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Big Rapids quarterback (9) Wil Stricker and coach Mike Selzer and their team will prepare for the playoffs this week.
File photo
BIG RAPIDS – Big Rapids will be on the road at Whitehall while Evart will host McBain and Reed City entertains Montague in first-round playoff football games announced on Sunday by the MHSAA.
The three local games are unofficially set to be played Friday night. Official dates will be announced later.
Teams for 11-man football were divided into divisions before the start of play this season.
The top 32 teams based on playoff point averages were selected to go to the postseason.
Qualifiers were divided into four regions with eight teams apiece. Pairings for the first three weeks of the tournament are determined on regular-season playoff point averages with the highest ranked team hosting regardless of the distance between the two.
District finals are set for Nov. 4-5, at the regional finals Nov.11-12, the semifinals on Nov. 18-19 and the finals Nov. 25-26 at Ford Field in Detroit.
Big Rapids vs. Whitehall
Big Rapids (7-2) be at Whitehall (9-0) for a Division 4, Region, District 1 game. Ludington (7-2) faces Fruitport (7-2) in the other District 1 game.
“We’re happy to have made the playoffs with a good season,” Big Rapids coach Mike Selzer said. “It will be a good test to see how we compare to one of the westside teams in Whitehall, who have been playing very good football.”
Montague at Reed City
Montague (3-6) knocked Reed City (8-1) out of the playoffs last season and will come to RC for the playoffs again this year in Region 2, District 1 of Division 6. The winner would face Kent City (7-2) or Muskegon Catholic Central (7-2) in the district semifinals.
Reed City would host the first three playoff games if it would keep winning because it has the highest regional playoff average.
“It’s exciting to play at home,” Reed City coach Scott Shankel said. “We’re looking for a good challenge with Montague.”
McBain vs. Evart
McBain (5-4) lost to Evart (8-1) during the regular season and will have a rematch in the Regional 1, District 2 semifinal. The other district semifinal game features East Jordan (5-4) at Frankfort (8-1) which has the highest playoff average in the district.
McBain beat Evart 42-7 in the district semifinal last year when both teams were in Division 7.
“We were expecting to see McBain again and we are looking forward to working hard to match their physicality again,” coach Pat Craven said. “We know what happened last year after our regular season victory and we aim to be better and attack them with everything we have.”
