The long, extended Labor Day weekend of high school football in Michigan is over. And what a weekend it was, indeed. The Great Lakes State flexed its muscle against out-state foes, but also took its lumps. Overall, though, the level of play, the excitement and the early season performances have been outstanding.
Here are the two top games for Sept. 2 --
No. 3 Muskegon (2-0) 28, Lincolnshire (IL) Stevenson (1-1) 7 -- The Big Reds were able to exact a bit of revenge on the Chicago suburban host Patriots for last season's last minute 38-35 loss. Muskegon senior QB Ladarius Jefferson (6-2, 215) was unstoppable, rushing for 218 yards on 27 carries with two TDs, while fellow classmate Davion McCall (5-9, 155) added 136 yards on the ground on six attempts. Behind the imposing offensive line anchored by senior OT Antwan Reed (6-7, 295, Penn State verbal) and juniors OG Marquis Cooper (6-2, 280) and OT Anthony Bradford (6-6, 330, Alabama, Georgia, Ohio State, Michigan State offers) the Big Reds overwhelmed Stevenson (one of Illinois' largest schools with over 4,000 students) upfront. Jefferson (Central Florida verbal) is my preseason No. 3-ranked player overall in Michigan, but, I dare say, there isn't anybody in the state playing better at the moment.
No. 9 Detroit East English Village (2-0) 7, East Cleveland (OH) Shaw (0-2) 0 -- The "Ville," as the cool kids say, continues to get the job done this season. Led by high-level Division I football recruits seniors C-DT Tyrone Sampson (6-4, 305, Syracuse verbal), DB-RB Zhamaine March (5-9, 175, Northern Illinois verbal) and DE Desjuan Johnson (6-3, 250, WMU verbal) , East English prevailed, out-state, on the road to remain undefeated on the young year.
Updated state rankings --
1. Muskegon (2-0)
2. Walled Lake Western (2-0)
3. Grand Rapids Catholic Central (2-0)
4. Utica Eisenhower (2-0)
5. Lowell (2-0)
6. East Grand Rapids (2-0)
7. Davison (2-0)
8. Clarkston (2-0)
9. Detroit East English Village (2-0)
10. East Kentwood (2-0)
-- Other top teams: Muskegon Catholic Central (1-0), Ithaca (2-0), Traverse City St. Francis (2-0), Lansing Sexton (2-0), Grand Rapids Christian (2-0), Jackson Lumen Christi (2-0), Portage Central (2-0), Detroit Central (2-0), Belleville (2-0), Rochester Adams (2-0), Traverse City West (2-0).
Week 3 top games -- No. 6 East Grand Rapids (2-0) at No. 5 Lowell (2-0), Sept. 8
Traverse City West (2-0) vs. Traverse City Central (2-0), Sept. 8
Overall, Michigan was 8-3 against out-state competition this past weekend. But still... those three losses (head shake).
In the opening two weeks, Michigan is 15-6 against out-state teams. State-by-state, Michigan is 3-1 vs. Indiana, 4-3 versus Ohio, 6-2 vs. Wisconsin and 2-0 versus Illinois.
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