1. Round-2 football playoff predictions — MichiganPreps.com
2. Eastsider’s predictions for divisions 1-3 — Prepseer
3. Super-32 top teams for playoff round-2 — Searn’s Board
4. Live chat with the Venerable One tonight — Who’s the Bos?
5. Great cross country perseverance story — Kalamazoo Gazette
6. So far so good for 2-time volleyball champ Jenison — Grand Rapids Press
7. Kalamazoo Central beats Loy-Norrix for district opener — Kalamazoo Gazette
8. Portage Central rolls past Niles for district opener — Kalamazoo Gazette
9. Week-8 cross country boys/girls rankings — MichiganCrossCountry.com
10. GR Christian squeaks past FHC volleyball — Grand Rapids Press
11. Sweet story about former Lowell receiver doing well — Grand Rapids Press

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QB Nick Ford and Grand Rapids West Catholic will be among those attempting to bring a title to WMich (T.J. Hamilton | The Grand Rapids Press)

It’s a topic I’ve been harping on all season: Will West Michigan continue to dominate the playoff landscape in 2009, as they did by winning all eight state football championships in 2008?

It’s impossible to answer at this point, of course.  Few would have predicted the abject whooping administered by West side in 2008 at this point last year.  But that didn’t stop MichiganPreps.com from taking a stab at it (pay site), discussing which of the Eastside contenders will pose the most significant threat to the defending champion in each division, and it won’t stop me from taking one too.

In an exercise that will likely be proven more wrong than right upon postseason examination, let’s take a brief foray into each of the eight brackets to hopefully shed some light upon which West Michigan teams may make some noise during these playoffs.  Like baseball, I’m hoping to hit on 30% of these.

Division-8 (2008 Champ: Muskegon Catholic Central)

After playing a regular season schedule loaded with top-tier talent, drawing opponents from teams as far up the food chain as Division-2, Muskegon Catholic Central will find the competition back down in Division-8 much more palatable.  Even at 5-4, the Crusaders should be considered the favorite to repeat as champions in 2009.

Division-7 (2008 Champ: Traverse City St. Francis)

The defending champion Gladiators have demolished everything that has been put in their path, outscoring their regular season opponents by a combined margin of 470-39, and it’s difficult imagining anything stopping them now.  Mendon is also undefeated and a legitimate threat, having held their opponents without a point through the first six weeks of the season.  But they seem to have lightened up on the gas pedal in recent weeks, so they’re not exactly peaking at the right time.  Plus the Hornets will be playing better teams in Division-7 than they had during the regular season.

Division-6 (2008 Champ: Montague)

The incumbent will likely rule in Division-6 as well.  Montague returns much of their starting lineups on both sides of the ball from their championship team in 2008, and with quarterback Cody Kater one year matured, the Wildcats are a better team this year than last.  They may face challenges later on in the playoffs, but they will be moderate and predominantly Eastern.

Division-5 (2008 Champ: Muskegon Oakridge)

Oakridge, on the other hand, lost a lot from their 2008 championship squad.  They squeaked into the playoffs with 6-wins, and their grip on the championship mantle is flimsy.  Division-5 looks to be that in which East Michigan is most clearly favored to secure a championship in 2009.  However, watch out for bipolar Muskegon Heights.  Sporting a coach and quarterback from the 2008 champion Holland Christian squad (Snead squared), the Tigers’ offense is as good as any in the state when it’s clicking.  When it’s not clicking, it’s fancy, but pretty average.  Regardless, if the Tigers get it rolling, they’re one of West Michigan’s best hopes.

Division-4 (2008 Champ: Holland Christian)

Minus coach and quarterback but slinging the ball around the field, the Maroons still have an outside shot at repeating, but more likely will fall in one of the first two rounds.  If they make it past Spring Lake in the first round, Holland Christian will have a tough challenge against West Michigan’s frontrunner, Grand Rapids West Catholic (if they can get past rival GR Catholic Central in round11).  After falling to eventual champions Oakridge in 2008, West Catholic ran the regular season table in 2009, and represent arguably the West’s best chance at a championship.  The Falcons sport a dynamic offense, led by quarterback Nick Ford and running back Loren Suggs, which is averaging over 45-points per game.

Division-3 (2008 Champ: East Grand Rapids)

East Grand Rapids has played a level of football that has been as good as anyone in the state, if not better.  And unlike many other teams, they’ve proven their ability to do it every week.  The Pioneers are the clear favorites to repeat as champions in 2009, in what would be their fourth consecutive state championship.  Competition comes from the East side, particularly in Melvindale, but ultimately the Pioneers are too tough.  This is the pick you take to Vegas.  The Pioneers are complete.

Division-2 (2008 Champ: Muskegon)

Division-2 will be one of the most competitive divisions throughout the playoffs, as more than a handful of teams have a legitimate shot at taking home the hardware.  Among those representing West Michigan are Muskegon and Lowell.  Despite winning only 6-games during the regular season, the Big Reds should be considered among the top teams in the division.  Their three loss record is slightly misleading, as they lost all three by a total of 7-points.  However, Muskegon is a young team with a rookie head coach, which may lead to a level of inconsistency.  Lowell, on the other hand, was consistently dominant in 2009, apart from a resounding defeat at the hands of EGR.  The Red Arrows aren’t built for a shootout, but if defense wins championships they’ve got a good shot.

Division-1 (2008 Champ: Rockford)

West Michigan’s best hope for a championship in Division-1 is in Rockford’s capable hands.  In a supposed rebuilding year, the Rams are as tough as ever.  They may not have the amount of blowout victories that do the top Eastern teams, but Rockford has demonstrated a remarkable knack for getting the job done in close games.  This is an ability that should not be underestimated come playoff time, and gives Rockford the edge to repeat (yes, even over eastern powerhouse Sterling Heights Stevenson).  Fellow O-K Redder Grand Haven is an outside threat to challenge for the title.  Enjoying their first playoff appearance in a decade by virtue of one of the state’s most stifling defenses, the Buccaneers will still have to raise their level of play a couple notches to compete past the first round.

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It adds at least an extra 2 inches

A look around the wide world of high school sports and the web that covers it.  Well, not the whole world, mostly just the distance between Lake Michigan and somewhere-in-the-vicinity-of-Lansing, give or take about 50-miles.  In an order wholly indecipherable to the naked eye.  So look closely:

1. FH Eastern snags soccer district over Spring Lake — Advance Newspapers
2. One of the premier Muskegon matchups is moved to Grand Haven — Muskegon Chronicle
3. Predictions for football matchups in divisions 1-3 — Prepseer
4. Kentwood soccer survives “District of Death” — Advance Newspapers
5. The question on everybody’s minds this year — MichiganPreps.com
6. North Musky soccer falls in regionals — Muskegon Chronicle
7. South Haven jolts No.1 GR S Christian in boys soccer — Kalamazoo Gazette
8. GR W Catholic returns the favor, defeating K Hackett — Kalamazoo Gazette
9. FHE/Unity Christian advance to soccer regional — Grand Rapids Press
10. Widescale celebration tonight; the ‘Stons’ are back in action — Detroit Pistons Basketball

Got a tip/link/question for West Michigan Allstar?  Email westmiallstar@gmail.com, facebook us, or follow us on Twitter.

When linebackers turn into receivers

A look around the wide world of high school sports and the web that covers it.  Well, not the whole world, mostly just the distance between Lake Michigan and somewhere-in-the-vicinity-of-Lansing, give or take about 50-miles.  In an order wholly indecipherable to the naked eye.  So look closely:

1. Super-32 top teams for week-9 — Searn’s Board
2. Eastside top-25 teams after week-8 — Prepseer
3. Eastside predictions for week-9 — Prepseer
4. Venerable Jane’s top-10 teams after week-8 — Who’s the Bos?
5. Sad, but inspirational runners story — Grand Rapids Press
6. Crazy and inspirational runners/eaters story — Grand Rapids Press
7. Musky Heights is now officially a playoff threat — Muskegon Chronicle
8. Kzoo’s Devin Oliver signs with Dayton — HS Basketball Bulletin
9. Summing up Friday night’s surprises — MichiganPreps.com
10. Boys soccer gunning for districts — Grand Rapids Press
11. I had held out hope for WMU, but to no avail — Kalamazoo Gazette

Got a tip/link/question for West Michigan Allstar?  Email westmiallstar@gmail.com, facebook us, or follow us on Twitter.

Hoskins will be a Wildcat next year

A look around the wide world of high school sports and the web that covers it.  Well, not the whole world, mostly just the distance between Lake Michigan and somewhere-in-the-vicinity-of-Lansing, give or take about 50-miles.  In an order wholly indecipherable to the naked eye.  So look closely:

1. Week-8 high school football picks — Muskegon Chronicle
2. Premium (pay) sites getting in on the Lowell/EGR action — MichiganPreps.com
3. Rockford volleyball holds off Grandville — Grand Rapids Press
4. Latest prep soccer roundup — Muskegon Chronicle
5. It’s good to be Forest Hills Eastern soccer — Grand Rapids Press
6. Conference titles hang in the balance — Who’s the Bos?
7. No letting up for EGR girls swimming — Grand Rapids Press
8. IWU signs Kalamazoo LN guard Hoskins — IWU Athletics
9. O-K Silver cross country roundup — Grand Rapids Press
10. Lowell #27, EGR #43 according to math — SportsPower

Got a tip/link/question for West Michigan Allstar?  Email westmiallstar@gmail.com, facebook us, or follow us on Twitter.

Remnants of one of the best games of the year

A look around the wide world of high school sports and the web that covers it.  Well, not the whole world, mostly just the distance between Lake Michigan and somewhere-in-the-vicinity-of-Lansing, give or take about 50-miles.  In an order wholly indecipherable to the naked eye.  So look closely:

1. Pictures from this weekend’s GR area games — Grand Rapids Press
2. Surprises from games around the state — MichiganPreps.com
3. Big ups to GH, alma mater goes playoffs for 2nd time — Grand Rapids Press
4. East Kentwood water polo smelling upset — Grand Rapids Press
5. Portage no longer welcomes N. Muskegon’s Neal — Muskegon Chronicle
6. Rockford volleyball no longer looking up at others — Grand Rapids Press
7. Inkster’s Gardner is still pretty good, ask MCC — Mlive.com
8. Decatur’s Jackson is “football fast” — Kalamazoo Gazette
9. Best of a bad situation for Hudsonville native Clement — Grand Rapids Press
10. Something’s happened to Musky Heights — Flint Journal

Got a tip/link/question for West Michigan Allstar?  Email westmiallstar@gmail.com, facebook us, or follow us on Twitter.

Montague's Cody Kater is among those omitted from MichiganPreps.com's top-10 list (Pic: Saginaw News)

I spend a good portion of my life online looking at the latest high school sports news.  Among the topics I research most frequently is recruiting.  As in, who looks like they could play [insert sport here] at the collegiate level, and which colleges are courting which players.  A major hot-spot for this type of thing is Rivals.com, and more specifically michiganpreps.com, a premium site (by which I mean there is a usage fee) dedicated almost exclusively to that transition phase between high school and college sports.

It stands to reason that because of the cost associated with using MichiganPreps.com, they would have better information (whether “better” manifests itself as more accurate, more timely, more in-depth, etc., is certainly up for debate).  At least that is the claim inferred by the mere presence of an invoice.  And while I doubt that it’s possible to confirm or deny that claim, I present here two exhibits to hopefully spark some discussion.

Exhibit One:

Top-10 football teams in Michigan, according to MichiganPreps.com (9/23/09)

Exhibit Two:

Top-10 football players in Michigan, according to MichiganPreps.com (9/29/09)

The first thing that jumps out after a quick look at both exhibits is the ratio of West Michigan teams to West Michigan players.

According to these images, taken directly from MichiganPreps.com, three of the top four teams in Michigan are from the West side of the state (while depending on our allegiances we may nitpick at the order in which they are placed, I think there is a strong case for the presence of the three teams in at least the top five).  However, zero of the top seniors are from the West side of the state, much less from said teams.

Not EGR’s Colin Voss.  Not Montague’s Cody Kater.  Not Muskegon Heights’ Willie Snead IV.  Nobody.

Why?

There are a couple possible explanations for this discrepancy.

1. A simple oversight
2. An Eastern-player and/or Western-team bias
3. A concentration of MichiganPreps.com employees in East Michigan, meaning more info there
4. Talent in West Michigan spread over fewer teams
5. East Michigan has more talented players, while West Michigan has better teams

I would think that options 1 & 2 are unlikely, given the money being made based on the presumed accuracy of these rankings.  Which, unless I’ve omitted a plausible explanation, leaves options 3, 4 & 5.

Option 3 seems plausible; given the higher concentration of people in East Michigan relative to West, it would be logical for a statewide organization to allocate proportionately more resources to the East, which would mean better coverage than in the West.  But if that is the case, then can MichiganPreps.com really claim to have the most accurate information?  Or, if they can legitimately claim the best information, to what degree is even that information accurate?

I think this explanation may have to be denied because said West Michigan players are indeed on MichiganPreps.com’s top-100 list.  They are just not in the top-10.  So it’s not like MichiganPreps.com doesn’t know about the top West Michigan players, it’s just that they view them as inferior college prospects.  Which may very well be correct.

Option 4 could hold some water.  I don’t claim to be an expert on all the teams in East Michigan, so I cannot dispute it for certain.  However, a relevant case-study denying this explanation would be Orchard Lake St. Mary’s, who lost convincingly to East Grand Rapids despite boasting two of MichiganPreps.com’s top-10 players in the state, including one at quarterback.

So we’re on to Option 5, which also seams plausible.  However, if this explanation is accepted, there are many, many implications.  First, that better talent does not necessarily mean a better team (a premise already generally accepted).  Second, that high school talent does not necessarily translate to collegiate talent (also generally accepted).  But the third, and perhaps most threatening implication of option #5, is that the coaching may be better in West Michigan.

Now I know I’m opening Pandora’s Box here, and I hesitate in doing so.  But I want to hear from you.  I’m not saying that the talent is spread more thinly in East Michigan, nor that the coaching is or is not better in West Michigan.  I’m merely pointing out that if we accept that MichiganPreps.com knows what they’re talking about, and they should, then these may be logical implications.  Just raising the question.

What do you think?  Is MichiganPreps.com off base?  Am I?  Sound off in the comments.

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Seriously, it's darn near irresistable

A look around the wide world of high school sports and the web that covers it.  Well, not the whole world, mostly just the distance between Lake Michigan and somewhere-in-the-vicinity-of-Lansing, give or take about 50-miles.  In an order wholly indecipherable to the naked eye.  So look closely:

1. GR area rankings for all sports.  I love considerate newspeople — Grand Rapids Press
2. Community reporters, like Grandville’s, are really doing some good work — Mlive.com
3. What do Wii bowling and cops have in common?  This article — Grand Rapids Press
4. Strikwerda should rename herself Strike-werda after this performance (somebody shoot me) — Grand Rapids Press
5. Usually you salute your elders, unless you are the — Grand Rapids Press
6. Put a bunch of experts in a room, and what comes out is the combined football rankings — Searn’s Board
7. The pay site has a slightly different ranking system.  Money well spent? — MichiganPreps.com
8. What’s possible with 332-students, and 2-years?  3-1.  Ask Northpointe — Grand Rapids Press
9. Mona Shores wins Greenville Invitational (girls golf) — Grand Rapids Press
10. Without two key players, Northview still owns at soccer — Grand Rapids Press

Got a tip/link/question for West Michigan Allstar?  Email westmiallstar@gmail.com, facebook us, or follow us on Twitter.

Jack and Riley Beam call punching and kicking "bonding"

A look around the wide world of high school sports and the web that covers it.  Well, not the whole world, mostly just the distance between Lake Michigan and somewhere-in-the-vicinity-of-Lansing, give or take about 50-miles.  In an order wholly indecipherable to the naked eye.  So look closely:

1. We’ve got four experts predicting the outcomes of week-5 games.  Take your pick — Searn’s Board
2. Some parents encourage punching and kicking — Kalamazoo Gazette
3. Muskegon soccer scoring/assisting leaderboard — Muskegon Chronicle
4. Muskegon football yardage/scoring/tackling leaderboard — Muskegon Chronicle
5. Funny story about a kicker’s shoe, maybe what happened to Muskegon in week-3 — Kalamazoo Gazette
6. I get a stitch running in the morning. Imagine how this felt — Grand Rapids Press
7. West Ottawa continues to roll in boys tennis, along with Rockford — Grand Rapids Press
8. I always wondered what cross country coaches told their athletes. Now I know — Grand Rapids Press
9. Premium, or I would just post the video, but here’s Rockford’s Mudgett in all his glory — MichiganPreps.com
10. The Venerable Jane Bos and Bret Bakita preview the top-5 GR area football games — Who’s the Bos?

Got a tip/link/question for West Michigan Allstar?  Email westmiallstar@gmail.com, facebook us, or follow us on Twitter.

Intimidated Panther -- Because you don't mess with the Dutch

A look around the wide world of high school sports and the web that covers it.  Well, not the whole world, mostly just the distance between Lake Michigan and somewhere-in-the-vicinity-of-Lansing, give or take about 50-miles.  In an order wholly indecipherable to the naked eye.  So look closely:

1. Lots of surprises from football’s week-4.  Here is a list — MichiganPreps.com
2. Holland volleyball: “bring back/that winning feeling/oh that winning feeling” — Grand Rapids Press
3. Muskegon Catholic bests Muskegon, and N. Musky blanks Fremont — Muskegon Chronicle
4. Markowski ranks the top-25 football teams in Michigan — Detroit News
5. Interesting developing story: Novak out as Parchment varsity coach — Kalamazoo Gazette
6. What kind of crazy kid sneaks out at 2 a.m. to go running?  Seriously — Ionia Sentinel-Standard
7. Hamilton football‘s defense is their meal ticket in 2009 — Grand Rapids Press
8. Zeeland boys water polo knocks off 10th ranked West Ottawa — Grand Rapids Press
9. It pays to have experience.  Rockford water polo knows this — Grand Rapids Press
10. Top-5 area teams, divided by conferences 1-4, and 5-8 — Kalamazoo Gazette

Got a tip/link/question for West Michigan Allstar?  Email westmiallstar@gmail.com, facebook us, or follow us on Twitter.