Division 2 Regional Finals Preview
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Well. My rankings last week sucked. Honestly, these district championships proved just how tight the Division 2 pool is. We had teams way overperform my own expectations, teams way underperform, and everything in between. Now looking at Regional matchups, we…
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Continue ReadingWell. My rankings last week sucked. Honestly, these district championships proved just how tight the Division 2 pool is. We had teams way overperform my own expectations, teams way underperform, and everything in between. Now looking at Regional matchups, we should be looking at four insanely competitive games. This article will rank the remaining teams in Division 2 and I’ll be sharing my thoughts on every Regional Matchup.
D2 Rankings
We’re at a point where anyone can beat anyone. These rankings matter little in most matchups.
- De La Salle
- Muskegon
- Byron Center
- Waterford Mott
- Saginaw Heritage
- Roseville
- East Lansing
- Carlson
Region 1
#2 Muskegon vs. #5 Saginaw Heritage
Muskegon controlled the game, defeating Mona Shores 42-28. Heritage did the same, defeating Midland Dow 35-13
The Big Reds seem to be on course to return to Ford Field, being carried along by their massive senior class. For starters, the run-heavy offense poses a TD threat on every single play. The offensive line featuring 3+ future Division 1 college players alongside their three-headed monster in the backfield is extremely difficult to contain. No matter who Muskegon plays, they’re bound to have at least 1 touchdown go for 50+ yards. I expect the offense to have a good day against Heritage.
Saginaw Heritage was the most difficult team to rank. They have big wins against some solid teams, but the strength of schedule and recent playoff history isn’t on their side. Yet, I do think this is the best Heritage team we’ve seen in quite some time; better than their last few years. I don’t know how well the defense is going to be able to hold up, but I do expect the offense to go to work. If Heritage wants to win this game on the road, the offense will have to beat Muskegon in a track meet.
My Prediction: Muskegon Wins 42-28
Region 2
#7 East Lansing vs. #3 Byron Center
Both teams had statement wins last weekend. East Lansing dominated Lakeland, winning 35-7. Byron Center on the other hand pulled off one of the biggest upsets of the season; defeating Caledonia 31-28 on a last-second touchdown.
East Lansing showed up on all fronts last week, as Lakeland didn’t have the best day themselves. Running Back Jace Clarizio Jace Clarizio 6'0" | 190 lbs | RB East Lansing | 2025 State MI had himself a day as he totaled 185 yards and 3TDs. East Lansing also found a lot of success with a few screen passes, taking advantage of their good blocking receivers and Lakelands quarters coverage. In order to defeat Byron Center, East Lansing is going to have to pull out all the stops.
Major credit to Byron Center for executing a perfect gameplan to knock off who I thought was the #2 team in Division 2. Caledonia has multiple P5 potential players on their team, lots of experience, and proven success in big games. Even though Byron Center doesn’t have those blue-chip prospects, this is one of the most disciplined, well-coached programs in the state. This allows them to “punch up” and succeed against most opponents. You can look at East Lansing and point toward plenty of standout playmakers, but I’ll look to Byron Center and reference how they’ve shut down each team’s best players.
My prediction: Byron Center wins 35-29
Region 3
#4 Waterford Mott vs. #8 Carlson
Well, I picked both of these teams to lose last week. Oops.
I chose Seaholm to win over Mott because I perceived Seaholm to be more physical, deep, and executed, especially on offense. Mott’s defense proved me WAY wrong, as they only gave up 21 points to a strong Seaholm offense. I saw Mott gave up 34 or more points to the most high-powered offenses they faced this season, and I expected the defense to once again disappoint. I expected a shootout, but it turned out to be a pretty decisive victory for Mott. The defense really came to play, while the offense played just as expected. Mott is playing their best football right now, and I think they’ll win against Carlson.
Dexter defeated Allen Park 47-9. Carlson only defeated Allen Park by 2 points. Carlson defeated Dexter 27-23. I don’t blame myself for not thinking Carlson could win, but maybe I shouldn’t have wrote them off so quickly. RB Izaiah Wright Izaiah Wright 5'10" | 190 lbs | RB Gibraltar Carlson | 2026 State MI proved why he’s a Division 1 prospect, the defense showed up in some big spots, and the passing game was working well. If they’re able to get the same amount of production this weekend, they have a chance against Mott.
My prediction: Mott wins 31-21
Region 4
#1 De La Salle vs. #6 Roseville
Last season, De La Salle defeated Roseville 34-7 in the postseason. Two years ago, De La Salle defeated Roseville 45-14 in the postseason. These teams will meet yet again, and De La Salle is the favorite yet again.
De La Salle took care of UofD last weekend, but the score was a tad closer than you might expect. 25-6 is still a decisive victory, and UofD was playing very good football this year, but it goes to show that DLS has taken a step back from last season. Still, a step back for them is still a step ahead of everybody else. From the highlights I saw from the game, DLS played physical ground-and-pound football for much of the game, while taking some shots down the field when it made sense. I frankly expect De La Salle to beat Roseville in a similar fashion before beating Mott in the semis.
Roseville is playing some of their best football of the season. Last week, they beat a good Grosse Pointe South team that beat them earlier in the season by two scores. This team has several playmakers, but the entirety of the team is going to have to have a day in order to knock out the 2x defending state champion.
My prediction: De La Salle wins 38-19