DETROIT – During the past decade, few Michigan High School Athletic Association Football Championships have been more competitive than the games played at Ford Field last Friday and Saturday.

Each of the eight state final games, with the exception of the Division 3 championship won by Caledonia, could have gone either way until late in the fourth quarter. All the teams competing in the final gave great team efforts. There were also a number of outstanding individual efforts.

The following is a look at some of the top senior performers in the MHSAA Championships:

Tomorrow Great Lakes Gridiron will take a look at the top junior performers among the eight teams at the MHSAA Championships

DETROIT – Michigan State commitment Patrick Rigan forced the fumble that led to Traverse City St. Francis's first touchdown. The future Spartan's defensive heroics created the momentum that led to 21 unanswered first-half points in a 28-14 win over defending Division 7 state-champion Unionville-Sebewaing.

With the win, Gladiators coach Josh Sellers won his second state championship in his third year as St. Francis head coach. It was also the second state title in Rigan's varsity career.

Rigan was a sophomore starter when the Gladiators won their last championship. But Rigan said this championship was more meaningful because it was a season-long obsession for him and the 11 other seniors on the St. Francis roster.

"We said at the beginning of the year that we wanted to win a state championship," Rigan said. "Chad (Biggar) and I had been here before as sophomores, but we wanted to be the first Division 7 team to win a championship at Ford Field and win this championship for the rest of the guys in our senior class."

St. Francis also snapped a two-year, 27-game Unionville-Sebewaing winning streak with its victory. "A lot of people had as underdogs," Sellers said, "but we were underdogs last week and we played pretty well against Muskegon Catholic Central. We played pretty well this week against Unionville-Sebewaing too."

Like Rigan, two-way standout Chad Biggar made the most of his final game for the Gladiators. He scored a touchdown on a 29-yard interception return in the first half to give his team a 14-0 lead in opening quarter.

"Chad's interception gave us the fast start we needed to win this game," Sellers said. "He and Patrick energized our entire defense."

Biggar added 131 yards rushing and a touchdown on 14 carries. Biggar's touchdown put Unionville-Sebewaing in tough spot, as the Gladiators opened up an insurmountable 28-0 lead.

Biggar led the St. Francis defense with 12 tackles and an interception. William Auxier had a career game against Unionville-Sebewaing. Auxier recorded three of his seven tackles behind the line of scrimmage. He registered two sacks and added an interception.

Rigan recorded six tackles. After he forced a fumble in the opening quarter, Unionville-Sebewaing stayed away from Rigan's side of the field and double teamed him throughout the second half. But Rigan still made his presence felt. He forced another fumble in the Patriots' secondary to salt the game.

St. Francis piled up 265 yards rushing and held its opponents to 91 yards rushing.

Jared Fisher put the Patriots on the scoreboard with a 41-yard touchdown run midway through the third quarter one play after teammate Bitzer picked off quarterback on a pass intended for Rigan.

Central Michigan basketball commitment Jordan Bitzer led the Patriots to a 14-7 victory over Detroit St. Martin dePorres in the Division 7 state final one season ago. But one year later, Bitzer was bottled up by Rigan and his teammates. The future Chippewa was under duress throughout the day, as the St. Francis defensive line recorded 3 sacks and a number of hurries.

Bitzer completed 18 passes on 31 attempts for 227 yards and one touchdown. He threw two interceptions.

DETROIT - When Rockford (12-2) was getting ready to take the field for its Division 1 title game against Canton (11-3), Rams head coach Ralph Munger had a look of anxious anticipation on his face.

Munger's countenance stayed the same until senior running back Zach Breen scored on an 11-yard touchdown run to put Rockford ahead by 10 points at the two-minute mark. That's when the anxiety began to melt away and the reality of a second consecutive state championship began to sink in.

Munger said afterward, that last year's state-final experience prepared this year's ballclub for a 48-minute dogfight with Canton.

"Us having been here before definitely helped," said Munger, whose team claimed the Division 1 title with a 31-21 victory. "Once you get past the big crowds and the fact that you are playing at Ford Field, you have to realize that the field is still 100 yards long and 160 feet wide. It is still the same game and you can't treat it any differently."

With the win, Munger joined East Grand Rapids' Peter Stuursma and Lowell's Noel Dean as active Grand Rapids' area coaches with two state championship to their credit.

With their win over Canton, Rockford became the first O-K Red ballclub to win back-to-back titles.

Munger, who is 2-1 in championship games, guided Rockford to the finals for the first time in 1998. That Rockford team fell to Detroit Catholic Central, which has collected eight state championships since 1990.

Canton jumped out to a 14-7 lead after a pair of touchdown runs by fullback Deshon McClendon.

Two-way standout Callan Sherd tied the game on a 53-yard touchdown grab from capable senior quarterback Jon VanEschen, who scored the next touchdown on 21-yard run.

Mark Schlaudt kicked a 23-yard field goal in the fourth quarter to put Rockford ahead for good.

Breen led all rushers with 118 yards and two touchdowns on 17 carries. McClendon scored two touchdowns and finished with 91 yards rushing for Canton.

Sherd, a junior, had an outstanding day on both sides of the ball. As a receiver, he pulled in three receptions for 78 yards. He added four tackles as a defensive back. All-state senior defensive tackle Ian Bartholemew anchored the interior line for Rockford, recording three tackles for loss.

DETROIT - Together Brother Rice's Matt Pickens, Chris Colasanti, and Matt Shango form the state of Michigan's best linebacker corps.

But junior defensive back Kaunda Hancock anchored the Warriors' defense during Friday's Division 2 state final victory over Hudsonville.

Hancock (6-0, 185)recorded three of Brother Rice's five interceptions in the 14-7 victory. His last interception was a spectacular one-handed pick on the goal line that came with less than five minutes remaining in the fourth quarter.

Hancock's third interception all but wrapped up a sixth official state championship for legendary Warriors' head coach Al Fracassa.

Friday's win also marked the first state championship for Brother Rice in five years. Ironically, Hudsonville was Brother Rice's opponent when Fracassa claimed his fifth championship.

Hudsonville coach Dave Duram has guided the Eagles to the title game three times and he has finished runner-up on each occasion.

"When you get down here, you have to make it count because you can never guarentee that you'll be back here again," Duram said. "We've got a young team so we'll have another crack at it next year, but we would have liked to finish it today."

The Hudsonville coaches felt that Hancock pushed off on their receiver to make his game-sealing interception. But they also added that its virtualy impossible to beat Brother Rice or any good team when five interceptions are thrown.

Eagles' quarterback Josh Lucas completed 8 of 16 passes for 91 yards. Drew Bolhuis accounted for 79 of those receiving yards on six receptions.

Lucas, who was sacked twice and pressured throughout the game, got in trouble on passes that were underthrown.

Lucas had fewer options to throw to than he is accustomed to, as Brother Rice corner Joey Henry did an outstanding job covering Hudsonville standout Ezekial Fowle. Henry finished with two interceptions.

Henry caught a 16-yard pass from sophomore quarterback Andy Lentz with 3:55 remaining in the first quarter.

Lentz also found Spartan commitment Charlie Gantt on 9-yard pass play with 25 seconds remaining before halftime. Gantt showed good hands and even better strength as he dragged Hudsonville defenders across the goal line to score the game-winning touchdown.

Gantt was also active on defense with five tackles.

Duram said afterward that he wasn't surprised that Brother Rice rotated quarterbacks between Lentz and junior Matt Capetto.

Lentz appears to be the quarterback of the future for Fracassa. The sophomore standout completed 5 of 8 passes for 88 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions. Capetto completed his only pass attempt for a 7-yard gain.

Hudsonville had eight tries to crack Brother Rice's defense and was successful only once, as rugged Eagles' running back Andrew DeWeerd capped off a 13-play 83-yard scoring drive with a 1-yard touchdown run with fewer than five minutes remaining in the opneing half.

Cincinatti commitment John Goebel played an outstanding game. He carried the ball 16 times for 87 yards. On defense, Goebel led the Warriors in tackles with 10 total including 7 solo tackles.

Colasanti, a rising junior, who already holds an offer from Michigan State tied Goebel for the Brother Rice lead in tackles.

DETROIT - The Division 8 championship game is usually a tug-o-war between run-oriented offenses.

But this year's D-8 championship featuring small town giants Mendon (13-1) and Crystal Falls Forest Park (13-1) wasn't a grind.

Big plays proved the difference in Mendon's 25-13 victory over Crystal Falls Forest Park, which finished runner-up in Division 8 for the second consecutive year.

"I think we both came in here expecting to pound the ball on the ground, but we were both forced to do other things," said Mendon coach Schwartz, who has guided the Hornets to seven state titles during his tenure. "They hit a couple big plays, but overall I thought we threw the ball better than they did."

The biggest play of the game was a 7-yard touchdown pass from Mendon's Travis Doester to tight end Matt McClish on fourth-and-2. That critical pass play capped off an 11-play 73-yard scoring drive that halted Forest Park momentum.

On its previous possession, Forest Park had pulled within five points, 18-13, on 70-yard touchdown run by Kyle LaVacque early in the fourth quarter.

Mendon had used McClish as a blocking tight end during the regular season and throughout the playoffs. He entered the championship game with just five receptions on the year.

Because Forest Park features a pair of massive interior lineman in all-state defensive tackle Matt Fabri (6-2, 289) and teammate Mark Harrison (6-7, 325), Mendon was forced to limit its fullback trap plays.

With Forest Park plugging the middle with its two big tackles and blitzing its linebackers on the edge, McClish became a go-to-target for Doester. He caught three passes for 89 yards and two touchdowns.

McClish's first catch was a 55-yard touchdown reception, which gave Mendon a 6-0 lead in the second quarter. The Hornets added another touchdown before intermission on a 1-yard run by Brock Alexander.

The most exciting play of the Division 8 championship came in the third quarter as Mendon's punt return specialist Ryan Ettinger committed the cardinal sin of retreating after fielding the punt. But just when Ettinger looked destined to receive a tongue lashing from his coach on the sideline, he squirted out of the grasp of a Forest Park defender and sped down the sideline to score on a 70-yard return for a touchdown.

Mendon piled 304 yards in total offense. Forest Park finished with 281 yards of offense.

Alexander rushed for 99 yards and Ettinger rushed for 86 yards for Mendon.

Nick McCarthy led the Forest Park defense with 12 tackles. The 6-foot-3 249-pound linebacker finished with three tackles for loss including a sack. Kyle LaVaque had 11 tackles and Brad Anderson tallied 9 tackles.

Four future Spartans are among the thousands of prep football players from 256 teams in eight divisions trying to take the first step toward Ford Field this weekend, as the Michigan High School Athletic Association football playoffs begin this Friday.

Junior MSU commitment Keith Nichol and his Lowell teammates hope to add a third football state championship banner in their school's gym. Nichol led the Red Arrows to a Division 3 championship as a sophomore. Can he do it again now that Lowell has moved up on the food chain to Division 2?

Charlie Gantt and Birmingham Brother Rice are looking to bounce back from consecutive losses to Orchard Lake St. Mary's. A win this Saturday would likely give Brother Race another shot at OLSM in the district title game. Both games against the Eaglets have been barnburners. Will the Warriors get a chance at a rare third opportunity at redemption?

Eric Gordon and his young Traverse City West team hopes to avoid last year's fate when it fell to eventual D-1 champion Rockford in the second round of the playoffs. When the two teams face one another tonight each will have new faces, but can the Titans handle the titanic pressure of playing at Rockford's raucous Ted Carlson Field?

Traverse City St. Francis fans are wondering if Patrick Rigan and his teammates can lead the Gladiators back to the Division 6 finals. St. Francis has a rich football tradition with three state championships in school history. Is this the year Josh Sellars and his crew reel in a fourth?

The following is Great Lakes Gridiron's Week 1 MHSAA football playoff preview:

Traverse City West stumbles into the playoffs after losing a shootout with arch-rival Traverse City Central last Friday. Had the Titans beat Central, they would have clinched a share of their third straight Big North title. West came up a touchdown short against its cross-town rival.

Defending Division 1 state champion Rockford enters the playoffs after closing the regular season with a 49-14 rout of Grand Haven. Grand Haven gave TC West all it could handle in the first week of the football season. Back on opening day, the Titans needed a last-second field goal to beat Grand Haven.

Rockford and TC West share two more common opponents in Grandville and TC Central. Both Rockford and West fell to O-K Red heavyweight Grandville. Rockford lost by three points, 13-10. The Titans lost by a pair of touchdowns. In week two, Rockford annihilated TC Central, 48-28, one week after shellacking No. 2 ranked Brighton, 43-6.

The talent is there, and it's well-coached. Teams that play Rockford see more formations from the Rams than they face all year long. Rockford runs some plays out of a standard I formation and an off-set I. The Rams also throw some spread into the mix. They toss in some wishbone sets and a run a number of plays out of the full-house T.

It's not uncommon to see Munger call the same play three straight times out of three completely different formations with three completely different personnel groupings. That is a luxury Rockford has with a sideline that dresses around 100 student athletes.

Munger has a play book a mile thick and he's not afraid to dig into his deep bag of tricks. In a game against Forest Hills Northern a couple years ago, Munger called a guard reverse on a fourth-and-2. The play picked up 20 yards.

Munger is widely considered one of the best coaches in Michigan. His players will do anything for him.

Rockford typically employs a rotation of four or more running backs. They are all good, they are all tough, and they are always fresh. Rockford likes to throw the ball around, but they do gash opponents on the ground. Zach Breen is the workhorse of the Rockford running backs. He is tough and quick. Andrew Bilski is another rugged running back for the Rams.

When you think of Rockford football you think of solid quarterbacks. Munger hasn't had a Division 1 quarterback prospect yet, but he's sent a number of players to Division II and Division III college programs.

Jon VonEschen (6-2, 195) is the latest in a long line of impressive quarterbacks at Rockford. VonEschen throws accurate passes and he's not afraid to go downfield. He's smart, he has a good arm, and like Drew Stanton he is not afraid to tuck the ball and run. Bottom line, VonEschen is a quality high school quarterback, who has the potential to play in college.

Rockford sent rangy 6-foot-5 receiver Bryan Anderson to Central Michigan University last year. But this season the Rams haven't missed a beat with the emergence of Callan Sherd, a rare two-way starter for Rockford.

With a long playoff run, Sherd could close in on 1,000 receiving yards. He is also an excellent defensive back.

Defensively, Rockford swarms to the ball. If one player misses there is usually two more players backing him up.

A 6-foot-1 junior, Sherd led the team in interceptions as a sophomore defensive back and he is the Rams' defensive playmaker once again. Breen is also a presence in the defensive backfield.

Up front, Ian Bartholemew (6-2, 275) is a strong defensive tackle who lacks Big Ten quickness but is an excellent plugger and he could be a pass-rushing menace against an overmatched offensive line. He is a rock against the run. West could have problems with its mid-line option against the big defensive line of Rockford.

TC West will probably have Gordon test the middle of the Rockford line early. If Gordon doesn't carry the ball, he needs to have the best blocking game of his career to keep Rockford linebackers off of West quarterback Tony Thompson who is one of the finest option quarterbacks in the state.

Thompson has totaled 21 touchdowns as a senior, nine rushing and 12 passing. He has rushed for more than 800 yards and thrown for a school-record 1820 yards. Thompson has just three interceptions.

Kyle Centilli and Adam Root are West's primary receiving threats. The Titan receiving duo has combined for more than 800 yards and eight touchdowns. West's two running backs, Gordon and Dan Sleder can also catch the ball out of the backfield.

Gordon has rushed for a team-high 824 yards. Sleder has just over 800 yards rushing.

Gordon and Thompson are the stars for TC West, but the outcome of the game could depend on how well the offensive line plays. The Titans' o-line will have their biggest test of the season against Rockford.

The young Titans' line is prone to suffer breakdowns in communication early when playing in a hostile environment. That happened against Big North foe Gaylord, but it can't happen again against Rockford.

Slow starts or lackluster finishes have been a problem for TC West in its three losses. If the Titans come out and play to their potential for all four quarters, they are a quality football team. This year's team has star power in Thompson and Gordon, but lacks the depth of last season's conference championship team.

Defensively, Rockford's o-line holds an advantage in size and speed against TC West. Gordon is a difference maker at linebacker, but the Titans need more than Gordon to slow down Rockford. Gordon may be needed to spy VonEschen who has torched several teams on the ground this season. If so, West's defensive backs are going to have be put to the test against bigger quicker receivers.

PREDICTION: Rockford beat West 35-7 last year. Both teams have less talent than they did one year ago. The Rams, however, are closer to where they were last year. Gordon and Thompson cannot do everything. Unfortunately, they will probably have to for West to have a chance. The only way I see West winning is if they can slow down the game and make it ugly. Gordon will have to move the pile at fullback and be superman on defense.

Rockford 42, Traverse City West 21.

PORTAGE NORTHERN (7-3) AT LOWELL (8-1) Lowell is back in Division 2 after winning the Division 3 championship last fall. The Red Arrows, however, are no stranger to Division 2.

In 2002 Mark Caitlin led Lowell to a Division 2 state title. The Red Arrows dominated Birmingham Brother Rice in the final at the Pontiac Silverdome. There is a slim chance the Brother Rice and Lowell teams could meet for a rematch at Ford Field.

Nichol is trying to become the first quarterback in Lowell history with multiple state championships. He is only a junior, but the always competitive Nichol would like nothing more than to win back-to-back state championships with a shot at a three-peat during his senior season.

Nichol lacks the weapons he did a year ago. Lowell has been able to plug in new players to replace losses at the skill positions, but the Red Arrows lack the muscle in the trenches that they had last year when they steamrolled every team in their path on their way to head coach Noel Dean's second state championship.

Lowell also lacks a dynamic athlete at free safety. In the past Mike Koster and Catlin have gone two ways for Lowell. Brock Graham is an all-state caliber linebacker, but Lowell can't afford to move him from free safety back to his natural position. The Red Arrows could always move Nichol to defensive back. They did it against Reeths-Puffer when they expected a strong outside running game. They may just have to do it again before too long.

But Lowell probably won't have to tinker around with its defense too much against Portage Northern. Yes, the Huskies won a conference championship and stayed within 10 points of No. 2 ranked Stevensville Lakeshore, but the football in southwest Michigan is in a down cycle and Portage Northern doesn't have Kelly Baraka on its roster anymore.

I think Stevensville Lakeshore is somewhat overrated. If No. 3 Haslett (8-0) was playing Lakeshore this weekend, I think Haslett would win by a pair of touchdowns. Now Haslett and East Grand Rapids – that would be a great match-up. But I digress.

Lowell's opponents have not nickel and dimed their way down the field with power running plays. Most of the yards given up have been long gainers to the outside. Portage Northern features a power rushing attack.

Last week, the Huskies rode the legs of Kenny Fett to a 29-12 victory over Kalamazoo Central. Fett carried the ball 47 times for 290 yards and two touchdowns. Fett, a senior, carried the ball 38 times for 129 yards against Portage Central. Look for Fett to get a ton of carries against Lowell.

Junior quarterback Blake Miller doesn't just hand the ball off. He is by no means the best quarterback Lowell will face this year, but he isn't bad. Miller has a tendency to rely on his tight ends.

I expect hardnosed running back Gabe Delnick to pick up 100 tough yards rushing the ball against Portage Northern, which has played solid defense to this point, giving up only 13.5 points per game.

Few observers expected Nichol to have the playoff run he did as a sophomore. But the pressure never got to him. He appeared to thrive on it. Now Nichol has a chance make another playoff run. He has the ability to put Lowell on his back if needed. But that won't be necessary against Portage Northern.

Portage Northern hasn't faced an offense of Lowell's caliber this season. If the Huskies sell out to stop the run, and I expect they will, Nichol will pick up a lot of yards through the air. Mike McElroy has been a go-to target in the Lowell passing game, but Portage Northern can't afford to fall asleep on Brad Shea, a senior who doesn't want his season to end.

PREDICITION If Lowell limits Fett to 150 rushing yards, the Red Arrows should win by a couple of touchdowns. Nichol plays his best football when the spotlight is shinning. Assuming he plays all four quarters, Nichol could rush for 200 yards and throw for 200 more with five touchdowns mixed in.

The match-ups between Brother Rice and Orchard Lake St. Mary's were a contest of strength against skill. The more skilled of the two teams, OLSM, prevailed both times, as the Eaglets knocked of then No. 1 ranked Brother Rice in the regular-season finale before beating the Warriors once more in the Catholic League Championship game.

After back-to-back losses, Brother Rice has the opportunity to bounce back against a strong Redford Union team that enters the pre-district tilt with a lot of momentum and a high-powered offense.

Redford Union is scoring an average of 41 points per game with its full-house T. In games against Trenton, Lincoln Park, and Taylor Kennedy, Redford Union scored more than 50 points.

Ironically, Redford Union's only loss came on a night where it scored 50 points. In a true shootout, Trenton put up 62 points against the Panthers and hung on to win, 62-54.

Senior halfback Chris Brown (6-1, 175) is the soul of the Panther offense. He is the Mega-White conference's leading rusher with 1,330 yards (147.8 ypg.). Amazingly, Brown has yet to carry the ball 100 times this season. He averages 17.5 yards per carry and has scored 16 rushing touchdowns. He has also caught six touchdown passes from quarterback Jon MakEk, who has thrown for 11 touchdowns with three interceptions.

Fullback Steve Brown is approaching the 1,000-yard rushing mark. Halfbacks Dezmond Latham and Jared Owens have combined for 700 yards rushing and 10 touchdowns.

MakEk doesn't throw the ball often, but when he does he looks for Brown or senior tight end Ryan Meyers, who has 16 catches for 329 yards and 6 touchdowns. As a linebacker, Meyers has 33 tackles and five sacks. Matt Shilehikis leads the Redford defensive line with four sacks.

A 6-foot-0 185-pound sophomore playmaker, Youre Wilson has totaled 85 tackles (55 solo) on the season. He's also picked off four passes, forced two fumbles, and blocked two punts.

Chris Brown is also his team's top playmaker on defense. At cornerback, he leads the Mega White with six interceptions. Owens has two interceptions as a starting defensive back.

If this game was played during the regular season, there might be a greater likelihood of a letdown. But since the playoffs offer a fresh start, Brother Rice should emerge refreshed and ready to play its brand of ball-control football.

The best way to slow down the Panthers and their dynamic running back is to keep the ball out of their hands. Brother Rice is equipped to do just that with a physical offensive line and a strong blocking tight end in Charlie Gantt.

Gantt has helped pave the way for running back John Goebel (Cincinnati) who is averaging 8 yards per carry in a senior year in which he's piled up 1,200 yards and 11 touchdowns. Joey Henry and Caulton Ray are quality back-ups.

Junior quarterback Matt Capetto has completed half of his passes for 500 yards. Gantt has a 180 yards receivig.

Manny Suileman leads a deep defensive line with six sacks. Senior linebacker Matt Shango is next with five sacks, while linebacker Matt Pickens has four sacks. Junior linebacker Chris Colasanti (6-2, 225) leads Brother Rice with 103 tackles. He also doubles as a fullback.

Goebel has 45 tackles and two interceptions at safety. Junior defensive back Sam Jones has three interceptions. Joey Henry is also a factor in the secondary and in the return game.

PREDICTION: Brother Rice can handle the running game of Redford if it isn't still recovering from its two losses. The Warriors need to keep the clocking moving and keep the ball out of Mike Brown's hands. If Brother Rice gets an early lead of two or more touchdowns, Redford Union might have a tough time coming back. This is a dangerous opponent for the Warriors to play in round one and the final result might be closer than most expect.

ONAWAY (6-3) at TRAVERSE CITY ST. FRANCIS (8-1):

Like Brother Rice in Division 2, Traverse St. Francis faces a dangerous first-round opponent in Onaway, which has one of the state's most explosive running backs in Lonnie Splan.

Splan may not be well known throughout the state of Michigan, but he is a Northern Michigan legend. He is closing in on 1,800 yards rushing and 30 touchdowns in a senior season that should earn him all-state plaudits.

The Cardinals qualified for the playoffs with a week nine win over Central Lake. Splan rushed for 193 yards and five touchdowns in the victory. Onaway opened the season with five straight wins. In that stretch, Splan rushed for 1,000 yards and 19 touchdowns.

A regional track champion in the 100 and 200 meters, Splan ran an 11.31 in the 100 and a 23.21 in the 200

Splan, however, is not always superhuman. Johannesburg-Lewiston held Onaway's running back to 65 yards. Onaway shared the Ski Valley conference crown with Johannesburg-Lewiston.

Ultimately, Onaway is a one-dimensional team. If the Gladiators can slow down Splan they can take that first step toward Ford Field.

Against Onaway, St. Francis will likely sell out to stop Splan. Rigan will have an opportunity to be a playmaker on defense whether he's at defensive end, tackle, or plays a little linebacker. But the Gladiators have more than just Rigan on defense. Senior Linebacker Chad Biggar (6-0, 205) and rangy two-way playmaker Hunter Nostrant(6-4, 185) will also be key figures against Onaway.

Rigan has caught four touchdown passes in his last five games since moving from offensive tackle to tight end. He has been the favorite target for junior quarterback Ben Wheelock, who has thrown eight touchdown passes with no interceptions in his last three starts.

With the emergence of Wheelock and a solid rotation of running backs, the Gladiators have become a multifaceted offense that is rare in Division 6.

PREDICTION: Splan is a terrific story, but it will take far more than a one-man show to bring down St. Francis, which is my dark horse pick to win it all in Division 6. The Gladiators have a good rushing attack, an emerging passing attack, and a solid defense. Hold Splan in check and advance. It won't be easy, but the Gladiators will get the job done.

LOWELL – As the leader of a young football team a lot of responsibility has been placed on the capable shoulders of Lowell's quarterback Keith Nichol. But Nichol doesn't seem to mind.

As long as Nichol is on the football field he is happy.

Last Friday in the Red Arrows' 43-7 non-league victory over O-K Green co-leader Muskegon Reeths-Puffer (4-2), Nichol played quarterback, free safety, and punter for the No. 5 ranked team in Division 2.

With the win, Lowell moved to 5-1 on the season. The Red Arrows will clinch a playoff berth Friday night if they can beat league foe Forest Hills Northern (1-5), which has struggled through a year of rebuilding under head coach Tim McGee.

Nichol's role at free safety was new a test. He passed with flying colors.

"I've been working on defense for a couple of weeks in practice," Nichol said. "I had a good time back there tonight. As long as I am on the football field I am happy. I love to play the game."

Lowell coach Noel Dean was happy with the results of the experiment.

"I thought we needed to try some things on defense," Dean said. "Keith is a great athlete and I thought he could help us out. He made some really nice plays and he could play back there more as the season goes on."

Dean has played some of his top athletes in the secondary regardless of their position on offense. All-state quarterback Mark Catlin (Grand Valley State University) and all-state receiver Mike Koster (GVSU) both started at free safety during their storied varsity careers at Lowell.

Nichol's move to the defensive side of the ball could pay off big down the road in the playoffs. In Lowell's lone loss to East Grand Rapids, Pioneer running back Kelvin Grady was able to turn the corner and burn Lowell with outside runs. The same thing happened against Lansing Sexton, as underrated back Brandon Dunn piled up close to 300 yards in a losing effort.

Against Lowell, Reeths-Puffer amassed 113 yards of total offense. Only 63 of those yards came on the ground despite a good effort from talented running back Kevin Battle.

If Lowell hopes to defend its Division 2 state championship, it will need to secure the edge.

Moving Nichol into the secondary is a good first step. He is a leader and a playmaker.

It also allows talented defender Brock Graham to move out of his free safety slot and back into his more natural position at linebacker. As a junior, Graham made a lot of noise in the defensive midfield and made a good push for all-state recognition.

With Nichol back on defense, Lowell is far less susceptible to the big plays that hurt them in their first five games.

Nichol hasn't started in the secondary this season. But he did look impressive in his '05 defensive debut.

Nichol had a fine performance in his debut on defense. But he isn't quitting his job as the pilot of one of the state's most explosive offenses just yet.

Against Reeths-Puffer, Nichol threw for 240 yards (10-14) and three touchdowns. He rushed for a 138 yards and three more touchdowns on runs of 3, 3, and 29 yards, respectively.

Nichol connected with tight end Brad Shea on a 23-yard pass play to put the Red Arrows on the board in the opening quarter. Nichol ran the ball in from three yards out to put Lowell in front 13-0 before Kory Stevens tacked on two more points with a conversion run.

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GAYLORD - Traverse City West linebacker Eric Gordon has been to East Lansing a couple of times since committing to the Spartans shortly after attending MSU's June football camp.

Gordon was on campus for the MSU's season opener against Kent State and he watched the Hawaii game on television. One week later, He was glued to screen for State's gut wrenching overtime victory at Notre Dame two weeks ago.

And he admits that he, along with the rest of the Spartan Nation, felt a fair amount of angst when Notre Dame tied the game 38-38.

"I was pumped after the Notre Dame game," he said. "I was a little upset with three touchdown lead they gave up, but they put it to them in the end. That was great."

But even after Notre Dame tied the game, Gordon knew MSU would win. "I knew they were going to win," he said. "It was all over after they stopped Notre Dame and forced them to kick a field goal in overtime. I knew they would score."

The national Top 250 player from Traverse City plans on attend this weekend's rivalry game between No. 11 Michigan State and unranked Michigan.

Gordon says he will take his official visit some time after his high school season is over.

Watching MSU on TV has Gordon excited about his college career.

"It is a great opportunity," he said. "It has been my lifelong dream to play football at Michigan State. To have that opportunity is an honor."

Gordon says he talks to Traverse City St. Francis standout Patrick Rigan on occasion. But both Gordon and Rigan are busy with their respective seasons and have had little time to talk since school started.

Gordon is glad that both he and Rigan are heading to MSU.

"It is pretty neat to think that two people from one town would be going to play football together," he said. "That doesn't happen too often."

Gordon has stayed in close contact with MSU receivers coach Jim McElwain since he committed to the Spartans this summer.

Calls from other schools didn't stop after Gordon committed to the Spartans in June. But Gordon has let those coaches know that he is not going to be swayed from his decision. Those calls have begun to dissipate.

Eric Gordon and his Traverse City West teammates dominated Gaylord in the second half of last Friday's Big North conference showdown. But the Titans' second-half performance was not enough to overcome a slow start.

The host Blue Devils delighted their Homecoming crowd by outscoring TC West 19-0 in the opening half and hanging for a 26-19 victory.

"We just didn't play in the first half," West coach Matt Prisk said. "We just couldn't do anything right offensively or defensively. We had some kids who were shell shocked. This was a huge ballgame and we have a lot of young kids that haven't played in a game of this magnitude before."

Gaylord scored on each of its first three possessions to improve its record to 4-0. TC West fell to 3-2, but the Titans remain in good position to earn a playoff bid. They need just three more wins to guarantee themselves an automatic playoff berth.

"Our goal is to go 7-2 now," Gordon said. "We need to win the rest of our games and hopefully something happens within the conference where we can still tie. We have a lot more games to play and so do they, we can't count ourselves out yet. We need to get better each week."

Both teams entered the game with blemish-free Big North records. But Gaylord played to the emotion of the Homecoming crowd, which proved to be a substantial intangible edge.

The Blue Devils also took advantage of a scheduling glitch which gave them two weeks to prepare for the Titans' deadly option attack.

By blitzing off the edge and stacking the box with as many as 10 defenders, the Blue Devils were able to negate the outside running ability of Tony Thompson. Gordon, Thompson's partner in crime, forced the issue on inside running plays.

Gordon bullied his way close to 100 rushing yards on 12 carries. He was hit in the backfield on several occasions as the Titans' young offensive line struggled to prevent an emotional Blue Devil front seven from Gaining penetration. West's offensive line was playing without the help of two injured starters.

But Gordon used his strength to move his team forward nearly every time he touched the ball. He even scored West's first touchdown on a 3-yard run in the third quarter.

The Titans scored two more touchdowns in the final eight minutes. They pulled even pulled within six points of Gaylord. But trailing 25-19, West was unable to recover an on-side kick with 1:27 remaining.

Gaylord ran out the clock after recovering the onside kick.

At linebacker, Gordon played both sides of the field and in the middle. He finished with nine tackles, including two quarterback hurries and one quarterback knockdown.

The 6-0, 225-pound future Michigan State Spartan played nearly every down on offense and defense. Gordon played exclusively at linebacker as a junior.

This year, Prisk can't afford to keep his star player on the bench.

"We have to use him all over the place, we are running him to death," Prisk said. "I am happy with the way has played. He has given us everything he has got.

"A kid of his caliber has to be on the field. We have a young team, we need his leadership and we need his ability to make plays."

Gordon doesn't mind playing both ways if it helps his team win.

"I've been trying to go hard the entire season," he said. "I am trying to do what I can to help my team win games. I am on the field a lot, but I condition myself during the week in practice. That is all I really can do."

Seven weeks ago, Gordon had arthroscopic knee surgery. He missed most of fall training camp and took the field against Grand Haven on week one with just four practices under his belt.

Prisk is amazed at the progress Gordon has made in such a short time since his surgery.

"An outsider really can't make a comment about a football player who is coming back from injury unless you've experienced it yourself," said Prisk. "Everybody is different and everybody responds to injury differently. His progression is amazing when you think about the fact that seven weeks ago he had surgery."

Gordon played well in the Titans' season opening victory over the Buccaneers. He has improved steadily each week.

"Every week, things are getting better," Prisk said. "The big thing with a guy with a knee injury is confidence. You have to believe you're fine and that things aren't going to happen. I think Eric is to that point now and I think it is beginning to show in the way he plays."

Gordon says his knee feels fine. His doctors still won't let him take off the bulky brace he is forced to wear in practice in games. He hopes that the brace can come off before the season is over.

"I don't like wearing it," he said. "It feels a little funny when I wear it. It is tight. I think it limits my mobility a little bit. I will be happy when I don't have to wear it."

The Traverse City West offense was stagnant at best in the first half against a spirited Gaylord football team.

Possessed by Homecoming enthusiasm, Gaylord forced their opponents into several three-and-outs in the opening half. For their part, the host Blue Devils scored on their first three possessions.

Thompson seemed to be tackled behind the line of scrimmage on nearly every option run. Gordon had better success against Gaylord's swarming defense.

The following video clips show just how tough yards were to come by in the opening half.

Gordon showed good tackling ability throughout. He showed the ability to read plays shed blockers and make tackles at the line of scrimmage. He also displayed good pursuit skills and caught Gaylord backs or receivers from behind on occasion.

Gordon provided leadership to his young defense and became a pass rushing presence as the game progressed.

After getting outscored 19-0 in the opening half, TC West turned the tables on Gaylord in the second half. The Titans still found it difficult to pick up rushing yards.

An explosive quarterback, Thompson was held in check during the opening half. After intermission, however, Thompson got the offense moving.

(Sept 23)Several future Spartan gridders are headed into battle around the state of Michigan this weekend, as week five of the high school football season gets underway.

A Big North title could be riding on the outcome of tonight's game against state-ranked Gaylord for Eric Gordon and Traverse City West. Gordon and company will have to overcome a raucous and hostile environment as they travel to Gaylord Stadium for the Blue Devils' Homecoming.

Keith Nichol and the Lowell Red Arrows are looking to rebound from last Friday's heartbreaking loss to arch rival East Grand Rapids. To keep pace with EGR, Lowell must get past a determined Greenville team, which is looking for its second straight 5-0 start.

Patrick Rigan and No. 9 ranked Traverse City St. Francis (3-1) hope to avoid a letdown against winless Harbor Springs after eclipsing No. 8 ranked Boyne City, 35-13, one week ago.

Charlie Gantt and No. 1 ranked Birmingham Brother Rice face a dangerous Dearborn Divine Child ballclub on Saturday. Divine Child is coming off an embarrassing 42-6 loss to Orchard Lake St. Mary's at Ford Field. The Falcons are looking to bounce back strong under the leadership of quarterback Matt Forystek.

The Gaylord Herald Times is calling tonight's showdown between unbeaten Gaylord and visiting Traverse City West a classic David vs. Goliath match-up. The Eric Gordon-led Titans are playing the role of the Philistine giant.

On the surface, however, Gaylord (3-0) doesn't quite fit the profile of a slingshot toting shepherd boy. The Blue Devils have been one of Northern Michigan's finest teams in recent years, and have posed problems for the Titans.

Here are some of the factors that Gaylord has in its favor:

In '03 the Blue Devils fell to eventual State champion East Grand Rapids in the regional championship game. One year prior, Gaylord lost a 24-21 playoff heartbreaker to Cadillac.

So why exactly is unranked TC West (Division 1) Goliath? The Titans do have one loss, right?

Yes. But consider that West's lone loss came against O-K Red Metro heavyweight Grandville. Here are some of the other factors the Titans have in their favor:

Greenville is off to a terrific start. The Yellowjackets enter tonight's game with a 4-0 record and sit atop the O-K White Standings in a first-place tie with No. 1 ranked East Grand Rapids.

The Yellowjackets are also knocking on the door of the Division 3 state rankings. In the latest AP poll Greenville received a number of honorable mention votes.

In the Division 2 poll, Lowell dropped out of a first-place tie with Brother Rice and fell into a fifth-place tie with Hudsonville (4-0) after losing to East Grand Rapids, 25-21, on the road last Friday.

Greenville is feeling pretty good about itself right now. The Yellowjackets need just two more wins two qualify for their second straight playoff berth.

Last year Greenville started 5-0 until it faced a tough stretch of conference games. Greenville limped into the playoffs with a 1-4 mark down the stretch.

That tough stretch starts tonight with Lowell. If Greenville wants to move out of the middle tier of the O-K White, it needs to pick up a win against a quality opponent. A win against Lowell would be a major step toward credibility.

But if recent history is any indication, the Yellowjackets will have their hands full with Lowell.

The Red Arrows just plain have Greenville's number.

Lowell is 10-0 against Greenville and has outscored the Yellowjackets 392-32 while Dean has been the Red Arrows' head coach.

During that 10-year stretch, Lowell has beat Greenville by and average of 36.5 points per game.

I expect tonight to be no different. The Red Arrows are coming off an emotional loss, but they won't suffer a letdown. They are playing in front of a home crowd and it's Homecoming Night.

Another telling stat: during the Dean Era the Red Arrows have lost back-to-back games only twice. Lowell's last back-to-back loss came in 1999 when the Red Arrows fell to East Grand Rapids and Zeeland on consecutive weeks.

After getting pushed around by East Grand Rapids, the Lowell offensive line will be motivated against Greenville. Nichol will get plenty of time to do his thing through the air or on the ground.

Lowell's Gabe Delnick is a good bet to rush for 150 yards. Red Arrow tight end Brad Shea made some noise on defense against EGR but I expect he'll make some big plays on the other side of the ball this week. Receivers Mike McElroy, Justin Harden, and Brock Graham could tally 300 receiving yards as a group.

Coming off an emotional win over state-ranked Boyne City (3-1), St. Francis has to be careful it doesn't fall asleep at the wheel against Harbor Springs.

But even if the Gladiators do suffer a letdown – and there's nothing to suggest they will – they should have more than enough talent to dispatch Harbor Springs.

The Rams have been outscored 158-16 in their first four games this season. They have been shutout twice.

The Rigan-led Gladiators have outscored their opponents 122-69. St. Francis has scored 45 points or more each of the last three times they have played Harbor Sprigs.

In 2001 the Gladiators scored 69 points against Harbor Springs.

St Francis is ranked No. 10 in the latest AP poll, but could be ranked even higher. Two of the Gladiators' three wins have come against state-ranked opponents. Their sole loss came against Saginaw Nouvel, which is ranked No. 5 in the Division 5 poll.

Kinglsey and Boyne City are both traditionally strong programs and very good victories for St Francis to have on its resume.

After his Warriors beat up on arch-rival Detroit Catholic Central last Sunday at Ford Field, legendary Brother Rice coach Al Fracassa told Spartanmag.com com he was going to kick back and watch Dearborn Divine Child play Orchard Lake St. Mary's in preparation for this Saturday's game.

What Fracassa and the rest of those attending the game saw was a Divine Child team that was completely out of sync on offense. Strong-armed Falcon quarterback Matt Forystek, who performed well as a camper at MSU this summer, could not get the protection he need from his offensive line.

OLSM blitzed from every angle. The Eaglets sacked Forystek three times and forced three interceptions.

If senior Brother Rice linebacker Matt Pickens or safety John Goebel were watching, they were salivating in anticipation of this week's game.

Brother Rice has a more experienced front four than OLSM, which forced Forystek into bad throws by blitzing from the secondary and linebacker spots.

The Warriors could do the same thing or they could rely on pressure from their defensive line. If the front four break success againstDivine Child's line, I expect either Pickens or Goebel to get a couple of picks.

Defensive line standout Charlie Gantt could have a big day in terms of sacks. I expect him to pile up the tackles if he plays a lot of downs.

Gantt saw limited time against Catholic Central in the second half when he tweaked his ankle. After get his ankle tapped up again Gantt was back on the field.

Brother Rice has a good rotation on defense. The Warriors are always fresh. The bring pressure from all over.

Offensively, Gantt, a tight end, and the Brother Rice offensive line should be able to open up big holes for their running backs.

Divine Child gave up a lot of big plays against St. Mary's. While OLSM has a slight edge at the skill positions, Brother Rice has plenty of talent and should dominate.

Tonight I will have a recap of the Gaylord TC West game, including an update on Gordon. Next week I will examine the history of powerhouse Jackson Lumen Christi, and the imprint it has left on the Michigan high School football scene .

(Sept. 22) - Four weeks have already past in the Michigan high school football season and conference action is heating up. I have had the good fortune to attend many outstanding high school football games this year and I would like to share my thoughts on some of the teams I've seen to this point.

Last week I attended two great rivlary games. On Friday night I watched No. 1 Lowell (Division 2) and No. 1 East Grand Rapids (Division 3)square off at Memorial Field in East Grand Rapids.

Two days later, I was in Detroit to watch Brother Rice tangle with arch rival Detroit Catholic Central at Ford Field?

I also watched a terrific Orchard Lake St. Mary's team breeze by Dearborn Divine Child before taking in a nailbiter between U-D Jesuit and Warren De La Salle.

But before I get to those games, I would like to talk about the state of football in the state of Michigan.

Earlier this year I was at the Big House in Ann Arbor watching the 25th annual Michigan High School All Star Football Game when Braylon Edwards approached me and asked to borrow my program. I obliged and listened as he explained to a young football player why the West team had so many more counties to draw its talent from. (The East team is basically comprised of the counties from the thumb down to the Ohio border).

Edwards explained the impact of population density. But he also added that there was more overall talent concentrated on the east side and that the west needed a larger geographical radius to compete with their more talented football brethren on the opposite side of the Great Lakes State.

Better talent? Not last year.

Several of the state's top players hailed from the west side, including Kevin Grady Jr. (East GR), Terrance Taylor (Muskegon), and Andrew Hawken (Grandville).

Better teams? Not a chance.

Seven of the 8 MHSAA state champions came from teams in the West All Star Region. Only Division 7 champ Unionville Sebewaing hailed from the East All Star Region.

Four state champs hailed from the Muskegon and Grand Rapids area.

That is a big departure from just 10 years ago, when prep football fans on the west side of the state complained that the deck was stacked against them. That they couldn't compete against parochial schools which "recruited" the best athletes to play for them or public schools that drew from a larger population than their school did.

I don't hear as many of those laments now. Instead, those same allegations are leveled against the successful public school programs on the west side.

FOOTBALL IS BOOMING IN AND AROUND THE FURNITURE CITY

Outside of possibly the Detroit Catholic Schools League, the best football in the state of Michigan is being played in and around the metro Grand Rapids area, where people, like moths, gravitate toward the glow of Friday night lights.

Take the village of Hopkins for instance. Hopkins is a rural town roughly halfway between Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo. In Hopkins, they love football and they have had a lot of success under Rex Weaver, who has steered the ship for more than two decades.

Weaver and his Vikings have tripped to the Silver Dome – the site of the MHSAA finals until this season when the prep finals will move to Ford Field – twice in the last six seasons.

In 1999 everybody in Hopkins made the trip to Pontiac. In fact there was a sign at the edge of town that read:

That's just football in a small town. Speaking of which, townsfolk from the Class C powerhouse Ravenna surround the bell in the West end zone of their stadium when despised rival Muskegon Oakridge comes to town. There is no way they are going to let any Oakridge fan ring the bell after the game.

Again, that's football in a small town. But the football frenzy on the west side of the state isn't limited to sparsely populated villages like Hopkins and Ravenna.

Grandville, which gave MSU freshman linebacker Andrew Hawken, has a student body around 2,000 students.

The Bulldogs are proud of their football, and they are typical of the schools in the O-K Red conference. Large crowds are always present, home or away.

Jim Comparoni and I were at Grandville's home opener against Lowell to watch 2007 MSU commit Keith Nichol play.

Comp shot a ton of film at Grandville before turning to me and saying, "you know this is the most people I can remember seeing when I was at a high school football game."

Grandville can pack in the fans and there were quite a few on that night. But it was an average night at best in the O-K Red.

Rockford, Hudsonville, Jenison, Kentwood, and Muskegon all pack the fans in. But nobody packs the fans in like Lowell.

Last year, during Nichol's sophomore year, Lowell had more than 12,000 in attendance to watch the Red Arrows dismantle Kevin Grady Jr. and East Grand Rapids. Two massive bleacher sections had to be shipped in to accommodate visiting fans. And that still wasn't enough as prep football fans stood on the track surrounding the field.

Football has become a religion in Lowell. The town can't get enough of their Red Arrows. It has been that way for some time, long before the arrival of Nichol, Mike Koster, and Mark Catlin to name a few.

I am not saying that the east side doesn't have good football or loyal fans. Because it does have good football and good fans. And it's had those things for a long time.

But West Michigan has finally caught up. The players know it, the fans know it, and the communities are embracing their programs because of it.

Football in GR and Muskegon is from top to bottom as good as it has been in a long time. And everybody in town seems to be enjoying the ride.

Lowell kicker Ben Hanson was warming up near the South end zone at Memorial Field before Friday's rivalry game between the Red Arrows and East Grand Rapids.

None of the uprights have nets behind them. Hanson was kicking through the uprights and into stand of temporary bleachers that had been trucked in for Friday's game. When Hanson, a converted soccer player, got a good foot into the ball it sailed over the bleachers and into an adjacent parking lot.

One gentleman sitting near the top row of the bleachers was clearly disgusted that the warm up kicks were clanging off of parked cars. But his disgust turned to childlike delight when he realized that most of the parked cars belonged to East Grand Rapids fans.

That's just the nature of the rivalry.

That same fan took it the hardest when his No. 1 ranked Red Arrows (Division 2) couldn't hang on to a 21-10 lead and fell 25-21 to No. 1 ranked East Grand Rapids (Division 3).

The Red Arrows had a chance pull off what could have been the game-winning drive for Lowell in the fourth quarter. But time ran out on Nichol and company, as the clock hit double zero on the East Grand Rapids 18-yard line.

Rivalries mean the most to players who have had family members involved in the rivalry. Those players seem to have an acute awareness of just how important those rivalries can be to a student body, a school, and an entire community.

East Grand Rapids' Kelvin Grady watched his big brother Kevin take part in the rivalry for years before becoming part of it himself. In his third EGR-Lowell game the younger Grady proved himself a difference.

"We didn't take care of the business we needed to take care of," said Lowell coach Noel Dean. "That is the reality of the situation. East Grand Rapids did a great job tonight. And Kelvin Grady was very good.

"I mean this as a compliment, so he can take this affectionately, but I am just sick of the Grady's," Dean said. "Every year it's just; Oh my goodness. The kid is just like … You know, we had him bottled in most of the game, and then he just cranks it up. Very nice job."

Grady rushed for 176 yards and two touchdowns. He also lined up as the slot receiver on several occasions. He grabbed three receptions for 35 yards.

Nichol finished with 75 yards rushing and 144 yards passing. The Michigan State commit was 9 of 18 through the air with one touchdown pass. He rushed for another score.

"This game had the feel of state championship," said Pioneer standout Patrick Lavoie. "Every play felt so important, like the outcome of the game was riding on it. It was emotional and exhausting."

The rivalry means a lot to the players and coaches on both sides. Dean considers himself lucky to be part of it.

"There are a lot of kids in the state of Michigan missing out on a great opportunity," said Dean, "and that's the Lowell-East football game because it's a fun one."

Lowell entered the contest riding a two-game winning streak in its storied rivalry with East Grand Rapids. Last year Lowell beat EGR at Red Arrow Stadium before beating the Pioneers once again at a neutral during the Division 3 playoffs.

The team that wins the Lowell-East GR game usually wins the O-K White conference championship. At least that is how it has played out in recent history.

The only thing disappointing about the 61st Annual Boys Bowl was the attendance. I know it was on a Sunday, but who could resist venturing to beautiful Ford Field to check out six of the finest Catholic League teams in a gorgeous venue like Ford Field.

Don't tell me it was because the Lions were on TV either. Besides, Birmingham Brother Rice and Orchard Lake St. Mary's could probably beat the hapless Lions at this point.

The nicest thing about watching a game at Ford Field is realizing that it will be the home for the MHSAA Finals this fall.

This move should have come a lot sooner in my opinion. The Silver Dome was a dump. And don't talk to me about contracts because the MHSAA doesn't sign a contract unless there are plenty of outs. They dragged their feet on moving the football finals just like they dragged their feet on moving the ice hockey finals out of the Flint IMA Center a few years back.

The IMA Center was bad, with its leaking pipes and power outages, not to mention the rat infestation and problem with bats. The Silver Dome was almost as bad.

En route to a press conference at the Silver Dome last year I bumped into a large cardboard box. Wayne Fontes popped out and told me to stay off his property.

Sorry.

Ford Field is the perfect place to watch high school football. It smells brand new; I guess not enough drunks with the spins have spilled liquid cheese onto the floor while trying to slather nachos. That day will come.

BROTHER RICE IS NO. 1

I wondered if Brother Rice was worthy of the No. 1 ranking in Division 2 before I saw the Warriors in person. This is one good team with a good defense.

I know Detroit Catholic Central is down a little bit. But they were down last year too and Brother Rice still had to scrap its way to a 16-14 win. This year it was no contest, as Brother Rice cruised to a 28-7 victory.

Senior Matt Pickens led the way with three interceptions, two of which he returned for touchdowns.

Michigan State commit Charlie Gantt had a fine day against arch rival DCC. He caught a long touchdown pass and was a force on the defensive line. He was also an excellent run blocker for Cincinnati commitment John Goebel.

U- D Jesuit picked up big victory Sunday with a 35-28 upset of Warren De La Salle.

U-D Jesuit improved to 4-0 on the year with Sunday's victory over the No. 8 team in Division 2.

The Cubs pulled off the upset with one of the best three-back rotations in the state. Junior Joe Thompson led the way with 129 yards. Sophomore George Winn added 98 yards on six carries. Chuck Wasson rushed for 89 yards on 10 carries. Each scored a touchdown against De La Salle.

Jesuit couldn't have pulled off the upset without the defensive play of outside linebacker Ian Conyers.

Conyers, a Michigan State recruit, had 5 tackles, 1 QB pressure, 1 pass knock down and 1 forced fumble against De La Salle.

It should be noted that the 6-foot-0 183-pound Conyers is one of the state's fastest athletes. He clocked a 4.3 40 at the NIKE Camp in Ann Arbor.

Conyers is being recruited as a safety. This year he plays outside linebacker. Last year he played defensive end.

His stats on Sunday were impressive because he only plays one side of the field for the Cubs. Most teams try to funnel plays away from Conyers' side of the field.

He is good.

Eastern Michigan is the only school to offer him a scholarship. But that could change quickly as more teams get his game film. Conyers is a sleeper that could blossom into something special.

He reminds me of former Grand Rapids Creston safety Terna Nande, who was about the same size as Conyers during his final season with the Polar Bears.

Nande, incidently, was a low priority for the Michigan State staff in Bobby Williams' final recruiting class. Now the All-MAC linebacker is a good bet to get drafted. Nande had speed. So does Conyers.

Conyer's is ranked the No. 42 safety nationally by Rivals.com. Spartanmag.com ranks Conyers No. 13 in Michigan for the class of 2006.

Brother Rice is the No. 1 team in Division 2 until proven otherwise. But Orchard Lake St. Mary's might be the team to prove otherwise.

Last season OLSM knocked off the Warriors during playoff action. The two teams are on a collision course once again. They could face each other as many as three teams this season if the stars are aligned correctly.

The Eaglets showed their toughness with a 42-6 victory over rival Dearborn Divine Child. And they have the skill players to give any team in Division 2 a headache.

St. Mary's racked up nearly 350 yards of total offense against Divine Child.

The Eaglets star players were receiver Taurean Washington and defensive back Dionte Allen, both of whom had long returns for touchdowns.

Allen, one of the top juniors in the state, also picked off two passes by Divine Child quarterback Matt Forystek. He returned one of those interceptions for a touchdown.

MSU is battling to break into the OLSM-to-UM pipeline in its recruitment of Allen. The long-striding Washington looks like a future blue chipper.

Forystek completed 14 of 25 passes for 199 yards and a touchdown. He had three interceptions and was sacked three times.

Forystek had very little time to throw because of constant blitzing from OLSM. When he did get time he showed good arm strength.

He is ranked the No. 21 player in his Class by Spartanmag.com.

Spartanmag.com will be attending Traverse City West's game against undefeated Gaylord Friday Night. West's only loss this season came against No. 1 ranked Rockford. We will also have the very latest on 2005 MSU commit Eric Gordon including video clips from Friday's game .