District titles up for grabs

Tonight's the night Ubly and Deckerville play for district football championships.
Post all your comments/highlights from the games on this thread.
NEXT WEEK'S REGIONAL FINALS WILL BE AT UBLY AND DECKERVILLE!

Friday’s Scores

PREP FOOTBALL

Division 1

District Final

Howell 29, Holt 7

Lake Orion 54, Grand Blanc 7

Macomb Dakota 28, Utica Ford 20

Plymouth 17, Canton 7

Rockford 35, Holland West Ottawa 13

Utica Eisenhower 36, Romeo 29 

Division 2

District Final

Grosse Pointe South 37, Detroit King 21

Lowell 49, Portage Central 16

Muskegon 42, Greenville 21

Temperance Bedford 34, Wyandotte Roosevelt 23

Walled Lake Central 14, Rochester Adams 13

Warren De La Salle 24, St. Clair Shores Lakeview 0 

Division 3

District Final

DeWitt 24, Mason 14

East Grand Rapids 49, Grand Rapids Christian 48

Redford Thurston 41, Warren Fitzgerald 12

Zeeland East 62, St Joseph 21 

Division 4

District Final

Detroit Crockett 20, Detroit Country Day 14

Edwardsburg 56, Paw Paw 21

Lansing Sexton 47, Battle Creek Pennfield 14

Marine City 49, Croswell-Lexington 48

Williamston 20, Goodrich 0 

Division 5

District Final

Grand Rapids West Catholic 38, Portland 13

Madison Heights Madison 46, Macomb Lutheran North 3

Millington 35, Birch Run 16

Morley-Stanwood 25, Saginaw Swan Valley 19

Muskegon Oakridge 34, Muskegon Heights 14 

Division 6

District Final

Grass Lake 41, Ypsilanti Willow Run 6

Iron Mountain 21, Negaunee 6

Ithaca 26, St. Charles 14

Montague 40, Fennville 21

Montrose 26, Flint Beecher 8 

Division 7

District Final

Hudson 42, Petersburg Summerfield 0

Mendon 35, Cassopolis 26

Ubly 34, Saginaw Nouvel 21

Waterford Our Lady 31, Genesee 24 

Division 8

District Final

Crystal Falls Forest Park 14, Lake Linden-Hubbbell 2

Deckerville 36, Bay City All Saints 8

Fulton-Middleton 34, New Lothrop 27

Iron Mountain North Dickinson 41, St. Ignace LaSalle 26

Mio 57, Cedarville 18

Saugatuck 35, Climax-Scotts 14

Bearcats prep for Saginaw Nouvel

UBLY — Ubly is a two-time defending district champion.

In those previous meetings, the Bearcats have outscored their opponents, 98-14.

They aren’t expecting it to be that easy when they host perennial power Saginaw Nouvel (7-3) at 7 p.m. on Friday for the Division 7 district championship.

Ubly (10-0) is coming off an impressive 48-6 decision over Unionville-Sebewaing Area while the Panthers earned a hard-fought 19-12 victory over Greater Thumb West co-champion Reese.

Nouvel gained 275 total yards, all on the ground, led by Bennett Lewis’ 181 yards and two touchdowns.

“We’re kind of used to playing these types of schools,” said Ubly coach Bill Sweeney. “We know we have to be in good shape and take care of the football.

“They’re like (Traverse City) St. Francis. They can do so many different things because they have so many kids.”

Last week, Reese took it to Nouvel early, with an opening drive that lasted 17 plays and took nearly eight minutes.

It’s that type of effort Sweeney is hoping to see from his players on Friday.

“Reese did a great job controlling the football,” he said. “If you’re going to be successful against these teams, you have to control the football. Reese did a nice job of that and gave themselves a shot to win the game.

“That’s what we have to do.”

The Bearcats, and their Wing-T offense, are built to control the clock. They feature two running backs with over 1,000 yards with Tyler Peruski (1,081) and Brett Cleary (1,030).

Last week, the team rushed for 364 yards. Peruski had 178 yards on just 12 carries, scored two touchdowns on the ground, and ran the opening kick back 79 yards.

“The kids executed the offense last week,” Sweeney said. “If we can execute that well this week, it’s going to be a plus.

“It wasn’t that USA played bad defense against us, it’s just we blocked very well.”

If there is one knock against Ubly, it’s the tendency to make some early mistakes. 

The Bearcats have had their moments, especially early in games with miscues, including turnovers and penalties. 

“The biggest thing is to keep their offense off the field,” Sweeney said. “We just have to hit, be physical, but we can’t have mistakes. If we block as well as we did last week. I feel good about being able to move the ball.

“They have the type of kids that can break a long run at any time. If we limit those opportunities, we have a good shot.”

Nouvel’s final game of the regular season was a 41-13 loss to Edwardsburg, which runs the Wing-T, as well.

“We watched the Edwardsburg tape,” Sweeney said. “I think most teams would have a hard time with their offense, they’re good. 

“We make no bones about it, we have to get off the ball, block and run the holes. Hopefully, it will give them problems. Edwardsburg executed extremely well. We’re going to have to execute like that on Friday.”

Since 2006, Ubly is 10-0 in home playoff games. Nine of those games have been night games at Herp Field.

“It’s huge to not have to jump on a bus to somebody else’s place,” Sweeney said. “It’s really big for us to be at home.

“We’ve played well here over the years. Hopefully, that will be the same Friday night.”

The winner of the this game will play the winner of the Ravenna (7-3) at Merrill (8-2) contest for the regional championship.

UBLY RECAP
Week 1: USA 38-0 W

Week 2: Sandusky 30-28 W

Week 3: Marlette 33-8 W

Week 4: Mayville 46-6 W

Week 5: H. Beach 38-6 W

Week 6: Bad Axe 56-22 W

Week 7: Brown City 30-6 W

Week 8: D’ville 40-0 W

Week 9: N. Huron 52-21 W

Week 10: USA 48-6 W

PF: 411 (41.1): PA: 103 (10.3)

NOUVEL RECAP

Week 1: Fl. Powers 28-0 W

Week 2: TCSF 14-21 L

Week 3: Windsor A. 44-6 W

Week 4: Chat. Kent 49-7 W

Week 5: Hazel Park 43-26 W

Week 6: Ecorse 11-18 L

Week 7: Det. W. Ch. 39-14 W

Week 8: Fl. N’W 50-8 W

Week 9: Ed’Burg 15-41 L

Week 10: Reese 19-12 W

PF: 312 (31.2): PA: 153 (15.3)

Eagles face stiff challenge vs. BCAS

DECKERVILLE — On one side will be Deckerville.

Champion of the North Central Thumb League. Big. Strong. Playoff proved. Ready to defend its home field.

On the other side will be Bay City All Saints. 

Tested in the Greater Thumb West. Speedy. Quick. Eager for recognition. Led by perhaps the best quarterback in the area.

That’s the scenario set for here Friday night when the 8-2 Eagles host the 7-3 Cougars for the Division 8 district championship.

Two different styles playing for one ultimate prize.

“Every round you go it’s going to get tougher and tougher,” said Deckerville coach Bill Brown. “This week, we face a whole different challenge. We know that. But for us, it’s go time. We know what we have to do.”

Knowing — and doing — are two different things this week for the Eagles, who cruised to a 46-6 victory last week in the opening round against Sterling Heights Parkway Christian.

This week, the Eagles have to contend with BCAS quarterback Drew Janer, an all-state candidate who has basically carried his team this far this season.

“He does a lot for them, no question. He can create a lot of things. But they are not just a one-man team,” Brown said. “They are a very quick team. Their team speed is impressive. We’re going to have to try to slow them down.”

Janer comes in with nearly 1,500 yards on the ground and 19 touchdowns. He averages over 10 yards per carry. Last week, Janer rushed for 120 yards in the Cougars’ 21-13 victory over Saginaw Michigan Lutheran Seminary.

Janer gets plenty of help from Kevin Swiercz, who had 93 yards last week. Overall, he’s rushed for nearly 500 yards and six scores.

“(Swiercz) is very tough on both sides of the ball for them,” Brown said. “He’s a very important part of their team.”

Janer has completed 12 of his 21 passes this season to receiver Garrett Bowker, who has a 36-yard per catch average and three touchdowns.

Defensively, Quincy Brissette leads the team in tackles while Nate Sobczak has four sacks and Bowker a pair of interceptions.

The Eagles’ offense has been rolling the past few weeks. After scoring just 20 points in a pair of losses in Weeks 7 and 8, Deckerville has exploded for 84 points the last two games.  

Andrew Estrada has been the catalyst in the backfield. The junior bruiser rushed for 128 yards and scored five times last week. Joining him has been senior Rick Wilfong, who had 168 yards and two scores against Parkway Christian.

Overall last week, the Eagles outgained Parkway Christian, 431-63.

“As far as all facets of the game, yes, last week was one of our better showings,” Brown said. “And we have to keep playing that way. We have to be physical, control the clock and don’t turn it over.”

Brown said he expects to get quarterback Tyler Pattullo more involved in the passing game this week, too.

“We’re going to have to loosen up the defense,” he said. “We’re going to take what they give us.”

Brown won’t dismiss the fact the Cougars played stiffer competition in the GTC, and he also knows the Eagles won’t use it as an excuse, either.

“I don’t know, really,” he explained. “Do I think it’s a bit of an advantage that they played in the GTW? Probably. But as far as being battle tested, I think we’ve been there, too.”

Brown goes back to the losses to Marlette and Ubly in Weeks 7 and 8 as motivators for this season’s team. 

“We’ve used those games as learning experiences for sure,” he said. 

“Inevitably, it comes down to matchups. We have to contain Janer for sure. If we can do that, we’ll be right there.”

 The winner of this game will play the winner of the Fulton-New Lothrop matchup next week for the regional championship.

DECKERVILLE RECAP
Week 1: Oscoda 54-0 W

Week 2: Kingston 48-7 W

Week 3: Peck 38-6 W

Week 4: N. Huron 44-23 W

Week 5: Sag. BV 52-32 W

Week 6: Memphis 48-0 W

Week 7: Marlette 20-21 L

Week 8: Ubly 0-40 L

Week 9: L. Alcona 38-0 W

Week 10: SHPC 46-6 W

PF: 388 (38.8): PA: 135 (13.5)

BCAS RECAP

Week 1: Val. Luth. 42-18 W

Week 2: USA 12-27 L

Week 3: Vassar 14-52 L

Week 4: Bad Axe 51-8 W

Week 5: EPBP 37-20 W

Week 6: Cass City 26-18 W

Week 7: Mayville 54-13 W

Week 8: Reese 21-14 W

Week 9: Sag. MLS 18-21 L

Week 10: Sag. MLS 21-13 W

PF: 296 (29.6): PA: 204 (20.4)

District finals matchups

DIVISION 1

R1-D1: Holland West Ottawa (8-2) 83.111 at Rockford (9-1) 103.889 - F 7:00 PM

R1-D2: Holt (7-3) 76.222 at Howell (7-3) 80.444 - F 7:00 PM

R2-D1: Plymouth (8-2) 89.444 at Canton (10-0) 120.000 - F 7:00 PM

R2-D2: Northville (9-1) 92.444 at Detroit Catholic Central (8-2) 93.778 - S 1:00 PM

R3-D1: Grand Blanc (7-3) 81.000 at Lake Orion (9-1) 100.444 - F 7:00 PM

R3-D2: Romeo (9-1) 94.667 at Utica Eisenhower (9-1) 97.667 - F 7:00 PM

R4-D1: Dearborn Fordson (8-2) 79.889 at Detroit Cass Tech (10-0) 117.889 - S 3:00 PM

R4-D2: Utica Ford (7-3) 74.111 at Macomb Dakota (8-2) 86.000 - F 7:00 PM

DIVISION 2

R1-D1: Muskegon (7-3) 72.444 at Greenville (9-1) 88.000 - F 7:00 PM

R1-D2: Lowell (8-2) 90.556 at Portage Central (9-1) 95.778 - F 7:00 PM

R2-D1: Fenton (7-3) 73.889 at Midland Dow (9-1) 93.333 - S 7:00 PM

R2-D2: Rochester Adams (8-2) 87.778 at Walled Lake Central (9-1) 96.889 - F 7:00 PM

R3-D1: Berkley (9-1) 91.444 at Farmington Hills Harrison (10-0) 116.444 - S 1:00 PM

R3-D2: St Clair Shores Lakeview (7-3) 72.111 at Warren DeLaSalle (8-2) 88.111 - F 7:00 PM

R4-D1: Temperance Bedford (10-0) 100.444 at Wyandotte Roosevelt (10-0) 110.222 - F 7:00 PM

R4-D2: Grosse Pointe South (6-4) 61.778 at Detroit Martin Luther King (7-3) 76.667 - F 6:00 PM

DIVISION 3

R1-D1: Cadillac (7-3) 65.111 at Marquette (8-2) 74.444 - S 1:00 PM

R1-D2: St Johns (8-2) 85.889 at Mt Pleasant (10-0) 108.444 - S 1:00 PM

R2-D1: St Joseph (8-2) 82.333 at Zeeland East (10-0) 97.778 - F 7:00 PM

R2-D2: Grand Rapids Christian (7-3) 74.333 at East Grand Rapids (10-0) 106.667 - F 7:00 PM

R3-D1: DeWitt (9-1) 83.333 at Mason (9-1) 86.889 - F 7:00 PM

R3-D2: Battle Creek Harper Creek (8-2) 77.556 at Adrian (9-1) 92.222 - F 7:00 PM

R4-D1: Auburn Hills Avondale (7-3) 69.667 at Orchard Lake St Mary's (8-2) 94.571 - S 1:00 PM

R4-D2: Warren Fitzgerald (7-3) 74.111 at Redford Thurston (8-2) 75.333 - F 7:00 PM

DIVISION 4

R1-D1: Comstock Park (8-2) 70.000 at Kingsford (9-1) 89.794 - S 1:00 PM

R1-D2: Grand Rapids Catholic Central (8-2) 79.444 at Zeeland West (9-1) 86.222 - S 1:00 PM

R2-D1: Edwardsburg (9-1) 83.444 at Paw Paw (9-1) 84.222 - F 7:00 PM

R2-D2: Battle Creek Pennfield (9-1) 73.778 at Lansing Sexton (9-1) 93.222 - F 7:00 PM

R3-D1: Williamston (9-1) 76.444 at Goodrich (9-1) 82.333 - F 7:00 PM

R3-D2: Croswell-Lexington (8-2) 70.667 at Marine City (9-1) 97.333 - F 7:00 PM

R4-D1: Detroit Country Day (9-0) 101.000 at Detroit Crockett (9-1) 101.333 - F 7:00 PM at Osborn HS

R4-D2: Dearborn Divine Child (8-2) 79.222 at Detroit Central (8-2) 82.444 - F 6:00 PM

DIVISION 5

R1-D1: Grayling (8-2) 59.333 at Menominee (7-3) 62.778 - S 5:00 PM

R1-D2: Saginaw Swan Valley (7-3) 63.222 at Morley-Stanwood (10-0) 86.222 - F 7:00 PM

R2-D1: Muskegon Heights (6-4) 62.891 at Muskegon Oakridge (8-2) 70.444 - F 7:00 PM

R2-D2: Portland (7-3) 59.333 at Grand Rapids West Catholic (9-1) 84.222 - F 7:00 PM

R3-D1: Olivet (8-2) 61.222 at Hopkins (8-2) 63.333 - S 1:00 PM

R3-D2: Stockbridge (8-2) 57.444 at Ann Arbor Gabriel Richard (9-1) 83.333 - S 1:00 PM

R4-D1: Birch Run (9-1) 80.778 at Millington (9-1) 86.889 - F 7:00 PM

R4-D2: Macomb Lutheran North (8-2) 72.556 at Madison Heights Madison (8-2) 83.889 - F 7:00 PM

DIVISION 6

R1-D1: Negaunee (6-4) 42.986 at Iron Mountain (9-1) 72.875 - F 7:00 PM

R1-D2: Farwell (8-2) 67.000 at Suttons Bay (10-0) 85.333 - F 7:30 PM

R2-D1: St Charles (7-3) 54.667 at Ithaca (10-0) 78.222 - F 7:00 PM

R2-D2: Flint Beecher (7-3) 64.444 at Montrose (8-2) 75.111 - F 7:00 PM

R3-D1: Fennville (7-3) 50.000 at Montague (8-2) 70.556 - F 7:00 PM

R3-D2: Hillsdale (7-3) 62.444 at Constantine (10-0) 87.111 - S 1:00 PM

R4-D1: Grass Lake (7-3) 49.111 at Ypsilanti Willow Run (7-2) 58.222 - F 7:00 PM

R4-D2: Ecorse (7-3) 68.097 at Monroe St Mary Catholic Central (9-1) 84.444 - F 7:00 PM

DIVISION 7

R1-D1: Mancelona (9-1) 66.444 at Ishpeming (9-0) 80.000 - S 1:00 PM

R1-D2: Whittemore-Prescott (9-1) 67.667 at McBain (9-1) 74.444 - S 1:00 PM

R2-D1: Ravenna (7-3) 55.889 at Merrill (8-2) 56.556 - S 1:00 PM

R2-D2: Saginaw Nouvel (7-3) 67.889 at Ubly (10-0) 77.333 - F 7:00 PM

R3-D1: Cassopolis (8-2) 62.889 at Mendon (9-1) 71.667 - F 7:00 PM

R3-D2: Petersburg-Summerfield (10-0) 75.556 at Hudson (10-0) 92.444 - F 7:00 PM

R4-D1: Waterford Our Lady (8-2) 57.111 at Genesee (9-1) 64.889 - F 7:00 PM

R4-D2: Royal Oak Shrine Catholic (7-3) 48.556 at Warren Michigan Collegiate (9-1) 72.750 - S 7:00 PM at Lakeview HS

DIVISION 8

R1-D1: Lake Linden-Hubbell (9-1) 63.254 at Crystal Falls Forest Park (9-1) 67.698 - F 7:00 PM

R1-D2: Iron Mountain North Dickinson (9-1) 59.667 at St Ignace La Salle (9-1) 64.444 - F 7:00 PM

R2-D1: Cedarville (6-3) 33.911 at Mio (6-4) 34.667 - F 7:00 PM

R2-D2: Beal City (8-2) 65.111 at Mt Pleasant Sacred Heart (9-1) 68.222 - S 7:00 PM at CMU

R3-D1: Fulton (6-4) 41.333 at New Lothrop (10-0) 76.444 - F 7:00 PM

R3-D2: Bay City All Saints (7-3) 47.778 at Deckerville (8-2) 54.778 - F 7:00 PM

R4-D1: Saugatuck (7-3) 44.778 at Climax-Scotts (10-0) 69.889 - F 7:00 PM

R4-D2: North Adams-Jerome (8-2) 48.333 at Bellevue (8-2) 50.889 - F 7:00 PM

Weekend Thoughts, Anyone?

A whole bunch went on in the world of sports this weekend.
It started on Friday night with the playoffs, went into Saturday with college football, including MSU's pathetic performance against Iowa, and continued Sunday with the Lions and the World Series.

Let us know what you're thinking about these topics on a chilly Monday morning for some discussion.