High School Football Playoff Peek – Week 5

There are two weeks remaining in the High School Football regular season and it is time to look at where teams sit if the playoffs began this week in the Battle Creek area.

With every 11-Man team making the postseason in the Michigan High School Athletic Association this year and the top 32 teams in 8-Man's two division's doesn't change, the six-week regular season sprint starts to take shape with the final third of the schedule beginning this Friday.

It's time to take a look at who could play who in our Playoff Peek heading into Week 5.

First round games - Okemos at East Lansing / Portage Central at Lakeview / Battle Creek Central at Portage Northern / Mattawan at Jackson

The three top teams in this district were all winners last Friday, but the only shift was by playoff points for seeding. East Lansing, Lakeview and Portage Northern also added some separation from the fourth seed with Jackson two games behind. Northern's remaining schedule is against teams below .500. East Lansing draws 3-1 Grand Ledge this week and Lakeview's final two weeks are against the two top seeds in Division 3 (see the district below).

First round games - Gull Lake at Stevensville Lakeshore/ Niles at St. Joseph / Sturgis at Coldwater / Harper Creek at Parma Western

There was a major shift when previously undefeated Coldwater and Parma Western were defeated by Harper Creek and Marshall, respectively. Lakeshore's win over rival St. Joseph put the Lancers on top this week. Harper Creek is within reach of earning a home game if sitting in the top four seeds by regular season's end with Coldwater and Parma Western squaring off in Week 6. The Beavers have to get by Marshall on the road this week (our Game of the Night on WBCK Friday).

First round games - Owosso at Williamston / Charlotte at Marshall / Eaton Rapids at Lake Fenton / Flint Powers at Pennfield

Marshall's win over Parma Western skyrocketed the Redhawks from a six-seed to number two. Pennfield's win over Jackson Lumen Christi benefitted and hurt at the same time as they still could hold a home contest in the playoff's opening weekend. The 2-2 Titans in Division 7 didn't provide much in playoff points for the Panthers. Williamston continues at the top spot but will see 4-0 Olivet and 4-0 Mason in the next two weeks.

First round games - Allegan at Paw Paw / Three Rivers at Edwardsburg / Otsego at Plainwell / Vicksburg at Hastings

Not much of a change in this district this week. Hastings is slowly creeping up and now could host in the first round after knocking off Parma Western on the road last week. The Saxons have another previously undefeated team with Coldwater coming to town Friday.

First round games - Berrien Springs at Kalamazoo United / Benton Harbor at Olivet / South Haven at Lansing Catholic / Hillsdale at Dowagiac

Olivet continues to keep pace with Kalamazoo United with a convincing win over Lake Odessa Lakewood. They step out of conference this week and take on undefeated Williamston (see above) this week. Dowagiac's tougher schedule, even at .500 on the season, gives them the edge over Hillsdale's 3-1 record.

First round games - Onsted at Jonesville / Napoleon at Adrian Madison / Quincy at Brooklyn Columbia Central / Michigan Center at Stockbridge

This district becomes more strange by the week. Quincy moves down the seeding with a loss and Michigan Center earned their first win after canceling their first two games due to COVID-19. The third seed, Brooklyn Columbia Central, may either forfeit or cancel this week after two staff members tested positive for the virus with eight others quarantined.

First round games - Hartford at Lawton / Galesburg-Augusta at Schoolcraft / Union City at Homer / Bronson at Delton

Here is another district where the strength of schedule gives a team an edge in seeding. This time, Schoolcraft earns the two-seed ahead of an undefeated Homer squad. Bronson's win over Union City pushes them ahead in the district. By playoff points Lawton, Schoolcraft and Homer are starting separate themselves from the pack with two weeks remaining. Galesburg-Augusta returned to action in Week 4 and are still searching for their first win after COVID cancelled their Week 3 contest.

8-Man Football
Just as a reminder, the same playoff point formula applies in 8-Man, but only the top 32 teams in each of the two divisions will make it to the postseason this year. Teams on the outside will be allowed to play one more game but won't be within the playoff brackets.

Division 1 - The three area teams in the large enrollment division saw some movement this week. Bellevue jumped to 22^nd in playoff points with their win over Climax-Scotts to even their record at 2-2. Athens slides down to 24^th after falling to defending state champion Colon. St. Philip earns their first win of the season over Litchfield and are now in the top 32 in 30^th.

Division 2 - The area's two small schools are still comfortably in the top 32 in playoff points but Climax-Scotts' loss to Bellevue pushed them back to 24^th. The Panthers are still 10 playoff points ahead of the final spot. Tekonsha elevates ahead of Colon into sixth in D2 with their convincing win over Waldron.

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