Buczek: Rivalries, Milestones Highlight Week 1
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Traverse City St. Francis Football
Traverse City St. Francis can claim its 500th win in program history with a victory over Marquette on Friday, Aug. 25, 2017.
Traverse City St. Francis can claim its 500th win in program history with a victory over Marquette on Friday, Aug. 25, 2017.
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Big Rapids Football
The Big Rapids football team kicked off its 2017 season with a morning practice session on Monday, Aug. 7, 2017.
The Big Rapids football team kicked off its 2017 season with a morning practice session on Monday, Aug. 7, 2017.
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3/16
Clare Football
The Clare football team held its traditional midnight practice early Monday morning.
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4/16
Pine River Football
Pine River enters 2017 after winning a Highland Conference and reaching the Division 6 state semifinals for the first time in program history.
Pine River enters 2017 after winning a Highland Conference and reaching the Division 6 state semifinals for the first time in program history.
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5/16
Cadillac Football
The Cadillac football team enjoyed a bounce-back season in their second year under coach Cody Mallory in 2016.
The Cadillac football team enjoyed a bounce-back season in their second year under coach Cody Mallory in 2016.
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6/16
Roscommon Football
The Roscommon football team is coming off one of its best seasons in more than a decade.
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7/16
Big Rapids Football
The Big Rapids football team kicked off its 2017 season with a morning practice session on Monday, Aug. 7, 2017.
The Big Rapids football team kicked off its 2017 season with a morning practice session on Monday, Aug. 7, 2017.
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8/16
Traverse City St. Francis Football
Traverse City St. Francis can claim its 500th win in program history with a victory over Marquette on Friday, Aug. 25, 2017.
Traverse City St. Francis can claim its 500th win in program history with a victory over Marquette on Friday, Aug. 25, 2017.
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9/16
Kalkaska Football
The Kalkaska football team has reached the playoffs in three of the last five seasons.
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10/16
Clare Football
The Clare football program opened its 2017 season on Sunday with its annual midnight practice.
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11/16
Kalkaska Football
The Kalkaska football team has reached the playoffs in three of the last five seasons.
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12/16
Pine River Football
Pine River enters 2017 after winning a Highland Conference and reaching the Division 6 state semifinals for the first time in program history.
Pine River enters 2017 after winning a Highland Conference and reaching the Division 6 state semifinals for the first time in program history.
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13/16
Big Rapids Football
The Big Rapids football team kicked off its 2017 season with a morning practice session on Monday, Aug. 7, 2017.
The Big Rapids football team kicked off its 2017 season with a morning practice session on Monday, Aug. 7, 2017.
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14/16
Mt. Pleasant Sacred Heart Football
Mt. Pleasant Sacred Heart has finished .500 or better each season since 2043.
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15/16
Mt. Pleasant Sacred Heart Football
Mt. Pleasant Sacred Heart has finished .500 or better each season since 2004.
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16/16
Grayling Football
The Grayling football team has made the postseason in consecutive years.
The 2017 high school football season kicks off this week, with the first games for many teams taking place Thursday and Friday.
From the Backyard Brawl between Beal City and Mt. Pleasant Sacred Heart to Traverse City St. Francis potentially earning its 500th win in program history, the opening week in northern Michigan is full of intriguing matchups.
Below is a breakdown of some of the top area games this week.
Thursday, Aug. 24
Roscommon (9-2 in 2016) at Grayling (7-4) – Roscommon won last year’s meeting, 20-14, for its first victory in the series since 2002. The Bucks are coming off their best season 2006, when they went 10-2, while the Vikings have made 11 postseason appearances since 2003, with only one losing record in that stretch.
Big Rapids (3-6) in 2016) at Cadillac (6-4) – This marks the fourth meeting between the two since 2014, with Cadillac winning two of the previous three meetings, including a 40-6 triumph in 2016. The Vikings made the playoffs for the seventh time since 2009 last year, while Big Rapids dropped its final three games last fall to finish 3-6. Cadillac is 30-22 against Big Rapids since 1950.
Clare (8-2 in 2016) at Ithaca (11-1) – The Pioneers almost pulled off the upset last year, falling late, 31-28. This is the fourth straight season the two teams have met, with Ithaca winning the previous three matchups. Clare returned to the playoffs last fall after a one-year absence, but will need to replace all-state quarterback Travis Vida.
Friday, Aug. 25
Beal City (7-4 in 2016) at Mt. Pleasant Sacred Heart (5-5) – The Backyard Brawl, these two teams have opened their seasons against one another every year since 2008. The Aggies have made the postseason in 17 consecutive seasons and have not lost to the Irish since a Division 8 district final in 2010. Sacred Heart hasn’t had a losing season since 2004, but the rivalry is in jeopardy, as all signs point towards the Irish moving to 8-player in 2018.
Pine River (9-4 in 2016) at Kalkaska (6-4) – Both teams are coming off historic seasons, with Pine River winning the Highland Conference and advancing to the state semifinals for the first time in program history, while Kalkaska started 2016 at 5-0 and made the playoffs for the fourth time. The Blazers won last year’s meeting, 21-18.
Marquette (1-8 in 2016) at Traverse City St. Francis (11-1) – This marks the third and final season that Traverse City St. Francis will open its year against Class A Marquette. The Gladiators have won decisively each of the last two years, winning 42-0 and 40-14, respectively. A win Friday will be No. 500 in varsity program history for St. Francis, which has gone 23-2 in the last two seasons.