One Win Away – HS Football-Week 9

The final week of the regular season is here and for several teams, they look at this week as a final game of the season and a chance to build for next season. These teams would like to go out with a win, even if there's no tomorrow for the season. For teams that are postseason bound, it's a chance to refine their game as they await next week's playoffs. And for some, they are in the playoffs now, trying to earn one more victory to make it to next week.

Our Game of the Week will take us to Richland, where the hosting Gull Lake Blue Devils will take on the playoff-bound Lakeview Spartans in Southwest Michigan Athletic Conference action. It's been a while since we've had the Spartans on, after a dominating 37-7 win over Battle Creek Central in Week 3. They've run off five wins since and claimed a share of the East Division title. With a win, they will wrap up their second-straight division title and possibly earn a home-field spot in the pre-district playoff game next week. Head Coach Matt Miller's Spartans have continued to pound the ground against their opponents, led by school-record rushing champ Dre'On Kemp. The defense remains stout, holding opponents to just over nine points a game.

The Blue Devils will look to finish with a winning record under first-season head coach Tim VanWormer. The veteran coach has brought a new look option offense to the program, led by senior quarterback Seth Eldridge and senior running back TJ Haase. The Blue Devils have won two straight, after holding off Niles last week.

Lakeview has one both previous meeting between the two squads, including last year's 35-0 Week 5 game, the final game of the Spartans' five-straight shutouts in 2013.

In other action, Battle Creek Central looks to give themselves an outside shot at the postseason as they host Loy Norrix. Harper Creek hits the road to the Capital City to take on Lansing Everett in a battle of 5-3 squads. Pennfield wraps up their season, hosting Ann Arbor Gabriel Richard. Finally, it's a battle of state-ranked, undefeated 8-Man teams as fourth-ranked St. Philip hosts second-ranked Lawrence.

Friday, October 24th
Game of the Night
Lakeview vs. Gull Lake
Lakeview 6-1 (4-0 SMAC East) - Gull Lake 4-4 (2-2 SMAC East)
Catch the action on WBCK at 6:35pm!

Loy Norrix vs. Battle Creek Central (BC Central 4-4)
Harper Creek vs. Lansing Everett (Harper Creek 5-3)
Ann Arbor Gabriel Richard vs. Pennfield (Pennfield 2-6)

Napoleon vs. Athens (Athens 1-7)
Bellevue vs. Manistee Catholic Central @ Alma College (Bellevue 1-7)
Bronson vs. White Pigeon (Bronson 0-7)
Climax-Scotts vs. Colon (Climax-Scotts 7-1)
Delton vs. Kalamazoo United (Delton 4-4)
Galesburg-Augusta vs. Hartford (Galesburg-Augusta 3-5)
Grand Rapids Ottawa Hills vs. Hastings (Hastings 1-7)
Jackson Vandercook Lake vs. Homer (Homer 6-2)
Dansville vs. Maple Valley (Maple Valley 3-5)
Portland vs. Marshall (Marshall 2-6)
Olivet vs. Parchment (Olivet 6-2)
Hanover-Horton vs. Quincy (Quincy 6-2)
Manchester vs. Union City (Union City 8-0)
8-Man Footballl - Litchfield vs. Tekonsha (Tekonsha 2-6)

Saturday, October 25th
8-Man Football - Lawrence vs. St. Philip (St. Philip 8-0)