By SCOTT NOVAK
Niles Daily Star

It’s hard to believe that nine weeks have passed, but they have and the final regular season game for Michigan High School football teams are tonight or Saturday.

Many teams have already locked up a playoff berth, while others need one more win this weekend to continue their seasons.

Others will play one more game and then hang up their equipment for the season.

Muskegon Height at Buchanan
The Bucks need one more win to qualify for the playoffs.

Buchanan heads into tonight’s contest having won four straight games.

The Bucks earned a share of Lakeland Conference championship last week with a 27-26 win over Edwardsburg.

In order to reach the post season for the fifth time in the last six years, Buchanan must defeat No. 8 ranked Muskegon Heights (6-2).

Muskegon won its first five games before back-to-back losses to Detroit Country Day and Flushing.

The Tigers rebounded last week with a 66-8 win over Gary Bowman (Ind.).

After opening the season with back-to-back losses to Wyoming Kelloggsville and Bronson, the Bucks won five of their next six contests, including the last four against Cassopolis, Brandywine, Coloma and Edwardsburg.

Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.

Kalamazoo Loy Norrix at Niles
The season hasn’t quite turned out the way the Vikings would have liked, but after defeating Benton Harbor 27-14 last week, Niles has a chance to finish the season on a positive note.

Niles hasn’t won back-to-back games since the second and third weeks of the 2008 season.

The Knights are just 1-7 on the season and have lost five straight games, including a 41-6 loss to Lakeshore on Oct.9.

Kickoff is slated for 7:30 p.m.

Cassopolis at Coloma
The Rangers qualified for the playoffs a couple of weeks ago, but they would surely like to pick up a win tonight to regain some momentum lost last week in their 27-26 loss to Berrien Springs.

Cassopolis (6-2) has lost two straight games to the Comets, who enter the contest with a 4-4.

Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.

Bridgman at Brandywine
Like it’s cross-town rival, Brandywine has not had the type of season it wanted under new coach Mike Nate.

And like Niles, the Bobcats can finish the season on a positive note by winning two straight games.

Brandywine (2-6) has struggled to put points on the board all season, but last week against River Valley, the Bobcats scored a season-high 44 points.

Bridgman comes into the game having won two games as well.

The Bees have lost their last three games heading into tonight’s contest.

Kickoff is slated for 7 p.m.

Dowagiac at Paw Paw
The Chieftains for the second straight year will try and get past the Redskins to finish the regular season with an 8-1 record.

Paw Paw (4-4) defeated the Chieftains last season in Dowagiac.

The Redskins need a victory to finish with a winning record, while Dowagiac will be trying to secure a first round playoff home berth with a win.

The Chieftains haven’t been 8-1 in the regular season since 1997. Dowagiac finished with eight wins in 2006 after going 1-1 in the playoffs.

This is the fourth straight year the Chieftains have qualified for the post season.

Last year Dowagiac was eliminated in the first round of the Division 4 playoffs by Three Rivers 33-19.

Paw Paw has won two out of the first three meetings with Dowagiac since the Chieftains joined the Wolverine Conference back in 2006. The Redskins also defeated Dowagiac in the 2005 playoffs.

The Chieftains enter tonight’s contest as the highest scoring team in the Wolverine Conference. Dowagiac has outscored its opponents 309-108 in 2009.

The Chieftains will be without leading rusher Brandon Douglas, who has been suspended.

Kickoff is slated for 7 p.m.