High School Football Playoffs

I was very surprised to see that the high school I went to get a full page story in today's Free Press...

Warren Fitzgerald fueled by the 2007 snub
At 8-1, there is no dispute this season

The Warren Fitzgerald football players did not receive a bid to a bowl game Sunday, just the state high school football playoffs.


Nevertheless, the Spartans and their fans gathered at the Hazel Park Bowl and Lounge to watch the official announcement of the 256-team playoff field.

"We're going to get the playoffs rolling bowling," said coach Jason Byers, whose team is 8-1 and champion of the MAC Silver.

There was a distinct difference in Byers' mood from a year ago when he watched the 256 teams named to the playoffs, because at 5-4, Fitzgerald was No. 257.

Any team with a 6-3 record, or 5-3 for an eight-game schedule, is automatically in the playoffs, and the field is filled with 5-4 teams.

Last year, an all-time low six 5-4 teams qualified; this year, 19 teams with 5-4 records were needed.

Missing the playoffs was a blow to Byers, who had done a tremendous job taking over a program that was 0-9 before he arrived.

After struggling through another 0-9 campaign in his first season, Byers had the Spartans on the brink of the playoffs a year ago.

"Being team No. 257 fueled the fire for our kids," Byers said. "We were very upset. We lost two very close games. Our kids just didn't finish those games, and being team No. 257, we didn't get a chance to finish our season.

"We kind of made that our battle cry."

An assistant at Macomb Dakota in 1997-2001, Byers took over at Center Line St. Clement in 2002 and had a 10-1 record, then moved to New Haven, a school that had never been in the playoffs.

He led the Rockets to two playoff appearances in three seasons before joining Fitzgerald.

"I had success at St. Clement, which had a lot of talent, and I was very lucky," said Byers, 34. "You're naive to the fact that you think you can create those wins. The bottom line is you need talent.

"The first year at Fitz was a little bit of a humbling experience -- a good one at that."

Junior Edwin Limmitt has run for more than 1,200 yards, and junior linebacker Austin Gray has had another terrific season with scholarship offers from Purdue and Toledo.

Fitz started 7-0 before losing to St. Clair Shores Lake Shore, 17-14. Byers believes the loss sent a shot of reality through the team, which he feared could have been one-and-done in the playoffs had the Spartans been 9-0 and untested.

"When you have a successful program like Dakota or Brother Rice, those kids know the deal," he said. "When you're teaching these kids to win, that's part of the teaching."

WHOLE-SQUAD IMPROVEMENT: Jerry Van Havel spent last winter trying to figure how his Mason team could go from 6-4 and the state playoffs in 2006 to 1-8 last season?

Now Van Havel is trying to explain how his team could go from 1-8 to 8-1 and back into the playoffs.

"You know how in your best years you have several key kids step up; all of a sudden they come out of nowhere?" he said. "Well, every one of our kids has been that way this year.

"The turnaround this year is phenomenal in that the kids returning from a year ago to a man -- every single one of them -- is a better football player this year than they were a year ago, no question. Every single kid stepped up and played much, much better."

That is why the Mason players and their families gathered at The City Limits Sports Grill Sunday to watch the playoff show.

This is Van Havel's 21st season at Mason, and one of the aspects of the program he changed this season was his team's approach to off-season drills.

"We've always had a great weight program, but we did change several things," he said. "We ran a lot more. We did more agilities than we have in the past -- different types of drills, different types of speed work. Instead of straight-ahead running, we did a lot of change-of-direction and cutting."

Mason easily won its first two games, but the turning point came during its only loss, 14-10, to Grand Ledge, which is 9-0.

"We had 380 yards of offense in that game," Van Havel said. "That's when we said: 'Hey, we can play with anybody. We're back.' We knew that night we'd be good."

Quarterback Cody Morrison has thrown for more than 1,300 yards and has completed 68% of his passes, but he is hardly a one-man band.

"We have several kids that may be as good at their position as any kid I've ever had," Van Havel said, "and we've had a lot of really good kids."

Those really good kids have turned out another really good season that is even better than expected.

"We knew we'd be better," Van Havel said. "For us to say we'd be this much better would be a lie. There's no way we thought we'd be this good, just no way."

KEEP THE FAITH: This is Bill Bergan's 18th season in coaching but only his third as a head coach.

After three weeks this fall at Berrien Springs, Bergan wasn't sure he wanted there to be a fourth season.

"Honestly, at 0-3, you start doubting everything you've done, especially coming off two subpar seasons," he said. "We were 3-6 and 4-5, and you go 0-3 with a group of kids that put in a lot of work in the off-season -- I mean a lot of work."

But Bergan had a heart-to-heart talk with defensive coordinator Tim Sunday, the man he replaced as head coach.

"When he took over, he had a few subpar years," Bergan said. "He told me to hold the rope, keep the faith, we were doing things right and everything will turn around.

"It's a lot easier to have that attitude when you have the kids that we have."

Those kids won their last six games to qualify for the state playoffs.

This season may be a bit more meaningful to Bergan because his son, Jake, is a senior and began the season at quarterback before suffering an injury.

He came back, but was injured again and decided it would be best if he only played linebacker and turned the QB job over to junior Noah O'Brien.

"He's been an animal on defense," Bergan said of his son. "It was a hard transition. Here is a kid who worked hard since last December ... and then to have that injury. But he's the one who said he could help the team best by just playing defense."

Knowing that he was the quarterback allowed O'Brien to rebound from difficult losses to Hopkins and Buchanan and post an impressive performance in a 35-19 victory over Coloma in Week 3.

"He had a few critical fumbles and turnovers against Hopkins and Buchanan, but he was still feeling his way," Bergan said. "It was kind of a deer-in-the-headlights kind of thing. But boy, that Coloma game, he just did a masterful job of running the offense."

That helped the coach's son finish his career in the state playoffs.

"To see him walking down the hall, a little sore, a little tight, but with a big old smile on his face was pretty cool," said his father.

Mick McCabe's final football rankings

SUPER 10 w-l div.
01. Muskegon 9-0 2
02. Lowell 9-0 2
03. Warren De La Salle 9-0 2
04. Macomb Dakota 8-1 1
05. Dearborn Fordson 9-0 1
06. East Grand Rapids 8-1 3
07. St. Joseph 9-0 3
08. Marine City 9-0 4
09. Lake Orion 8-1 1
10. Rochester Adams 8-1 2

DIVISION 1 w-l
01. Macomb Dakota 8-1
02. Dearborn Fordson 9-0
03. Lake Orion 8-1
04. Sterling Heights Stevenson 8-1
05. Rockford 8-1
06. Grand Ledge 9-0
07. Howell 8-1
08. Canton 8-1
09. Novi Detroit Catholic Central 5-3
10. Romeo 7-2

DIVISION 2 w-l
01. Muskegon 9-0
02. Lowell 9-0
03. Warren De La Salle 9-0
04. Rochester Adams 8-1
05. Bay City Western 8-1
06. Caledonia 9-0
07. Midland 8-1
08. Southfield 8-1
09. Oxford 8-1
10. Hudsonville 7-2

DIVISION 3 w-l
01. East Grand Rapids 8-1
02. St. Joseph 9-0
03. Stevensville Lakeshore 8-1
04. Mt. Pleasant 8-1
05. Inkster 8-1
06. Mason 8-1
07. Chelsea 7-2
08. Warren Lincoln 8-1
09. Adrian 7-2
10. Linden 8-1

DIVISION 4 w-l
01. Marine City 9-0
02. Goodrich 9-0
03. Holland Christian 9-0
04. Clintondale 8-1
05. Paw Paw 8-1
06. Birm. Detroit Country Day 7-2
07. Grand Rapids South Christian 8-1
08. Detroit Southwestern 8-1
09. Coopersville 7-2
10. Remus Chippewa Valley 9-0

DIVISION 5 w-l
01. Muskegon Oakridge 9-0
02. Standish-Sterling 9-0
03. Onstead 9-0
04. Hillsdale 8-1
05. Jackson Lumen Christi 7-2
06. Freeland 8-1
07. Allendale 8-1
08. Ovid-Elsie 8-1
09. Livonia Clarenceville 8-1
10. Negaunee 8-1

DIVISION 6 w-l
01. Saginaw Nouvel 9-0
02. Iron Mountain 9-0
03. Kalamazoo Christian 9-0
04. Hartford 9-0
05. Montague 8-1
06. Blissfield 8-1
07. Constantine 8-1
08. Leslie 8-1
09. Monroe St. Mary CC 7-2
10. Carrollton 8-1

DIVISION 7 w-l
01. Traverse City St. Francis 8-1
02. Ubly 9-0
03. Royal Oak Shrine 9-0
04. Reading 9-0
05. Grass Lake 8-1
06. Rochester Hills Northwest 9-0
07. Dryden 9-0
08. Decatur 8-1
09. Sand Creek 7-2
10. White Pigeon 8-1

DIVISION 8 w-l
01. Muskegon Catholic Central 9-0
02. Mendon 9-0
03. Crystal Falls Forest Park 9-0
04. Mt. Pleasant Sacred Heart 9-0
05. Manistee Catholic Central 9-0
06. Cedarville 9-0
07. Battle Creek St. Philip 9-0
08. Lake Linden-Hubbell 8-1
09. Frankfort 8-1
10. Central Lake 8-1

Playoffs? Already? Playoffs here are a long ways away.

catbox_9 wrote:

Playoffs? Already? Playoffs here are a long ways away.

That's because they don't want to play in the cold

ya our play offs here are just starting and of course we didnt make it into them at all

We made playoffs but we aren't on that list for some reason... psh.

We have playoff game Saturday at 2:00 in Inkster.

bobrob2004 wrote:

Mick McCabe's final football rankings
DIVISION 6 w-l
01. Saginaw Nouvel 9-0
02. Iron Mountain 9-0
03. Kalamazoo Christian 9-0
04. Hartford 9-0
05. Montague 8-1
06. Blissfield 8-1
07. Constantine 8-1
08. Leslie 8-1
09. Monroe St. Mary CC 7-2
10. Carrollton 8-1

A bunch of my friends go there.... one of my best friends is actually a cheerleader for that school.

TG wrote:

We have playoff game Saturday at 2:00 in Inkster.

54 degrees and Sunny at Kickoff

NE Wind 5-10

05. Inkster 8-1

Wow, glad they are doing so well. My past hometown, Garden City, used to play them, but they had to stop because of fights that broke out during and after basketball and football games! GC is the city just north of Inkster. Unlike today, back then, Inkster was 98% African-American and GC was 99% white. Now both cities are mixed races but they still don't normally play each other in basketball or football.

GoGetEmTigers wrote:

05. Inkster 8-1

Wow, glad they are doing so well. My past hometown, Garden City, used to play them, but they had to stop because of fights that broke out during and after basketball and football games! GC is the city just north of Inkster. Unlike today, back then, Inkster was 98% African-American and GC was 99% white. Now both cities are mixed races but they still don't normally play each other in basketball or football.

I'm not glad they are doing well! We play them tomorrow! Nobody expects us to win....

GoGetEmTigers wrote:

05. Inkster 8-1

Wow, glad they are doing so well. My past hometown, Garden City, used to play them, but they had to stop because of fights that broke out during and after basketball and football games! GC is the city just north of Inkster. Unlike today, back then, Inkster was 98% African-American and GC was 99% white. Now both cities are mixed races but they still don't normally play each other in basketball or football.

I wonder Why?

BOO INKSTER!!! I hope they have an off-day tomorrow.

My team lost.... So my school is done with football until next year.

TG wrote:

My team lost.... So my school is done with football until next year.

for your school



Better Luck Next Year

thanks...

You Are Welcome


Rowing Season won't come too soon!


And Tigers Baseball

Yes I'm excited for that. Except I just found out I won't be home the entire week of Easter. I'll be at Marrietta (college) for camp.

Welp, at least your team got to the playoffs. My team went 2-8. I was embarassed.

Oh... Yah that is pretty bad.

Yeah. It was dissappointing.

gdennis59 wrote:

Yeah. It was dissappointing.

Better Luck in 2009

TG wrote:

Yes I'm excited for that. Except I just found out I won't be home the entire week of Easter. I'll be at Marrietta (college) for camp.