Week 2 Rapid-Fire Rundown

Week 2 is in the books! Of course, we've got our eyes glued to every result in Michigan. Here are my lightning-quick thoughts on 53 games from across Michigan.   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Ranked Matchups</h2>   #1 Cass Tech defeats #14 Grandville, 31-28 (OT)   An absolute thriller. From what I've heard, Grandville controlled the pace of this game. [player_tooltip player_id='206418' first='Jayden' last='Terry'] and <a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/darrione-hardiman/">[player_tooltip player_id='1613647' first='Darrione' last='Hardiman']</a> lead the way for Grandville. The Cass Tech offense struggled early on. At the end, a strange "penalty?", ball gets moved back, Cass Tech stops Grandville on 4th. Weird game.   #2 Detroit Catholic Central defeats Toledo Central Catholic, 27-14   A big statement win from Detroit Catholic Central. Toledo Central Catholic looked great against Cass Tech last week. A win for DCC here makes me supremely confident in them moving forward.   #3 OLSM defeats Toledo St. John's, 42-10   An expected win for St. Mary's. Looking forward to their showdown against De La Salle next week, then I'll be at their game against DCC.   #12 Davison defeats #4 De La Salle, 23-21   A back-and-forth brawl. Both teams countering the other. From what I hear, Davison had a nice day running the football. That seems to have been the difference.   #25 Harper Woods defeats #5 Clarkston, 27-21   Clarkston was up 21-0 in this game. Huge props to Harper Woods for coming back to win this one. Beat Clarkston, and I beleive you can beat anyone.   Archnishop Hoban (OH) defeats #6 Detroit MLK, 23-21   Detroit MLK falls against an extremely tough Ohio program. They'll be OK. I personally won't dock them for the loss here. Super excited to see this team face off against the tougher Michigan teams on the schedule.   #7 Saline defeats Ann Arbor Skyline, 50-0   While some programs were in high-stakes brawls, Saline coasted to win against AA Skyline. They should continue to coast during the regular season, aside from their Week 4 matchup against Dexter.   #8 Hudsonville defeats East Lansing, 37-6   Very telling for both programs. Hudsonville still looks great. How great? Well, the OK-Red will answer that.   #9 Grand Blanc defeats Carman-Ainsworth, 56-6   A huge showcase of Grand Blanc's offensive firepower. Expected result. I'm expecting Grand Blanc to take care of business until their matchup against Davison in week 8.   #10 Dakota defeats L'Anse Creuse North, 30-0   Another expected result. I like Dakota, but still don't know exactly what to make of this team. The entire MAC Red seems a bit "down" from what we're used to. Still, league play will tell us a lot about this Dakota squad.   #11 Rochester Adams defeats Rochester, 31-3   Adams rolls what I think is a solid Rochester team. Look out for Adams- they're always a super consistent team.   #13 DeWitt defeats #41 Mason, 44-37   DeWitt was up huge in this game until Mason started to storm back. Not quite enough time for Mason. Upset avoided by DeWitt. Super curious to see the ceiling of these two teams- still don't know exactly how to feel about them after an elite 2025 senior class.   #15 Zeeland West defeats West Ottawa, 28-24   Zeeland West wins on a Hail Mary. Hats off to West Ottawa. I may have to watch some of this game on NFHS. We'll have to see if this is an anomaly or not! Time will tell.   #16 Dexter defeats Monroe, 48-7   Dexter is rolling. They should roll until their matchup against Saline. If the bracket shapes out the same as last year (different side than Groves, OLSM), I feel Dexter has an amazing opportunity to reach Ford Field.   #37 Oxford defeats #17 Groves, 24-21   I strongly considered attending this matchup. In retrospect, I wish I had. I was curious to see if Oxford would take a step back following their head coach going to the NFL. Doesn't seem like Oxford has lost a step. As for Groves, this makes league play a lot more interesting, especially considering how well Stoney Creek and Harper Woods have looked.   #30 Lumen Christi defeats #18 Notre Dame Prep, 54-34   A bit of a shocker in my opinion. I was a tad lower on Lumen Christi than consensus, but not anymore. They reload so dang well. Putting up 54 on Notre Dame Prep is a massive accomplishment! For ND Prep, they'll be fine. Absolutely a playoff team, but a few more tests this season. Next week against Carlson should be awesome.   #19 East Kentwood defeats #21 Byron Center, 43-14   This was a beatdown. Last season, I thought East Kentwood was a very talented team, but lacked the offensive and defensive lines to make a big postseason run. Those two units are MASSIVELY improved. I was especially impressed by EK's defensive front 7. I feel that EK can stand toe to toe against anyone in the state. Really looking forward to OK-Red play.   Byron Center is still a great team, but they have some holes. Last season, they were able to run a variety of plays, give the defense a number of different looks, and succeed with practically whatever they wanted to do. Last night, they didn't have that luxury. EK did a great job exploiting their weaknesses.   #20 Rockford defeats #28 Muskegon, 30-26   A thriller in Muskegon. The Big Reds were up big in the first half, but Rockford came storming back in the second half. Muskegon is back to its option scheme and is reportedly doing very well when everyone is on the field. Rockford is prone to mistakes, but they seem to execute when playing simple, mistake-free football.   #22 Mona Shores defeats #32 River Rouge, 16-6   A great win for Mona Shores against a promising River Rouge squad. I'm very interested in seeing how both teams develop throughout the season. Both programs are very talented and should be extremely dangerous come playoff time.   #23 Howell defeats salem, 35-20   A solid win for Howell. Still don't exactly know how this 2025 Howell squad compares to the legendary 2024 team. Looking forward to this week's matchup against Northville- should be telling for both teams.   #24 IKE defeats L'Anse Creuse, 33-7   What is IKE's ceiling this year? Like a lot of these teams, nobody really knows yet. This was an expected win for IKE, and I'm looking forward to MAC Red play.   #26 Belleville defeats Fordson, 28-12   Really hard to gauge both teams. Neither team performed well during week 1. This week should serve as a nice reset, at least for Belleville. These two teams should only improve as the season goes on.   #27 Goodrich defeats Lapeer, 21-14   A close win for Goodrich. Lapeer could be legit this season- I know they have some playmakers. Lapeer could get into the playoff and make some noise if they're actually a similar team to Goodrich.   #29 Unity Christian defeats Schoolcraft, 40-19   Unity Christian lost a lot in their class of 2025, but they still look great. The State Champ favorites for much of 2024 are making a case again this season. UC always schedules tough teams, and I'm looking forward to future games against FHE, Zeeland West, Notre Dame Prep, and others.   Schoolcraft is also a great small-school program. A contender last season, and should be in play for another playoff run this season.   #31 Walled Lake Western defeats North Farmington, 31-28   A great measuring stick game for both programs. Walled Lake Western was the favorite, and they do get it done. Looking ahead, they'll be favorites throughout the rest of the regular season. The next real tests should come during the postseason.   North Farmington is now my favorite to win the OAA Blue. Going toe-to-toe with Walled Lake Western is something few OAA programs have done.   #33 Grosse Pointe South defeats Romeo, 21-18   A good win for GPS against what is almost always a super good Romeo defense. Although Romeo lost, I like that they held this GPS offense to only 21 points.   #34 West Bloomfield defeats Southfield A&T, 37-0   I'm excited to see how West Bloomfield's offense performs against OAA Red opponents. Always a fun team to watch.   Southfield A&T has a brutal schedule this season. Tough loss to a great West Bloomfield team. Hopefully Southfield can build throughout the season.   #35 Northville defeats Plymouth, 35-15   The expected result. VERY curious to see the outcome of next week's matchup between Northville and Howell!   #36 Portage Central defeats Forest Hills Central, 41-0   A big-time beatdown for Portage Central. This team looks legit. A few elite dudes. One of, if not the best off-ball linebacker in Michigan, an up-and-coming LB/RB, and more. Look out for Portage Central!   I still think FHC is a good team. I beleive this is a matter of Portage Central being THAT good.   #38 Carlson defeats Edsel Ford, 68-0   A nice, dominant win for Carlson. Not a big test for them. For Edsel Ford, I hope they can regoup and learn from the loss.   #39 GR Catholic Central defeats St. Thomas More (CAN), 35-10   Grand Rapids Catholic Central looks great this season (I know, shocker). All signs point toward this team being much improved compared to the 2024 squad. Another State Championship incoming?   #40 Divine Child defeats Lake Fenton, 35-0   Divine Child is rolling. A relatively young squad that is clicking on all cylinders right now. Could Divine Child get to Ford Field this year?   #42 GR Northview defeats Vicksburg, 23-21   I expected GR Northview to win this one. Love their QB, and love their skill players. I admit, I didn't know Vicksburg was this strong of a team. They went toe to toe with a really good team and were a play away from winning. I absolutely need to look into Vicksburg!   Stoney Creek defeats #43 Lake Orion, 29-20   A phenomenal win for Stoney Creek. Love some of the pieces on this team. Considering this win, I'd gander that they're a pretty well-rounded squad.   Lake Orion needs to regroup next week against Rochester. I'm confident they will. Then, the big tests begin against the OAA Red.   #44 Roseville defeats Anchor Bay, 30-7   A great all-around day for Roseville. Offense clicked, defense clicked. Anchor Bay is no slouch- I expect to see some more Ws this season for them.   #45 Brother Rice defeats UofD Jesuit, 35-7   Brother Rice looks like the most improved team this season! I know UofD Jesuit has a handful of great players- they should be able to bounce back.   #46 Brighton defeats Canton, 48-0   A much-needed confidence boost for Brighton after last week's loss to Dexter. The offense finally clicked, and I hope they can ride the momentum into league play.   #48 Frankenmuth defeats Swan Valley, 21-14   Both of these teams are typically very tough. Of course, Frankenmuth has the recent trip to Ford Field, but Swan Valley also has that kind of potential. Two teams that should learn a lot from Week 2.   #49 Lowell defeats Mattawan, 49-20   I'm very excited about Lowell this season. I was blown away by how fundamentally sound they played when I watched them last season. A win against a recently great Mattawan program makes me very confident for the rest of the season.   Mattawan has now fallen to two great programs. I'm not too worried about them- they'll bounce back.   #50 Niles defeats Stevensville Lakeshore, 16-0   Always happy to see a shutout. Only 16 points is a tad surprising, though. I have high expectations for Niles this season- I feel their ceiling is similar to that state championship team last season.   Lakeshore is an interesting team. No moral victories, but I am happy with only giving up 16 to Niles.   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Other Notable Games (And Rankings Watch List?)</h2>   West Catholic defeats Coopersville, 34-0   A great argument for West Catholic being a top 50 team in the state. This is a phenomenal-looking win for them. Coopersville has been struggling mightily so far this season- let's hope they can rebound.   Jenison defeats Forest Hills Northern, 23-7   The whole OK Red should take notice. We know that Rockford, East Kentwood, Grandville, and Hudsonville are all high-end teams, and Jenison could join them. Love the direction of this program. This 3-score win against a big, physical FHN team gives me confidence that Jenison should be able to hang with the best of the OK Red.   Forest Hills Northern drops another tough one. Two really sneaky-good teams they've lost to. Next week, they have a chance to rebound against FHC, another team that has had its struggles.   Waterford Mott defeats Milford, 28-27   A very optimistic result for Mott! Last season was nothing short of a disaster. To beat Milford this season should be huge for this team's confidence.   Milford has some great playmakers. Love the ceiling of this team- they just have to keep on improving.   Monroe SMCC defeats Flat Rock, 36-20   Zero slouches here. Monroe SMCC and Flat Rock are sneaky state championship contenders. Monroe SMCC is honestly exceeding my expectations.   East Grand Rapids defeats South Christian, 21-0   A phenomenal rebound after the week 1 collapse against Lowell. A win against a phenomenal South Christian program is just what EGR needed heading into rivalry week.   South Christian will be alright. Their 2025 class was extremely talented, and this team is still learning. If not this year, I'm confident South Christian will contend for State Championships again this decade.   Seaholm defeats Avondale, 44-6   Congratulations to Seaholm head coach Jim DeWald for being the winningest head coach in Seaholm history! This was also a great confidence builder for the Maples. Every few years this programs seems to pop off for a massive playoff run. Could this be the year?   It's only two weeks, but Avondale has faced two familiar opponents, and they have not been competitive. I really hope they're able to regroup against OAA Gold opponents.   Zeeland East defeats Flushing, 14-13   Two sleeper teams. I know some people are pretty high on Zeeland East. Not all smooth sailing for the Chix, but no rebuild is. This should be a team that gets better and better throughout the season.   Flushing is a team that I'll keep an eye on. I don't love their Week 1 loss against AA Pioneer, but it looks like they've improved during week 2.   Livonia Franklin defeats Westland Glenn, 19-14   Another two sleeper teams.   Livonia Franklin is always solid. In a lot of close games every year. Last season, they dropped some of those. This season, they start out right with a 1-score game to a much improved Westland Glenn squad.   I like what I'm seeing from Westland Glenn this season. Some real playmakers.   Gaylord defeats Kingsley, 21-14   Two programs that always play tough. Every few years, these teams go deep in the postseason.   This score tells me that both programs are solid this season. Gaylord was a sneaky-good team last season. Beating Kingsley makes me very excited about their potential this season. On the other hand, Kingsley will be just fine. Always a great program, and they'll probably play their best ball in the postseason.   Traverse City St. Francis defeats Ogemaw Heights, 42-22   I really like both programs this season. St. Francis and Ogemaw Heights are on my State Championship radar. Considering the score of this one, I like TC St. Francis even more.   Caledonia defeats Reeths-Puffer, 56-21   Love the Caledonia offense getting going. If they can repeat this offensive performance, then look out!   I'd love to see RP regroup and rebound in the coming weeks. I beleive in this program to build.   Traverse City West defeats Grand Haven, 32-14   A great win for Traverse City West. A 10-point loss to Howell last week was honestly better than I expected. Then, a 3-score win against Grand Haven only solidifies my optimism for Traverse City West. They have a few tests this season, but I feel that TC West is a playoff-calibre team this season.   Grand Haven is still a promising team. Some great pieces. I'm not sure if [player_tooltip player_id='1327723' first='Andrew' last='Willemsen'] played (I know he missed week 1). Regardless, this team should have the O-Line and RB to deal damage in the OK Red. They have a significant test at home against Rockford this coming week.   Sterling Heights Stevenson defeats Utica, 21-7   A lot of people are high on Sterling Heights Stevenson. They haven't broken into the top 50 yet- they very well could this week, and they have an amazing shot if they beat a ranked opponent.

Week 2 is in the books! Of course, we've got our eyes glued to every result in Michigan. Here are my lightning-quick thoughts on 53 games from across Michigan.