On Friday morning Detroit Public School League perennial powerhouse Detroit Cass Technical and arguably one of the top teams in the state looked in danger of missing the Michigan High School Athletic Association football playoffs for the first time since 2007 due to new rule change for the 2021 season, despite having a 6-3 record.

   Cass Tech beat Orchard Lake St. Mary’s Preparatory from the Catholic High School League 40-7 on Thursday night to earn its sixth win.

   Junior quarterback Leeshaun Mumpfield threw for four touchdowns and ran for one against St. Mary’s.

   For the first year, the MHSAA implemented a new points system to determine playoff berths. The system was designed to reward teams for quality victories and for playing a tough schedule. Previously, teams with six victories automatically qualified for the playoffs. Multiple 5-4 teams had made the 32-team field for each division over the years.

   After Week Eight, Cass Tech sat at No. 37 in playoff points in Division 1. Only 32 teams in each division make the playoffs. Cass Tech would have to leap past five teams to earn a playoff berth.

   With the win over St. Mary’s, Cass Tech improved its playoff point total to 54.931, up from 50.482. But all of the teams ahead of Cass Tech in the points standings had yet to play. Point totals would also be adjusted based on changing opponents records.

   So it looked unlikely that Cass Tech could move to at least No. 32.

   Cass Tech would have to past No. 36 Rochester (5-3), No. 35 Davison (5-3), No. 34 Utica (4-4), No. 33 Hudsonville (4-4), and at least No. 32 Brighton (4-4). Or other teams in the Top 32 would have to fall to help Cass Tech.

 

 

 

   Then, one by one, the teams ahead of Cass Tech began to lose on Friday night.

   Rochester lost to Ann Arbor Huron, 31-14.

   Davison lost to Lapeer, 38-35.

   Hudsonville lost to Caledonia 26-19.

   Brighton lost to Livonia Franklin 31-20.

   Monroe (then No. 31) lost to Riverview 28-17.

   Novi (then No. 30) lost to Livonia Churchill 31-28.

   Troy Athens (then No. 29) lost to Auburn Hills Avondale 30-10.

   Utica beat Sterling Heights 35-0, for the only win among the group directly ahead of Cass Tech in the points race.

   The losses helped Cass Tech move up to No. 30 in the final playoff points standings. Utica (5-4) moved from No. 34 to No. 29 to also make the playoffs. Oxford (No. 21) and Novi (No. 31) were the only other 5-4 teams to make the playoffs.

   Cass Tech’s only losses came to Division 3 No. 1 Detroit Martin Luther King Jr.  (41-34 in Week Three and 21-15 in the PSL championship game in Week Eight.)

   Cass Tech dominated Division 3 No. 5 Muskegon 49-14 in Week Two at Muskegon. Its other loss came against Detroit Renaissance 13-6 in Week Four. It played without the majority of its starters due to COVID-19- related issues.

   Cass Tech will play Dearborn Fordson (7-2) in its pre-district game.  This marks the eighth-straight season these teams will meet in the postseason, with Cass Tech owning a 6-1 record in those meetings.

    Four other PSL teams to make the playoffs: Detroit Martin Luther King Jr. (8-1) will host Warren Fitzgerald (8-1) in Division 3, Region 4, District 1. Detroit Southeastern (6-3) will host Detroit Pershing (5-4) in Division 6, Region 4, District 2. Detroit Central (9-0) hosts Detroit Community (6-3) in Division 7, Region 4, District 2.