Photos by Scott DeCamp | CatchMark
Seven high school football teams from the West Michigan Conference have earned their spots in the 2023 MHSAA playoffs.
Below are the first-round matchups along with game info and some notables:
DIVISION 4
Allendale (6-3) at Whitehall (9-0), 7 p.m. Friday
- Whitehall is 3-0 all-time vs. Allendale with the last meeting a 38-33 victory in a Division 4 first-round playoff matchup in 2018.
- Allendale finished 4-3 in the tough OK Blue Conference, but two of those defeats were tight ones. Allendale lost at Division 4 playoff qualifier Spring Lake, 35-28, on Sept. 29 at Spring Lake. Last Friday, Allendale fell at home to Division 3 playoff qualifier Coopersville, 24-21.
- Allendale’s other loss came in blowout fashion, 56-6, to OK Blue Conference champion Grand Rapids West Catholic.
- Allendale is coached by Darren Geraghty, who formerly served as head coach at Grant. One of the assistant coaches on his staff is Ryan Patterson, a BSN Sports apparel and equipment company representative for Whitehall and other schools in West Michigan.
- This is Whitehall’s second straight 9-0 regular season. The Vikings have outscored opponents 435-63 this season with six shutouts.
- Five of Whitehall’s regular-season opponents are playoff qualifiers. Three of Allendale’s regular-season opponents are in the playoffs.
- The winner of this game takes on the Big Rapids-Spring Lake winner in next week’s district finals.
- Last season’s 28-21 regional finals loss to eventual state champion Grand Rapids South Christian has stuck with Whitehall. If the rematch does happen, then it would be in the regional finals again. Whitehall holds home-field advantage over the rest of the teams in the regional.
DIVISION 5
Oakridge (6-3) at Belding (8-1), 7 p.m. Friday
- This is the 19th straight playoff berth for Oakridge. It’s the 28th postseason appearance for the Eagles in 29 years.
- Oakridge is 3-1 all-time vs. Belding with the most recent meeting coming in last year’s Division 5 district finals at Russell A. Erickson Stadium. Oakridge won that game, 30-8.
- Oakridge was 1-2 through its first three games this season and 3-3 after the first six. In the last three weeks, the Eagles have got on a roll with a trio of convincing victories. During the three-game winning streak, they’ve outscored opponents by a combined 133-45 margin.
- Three of Oakridge’s regular-season opponents are playoff qualifiers.
- Oakridge’s three losses this season have come against Hudsonville Unity Christian (33-21), Manistee (20-15), and Whitehall (48-7).
- Belding’s lone loss this season came at Spring Lake, 34-28, in Week 2.
- Four of Belding’s regular-season opponents are in the playoffs.
- The winner of this game faces the Comstock Park-Grand Rapids West Catholic winner in next week’s district finals.
Photo by Courtney Jimison | CatchMark
DIVISION 6
Kent City (7-2) at Hart (8-1), 7 p.m. Friday
- This is the first time that Hart has earned a playoff berth. The Pirates were in the 2020 playoffs, but that was the COVID year when everybody got into the postseason.
- This is the second meeting between the teams. Two years ago, Hart defeated Kent City, 30-22, at Hart.
- Hart won eight regular-season games for the second time in program history and the first time since 1968.
- Hart finished second in the WMC Rivers Division. The Pirates’ lone loss came in Week 5 at home against North Muskegon, 34-14. North Muskegon is unbeaten and ranked No. 1 in Division 7.
- Kent City finished in first place in the four-team Central State Activities Association Silver Division.
- Two of Hart’s regular-season opponents qualified for the playoffs. Three of Kent City’s regular-season opponents are in the playoffs.
- Kent City’s two losses came against Division 5 playoff qualifer Buchanan (23-8) in Week 3 and Division 6 playoff qualifier Reed City (40-6) in Week 7.
- The winner of this game faces the Montague-Reed City winner in next week’s district final.
Montague (4-5) at Reed City (6-3), 7 p.m. Friday
- This is the third straight year that Montague and Reed City are meeting in the playoffs. Reed City defeated Montague in the Division 6 first round last season, 44-15. In 2021, Montague won at Reed City, 25-22, in the Division 6 district finals.
- Montague leads the all-time series with Reed City, 11-2.
- Montague tied for fourth place in the WMC Lakes Division with a 3-3 record. Reed City finished third in the Central State Activities Association Gold Division with a 4-2 record.
- Five of Montague’s regular-season opponents qualified for the playoffs, while the same number of Reed City’s regular-season opponents also made the postseason.
- Montague was 1-4 against playoff-bound teams in the regular season with the win coming against Division 6 ranked Manistee (24-22) in Week 8.
- Reed City’s three losses in the regular season came against Division 6 playoff qualifier Kingsley (46-12) in Week 1, against Division 5 playoff qualifier Howard City Tri County (28-20) in Week 2, and against Division 4 playoff qualifier Big Rapids (25-14) in Week 4.
- The winner of this game faces the Kent City-Hart winner in next week’s district finals.
Lake City (6-3) at Manistee (7-2), 7 p.m. Friday
- This is the third all-time meeting between Lake City and Manistee. In 2014, Manistee defeated Lake City, 42-14. In 2013, Lake City beat Manistee, 58-6.
- This is the fourth straight playoff appearance for Manistee and fifth in six years. This is Lake City’s sixth playoff appearance in seven years.
- Manistee tied for second with Oakridge in the WMC Lakes Division with a 4-2 record. The Mariners’ two losses have come against Whitehall (35-0) in Week 5 and Montague (24-22) in Week 8.
- Lake City’s losses this season have come against Evart (20-12) in Week 2, Beal City (49-8) in Week 5, and Grayling (39-8) in Week 9.
- Four of Manistee’s regular-season opponents qualified for the playoffs. Five of Lake City’s regular-season opponents are in the playoffs.
- Manistee coach Troy Bytwork announced prior to the season that this would be his last as head coach of the Mariners.
- The winner of this game takes on the Mason County Central-Kingsley winner in next week’s district finals.
Photo by Courtney Jimison | CatchMark
Mason County Central (5-4) at Kingsley (7-2), 7 p.m. Friday
- This is the first playoff appearance earned by Mason County Central since 2015, when the Spartans last posted a winning season.
- This is the sixth straight playoff appearance for Kingsley.
- This is the first-ever meeting between Mason County Central and Kingsley.
- Mason County Central finished third in the WMC Rivers Division with a 4-2 record.
- Kingsley finished second in the Northern Michigan Football Conference Legends Division with a 3-1 record.
- Three of Mason County Central’s regular-season opponents qualified for the playoffs. Seven of Kingsley’s regular-season opponents are in the playoffs.
- Kingsley’s two losses this season have come against Division 3 unbeaten Gaylord (42-39) in Week 2 and one-loss Ogemaw Heights (35-12) in Week 7.
- The winner of this game faces the Lake City-Manistee winner in next week’s district finals.
DIVISION 7
Union City (6-3) at North Muskegon (9-0), 1 p.m. Saturday
- This is the first-ever meeting between Union City and North Muskegon.
- This is the seventh straight playoff appearance for North Muskegon.
- This is the fourth straight playoff appearance for Union City and sixth in seven years.
- Rain is in the forecast for North Muskegon Friday, but Saturday looks to be dry with a high of 55 degrees. That appears more conducive to the Norsemen’s wide-open offense that relies on the passing game.
- North Muskegon is No. 1 in Division 7 in the Associated Press Michigan high school football rankings.
- North Muskegon outscored its regular-season opponents by a comibined 378-96 margin.
- Five of North Muskegon’s regular-season opponents qualified for the playoffs. Four of Union City’s regular-season opponents are in the playoffs.
- North Muskegon’s closest game this season was a 17-14 season-opening thriller against perennial powerhouse Pewamo-Westphalia.
- Union City’s three losses have come against Saugatuck (15-14) in Week 4, defending Division 8 state champ Ottawa Lake Whiteford (45-7) in Week 8, and Buchanan (34-0) in Week 9.
- The winner of this game takes on the Schoolcraft-Lawton winner in next week’s district finals.
