What to know about the 20 MHSAA football playoff openers involving Greater Lansing teams
The opening weekend of the Michigan High School Athletic Association football state playoffs features 26 teams from Greater Lansing in action.
This week's schedule features some rematches from the regular season and a few games between teams that were ranked in the top 10 in the final Associated Press state poll.
Here is a look at the 17 district semifinals and the three 8-man regional semifinal matchups involving area teams.
D1: Grand Ledge (6-3) at Grand Blanc (5-4)
The Comets begin their quest for a second straight Division 1 district title with a trip to Grand Blanc, which was the runner-up in the Saginaw Valley League Red. East Lansing and Lapeer are the common opponents for both. Grand Ledge suffered losses to both teams, while Grand Blanc beat Lapeer in league play and lost to East Lansing.
D2: Everett (5-4) at East Lansing (7-2)
This district opener is a rematch of a Week 6 contest East Lansing won 45-14. That win was part of a seven-game winning streak to end the regular season for the Trojans, who are the top seed in the district. East Lansing will try to get to a district final for a fourth straight season. Everett is playing its first playoff game since 2014 and is looking for its first postseason win since 2007.
More: Meet the Greater Lansing high school football 2023 MHSAA playoff teams
D3: Linden (4-5) at Mason (9-0)
Top-ranked Mason is one of the top Division 3 state title contenders and will try to reach a fourth straight district final with a home win over Linden. The common opponent between the teams is Fenton. Mason closed the regular season with a win over Fenton. Linden suffered a 40-32 loss to Fenton in Week 6. Linden ended the regular season on a four-game losing streak but three of those losses came to state-ranked teams in Flint Hamady, Goodrich and Mount Pleasant.
D3: Fenton (6-3) at DeWitt (6-2)
No. 9-ranked DeWitt has won five straight entering its home date with Fenton and scored at least 40 points in each of those games. Fenton ended the regular season with back-to-back losses and gave up an average of 53.5 points to Corunna and Mason. Haslett and Mason are the common opponents between the programs. DeWitt faced both to start the season, beating Haslett in Week 1 before falling to Mason in Week 2. Fenton lost to both teams.
D4: Ionia (5-4) at Ada Forest Hills Eastern (7-2)
Ionia has momentum, winning three straight to close the regular season. The Bulldogs now hit the road looking for their first playoff win since 2003. Forest Hills Eastern finished as the runner-up in the OK Conference Gold. The Hawks are in the playoffs for a fourth straight season and dropped their opener in their last two postseason appearances.
D4: Charlotte (6-3) at Hastings (7-2)
These two programs are meeting in the district portion of the playoffs for a third straight season. Hastings ended Charlotte’s season in a district final last season and a district opener in 2021. Charlotte dropped two of its final three games to end the regular season and finished third in the CAAC White. Hastings won six straight to end the regular season and was the Interstate 8 champion.
More: The MHSAA playoff paths for Greater Lansing football teams are set. Here are 3 takeaways.
D4: Sexton (8-1) at Portland (9-0)
This is a rematch of a Week 8 contest Portland won 41-0 to secure the outright CAAC White title. Both programs were ranked in the top 10 at that time. The Raiders enter ranked No. 2 in Division 4 and haven't allowed any points since the fourth quarter of a Week 7 victory over Charlotte. Sexton, the CAAC White runner-up, is playing its first playoff game since 2017.
D4: Adrian (6-3) at Haslett (6-3)
Haslett emerged on top in low-scoring games in three of the final four weeks of the regular season and now will try to reach a district final for the second time in three seasons. Adrian, the Southeastern Conference White runner-up, ended the regular season on a two-game losing streak that included a Week 8 loss to Fowlerville. Haslett beat Fowlerville during CAAC Red play. Adrian last won a playoff game in 2016.
D5: Flint Hamady (8-0) at Corunna (9-0)
Flint Metro League champion and No. 3-ranked Corunna opens the postseason with a top-10 showdown against No. 8 Flint Hamady. Corunna, which has scored at least 30 points in every game, will try to reach a district final for the fourth straight season. Hamady won a district title last season and had four shutouts this fall, including three straight to end the regular season.
More: See the dates and times for Greater Lansing football opening round MHSAA playoff matchups
D5: Williamston (6-3) at Pontiac Notre Dame Prep (8-0)
CAAC Red runner-up Williamston is in pursuit of its first playoff win since 2020 when it faces No. 5-ranked Pontiac Notre Dame Prep. These programs last met in the playoffs in 2017 with Williamston coming away with the win. Notre Dame Prep has scored at least 37 points in each of its games.
D6: Olivet (3-6) at Constantine (8-1)
Despite a rare season with a losing record, Olivet added to its playoff streak. The Eagles have picked up victories in two of their last three playoff trips and will look to upset No. 2-ranked Constantine, which was the Southwestern Athletic League champion. Constantine is on a seven-game winning streak that includes shutout wins the past two weeks.
D6: Lansing Catholic (3-6) at Michigan Center (7-2)
Lansing Catholic will begin its journey in search of a fifth straight district title when it travels to face a Michigan Center program that received votes in the final state poll. Lansing Catholic ended the regular season on a three-game skid and scored just 20 points in that stretch. Michigan Center, the Cascades East runner-up, scored at least 32 points in its final eight games.
More: These were the Greater Lansing high school football regular season stat leaders
D6: Ida (5-4) at Ovid-Elsie (5-4)
Ovid-Elsie ended the regular season with back-to-back wins and will attempt to reach a district final for a second straight season. Ida won four of five to close the regular season while finishing in a three-way tie for third in the Lenawee County Athletic Association.
D7: Perry (5-4) at Pewamo-Westphalia (8-1)
Excluding 2000 when everyone made the playoffs, this is the first postseason appearance in program history for Perry. The Ramblers face a stiff test in No. 6-ranked Pewamo-Westphalia, which has been one of the top small-school programs in the state over the past decade. P-W, the CMAC champion, is on an eight-game winning streak. Perry ended the regular season with losses to Lakewood and Bath.
More: Associated Press football state rankings: DeWitt jumps into top 10 in final poll
D7: Laingsburg (4-5) at Bath (6-3)
This contest is a rematch of a Week 6 CMAC matchup that Laingsburg won 17-6. Bath ended the regular season with three straight victories following that setback, while Laingsburg went 1-2 in the final three weeks. The last time these programs met in the playoffs was 2020 and Bath avenged a regular-season loss to the Wolfpack to reach the district final.
D8: Fowler (8-1) at Ithaca (9-0)
This top-10 clash features two of Greater Lansing's most dominant small-school teams. TVC White champion and No. 2-ranked Ithaca didn't allow a point in five of the final six weeks of the regular season. CMAC runner-up Fowler, which is ranked No. 8, had shutouts the final three weeks of the regular season following its loss to P-W. Fowler has reached the district finals the past four seasons, while Ithaca is looking for a second straight trip to a district title game.
D8: Saranac (5-4) at Saugatuck (7-2)
Saranac had a three-win improvement this season while earning a spot in the postseason. The RedHawks will try to reach a district final for the first time since 2011. Saugatuck lost two straight to end the regular season but had a five-win improvement this fall.
More: Final regular season Greater Lansing high school football power rankings
8-man D1: Carson City-Crystal (8-1) at Brown City (9-0)
No. 8-ranked Carson City-Crystal has been in district finals in two of the last three seasons, but this marks its first playoff appearance as an 8-man program. The Eagles ended the regular season with a loss to Fulton and now face No. 3-ranked Brown City, which reached the state semis last fall.
8-man D2: Fulton (6-3) at Portland St. Patrick (8-1)
These two teams played to a tight game in Week 7 MSAC Red contest that Portland St. Patrick won by a field goal. Fulton, which ended the regular season by handing Carson City-Crystal its lone loss, is trying for its first playoff victory since 2010. St. Patrick, which is back in the playoffs after missing the field last fall, has won six straight and is ranked No. 5.
8-man D2: Morrice (7-2) at Deckerville (7-2)
The No. 7-ranked Orioles have won a game while being in each of its last eight trips to the playoffs and will try to continue that trend when they travel to face No. 10 Deckerville. These programs met in the playoffs in 2019, 2020 and 2021 with Morrice winning in each instance.
Contact Brian Calloway at bcalloway@lsj.com. Follow him on X @brian_calloway.
This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: What to know about Greater Lansing's football playoff openers
