Photo Credit: Lou Murray
The ninth and final week of the MHSAA football regular season came to an end on Friday night. For some teams, it was a final tune-up for next week’s playoff openers. For others, it was an opportunity to clinch a conference championship. Finally, for many seniors, it will be the last time they strapped on their helmets and shoulder pads to compete on the gridiron competitively. Our team at Michigan Sports Radio was all over the state, providing you live coverage of the action. The final scores, key stats and recaps can be found below:
Bear Lake 71 Ashley 0
Belding 40 Hopkins 0
Big Rapids 49 Alma 14: The Cardinals win their eighth straight game in the regular season finale against the Panthers, keeping their momentum heading into the playoffs. Big Rapids jumped out to a 42-0 lead after just 14 minutes of game play. Cole Haist completed just 6/10 passes but three completions went for a touchdown. Garrett Foster added a pair of touchdown runs, as well as an interception return for a score.
Bridgman 50 New Buffalo 0
Britton-Deerfield 50 Camden-Frontier 0
Byron Center 48 Morris (IL) 28
Centreville 55 Quincy 0
Climax-Scotts 63 Pittsford 14
Cincinnati Moeller (OH) 52 Muskegon 27: The Muskegon Big Reds lost their fifth game of the season, and as a result the 3-5 squad will miss the postseason. This is the first playoffs without Muskegon since 1999.
Coopersville 35 Cedar Springs 21
East Jordan 35 Elk Rapids 8
Forest Hills Central 24 East Grand Rapids 0: The Rangers finish the year 7-2 after shutting out the Pioneers. Nick Williams was 13/18 passing for 151 yards and two scores, while also adding 60 rushing yards. Max Holser also threw for a touchdown, with Brendan Cargill, Matt Sexton and Ty Ryan each catching a score. Orio Roskam led the defense with six tackles, while Sexton and Ryan each chipped in four. East Grand Rapids (5-4) will likely make the playoffs as well, and there is a possibility for an opening-round rematch.
Forest Hills Eastern 35 Reeths-Puffer 28: The Hawks win their 7th game, wrapping up regular season action in a close victory against the Rockets. After FHE jumped out to a 21-0 lead on a pair of Brendan Thompson runs, Puffer began to claw its way back. Max Ferrick would extend the Hawks’ cushion back out with three touchdown runs of his own, before two Rockets’ scores in the final seven minutes got them within a touchdown. Puffer outgained FHE 421-306, but two costly fumbles proved to play a major role in the outcome.
Frankenmuth 41 Gladwin 14
Fruitport 48 Kelloggsville 14
Fulton 64 Carson City-Crystal 6
Gobles 58 Twin City Sharks 8: The Tigers completed their first unbeaten regular season since 2006 with a thrashing of the Sharks. A tough playoff slate likely lies ahead, but the Tigers can take some solace in knowing they have beaten some strong opponents throughout the regular season.
Grand Rapids Christian 38 Holland Christian 23: A week after narrowly falling to Northview, the Maroons were stunned by Grand Rapids Christian. The Eagles entered Friday losing six straight contests, but they ended their 2024 season with a statement victory over a team bound for the postseason.
Grand Rapids Sacred Heart 33 Marcellus 16: The Falcons completed an unbeaten regular season in their debut campaign, adding another layer to a historic story. They will likely enter the 8-Man Division 2 playoffs as the #1 seed. With Marcellus’ defeat, the Wildcats will now likely narrowly miss the postseason.
Grand Rapids Union 21 Detroit Loyola 14: The Red Hawks win their first game of the season in the finale, taking down Detroit Loyola. The Bulldogs have a tremendous history, with four trips to the State Championship game between 2012 and 2016. This is the first time both Union and Ottawa Hills have won in the same week since Week 2 of 2021.
Harbor Beach 62 Maple Valley 0
Hastings 47 Wayland 38: The Saxons finish the regular season 8-1 after besting their rivals. Tyler Frazer had 120 rushing yards, two touchdown runs and a touchdown reception for the victors. In defeat, Hudson Biondo rushed for 114 yards and three scores.
Holland 48 Godwin Heights 24
Hudsonville 46 West Ottawa 8
Jenison 34 Grand Haven 14
Kalamazoo Central 20 Loy Norrix 10
Kenowa Hills 33 Sparta 21
Kent City 34 Grant 14
Lawton 28 Constantine 15
Lowell 55 Greenville 41
Martin 22 Northpointe Christian 20: The Clippers found themselves in a 14-0 halftime deficit before two third quarter touchdowns gave them the lead, 16-14. Each team would tack on a score in the final stanza, but the two-time defending 8-Man Division 1 State Champions would emerge victorious to finish their regular season at 8-1, their best mark since 2021.
Mason County Central 36 Manistee 22: The Spartans took down the Mariners to finish the regular season 8-1, the best record since 1966, when they went 7-1 in just eight contests. Mason County Central will reach the postseason for the second straight year, and just the third time since 2007.
Mendon 87 Lenawee Christian 30: The Hornets bounce back from a narrow defeat last week, topping the 80-point threshold for the second time this season (84-20 vs Concord). These 87 points are a school record for Mendon, as the team rushed for all 694 of their offensive yards. Owen Gorham rushed just nine times for 325 yards and four touchdowns. James Lux added 185 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 8 carries.
Middleville 49 Wyoming 12
Montague 42 Ravenna 7: In a must-win situation for Montague, the Wildcats delivered. Though they are 4-5, this victory should give Montague enough points to qualify for the postseason in Division 6.
Muskegon Heights 34 Fennville 30: The Tigers concluded their maiden voyage in 8-man football with a road victory against the Blackhawks. Ja’Marion Taylor caught three passes for the victors, racking up 138 yards and two touchdowns, and he also returned an interception 95 yards for a touchdown. Muskegon Heights’ four victories is the second most they’ve recorded since 2011 (six in 2021).
Newberry 54 St Ignace 30
North Muskegon 34 Oakridge 17
Northview 28 Forest Hills Northern 26: The Wildcats complete their first unbeaten regular season since 1970. FHN gave Northview all it could handle late, but a failed two-point try with 38 seconds to play left them two points shy.
Olivet 37 Comstock Park 8
Orchard View 34 Shelby 29
Ottawa Hills 40 Benton Harbor 8: The Bengals concluded their 2024 regular season with a win over the Tigers. Though this was their first of the year (1-8), it was monumental. First, it stopped a 31-game losing streak that dated back to 2021. Secondly, the 40 points scored by Ottawa Hills is the program’s largest total since they scored 43 against Hastings in 2014. This is the first time both Union and Ottawa Hills have won in the same week since Week 2 of 2021.
Portland 49 Whitehall 7
Rockford 45 East Kentwood 27
Saugatuck 59 Watervliet 0
Schoolcraft 36 Muskegon Catholic Central 14: A disappointing Crusaders season ended with another frustrating defeat. Schoolcraft scored the first 14 points on their way to a 28-8 lead. Bryan Convertini contributed to both touchdowns, on a 38-yard touchdown pass and a 5-yard run. MCC finishes 1-7 on the season, their lowest win total since they posted an 0-9 mark in 1962.
South Christian 26 GR Catholic Central 20
Spring Lake 46 Allendale 16
St Louis 6 Hesperia 0
Stevensville Lakeshore 28 Portage Northern 13
Toledo Central Catholic (OH) 14 Mona Shores 13: Mona Shores suffered their first defeat of the season, falling to one of Northwest Ohio’s strongest teams. The Sailors led 7-0 early on a Jonathan Pittman touchdown pass to Micah Carefelle. TCC got a 2-yard touchdown carry late in the third quarter to even the score. TCC took the lead with 8:43 to play on an Isaiah Fox touchdown run, before Mona Shores would score with 2:22 to play. The Sailors opted for a fake PAT kick, and the pass was incomplete. Mona Shores recovered the onside kick, but turned the ball over on downs just past midfield.
Unity Christian 43 Pontiac Notre Dame Prep 28
Zeeland West 34 West Catholic 20 (Thursday)
White Cloud 28 Holton 6
Saturday Games
Kalamazoo United v Jackson Lumen Christi – 1:30
Battle Creek St Philip v Burr Oak – 7:00
