High School Playoffs Beginning This Week

The high school football playoffs begin this week!

MARQUETTE, MI – 10/27/2014 – The 2014 regular season has come to an end for football players across the state.  For some, their football playing days are now done and over with, while others are getting back to work in preparations for a playoff run.  Being from the Upper Peninsula, there’s always been that inferiority complex all Yoopers have when it comes to getting a chance to prove themselves against downstate teams.  “U.P. power” will be chanted quite a bit in the upcoming weeks, and if you’re like me, you’ll want to know who’s representing our half of the state!  Here’s who to root for in the coming weeks!

DIVISION 3

• Marquette Redmen vs. Mount Pleasant Oilers
  • Marquette will be the host of this round one playoff game between the Redmen (7-2) and the Oilers (6-3).  Kickoff is scheduled for 7pm this coming Friday.  The Redmen didn’t exactly end the regular season how they wanted to, losing by 20 in Menominee following a game where they struggled to beat Negaunee 9-8 on a last second field goal.  Prior to their trip to Menominee, the Redmen were rolling; winning seven games in a row by a combined score of 169-98.  Marquette has proven they can win in a lot of different types of games.  Close games, blowouts, rain, sunshine, or whatever, the Redmen have a decent chance of advancing this week.

DIVISION 5

• Menominee Maroons vs. Gladwin Flying G’s
  • Menominee football appears to be back to the level they were at near the end of the 2000’s as they finished with a 9-0 record.  This Friday they’ll host the 6-3 Gladwin Flying G’s.  Gladwin started off the season 4-1 before ending the season 2-2 in their last four games.  Menominee is looking to get back to the finals for the second consecutive year, after falling to Grand Rapids West Catholic last season27-14.  Menominee vs. Gladwin will kickoff at 2pm this Saturday afternoon.
• Calumet Copper Kings @ Harrison Hornets
  • Calumet (6-3) will have its hands full this Friday against the 8-1 Hornets.  The Hornets have taken care of business all season long, and are looking to keep their dominance going this weekend.  Harrison has outscored their opponents this season by the considerable margin of 306-93.  Calumet’s losses came at the hands of some pretty talented teams though:  Negaunee (5-4), Ishpeming (8-0), and West Iron County (9-0), so Calumet could be a sleeper team in round one.  Kickoff is scheduled for Saturday at 1pm.

DIVISION 6

• Negaunee Miners @ Charlevoix Rayders
  • One of the teams that Great Lakes Radio covers, the Negaunee Miners’ are underachievers so far this season.  Losing two games early on in the season that they allowed to slip away, combined with a blowout vs. Ishpeming and a heart breaking loss in Marquette has Negaunee counting their blessings to be in the playoffs.  The Miners are a talented team though, so the 6-3 Rayders need to be on their toes.  When the Rayders win, they win big, outscoring their opponents 208-39 in those six games, including three shut-outs.  On the other side of the coin, they also lose big too, being outscored 135-27, including a 42-0 loss to division 1-seed Boyne City.   Negaunee can play with anybody, and are looking to build on the past few seasons’ successes.  Kick-off for this game is scheduled for 7pm with a 6:30 pregame this Friday on 101.9 SunnyFM!

DIVISION 7

• Westwood Patriots @ Ishpeming Hematites
  • Another team covered here at Great Lakes Radio, the two-time defending state champion Ishpeming Hematites finished the season undefeated once again with an 8-0 record.  They’re the #1 ranked team in the division and are looking to get back to Ford Field for the third consecutive year, and the fourth time in five years.  These two teams have already faced off once this season, with the Hematites dominating the contest 38-14.  Pregame is scheduled for 6:30pm with a 7pm kickoff this Friday night.  You can catch all of the action on 98.3 WRUP!
• Iron Mountain Mountaineers @ West Iron County Wykons
  • We seem to be on a collision course to repeat last year’s playoff run within the region.  The 8-1 Wykons were 9-0 last year and the #1 team in the district, where Ishpeming was #2 and undefeated as well.  If the games play out like they do on paper, we may have another rematch on our hands.  These two teams also met already this season, with they Wykons shutting out the Mountaineers 24-0 at home.  Same field, maybe a different result?  We’ll find out this Friday night. 

DIVISION 8

• Bessemer Speedboys @ Crystal Falls-Forest Park Trojans
  • Another battle of two U.P. teams as the Speedboys (5-4) travel to Crystal Falls for usual powerhouse Forest Park (7-1).  The Trojans are undefeated against the state of Michigan in 2014, their only loss coming at home against Hurley in early September.  Other than that hiccup, the Trojans have dominated many of their opponents, their closest contest being 36-22 against Lake Linden-Hubbell.  The game is scheduled to begin at 6pm (EST) this Friday Night. 
• Bark River-Harris Broncos @ Lake Linden-Hubbell Lakes
  • A battle of two 7-2 teams, the Broncos & Lakes will both be looking to advance this Saturday afternoon.  These two teams have fared pretty equal against the teams they both faced during the regular season.  It should be a great game this Saturday afternoon, kickoff is at 1:30pm.  
• Newberry Indians @ St. Ignace Saints
  • The Indians, like a lot of other teams in Michigan, squeaked into the playoffs with a 5-4 record.  They’re coming in off of a 41-15 loss to the Sault last Friday.  They’ll go up against the Saints who went undefeated this year following their 7-2 record from a year ago.  With an average winning margin of just under 43 points, the Saints are the definite favorite in this one.  Another Friday contest with a 7pm kickoff.
• Munising Mustangs vs. Inland Lakes Bulldogs
  • Three teams that Great Lakes Radio covers are playoff bound!  This time it’s the 8-1 Mustangs hosting the 7-2 Bulldogs.  The Bulldogs are one year removed from playing in the division-6 playoffs, where they were shut out by the Negaunee Miners.  They’ve dipped down to division-8 and will face a Mustang team that is riding an eight game win streak.  You can catch all of the action on AM1400 GTO, kickoff is at 7pm this Friday night!

Fifteen teams have a chance to represent the Upper Peninsula down at Ford Field in November.  Be sure to get out and support your team if they’re in, or latch on to any team that gets the chance to play for the big one down in Detroit.  Be sure to check in to see how each team fared with us, right here on Fox Sports Marquette.  U.P. Power!

-Carl Leander Johnson

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