Division 3 Playoff Preview
The playoffs are so close! Division 3 is more of an open field than I see anyone give credit for. The four regions will all be competitive, with regions 2 and 4 being the most talented. This article will fully…
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Continue ReadingThe playoffs are so close! Division 3 is more of an open field than I see anyone give credit for. The four regions will all be competitive, with regions 2 and 4 being the most talented. This article will fully outline the D3 playoffs and give insight into who the frontrunners are and who could make some surprise upsets.
Region 1
Frontrunner: Mount Pleasant
This could be MP’s year to make it to the semifinals. With DeWitt having a down year and others in this region being inconsistent, MP is the frontrunner, but not by much.
Top Competitors: DeWitt, Cadillac, Fenton
All of these teams have a shot to win this region. In general, this is the most balanced region.
DeWitti is usually a powerhouse, but this is a down year for them. Even so, you can’t count them out of winning the region.
Cadillac is inconsistent. They only lost to MP by 3 points, and they have a history of beating some great programs.
Fenton is a strong team. At 8-2, they absolutely have the talent to beat any team in Region 1.
Dark Horse: Linden, Haslett
Both of these teams can make an upset happen but are just a tad less talented than the top competitors. Linden lost against MP by a touchdown a week ago, while Haslett is a great team.
Longshot: Holly
This is the only longshot team I think may have a decent chance to pull off an upset, but even so, it’s extremely unlikely they run the gauntlet.
Best R1 Matchup: DeWitt vs. Cadillac
This should be a good one! If both bring their A-Game, this is a true toss-up. If I had to predict, DeWitt wins by less than a touchdown, because that would be such a Cadillac way to lose.
Region 2
Frontrunners: Zeeland West, Muskegon
These teams are so neck-and-neck that I couldn’t choose a frontrunner. When these two played earlier this season, Zeeland West took the W 38-36, but it was a legendary game. Still, these are the two clear frontrunners, and I expect these two to meet for a semi-final bid, and whoever makes it out of this region will very likely be favored in the semifinals.
Top Competitors: Cedar Springs, St. Joseph
These two teams can compete with the top two, but I honestly considered putting them in the Dark Horse category
Cedar Springs is an interesting team. A T-Wing offense, they hung around with River Rouge until the 4th-quarter but got smoked by Zeeland West, GRCC, and South Christian. Other than that, they’ve scored big and they always seem to have a great defense. The X-Factor for this team will always be the effectiveness of their offense.
St. Joseph mostly dominated all season but with an inferior strength of schedule to those above. I don’t feel like anyone knows what this team can do quite yet.
Dark Horse: East Grand Rapids, Lowell
East Grand Rapids is a team that started off slow, but they’ve been steadily improving all season. I can truly see them upsetting St. Joseph. Either way, this is a team that is on the up-and-up.
Lowell and EGR and near mirror images in terms of success. In fact, Lowell fell to EGR 14-15 a few weeks ago. It’s extremely unlikely they upset Zeeland West, but it wouldn’t be the craziest upset I’ve ever seen.
Longshots: None
Best R1 Matchup: St. Joseph vs. East Grand Rapids
I expect this to be a competitive game, and I’m extremely interested in seeing how these teams match up. I could see either team blowing out the other or either team securing a very close win.
Region 3
Frontrunner: Mason
Right off the bat, this was a really strange region to analyze. I know the least about the teams in this division, and this is a weaker region. Although a weaker region, Mason is the clear frontrunner and is a state championship contender. They burst onto the scene last season with a playoff win against Brother Rice, and they’re even better this year.
Top Competitors: Carlson
Carlson always seems to be a strong team. That is until they get to the postseason. That said, they are better on paper than most teams in Region 3, but I don’t think this is a state championship contender. This team lost to Anderson earlier this season, and I don’t think this team would win against Mason.
Dark Horse: Trenton, Huron, Anderson
Anderson is inconsistent. With a win against Carlson earlier in the season, there is some hope. They also lost to Trenton.
Trenton had a great season, with their only loss being to Carlson. This team knows how to win close games.
Huron is a very interesting team, and I’m excited to see their outcome against Carlson. I don’t know much about this team.
Longshots: Jackson, Parma Western, Sturgis
These teams are a tier below the Dark Horses. I don’t think these teams have much of a chance to winning this region.
Best R1 Matchup: Jackson vs. Parma Western
There are a lot of interesting matchups in this region, but Jackson vs. Parma Western should be especially good.
Region 4
Frontrunner: Detroit MLK
This is by far the most talented and competitive league, but Detroit MLK has to be the frontrunner. Don’t get me wrong, River Rouge, Brother Rice, and Walled Lake Western are nearly neck-and-neck, but I give this Dante Moore Dante Moore 6'2" | 210 lbs | QB Detroit King | 2023 State MI -led team a slight edge. This team has faced a tough schedule and faced multiple out-of-state opponents. This is the defending champion, and I think they’re the favorites to win this Region, but not by much.
Top Competitors: Brother Rice, Walled Lake Western, River Rouge
All three of these teams have a great chance to win this region, and whoever makes it out of the region will be the favorite over the Region 3 winner.
Brother Rice, as usual, scheduled one of the most difficult schedules in the state. At their best, they can beat anyone in the state (And I really mean anyone!) at their worst, they’re a great D3 team, but they wouldn’t compete with the best in this region. They have “good losses” against Dakota and Catholic Central, bad losses against East Kentwood and OLSM, and one incredible win against De la Salle. If we see peak Brother Rice, they could win this region and likely rematch against Mason in the semifinals.
River Rouge has been a dominant team all season, and there is a strong argument to be made that they could be the favorite to win this region. This team is very consistent, as they have dominant wins and three close losses against a few of the best teams in Michigan and one of the best teams in Ohio.
Walled Lake Western dominated all season, and will very likely play a legendary matchup with Brother Rice in Round 2. They have Weapons on both sides of the ball, and blew out some extremely good teams. This team can compete with anyone in D3.
Dark Horse: None
Longshots: Detroit Renaissance, Avondale, Allen Park, Grosse Pointe North
The difference between the top 4 teams in this region and the bottom 4 is insane. I honestly really like all of these teams, but I don’t think any of them have a chance at making it out of this region.
Top R1 Matchup: Detroit MLK vs. River Rouge
This may be the best Round 1 matchup in the state. Let the notes above speak for themselves; these teams are two of the best on the state, and whoever wins this one will be favored to win the state title moving forward.