
Pacholski: Belleville
West Bloomfield (8-2) at Utica Eisenhower (9-1)
Last week, West Bloomfield beat Rochester Adams 42-14, while Utica Eisenhower beat cross-town rival Utica 35-14.
This will be the fourth meeting between the two schools. West Bloomfield leads the series 3-0. The last meeting was 16-13 in favor of West Bloomfield.
Josh: West Bloomfield
Jason: Eisenhower
Nat: West Bloomfield
Pacholski: West Bloomfield
Macomb Dakota (8-2) at Clinton Township Chippewa Valley (8-2)
Last Week Dakota beat St Clair Shores Lakeview 10-7, and Chippewa Valley beat Sterling Heights Stevenson 45-20.
This will be the 39th all time meeting between the two schools with Dakota leading the series 23-14. However earlier this year it was Chippewa Valley that came out on top with the win as they beat them 28-21.
Josh: Dakota
Jason: Dakota
Nat: Chippewa Valley
Pacholski: Chippewa Valley
Detroit Cass Tech (7-3) at Southfield Arts & Technology (9-1) Saturday, November 4 at 1 PM
Last week, Cass Tech beat John Glenn 35-14, and Southfield beat Fordson 38-14.
This will be the fifth matchup between the schools since the 2021 season. The series is tied at two apiece thanks to Southfields win in week one this season as they won 29-27.
Josh: Southfield
Jason: Southfield
Nat: Cass Tech
Pacholski: Southfield
Division 2
Muskegon Mona Shores (7-3) at Muskegon (8-2)
Last week, Mona Shores bested rival Muskegon Reeths-Puffer 29-20, while Muskegon beat Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern 41-0.
The two Muskegon-based schools have met 43 times before, with Muskegon leading the cross-town rivalry 35 games to 8. The last meeting between the two schools happened on September 15 as Muskegon beat Mona Shores 42-21.
Josh: Muskegon
Jason: Muskegon
Nat: Muskegon
Pacholski: Muskegon
Byron Center (9-1) at Caledonia (8-2)
Last week, Byron Center beat Portage Central 42-23, and Caledonia won by a final of 72-30 over Portage Northern.
Byron Center and Caledonia have met 43 times before, with Caledonia leading the series 28-13-2. Their last meeting came in 2021, with Caledonia winning 28-14.
Josh: Caledonia
Jason: Caledonia
Nat: Caledonia
Pacholski: Caledonia
Waterford Mott (8-2) at Birmingham Seaholm (9-1)
Last week, Birmingham Seaholm beat their cross-town rival Birmingham Groves 56-49, while Waterford Mott beat Livonia Franklin 41-34.
These two have met eight times, and Seaholm has won seven of the eight matchups. The last one came in 2005 and saw Seaholm win that one 41-7.
Josh: Seaholm
Jason: Mott
Nat: Seaholm
Pacholski: Seaholm
Dexter (7-3) at Gibraltar Carlson (9-1)
Last Week, Dexter beat Allen Park 47-9, and Carlson won their game against Livonia Churchill 42-35.
These two have never met before. Carlson is looking to win their first District title, while Dexter is looking to return to a State Semifinal.
Josh: Dexter
Jason: Dexter
Nat: Dexter
Pacholski: Dexter
Detroit U of D Jesuit (7-2) at Warren De La Salle Collegiate (8-2)
Last week U of D Jesuit beat Warren Mott 47-14 and De La Salle ran through Warren Cousino 49-6.
This will be a battle of the Catholic League, as both teams are members. The two have met 61 times before, with De La Salle winning 45 of those matchups. The two schools didn’t meet this year, but they played twice last year, and De La Salle won both games.
Josh: De La Salle
Jason: De La Salle
Nat: De La Salle
Pacholski: De La Salle
Division 3
Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central (9-1) at Mount Pleasant (9-1) Saturday November 4 at 1 PM
Last week, Forest Hills Central beat Lowell 35-20, and Mount Pleasant beat Grand Rapids Northview 31-17.
This will be the first meeting for the two schools. Forest Hills Central is looking to make it back to the state title game after falling to De La Salle in the final game a year ago. Mount Pleasant is looking to return to the State Championship game for the first time since the 2011 season.
Josh: Forest Hills Central
Jason: Forest Hills Central
Nat: Mt. Pleasant
Pacholski: Forest Hills Central
DeWitt (7-2) at Mason (10-0)
Last week, Mason beat Linden 45-20, and DeWitt beat Fenton 56-28.
These two rivals have met 27 other times, with Mason leading the series 16 to 11. While the two met earlier this year, Mason took it 42-23 in the first game between the two since the 2020 playoffs.
Josh: Mason
Jason: Mason
Nat: Mason
Pacholski: DeWitt
Auburn Hills Avondale (9-1) at Walled Lake Western (9-1)
In Last week’s games, Walled Lake Western scored 70 as they beat Redford Thurston 70-0, and Auburn Hills Avondale defeated Holly 34-24.
The two schools have never met before. Walled Lake Western is looking for their first trip back to the finals since 2016. Avondale is looking for their first district title.
Josh: Walled Lake Western
Jason: Avondale
Nat: Walled Lake Western
Pacholski: Walled Lake Western
Detroit Martin Luther King (5-5) at Grosse Pointe North (7-3)
Last week, King beat Port Huron 50-35, and Grosse Pointe North beat Warren Fitzgerald 25-22.
These two met for the only other time back in 2007. King won that game 31-6. That game also happened in the playoffs.
Josh: King
Jason: King
Nat: King
Pacholski: King
River Rouge (6-4) at Riverview (9-1)
Last week, Riverview played and beat Trenton in the final minutes of the game by a final of 27-25, and River Rouge beat Southgate by a final of 47-14.
These two have met three other times, with River Rouge taking each of those meetings. The last one came in the 2020 playoffs, as River Rouge won 38-20.
Josh: River Rouge
Jason: River Rouge
Nat: River Rouge
Pacholski: River Rouge
Division 4
Grand Rapids South Christian (7-3) at Ada Forest Hills Eastern (8-2)
Last Week, South Christian beat Wayland 34-7, while Forest Hills Eastern pitched a shutout as they beat Ionia 27-0.
These two have met 14 other times, with South Christian leading the way with 12 wins. When they last met in September, it was South Christian who came out on top 32-29.
Josh: South Christian
Jason: South Christian
Nat: Forest Hills
Pacholski: South Christian
Marysville (8-2) at Harper Woods (7-3)
Last week, Harper Woods survived Croswell-Lexington 20-13, while Marysville had a two-score win over Madison Heights Lamphere 33-20.
These two have met one other time in the 2020 playoffs, and Marysville won that matchup 27-12.
Josh: Harper Woods
Jason: Harper Woods
Nat: Harper Woods
Pacholski: Harper Woods
Dearborn Divine Child (6-4) at Carleton Airport (9-1)
Last week, Airport dismantled Detroit East English 70-12, and Divine Child edged out Redford Union 39-22.
This is the first-ever matchup between the two schools. Divine Child is looking for their second straight district title, while Airport has not made it past the district round since 2005.
Josh: Divine Child
Jason: Divine Child
Nat: Divine Child
Pacholski: Divine Child
Division 5
Birch Run (6-4) at Frankenmuth (9-1)
Last week, Frankenmuth laid the hammer on Essexville Garber as they beat them 65-13, and Birch Run beat Saginaw Swan Valley 37-15.
These rivals have played 51 times before this. The last meeting came in September as Frankenmuth beat their rival Birch Run 61-0.
Josh: Frankenmuth
Jason: Frankenmuth
Nat: Frankenmuth
Pacholski: Frankenmuth
Muskegon Oakridge (7-3) at Grand Rapids West Catholic (10-0)
Last week, Grand Rapids West Catholic was able to stay undefeated as they ran it up on Comstock Park 70-0, and Muskegon Oakridge played a closer one against Belding with a final of 13-7.
These two have played seven other times, with West Catholic winning five of those meetings. The last game they played was in the 2015 playoffs when West Catholic won 28-14.
Josh: West Catholic
Jason: West Catholic
Nat: West Catholic
Pacholski: West Catholic
Pontiac Notre Dame Prep (9-0) at Corunna (10-0)
Last week, Corunna beat Flint Hamady 45-7, and Pontiac Notre Dame Prep won against Williamston 35-6.
Both teams are looking to stay undefeated and have played each other once before in the 2018 season, a game that Notre Dame Prep won 35-8.
Josh: Corunna
Jason: Notre Dame Prep
Nat: Corunna
Pacholski: Notre Dame Prep
Ann Arbor Father Gabriel Richard (8-2) at Detroit Southeastern (7-3)
Last week, Detroit Southeastern beat Detroit Denby 38-20, while Ann Arbor Father Gabriel Richard beat Robichaud 21-18.
These two have never played before. Southeastern is looking for their first district title since 2018. Father Gabriel Richard is looking to win their first district since 2012, when they made it to the state semifinal.
Josh: FGR
Jason: FGR
Nat: FGR
Pacholski: FGR
Romulus Summit Academy North (8-2) at Flat Rock (7-3)
Last week, Summit beat Romulus 17-8, and Flat Rock beat rival Milan 42-0.
This will be the fifth meeting between the two schools, with Flat Rock leading the all-time series 3-1. The last time these two met was in the district final last year, as Flat Rock edged out Summit 29-28.
Josh: Flat Rock
Jason: Summit
Nat: Flat Rock
Pacholski: Flat Rock
Division 6
Warren Michigan Collegiate (10-0) at Almont (9-1)
Last week, Warren Michigan Collegiate beat Clawson 60-0, and Almont beat Clintondale 35-8.
These two have met once before, as it was Michigan Collegiate coming out on top in 2021 as they won 44-14.
Josh: Michigan Collegiate
Jason: Michigan Collegiate
Nat: Almont
Pacholski: Michigan Collegiate
Detroit Edison (7-3) at Ecorse (8-1) 44.264
Last week, Edison beat Old Redford 22-0, and Ecorse beat Pershing 62-28.
These two have played twice before, with the series tied at one. The last time these two faced off was in the 2021 playoffs, a game that Ecorse won 19-0.
Josh: Ecorse
Jason: Ecorse
Nat: Ecorse
Pacholski: Ecorse
Division 7
Napoleon (9-1) at Jackson Lumen Christi (9-1)
Last week, Lumen Christi beat Grass Lake 50-14, and Napoleon won after beating Manchester 28-0.
These two have met thrice, with Lumen Christi winning all three previous matchups. The last time these two met was in the 2022 semifinals. That game was a 20-7 victory for Lumen Christi.
Josh: Lumen Christi
Jason: Lumen Christi
Nat: Lumen Christi
Pacholski: Lumen Christi
Monroe St Mary Catholic Central (6-4) at Clinton (9-1)
Last week, it took overtime for St Mary Catholic Central to beat Loyola 10-7. For Clinton, though, it was a 15-7 win over Blissfield.
SMCC and Clinton have met eight other times, with SMCC leading the series 7-1. The last time these two met was in 2018, as SMCC won that game 38-28.
Josh: SMCC
Jason: SMCC
Nat: Clinton
Pacholski: Clinton
Division 8
Allen Park Cabrini (5-5) at Riverview Gabriel Richard (6-4)
Last week, Cabrini beat Parkway Christian 35-27, while Gabriel Richard beat Mt. Clemens 44-8.
These two have met 47 other times, with Gabriel Richard leading it 27-19-1, but this is the first meeting for the two schools since 2019. Gabriel Richard won that meeting 44-3.
Josh: Cabrini
Jason: Gabriel Richard
Nat: Cabrini
Pacholski: Gabriel Richard