It’s rivalry week this week and next in Muskegon-area high school football.
To add even more hype to already highly anticipated matchups between Mona Shores and Muskegon, and Montague and Whitehall, all four teams were securely positioned in The Associated Press’ latest state rankings released Monday, Oct. 4, 2021.
Mona Shores (5-1) and Muskegon (5-1), which square off at 7 p.m. this Friday at Sailor Stadium, were ranked No. 8 in Division 2 and No. 4 in Division 3, respectively. They’re essentially playing for the OK Green Conference title this week.
Next week, Whitehall (5-1) hosts Montague (5-1) in what will settle the West Michigan Conference championship. The Wildcats already have at least a share of the league title wrapped up. Montague is ranked No. 5 in Division 6, while Whitehall is tied for fifth in Division 4.
In Division 7, Muskegon Catholic Central (5-1) is ranked No. 7. The Crusaders host Manistee this Friday on homecoming night, when they’ll play for the outright Lakes 8 Activities Conference title and celebrate reaching the 500-win milestone last week at Muskegon Heights.
Other Muskegon-area teams that received votes in this week’s polls include Spring Lake (5-1) in Division 4, Oakridge (5-1) in Division 5 and Ravenna (4-2) in Division 7.
Here are the complete state rankings, reflecting the teams’ records, total points in the poll and first-place votes in parentheses:
Division 1
1. Rockford (5) (6-0) — 50
2. Belleville (5-1) — 40
3. Saline (6-0) — 39
4. Grand Blanc (6-0) — 35
5. Rochester Adams (6-0) — 30
6. Dearborn Fordson (5-1) — 20
7. West Bloomfield (5-1) — 17
8. Sterling Heights Stevenson (5-1) — 14
9. Clarkston (5-1) — 13
10. Brownstown Woodhaven (6-0) — 7
Others receiving votes: Clinton Township Chippewa Valley 5. Detroit Cass Tech 3. Hartland 1. Romeo 1.
Division 2
1. Warren De La Salle (5) (5-0) — 50
2. Livonia Churchill (6-0) — 45
3. Byron Center (6-0) — 37
4. South Lyon (6-0) — 36
5. Caledonia (6-0) — 28
6. Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central (5-1) — 20
7. Traverse City Central (5-1) — 19
8. Muskegon Mona Shores (5-1) — 18
9. Temperance Bedford (5-1) — 8
10. East Lansing (4-2) — 7
Others receiving votes: White Lake Lakeland 6. Port Huron Northern 1.
Division 3
1. Detroit King (5) (5-1) — 50
2. DeWitt (5-1) — 45
3. Mount Pleasant (6-0) — 38
4. Muskegon (5-1) — 36
5. Riverview (6-0) — 30
6. River Rouge (4-2) — 26
7. Allen Park (5-1) — 20
8. Birmingham Brother Rice (4-2) — 13
9. Harper Woods (5-1) — 7
10. Cedar Springs (5-1) — 6
Others receiving votes: St. Joseph 2. Stevensville Lakeshore 2.
Division 4
1. Chelsea (4) (6-0) — 49
2. Edwardsburg (1) (6-0) — 44
3. Hudsonville Unity Christian (6-0) — 42
4. Goodrich (5-1) — 30
5. Pontiac Notre Dame Prep (5-1) — 21
(tie) Whitehall (5-1) — 21
7. Freeland (5-1) — 18
8. Croswell-Lexington (5-1) — 10
(tie) Vicksburg (5-1) — 10
10. Ortonville Brandon (5-1) — 9
Others receiving votes: Spring Lake 8. Lake Fenton 6. Livonia Clarenceville 4. Detroit Country Day 2. Cadillac 1.
Division 5
1. Grand Rapids Catholic Central (5) (6-0) — 50
2. Frankenmuth (6-0) — 45
3. Grand Rapids West Catholic (6-0) — 34
4. Kingsley (6-0) — 30
5. Portland (5-1) — 29
6. Marine City (6-0) — 27
7. Gladwin (6-0) — 16
8. Berrien Springs (6-0) — 14
9. Comstock Park (6-0) — 13
10. Kingsford (4-2) — 8
(tie) Armada (6-0) — 8
Others receiving votes: Muskegon Oakridge 1.
Division 6
1. Lansing Catholic (5) (6-0) — 50
2. Constantine (6-0) — 43
3. Millington (6-0) — 42
4. Jonesville (6-0) — 35
5. Montague (5-1) — 29
6. Michigan Center (5-1) — 19
(tie) Reed City (5-1) — 19
8. Negaunee (5-1) — 18
9. Boyne City (5-1) — 10
10. Standish-Sterling (5-1) — 6
Others receiving votes: Ida 2. Napoleon 2.
Division 7
1. Traverse City St. Francis (1) (6-0) — 35
2. Pewamo-Westphalia (3) (6-0) — 34
3. Bad Axe (6-0) — 30
4. Lawton (6-0) — 28
5. Jackson Lumen Christi (5-1) — 27
6. Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central (5-1) — 24
7. Muskegon Catholic Central (5-1) — 15
8. Madison Heights Bishop Foley (5-1) — 7
9. Detroit Central (5-1) — 5
(tie) Reese (5-1) — 5
Others receiving votes: Ishpeming Westwood 3. Ithaca 3. New Lothrop 3. Ravenna 1.
Division 8
1. Hudson (4) (6-0) — 40
2. Addison (6-0) — 36
3. Ottawa Lake Whiteford (5-1) — 32
4. Ubly (6-0) — 24
5. Beal City (5-1) — 23
6. Carson City-Crystal (6-0) — 17
7. Clarkston Everest Catholic (5-1) — 14
8. Centreville (5-1) — 13
9. Sand Creek (4-2) — 9
10. White Pigeon (5-1) — 7
Others receiving votes: Reading 2. Breckenridge 2. Harbor Beach 1.
Division 8 Player
1. Powers North Central (3) (6-0) — 66
2. Portland St Patrick (2) (6-0) — 58
3. Adrian Lenawee Christian (2) (6-0) — 57
4. Morrice (6-0) — 43
5. Suttons Bay (6-0) — 38
6. Marion (6-0) — 36
7. Pickford (5-1) — 21
8. Martin (6-0) — 20
9. Crystal Falls Forest Park (6-0) — 16
(tie) Britton-Deerfield (6-0) — 16
Others receiving votes: Au Gres-Sims 5. North Huron 5. Deckerville 3. Colon 1.
