**ARTICLE BY NICK TUORI AND JOSH LONGSTRETH**

The 8th week of the MHSAA football season is already here! Playoff positioning and conference title races are on tap this week, with some fantastic matchups.

Previews of each of the MSR games are below. Can’t decide which to follow? Tune in to Nate and Chandler’s Whip Around Show to hear them all! 

Rockford vs Grandville

The game of the week takes place on Friday between the Rams and the Bulldogs, the top two teams in the Remax-United Power Poll.

Since 1950 no team on the roster of opponents for either Rockford or Grandville has come close to equaling the number of times these two bitter rivals have squared off. No fewer than 77 meetings have taken place with Rockford holding the lead with 46 wins versus 31 for the Bulldogs. Rockford has gotten the better of Grandville recently and won last year’s contest by the score of 37-14. But you only need to venture back to 2019 for the most recent Grandville triumph. That season saw Rockford make the trip to Grandville with a perfect record and leave with their tail between their legs after a 30-3 thumping.

This time around both teams are ranked in the top ten in the state in Division 1 with the Rams at 7-0 and ranked only behind the two-time defending state champions from Belleville. Grandville is 6-1 and ranks anywhere between fifth and eighth in the state. Both squads are 5-0 in OK Red action with the winner of this contest securing no worse than a tie for first. The Bulldogs have played a challenging schedule with wins over Caledonia (38-34) and Grand Blanc (41-13) and their only defeat coming at the hands of another powerhouse in Davison by the score of 52-21. That was a 28-21 contest in the third quarter before Davison rang up the final 24 points to win going away. The Rams have also faced their share of quality teams in Muskegon (27-7), Muskegon Mona Shores (31-8) and Caledonia (42-16).

The teams are both high-powered offensively with Grandville putting up 38.6 points per game and Rockford posting 41.9. The big difference is on the defensive side of the ball. The Bulldogs seemingly allow just enough points to their opponents on a weekly basis that the game is somewhat in doubt going into the latter stages. Grandville has surrendered 30.7 points per game, though that is skewed somewhat by the 51 put up by Davison. Rockford has given up only nine points per game with nearly every contest well in hand by either the half or partially through the third quarter. The narrowest margin of victory thus far has been the 27-7 win over the offensive-minded Big Reds of Muskegon.

 

Grandville is coached by Eric Stiegel, who is in his tenth season as the head man for the Bulldogs. Stiegel is 65-33 at Grandville and has resurrected a program that had struggled for several seasons before his arrival. He coached at Taylor Truman (Downriver Detroit area) for four seasons before taking over at Grandville. Stiegel has guided the Bulldogs into the state playoffs in eight of his previous nine seasons and this year will mark nine of ten. Brent Cummings is in his fourth season at Rockford and has racked up a remarkable record of 36-3 so far. Cummings will stretch his post-season streak to four in 2023 and Rockford will mark a state record of 29 straight in 2023.

Grandville is led by their tremendous sophomore running back Jayden “Tank” Terry. Though relatively diminutive in size he packs a rare combination of speed and power that belies his height. Fellow running back Easton Suidinski is another talented back for the Dawgs with the potential to break a long run at any time. The quarterback for Grandville is Cash Ruff. Ruff is equally adept at both running and completing the occasional pass at any time. He scored the clinching TD for Grandville on a three-yard run with only two seconds remaining in the game to top Caledonia. Another dangerous weapon for Grandville is return specialist Miguel Rojas. In an area of the game Rockford has struggled in this year, Rojas ran a pair of kickoffs back for touchdowns in the Caledonia victory.

The Rams are led by two-way standout Ryan Ahern MLB/Running back. He is joined by another two-way stalwart in Safety/Running Back Isaac Poot. Quarterback Drake Irwin returned last week after missing most of the previous two contests. Irwin looked as if he never missed a snap in leading the Rams to a 55-0 win over East Kentwood. Senior wide receiver Cam Kruisenga and offensive linemen Alex McPhee and Mason Kirn also help key the Rockford offense. Besides Ahern and Poot, key defensive performers include Christian Herrema (DL), Gabe Stouffer (DL), linebackers Kade Friesen and Sam Cummings and defensive backs Luke Ahern, Louis Bosscher and Jonah Carlson.

Kickoff is slated for 7:00 P.M. on Friday, October 13 at Grandville. Weather permitting a large crowd will make their way to the southwest side of Grand Rapids for this key clash.

 

Grand Rapids Catholic Central vs South Christian

If not for the Rockford/Grandville game, all eyes would be focused on this epic OK Gold battle. Two of the state’s best programs will square off with a share of the league crown on the line. South Christian, the defending Division 4 State Champions, needed a strong finish to defeat Middleville last week in a rain-soaked affair. Their offense is averaging 42 points per game, and that’s after only scoring 29 last week. GRCC also enters with a 6-1 record. The Cougars failed to win the state Championship last year for the first time since 2018, but have their eyes set on returning to Ford Field this fall. After a tough loss to Wilmette Catholic, the Cougars have outscored opponents 279-54 the past six weeks. Last year, South Christian won in a 36-34 thriller. Expect the same late-game heroics this Friday.

Coopersville vs Holland Christian

The Broncos have improved to 5-2 with their current three-game win streak. In each of their five victories, Coopersville has scored at least 42 points. Their defeats have seen Coopersville’s offense held to less than 20. This week, Coopersville will face Holland Christian who enters with a 3-4 mark. The Maroons need victories in the last two weeks to have a fighting chance at the postseason. Coopersville has won each of the past three seasons, so the Maroons defense will have to find a second gear to secure a victory.

Freeland VS Bay City John Glenn

For the first time all season, the Freeland Falcons weren’t the ones to come out on top. Freeland faced a tough Frankenmuth team that went on to overwhelm them in their week seven loss. It was a game in which the Falcons faced a big margin at the half, trailing 7-24, and they could never get back on track after in the second half. It is now the fourth year in a row where the Eagles have given them their first loss of the season. But being the team that they are, it can be assured that Freeland will now move on in a hurry. The John Glenn Bobcats await and that could mean that the Falcons take some big time frustration out on them. Freeland has dominated the Bobcats for the past two seasons and they would love nothing more than to continue that trend in week eight. The Falcons still are a team that could make a deep playoff run. They look to get back on track in a hurry.

It hasn’t been the season that the John Glenn Bobcats had hoped for, but it’s a team that is coming off their most impressive win of the season. They were able to knock off Bridgeport in week seven, 40-6. It was much needed for the Bobcats after coming off two close losses in weeks five and six. They’re a team that’s playing much better and could give Freeland some things to think about this week. John Glenn looks to finish their regular season strong and give some positive vibes heading into the off season. It will not be an easy task for them this week.

Both teams are kind of on opposite sides of the spectrum to this point in the season. But you have a Bobcats team that would love nothing more than to pull off an upset this week. Expect the Falcons to look to six some of the issues that plagued them last week. If they’re able to do so early, it could spell trouble for the Bobcats. But Freeland doesn’t want to get into a battle late in the game. If you let a team hang around until late in the game, it can spell trouble. Freeland will look to get up early and often in this one.

Newaygo VS Central Montcalm

The Newaygo Lions are coming off their best offensive performance in week seven. Their defense would get into some trouble throughout the night but the offense had it going all night in their shootout win over Chippewa Hills. Newaygo held a 28-12 lead at the half but the Warriors wouldn’t go away. This week the Lions have another really good opportunity as they take on a Central Montcalm team that has had ups and downs of their own this season. The Hornets have some momentum though as they had a big week seven as well.

Central Montcalm couldn’t do much wrong last week as they cruised to a 48-0 win over Grant. It would end a two-game losing streak for the Hornets. But they were games in which Montcalm faced two of the best teams in the conference and competed throughout much of the game. This week, a win would get the Hornets back to .500 on the season. They have winnable games down the stretch here as they look to end the regular season in a big way.

Newaygo welcomes in Montcalm this Friday night for a 7:00 showdown.

Tri-County VS Chippewa Hills

Last week would be the first time all season that Tri-County had been overmatched by any opponent. Facing a tough Big Rapids team, the Vikings found themselves down 6-21 at the half and couldn’t do enough to ever get back in the game. It was an eye opener for a team that for much of the season has dominated their opponents from start to finish. This week it might not get any easier for them as they face a Chippewa Hills teams that has had their offense clicking for the last two weeks. It’s also a game in which if the same Tri-County team that has showed up on Friday nights for much of the season, it could be a long night for the Warriors.

Chippewa Hills fell in a heart breaker last week, 36-44, to Newaygo. The Warriors showed some true grit in the loss as they actually trailed big at the half. It was a game in Austin Humphrey had a big night running the ball for Chippewa Hills which led a lot of the comeback charge. This week will be even tougher as they face a Vikings squad who has a bad taste in their mouths after last week. If the Warriors can keep things interesting throughout, they’ll have a chance to pull off a monumental upset in this one.

The two will square off this Friday night at 7:00.

Zeeland East VS Reeths Puffer

The Zeeland East Chix were able to get back on track last week in their win over Holland. East was able to get off to a 37-6 lead after never look back. The Chix were led by a balanced attack by piling up 366 yards of total offense on the night. The defense created three turnovers on the night in quite possibly their best performance of the season. It was a win in which East needed as they face a stingy Reeths-Puffer team in week eight. The Rockets are playing some of their best ball down the stretch as they have dominated opponents the last two weeks. This will be one of the more intriguing matchups of the week as the two have a lot riding on this one.

Reeths-Puffer has shown that they can compete with anyone this season as they upped their record to 5-2 last week. They had it going on both sides of the ball in week seven by knocking off Wyoming, 45-12. The Rockets offense put up 369 total yards of offense on the night and the defense limited the Wolves offense in both halves. This will be a big one for Reeths-Puffer as they face the two Zeeland teams coming down the stretch.

They head over to Zeeland East on Friday night.

Zeeland West @ Mona Shores

Zeeland West came up just short last week in their loss to Muskegon, 16-22. Weather wasn’t ideal but it would still be a back and fourth affair that the Dux still have a chance to come out with a win. Instead, it would lead to Wests first notch in the loss column on the year. This week won’t be any easier for the Dux as they face a Mona Shores team that is riding a three-game win streak in dominate wins. West has the ability to play with anyone and they head into this one fully expecting to come out on top.

The Mona Shores Sailors have put together an impressive 5-2 record in 2023. The two losses came at the hands of Rockford and Muskegon, two of the states best. The last three weeks have come quite easy for Mona Shores as they have outscored their three opponents, 137-28. This week might be their biggest test of all, however. Facing a hungry Dux team that is looking to get right back on track in week eight.

This is another big matchup in the OKC Green. Expect a big time crowd in what should be a thriller. West heads over to Mona Shores to take on the Sailors this Friday night.

Comstock Park VS Kingsley

Comstock Park had their modest two-game winning streak snapped last week at the hands of Sparta, 14-28. The Panthers fell behind early but hung around the rest of the night as they never let the game get away from them. Comstock Park, for the first time all season, could never get anything going on offense. The Panthers defense would struggle for most of the night as they gave up nearly 350 yards rushing to the Spartans. The defense was able to create a couple turnovers but it wouldn’t help as the Panthers offense coughed the ball up three times of their own on the night. This week they’ll need to fix it in a hurry as they face a Kingsley team who hasn’t had much trouble getting their offense going all year.

The Kinglsey Stags are coming off a tough week seven loss. It was the first time on the year where the Kinglsey offense had struggled for much of the game. The defense has had trouble limiting opponents for much of the year and they found themselves in another hole last week against a solid Ogemaw Heights team. This week they’ll need both on par in what is a big game for both teams in the playoff race. The Panthers have been able to get things done for much of the year on offense so this is one where the Stags will need a big boost from their defense.

Comstock Park welcomes in Kinglsey for a big showdown this Friday night.

Gladwin VS Beaverton

It wasn’t what Gladwin had expected in their week seven showdown with Pontiac Notre Dame Prep. Gladwin found themselves trailing big at the half to the Irish, 7-28. But it’s a team that has been there before and it’s also a team that is never out of a game. Last week spelled a different fate, however. Notre Dame Prep was able to come out of the half with the same urgency and it quickly derailed any comeback attempt for Gladwin. The Gladwin defense would give up nearly 500 yards of total offense to the Irish on the night. That is something you don’t see often from a stingy Gladwin defense. But it’s a program that has the culture to get over things in a hurry and you can expect them to do exactly that this week as they face a Beaverton team who is riding a four-game winning streak.

The Beaverton Beavers come in as one of the hottest teams in the Jack Pine Conference. Albeit, the winning streak has been tough as most of those games have been tight throughout. But the Beavers couldn’t ask for more to this point in the season as their offense has been right on par with their defense. It’s a group that has some leadership and they would love nothing more than to knock off a Gladwin team who is coming off something they haven’t faced in quite some time. They’ll need every bit of urgency this week as they will be facing an angry Gladwin team that is looking to get another winning streak started.

This is one of the more interesting matchups of the week. Is Gladwin vulnerable enough for Beaverton to hang around enough to pull off the upset? Despite the week seven loss for the G’s, it’s still one of the best teams in the state. Expect them to show nothing short of that in week eight.

Clare VS Shepherd

The Clare Pioneers have now put together a three-game winning streak after they took down Sanford Meridian in week seven, 50-0. Clare racked up 310 yards of total offense on the night while limiting the Mustangs to under 100. Their offense was on par all night but the defense also scored some points while taking to interceptions back for touchdowns. The Pioneers held a 43-0 advantage heading into the half before cruising the rest of the way. This week they’ll play a Shepherd Bluejays team who has put together a winning streak of their own for the first time all year.

Shepherd came up with a big offensive performance last week as they knocked off Pinconning, 38-26. The Bluejays have struggled for much of the season but have found some momentum here in the back stretch. The offense was balanced last week as they accounted for 327 yards of total offense. The defense has struggled for much of the year but they were able to turn the Spartans over twice on the night. This week they’ll need much of the same as they face a Clare team that looks to secure a playoff spot this week and has now shut out three opponents in a row. An upset win over the Pioneers could give Shepherd more life heading into the final week of the regular season.

Clare welcomes them in this Friday night.

Bullock Creek @ Harrison

The Bullock Creek Lancers took a step back last week in their loss to Millington, 10-32. Bullock Creek had been riding some big momentum heading into the game and held on for most of the night before things falling apart late in the third quarter. The Lancers defense had a hard time limiting a potent Cardinals rushing attack as they allowed 281 yards on the ground. Bullock Creek had three costly turnovers on the night and only managed 229 yards of total offense on their own. This week the Lancers have a chance to bounce back in a big way. They take on a Harrison Hornets team who is coming off two close losses the last couple weeks.

It’s been a tough season for Harrison, especially on the defensive side of the ball. The Hornets have had several games where they have been able to put up some points on the offensive side but the defense has had trouble for most of the season. They’ll be in for another tough battle this week as they face a Bullock Creek team that is playing some solid football. A win over the Lancers could give Harrison some much needed momentum to wind down the season.

Bullock Creek heads into Harrison to take on the Hornets this Friday night.