What to know as Greater Lansing football teams play for MHSAA district championships
The CAAC Blue football championship was shared by rivals Grand Ledge and Holt.
And one of those programs has an opportunity to capture another championship this week.
The Comets and Rams will meet for a Division 1 district championship on Friday. The matchup is among 11 this week involving teams from Greater Lansing.
Holt (7-3) has had the upper hand in the recent meetings between the programs, winning four of five since 2019. That includes a 14-6 victory over the Comets in Week 3 of the regular season.
Friday's matchup is the second in the playoffs between the programs in three years. Holt, which is looking for its first district title since 2009, won their last playoff meeting in a 2020 district semifinal.
Grand Ledge (8-2), which last won a district in 2015, posted its last win over the Rams in the 2020 regular season.
Here's what to know about the other title matchups involving area programs.
Portage Northern at East Lansing
After picking up a shutout road victory over Battle Creek Central, East Lansing returns home for a date with another SMAC program in Portage Northern (7-3) in a Division 2 district final. East Lansing (7-3) ended a two-game losing streak with last week's win and has an opportunity to claim its first district title since 2020 – also against Portage Northern. The Trojans have won all three of the previous meetings between the programs since 2018.
DeWitt at Mount Pleasant
DeWitt is looking to claim a seventh straight Division 3 district title as it makes the trip to face No. 2-ranked Mount Pleasant (9-1). This contest is a rematch of last year's district final that the Panthers won 50-26.
DeWitt (7-3) is on a four-game winning streak since a tight loss to Grand Ledge on the road. Mount Pleasant, which last won a district title in 2015, has won four straight since a 22-21 loss to Bay City Central in Saginaw Valley League play.
Jackson at Mason
At 10-0, Mason is off to its best start in school history and has matched a program record for wins in a season. The top-ranked Bulldogs have a chance to exceed that when they host Jackson for the second time in three weeks in a Division 3 final.
Mason, which can capture a second straight district title, recorded a 35-6 win in the teams' first meeting in Week 8. Jackson (6-4), which is in a district final for the first time since 2015, has never won a district crown.
Charlotte at Hastings
In knocking off defending state champion Chelsea last week, Charlotte notched its first playoff victory since 2004. The Orioles (9-1) now get a chance to avenge a 56-18 loss to Hastings that ended its season last year in Friday's Division 4 final.
No. 9-ranked Charlotte heads into its rematch with Hastings on a a four-game winning streak. Hastings won the Interstate 8 title and has won eight straight since a Week 2 loss to Whitehall.
Corunna at Portland
No. 8-ranked Corunna prevailed in a top-10 matchup over No. 9 Williamston to open the playoffs last week. Now the Cavaliers face another top-10 test against against No. 4-ranked and CAAC White champion Portland in a Division 5 district final.
Corunna is in a district final for a third straight season and is chasing a second straight district championship. Portland is making its eighth straight appearance in a district final and is also in pursuit of a second straight championship. Portland enters the final on an eight-game winning streak.
Lansing Catholic at Ovid-Elsie
After taking down No. 4-ranked Durand on the road, Lansing Catholic has reached a district final for the sixth straight season. The Cougars (5-5) have a chance to capture a fourth straight district championship when they travel to face Ovid-Elsie in a Division 6 final.
Ovid-Elsie, the MMAC runner-up, is on a seven-game winning streak since a 1-2 start. The Marauders (8-2) are looking for their first district championship since 2009, which also marked the last time they reached a district final.
Ravenna at Ithaca
No. 3-ranked Ithaca (9-1) will try to capture a second district title in three seasons when it hosts West Michigan Conference Rivers runner-up Ravenna (7-3) in a Division 7 final. The Yellowjackets, who have scored at least 40 points seven times this season, are on an eight-game winning streak.
Ravenna, which lost two of three to end the regular season, last won a district title in 2016. Ravenna avenged a Week 7 loss to North Muskegon in last week's playoff opener to reach Saturday's final.
Pewamo-Westphalia at New Lothrop
For the second straight season, New Lothrop stands in the way of Pewamo-Westphalia capturing another district title. The CMAC champion Pirates (6-4) knocked off New Lothrop in that matchup last season on their way to a Division 7 state title.
Friday's Division 7 final marks the fifth meeting between the programs in the playoffs since 2017. P-W has won three of those four prior matchups. New Lothrop (8-2) ended the regular season ranked No. 10.
Fowler at Beal City
CMAC champion Fowler is in a district final for a fourth straight season and has a Division 8 top-five showdown with Beal City as it attempts to claim its first district crown since 2019. Fowler (9-1) is ranked No. 5 and has won three straight since being handed its lone loss by Laingsburg.
Beal City (10-0) is ranked No. 2 and was the Division 8 state runner-up last season. The Highland Conference champion Aggies have limited six of their 10 opponents to six points or less.
Morrice at Au-Gres Sims
Another week, another top-10 matchup for No. 8-ranked Morrice (8-2) as the Orioles chase an 8-player Division 2 regional championship. No. 5-ranked Au-Gres Sims has won eight straight and is in pursuit of a third regional title in since 2018.
Morrice is making its fifth straight regional final appearance and is looking for its first title since 2019.
Contact Brian Calloway at bcalloway@lsj.com. Follow him on Twitter @brian_calloway.
This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: High school football: 14 Greater Lansing teams playing for titles
