We’ve made it; it’s semifinal weekend! Last week was rough for our guys as Jason went 7-6, Josh went 8-5, and guest picker Roger Siders went 11-2, blowing our guys out of the water. This week they try to get back on track before we head to Ford Field next week. Joining the guys this week in the picks is Plymouth Head Baseball, Coach Jake Pacholski. Note: Every game except Cass Tech versus Belleville is Saturday at 1 pm.
Division 1
Clarkston (10-2) vs Caledonia (11-1) @ DeWitt High School
A perennial powerhouse in Clarkston will face off against relative newcomer Caledonia. Caledonia they are looking to make it back to the state finals for the first time since the 2005 season when they beat Haslett to capture their first state title. Clarkston has been there and done it multiple times, as they are looking to make it to their fifth title game since the 2013 season. Will Clarkston’s offense stand up to the test, or will Caledonia’s defense be able to hold Clarkston down long enough to get the win?
Jason: Clarkston
Josh: Clarkston
Jake: Clarkston
Detroit Cass Tech (9-3) vs Belleville (12-0) @ Novi High School- D1QB Lab Game of the Week.
Two state powers go head to head for the right to win a state title. Belleville enters as the defending state champs and wants to show its might. Belleville is averaging 51 points a game this season which is better than a year ago. Their defense is equal to last year, only giving up 11 points this season. The last two weeks have challenged Belleville having to play Detroit Catholic Central and Saline. Neither game was close in the end, but Saline hung in there for a little more than a half. Add in an injury to starting Quarterback Bryce Underwood and Head Coach Jermain Crowell suspended, and these playoffs have been anything but easy for the Belleville Tigers. If we are not talking easy, just look at who Cass Tech has had to play. They have had to face off against one of the toughest playoff schedules to get here as they’ve faced the number five, ten, and three-ranked teams in division one football. They now face the number-one-ranked team. Is Cass Tech a team of destiny, or will Belleville make a second straight appearance in the State Championship? This is the only Friday Night game this week; kickoff is set for 7 pm.
Jason: Cass Tech
Josh: Belleville
Jake: Belleville
Division 2
Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central (12-0) vs Dexter (12-0) @ Portage Northern High School
Dexter has slayed all the dragons up to this point, but this might be their toughest task yet. Grand Rapids Forest Hill Central is in the playoffs for the seventh straight season. Behind all the big names, a high-powered offense, and a defense that can hold opponents down, Dexter will look to make its first final appearance in school history. Forest Hills Central, however, is looking to get it back for the first time since 1994. The defense for Forest Hills Central has been phenomenal this season, only giving up 95 points in 12 games which equals 7.9 points per game. Dexter is having their best season in school history and is looking to keep it up with a birth to its first-ever State Title game. Can Cole Cabana and company keep up this magical run, or will Forest Hills Central end it short of the finals?
Jason: Dexter
Josh: Dexter
Jake: Dexter
Birmingham Groves (9-3) vs Warren De La Salle Collegiate (11-1) @ Troy Athens High School- D1QB Lab Game of the Week
We know the story of De La Salle; they have one of if not the best Quarterbacks in the state with senior Brady Drogosh, and that offense can be deadly, as they have already scored more points than they did a year ago. Their defense has been phenomenal as well, as they’ve only given up 20 points once this year, which was in their lone loss versus Brother Rice in week four. They will look to make it to their third straight finals and fourth in their last five years. For Groves, they have been a surprise this season after finishing the last two seasons with a combined 5-13 record; they are 9-3. Of the three losses, two of them came versus playoff teams. If they want to beat this senior-led De La Salle team, the defense will need to be better than the 17 points per game they have been giving up this season. Can De La Salle make it three straight, or will Groves punch their ticket to their first-ever final after coming up short in 2016?
Jason: De La Salle
Josh: De La Salle
Jake: De La Salle
Division 3
DeWitt (9-3) vs Muskegon (10-2) @ Greenville High School
This is a recurring matchup in the playoffs, as this will be the fourth matchup between these two over the last six years. Muskegon has a 2-1 lead coming into this one. In 2020 DeWitt won 14-0 en route to their State Championship, and the year before, it was Muskegon with a 28-21 victory. DeWitt will look to lean on who has gone absolutely crazy scoring 13 touchdowns this postseason. A 3-2 record to begin the season, including a significant loss on the road at Lawrence Tech versus De La Salle, isn’t what this Muskegon team thought their season would start like, but they went on to win seven in a row. The combination of QB M’Khi Guy and WR Destin Piggee will look to send DeWitt home and have them miss a shot at a third straight finals appearance. We renew a playoff rivalry for a chance to head to Ford Field.
Jason: Muskegon
Josh: DeWitt
Jake: DeWitt
Detroit Martin Luther King (8-3) vs Mason (12-0) @ Westland John Glenn High School
A rematch of last year’s semifinal game that saw Martin Luther King advance to the State Finals. Last season King beat Mason 46-7, but this year Mason is on a mission. After running through their league and the first two rounds of playoffs, only giving up 20 or more points twice, Trenton was able to score 30, which is the most they’ve given up this season, and one of those touchdowns was a defensive score. With most of the team back from last year, they will look to pay back MLK and make it to their first Championship. Martin Luther King is looking to defend their spot in the State Title game, and that ends with defeating Mason to make it back to Ford Field. MLK played River Rouge in round one, Allen Park in round two, and Brother Rice last week. While they were tested versus Rouge and Rice, they might be more ready for this rematch. It’s a battle of the quarterbacks as MLK’s Senior Dante Moore is looking for one more title before he heads off to college, and Mason’s Cason Carswell will look to unseat the top QB in the state.
Jason: MLK
Josh: MLK
Jake: MLK
Division 4
Edwardsburg (11-1) vs Grand Rapids South Christian (12-0) @ Battle Creek Harper Creek
Edwardsburg comes into the Semifinals for the sixth time in seven years and is looking to get back to the finals for the first time since they won it all in 2018. The numbers might be down for Edwardsburg, but they still have the experience of this game on their side. South Christian is back in the semifinals for the first time since 2014, when they beat Edwardsburg to get to the finals, which they won over Sexton 28-27. That 2014 game was also the last time, South Christian beat Edwardsburg. The last two years, Edwardsburg has knocked them out of the playoffs. Last year’s matchup was a two-score game in the regional round. Can history repeat itself, or will Edwardsburg keep its streak over South Christan alive?
Jason: GRSC
Josh: GRSC
Jake: GRSC
Goodrich (11-1) vs Riverview (12-0) @ Rochester High School
Goodrich enters this semifinal matchup looking for their first State Title game appearance in school history, while Riverview is looking to make it back for the first time since they lost to fellow division four semi-finalist Grand Rapids South Christan. While Riverviews offense can score with the best of them, their defense can be shaky, giving up 30+ points each of the last two weeks. On the other hand, Goodrich hasn’t given up 30 points all season on defense, but they have scored 100 points less than Riverview, so the offense could be a question for Goodrich.
Jason: Riverview
Josh: Riverview
Jake: Riverview
Division 5
Detroit Country Day (8-3) vs Frankenmuth (12-0) @ Lapeer High School
Frankenmuth is back in the semifinals for the third straight season and is looking to get back to the finals for the first time since 2020, when they lost to Grand Rapids Catholic Central. Country Day is back in the semifinals after a year’s absence. In 2020 Country Day did go on to win the state title after losing the year prior, but this isn’t your typical Country Day team, as they have given up almost the same amount of points as they scored. Frankenmuth’s defense has been stout on the way to a 12-0 season, as they have only given up 64 points this season. Can the defense of Frankenmuth stand tall and get them to a second finals appearance in two years, or will Country Day figure out their woes?
Jason: Country Day
Josh: Frankenmuth
Jake: Country Day
Division 6
Clinton (12-0) vs Grand Rapids West Catholic (11-1) @ Coldwater High School
Another Powerhouse matchup sees Clinton take on West Catholic in what could be a classic. Clinton enters this one undefeated and looking for a fourth finals appearance since 2013. They have scored just under 500 points on the season, and that would normally be enough, but it won’t be against a West Catholic team that can score with them. Under first-year Head Coach, Landon Grove has stayed soaring as they are on the verge of their first title game appearance since they won it all in 2017. Does the first-year coach have what it takes, or will Clinton’s offense be too much for him and his West Catholic team?
Jason: Clinton
Josh: West Catholic
Jake: West Catholic
Division 8
Clarkston Everest Collegiate (9-3) vs Ottawa Lake Whiteford (12-0) @ Woodhaven High School
A newer school in Everest Collegiate is looking for its first appearance in school history. Whiteford is in the playoffs for the 11th year and looking for their first state title game since their undefeated season in 2017. This is Whiteford’s best team scoring-wise since that 2017 state champion team. Whiteford has scored 239 more points than Everest this season, but the defenses have been about equal. Will Whiteford mop the table, or will Everest Collegiate keep it close and see their first trip to Ford Field?
Jason: Whiteford
Josh: Whiteford
Jake: Whiteford