With the football season getting off to a late start and teams missing games for various reasons across the state, the MHSAA created a Regional playoff system in which every team qualifies for the postseason.
Let’s take a look at where Dexter finds itself with two scheduled games still to play and how a few of the teams in their Regional/District are faring so far in this rollercoaster 2020 season.
The teams will be seated 1-8 in each region and that will create the first round of playoff games with the first seed playing the eighth seed and so on down the list.
Dexter landed in Division 2, Region 7, District 13 along with Temperance Bedford, Livonia Churchill, Livonia Franklin, Dearborn Heights Crestwood, Lincoln and Ypsilanti. That’s only seven teams so perhaps the top-seeded team will get a bye.
The Dreadnaughts are 2-2 on the season with lopsided wins over Adrian (54-0) and last Friday over Lincoln (49-19). Their losses were a season-opening defeat at Chelsea (35-12) and to Gladwin (26-20).
Dexter has a big game coming up against Jackson. The Vikings, who have reached the playoffs the last two seasons, come into Friday night’s game at Al Rhitt Stadium with a 2-2 record. Their losses were to Pinckney and Monroe with wins over Tecumseh and Adrian.
The Dreadnaughts will finish the season against Pioneer, a team that has yet to win and lost their standout starting quarterback Conor Easthope in their season-opener.
A couple more wins for Dexter should help give them a little more experience and a lot more confidence heading into the playoffs.
So, who will be waiting for the Dreadnaughts in the postseason? Well, the Kicking Mules, for one. Bedford is 3-1 on the season with convincing wins over Academy for Business and Tech (and folks think Dexter has some easy opponents), Ypsilanti and Skyline. Their loss came last Friday 56-14 to undefeated Saline.
Bedford finishes with two quality opponents in Monroe and Woodhaven, both 3-1 on the season. A pair of wins could earn them the top seed.
The only undefeated team in the District is Crestwood. The Chargers are 3-0 and have knocked off Melvindale, Robichaud and Redford Thurston rather easily – those three teams have a combined four wins and one was Robichaud beating Thurston. We will soon find out how good Crestwood really is as the Chargers finish with Garden City and New Boston Huron, both 3-1.
Another interesting team in the mix is Livonia Churchill, who knocked out Dexter 41-39 in last year’s opening-round playoff game. The Chargers also have a shot at the top seed with a 3-1 record after beating Wayne, Dearborn and Franklin with their only loss last Friday to Fordson (27-22). And like Bedford, they finish with a strong schedule with Stevenson (2-2) and undefeated Belleville (4-0).
Livonia Franklin is 2-2 on the season with wins over Stevenson and Fordson. Their losses came against Churchill and Westland John Glenn. They have a tough road with Belleville and Dearborn still left to play.
Lincoln (2-2) and Ypsilanti (0-3) round out the District.
