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MHSAA football playoffs: Check where Northern Michigan teams landed

Drew Kochanny, The Petoskey News-Review
·6 min read

All those 6 a.m. alarms set in the winter and throughout the summer to hit the weight room.

All the hours spent breaking down film, drawing up game plans and studying opponents.

Nine long weeks of heartache and triumph and everything in between.

The reward has finally come for Michigan high school football teams.

Welcome to the playoffs.

This is what we’ve been waiting for as fans, coaches, players, parents – and of course sportswriters.

The Michigan High School Athletic Association announced the 2023 football playoff pairings for both 11-player and 8-player teams across the state Sunday evening, and a handful of squads out of Northern Michigan saw their team get seeded.

Korbin Sulitis and the Petoskey Northmen football team are heading back to the postseason after a 5-4 finish within Division 3 this season, their first trip to the playoffs since 2018. Petoskey gets a rematch with Marquette after falling by a point just a few weeks back.
Korbin Sulitis and the Petoskey Northmen football team are heading back to the postseason after a 5-4 finish within Division 3 this season, their first trip to the playoffs since 2018. Petoskey gets a rematch with Marquette after falling by a point just a few weeks back.

You’re here to see those matchups, so enough with the buildup. Check below for the playoff pairings from throughout Emmet, Charlevoix, Cheboygan and Otsego Counties, along with all of Northern Michigan.

Playoff games will begin on Friday, Oct. 27, though some will take place on Saturday, Oct. 28 as well. Complete schedules across the state for the first round will likely be finalized Monday.

Week 9 Scoreboard: Northern Michigan high school football scores, updates for Week 9

DIVISION 3 

Region 1 – District 1 

(4) Bay City Western (5-4) 47.222 at (1) Gaylord (9-0) 66.569

(3) Petoskey (5-4) 47.389 at (2) Marquette(5-3) 49.667

Instant Reaction: Just call this the rematch district. If you’re a Petoskey player or fan, you probably don’t mind this setup at all. There’s a chance at revenge everywhere you look.

The Northmen lost to every team in here, but they weren’t bad losses. They were actually in every game in the fourth quarter, so there’s obviously reason for optimism, especially in heading back to Marquette.

For Gaylord, you have to really love how this sets up as well. Worse case scenario for the Blue Devils was getting bumped down to the No. 2 seed if Mount Pleasant moved into this district. Now, Gaylord is setup to host throughout and they match up well with all of these teams, having earned wins over both Marquette and Petoskey.

BNC Title: Gaylord finishes 9-0, wins outright BNC title for first time since 2002

Petoskey-Clare: Petoskey football left waiting on playoff fate after loss to Clare

DIVISION 6

Region 1 – District 1 

(4) Boyne City (5-4) 34.222 at (1) Gladstone (7-2) 46.569

(3) Grayling (6-3) 38.903 at (2) Negaunee (7-2) 43.444

Instant Reaction: Look, this is the playoffs, so everyone is good. But, if you’re Boyne City, this is a tough field to see.

It’s always a challenge just going to the Upper Peninsula in the postseason, let alone seeing teams like Gladstone and Negaunee in your district. The Braves have rolled some pretty good teams this season, including Division 3 level programs in Marquette and Escanaba.

If there’s some comfort for the Ramblers, it’s what Charlevoix did to Calumet (51-6) Friday night, a team Gladstone only beat by a touchdown.

The Charlevoix football team probably wanted another crack at Traverse City St. Francis all season after falling in overtime in a 41-40 final in the opener. They have that chance now, at home once again, in the first round of the Division 7 playoffs.
The Charlevoix football team probably wanted another crack at Traverse City St. Francis all season after falling in overtime in a 41-40 final in the opener. They have that chance now, at home once again, in the first round of the Division 7 playoffs.

DIVISION 7 

Region 1 – District 1 

(4) Benzie Central (5-4) 30.556 at (1) Menominee (7-2) 43.556

(3) Traverse City St. Francis (4-4) 34.139 at (2) Charlevoix (8-1) 40.347

Instant Reaction: This is kind of a great bracket for Charlevoix to be in.

Obviously it comes with its challenges, but what better way to show yourself off to the rest of the state than going out and beating two Michigan football powerhouses like St. Francis and Menominee.

The Maroons own state titles in 2006 and 2007, as well as finals trips in 2013 and 2016, with then four semifinal trips sprinkled in between.

St. Francis – though down this season – is coming off a state finals run a year ago, did the same in 2020 and threw in semifinal trips in 2021, 2018 and 2017.

You want to show it’s your time, Rayders? You get a great opportunity. And to be able to do it first against St. Francis after coming up short in a 41-40 overtime final in the opener? Heck of a script.

Boyne, EJ, Charlevoix: Senior nights celebrated with wins in Charlevoix, Boyne City and East Jordan

DIVISION 8 

Region 1 – District 1 

(4) Glen Lake (5-4) 27.861 at (1) Iron Mountain (9-0) 38.931

(3) Ishpeming (6-3) 30.819 at (2) East Jordan (8-1) 38.528

Instant Reaction: Like Boyne City, East Jordan will be thrown into the tough Upper Peninsula bracket, but you have to beat everyone to reach the ultimate goal this time of year anyway.

You really have to admire how far the Red Devils have come as a program, earning a third straight playoff berth and first eight-win season since 1999. Added onto the pair of conference titles in the last three years.

They’ve come a long way from 1-35 over the stretch of four years recently.

Iron Mountain has proved to be a juggernaut this season, finishing unbeaten, though they’ve also averaged 44 points a game and allowed only 53 points all season.

Ishpeming should be a challenge for EJ, though if you look at the one team they both played – Manistique – East Jordan earned a 43-20 win and the Hematites, a 28-20 win, in weeks one and two, respectively.

Fresh off a Ski Valley Conference championship, Inland Lakes enters the Division 1 8-Player postseason with a matchup against Alcona, with a win setting up a potential rematch with St. Ignace.
Fresh off a Ski Valley Conference championship, Inland Lakes enters the Division 1 8-Player postseason with a matchup against Alcona, with a win setting up a potential rematch with St. Ignace.

8P DIVISION 1 

Region 2 – District 1 

(4) Central Lake (7-2) at (1) St. Ignace (8-1) 38.347

(3) Alcona (8-1) at (2) Inland Lakes (8-1) 34.972

Instant Reaction: The entire Northern Michigan 8-Player field is tough.

It’s remarkable that a team like Gaylord St. Mary can go from ranked one week, to taking a couple of tough losses against Northern Michigan foes and out of the postseason.

This bracket highlights how good of a year it’s been, as every team enters with at least a 7-2 record.

St. Ignace picked up a massive win over No. 1 ranked Pickford in Week 9 to grab the No. 1 seed here, while Inland Lakes heads in fresh off a Ski Valley title and win over St. Mary.

It would be quite the treat to get an Inland Lakes at St. Ignace rematch in the district final after a 30-28 Saints win the first time around. Heck, that’s basically a state championship level matchup in the district finals.

Ski Valley Title: Inland Lakes survives Gaylord St. Mary comeback, wraps third-straight SVC title

NORTHERN MICHIGAN 

DIVISION 2

(4) Traverse City Central (4-5) 49.778 at (1) Saginaw Heritage (7-2) 66.667

(3) Midland (5-4) 50.667 at (2) Midland Dow (5-4) 51.444

DIVISION 5 

(4) Gladwin (7-2) 45.833 at (1) Ogemaw Heights (8-1) 51.500

(3) Howard City Tri County (7-2) 46.333 at (2) Kingsford (8-1) 49.792

DIVISION 6

(4) Mason County Central (5-4) 32.111 at (1) Kingsley (7-2) 50.944

(3) Lake City (6-3) 32.222 at (2) Manistee (7-2) 49.111

DIVISION 8 

(4) Frankfort (7-2) 32.750 at (1) Beal City (8-1) 39.111

(3) Muskegon Catholic Central (7-2) 33.458 at (2) Evart (7-2) 35.333

8P DIVISION 1

(4) Rudyard (6-3) at (1) Pickford (8-1) 36.222

(3) Newberry (7-2) at (2) Norway (7-2) 33.778

8P DIVISION 2 

(4) Powers North Central (7-2) 29.540 at (1) Posen (8-0) 32.333

Contact Sports Editor Drew Kochanny at dkochanny@petoskeynews.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @DrewKochanny, and Instagram, @drewkochanny

This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: MHSAA football playoffs set, 20-plus Northern Michigan teams going