Below is a list of all the games for teams, organized by league, covered by outlets in the MediaNews Group Michigan cluster — the Mt. Pleasant Morning Sun, the Macomb Daily, the Oakland Press, the Royal Oak Tribune, the Voice, the Dearborn Press & Guide, and the Southgate News Herald — for Friday, Oct. 3, 2025.

Check back throughout the night, to see as scores come in, with links to coverage from all of the papers in our cluster.

 

BLUE WATER AREA CONFERENCE

Algonac at Croswell-Lexington

Armada at Almont

Richmond at Imlay City

CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL LEAGUE

Allen Park Cabrini at Madison Heights Bishop Foley

Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood at Macomb Lutheran North

Detroit U-D Jesuit at Dearborn Divine Child

Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett at Riverview Gabriel Richard

Marine City Cardinal Mooney at Clarkston Everest Collegiate

Orchard Lake St. Mary’s at Detroit Country Day

Waterford Our Lady of the Lakes at Royal Oak Shrine

 

CENTRAL STATE ACTIVITIES ASSOCIATION

Big Rapids at Remus Chippewa Hills

 

CHARTER SCHOOL CONFERENCE

Detroit Leadership Academy at Arts & Technology Academy of Pontiac

Ecorse at Harper Woods Chandler Park

Melvindale AB&T at Southfield Bradford Academy

Redford Westfield Prep at Mt. Clemens

Romulus Summit Academy North at Detroit Old Redford

 

DOWNRIVER LEAGUE

Allen Park at Lakeland

Dearborn Edsel Ford at Woodhaven

Southgate Anderson at Gibraltar Carlson

 

FLINT METRO LEAGUE

Ortonville Brandon at Clio

Holly at Flushing

 

HIGHLAND CONFERENCE

Lake City at Beal City

 

HURON LEAGUE

Flat Rock at Riverview

Grosse Ile at Carleton Airport

New Boston Huron at Monroe Jefferson

 

INDEPENDENTS

Center Line Prep at Whitmore Lake

Orchard Lake St. Mary’s at Detroit Country Day

Pontiac Notre Dame Prep at Oak Park

Vestaburg at Mt. Pleasant Sacred Heart

 

JACK PINE CONFERENCE

Beaverton at St. Louis

Gladwin at Shepherd

Sanford Meridian at Farwell

Standish-Sterling at Clare

 

KENSINGTON LAKES ACTIVITIES ASSOCIATION

Dearborn at Belleville

Livonia Stevenson at Dearborn Fordson

Novi at Salem

LAKES VALLEY CONFERENCE

Allen Park at Lakeland

South Lyon at Waterford Mott

South Lyon East at Milford

Walled Lake Central at Walled Lake Northern

Waterford Kettering at Walled Lake Western

 

MACOMB AREA CONFERENCE

Anchor Bay at Sterling Heights Stevenson

Center Line at Eastpointe

Chippewa Valley at Utica Eisenhower

Clawson at Clintondale

Grosse Pointe South at L’Anse Creuse North

Hazel Park at Madison Heights Madison

L’Anse Creuse at St. Clair Shores Lakeview

Macomb Dakota at Romeo

Madison Heights Lamphere at Marysville

Marine City at Sterling Heights

Port Huron Northern at Fraser

St. Clair Shores Lake Shore at Grosse Pointe North

St. Clair Shores South Lake at St. Clair

Utica at Roseville

Utica Ford at Port Huron

Warren Lincoln at New Haven

Warren Mott at Warren Cousino

MICHIGAN INDEPENDENT ATHLETIC CONFERENCE

Auburn Hills Oakland Christian at Sterling Heights Parkway Christian

Rochester Hills Lutheran Northwest at Lutheran Westland

OAKLAND ACTIVITES ASSOCIATION

Auburn Hills Avondale at Royal Oak

Berkley at Jackson Northwest

Birmingham Groves at Southfield A&T

Bloomfield Hills at Troy Athens

Lake Orion at Clarkston

North Farmington at Birmingham Seaholm

Pontiac at Ferndale

Pontiac Notre Dame Prep at Oak Park

Rochester at Harper Woods

Rochester Adams at Stoney Creek

Troy at Farmington

West Bloomfield at Oxford

 

SAGINAW VALLEY LEAGUE

Mt. Pleasant at Bay City Western

 

TRI-VALLEY CONFERENCE

Flint Powers at Alma

Ithaca at Saginaw Valley Lutheran

 

WESTERN WAYNE ATHLETIC CONFERENCE

Melvindale at Dearborn Heights Crestwood

Redford Thurston at Dearborn Heights Robichaud

Redford Union at Dearborn Heights Annapolis

Romulus at Garden City

—————

8-PLAYER FOOTBALL

Fulton at Breckenridge

St. Charles at Carson City-Crystal

Montabella at Coleman

—————

SATURDAY GAMES

Detroit Voyageur College Prep at Warren Michigan Collegiate, 2 p.m.

Warren Fitzgerald at Warren Woods Tower, 1 p.m.

MARYSVILLE – Marysville won the Macomb Area Conference Blue Division tournament title to earn a share of the overall crown with Utica.

The Vikings collected a team score of 415 at the play-six, count-four tournament at Marysville Golf Course on Tuesday, topping the seven-school field and winning the tournament by four strokes over Utica (419).

Utica finished 10-1 in dual matches to win that portion of the standings and finished up with 13 total points. Marysville finished second in dual matches but won the tournament to also finish up with 13 total points. 

St. Clair, third in dual at 9-3, finished third at the tournament (444), followed by Clawson (472), Fraser (501), Madison Heights Lamphere (501) and Port Huron (534).

St. Clair recorded 10 points to finish third in the overall standings, while Clawson, Fraser and Lamphere all finished with six points and to tie for fourth and Port Huron was seventh with just two points.

At the tournament, Clawson junior Joslynn Ramirez was medalist with an 83, while St. Clair senior Sofia Russel finished second with an 89. Marysville senior Samantha Allen claimed third with a 90, while Utica senior Dalaney O’Connor (101), Marysville sophomore Kaycie Zaunner (104), Utica senior Miley Reaves (104), Marysville junior Raegan Horan (106), Utica senior Cali Kaczmar (106), Utica senior Riley Burton (108), Lamphere senior Ava Denmark (110) and St. Clair junior Delaney McDonald (114) also finished in the top 10 in the medalist standings.

Marysville freshman Emma Hurley (115), St. Clair junior Ashlynn Stockwell (115), Fraser junior Hailey Beauchamp (119), Utica senior Violet Smith (121) and Clawson freshman Addie Reynolds (121) also finished in the top 15.

CHSL CENTRAL DIVISION >> Toledo (Ohio) St. Ursula Academy dominated the talent-rich CHSL Central Division this season and wrapped it all up with a conference championship.

St. Ursula won the conference tournament Tuesday at the Flint Golf Course, putting together a play-six, count-four team score of 305 to win in convincing fashion over many Michigan programs with storied histories.

Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook-Kingswood finished 15 strokes behind at 320, while Birmingham Marian (335), Macomb Lutheran North (354), Toledo Notre Dame Academy (354) and Farmington Hills Mercy (357) followed suit.

St. Ursula had three finishers in the top five, four in the top seven and six golfers in the top 15, with the last two finishers not even contributing to the team score.

St. Ursula senior Sydney Socha won the medalist title with a eve-par round of 72. Mercy junior Megan Guerrera was second (75) and St., Ursula junior Olivia Rodgers (76) and Cranbrook-Kingswood sophomore Sintine Charnelet tied for third (76). St. Ursula senior and Toledo Notre Dame Academy snior Macy Valentine tied for fifth (77), while St. Ursula freshman Mia McIntyre (80), Cranbrook-Kingswood junior Josie Vardenhaute (80), Cranbrook-Kingswood senior Sydney Behnke (81) and Marian senior Pippa Dawson (82) followed in the top 10.

Elsewhere, St. Ursula sophomore Kopelyn Kessler (83), Cranbrook-Kingswood senior Harlet Cortez (83), St. Ursula senior Kennedy Donnelly (84), Cranbrook-Kingswood senior Alina Vuan (84) and Marian junior Gabby Wenzel (84) were also top-15 finishers in the deep field of competitors.

Lutheran North was the sole Macomb County school at the event and were led by freshman Nina Hanley in 18th (86), seniors Gabby Cardenas (88) and Maria Fortuna (88) and senior Victoria Ratajczyk (92) who all finished in a competitive top 25.

ROCHESTER HILLS – Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett backed up its status as No. 1 in the state in Division 4 by defeating fifth-ranked Royal Oak Shrine 4-2 in the Catholic High School League Cardinal Division Championship Wednesday evening.

“We had our best game ever,” Liggett head coach David Dwaihy said. “I think Shrine is such a quality opponent and they work so hard, and they are organized. We knew we had to bring our best game, and I think the boys were extra-motivated. This was a magical night, a night I hope everybody will remember fondly. It’s a beautiful facility (at Oakland University), such a cool venue, and we really appreciate the Catholic League for putting on a show.”

Liggett dominated the game from start to finish, but for all its possession, it took them a while to break down Shrine. Finally, Brady Ancona found the net midway through the first half, taking a quick pass and slotting home an equally quick shot to give Liggett a 1-0 lead with 19:51 until halftime.

University Liggett doubled its advantage just after halftime when Liam Gady found the net barely two minutes into the second half.

That seemed to open the game up a bit as Shrine had to take its chances to get back in the game. Both teams would take advantage. Liggett got a pair of second-half goals from Brendan Logan that alternated with a pair of Shrine goals scored by Caesar Soma.

But ultimately, the quick-strike Shrine offense found itself stymied more often than not by the play of Liggett’s midfield.

“Ollie Cooley and Landon Wysocki as our two defensive midfielders were all over the field. I thought they made it really hard for Shrine to play the game they wanted to play. Brady Ancona was as dynamic as I’ve ever seen him tonight,” Dwaihy said.

Photos of Royal Oak Shrine vs. Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett in the CHSL Boys Soccer Cardinal Division Championship

“I don’t think we strung more than two or three passes together the whole game. You’re not going to win a game when you aren’t aggressive, aren’t physical, aren’t talking, aren’t stringing passes together,” Shrine head coach Mark Soma said.

With the win, Liggett remains unbeaten on the season at 13-0. University Liggett will have a few final games to prepare for playoffs before facing Hope of Detroit Academy next Wednesday to open districts.

“It’s gone really well. We’ve won a lot but we’ve dealt with some adversity along the way, and we had some tricky games we had to push through,’ Dwaihy said. “But it all changes in the state tournament. Every game is going to feel like this. Every game is going to be super intense, and a lot of the teams in front of us are going to be very difficult to break down, so we’ve got to enjoy a moment like this when we can because it’s all fleeting.”

Royal Oak Shrine falls to 16-2. Up next for Shrine is Plymouth Christian on Friday before opening the playoffs next Thursday against Southfield Manoogian.

ROCHESTER HILLS – The Detroit Catholic Central Shamrocks claimed another Catholic High School League Bishop Division title with a 4-0 win over the Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook-Kingswood Cranes Wednesday evening.

“It feels great. We worked so hard for this, and finally for the first time, we can see our hard work paying off. It feels amazing,” Catholic Central co-captain Grant Mooradian said.

The Shamrocks came out hot, scoring twice in the first nine minutes to take control.  Adrian Palushaj got things started when he juggled a ball once, then volleyed it in for a spectacular opening goal.

Less than a minute later, Kei Zarco found a rebound in front of the Cranbrook goal and deposited it in the net to double Catholic Central’s lead.

“Obviously, not the best start,” Cranbrook head coach Jacob Nunner said. “But it is what it is. You can’t go back and change anything. You just have to take it on the chin and be ready for districts and everything up ahead.”

It was a stark reversal from their last game against Toledo St. John’s Jesuit when the Shamrocks fell behind early and could not claw their way back.

“It doesn’t take much. If you get off to a poor start, that’s what happened there,” Catholic Central head coach Gene Pulice said. “That was exactly our meeting. At this time of year, every game counts. Every game is going to be a dogfight, so you just have to come out, play your best, do your best, leave it all on the field, don’t have any regrets on the field with your play, and get through it,” he added.

Cranbrook settled in after the slow start and played better for the remainder of the half. But they could not dent the scoreboard. With Kai Xu leading the breakout, the Cranes were able to get forward a bit more, though they never possessed the ball very well. Their transition attack often showed promise, but what it couldn’t do was figure out a way past Shamrocks center back Ralu Ibegbu, who just swallowed up every counterattack that came anywhere near him – and with the range he displayed, that was most of them.

“Ralu is unshakeable. He’s got nerves of steel,” Pulice said. “Ralu has been fantastic all year. I can’t say enough good things about Ralu.”

Once Catholic Central added on two more goals early in the second half – one each from Grant Mooradian and Gavin McLenaghan – the Cranes were down four goals and had no way back into the game.

Photos of Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook-Kingswood vs. Detroit Catholic Central in the CHSL Boys Soccer Bishop Division Championship

Detroit Catholic Central improves to 12-3-3 on the season and claims its first Bishop title since beating the Cranes for it in overtime back in 2022. The Shamrocks will play Troy Athens on Monday as they finish preparations for the state tournament which starts next Wednesday. They'll will face South Lyon in the opening round of the playoffs.

“Let me start by congratulating Jake for getting Cranbrook over here. They were a well-trained team. They were very organized. They were great kids. I thought it was a well played, clean game. So congratulations to Jake and Cranbrook for putting together a great squad and coming out,” Pulice said.

Cranbrook (10-2) suffers just its second loss of the season. The Cranes get an opening-round bye before playing the winner of Pontiac and Waterford Mott in the district semifinals.

“The goal is to be here every year, which obviously we’re a successful program," Nunner said. "But I think a lot of guys came into this game with stage fright. So now that we’re here, we have this experience, especially (when) we have a lot of freshmen and sophomores on the roster. So when we’re back again next year, they’ll be able to walk with their chest out a little bit and have a bit of confidence.

”We just need to reset, hit the drawing board. The goal is to grow from this game and to remember this feeling and use it to fuel the trainings for all the games coming up."

Two goals in the final 20 minutes proved to be just a consolation for Royal Oak Shrine, who fell 4-2 to Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett in the CHSL Cardinal Division Championship on Wednesday, Oct. 1, 2025 at Oakland University.

Detroit Catholic Central scored two in the opening 10 minutes, then added another pair of goals on the other side of the break to defeat Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook-Kingswood 4-0 in the CHSL Bishop Division Championship on Wednesday, Oct. 1, 2025 at Oakland University.

WHITE LAKE – Some teams are just built for knockout soccer.

Walled Lake Northern edged its way past the White Lake Lakeland Eagles 1-0 in the Lakes Valley Conference Tournament Final on Monday night.

It marks the third time that the Knights have won the tourney this decade despite not being the league’s regular season champion.

“It’s been two or three years since we won it, and it feels great. We played a really hard brand of soccer today, and we’re really happy with the win,” Northern tri-captain Nate Bruss said.

The game was a defensive battle from the start. It took over 20 minutes for either team to get a shot off – let alone one that was on frame.

Eventually, the game opened up a little bit and the teams started to create some chances in the later part of the first half. That was when the game’s only goal was scored. Lucas Wilson slipped a diagonal ball behind the defense and Ryan Donato ran onto it, quickly one-timing the ball past the goalkeeper with 15:03 remaining in the first half.

The teams traded a few more good chances with both keepers coming up with a couple of good saves each before halftime. Lakeland goalie Elijah Bohanon and Northern keeper Chase Colasanti did some of their best work of the game as it neared the interval.

When the teams came out after the half, it was back to a defensive battle. The teams once again were shutting down anything that resembled an efficient offensive chance. The Eagles put on a late push, trying to force the issue and find a late-tying goal, but the Knights were able to do enough to see off Lakeland and capture their first LVC Tournament title since 2022 — they also won it the year before that — after going out early in the LVC Tournament the last two years.

“I think we’re all connected as a team,” Knights senior tri-captain Brandon Honkala said. Everyone is friends with each other. We all have laughs with everything. Everyone is included in everything. I think our chemistry is at another level besides the other two or three years I’ve been a part of this program.”

Photo gallery of Lakeland vs. Walled Lake Northern in the 2025 LVC Boys Soccer Tournament Championship

“Being a part of this team for four years now, I think that what makes this team so different from the other teams playing in this tournament is just our grit, solely our grit. No matter how many times we get kicked down, no matter how many times we get scored on, we always keep our goals set high, and we always come out with a win,” added Tim Udovichnko, another Northern tri-captain.

Now 10-3 on the year, Lakeland's only losses in LVC play this season have come to the Knights. Northern beat the Eagles 5-0 in Walled Lake back on Aug. 28. Lakeland's only other defeat was at the hands of Holly, 3-1, in the team's season opener.

Both teams will now prepare for the state tournament, which starts next week. Walled Lake Northern (9-3-2) opens the playoffs at home against West Bloomfield next Wednesday. The Eagles host North Farmington on the same evening. If both teams win, they would play each other for a third time this season in the district semifinal.

It took 20 minutes to record the first shot on goal, and Lakeland appeared to dominate the play in the second half, but in the end Walled Lake Northern came away with a 1-0 victory and the LVC Tournament trophy Monday, Sept. 29, 2025 in Lakeland.

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BALTIMORE — Maybe, just maybe, the Detroit Lions are still an NFL powerhouse.

That did not seem likely when both of their coveted coordinators exited in the offseason following a gut punch of a playoff loss. It did not appear possible when the Lions began the season with a decidedly underwhelming loss to the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field.

But Monday night at M&T Bank Stadium, the Lions of 2025 did a convincing impersonation of the Lions of 2024. There was offensive ingenuity. Coach Dan Campbell provided fourth-down bravado. The defense did its part. And the Lions bested a would-be Super Bowl contender on the road by outlasting the Baltimore Ravens, 38-30.

“That’s a good win for us, you know,” Campbell said. “I don’t know [about] statement, all this and that. But it just feels good to know against a type of team like that, you play a different type of game and you’re able to find a way to win.”

In improving to 2-1, the Lions produced touchdown drives of 98 and 96 yards. They converted all three of their fourth-down attempts. They crafted a go-ahead touchdown on the opening play of the fourth quarter when, on fourth and one from the Baltimore 4-yard line, quarterback Jared Goff handed the ball to wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown, who pitched it to tailback Jahmyr Gibbs for a dash to the corner of the end zone. Earlier, there was a completion by Goff after he pitched the ball to tailback David Montgomery, then Montgomery threw a cross-field lateral back to Goff.

And with the game on the line with two minutes to play, Campbell dialed up more fourth-down daring. With a seven-point lead on fourth and two, the Lions could have punted from their 49-yard line and hoped their defense could close out the victory. Instead, Campbell leaned on his offense. Goff lofted a pass to St. Brown for a 20-yard completion, and Montgomery’s 31-yard touchdown sprint with 1:42 left put an exclamation point on the outcome.

“I know they trust me,” Goff said. “And I trust St. Brown. So put the game in our hands, and we’ll make it work. We’ve done it before.”

More important, they’re still doing it now.

“I’ve got a tremendous amount of trust in those guys,” Campbell said. “And that’s been built up now [for] five years. … It’s a thing of beauty, man.”

The Lions ran for 224 yards and four touchdowns. They didn’t commit a turnover, and Goff wasn’t sacked. He was barely touched in the pocket. Meanwhile, Detroit sacked Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson seven times and forced a fumble by tailback Derrick Henry.

Jackson threw three touchdown passes, and Henry provided a rushing score. But it wasn’t enough for the Ravens to keep pace as their record dropped to 1-2 ahead of a road game Sunday against the Kansas City Chiefs.

The Lions will spend the entire season trying to prove they did not allow their best chance to secure the franchise’s first Super Bowl berth slip away last season. They had the swagger and confidence that came from Campbell’s aggressive coaching. They had two of the league’s top coordinators, with Ben Johnson’s creativity on offense and Aaron Glenn’s problem-solving on defense. The offense, as drawn up by Johnson and implemented by Goff, was unstoppable at times. Pass rusher Aidan Hutchinson was a defensive player of the year candidate.

But it never was quite the same after Hutchinson’s season was ended by a broken leg. Injuries accumulated on defense to the point that merely patching together a lineup was challenging. The Lions beat the Minnesota Vikings in the final game of the NFL regular season to secure the NFC’s No. 1 playoff seed with a 15-2 record, but their run ended with a stunning divisional-round defeat at home to the Washington Commanders.

Campbell’s top coaching lieutenants departed for head coaching jobs, Johnson with the Chicago Bears and Glenn with the New York Jets. Campbell rebuilt his coaching staff, promoting linebackers coach Kelvin Sheppard to succeed Glenn and bringing back former offensive assistant John Morton to replace Johnson.

“We’re running some different scheme slightly,” Goff said. “And being able to win down the field on certain routes that are new to us and win in certain run-game stuff that’s new to us, I think it’s great.”

The Lions opened the season with a 14-point loss at Green Bay but then put up 52 points on Johnson and the Bears in a Week 2 triumph. They remained on a roll Monday.

“I knew we were a good team,” Hutchinson said. “And I know people were doubting us after that Green Bay game. … Every week, we’ve got to bring our ‘A’ game. We brought it today, and it paid off.”

The Lions did so many good things in the first half. They had touchdown drives of 11 and 18 plays, the second of which gobbled up nearly 11 minutes. They had possession of the ball for nearly 20 minutes of the first half. And yet the score was tied at 14 at halftime.

The Ravens moved in front with Jackson’s third-quarter touchdown pass to tight end Mark Andrews. But the Lions scored the next 14 points via Goff’s touchdown pass to St. Brown and Gibbs’s gadget-play touchdown run.

“That was a play that we’ve practiced for a few years now,” Goff said. “And I don’t know if we’ve ever called it. But it was good timing for it, and it worked perfectly.”

The Lions never trailed thereafter.

“We know what we’ve got here,” Campbell said. “We don’t need anybody telling us what we do or don’t have. … We feel good about it. And, look, it takes everybody doing their job. And our guys did that.”

Since the NFL expanded its postseason field to 14 teams in 2020, 19 teams have opened with 0-3 records. None of them have made the playoffs.

But while winless starts have proved to be a ticket out of contention, hot starts can be misleading. Since 2020, half of the 3-0 teams that made the playoff field (11 of 22) lost in the first round. Three others failed to make the postseason at all.

Several 2025 teams have made it through three weeks unbeaten, but their places in our rankings vary significantly – from the very top tier to the middle of the pack. Their records may be perfect for now, but their future success is far from certain.

As a reminder: These rankings differ from most of our counterparts in that they are not tied to win-loss records or nonquantifiable ideas such as momentum or positive vibes. They are simply a reflection of what our model says are the best teams in the NFL right now and how they should be expected to perform moving forward.

Top contenders

1. Baltimore Ravens (1-2)

2. Buffalo Bills (3-0)

3. Green Bay Packers (2-1)

4. Detroit Lions (2-1)

5. Philadelphia Eagles (3-0)

Baltimore is still No. 1 despite two losses? Yes. Hear me out.

This is where these power rankings diverge, sometimes considerably, from those that are simply regurgitations of win-loss records. These rankings are more indicative of what a team will do for the rest of the season, not what it has done in a three-game sample.

The Ravens’ two losses are by one point to the Bills (which required some heroics by Buffalo quarterback Josh Allen and an uncharacteristic fumble by Baltimore running back Derrick Henry) and by one possession to the Lions (who played a virtually flawless game and benefited from another Henry fumble), two of the four strongest teams in the NFL, per our ratings.

If you think that’s totally off the mark, consider that my power ratings set the spread for Sunday’s game between the Ravens and Chiefs in Kansas City at Ravens -2, while the Vegas line is Ravens -2.5. In other words, the sportsbooks are even more bullish on Baltimore than I am.

Besides, the Packers’ loss to Cleveland underscored how fragile the top of the NFL can be. Green Bay’s banged-up offensive line left Jordan Love little chance against the Browns’ relentless pass rush. Still, the Packers remain part of an elite cluster alongside the Bills, Lions, Ravens and Eagles, all of whom have shown they can win ugly or pull away for big victories.

Strong challengers

6. Kansas City Chiefs (1-2)

7. Los Angeles Chargers (3-0)

8. Los Angeles Rams (2-1)

Kansas City finally broke through for a win, though Patrick Mahomes had to weather dropped passes and fumbles to get it. The Chiefs’ ceiling remains high (mostly because of their reputation and the chances of key wide receivers returning soon), but right now they’re not as impressive as the NFL’s true elite. The Rams and Chargers round out this group; they can dominate for stretches but haven’t shown the consistency to belong in the top five.

Solid playoff teams

9. Minnesota Vikings (2-1)

10. Denver Broncos (1-2)

11. Seattle Seahawks (2-1)

12. Washington Commanders (2-1)

13. Indianapolis Colts (3-0)

Nobody expected Daniel Jones to open the season playing like an MVP candidate for the Colts, but here we are. Indianapolis is off to a 3-0 start fueled by Jones’s clean passing and timely scrambles, along with running back Jonathan Taylor’s explosive ability. The Vikings validated our (relatively) high ranking by blowing out the Cincinnati Bengals, 48-10.

In the hunt for playoff spots

14. San Francisco 49ers (3-0)

15. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-0)

16. Arizona Cardinals (2-1)

The 49ers lead the competitive NFC West after a last-second win over Arizona, but their success might not last. Star pass rusher Nick Bosa became their latest injury casualty, lost for the season with a torn ACL.

 

Average teams

17. Pittsburgh Steelers (2-1)

18. Jacksonville Jaguars (2-1)

19. Houston Texans (0-3)

20. Dallas Cowboys (1-2)

The Jaguars land here because their defense has carried the load while their offense struggles with uneven play. Even with Jacksonville’s two-game advantage over the Texans, whom they just beat Sunday, our model sees little difference between them.

 

Below-average teams

21. Chicago Bears (1-2)

22. Las Vegas Raiders (1-2)

23. Cleveland Browns (1-2)

Cleveland leaned on its defense to squeeze out a win over Green Bay, but the offense still looks lost. Chicago bounced back with a big win over Dallas, but our model will need to see the Bears play well against a stronger defense before they move up much.

 

Rebuilding phase

24. New England Patriots (1-2)

25. New York Giants (0-3)

26. Miami Dolphins (0-3)

27. Atlanta Falcons (1-2)

28. Cincinnati Bengals (2-1)

29. New York Jets (0-3)

30. Carolina Panthers (1-2)

31. Tennessee Titans (0-3)

32. New Orleans Saints (0-3)

The Giants’ offense already has driven fans to call for a quarterback change, a clear sign of where things stand. (Rookie Jaxson Dart will get his shot Sunday.) Carolina’s blowout win over the Falcons did little to change its long-term outlook.

What can we expect from the Pistons this season? Coty M. Davis of The Detroit News provides a player-by-player analysis leading into the start of training camp. Next in the series: Jalen Duren

Last season

Jalen Duren left Wells Fargo Center celebrating a team win. The Detroit Pistons avoided a 0-5 start to the 2024-25 season with a 105-95 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers on Oct. 30. But through the celebration, Duren felt frustration on an individual level.

Duren had fouled out. He played 10 scoreless minutes against Philadelphia. After picking up his sixth personal foul early in the fourth quarter, Duren had a dejected expression on his face while walking back to the team bench.

Duren’s poor performance against the 76ers was indicative of the subpar start he had to the year. During the first quarter of the season, Duren struggled to adjust to J.B. Bickerstaff’s coaching philosophies. At times, his hardships led fans to want Isaiah Stewart to take over as the Pistons’ starting center.

Bickerstaff continued to have confidence in Duren despite his struggles. During the second half of the season, Duren was one of the most productive centers in the league. With 28 double-doubles, he averaged 14.0 points, 11.2 rebounds and 1.1 blocks through the final 41 games of the regular season.

Duren reached his peak during the Pistons’ 117-105 victory over the Toronto Raptors on April 4. In that game, he led the short-handed Pistons with 21 points, 18 rebounds, six assists, four blocks and a steal. The game showed a glimpse of Duren’s full potential.

In the first 41 games, he averaged 10.1 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks.

2025-26 outlook

If Duren can continue his momentum from last season, the 2025-26 campaign could be a breakout year, potentially leading to an All-Star selection come February. Only Ivica Zubac (34) and Nikola Jokić (31) recorded more double-doubles at center than Duren during the final 41 games of the regular season. He also ranked eighth at his position in rebounding.

Duren possesses all the necessary tools to continue establishing himself as one of the league’s best big men. There is still room for Duren to improve defensively. However, he can further distinguish himself from his peers at the position by the Pistons utilizing his playmaking attributes more.

His ability to keep the Pistons’ offense flowing with his passing became one of the central features that helped Detroit become the first team in league history to triple its win total. Duren had 15 games of five or more assists.

In February, during the Pistons’ impressive eight-game winning streak, Duren averaged 4.8 assists. A standout performance to showcase his playmaking skills as a big man occurred in Detroit’s 125-112 victory over the 76ers on Feb. 7, when he recorded a career-high seven assists.

An ascension to All-Star status is crucial for the Pistons’ success next season. It would also be an ideal way for Duren to secure his place with the franchise, as he will be a restricted free agent after this season if he is not extended.

“J.D. is an all-around talent,” Bickerstaff says. “I think it’s one of those things that goes unsaid about him is his ability to pass the ball and play-make. We’ve seen him in situations push the ball the length of the court and make the right read, whether it’s a pass or a finish. We’ve seen him hit cutters and tight spaces. He’s a very good all-around basketball player.”

BALTIMORE — It took two weeks.

Two weeks.

After an offseason in which two of the best coordinators in football landed head-coaching jobs and took half the staff with them, after their All-Pro center retired and a stalwart right guard exited in free agency, and after they were annihilated by the Green Bay Packers in Week 1.

It took exactly two weeks for the Detroit Lions to become the best show on television once again.

Some could even argue it was true a week ago, when the Lions dismantled the Chicago Bears at home, but if you were holding out on buying all the way in because you questioned the strength of competition, well, sorry. You’ve got no choice but to believe now.

This game was complete and total confirmation that the Lions, as we knew them, are here to stay as long as Dan Campbell is the man in charge.

There are no remaining questions about the transition to coordinators John Morton and Kelvin Sheppard. Dead are the theories that it was actually Ben Johnson who was the mastermind of Detroit’s success. This team is every bit as much of a threat to win the Super Bowl as they were last season before the injury struggles set in.

“We have an identity, we have a culture, and nothing’s gonna change that,” Lions coach Dan Campbell said on Tuesday. “I thought Shep did a hell of a job in preparation and calling the game and the players, man, really responded. … John Morton, man. What a great job. And every week they’ve gotten better and better and better, and we’re all figuring each other out now in those roles.”

Detroit led the league in net yards (426) for the second week in a row and was also first in rush yards (224), touchdowns (five) and Expected Points Added per play (+0.31).

Defensively, they fed Lamar Jackson one of the most maddening days of his career, sacking the two-time MVP seven times. According to Jackson himself, there were no crazy tricks or schemes deployed by Sheppard, just a solid plan that was executed at the highest level — and one that is more sustainable than a wacky, new scheme with limited shelf life.

“They were just executing,” Jackson said. “That’s all it was.”

Let’s get the caveats out of the way: Yes, the Ravens were missing their two best pass rushers, which probably played a factor in the offensive line keeping Jared Goff clean for a second straight game. Yes, the Lions still gave up 30 points.

But the fact of the matter is that the Lions made plays at every critical juncture, just as they did all of last season, and looked pretty awesome doing it.

The Lions were three-for-three on fourth down, converting a goal-to-go situation with a tricky pitch play to Jahmyr Gibbs to go up 28-21 and drawing up a 20-yard completion to help ice the game on Detroit’s final drive. The Lions used aggression to seal the game on fourth-and-2 near midfield on a 20-yard completion to Amon-Ra St. Brown.

The offensive line rose from serviceable to elite once again. Offensive tackle Penei Sewell was Pro Football Focus’ highest-graded offensive lineman (98.7) in the league in Week 3; guard Tate Ratledge was fourth (91.4) and tackle Taylor Decker was ninth (82.9).

The defense registered a combined 30 pressures, according to PFF, while getting off the field in three plays or less on three different series in the second half.

Both teams left a few big plays on the table, but every football game generally comes down to five or six plays, and it’s usually the better team on the winning side of them. The Lions were that team Monday night, and it’s reasonable to expect them to remain that team going forward.

• Lions cornerback D.J. Reed has so far proven himself worthy of the three-year, $48 million contract he earned in free agency. As Terrion Arnold has struggled to find his footing in Year 2, Reed has been extremely dependable, helping limit the damage as Detroit’s secondary continues to jell.

He’s shown rapid improvement each week — he admittedly wasn’t great in coverage against Green Bay — and put it all together in Sunday’s win, when he allowed just one catch on three targets for a total of seven yards with a pass breakup. Baltimore receiver Zay Flowers, Reed’s top assignment on Monday, had just two catches for 13 yards.

“I thought he did a heck of a job, man. He’s been great for us,” Campbell said. “He’s one of the most veteran guys we have with the exception of (cornerback) Amik (Robertson), who we got last year.”

Reed has also been one of the team’s best run defenders. He had another five tackles with a fumble recovery on Monday after making five tackles the week prior.

“He’s got skins on the wall, he’s a vet, he does it right, he’s a pro. He’s competitive, and I mean, he’s fit right in with us,” Campbell said. “He’s been great for all those guys in the room, great teammate. He’s all about ball.”

• Lions linebacker Jack Campbell has hit a new stride in 2025. He was a dominant force in every phase on Monday night, finishing with a team-high eight tackles with a strip-sack of Jackson on fourth-and-goal.

He played a massive role in helping limit the production of Baltimore running back Derrick Henry, who, outside of a 28-yard rushing touchdown in the opening quarter, had 11 carries for 22 yards.

“First of all, did anybody see Jack’s got a laceration on his mouth? So he’s trying to call plays and blood’s spitting out everywhere, so they were just eating it up,” Campbell said. “This guy, man. He’s a workaholic, and the knowledge for the game, the way he studies the game, he prepares for it, and he’s just playing at a really high level right now.

“We feel like he can do it all. That’s why he doesn’t come off the field. I mean, he can do everything for us.”

• Alright, now let’s quickly talk about some negatives. The Lions beat the Ravens in spite of a poor performance across the board on special teams. The Lions started two drives inside their own 5-yard line, which would ultimately become a point of pride, but was definitely not what you want to see in the moment.

Baltimore ran its third kickoff back to the Baltimore 49-yard line and might have gone the distance had kicker Jake Bates not made the play. The Ravens began a third-quarter drive at the 40 after a kickoff from Bates when out of bounds.

And then, the penalties. Detroit was flagged eight times for 68 yards compared to three penalties for 31 yards called on Baltimore. All of that combined is a tough recipe for winning on the road.

The Lions obviously made it work, but one has to imagine cleaning up those two areas will be a focal point of the week.

Michigan statewide girls volleyball preseason rankings from the Michigan Interscholastic Volleyball Coaches Association

As of Sept. 22, 2025

 

DIVISION 1

1 Rockford

2 Bloomfield Hills

3 Farmington Hills Mercy

4 Bloomfield Hills Marian

5 Jenison

6 Utica Eisenhower

7 Grand Haven

8 South Lyon East

9 Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern

10 Clarkston

HONORABLE MENTIONS: Brighton, Northville, Hudsonville, Lowell, South Lyon, Byron Center, Zeeland East, Dexter, East Grand Rapids

 

DIVISION 2

1 Detroit Country Day

2 North Branch

3 Grand Rapids Christian

4 Holland Christian

5 Imlay City

6 Grand Rapids Catholic Central

7 Frankenmuth

8 Grand Rapids South Christian

9 Tecumseh

10 Edwardsburg

HONORABLE MENTION: Battle Creek Harper Creek, Parma Western, Ionia, Marshall, Lansing Catholic

 

DIVISION 3

1 Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central

2 Roscommon

3 Plymouth Christian Academy

4 Kingsley

5 Pewamo-Westphalia

6 Kalamazoo Christian

7 Hanover-Horton

8 Traverse City St. Francis

9 Saginaw Valley Lutheran

10 McBain

HONORABLE MENTION: Manton, Cass City, Bronson, Beal City

 

DIVISION 4

1 Mendon

2 Ubly

3 Battle Creek St. Phillip

4 Adrian Lenawee Christian

5 Mt. Pleasant Sacred Heart

6 Fowler

7 Clarkston Everest Collegiate

8 Concord

9 Crystal Falls Forest Park

10 Hancock

HONORABLE MENTION: Onekama, Hillsdale Academy, Ishpeming, Suttons Bay

Troy police officers and firefighters will face off in the “Battle of the Badges” softball game fundraiser this Friday, Sept. 26.

Held at Donald J. Flynn Park, 1808 E. South Boulevard, the game’s first pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.

The primary purpose of the “good-natured competition”  is to raise funds for the Troy Police Department’s Honor Guard, officials said. The honor guard participates in remembrance ceremonies for law enforcement personnel who die in the line of duty, as well as other events that “require dignified display and presentation” of the United States flag, officials said.

Tickets are $10, and children 12 years old and younger will be admitted for free. The event will also feature a food truck and GIlly’s Ice Cream for purchase.

“Get ready for a showdown in this charity matchup. We’re excited to spend the evening playing instead of working with our friends at the fire department,” said Sgt. John Julian of the Troy Police Department. “It will also be a fun time to show that public safety can have a lighter side, too.”

Added Troy Fire Department Lt. Keith Young:  “We may be rivals on the field for one night, but at the end of the day we’re all on the same team serving Troy. Win or lose, it’s about community, camaraderie and a little bragging rights.”

Tickets are available in advance at bit.ly/TroyBadgeBattle and at the game.

The event is supported by the City of Troy Rotary Club and sponsored by Michigan Schools and Government Credit Union.

What killed dog left in grease pit behind Madison Heights restaurant?

DETROIT (AP) — Jose Ramirez hit a tiebreaking, two-run homer in the seventh inning after Tarik Skubal was replaced and the surging Cleveland Guardians swept the slumping Detroit Tigers with a 3-1 win on Thursday.

Cleveland has won seven straight to close within 3.5 games of the AL Central-leading Tigers with a little more than a week left in the regular season. The teams are scheduled for three more games Sept. 23-25.

Detroit has lost six of its last seven games and 15 of 22, turning an 11.5-game cushion into a lead that isn’t comfortable.

Returning from an injury scare last week, Skubal gave up one run, seven hits and struck out nine over six innings.

The reigning AL Cy Young Award and pitching Triple Crown winner was replaced by right-hander Troy Melton in the seventh in a 1-all game. Nine pitches later, Ramirez broke the tie with a 368-foot shot to right.

Cleveland’s Jhonkensy Noel hit a game-tying solo homer in the fourth.

Tanner Bibee (11-11) gave up one run and four hits while striking out eight over six innings. Tim Herrin and Kolby Allard followed with two innings of scoreless relief and Hunter Gaddis pitched the ninth for his third save.

Melton (3-2) took the loss after allowing two runs on two hits and a walk in 1 2/3 innings.

Key moment

The Tigers started the second with three hits, including Colt Keith’s RBI double, and they failed to score another run after having two on and no outs. Keith left the game after the inning with back stiffness.

Key stat

The defending AL Central-champion Guardians are a season-high 10 games over .500, bouncing back from having a losing record on Sept. 4 by winning 12 of 13 games.

Up next

Guardians LHP Parker Messick (3-0, 1.84) and Twins RHP Pablo Lopez (5-4, 2.64) are to start Friday night in Minnesota. Detroit opens its final homestand Friday night with Tigers RHP Charlie Morton (9-10, 5.66) and Atlanta RHP Bryce Elder (7-10, 5.56).

DETROIT – The Tigers activated veteran right-hander Paul Sewald before the game Thursday.

Sewald, whom the Tigers acquired from the Guardians at the trade deadline, had been out since July 11 with shoulder soreness. He returned from his final rehab appearance on Wednesday.

In corresponding moves, right-hander Codi Heuer was released off the 40-man roster. He has been out with a shoulder injury.

Also, right-hander Jose Urquidy was technically designated for assignment, but he has agreed to accept an option to Triple-A Toledo to stay in the organization.

Procedurally, there is a 24-hour wait period before that part of the transaction can be completed.

“He’s demonstrated the positives in what he can bring,” Hinch said. “He’s creative. He’s got multiple pitches. He is undeterred by any big environment. He’s got a weapon for both sides of the plate.

But we are also seeing the difficulty in coming back from a second major surgery. He’s a little rusty, a little erratic and spraying the ball a little more than he normally does.”

With five years of big-league service time, Urquidy could’ve refused the option. But, with the Tigers holding a $4 million option on him next season and his stated desire to be part of this staff going forward, he signed off on it.

MILFORD – After returning most of its 2024 roster this fall, the South Lyon volleyball team wasn’t shy when it came to one of its key goals.

That was winning the Lakes Valley Conference for the first time in program history.

While the season is still young, the Lions took a big step toward that goal on Tuesday night, besting Milford 25-20, 25-19, 25-20 to establish themselves as the lone remaining unbeaten LVC team.

“It’s something we talk about every year, but we really want it this year,” South Lyon coach Deena Maher said of the LVC title. “We are going to fight for it, and this was a big win for us toward achieving that goal. There’s a lot of matches still to play, but we are excited to see what happens.”

Milford (12-3-1, 3-1 LVC) came into the match with a win over the two-time defending conference champions, South Lyon East. The Mavericks were looking to take command of the league, but the Lions had other ideas.

Each set was competitive, but the Lions (17-5, 2-0) utilized a surge late in each set to keep the Mavericks at bay. In the first, a 6-1 rally with the score at 18-16 propelled the Lions toward the win. Junior Kennedy Duncan had three kills in the rally to start a strong night for herself.

“Kennedy is really stepping up as a leader for us this year,” Maher said of Duncan. “She continues to grow her game and is finding the open shots for us. I am really proud of her growth.”

In the second set it was another junior, Kate Sulkowski, who came through with some timely kills down the stretch to put South Lyon up two sets.

In the final set, the Lions scored five straight when the score was tied 16-16 to help themselves pull away. Duncan had another two kills and a block during the stretch.

Closing sets have been a big emphasis for South Lyon, as the Lions suffered most of their losses this year to ranked teams, coming up just a few points shy of pulling out the wins.

“We love playing top competition because it really helps us as a team,” Maher said. “We had some close losses to good teams early on and I think it showed us what we needed to work on, and we’ve been able to grow from that.”

Photo gallery of Milford vs. South Lyon in LVC volleyball action

The growth of the team also is a credit to the play of senior setter Lucy Stoll. She has over 350 assists on the season following Tuesday’s win where she spread the ball out well to the Lions’ capable hitters.

“Lucy is amazing. She’s not afraid of anything” Maher said of her senior setter. “She can handle anything that is thrown at her. She gives a good sense of calm to her teammates and she’s helped build that in our program.”

Duncan capitalized the most from Stoll’s play with 15 kills, while Sulkowski had seven kills with two blocks and two aces. Sophomore Julia Kavaliauskas added six kills.

Milford was led by junior Lexa Pierson, who had 17 kills, while junior Brynlei Gunn had six kills and a block.

South Lyon will look to maintain its hold on the LVC lead on Thursday when it hosts Walled Lake Western. The Lions still have an upcoming slate with rival South Lyon East on Oct. 7, but the team is very motivated to finish the job in the conference race after finishing second to the Cougars in 2024.

“We were really close last year, so the team has been really focused on winning the conference,” Stoll said. “We have a lot of players back from last year and we feel we are a much stronger team now. We just want to keep playing at a high level and get to that title.”