Division 1 District Finals Preview

The D1 District Finals are less than 24 hours away! The field has shrunk in half, and this week should bring some uber-competitive games. This article will explore my updated D1 rankings, and I'll share my thoughts on every game this weekend.   Updated Rankings   <ol> <li>Belleville (-)</li>   <li>Rockford (-)</li>   <li>Lake Orion (-)</li>   <li>Davison (-)</li>   <li>Southfield A&T (-)</li>   <li>Cass Tech (-)</li>   <li>Saline (-)</li>   <li>West Bloomfield (-)</li>   <li>Utica Eisenhower (-)</li>   <li>Chippewa Valley (-)</li>   <li>Detroit Catholic Central (+1)</li>   <li>Grandville (-1)</li>   <li>Northville (-)</li>   <li>Clarkston (+1)</li>   <li>Dakota (-1)</li>   <li>Grand Blanc (-)</li> </ol>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">District Finals</h2>   Region 1   #2 Rockford vs. #12 Grandville   Earlier this season, Rockford defeated Grandville 34-13   Rockford took care of West Ottawa with relative ease last weekend. Not much else to say about Rockford to be honest. Their biggest rivals come into town tomorrow, and they should take care of business.   Grandville drops down one spot in my rankings because of their first-round scare against Hudsonville. I've always thought this Grandville team could be great, but they are very inconsistent at times. They played on-par with #4 Davison for a whole half earlier this season, beat the breaks off of #16 Grand Blanc, won against the #2 team in D2 Caledonia, but let teams like West Ottawa and East Kentwood keep it close. Can Grandville defeat Rockford? Yes, but they'll have to play their best game of the season.   #4 Davison vs. #16 Grand Blanc   Earlier this season, Davison defeated Grand Blanc 35-21   Davison had a statement win last week, beating a good Lapeer team 76-35. This offense is looking great. The receiving core is among the best in the state with athletes like Buddy Banks-Williams, [player_tooltip player_id='603747' first='Braylen' last='Naves'], and others. The O-Line has looked great with [player_tooltip player_id='212356' first='Ben' last='Nichols'] anchoring that group. [player_tooltip player_id='602282' first='AJ' last='Hill'] is one of the most explosive running backs in the entire Midwest. I haven't even talked about all the players on defense! That said, I expect Davison to advance to the regional final this weekend.   Grand Blanc dominated Grand Ledge last week, but I still have them ranked #16. The offense has a ton of talent, and the defense has started to come along. In order for them to win this game, they'll have to get a few stops on D while leaning on their strengths (air attack) on offense.   Region 2   #13 Northville vs. #11 Detroit Catholic Central   This is an extremely intriguing matchup!   Northville bagged Brighton in the pre-district round, as expected. Shout out to WR [player_tooltip player_id='601928' first='Colin' last='Charles'] for a career day, as he caught 5 passes for 189 yards and 3TDs. He also ran for 82 yards. Time and time again this season, there have been Northville players that have stepped up to the plate and delivered in big games. Catholic Central will be their toughest test since they faced #1 Belleville. This is a winnable home matchup, so let's see how this plays out!   CC took care of Novi pretty easily. Like Northville, this is a well-rounded team that plays well in big games. Unlike Northville, CC has faced one of the toughest schedules in the state. Because of their good performances against a grueling schedule, I give them the edge in this game.   #1 Belleville vs. #7 Saline   Could Saline finally do it?   Belleville coasts into Districts. No shock. The well documented talent on this team is good enough to beat most big-school teams in the country. They can't sleepwalk against Saline and expect to win, but as long as they play their game, they will very likely advance.   It's [player_tooltip player_id='77217' first='CJ' last='Carr']'s Senior Season, and there's a bounty of talent surrounding him. Saline rolled though their conference, and their only loss was to #3 Lake Orion. Last season, Saline fell to Belleville in the Regional round 62-44. The offense should put up some points. If the defense is able to make a few stops, Saline has a chance to win in a shootout.   Region 3   #3 Lake Orion vs. #14 Clarkston   Earlier this season, Lake Orion defeated Clarkston 42-21.   It still feels strange to rank Lake Orion as the #3 team in Division 1, but they've surely earned it. Jumping from 4-5 last season to 10-0 so far this season, their immaculate season continues. They expectedly destroyed Oxford last week, and they face another OAA Red opponent this week. I'm quite excited to go back to the film and watch some of these big Lake Orion games after this season.   Clarkston surprised many, including myself, after beating Romeo 33-10. As inconsistent as this team has been this season, it's undeniable that their highs are extremely high. Clarkston is a bit of a dark horse to make a semifinal run this season. If they're able to upset Lake Orion, then they may have a chance to play West Bloomfield again, who they beat earlier this season.   #9 Utica Eisenhower vs. #8 West Bloomfield   Both of these teams have been red-hot all season. Looking at their common opponents, they look evenly matched.   Eisenhower has home field advantage in this game, and that will surely serve them well. They have some big wins against multiple still-standing teams such as Clarkston, Dakota, and Chippewa Valley. This team averages just 13PAPG, one of the best groups in the state. In order for them to win this game, they'll have to play more good defense against an explosive West Bloomfield offense.   West Bloomfield is once again knocking on the door of a deep playoff run. In fact, they could very well make the state championship this season. In order for them to do that, they've got to play mistake-free football. They've had great high points including wins against #10 Chippewa Valley and #5 Southfield A&T, but questionable moments like their loss to #14 Clarkston. In the past, those bad moments came from turnovers and lack of execution in the bigger moments. Let's see if they can get the job done here!   Region 4   #9 Chippewa Valley vs. #15 Dakota   Earlier this season, Chippewa Valley defeated Dakota 28-21.   After a shaky first 3 weeks, Chippewa Valley has gone on a 6-game winning streak. The offense is clicking, they have a D2 committed QB, several weapons, and a solid defense. The expectation is that Chippewa Valley rises to the occasion and wins this game.   Dakota is up there with some of the most inconsistent teams in Michigan. They have a great 8-2 record, but have a few very low points. Last week, they beat Lakeview 10-7, a game that should have easily been won. They also got shut out against Eisenhower earlier in the season; something you simply don't see Dakota do too often. At their best, Dakota could win this game. At their worst, they get demolished.   #5 Southfield A&T vs. #6 Cass Tech   These teams have met up quite a few times in the past few seasons, and every matchup has been extremely exciting. Week 1 of this season, Southfield A&T defeated Cass Tech 29-27. Like any year, this will be a battle of who wants it more.   A&T is home. [player_tooltip player_id='77216' first='Isaiah' last='Marshall'] is in his senior season, they have several weapons, a great O-Line, and a phenomenal defense on paper. Many said before this season that this could be Southfield's year, and it very well still could be. Though in the D1 playoffs you need to give it your all week in and week out. If receivers make plays and if the D-Line gets penetration like they did Week 1, A&T has a great shot.   Cass Tech, like any other team in year's past, has some elite players. [player_tooltip player_id='212358' first='Corey' last='Sadler'] continues to be one of the most electric playmakers in the country. [player_tooltip player_id='557747' first='Khalief' last='Canty'] is an elite tackle prospect, and several other young players are making a name for themselves.

The D1 District Finals are less than 24 hours away! The field has shrunk in half, and this week should bring some uber-competitive games. This article will explore my updated D1 rankings, and I'll share my thoughts on every game this weekend.