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Top 10 Michigan High School Football First-Round Playoff Matchups

Quarterback Bryce Underwood has lit the field on fire, posting stats that had the attention of big-time colleges, including your 2023 Michigan Wolverines in Ann Arbor. (WDIV)

The Michigan high school football playoffs are underway and here is a list of the most competitive matchups through the first-round.

Division 1

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Clarkston (6-3) vs Lake Orion (6-3) @ Lake Orion High School (Dragon Stadium)

Clarkston:

  • 4th in OAA Red
  • Key Wins: Oxford, West Bloomfield and Utica Eisenhower
  • Key Players: Junior S/RB/WR Lukas Boman, Junior RB/LB Griffin Boman, Sophomore QB Alex Waszczenko

Lake Orion:

  • 2nd in OAA Red
  • Key Wins: Northville, Adams, and Clarkston
  • Key Players: Senior QB Tristan Hill, Senior WR Jahmari Cooper, Senior WR Kyle England

This is a matchup between two rivals in the OAA Red division. Lake Orion defeated Clarkston in week 7 (20-13) so The Wolves will be looking for revenge in this game. The teams have identical records and are as evenly matched as it gets. The rivalry between these two schools raises the stakes of this playoff matchup.

Dearborn (5-4) vs Dearborn Fordson (5-4) @ Fordson High School (Charles Jestice Field)

Dearborn:

  • 4th in KLAA East
  • Key Wins: Livonia Franklin, Stevenson, Novi
  • Key Players: Senior OL Yuseph Mustafa, Senior RB Ihsan Chami, Senior WR/CB Adam Saad

Fordson:

  • 3rd in KLAA East
  • Key Wins: Dearborn, Stevenson, Glenn
  • Key Players: Senior WR Mstafa Aljanaby, Senior RB Khalil Bandar, Sophomore OL Murtadha Allabbah

This is a matchup between two rivals in the KLAA East division. Fordson defeated Dearborn in week 5 (14-7). The teams have identical records with Fordson having one more win in league games. A tough, physical game can be expected in this rivalry playoff matchup.

Davison (7-2) vs Oxford (6-3) @ Cardinal Stadium - Davison

Davison:

  • 3rd in Saginaw Valley South
  • Key Wins: Heritage, East Lansing, Grandville
  • Key Players: QB Jaxson Dosh, Senior TE/WR Payton Kokaly, Senior RB AJ Hill

Oxford:

  • 1st in OAA Red
  • Key Wins: Harper Woods, Lake Orion, Adams
  • Key Players: Senior RB/MLB Luke Johnson, Junior QB Jack Hendrix, Senior WR Jake Champagne

Oxford finished first in the OAA Red and is looking to make it out of the district for the first time since 2001. Davison is looking for another deep playoff run after they were one win away from trip to the state championship last season. This game is a battle of Davison‘s high-powered offense versus Oxford’s tough defense.

Saline (6-3) vs Northville (6-3) @ Tom Holzer Field - Northville

Saline:

  • 2nd in SEC Red
  • Key Wins: Lake Orion, Brighton, Bedford
  • Key Players: Junior TE Lincoln Keyes, Junior QB Tommy Carr, Senior LB Coleman Ross

Northville:

  • 2nd in KLAA West
  • Key Wins: Novi, Fordson, Hartland
  • Key Players: Senior DB Drew Rankin, Junior QB Cooper Derkach, Junior RB Max DeFore

Saline is stacked with next-level talent all over the field and have dominated nearly every team on their schedule. The Hornets forfeited three games due to ineligible players in the lineup but are looking to make a deep run in the playoffs. Northville finished second in the tough KLAA West division and rallied with four straight wins after starting the season 2-3. The Mustangs reached regionals last season and are looking to make another deep run in the playoffs.

Division 2

Roseville (7-2) vs Grosse Pointe South (9-0) @ Grosse Pointe South High School

Roseville:

  • 2nd in MAC White
  • Key Wins: Romeo, West Bloomfield, Utica
  • Key Players: Senior DB/RB Desmond Straughton, Senior QB Jordan Simes, Senior WR Eric Slater

Grosse Pointe South:

  • 1st in MAC White
  • Key Wins: Romeo, Roseville, Anchor Bay
  • Key Players: Senior OL/DL Sawyer Weisbrodt, Senior WR Vincent Vachon, Senior QB Jack Lupo

This game is a matchup between two of the best in the MAC White. Grosse Pointe South beat Roseville 38-21 earlier in the season so the Panthers are looking for revenge. Grosse Pointe South has been dominant all season as they beat all of their opponents by a wide margin. Roseville’s high-powered offense is led by quarterback Jordan Simes and Mr. Football candidate Desmond Straughton.

De La Salle Collegiate (6-2) vs Port Huron Northern (7-2) @ Port Huron (Memorial Stadium)

De La Salle Collegiate:

  • 3rd in Catholic Central
  • Key Wins: Davison, Detroit King, St. Mary’s Prep
  • Key Players: Junior QB/LB/P Anthony Bitoni, Senior RB Michael Lopez, Senior CB Isaiah Jones

Port Huron Northern:

  • 1st in MAC Blue
  • Key Wins: Warren Mott, Chippewa Valley, St. Clair
  • Key Players: Junior TE Lincoln Watkins, Senior QB Ty Fletcher, Junior WR/S Vasili Kasparian

De La Salle is looking to get back to the state championship after losing in the finals to Muskegon last season. The Pilots are in rhythm as they enter this game coming off three straight wins. Port Huron Northern started the season 0-3 but have since won seven straight games and finished first in the MAC Blue. The Huskies are red-hot going against a team with championship pedigree.

Warren Mott (7-2) vs Birmingham Seaholm (6-3) @ Seaholm High School (Maple Field)

Warren Mott:

  • 3rd in MAC Blue
  • Key Wins: Grosse Pointe Northern, Cousino, Warren Fitzgerald
  • Key Players: Junior QB Mike Kronner, Senior CB/WR Wesley Gilmore, Senior WR/CB Juan Chaney

Seaholm:

  • 2nd in OAA Blue
  • Key Wins: Farmington, Avondale, Troy
  • Key Players: Senior RB/S Penn Roberts, Senior QB Finn Rouland, Senior RB/CB Sean Emerson

Seaholm started the season with six straight wins but lost three straight to end the season. The Maples have a physical style of play that is centered around the run and controlling time of possession. Mott has a high-powered offense led by one of the top dual-threat quarterbacks in the OAA. The Marauders look to make a deeper run in the playoffs after losing in the first-round last season.

Orchard Lake St Mary’s (6-3) vs North Farmington (6-3) @ North Farmington High School

Orchard Lake St. Mary’s:

  • 4th in Catholic Central
  • Key Wins: Brother Rice, Fitzgerald, Portage Northern
  • Key Players: Senior OL Antonio Johnson, Senior QB Axel Newell, Senior WR/FS Bryson Williams

North Farmington:

  • 1st in OAA Blue
  • Key Wins: Farmington, Seaholm, Troy
  • Key Players: Junior QB Terrance James, Senior OL/DL Brendon Rice, Senior WR Lorence Woodley

This matchup is a battle between two high-powered offenses. North Farmington went undefeated in the OAA Blue division and is making its first playoff appearance since the 2020-2021 season. The Raiders have an explosive offense consisting of playmakers that are dangerous in space. Orchard Lake St. Mary’s has scored over 21 points in every game except one. Both teams have good offenses so the game may come down to who turns the ball over more.

Division 3

Zeeland East (5-4) vs Zeeland West (8-1) @ Zeeland Stadium

Zeeland East:

  • 4th in Ottawa-Kent Gold
  • Key Wins: South Christian, Hamilton, Wyoming
  • Key Players: Senior RB Eli Walcott, Senior LB Will Stehouwer, Sophomore QB Will Drnek

Zeeland West:

  • 2nd in Ottawa-Kent Gold
  • Key Wins: Forest Hills Central, West Catholic, Zeeland East
  • Key Players: Senior QB/DB Trey Sloothaak, Senior HB/LB Isaac VanderZwaag, Senior FB/CB Keaton Hendricks

This game is a rivalry matchup between two of the best teams in West Michigan. Zeeland East is looking to get revenge after Zeeland West won their matchup in week 4 (28-13). Both teams play with a physical style centered around running the ball and can score points quickly. The Dux are looking to make a deep run after they were one win away from a Division 3 state championship appearance last season.

River Rouge (4-4) vs Southgate Anderson (7-2) @ Southgate Anderson High School

River Rouge:

  • Key Wins: Center Line, St. Johns Jesuit, Glenn
  • Key Players: Senior QB McKale McDowell, Senior DL Jordin Farrow, Senior DL Creg Johnson

Southgate Anderson:

  • 4th in Downriver
  • Key Wins: Trenton, Lincoln Park, Edsel Ford
  • Key Players: Senior QB Jackson Sage, Senior WR/S Thomas Laskowski, Senior LB/RB Conner Ensign

Last season‘s Division 3 state champion River Rouge endured a season riddled with injuries to key players but still made it into the playoffs. The team’s championship pedigree makes them a tough out in the playoffs but Southgate Anderson is entering this game coming off four straight wins. The Titans lost to The Panthers (47-14) last season in the first-round of the playoffs and are looking for revenge.

All of the games on this list take place Friday, Nov. 1 at 7 p.m.


About the Author
Isaiah Hall headshot

Isaiah is an MSU grad working as a producer at Local 4 News.

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