You shouldn’t be penalized in sports for playing a tough schedule.
That was the whole idea and thinking behind the Michigan High School Athletic Association switching from the ‘six wins and you’re in’ model of the postseason, to playoff points a handful of years back.
And, it’s been a respected format for the playoffs since.
Michigan sports writers apparently respect teams that schedule some tough tests throughout the season as well.
The latest edition of the Michigan Sports Writers high school football rankings were released on Tuesday, Sept. 30, with a number of teams that feature records that reflect that tough scheduling.
In Division 2, both Muskegon (3-2) and Muskegon Mona Shores (3-2) are ranked at No. 6 and No. 9, respectively. In Division 3, Detroit Martin Luther King (3-2) jumped Mount Pleasant (5-0) from No. 3 to No. 2 this week, just a couple weeks after falling to Division 1 No. 1 ranked Detroit Cass Tech.
In Division 5, Pontiac Notre Dame Prep (3-2) remains inside the top five at No. 5, then Jackson Lumen Christi (2-3) and Kingsley (3-2) are at No. 4 and No. 9, respectively, in Division 6.
Lumen Christi is the only 2-3 team across all polls, though owns losses against Division 4 No. 3 Dearborn Divine Child and Division 5 No. 1 ranked Grand Rapids Catholic Central.
It comes as the first week that just one poll features a new No. 1 team, as Indian River Inland Lakes took the No. 1 spot in the 8-player Division 1 rankings. Previous No. 1 Pickford fell against Norway in Week 5.
Check back next week for another edition of the Michigan Sports Writers high school football rankings.
DIVISION 1
Rank — School (record) — Total Points — Previous
1. Detroit Cass Tech (4) (5-0) — 49 — 1
2. Detroit Catholic Central (1) (5-0) — 46 — 2
3. Saline (5-0) — 40 — 3
4. Davison (5-0) — 34 — 4
5. Hudsonville (5-0) — 21 — 7
6 (tie). Macomb Dakota (5-0) — 19 — 5
6 (tie). Rockford (4-1) — 19 — 9
8. West Bloomfield (5-0) — 18 — 5
9. Grand Blanc (5-0) — 12 — 10
10. Clarkston (4-1) — 11 — NR
Others receiving votes: 11. East Kentwood 3; 12. Howell 2; 13. Brighton 1.
DIVISION 2
Rank — School (record) — Total Points — Previous
1. Orchard Lake St. Mary’s (4) (3-1) — 48 — 1
2. Portage Central (1) (5-0) — 44 — 2
3. Gibraltar Carlson (5-0) — 41 — 3
4. Dexter (4-1) — 37 — 4
5. Grosse Pointe South (5-0) — 30 — 6
6. Muskegon (3-2) — 21 — 9
7 .Midland Dow (4-1) — 17 — NR
8. Portage Northern (4-1) — 11 — NR
9. Muskegon Mona Shores (3-2) — 10 — 6
10 (tie). South Lyon (5-0) — 6 — NR
10 (tie). Grand Rapids Northview (4-1) — 6 — 9
Others receiving votes: 12. Walled Lake Western 4.
DIVISION 3
Rank — School (record) — Total Points — Previous
1. DeWitt (3) (5-0) — 47 — 1
2. Detroit King (2) (3-2) — 44 — 3
3. Mount Pleasant (5-0) — 44 — 2
4. Niles (5-0) — 35 — 5
5. Gaylord (5-0) — 26 — 10
6. Zeeland West (4-1) — 25 — 8
7. Grand Rapids Kenowa Hills (4-1) — 13 — 6
8. Lowell (4-1) — 11 — 4
9. Cedar Springs (4-1) — 8 — NR
10. Warren Fitzgerald (4-1) — 4 — NR
Others receiving votes: 11. Hastings 8; 12. Owosso 4; 12. Adrian 4; 12. Ypsilanti Lincoln 4.
DIVISION 4
Rank — School (record) — Total Points — Previous
1. Harper Woods (4) (5-0) — 48 — 1
2. Goodrich (5-0) — 42 — 2
3. Hudsonville Unity Christian (1) (5-0) — 34 — 3
3. Dearborn Divine Child (5-0) — 34 — 3
5. Williamston (5-0) — 29 — 7
6. Chelsea (4-1) — 21 — 5
7. Portland (5-0) — 20 — 6
8 (tie). Escanaba (5-0) — 12 — NR
8 (tie). Macomb Lutheran North (5-0) — 12 — 8
10. Freeland (4-1) — 9
Others receiving votes: 11. Big Rapids 6; 12. Ludington 5; 13. Battle Creek Harper Creek 1; 13. Haslett 1.
DIVISION 5
Rank — School (record) — Total Points — Previous
1. Grand Rapids Catholic Central (4) (5-0) — 49 — 1
2. Frankenmuth (1) (5-0) — 40 — 2
3. Ann Arbor Father Gabriel Richard (5-0) — 38 — 3
4. Grand Rapids West Catholic (4-1) — 28 — 4
5. Pontiac Notre Dame Prep (3-2) — 27 — 5
6. Richmond (5-0) — 24 — 9
7. Saginaw Swan Valley (4-1) — 17 — 7
8. Armada (4-1) — 14 — 8
9. Michigan Center (5-0) — 11 — 6
10. West Branch Ogemaw Heights (4-1) — NR
Others receiving votes: 11. Monroe Jefferson 9; Whitehall 5; Romulus Summit Academy 5.
DIVISION 6
Rank — School (record) — Total Points — Previous
1. Traverse City St. Francis (3) (5-0) — 48 — 1
2. Almont (2) (5-0) — 46 — 2
3. Montrose (5-0) — 34 — 4
4. Jackson Lumen Christi (2-3) — 32 — 3
5. Marine City (4-1) — 29 — 7
6. Ecorse (5-0) — 28 — 5
7. Warren Michigan Collegiate (4-1) — 24 — 8
8. Kent City (5-0) — 11 — 9
9. Kingsley (3-2) — 10 — 6
10. Ida (4-1) — 7 — NR
Others receiving votes: 11. Detroit Edison 3; 11. Kalkaska 3; 11. Olivet 3; 13. Boyne City 2.
DIVISION 7
Rank — School (record) — Total Points — Previous
1. Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central (5) (5-0) — 50 — 1
2. Ithaca (5-0) — 43 — 2
3. Pewamo-Westphalia (5-0) — 41 — 3
4. Menominee (5-0) — 34 — 4
5. Elkton-Pigeon Bay Port Laker (5-0) — 25 — 6
6. Millington (4-1) — 17 — 7
7. Charlevoix (5-0) — 14 — 7
8. Leslie (4-1) — 10 — 5
9. Ottawa Lake-Whiteford (4-1) — 9 — 9
10. North Muskegon (4-1) — 8 — NR
Others receiving votes: 11. Cass City 7; 11. Schoolcraft 7; 13. Saginaw Valley Lutheran 5; 13. Clinton 5.
DIVISION 8
Rank — School (record) — Total Points — Previous
1 (tie). Hudson (3) (5-0) — 46 — 1
1 (tie). Harbor Beach (1) (5-0) — 46 — 2
3. Beal City (1) (5-0) — 43 — 3
4. White Pigeon (5-0) — 32 — 4
5. Fowler (4-1) — 26 — 5
6. Springport (5-0) — 21 — 6
7. Allen Park Cabrini (5-0) — 20 — 9
8. Saginaw Nouvel Catholic Central (4-1) — 16 — 7
9. New Lothrop (4-1) — 13 — 10
10. Maple City Glen Lake (3-1) — 6 — 11
Others receiving votes: 11. Ubly 3; 11. Iron Mountain 3.
8-PLAYER, DIVISION 1
Rank — School (record) — Total Points — Previous
1. Indian River Inland Lakes (3) (5-0) — 48 — 2
2. Norway (1) (5-0) — 44 — 4
3. Martin (1) (5-0) — 43 — 3
4 (tie). Kingston (5-0) — 29 — 5
4 (tie) . Pickford (4-1) — 29 — 1
6. Blanchard Montabella (5-0) 2 — 6 — 5
7. Bessemer (5-0) — 22 — 7
8. Merrill (4-1) — 13 — NR
9. Climax-Scotts (4-1) — 8 — NR
10. Bay City All Saints (3-2) — 6 — 8
Others receiving votes: 11. Newberry 5; 12. Gobles 2.
8-PLAYER, DIVISION 2
Rank, School (Record) Points Previous
1. Deckerville (3) (5-0) — 47 — 1
2. Mendon (1) (5-0) — 45 — 2
3. Onekama (1) (5-0) — 40 — 3
4. Felch North Dickinson (5-0) — 36 — 4
5. Portland St. Patrick (5-0) — 29 — 5
6. Gaylord St. Mary (5-0) — 21 — 6
7. Britton Deerfield (4-1) — 20 — 7
8. Grand Rapids Sacred Heart (5-0) — 19 — 8
9. Morrice (4-1) — 7 — 10
10. Lake Linden-Hubbell (4-1) 5 NR
Others receiving votes: 11. Hillman 3; 12. Powers North Central 2; 13. Mio 1.
This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: Tough scheduling noted in Michigan Sports Writers high school football rankings: Sept. 30
Reporting by Drew Kochanny, The Petoskey News-Review / The Petoskey News-Review
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
