11 Area High School Teams Head to Postseason

The Michigan High School Athletic Association announced their 2017 edition of the football playoffs Sunday night, featuring 11 area schools.

Out of the 11 schools, just two are located in Battle Creek. Nine of the schools qualified in the 11-man ranks, with just five them clinching spots with at least six wins on their nine-game schedules.

The 256 teams statewide that qualified by either earning six wins (five wins for an eight-game schedule) or earning enough playoff points at 5-4 or 4-4. These points are earned by team victories and the victories of the teams they defeated. There are also bonus points if wins are against bigger schools in enrollment by class. The 256 teams are then split into eight divisions of 32 teams by enrollment and narrowed down by geographic region, then by district.

The other two teams in the 8-man ranks qualified by earning playoff points. There are no bonus points, as all 62 teams in the 8-man ranks are Class D schools. Beginning this season there are two divisions of 16, split by enrollment.

Now that the explanation is complete on how we have made our way to this point, here are the area teams in action beginning Friday in the 2017 MHSAA playoffs.

* - Signifies top-seed in district and will host both potential games

Division 3 - Region 2 - District 1
Coldwater (6-3) at Harper Creek (9-0)*
Winner takes on St. Joseph (7-2) or Stevensville-Lakeshore (8-1)

Division 5 - Region 3 - District 2
Lansing Catholic (7-2) at Olivet (8-1)
Winner takes on Ovid-Elsie (7-2) or Portland (8-1)*

Division 6 - Region 3 - District 1
Delton (5-4) at Parchment (6-3)
Winner takes on Schoolcraft (5-4) or Watervliet (9-0)*

Division 6 - Region 3 - District 2
Quincy (5-4) at Jackson Lumen Christi (7-1)*
Winner takes on Hillsdale (5-4) or Michigan Center (8-1)

Division 7 - Region 3 - District 1
Maple Valley (5-4) at Hartford (6-3)*
Winner takes on Springport (6-3) or Saugatuck (6-3)

Division 7 - Region 3 - District 2
Homer (6-3) at Cassopolis (8-1)*
Union City (7-2) at Reading (7-2)

Division 8 - Region 3 - District 2
Athens (5-4) at Pittsford (8-1)*
Fulton (5-4) at Climax-Scotts (7-2)

8-Man Football - Division 1 - Region 3
Webberville (5-4) at Bellevue (8-1)
Winner takes on Lawrence (4-5) or Camden-Frontier (9-0)*

8-Man Football - Division 2 - Region 4
St. Philip (5-4) at Flint International Academy (7-2)
Winner takes on North Adams-Jerome (5-4) or Portland St. Patrick (8-1)*