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Michigan High School Athletic Association
2020 Football Championships

For playoff scores, coverage and media stories, click the divisions below:

CHAMPIONSHIPS

> MHSAA: 1st & Goal -- 11-Player Finals Preview

> Detroit Free Press: Michigan high school football playoffs: Meet the teams playing in the state finals

> MLive: Communities rally behind Michigan prep football teams ahead of state finals despite COVID-19 restrictions

> MLive: Increase in stadium capacity comes too late to boost number of fans allowed to attend MHSAA state football finals at Ford Field

> MLive: Michigan representative urges for lift of restrictions on eve of high school football finals

> MLive: The longest season: How high school football finally made it to Ford Field

 

WEEK 4 PLAYOFFS

> Detroit Free Press: Regional final predictions

> Detroit News: Regional final predictions

> MLive: Metro Detroit regional final predictions

> MLive: Kalamazoo-area regional final predictions

> MLive: Ann Arbor-area regional final predictions

> MLive: Grand Rapids-area regional final predictions

> MLive: Jackson-area regional final predictions

> MLive: Saginaw-area regional final predictions

> MLive: Muskegon-area regional final predictions

> Lansing State Journal: After lengthy layoff, restart of MHSAA football playoffs brings excitement, big challenges

> Detroit Free Press: Michigan high school football playoffs: How teams overcome odds for long-awaited restart

> Hometown Life: Fall playoff teams adjust to new COVID-19 testing protocols before practice starts

> MLive: 5 things to know as high school football games finally return on Saturday

> StudentandAthlete: Football practice set to begin again

> Detroit Free Press: Michigan high school football playoffs have been pushed back a week: Regionals now Jan. 9

>  Lansing State Journal: MHSAA football playoffs to resume Jan. 9; volleyball and swimming to conclude in January

> Detroit News: New target restart date for Michigan high school football playoffs is Jan. 9

> Detroit Free Press: MHSAA struggling to schedule, well, anything as pandemic maintains grip on life

> Oakland Press: MHSAA updates football schedule, waiting on volleyball and swim

> MLive: MHSAA: Non-contact football practice may resume Monday

> MLive: Contrary to critics’ claims, MHSAA leader says he has all athletes’ best interests in mind

> MLive: Q&A: Rapid virus tests, the fate of sports amid the pandemic and other issues facing high school sports in Michigan

> Detroit News: Cass Tech coach Wilcher: 'MHSAA should have just canceled the whole thing'

> MLive: MHSAA head Mark Uyl details efforts to finish fall sports, launch winter and spring sports amid coronavirus pandemic

> MLive: ‘This is really happening again?’ High school football players, parents in limbo again after another coronavirus pause in Michigan

> MLive: Starts and stops, ups and downs: A timeline of the 2020 Michigan high school football season

> MLive: ‘Like a yo-yo:’ Frustration mounts after miscommunication over covid testing halts Michigan prep football again

> Detroit Free Press: Michigan high school football teams told to stop practices until next week. Here's why

> Detroit News: 'I'm tired of it': Coaches angered over latest MHSAA halt to fall sports practices, delays in competition

> Oakland Press: Get prep athletes off this emotional roller coaster

> Detroit News: Michigan high school football teams get acclimated to cold to finish playoffs

> MLive: First-day of return to practice highlights, photos

> Oakland Press: Fall athletes to be tested three times a week in pilot testing program

> Oakland Press: Oakland County football teams happy to get back to work

> MLive: MHSAA director Mark Uyl sheds light on new coronavirus testing program that revived fall sports

> MLive: Back on: Michigan high school football coaches react to Friday’s surprising news

> Oakland Press: MHSAA's Mark Uyl breaks down fall finish, winter start

> MLive: ‘Nobody really saw this coming:’ Muskegon-area football coaches surprised by restart

> Detroit Free Press: Early enrollees at Michigan football, MSU have decision to make on MHSAA playoffs

> Detroit Free Press: Michigan high school football playoffs to restart Jan. 2; practice begins Monday

> Lansing State Journal: MDHHS to allow fall sports championships to resume under pilot program

> Detroit News: Michigan high school football playoffs will resume on Jan. 2

> MLive: Michigan high school football practice to return on Monday, fall sports allowed to finish seasons

> Oakland Press: Rapid testing program allows for fall tournaments to finish in January

> MLive: MHSAA says it’s ready to meet Friday to make new plan for fall and winter sports

> 'Let Them Play' movement returns to Capitol in fight to restart high school sports

> Some MHSAA football coaches miffed as Gov. Gretchen Whitmer extends health order

> Coaches react to high school sports being delayed again: 'Very disappointing'

> 'Get with the times': Coaches hope spring season leads to turning point in Michigan high school football

> MHSAA football playoff teams eager to finish the season. Here's how they're staying ready

> Three-week pause raises worries about increased injury chances if high school sports return as planned Dec. 9

 

> Playoff predictions: Ann Arbor area

> Playoff predictions: Bay City area

> Playoff predictions: Flint area

> Playoff predictions: Grand Rapids area

> Playoff predictions: Jackson area

> Playoff predictions: Kalamazoo area

> Playoff predictions: Muskegon area

> Playoff predictions: Saginaw area

> Playoff predictions: Bay City area

> Playoff predictions: Metro Detroit

> Playoff predictions: Flint area

> Playoff predictions: Grand Rapids area

> Playoff predictions: Jackson area

> Playoff predictions: Kalamazoo area

> Playoff predictions: Muskegon area

> Playoff predictions: Saginaw area

> Playoff predictions: Bay City area

> Playoff predictions: Metro Detroit

> Playoff predictions: Flint area

> Playoff predictions: Grand Rapids area

> Playoff predictions: Jackson area

> Playoff predictions: Kalamazoo area

> Playoff predictions: Muskegon area

> Playoff predictions: Saginaw area

   2020 playoff notes: Because of the shortened 2020 regular season due to COVID-19, the Michigan High School Athletic Association created a playoff plan that divided all 11-player teams into districts of up to eight teams each, then paired into four regions. For the eight-player playoffs, teams also were divided into two divisions before the start of play this fall, and the top 32 teams in each division based on playoff-point average were selected to a postseason field of 64 teams, which were then divided into four regions of eight teams apiece.

   Pairings for the first four weeks of the tournament were based on regular-season playoff point averages, with the highest-ranked team hosting, regardless of the distance between the two schools. For district first round and regional first round play, the top-seeded team in each bracket will host the eighth-seeded team; and the second-seeded team will host the seventh-seeded team, etc.

      A total of nine 11-player teams and seven 8-player teams that began this season withdrew from participation in the MHSAA playoffs. Eight tie-breakers were necessary to determine bracket placement in 11-player; the first tie-breaker of head-to-head winner was used once, the second tie-breaker of opponents’ winning percentage was used five times, and the third tie-breaker – coin flip – was employed for two games.

Final Associated Press regular season rankings

October 27, 2020 rankings from the Associated Press with regular season records

Division 1

1. Belleville (5) (6-0) 50

2. Davison (6-0) 42

3. Detroit Cass Technical (6-0) 40

4. Clarkston (6-0) 37

5. West Bloomfield (5-1) 28

6. Detroit Catholic Central (6-0) 20

7. Rochester Hills Stoney Creek (6-0) 19

8. Macomb Dakota (5-1) 10

9. Rockford (4-0) 9

10. Canton (6-0) 8

Others receiving votes: Sterling Heights Stevenson 5. Grand Blanc 3. Grandville 3. Plymouth 1.

 

 

Division 2

1. Muskegon Mona Shores (5) (6-0) 50

2. East Lansing (6-0) 45

3. Midland (6-0) 38

4. Fenton (6-0) 33

5. Port Huron (6-0) 22

6. Grosse Pointe South (4-2) 21

7. Jenison (5-1) 20

8. Byron Center (5-1) 18

9. Livonia Churchill (4-2) 12

10. Traverse City Central (5-1) 9

Others receiving votes: Warren-Mott 3. Birmingham Seaholm 2. Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central 2.

Division 3

1. DeWitt (4) (6-0) 49

2. Muskegon (1) (5-1) 44

3. Chelsea (6-0) 40

4. River Rouge (4-1) 37

5. Mason (6-0) 29

6. Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice (5-1) 23

6. Zeeland West (4-1) 23

8. Riverview (6-0) 15

9. Mt. Pleasant (5-1) 5

9. Detroit Martin Luther King Jr. (3-3) 5

9. Eastpointe (6-0) 5

Others receiving votes: None.

Division 4

1. Edwardsburg (5) (6-0) 50

2. Hudsonville Unity Christian (6-0) 45

3. North Branch (6-0) 34

4. Detroit Country Day (3-2) 32

5. Grand Rapids South Christian (5-1) 25

6. Pontiac Notre Dame Preparatory (5-1) 22

6. Whitehall (5-1) 22

8. Goodrich (5-1) 11

9. Ortonville Brandon (6-0) 10

10. Milan (5-1) 9

Others receiving votes: Madison Heights Lamphere 4. Redford Union 4. Spring Lake 4. Croswell-Lexington 2. Williamston 1.

 

Division 5

1. Grand Rapids Catholic Central (4) (6-0) 40

2. Frankenmuth (6-0) 35

3. Kingsley (6-0) 32

4. Portland (5-1) 29

5. Reed City (6-0) 21

5. Marine City (5-1) 21

7. Grand Rapids West Catholic (5-1) 16

8. Hopkins (5-1) 13

9. Olivet (5-1) 7

10. Freeland (5-1) 3

Others receiving votes: Belding 2. Essexville Garber 1.

 

Division 6

1. Montague (4) (6-0) 40

2. Muskegon Catholic Central (6-0) 36

3. Blissfield (6-0) 31

4. Warren Michigan Collegiate (6-0) 25

5. Clare (6-0) 23

6. Buchanan (6-0) 19

7. Erie-Mason (6-0) 11

8. Constantine (5-1) 10

9. Clinton (5-1) 9

9. Millington (5-1) 9

Others receiving votes:  Sanford-Meridian 2. Montrose 2. Manistee 2. Boyne City 1.

Division 7

1. Ithaca (2) (6-0) 28

2. Pewamo-Westphalia (5-1) 26

3. New Lothrop (6-0) 23

4. Schoolcraft (1) (5-1) 22

5. Hemlock (6-0) 21

6. Charlevoix (6-0) 12

7. McBain (6-0) 9

8. Oscoda (6-0) 8

9. Detroit Loyola (5-1) 6

10. Cass City (6-0) 4

Others receiving votes: Traverse City St. Francis 2. Riverview Gabriel Richard 2. Sandusky 2.

 

Division 8

1. Reading (2) (5-1) 28

2. Centreville (6-0) 27

3. Addison (6-0) 23

4. Clarkston Everest Collegiate (1) (6-0) 21

5. Sand Creek (5-1) 20

6. Johannesburg-Lewiston (6-0) 16

7. Beal City (5-1) 9

8. West Iron County (6-0) 8

9. Flint Beecher (5-1) 6

10. Detroit Southeastern (5-1) 3

Others receiving votes: Iron Mountain 2. Breckenridge 2.

 

 

Eight-player

1. Adrian Lenawee Christian (2) (6-0) 64

2. Powers North Central (3) (6-0) 63

3. Pickford (1) (5-1) 50

3. Portland St Patrick (6-0) 50

5. Morrice (6-0) 42

6. Suttons Bay (1) (6-0) 37

7. Merrill (5-1) 26

8. Colon (5-1) 19

9. Pellston (6-0) 10

10. Cedarville (5-1) 7

10.Mayville (6-0) 7

Others receiving votes: Lake Linden-Hubbell 5. Gaylord St. Mary 3. Martin 2.