We have reached the Regional Final round of the playoffs. We will once again 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. All games again are set for Friday, November 10th, unless noted.
This week’s guest picker will be Allen Park Jaguar Head Coach Tom Danosky. Danosky has been a coach at Allen Park since 2002 and has been the Head Coach of the team since the start of the 2016 season.
Last Week: Josh finished 20-10, Jason finished 18-12, Nat finished 20-10, and Jake Pacholski finished 20-10. That brings the season records to Season: Josh at 47-17, Jason sits at 37-27, Nat at 42-22, and our guest pickers are at 46-18.
Division 1
Davison (11-0) at Rockford (11-0) Saturday, November 11, 6 PM
Last week, Rockford beat Grandville 49-28 to win their third district title since 2020. For Davison, they beat Grand Blanc 24-17 for their first district title since the 2020 season.
This will be only the sixth meeting between the two teams. Rockford leads the series 4-1. The last time these two met was in the 2020 playoffs, and it was Davison coming out on top by a final of 27-3.
Josh: Rockford
Jason: Rockford
Nat: Rockford
Coach Danosky: Rockford
Northville (10-1) at Belleville (11-0) Saturday November 11, 1 PM
Last week, Northville beat Detroit Catholic Central for the first time by a final of 24-17 for their first district title since 2000. Bellville absolutely rolled over Saline on the way to their sixth straight district title as they won 65-14.
This will only be the third time these two schools have met. When they met for the KLAA Championship in week nine, Belleville won that game 42-0.
Josh: Belleville
Jason: Northville
Nat: Belleville
Coach Danosky: Belleville
Clarkston (6-5) at West Bloomfield (9-2)
Last week, Clarkston had one of the biggest upsets of the playoffs so far, as they beat Lake Orion 38-37. West Bloomfield had an easier time as they beat Utica Eisenhower 24-6.
This will be the 58th meeting between the two schools. It has been Clarkston who has the edge, holding a 32-24-1 lead. These two schools last met on September 29th, as Clarkston won that one 44-36.
Josh: West Bloomfield
Jason: West Bloomfield
Nat: Clarkston
Coach Danosky: West Bloomfield
Southfield Arts & Technology (10-1) at Clinton Township Chippewa Valley (9-2)
Last week, Chippewa Valley edged out Macomb Dakota 17-7, and Southfield A&T beat Cass Tech 36-25.
This will be the first time these two teams have ever met. This is the first time Chippewa Valley has made it to the Regional round since the 2018 season when they won the state title. This is only the second time that A&T has made it to the Regional round.
Josh: Southfield A&T
Jason: Southfield A&T
Nat: Southfield A&T
Coach Danosky: Chippewa Valley
Division 2
Saginaw Heritage (9-2) at Muskegon (9-2) Saturday, November 11, 1 PM
Last week, it was Muskegon coming out on top of Mona Shores 42-28. For Saginaw Heritage, it was a 35-13 victory over Midland Dow.
This will be the first meeting for the two schools. Muskegon is looking to return to Ford Field for a second straight year. For Heritage, this is their first Regionals appearance since 2001, when they lost to Jenison 35-14.
Josh: Muskegon
Jason: Muskegon
Nat: Muskegon
Coach Danosky: Muskegon
Byron Center (10-1) at East Lansing (9-2)
Byron Center is coming off a 31-28 win over Caledonia last week, and East Lansing is coming off a 35-7 win over White Lake Lakeland.
This is the first time these two teams have met. Byron Center is back in the regional round for the first time since the 2016 season when they lost to Muskegon 62-7. East Lansing is back trying to change the tone from last year as they lost to Forest Hills Central 21-17.
Josh: Byron Center
Jason: East Lansing
Nat: Bryon Center
Coach Danosky: Bryon Center
Waterford Mott (9-2) at Gibraltar Carlson (10-1)
Last week, Carlson beat Dexter 27-23, and Mott topped Seaholm 34-21.
This will be the first time that these two teams have ever met. Not only is this the first time these two have ever met, but it is also the first time Carlson is in the Regional round, as they won their first District a week ago. Mott is back in the Regional game for the first time since the 2021 season. That year, they lost to Livonia Franklin 43-26.
Josh: Carlson
Jason: Mott
Nat: Mott
Coach Danosky: Carlson
Roseville (8-3) at Warren De La Salle Collegiate (9-2)
De La Salle beat U of D last week 25-6, and Roseville beat Grosse Pointe South 24-7.
This will be the fifth time these two teams have met, with De La Salle winning all four previous matchups. The last time these two teams met was in the District Finals last year, a game which De La Salle won 37-7.
Josh: De La Salle
Jason: De La Salle
Nat: De La Salle
Coach Danosky: De La Salle
Division 3
Gaylord (11-0) at Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central (10-1)
Last week, Gaylord beat Petoskey 23-14, and Forest Hills Central showed Mount Pleasant why they were in the state finals a year ago as they won 45-21.
This will be the first time these two have met. Forest Hills Central is looking to return to the State Finals for a second year, while Gaylord hasn’t been to Regional since the 2002 season when they lost to East Grand Rapids.
Josh: Forest Hills Central
Jason: Forest Hills Central
Nat: Gaylord
Coach Danosky: Forest Hills Central
Mason (11-0) at Walled Lake Western (10-1)
Last week, Mason beat DeWitt 42-7, and Walled Lake Western won 50-22 over Avondale.
This will be the second time these two have ever met. The first time was earlier this season, as Mason won 30-7.
Josh: Mason
Jason: Mason
Nat: Mason
Coach Danosky: Mason
Detroit Martin Luther King (6-5) at River Rouge (7-4)
Last week, River Rouge beat Riverview 49-27, and Detroit MLK won 49-0 over Grosse Pointe North.
This will be the fifth time that these two powerhouses have met. King has the 3-1 edge over River Rouge, with the last meeting for the two coming last year in a game that King won 41-28.
Josh: River Rouge
Jason: River Rouge
Nat: King
Coach Danosky: King
Division 4
Big Rapids (10-1) at Grand Rapids South Christian (8-3)
Last week, Grand Rapids South Christian beat Ada Forest Hills Eastern 22-14, and Big Rapids had a 28-27 win over Whitehall.
This will be the first time South Christian and Big Rapids have met. 2003 was the last time that Big Rapids made it to the Regional round, as they won that game and made it to the Semifinals. South Christian is on a mission to win their second straight State Title.
Josh: South Christian
Jason: Big Rapids
Nat: South Christian
Coach Danosky: South Christian
Carleton Airport (10-1) at Harper Woods (8-3) Saturday, November 11, 1 PM
For Airport, they beat Divine Child last week by a final of 29-15, and Harper Woods put the beat down on Marysville 50-0.
This is the first time that these two have met. It’s been since the 2005 season for Airport since they were last in the Regional Round. They lost that game to Farmington Hills Harrison 43-14. Harper Woods was last in the Regional round in 2007. They also lost that last game by a final of 35-16 to Blissfield.
Josh: Harper Woods
Jason: Harper Woods
Nat: Harper Woods
Coach Danosky: Harper Woods
Division 5
Grand Rapids Catholic Central (10-1) at Grand Rapids West Catholic (11-0)
Last week, West Catholic beat Muskegon Oakridge 45-0, and Catholic Central won 49-7 over Berrien Springs.
The two schools, separated by five miles, have met 52 other times, with Catholic Central holding a 31-19-2 record. The last game between the two schools was in 2021, which Catholic Central won in the playoffs by a final of 44-6.
Josh: West Catholic
Jason: West Catholic
Nat: West Catholic
Coach Danosky: West Catholic
Flat Rock (8-3) at Detroit Southeastern (8-3)
Flat Rock last week beat Summit Academy North by a final of 42-6, and Southeastern beat Ann Arbor Father Gabriel Richard 26-22.
These two schools have never met before. Flat Rock is looking to make it farther than a year ago as they lost to Detroit Country Day 44-7. Southeastern is back in the Regional round for the first time since the 2018 season, as they lost to Reading 54-0 that year.
Josh: Flat Rock
Jason: Flat Rock
Nat: Southeastern
Coach Danosky: Flat Rock
Division 6
Detroit Edison (8-3) at Almont (10-1)
For Edison, they upset Ecorse last week as they won 32-6, and Almont upset Michigan Collegiate in overtime by a final of 40-38.
This will be the first time these two teams have met. Not only is this their first time meeting, this is Edison’s first time in the Regional round. Almont is back in the Regional round for the first time since the 2019 season, a year where they made it to the State Title game.
Josh: Almont
Jason: Edison
Nat: Almont
Coach Danosky: Almont
Division 7
Clinton (10-1) at Jackson Lumen Christi (10-1)
Last week, Clinton won 22-14 over Monroe St Mary Catholic Central, while Jackson Lumen Christi shut out Napoleon 26-0.
These two have met once before in the 2015 season, and Clinton won that game 49-20 in the Regional round.
Josh: Lumen Christi
Jason: Lumen Christi
Nat: Lumen Christi
Coach Danosky: Lumen Christi
Division 8
Riverview Gabriel Richard (7-4) at Clarkston Everest Collegiate (9-2) Saturday, November 11, 1 PM
Last week, Riverview Gabriel Richard destroyed Cabrini 50-14, while Clarkston Everest Collegiate edged out Marine City Cardinal Mooney 19-14.
These two will be meeting for the seventh time this weekend. It is Everest who leads four games to two. The last meeting came in the 2020 regular season. The game in the final week of the regular season went to Everest 35-0.
Josh: Gabriel Richard
Jason: Clarkston Everest
Nat: Clarkston Everest
Coach Danosky: Clarkston Everest