LSJ Blogs: Get Prepped

Extra Points: Football State Finals

The fall ended in Michigan this weekend. But not without historic appearances for three mid-Michigan teams -- and a monumental victory for one of them. 

THREE POINTER

1. Division 6: Ithaca 45, Monroe St. Mary Catholic 35 -- The Yellowjackets ended mid-Michigan's decade-long football title-less streak in front of a sizable crowd that had to include decades of supporters and alums.

2. Division 4: Grand Rapids Catholic 27, Williamston 23 -- The Hornets will be kicking themselves for the end of this one, but that should give way to remembering this was an incredible run. 

3. Division 5: Grand Rapids West Catholic 42, Olivet 26 -- If people outside mid-Michigan hadn't heard much about Olivet before this season, they have now, and no doubt have a ton of respect for the Eagles. 

Game ball: There's no way to not give it one more time to Ithaca quarterback Alex Niznak. Five rushing touchdowns are a state final record. But I'll give a second to Olivet quarterback Jay Cousineau, who also set a state final record, with 335 passing yards, and played defense too. 

WOW factor: The streak is over. We've a seen quite a few teams make the trip to Detroit, but the Yellowjackets are the first to win since Grand Ledge in 2000. Now the "streak" changes to a degree -- no CAAC school has won a state football title since the league was formed in 2002. But that will come soon enough, I have a feeling. 

Final Five from our local state finals

1. I'm so glad Ithaca made it to the final so people could finally watch Niznak and see what I've been talking about for the last year. Everything about him is impressive. He throws his entire body into laser passes, runs over those brave enough to attempt tackling him on the run, and his mental make-up is incredible. And you should've noticed he had some pretty outstanding players around him as well.

2. What a great ride for three coaches -- Olivet's Dean Peters, Ithaca's Terry Hessbrook and Williamston's Steve Kersten -- who really earned it. All three of our local teams were first-timers in the finals, but they've got good prospects for making it back. For all, getting there the first time is a big hurdle they no longer face. Ithaca and Olivet should both still be pretty good next season, and never seem to have bad seasons. Ithaca, in particular, should bring back some key pieces and always seems to come up with an all-state quarterback. Williamston will be replacing much more, but might become the area's next football power: the community dumps tons of support into its athletics, and the town has become a destination for young families. 

3. Kersten has received valuable knowledge from DeWitt's Rob Zimmerman over the years, and these Hornets definitely had a look of Panthers teams present and past. Dylan Monette was the star receiver, but Nik Jump and Tyler Watters would've been the top target for many area teams. Quarterback Dylan Schultz really took over when it counted the last few weeks, and he and Monette are probably among the top five overall athletes in the area's senior class this school year. 

4. Part of what made Olivet fun to follow was the fact the team didn't seem to have a true star -- just a large bunch of solid contributors. But Cousineau and receiver Tanner McCarn really took over the spotlight in the playoffs. Without having the numbers in front of me, McCarn might've had more receiving yards during the playoffs than the regular season, and Cousineau is simply a play-maker. A lesser quarterback wouldn't have kept the Eagles that close Saturday. 

5. Although mid-Michigan hasn't had as many champions as some areas around the state, the three first-timers this weekend reminded me how refreshing it is to cover a region where we've had such a variety of programs make it that far. In my 11 years the list includes Grand Ledge, East Lansing, St. Johns, DeWitt, Haslett, Williamston, Ovid-Elsie, Olivet, Ithaca, Leslie and Fulton. They represent 26 percent of the football teams we cover, which is pretty incredible. Finals week always gives us a chance to get to know programs a little better than when we're following 43 during the regular season, and it was great to do some extra with these three newcomers last week.

Final mid-Michigan rankings (post playoffs):

Class A-B

1. Grand Ledge (9-1)

2. (tie) DeWitt (11-2)

Williamston (12-2) -- I honestly have no idea which would win a game between them. 

4. Mason (9-2)

5. Sexton (10-2)

6. Holt (7-4)

7. St. Johns (8-3)

8. East Lansing (7-3)

9. Olivet (11-3)

10. Lansing Catholic (9-1)

Class C-D

1. Ithaca (14-0)

2. Fulton (8-5)

3. Fowler (9-1)

4. Leslie (6-4)

5. Pewamo-Westphalia (7-3)

6. Laingsburg (6-4)

7. Saranac (6-4)

8. Ashley (8-2)

9. Bath (4-5)

10. Carson City-Crystal (3-6)

Final extra points coming

A little delayed, but I'll have them up this afternoon including notes on the local weekend games and final area rankings for the entire mid-Michigan area. 

Extra points: Football state finals, and this weekend's Tweets

Follow us @lsj_hssports during the Ithaca, Williamston and Olivet finals Friday and Saturday, and come back here Saturday night for a final "Extra Points" looking at this weekend's action -- and, if my predictions are correct -- the area's first football state champion since 2000. 

Big Week, Big Coverage

It might be a short week for most, but we'll give you plenty to read as you're relaxing for Thanksgiving or waiting in line during Friday's shopping spree. 

Here's a look at what's lined up:

Tuesday: Ithaca might be making its first state final appearance, but it's been an elite area program for decades. We'll also touch on the histories of both Williamston and Olivet. 

Wednesday: Olivet's Dean Peters has run the Eagles program for 24 years and been part of it for 33. We'll also tell you a few things about Ithaca coach Terry Hessbrook and Williamston coach Steve Kersten. 

Thursday: Williamston's seniors have been predicted to do big things since middle school, and no two more than quarterback Dylan Schultz and receiver Dylan Monette. We'll also tell you about some intriguing family connections at Olivet and Ithaca. 

Also Thursday: Tentatively, both the boys and girls cross country all-area Dream Teams. 

Friday: We'll introduce Williamston and Ithaca's opponents and this week's Blitz Picks from yours truly and Jeremy Sampson. 

Saturday: Full coverage of the Division 4 and 6 state finals, along with a look at Olivet's opponent.

Sunday: Full coverage of the Division 5 state final. 

Stay tuned. 

Extra points: Football state semifinals

We're not done yet. Mid-Michigan hasn't sent three teams to state finals in at least a decade, but that's the number headed to Ford Field next weekend after Saturday's five local semifinals. Here are some quick observations on each. 

SEMIFINAL FIVE

1. Division 3: Orchard Lake St. Mary 41, DeWitt 20 -- There's a reason it's believed that Division 3 is both the strongest and most competitive in the state. Orchard Lake St. Mary is a big part of that, but so is DeWitt.

2. Division 4: Williamston 33, Detroit Crockett 13 -- The best state final prediction in mid-Michigan in August was that an area Division 4 team could make it. The Hornets have been consistently strong from start to finish. 

3. Division 5: Olivet 21, Millington 14 -- The Eagles have to be the biggest surprises of the state tournament this side of also-unranked Plymouth in Division 1. Olivet now faces No. 1 Grand Rapids West Catholic, but who believes rankings anymore after this final month? 

4. Division 6: Ithaca 27, Iron Mountain 13 -- Going to Marquette is a taller task for Lower Peninsula teams than maybe it appears. But the Yellowjackets remain a team of destiny after a slow start, and big finish. 

5. Division 8: Saugatuck 20, Fulton 14 (OT) -- The Pirates needed one more ounce of magic to continue their unexpected run. But we won't soon forget the dose of excitement they brought to what continues to be an incredible playoffs for area teams. 

Game Ball: Big-time players do the job when it's needed most. With his team trailing 13-0 and staring down what would've been its first and only loss this season, Ithaca quarterback Alex Niznak tossed two TD passes and ran for a third score to make sure the dream season continues. 

Upset alert: Add No. 7 Millington to Olivet's elimination list this season, along with No. 6 Buchanan, honorable mention Ann Arbor Gabriel Richard and a Hopkins team that has made the playoffs four years running. 

WOW factor: How 'bout those Hornets? I was asked before the game what their strength is ... and my answer was skill. There's some size, there's some speed, there's some strong leadership. But above all there are a bunch of skilled, athletic parts and coach Steve Kersten and his staff have figured out how to get the most out of all of them and in a cohesive way. 

Today's prep football TWEETS

Be sure to tune in for in-game updates from not just our local semifinals, but all over the state on our Twitter account @lsj_hssports. We've got reporters at our five games all over the state, and will re-tweet updates from our media friends covering games in every division. Don't have Twitter? No problem. Just refresh this blog post and follow the Twitter posts down the right side of this page. 

Football: Blitz Picks video -- State semifinals

Find out how Geoff Kimmerly and WILX's Jeremy Sampson see Saturday's five mid-Michigan football state semifinals, and get their picks of the winners. 

 

Division 8: Fulton (8-4) vs. Saugatuck (9-3) 1 p.m. at Grand Rapids Christian 
 
Division 6: Iron Mountain (11-1) vs. Ithaca (12-0)  11:30 a.m. at Northern Michigan
 
Division 5: Olivet (10-2) vs. Millington (11-1) 1 p.m. at Howell
 
Division 4:  Williamston (11-1) vs. Detroit Crockett (11-1) 1 p.m. at Detroit Catholic Central
 
Division 3: DeWitt (11-1) vs. Orchard Lake St Mary (10-2) 1 p.m. at Fenton

See what they're saying

Most of the time when high schoolers sign their college letters of intent, it's merely a formality because it's been public for a while where they're going next. But signing day also allows college coaches to speak about their recruits publicly for the first time. Here's what they're saying about some of our signees:

Brandon Fifield, Leslie wrestling, Michigan State

Coach Tom Minkel: “He really has demonstrated that he can compete with some of the best kids in the country. He will give us some go-power in the lower weights. I think he’ll be a great addition to our team.”

LaDontae Henton, Eastern basketball, Dayton

Coach Brian Gregory: “LaDontae's versatility on the offensive end is easy to evaluate, but it was the energy that he competed with that made him a perfect fit in our system. His size, strength, athletic ability and skill level make him a difficult match-up at a number of positions. His unselfishness and mentality on the glass will allow a smooth transition to the college game.”

Deborah Hoekstra, East Lansing basketball, Bowling Green

Coach Curt Miller: “Deborah is considered one of the premier shooters in the Midwest. She is consistently ranked as one of the top 10 players in Michigan in her class.  She has deep range and a very quick release.  Deborah has good athleticism and length which has helped her be a productive rebounding guard during high school.  Deborah was the last piece of this recruiting class, committing after the summer evaluation period.”

Mandy Johnson, Holt basketball, Western Michigan

Coach Tasha McDowell: “A.J. is an explosive athlete. She can play both the point and the wing positions. She is relentless on the defensive end. Offensively, she can get to the rim and knock down the open three.”

Maddie Johnston, Grand Ledge basketball, Wisconsin-Parkside

Coach Jenny Kenesie: “We are really excited about our first Michigan recruit during my tenure. Maddie is a phenomenal athlete who will also bring versatility to our team. She is a high school standout in both volleyball and basketball and her competitive nature will match the kind of intensity and competitiveness that we demand from our student athletes. Maddie is so physically strong and I think that will mesh well with the style of basketball we like to play. Her strength should allow her to guard people in the post but also be able to exploit them on the other end of the floor with her athleticism. Maddie’s best basketball is ahead of her, and I am excited to watch her growth as she continues her basketball career at Parkside.”

Extra points: Football regional finals

I'll be doing the research this week, but I believe the five mid-Michigan teams still alive heading into the state semifinals are the most in at least a decade, if not much longer. Some are surprises, some are not. But all are combining to make a statement for mid-Michigan football as they sit two wins from the area's first state title since 2000. 

SUPER SIX

1. Division 4: Williamston 30, Marine City 20 -- The No. 5 Hornets have now knocked out the Nos. 2, 3 and 9 teams in Division 4 and are the highest-ranked team left from the final poll (not counting Detroit Crockett, which was tied for No. 5 in Division 3 during the regular season). 

2. Division 3: DeWitt 45, Battle Creek Harper Creek 41 -- There are a few things you can schedule into a mid-Michigan fall. It's going to get colder, and DeWitt will play in a football semifinal. 

3. Division 5: Olivet 21, Ann Arbor Gabriel Richard 18 -- The Eagles have been capable of a run like this, and it's nice to see it happening after some close calls over the last decade. 

4. Division 6: Ithaca 28, Montrose 6 -- The No. 1 Yellowjackets have moved up to become my surest thing for a state title, even if it's going to take a trip to Northern Michigan and Marquette next weekend. 

5. Division 8: Fulton 20, Deckerville 13 -- Pirates coach John Winkler has had some incredible teams over the last decade, but this might be his finest hour. 

6. Division 4: Edwardsburg 35, Sexton 28 -- I for one underestimated Edwardsburg coming into this one, but the Big Reds ran out of time after surviving amid some key injuries.

Game ball: Williamston's defense contained No. 3 Marine City, capping the effort with a pick-six by Dylan Monette for the Hornets' final score. 

Upset alert: In terms of one going an area team's way, I'd have to go with Fulton again. Make that three ranked teams the Pirates have eliminated, with Deckerville ranked No. 9 and not exactly a drive down the street for Fulton. 

WOW factor: Of 32 teams still alive in the state tournament, 25 were ranked at the end of the regular season. Two of the seven unranked teams are Olivet and Fulton. That says it all. 

Football -- Blitz Picks video -- Regional finals

From 43 to 22 to six -- we're three games from the state finals and six mid-Michigan football teams are still alive. Geoff Kimmerly and WILX's Jeremy Sampson provide analysis and predictions on all of them.

 

Division 8: Fulton (7-4) at Deckerville (9-2), 2 p.m. Saturday

Division 6: Montrose (9-2) at Ithaca (11-0), 7 p.m. Saturday at CMU

Division 5: Olivet (9-2) at Ann Arbor Gabriel Richard (10-1), 1 p.m. Saturday

Division 4: Williamston (10-1) at Marine City (10-1), 1 p.m. Saturday at East China Stadium

Division 4: Edwardsburg (10-1) at Sexton (10-1), 7:30 p.m. Friday

Division 3: Battle Creek Harper Creek (9-2) at DeWitt (10-1), 7 p.m. Friday