Michigan high school football: Niles earns first playoff bid since 2003

Tribune Staff Report
·3 min read
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Niles head coach Scot Shaw on the sidelines during the Buchanan-Niles high school football game on Thursday, September 01, 2022, at Sylvester Stadium in Berrien Springs, Michigan.
Niles head coach Scot Shaw on the sidelines during the Buchanan-Niles high school football game on Thursday, September 01, 2022, at Sylvester Stadium in Berrien Springs, Michigan.

Second-year head coach Scot Shaw has Niles High School football headed in the right direction as the Vikings earned a spot in the Michigan High School Athletic Association playoffs for the first time since 2003.

Niles was in the tournament in 2020 because everybody made the playoffs due the COVID pandemic.

Pairings for the 2022 tournament were announced Sunday night with district semifinals for 11-player playoffs set to begin Friday, Oct. 28, along with regional semifinals for 8-player playoffs. Complete pairings for both divisions can be found at MHSAA.com,

Unlike Indiana, Michigan teams have to meet certain qualifying standards to get into the state tournament,.

Michigan: Edwardsburg ends regular season on a roll with punishing win over Sturgis

After just missing out on the tourney action last season, Niles (5-4) posted its second consecutive winning season (having had just one in the previous 17 years) and will play at Three Rivers, also 5-4, Friday night in Division 4, Region 2, District 1.

Shaw coached Three Rivers to the 2003 state championship. Niles lost to Three Rivers, 27-21, on Sept. 16 and beat Paw Paw, 49-8, on Oct. 7. The Vikings won their final four games of the regular season, including a 53-7 win over Dowagiac last Friday night.

In the opposite side of that bracket, No. 5-ranked Edwardsburg (8-1) will host Paw Paw (4-5). Winners will meet Friday, Nov. 4 for the district championship, with the highest rated team hosting.

Edwardsburg running back Brett Allen (15) celebrates after a touchdown during Friday night’s game against Sturgis at Edwardsburg.
Edwardsburg running back Brett Allen (15) celebrates after a touchdown during Friday night’s game against Sturgis at Edwardsburg.

After losing its season-opening game, Edwardsburg has reeled off eight straight victories, outscoring opponents, 218-64 over its last four games. Kevin Bartz' Eddies have reached the state semifinals five of the last six years, winning it all in 2018. The Eddies have beaten all other teams in their district — Three Rivers 38-30 on Sept. 2, Niles 45-7 on Sept. 9 and Paw Paw 58-36 on Sept. 30.

Buchanan and Brandywine are also area teams in the playoffs.

Buchanan earned its ninth playoff berth in 18 years and a tough one at that. The Bucks (8-1) will travel to meet Constantine, also 8-1, Friday night in Division 6, Region 3, District 1. Buchanan lost to Constantine, 55-28, in the 2020 district final. The opposite side of that bracket has Watervliet (6-3) traveling to Grand Rapids West Catholic, another 8-1 squad. Winners will meet Nov. 4.

Buchanan has won seven straight games since a 28-18 loss to Niles in week two.

Brandywine is making is fifth straight playoff appearance.

The Bobcats (4-5) will play at Lawton (7-2) in Division 7, Region 3, District 1. Brandywine did not play Lawton this year but lost 63-14 in 2021. The opposite side of that bracket pits Delton Kellogg (4-5) at Schoolcraft (6-3).

All area games begin at 7 p.m. Friday night.

Regional finals will be Nov. 11-12, with state semifinals Nov. 18-19 at neutral sites and then the state finals will be Nov. 25-26 at Ford Field in Detroit.

This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Michigan High School Athletic Association football playoff pairings