Week 9 Showdowns: Traverse City West hosts Traverse City Central in TC Patriot Game
Oct. 19—TRAVERSE CITY CENTRAL vs. TRAVERSE CITY WEST
WHEN: 7 p.m. Friday
WHERE: Thirlby Field, Traverse City
RECORDS: TC Central 4-4, 3-2 SVL-Blue; TC West 3-5, 3-2 SVL-Blue
LAST WEEK: Central beat Bay City Western 27-14; West beat Bay City Central 35-0
LAST YEAR: Central won 14-13
SERIES: Tied 14-14
RADIO: FM-104.5 (Central); FM-106.3 (West)
STREAM: nfhsnetwork.com/events/mhsaa-mi/gamac22a9fbab
BACKGROUND: Central needs this one to secure a playoff spot, and maybe even a first-round home game. The Titans are out of playoff contention, but that doesn't make this worth any less. West's seniors have never beaten Central on varsity. The winner of this game will finish second in the Saginaw Valley-Blue, possibly all alone if Midland Dow falls to Midland.
MUSKEGON CATHOLIC CENTRAL vs. TRAVERSE CITY ST. FRANCIS
WHEN: 2 p.m. Saturday
WHERE: Thirlby Field, Traverse City
RECORDS: St. Francis 3-4; Muskegon Catholic 5-3
LAST WEEK: St. Francis had an open week; Muskegon CC beat Centreville 22-0
LAST MEETING: Muskegon CC beat St. Francis 42-0 in 2013
SERIES: Muskegon CC leads 12-6
STREAMING: youtube.com/@NextLevelBroadcasting
BACKGROUND: One of the few teams the Gladiators have a losing record against (coincidentally one of the others is also a Catholic Central, the now-defunct one from Alpena that shut down after the 1970 season). The Glads are fairly locked in for the fourth seed in their district, looking like they'll have to travel to Menominee.
GRAYLING vs. LAKE CITY
WHEN: 7 p.m. Friday
WHERE: Lake City Athletic Complex, Lake City
RECORDS: Grayling 5-3; Lake City 6-2
LAST WEEK: Grayling beat Cheboygan 42-0; Lake City topped Roscommon 30-19
LAST MEETING: Grayling won 21-6 in 1993
SERIES: Grayling leads 5-1-1
RADIO: FM-100.3
BACKGROUND: The Trojans aim for their first seven-win season since back-to-back 12-1 campaigns in 2017-18. Grayling needs a win to help playoff seeding. The Vikings have a slightly better playoff point total (33.982 to 32.125).
CALUMET vs. CHARLEVOIX
WHEN: 7 p.m. Friday
WHERE: Kipke Stadium, Charlevoix
RECORDS: Charlevoix 7-1; Calumet 3-5
LAST WEEK: Charlevoix beat Tawas 44-7; Calumet lost to Gladstone 28-21
LAST MEETING: Calumet won 54-13 in the 2009 playoffs
SERIES: Calumet leads 1-0
STREAM: nfhsnetwork.com/events/mhsaa-mi/gamd9c8f664f3
BACKGROUND: The Rayders seek their fourth straight eight-victory season, with the Copper Kings the last regular-season foe standing in the way of that goal. A Calumet win would put the Copper Kings in playoff contention, and possibly shake up the Division 6 brackets.
If that happened, it could bump Grayling into a different district and keep the Vikings in the Lower Peninsula for the postseason's opening round.
Follow @Jamescook14 on Twitter.
Follow @Jamescook14 on Twitter.
