MHSAA Playoff Preview: Division 1, District 1

The MHSAA football playoffs are here, and unlike any other year before, everyone makes the playoffs this season. Six teams from the OK Red, Union representing the OK Green, and Traverse City West from the Big North Conference will compete to win District 1 in the Division 1 State Playoffs. Below I’ll break down each first-round game, including the top prospects, key matchups, as well as my predictions. Let’s get into it. <img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-65496" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/redzone/uploads/2020/10/MHSAA-Playoffs-D1D1-300x300.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="300" /> <h5>West Ottawa (0-5) @ Rockford (4-0)</h5> <strong><em>Top Prospects</em></strong> <h6>[player_tooltip player_id="29812" first="Blake" last="Bosma"], WR, West Ottawa</h6> Bosma has been one of the most targeted wideouts in the state this season and for good reason. The senior standout has good size and makes consistent plays after the catch. He’s garnered Division I interest throughout the past two seasons and should be at the top of Rockford’s scouting report for Friday’s game. <h6>[player_tooltip player_id="54861" first="Zak" last="Ahern"], QB, Rockford</h6> Zak has led Rockford to an undefeated regular season by the plays he’s made with both his arm and legs. He’s a known threat to run the ball and has the quickness to bust a big gain at any given time. A big upside in Zak’s game is his composure and ability to read the field. His steady demeanor has been instrumental to the Ram’s success. <h6>Ben Tadych, LB, Rockford</h6> Ben has been the leader of the Rams defense all season, helping Rockford keep opponents under 13 points per game. Ben does a great job of keeping the play in front of him and meets the ball carrier at or near the line of scrimmage with regularity. <em><strong>Key Matchups</strong></em> West Ottawa was the only team to score 20 points on the Rams this season, due in large part to their passing attack featuring wideout [player_tooltip player_id="29812" first="Blake" last="Bosma"]. The Panthers will need to capitalize on a number of big plays in order to pull off the upset. In years past, Rockford has relied heavily on it’s defense to carry them through games. That isn’t the case this year. They have the firepower to win in a shootout as well as the defense to grind one out the old fashion way. <em><strong>Prediction: Rockford 35, West Ottawa 20</strong></em> <h5>East Kentwood (2-3) @ Hudsonville (4-2)</h5> <strong><em>Top Prospects</em></strong> <h6>Branden Miller, QB, East Kentwood</h6> Standing at 6’5", Branden has a great frame, which he uses effectively to seek out targets across the field. Throughout the season, Branden has flashed his arm strength when throwing the ball on go-routes. He’s also done a nice job of fitting passes through tight windows in the middle of the field. <h6>Dylan Hayes, QB, Hudsonville</h6> Dylan has been one of the more consistent signal-callers in the OK Conference this season and his efficiency has helped lead the Eagles to a solid 4-2 record in arguably one of the toughest conferences in the state. He rarely gets rattled and processes plays faster than other quarterbacks at this stage. <h6>Dylan Ham, WR, Hudsonville</h6> Dylan has been the number one target for Hayes throughout the season due to his ability to make plays both in the short-yardage and in downfield passing opportunities. He high-points the ball well and has the physicality to go up and make a play over defensive backs. <em><strong>Key Matchups</strong></em> Hudsonville held off East Kentwood in week one, winning 21-13. Both offenses have the talent to put up big numbers and keep their teams in the game. Hudsonville may have a slight advantage in the trenches, which is often a deciding factor in the playoffs. Watch out for East Kentwood’s [player_tooltip player_id="29833" first="Kylon" last="Hunnicutt"], one of the fastest players in the state who has the ability to change the momentum of the game in the blink of an eye. <em><strong>Prediction: Hudsonville 26, East Kentwood 21</strong></em> <h5>Grand Haven (0-6) @ Grandville (5-1)</h5> <strong><em>Top Prospects</em></strong> [player_tooltip player_id="29760" first="Marcel" last="Love"], RB Grandville Marcel is an extremely shifty back who presents a lot of problems for the defense when he gets outside the tackle box. Marcel has another gear that opposing linebackers and defensive backs can’t keep pace with, which makes Marcel one of the most dangerous return specialists in the area. [player_tooltip player_id="29754" first="Cam" last="Terry"], RB, Grandville Through six games, Cam has rushed 63 times for 735 yards and 7 touchdowns, giving him a staggering 11.6 yards per carry. Running out of Grandville’s Winged-T, Cam does a great job of running behind his blocks, waiting for a crease to open, and then planting and exploding into the second-level of defenders. <em><strong>Key Matchups</strong></em> The Bucs have had a tumultuous year, having multiple games canceled due to COVID implications, and they never really found their footing. Grandville on the other hand has navigated its schedule rather seamlessly, only dropping its final game of the year and pseudo-OK Red championship to Rockford. I’m expecting Cam and Marcel to get the Grandville offense moving in a hurry on Friday night, on its way to the District semi-finals. <em><strong>Prediction: Grandville 42, Grand Haven 7</strong></em> <h5>Grand Rapids Union (1-5) @ Traverse City West (5-1)</h5> <strong><em>Top Prospects</em></strong> <h6>Brandon Konchek, QB, Traverse City West</h6> Brandon has a college-ready frame, standing at 6’4", and he also has a mobility factor which makes his size that more impressive. He has shown good arm strength and the ability to put touch on fade routes as well as zip on shorter passes in tight windows. Brandon has also shown he can throw accurately on the run, adding another dimension to his game. <h6>Tommy Stevens, QB, Grand Rapids Union</h6> Tommy has been a dynamic playmaker for Grand Rapids Union on a weekly basis, showing he can make plays in the passing and running game. His six-touchdown performance earlier in the season helped Union snap its 45-game losing streak. His ability to improvise on the run has helped Union put up a lot of points this year. <em><strong>Key Matchups</strong></em> Traverse City West dropped its first game of the season to rival Traverse City Central and has been perfect since. The Titans will look to wear down the Union defense with its dynamic offense that has averaged 40 points per game over the past five games. <em><strong>Prediction: Traverse City West 45, Grand Rapids Union 21</strong></em> &nbsp; &nbsp;