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Automatic playoff qualifiers after Week 8 of the Michigan HS football regular season

By: Matthew B. Mowery, October 17, 2018, 4:05 pm

The total count for teams qualified for the playoffs went up to 172 after Week 8, with 59 new teams joining the party.

Ten previously unbeaten teams lost that distinction over the weekend, but 37 teams still remain with unblemished records (8-0), while 60 more are 7-1 (and once-beaten Adrian Lenawee Christian is 8-1 after a Week 9 forfeit win already in the MHSAA books.)

There are still 70 teams on the brink of the playoffs at 5-3.

Even more teams broke long postseason droughts with this weekend’s ticket-punching wins, led by Dexter clinching its first playoff bid in program history, just six weeks after snapping a 42-game losing skid that stretched back to 2013.

Plymouth is in for the first time since 2015, while Grand Rapids Northview, Niles Brandywine, Okemos, Oxford Paw Paw and St. Clair are all in for the first time since 2014. Middleville is in for the first time since 2010, Harper Woods and White Pigeon, the first time since 2009.

Garden City, in for the first time since 2011 (and second this millennium), was coming off an 0-9 season. LeRoy Pine River and Iron Mountain were coming off 1-8 seasons, and are now in.

 

Automatic qualifiers (172 after Week 8):

 

DIVISION 1

New this week:

Canton (6-2, 6-1 KLAA West)

Holland West Ottawa (6-2, 3-2 OK Red)

Novi Detroit Catholic Central (6-2, 2-1 CHSL Central)

Oxford (6-2, 4-2 OAA Red) — first time since 2014

Plymouth (6-2, 5-2 KLAA West) — first time since 2015

Warren-Mott (6-2, 4-1 MAC White)

West Bloomfield (6-2, 4-2 OAA Red)

 

Previously in:

Belleville (8-0, 7-0 KLAA East)

Brighton (7-1, 7-0 KLAA West)

Clinton Twp. Chippewa Valley (8-0, 5-0 MAC Red)

Clarkston (7-1, 5-1 OAA Red)

Davison (7-1, 5-0 SVL Blue)

Dearborn Fordson (7-1, 6-1 KLAA East)

Detroit Cass Tech (8-0, 4-0 PSL Green)

East Kentwood (7-1, 5-0 OK Red)

Grosse Pointe South (8-0, 5-0 MAC White)

Lapeer (8-0, 5-0 SVL Blue)

Macomb Dakota (6-2, 3-2 MAC Red)

Monroe (6-2, 4-1 SEC Red)

Saline (7-1, 5-0 SEC Red)

 

DIVISION 2

New this week:

Birmingham Groves (6-2, 5-1 OAA White)

Dexter (6-2, 5-2 SEC White) — first time ever

Fenton (6-2, 6-2 FML)

Ferndale (6-2, 4-2 OAA Blue)

Flushing (6-2, 6-1 Flint Metro)

Garden City (6-2, 6-1 Western Wayne) — 1st time since 2011, 2nd since 2000 (coming off 0-9)

Grand Rapids Northview (6-2, 4-1 OK White) — first time since 2014

Livonia Churchill (6-2, 5-2 KLAA East)

Okemos (6-2, 4-1 CAAC Blue) — first time since 2014

Portage Central (6-2, 3-1 SMAC West)

Portage Northern (6-2, 3-1 SMAC West)

Traverse City West (6-2, 4-0 Big North)

 

Prevously in:

Birmingham Seaholm (7-1, 6-0 OAA Blue)

Dearborn Heights Crestwood (8-0, 7-0 Western Wayne)

Detroit King (7-1, 5-0 PSL Black)

Farmington (6-2, 6-1 OAA Blue)

Jackson (8-0, 7-0 SEC White)

Muskegon Mona Shores (7-1, 4-1 OK Black)

Oak Park (7-1, 6-0 OAA White)

Port Huron Northern (7-1, 5-0 MAC Blue)

St. Clair Shores Lake Shore (6-2, 4-1 MAC Gold) — first time since 2009

South Lyon (8-0, 7-0 Lakes Valley Conf.)

Swartz Creek (6-2, 6-1 FML) — first time since 2012

Traverse City Central (6-2, 3-1 Big North Conf.)

Warren De La Salle (6-2, 2-1 CHSL Central)

Woodhaven (7-1, 7-1 Downriver League)

 

DIVISION 3

New this week:

Allen Park (6-2, 6-2 Downriver League)

Auburn Hills Avondale (6-2, 4-2 OAA Blue)

Detroit Cody (6-2, 2-2 PSL Green)

Grand Rapids Christian (6-2, 4-1 OK Gold)

Middleville Thornapple Kellogg (6-2, 4-2 OK Gold) — first time since 2010

 

Prevously in:

Cedar Springs (7-1, 5-0 OK White)

DeWitt (8-0, 5-0 CAAC Blue)

East Lansing (7-1, 4-1 CAAC-Blue)

Gibraltar Carlson (7-1, 7-1 Downriver League)

Haslett (7-1, 4-1 CAAC-Red)

Mt. Pleasant (8-0, 6-0 SVL Red)

Muskegon (8-0, 5-0 OK Black)

Parma Western (7-1, 6-1 Interstate Eight)

Riverview (6-2, 5-2 Huron League)

Warren Woods-Tower (8-0, 5-0 MAC Gold)

Zeeland East (7-1, 5-0 OK Green)

Zeeland West (6-2, 4-1 OK Green)

 

DIVISION 4

New this week:

Belding (6-2, 3-2 OK Silver)

Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood (6-3, 2-2 CHSL-AA) — has forfeit win in Week 9

Chelsea (6-2, 4-2 SEC White)

Escanaba (6-2, 2-1 Great-Northern-UP)

Lake Odessa Lakewood (6-2, 4-1 GLAC)

Ludington (6-2, 2-2 Lakes-8)

Milan (6-2, 5-2 Huron League)

Paw Paw (6-2, 6-2 Wolverine) — first time since 2014

St. Clair (6-2, 4-1 MAC Silver) — first time since 2014

Whitehall (6-2, 5-2 West Michigan)

 

Prevously in:

Alma (7-1, 4-1 TVC Central)

Edwardsburg (8-0, 8-0 Wolverine)

Grosse Ile (8-0, 7-0 Huron League)

Grand Rapids Catholic Central (7-1, 5-0 OK Blue)

Hudsonville Unity Christian (7-1, 4-1 OK Green)

North Branch (6-2, 5-2 Blue Water Area Conf.) — first time since 2013

River Rouge (7-1, 4-0 Michigan Metro Blue)

Three Rivers (7-1, 7-1 Wolverine)

Williamston (7-1, 4-1 CAAC-Red)

 

DIVISION 5

New this week:

Detroit Denby (6-2, 3-2 PSL Black)

Harper Woods (6-2, 3-1 Michigan Metro Blue) — first time since 2009

Ida (6-2, 4-2 Lenawee Cty. Ath. Assn.)

Marine City (6-2, 3-2 MAC Silver)

Ovid-Elsie (6-2, 6-1 MMAC)

 

Prevously in:

Almont (8-0, 7-0 Blue Water Area Conf.)

Berrien Springs (7-1, 3-0 Berrien-Cass-St. Joseph Conf.-White)

Clare (7-1, 6-1 Jack Pine)

Dearborn Heights Robichaud (6-2, 5-2 Western Wayne)

Detroit Osborn (6-2, 4-0 PSL Gold)

Frankenmuth (7-1, 5-0 TVC East)

Hopkins (7-1, 5-0 OK Silver)

Kalamazoo Hackett (8-0, 4-0 SWAC-Valley)

Macomb Lutheran North (7-1, 2-1 CHSL Intersectional 1) — first time since 2010

Manistee (8-0, 4-0 Lakes Eight Conf.)

Muskegon Oakridge (7-1, 6-1 West Mich. Conf.)

Olivet (7-1, 5-0 GLAC)

Portland (8-0, 5-0 CAAC White)

Reed City (8-0, 7-0 CSAA Gold)

Saginaw Swan Valley (8-0, 5-0 TVC Central)

 

DIVISION 6

New this week:

Leroy Pine River (6-2, 3-2 Highland) — coming off 1-8 season

Montrose (6-2, 5-2 MMAC)

Morley-Stanwood (6-2, 4-1 CSAA Silver)

Niles Brandywine (6-2, 3-0 BCS-Blue) — first time since 2014

Tawas (5-2, 3-2 North Star)

 

Prevously in:

Brooklyn Columbia Central (7-1, 5-1 Lenawee Cty. Ath. Assn.)

Calumet (8-0, 6-0 West-PAC-A)

Constantine (6-2, 2-2 SWAC-Valley)

Detroit Community (7-1, 2-1 Michigan Metro Red)

Ecorse (7-1, 3-0 Michigan Metro Red)

Fennville (7-1, 4-0 SWAC-Lakeshore)

Grass Lake (8-0, 7-0 Cascades Conf.)

Hemlock (7-1, 6-1 TVC West)

Hillsdale (7-1, 5-1 Lenawee Cty. Ath. Assn.)

Ithaca (7-1, 7-0 TVC West)

Jackson Lumen Christi (8-0, 7-0 Interstate Eight Athletic Conf.)

Kent City (7-1, 5-0 CSAA Silver)

Kingsley (7-1, 4-1 NMFL-Legends) — first since 2013

Madison Heights Bishop Foley (7-1, 3-1 CHSL Intersectional 2) — first since 2013

Michigan Center (7-1, 6-1 Cascades Conf.)

Montague (7-1, 7-0 West Mich. Conf.)

Schoolcraft (7-1, 4-0 SWAC-Valley)

Traverse City St. Francis (8-0, 6-0 NMFL-Legends)

Warren Michigan Collegiate (8-0, 4-0 Charter School Conf.)

 

DIVISION 7

New this week:

Beaverton (6-2, 6-1 Jack Pine)

Dansville (6-2, 6-1 CMAC)

Detroit Loyola (6-2, 5-0 CHSL AA)

Elk Rapids (6-2, 4-1 NMFL-Leaders)

Flint Beecher (6-2, 3-1 GAC Blue)

Iron Mountain (6-2, 4-2 West-Pac-A) — coming off 1-8 season

Ishpeming Westwood (6-2, 5-1 West-Pac-A)

McBain (6-2, 4-1 Highland)

Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central (6-2, 5-2 Huron League)

Saranac (6-2, 5-2 CMAC)

White Pigeon (6-2, 4-2 Southwest-10) — first time since 2009

 

Prevously in:

Carson City-Crystal (7-1, 5-1 MSAC)

Cass City (7-1, 6-0 GTC-West)

Cassopolis (8-0, 7-0 Southwest 10)

Centreville (8-0, 7-0 Southwest 10)

Clinton (6-2, 5-1 Tri-County Conf.)

Elkton-Pigeon-Bay Port (7-1, 5-1 GTC-West)

Flint Hamady (8-0, 4-0 GAC Blue)

Harbor Springs (6-2, 5-2 NMFL-Legacy)

Ishpeming (8-0, 6-0 West-PAC-B)

Lake City (8-0, 5-0 Highland Conf.)

Madison Heights Madison (8-0, 5-0 MAC Silver)

New Lothrop (8-0, 7-0 Mid-Michigan)

Oscoda (7-1, 5-0 North Star League)

Pewamo-Westphalia (8-0, 7-0 CMAC)

Reading (8-0, 7-0 Big 8 Conf.)

Roscommon (7-1, 6-1 Jack Pine)

Sandusky (7-1, 5-1 GTC-East)

Saugatuck (7-1, 4-0 SWAC-Lakeshore)

Springport (7-1, 6-1 Big 8 Conf.)

 

DIVISION 8

New this week:

Iron River West Iron County (6-2, 5-1 West-PAC-B)

Ubly (6-2, 4-2 GTC-East)

 

Prevously in:

Adrian Lenawee Christian (8-1, 2-1 Southern Central) — had forfeit in Week 9

Breckenridge (8-0, 5-0 MSAC)

Clarkston Everest Collegiate (7-1, 3-1 CHSL Intersectional 2)

Detroit Public Safety (7-1, 6-0 MIAC) — first-timer

Harbor Beach (7-1, 5-1 GTC-East)

Johannesburg-Lewiston (7-1, 5-0 NMFL-Legacy)

Ottawa Lake Whiteford (8-0, 6-0 Tri-County Conf.)

Pittsford (7-1, 2-1 Southern Central)

Rogers City (7-1, 4-1 North Star League) — first time since 2009

Saginaw Michigan Lutheran Seminary (6-2, 5-2 TVC West)

Sterling Heights Parkway Christian (8-0, 6-0 MIAC)

 

———————

 

5-3 teams (70 after Week 8):

(in alphabetical order)

 

Addison (5-3, 4-3 Cascades)

Allen Park Cabrini (5-3, 0-3 CHSL Intersectional 1)

Athens (5-3, 0-3 South Central)

Battle Creek Central (5-3, 2-1 SMAC-East)

Benzonia Benzie Central (5-3, 3-3 NMFL-Legends)

Big Rapids (5-3, 4-3 CSAA Gold)

Birch Run (5-3, 2-3 TVC East)

Birmingham Brother Rice (5-3, 1-2 CHSL Central)

Blissfield (5-2, 4-2 Lenawee County)

Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood (5-3, 2-2 CHSL AA)

Center Line (5-3, 4-0 MAC Bronze)

Clawson (5-3, 3-1 MAC Bronze)

Croswell-Lexington (5-3, 4-3 Blue Water Area)

Delton Kellogg (5-3, 1-3 SAC-Valley)

Detroit Mumford (5-3, 3-1 PSL Green)

Detroit Southeastern (5-3, 2-2 PSL Gold)

Detroit Western International (5-3, 3-1 PSL Gold)

Dundee (5-3, 3-3 Lenawee County)

East Grand Rapids (5-3, 4-1 OK Gold)

Farmington Hills Harrison (5-3, 4-2 OAA White)

Flint Powers Catholic (5-3, 3-2 SVL Blue)

Frankfort (5-3, 2-2 NMFL-Leaders)

Freeland (5-3, 3-2 TVC Central)

Gaylord (5-3, 2-3 Big North Conf.)

Goodrich (5-3)

Grand Blanc (5-3, 3-3 SVL Blue)

Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern (5-3, 3-2 OK White)

Gwinn (5-3, 3-2 West-Pac-B)

Holland Christian (5-3, 3-3 OK Green)

Holton (5-3, 3-2 CSAA Silver)

Hudsonville (5-3, 3-2 OK Red)

Jenison (5-3, 3-2 OK Black)

Kalamazoo Central (5-3, 3-0 SMAC-East)

Martin (5-3, 2-2 SWAC-Lakeshore)

Mattawan (5-3, 2-2 SMAC-West)

Merrill (5-3, 2-3 MSAC)

Midland (5-3, 5-1 SVL Red)

Midland Dow (5-3, 5-1 SVL Red)

Millington (5-3, 4-1 TVC East)

Muskegon Reeths-Puffer (5-3, 3-2 OK Black)

Napoleon (5-3, 5-2 Cascades Conf.)

Negaunee (5-3, 4-2 West-PAC-A)

Newaygo (5-3, 5-2 CSAA Gold)

Otsego (5-3, 5-3 Wolverine)

Petoskey (5-3, 3-1 Big North)

Plainwell (5-3, 5-3 Wolverine)

Quincy (5-3, 5-2 Big 8 Conf.)

Redford Thurston (5-3, 4-3 Western Wayne)

Richmond (5-3, 5-2 Blue Water Area)

Riverview Gabriel Richard (5-3, 3-0 CHSL Intersectional 1)

Rochester Adams (5-3, 3-3 OAA Red)

Rockford (5-3, 4-1 OK Red)

Romeo (5-3, 3-2 MAC Red)

Roseville (5-3, 4-1 MAC Blue)

Saginaw Heritage (5-3, 4-2 SVL Red)

Saginaw Nouvel (5-3, 4-3 TVC West)

Sand Creek (5-3, 4-2 Tri-County)

Sault Ste. Marie (5-3)

South Lyon East (5-3, 5-2 Lakes Valley)

Sparta (5-3, 2-3 OK Blue)

Spring Lake (5-3, 3-3 OK Blue)

St. Clair Shores Lakeview (5-3, 3-2 MAC Blue)

St. Johns (5-3, 4-1 CAAC Red)

St. Joseph (5-3, 3-1 SMAC West)

Trenton (5-3, 5-3 Downriver)

Union City (5-3, 4-3 Big 8 Conf.)

Utica Eisenhower (5-3, 3-2 MAC Red)

Walled Lake Western (5-3, 5-2 Lakes Valley)

White Lake Lakeland (5-3, 5-2 Lakes Valley)

Wyandotte Roosevelt (5-3, 5-3 Downriver)

Wyoming Godwin Heights (5-3, 4-1 OK Silver)