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Posted September 30, 2009

The following is my column from the Wednesday, Sept. 30th edition of the Advertiser. There are many other things I could blog about right now (Lions winning, Tigers Pennant race), but we all know what is happening in the Statewide sports world. So, I've decided to go with this for this week's entry.

Can you believe that the high school football season is half over already? The weather is starting to turn, homecomings are springing up around the area and there are some very intense battles brewing in a few area conferences. Let’s start things off by taking a glance at what’s happening in the Tri-Valley East. Garber is clearly out in front, undefeated in the league at 3-0, 4-1 overall. But, what is more interesting are two other teams in the conference - North Branch and Caro. Millington, who at the midway point sits in second place at 2-1, will need some help from the Tigers and even rival Frankenmuth, if they hope to get their hands on a conference title this season. After already edging out North Branch in Week 4, Garber takes on Caro this week and travels to Frankenmuth on Oct.. 9. Or, things could get worse for the Cardinals. Millington still has to face two of the tougher teams in the conference this season in North Branch and Caro. The Broncos have really been the only other conference team to give Garber a close game this season. And really, in the grand scheme of things, North Branch could still take home the TVC East crown as well. Millington has proved once again that they are a force to be reckoned with in the conference after losing so much from their 2008 squad. However, they have also had their fallouts. The Cardinals red-zone offense struggled against Frankenmuth until the fourth quarter, when they rattled off 20 straight points, and again managed to reach the end zone only once against a good Garber squad. Caro still has a lot to battle through, but they will be the wrench that shakes up the conference standings this season. With big games left against Garber and Millington, anything could happen. Then there are Frankenmuth and North Branch, two teams under first-year head coaches Tim VanWormer and Pat Forster. The Eagles and Broncos are headed in the right direction, but still, both teams both face big challenges before the regular season is over. Here is the way I see the TVC East finishing up: 1. Garber, 2. Millington, 3. North Branch, 4. Birch Run, 5. Frankenmuth, 6. Caro, 7. Bridgeport. GAMES TO WATCH: Oct.. 2. - Garber at Caro; Oct.. 9 - Caro at Millington, Garber at Frankenmuth; Oct. 16. - Millington at North Branch.

In the Greater Thumb East, things are just as interesting as Brown City continues to shock their opponents on Friday nights. The Green Devils join Ubly as the only undefeated teams in the conference; however, let’s not forget that Brown City still has to face Ubly, Marlette and Sandusky in the upcoming weeks. With that being said, I think it is easy to say that Ubly is still the team to beat in the East. The Bearcats still have two interesting games on their schedule when they travel to Vassar this Friday and take on Brown City on Oct. 9. But still, Ubly has scored 219 already this season while holding their opponents to 82. What is more interesting is what will happen with Marlette and Sandusky. Will Marlette make the playoffs for the third straight year? Or, will they collapse? I think you can lock up the Raiders for yet another playoff appearance. Personally, with Harbor Beach, Deckerville, Brown City and Peck left to play, I’d be shocked if they didn’t win the remaining games on their schedule. Sandusky’s most intriguing matchup comes this week when they take on the Green Devils. After that, I think they chalk up another conference win against Harbor Beach, but they finish the season with two brutal non-conference games against BCAS and EPBP, which in my mind, leaves them just short of the playoffs. Here is the way I see the GTE shaking out: 1. Ubly, 2. Marlette, 3. Sandusky, 4. Brown City, 5. Deckerville, 6. Mayville, 7. Harbor Beach. GAMES TO WATCH: Oct.. 2 - Brown City at Sandusky; Oct.. 9 - Ubly at Brown City; Oct.. 16 - Marlette at Brown City.

In my mind, the champion of the Greater Thumb West will be determined by one game: EPBP vs. Reese. However, the Vassar Vulcans might have a thing or two to say about that after their big win over the Rockets last week. The Vulcans’ win really shook up the rest of the season for Reese, and now the Rockets’ game against EPBP becomes a must-win to take at least a share of the conference title. With BCAS, Bad Axe and Reese being the only conference games left for the Lakers, Reese is the only team that stands in the way. I think Vassar has the easiest conference schedule with games against USA and Cass City remaining. However, Cass City has seemed to have turned the corner and is playing its best football right now. Hopefully, they can keep their success alive long enough to reach the Vulcans on Oct.. 16. That would really shake things up. At this point in the season, I think it’s safe to say that EPBP will repeat as GTW Champs. But this time, Reese will be sharing the crown. Here is how I think the teams will fall in the GTW: 1. EPBP and Reese. 3. Vassar, 4. Cass City, 5. BCAS, 6. USA, 7. Bad Axe. GAMES TO WATCH: Oct. 9 - Reese at EPBP, Oct. 16 - USA at Reese (Sugar Bowl), Vassar at Cass City.

The NCTL was really shaken up this season with the departure of Owen-Gage, Akron-Fairgrove and CPS, but the usual suspects are still hanging out at the top of the conference standings. Memphis is 2-0 in the NCTL at the halfway point and looks to be losing no steam, holding their opponents to only 49 points this season. However, this week’s matchup with Dryden could be one that decides the 2009 conference champ. North Huron appeared to be a team that was creeping its way to the top until they were toppled by Peck last week. Now the Warriors rest in fourth place with only one conference game left, against Kingston. North Huron could have created a logjam at the top of the conference without that loss to Peck. However, now it is up to the Cardinals and Yellowjackets. Dryden needs a big win this week over Memphis to split the conference title. Here is how I think things will round out in the NCTL: 1. Dryden and Memphis. 2. North Huron, 3. Peck, 4. Kingston.

While we are on the subject, why don’t we talk a little eight-man football. From what I’ve heard, the buzz about the eight-man game is really split 50-50. Some people love it. They love the high scoring, tons of offense and not much defense. But mainly they love it because their school can still field a football team. The naysayers - they mostly dislike the game because it is not traditional football. It is too much scoring, not enough defense and just not the game of old. I, as a writer, think it’s great for the schools that are participating. However, I also think it becomes extremely difficult to include these schools in post-season awards, top ten polls and area leaders because their stats are through the roof. Anyways, here’s my two cents on the Mid-Michigan Eight Man Football League. Ann Arbor Eastern Washtenaw Multicultural seems to have this one all wrapped up. In their inaugural season, Ann Arbor has started off the season 4-0, 2-0 in the conference as they have yet to face CPS and the winless Michigan School for the Deaf, who is fielding their first team since 1986. Thus far, Ann Arbor has scored 236 points while holding their opponent to 174. And, with CPS falling to Owen-Gage in Week 5, Ann Arbor will coast to their first-ever league title in the first-ever season of eight-man football. Here is how I think things will finish in the eight-man world: 1. AA/Washtenaw, 2. CPS, 3. Owen-Gage, 4. Akron-Fairgrove, 5. Flint MSD. GAMES TO WATCH: Oct.. 9 - AA/Washtenaw at CPS, Akron-Fairgrove at Owen-Gage.