Division 1 Regional Final Preview

The excitement just keeps building. This year's D1 regional finals could go either way. Seriously, there's no consensus favorite in any of these games. From Hudsonville to Romeo, let's take a look at all four regional matchups this week.   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Region 1</h2>   East Kentwood @ Hudsonville   I'm seeing a lot of deserved praise for Hudsonville, and a few people saying they're the only West Michigan team capable of advancing to the State Championship. On the flip side, I've seen very little excitement for East Kentwood.   Are we forgetting that Hudsonville needed a Hail Mary to defeat East Kentwood last time around? Yes, Hudsonville is the favorite, as they've been absurdly good at winning close games in the past two seasons. Though East Kentwood has taken a massive jump this season, and they handled the KLAA Champion Howell last week.   My take: 60/40 in favor of Hudsonville. Then, whoever wins this game will have a 40% chance of winning next week. Let's take a look at a few game-changers for this game.   East Kentwood DT J.R. Jones   J.R. is having a huge season and recently earned an elite D2 offer from Ferris State. Last season, I thought East Kentwood needed to improve in the trenches more than anything. J.R. is a big season why they're winning in the trenches this season, and a big reason why this defense has looked even better than last year. If J.R. plays well, he'll keep the Hudsonville offense one-dimensional.   Hudsonville DB [player_tooltip player_id='1049451' first='Tyler' last='Strick']   One of the most improved players for Hudsonville is facing off against an elite group of receivers. We know that Tyler is a plus-level athlete. I hope to see Tyler use that athletic ability to play fast and decisively each and every down. I know that Tyler is going to be a good cover corner, but if he can also play well when he's given the freedom to rush the passer and stop the run, Hudsonville will be in great shape.   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Region 2</h2>   Detroit Catholic Central @ Clarkston   The headliner this weekend. If you're a casual High School football fan and want to attend the biggest game this week, here it is. Most consider this game a coin flip, as do I. Detroit Catholic Central has been a consensus top 3 team for pretty much all year, but Clarkston has been top 10 all season, and they're currently playing their best ball of the season. This might be the best game in the entire D1 bracket. Winner of this game has an amazing oppurtunity at Ford Field.   Detroit CC RB [player_tooltip player_id='1225760' first='Cedric' last='Williams']   For most of the season, CC had the talent to find offensive production anywhere. They could run, they could pass, trick plays, etc. This time around, balance is going to be important. You can't afford to be one-dimensional against Clarkston, and establishing the run game will be a priority. Behind the CC offensive line, Cedric should be able to find production. Honestly, I expect him to, and I think CC needs him to produce in order to take down Clarkston.   Clarkston OG Zach Radlick   I don't know if Radlick has ever faced such a high-calibre defensive line. Two Power 4 prospects on the IDL, and Radlick is going to need to be locked in. This dude has done nothing but work for the past 3 or so years, and I'm confident that Zach will be able to do what's necessary to protect his QB, and block in the run game. Very curious to see how Zach fares for all four quarters.   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Region 3</h2>   Cass Tech @ Saline   It seems like people heavily favor Cass Tech in this one. Saline was a consensus top 5 program preseason, but they've been pretty unlucky with injuries and have fallen a bit. Still, Saline has incredible talent on both sides of the ball, and they're closer to Ford Field than I've ever seen them.   I'd give Saline more of a chance if they weren't going up against Cass Tech. This is a team that always plays its best ball in the postseason. A boatload of talent, extremely competitive, and they're too experienced to fold when it matters most. If I had to put a percentage on it, I'd say Cass Tech has an 80% chance of advancing to the semifinals.   Saline QB [player_tooltip player_id='568192' first='Tommy' last='Carr']   Tommy is the obvious #1 prospect to watch for Saline. A 2026 QB that just kept on improving, and he's in the midst of an incredibly successful, productive season. He's seeing the field amazingly. In order for Saline to win, Tommy needs to have a highly efficient game. I'm talking zero turnovers, and helping Saline get out to an early lead.   Cass Tech LB [player_tooltip player_id='1157446' first='Collin' last='Sumpter']   Sumpter has an opportunity to take away so much of what Saline is good at. The run game is already compromised with the starting RB being out. Cover ground and stop the run, and you've got an excellent chance at beating Saline. Additionally, Collin is one of the better linebackers in pass coverage. High-end athletic ability, and again, can cover a ton of ground. Huge piece of the Cass Tech defense, and no greater game than the one in front of them.   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Region 4</h2>   Romeo @ Rochester Adams   Another incredibly balanced regional final. Back in week 1, Adams steamrolled Romeo 39-7. But, if I've learned anything about the postseason, it's that early-season matchups do NOT matter. Romeo just demolished Dakota in the District Finals, and played Grand Blanc extremely tough a couple of weeks ago.   Adams is extremely battle-tested. They're used to playing quality playoff opponents on a weekly basis. I give Adams the slight advantage just because they're at home. In reality, this is a toss-up.   Adams QB [player_tooltip player_id='566987' first='Ryland' last='Watters']   One of the last extremely good Class of 2026 QBs still alive in the postseason. When fully healthy, Ryland is an incredibly dangerous dual-threat QB. He runs it more than just about anyone, and it's by design. He fits the Adams offense incredibly well, and he's got an excellent shot to lead Adams to a state championship, just as the last QB did. Just like Tommy, I'm just looking for good decision making and efficiency.   Romeo LB [player_tooltip player_id='1398320' first='Antonio' last='LaLama']   Linebacker play is always incredibly important against a veer team like Adams. You know Adams is going to run the ball, and you need linebackers who can come downhill and attack for all four quarters. I'm not sure how Antonio did during week 1, but I absolutely know that he's more prepared in November than he was in August.

The excitement just keeps building. This year's D1 regional finals could go either way. Seriously, there's no consensus favorite in any of these games. From Hudsonville to Romeo, let's take a look at all four regional matchups this week.