State playoff field whittled down to 36
Published 9:58 am Thursday, November 21, 2019
- DeWitt quarterback Andrew Schorfhaar tries a jump pass against Edwardsburg in the Division 3 regional championship game last Saturday. (Leader photo/KELLY SWEENEY)
EAST LANSING — Only 36 teams remain from the original 602 that opened this fall with hopes of reaching the biggest stages in Michigan high school football.
Suttons Bay, Colon, Pickford and Portland St. Patrick earned the first championship opportunities with 8-Player Semifinal wins over the weekend. And 32 more 11-player teams are one more victory from booking Thanksgiving trips to Detroit.
Below is a glance at all 36 games played during the third round of the MHSAA Playoffs. There’s plenty coming up on Second Half later this week as well as we’ll preview both 8-Player Finals and all 16 11-Player Semifinals, followed by coverage of both Saturday championship games from The Superior Dome.
Division 3
HEADLINER
DeWitt 35, Edwardsburg 14
As a set, Division 3 might have had the most captivating games in the state this weekend. DeWitt (10-2) earns the “headliner” by ending a 25-game winning streak for the Eddies (11-1), who won Division 4 a year ago. Edwardsburg had given up only 69 points over its first 10 games on the field (not counting a 2-0 forfeit win Week 5), but DeWitt’s defense also earned some of the spotlight holding the Eddies to their fewest points since a 2016 Semifinal.
Regional roundup
Muskegon 49, East Grand Rapids 10
After getting past East Grand Rapids just 28-23 in Week 3, the Big Reds (12-0) held the Pioneers to their season-low points total and scored the most that EGR (8-4) gave up this fall.
Chelsea 28, Allen Park 27
A blocked extra point followed by a late score and conversion sent Chelsea to 12-0 for the first time and the Semifinals for the second-straight season, while Allen Park ended 9-3 for the second-straight year.
River Rouge 49,
Orchard Lake St. Mary’s 14
The Panthers (11-1) are headed to the Semifinals for the fourth time in five seasons after scoring the most points the Eaglets (10-2) had given up since Week 2 of 2018.