North Muskegon and Ravenna landed favorable Division 7 playoff paths, while Muskegon and Mona Shores drew tough Division 2 openers. The MHSAA’s 32-team playoff field is determined by results and opponents’ school sizes; the regional draw then shapes each team’s route. Fremont’s 7-2 turnaround wasn’t enough to qualify, as its weaker schedule worked against it.

By the Numbers
  • Muskegon: 4-5, with a 47.444 playoff rating; Byron Center: 7-2, rated 71.667.
  • Mona Shores: 8-1, rated 69.833; its first-round opponent, Traverse City Central, is 4-5.
  • North Muskegon is 8-1; Ravenna is 7-2. Neither is projected to face one of Division 7’s three top-ranked teams before the state final.
  • Fremont improved from 1-8 to 7-2 but missed the field; Spring Lake qualified at 5-4.
  • The columnist’s picks: 14-5 last week (74%) and 122-36 overall (77%).
Yes, But

Fremont’s omission may seem unfair beside Spring Lake’s qualification, but the selection process rewards strength of schedule. Spring Lake’s nonconference opponents had 20 combined wins, compared with six for Fremont’s.

State of Play
  • Muskegon opens at a heavily favored Byron Center, while Mona Shores hosts Traverse City Central.
  • North Muskegon and Ravenna have comparatively favorable Division 7 routes, though both still face challenging opponents.
  • All listed games begin Friday at 7 p.m., except Saranac at Constantine, scheduled for 1 p.m. Saturday.
Bottom Line

The draw has created sharply different playoff outlooks for area teams, but schedule strength also shaped who made the field at all. A favorable route gives North Muskegon and Ravenna opportunity—not a guarantee—while Muskegon and Shores face immediate tests.