High School Sports Blog

Posted by Tom Markowski (The Detroit News) on Tue, Oct 20, 2009 at 1:12 PM

Playoff dilemma

So many football fans are wondering which teams will get in with 5-4 records and where teams like Melvindale will end up. In Melvindale's case it's either Division 3 or 4. I think it will be in the Division 3.

One reason I think Melvindale will be bumped up is the lack of Class A teams that will qualify. There are 35 4-4 teams in Class A. There are 29 Class A teams one win away from qualifying. The way I have it figured, and I can't account for upsets this weekend, Port Huron (5-3), after it defeats Warren Woods Tower on Friday, will be the last team in Division 1 and Warren DeLaSalle (4-4), after it defeats Detroit Western (5-3), will be the first team in Division 2.

Let's stay with the biggesr schools because it becomes harder to predict the lower we go in enrollment.

The 5-4 teams in Class I tihnk will get in as additonal qualifiers are East Kentwood (5-3) when it losses to Grand Haven (7-1). East Kentwood would have about 590 playoff points if that happens. If East Kentwood wins it would automatically qualify. If DeLaSalle wins it would have about 580 points, good for the second 5-4 Class A team to get in.

The third team (there could be as many as five as there were last year) in for Class A is a bit more tricky to predict. If Holland West Ottawa (4-4) upsets Muksegon I think West Ottawa gets in. I think Muskegon (5-3) wins this game. Grandville (4-4) certainly gets in if it defeats Rockford (8-0). This isn't going to happen. Then there's Livonia Franklin (4-4). Franklin plays Hartland (4-4) and should receive enough playoff points to get in if it wins, assuming both Grandville and West Ottawa don't win. If one wins, Franklin could still get in.

Clinton Township Chippewa Valley (4-4) is in the picture but it plays Warren Cousino, a team with just two wins, and if Chippewa Valley wins it'll need help to slip in.

In Class B, Orchard Lake St. Mary's (4-3) is in even if it loses to Detroit Catholic Central (8-0) on Saturday. St. Mary's' playoff average is 63.964. A loss would still keep it with Grand Rapids Forest Hills Eastern (5-3) if Eastern, with a 69.000 playoff average, loses to Grand Rapids Catholic Central (4-4), which I think will happen. If it does, I see both F.H. Eastern and Grand Rapids CC getting in, with St. Mary's. Another 4-4 team in Class B with a good chance of getting in at 5-4 is Bay City John Glenn. The problem for John Glenn is to upset Essexville-Garber (7-1).

The field of 256 will be officially announced on Sunday. There's a good chance that 19 additional qualifiers will make it in. That was the number that made it in last year.