Six Area Squads Make High School Football Postseason

Three Battle Creek high school squads make it into the Michigan High School Athletic Association's football playoff this season, and three area teams will also get ready for the second season beginning Friday.

Only four area squads made the MHSAA postseason with at least six victories, or five with an eight-game schedule. The other two made it with enough playoff points at 5-4.

Starting things off are the Lakeview Spartans, who continue their postseason run to five seasons. They hit the road in Division 2 to take on Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central. It will be the first time these two squads have met in their school's history. The Forest Hills Central Rangers is in the postseason for the first time since 2011.

The Harper Creek Beavers see a familiar foe in Division 3 in the Coldwater Cardinals. The two Interstate 8 teams will face off in Coldwater for the second time in the last three weeks. Harper Creek is back in the playoffs for the first time since 2014 and look to end a three-game skid to Coldwater, including a 40-14 defeat on October 14th.

The Pennfield Panthers make the playoffs at 5-4 and return for the first time since 2013. They will head north to Lake Odessa to take on the Lakewood Vikings, the champs of the Greater Lansing Athletic Association. This will be the first meeting between these two squads. Lake Odessa Lakewood makes it back to the postseason for the first time in back-to-back seasons and their fourth overall appearance.

Among the area squads, Olivet sneak into the postseason at 5-4 and make it for their eighth straight season. They make the long trip to Berrien Springs to take on the Shamrocks, who are in the postseason for the third straight year. It's also a rematch of last year's Division 5 District Semifinals, where the Eagles would fall to the Shamrocks.

Homer makes their third straight postseason in Division 7. The Trojans will host Dansville, who eliminated them in the District Finals last year.

Finally, Climax-Scotts is back in the playoffs for the 13th straight season and host fellow South Central Athletic Association foe, Colon. The Panthers have beat the Magi 13 straight times, with Colon's last win coming by forfeit in 1997 during Climax-Scotts' cancelled season.

Here's a look at the upcoming schedule. Game times will be announced on Monday.

* - Signifies top-seed in district based on playoff points

Division 2 - Region 1 - District 2
Lakeview (6-2) at Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central (7-2) - Friday 7pm
Winner takes on Portage Northern (5-4) or Portage Central (8-1)* - Friday 7pm

Division 3 - Region 2 - District 2
Harper Creek (7-2) at Coldwater (7-2) - Friday 7pm
Winner takes on Vicksburg (7-2) or Chelsea (9-0)* - Friday 7pm

Division 4 - Region 2 - District 2
Pennfield (5-4) at Lake Odessa-Lakewood (8-1)* - Friday 7pm
Winner takes on Williamston (5-4) or Lansing Sexton (6-3) - Friday 7pm

Division 5 - Region 3 - District 2
Olivet (5-4) at Berrien Springs (8-1)* - Friday 7pm
Winner takes on Buchanan (5-3) or Dowagiac (6-3) - Friday 7pm

Division 7 - Region 3 - District 2
Dansville (6-3) at Homer (7-2)* - Friday 7pm
Winner takes on Springport (7-2) or Concord (7-2) - Friday 7pm

Division 8 - Region 4 - District 1
Colon (5-4) at Climax-Scotts (9-0)* - Friday 7pm
Winner takes on Mendon (7-2) or St. Joseph Lake Michigan Catholic (8-1) - Friday 7pm