A capsule look at the 2023 high school football state championship games for Saturday, Nov. 18, when Michigan’s two eight-man football divisions are decided at Northern Michigan University.
8-player division 1
INDIAN RIVER INLAND LAKES (11-1)
vs.
MARTIN (10-2)
BEGINING
11 am Saturday
SITE
Superb Dome in Market
TRAVEL DISTANCE
Inland lakes: 199 miles
Martin: 435 miles
COACHES
Inland lakes: Travis Meyer, fifth year (35-17)
Martin: Brad Blauvelt, sixth year (56-11)
KEY PLAYERS
Inland lakes: QB/DB Aidan Fernstermaker; RB/LB Payton Teuthorn; FB/LB Grant Blumke; WR/DB Jacob Wiley; TE Noah Sugar; RG Jack Wilson; C Avery Enos; LG Chris Foldenauer; DE Shane Crawford; DE DJ Buhr; DB Mitchell Crawford;
Martin: QB/DB Gavin Myers; RB/LB Haylen Buell; WR/DB Teigan Harris; TE/LB Abe Dykstra; WR Mike Branch; LG Dan Armentrout; C Ben Jagger; RG Carson Camerucci; DT John Owen; DT Jackson Andrews; LB Wesson Elkins
STATE RANKING
Inland lakes: number 5
Martin: Honorable mention
PLAYOFF HISTORY
Inland lakes: The Bulldogs are competing in the postseason for the 13th time in program history, including the fourth straight since switching to eight players in 2020. They reached the state semifinals in 2020 before bowing out after the coronavirus shutdown. They had just one playoff win in nine playoff appearances with 11 players.
Martin: The Clippers are the defending state champions after winning the program’s second state title a year ago. They are competing in their sixth straight postseason, including a fifth straight since switching to eight players in 2019. They reached the semifinals in 2020 and 2021. Martin won the Class D state championship in 1987.
SERIES HISTORY
First date
PLAYOFF TRACK
Inland lakes: Def. Alcona 22-6; Def. Saint Ignatius 40-36; Def. Pickford 12-0
Martin: Def. Marcel 44-18; Def. Gobbles 28-6; Def. Kingston 42-34
8-player division 2
MARION (11-0)
vs.
ADRIAN LENAUI CHRISTIAN (12-0)
BEGINING
14:00 Saturday
SITE
Superb Dome in Market
TRAVEL DISTANCE
Marion: 310 miles
Adrian Lenavi: 466 miles
COACHES
Marion: Chad Grundy, ’14 (102-45)
Adrian Lenavi: Bill Wilharms, ’10 (91-24)
KEY PLAYERS
Marion: QB/LB Colin McCrimmon; RB/DB Gavin Prielip; RB/LB Cole Meyer; WR/DB Quinn Scott; TE Tucker Sigafoose; LG Cody Barron; C/NG Hayden Ostrowski; RG/DE James Williams; DE Aaron Whitney; LB Camden Powell
Adrian Lenavi: QB/DB Sam Lutz; RB Blake Drogovsky; WR/DB Jesse Miller; WR/LB Paul Towler; TE/DE Easton Boggs; LG Gage Hammang; C/DE Tyler Salenbien; RG Levy Beach; LB Elijah Lutz; LB Seth Davis; DB Brenner Powers
STATE RANKING
Marion: number 2
Adrian Lenavi: Number 1
PLAYOFF HISTORY
Marion: The Eagles are in their seventh straight postseason and 17th in program history. They reached the state semifinals the past three seasons, but hadn’t reached the title game since winning it all in Class DD in 1990.
Adrian Lenavi: Back-to-back state champions in 2020 and 2021, the Cougars are back in the title game for the third time in four years since becoming an eight-player program. They are in their seventh straight postseason and 10th overall in the program’s 15-year history.
SERIES HISTORY
First date
PLAYOFF TRACK
Marion: Def. Bay City All Saints 64-14; Def. Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart 28-6; Def. Lake Linden-Hubbell 42-36
Adrian Lenavi: Def. Camden-Frontier 56-6; Def. Climax-Scotts 56-16; Def. Deckerville 42-14
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