The schedule for the opening week of the high school football playoffs features 18 matchups involving 21 teams from Greater Lansing.
Here is a quick look at each of the 16 district openers and the two 8-man regional semifinals taking place on either Friday, Oct. 31 or Saturday, Nov. 2.
Grand Ledge at East Kentwood
Grand Ledge (7-2) halted a two-game losing streak with a 63-6 win over Okemos to enter the Division 1 playoffs with momentum. The Comets head west for a matchup against 7-2 East Kentwood, whose lone losses came by a combined eight points to strong programs in Rockford and Hudsonville. East Kentwood is led by senior quarterback Kayd Coffman, who is a Michigan State commit. This is the first meeting between the programs since the 2019 regular season.
Everett at Portage Central
Everett (5-4) is in the playoffs for a third straight season and will try for its first playoff victory since 2007. The Vikings went 1-4 over the final five weeks of the regular season and will try to pull off an upset on the road. Portage Central’s 9-0 regular season started with a 45-0 win over East Lansing.
East Lansing at White Lake Lakeland
East Lansing (4-5) ended the regular season with three straight wins to extend its playoff streak and now hits the road to face White Lake Lakeland (7-2). This is the second meeting in the Division 2 playoffs in the last three years between the programs after East Lansing recorded a 35-7 win in a district final on its way to the state semis in 2023.
Owosso at DeWitt
DeWitt (9-0) and Owosso (6-3) will be playing each other for the first time since Week 5 of the 2016 season when they meet in a Division 3 playoff opener. The Panthers were one of five unbeatens in the area, won eight games by at least 10 points and own the top playoff point total in Division 3. Owosso has its most wins since going 7-4 in 2012 and finished as the runner-up its Flint Metro League division.
Linden at Mason
This marks the third consecutive season the Bulldogs (5-4) are facing Linden (5-4) in a Division 3 playoff contest. Mason won the matchups in 2023 and 2024 by at least 25 points on its way to the state semifinals. Linden dropped two of its final three games but those losses each came by seven points or less.
St. Johns at Haslett
This Division 4 game is a rematch from a Week 7 CAAC Red contest Haslett won 21-13. The victory started a three-game win streak for Haslett (7-2) to end the regular season. St. Johns, which is in the playoffs for a second straight year, ended a four-game losing streak with a Week 9 win over Ypsilanti Lincoln to finish 5-4.
Sexton at Williamston
These area programs are meeting for the first time since a 2022 regular-season finale won by Williamston. Sexton (6-3) is making its third straight appearance in the Division 4 playoffs and ended the regular season with five straight wins. CAAC Red champion Williamston (9-0) completed its first perfect regular season in program history and recorded seven wins by at least 10 points.
Grand Rapids South Christian at Portland
Portland (9-0) won every game by at least 20 points while completing a dominant regular season. This is the second playoff meeting between the programs in the past three seasons and Grand Rapids South Christian picked up a 21-6 win in a Division 4 state semifinal in 2023. Three of the losses for South Christian (4-5) came by seven points or less.
Fowlerville at Chelsea
This Division 4 opener marks the first meeting between Fowlerville (5-4) and Chelsea (8-1) since 2006. Fowlerville won two straight and three of its final four to secure a spot in the playoffs for the first time since 2020. Chelsea has been a fixture in the postseason and had its last two runs halted by Haslett in a district final.
Kent City at Olivet
Olivet (8-1) enters its Division 6 playoff opener on a six-game winning streak that featured four wins by double figures while finishing as the CAAC White runner-up behind Portland. Kent City (9-0) is in the playoffs for a fourth straight season but has fallen in the district opener in its previous three appearances.
Ovid-Elsie at Belding
Ovid-Elsie (7-2) ended the regular season on a four-game winning streak, while Belding (8-1) enters this Division 6 playoff matchup with seven straight wins. Ovid-Elsie has reached at least the district final in its last three playoff trips. Belding has won a playoff game in three of its last five playoff appearances.
Ravenna at Pewamo-Westphalia
CMAC champion P-W (8-0) enters the Division 7 playoffs with each of its victories coming by at least 29 points during its perfect regular season. The Pirates begin their quest for a third straight regional title against a Ravenna program that finished 4-5 and is in the playoffs for the first time since 2022.
Saranac at North Muskegon
Saranac (7-2) is in the playoffs for a third straight season and will try to earn its first win in that span when it takes on North Muskegon (6-3) in a Division 7 opener. Both teams suffered losses this fall to Pewamo-Westphalia. North Muskegon has made trips to the state semifinals the past two seasons.
Ithaca at Saginaw Valley Lutheran
This Division 7 playoff opener is a rematch of a TVC contest Valley Lutheran (9-0) won 23-22 in Week 6. Ithaca (6-3) will try to get revenge and earn a playoff win for the fourth straight season. Valley Lutheran is in the playoffs for the second straight year and just the third time overall and is in search of its first postseason victory.
Leslie at Monroe SMCC
Leslie (5-4) will face Monroe SMCC (7-2) in the playoffs for a second straight season and third time since 2020. Leslie suffered a 55-18 setback to Monroe SMCC during a 2024 regional final. Leslie ended a four-game losing streak with its Week 9 win over Vandercook Lake, while Monroe SMCC dropped two of its last three games.
New Lothrop at Fowler
Fowler (6-3) dropped two of its final three games to close the regular season and will look to bounce back when it faces New Lothrop to open the Division 8 playoffs. New Lothrop (6-3) also dropped two its final three games with one of those losses coming to Ovid-Elsie. These programs are meeting for the first time since 2006 when New Lothrop won a playoff matchup on its way to a state title.
Morrice at Deckerville
These programs are meeting in the 8-man Division 2 playoffs for the second time in three seasons. Morrice, last year’s Division 2 runner-up, is 8-1 and won seven straight to end the regular season. Deckerville (8-1) is the reigning 8-man Division 1 state champion and had won 20 straight games until suffering a 28-20 loss to Capac in Week 8.
Marion at Portland St. Patrick
Portland St. Patrick (9-0) and Marion (6-3) are meeting for the first time since 2017. St. Patrick had its first perfect regular season since 2021 and is hoping to make its best playoff run since being the 8-man Division 2 state runner-up in 2020. Marion, which is two years removed from a state runner-up finish, had a six-game winning streak ended with its Week 9 loss to Kingston.
Contact Brian Calloway at bcalloway@lsj.com. Follow him on X @brian_calloway and Bluesky @briancalloway.
This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: MHSAA football playoffs: What to know about the 18 games featuring Greater Lansing teams
Reporting by Brian Calloway, Lansing State Journal / Lansing State Journal
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