Mason’s upset of defending champion DeWitt, Cass Tech’s second-half explosion, Jonesville’s 64-62 triple-overtime war, and a night of 8-player fireworks defined a wild Thursday as Week 2 of Michigan high school football delivered upsets, instant classics, blowouts, and recruiting tape across both 11-man and 8-man fields.
September 3, 2026, featured the bulk of the MHSAA Week 2 schedule. While Friday still holds several ranked 11-man showdowns, Thursday already produced a defending state champion’s first regular-season loss in years, a heavyweight pulling away after trailing, a three-overtime shootout, multiple one-score games, offensive explosions, and a full slate of 8-player results that included comebacks, shutouts, and 50- and 60-point nights. Complete scores are on the NXTGen Recruits scoreboard.
The Night’s Defining Upset: Mason 30, DeWitt 17
Mason, ranked 8th in Division 3 after Week 1, stunned No. 1 DeWitt — the defending Division 3 state champion — 30-17 and ended the Panthers’ 24-game regular-season winning streak. Mason scored on five of six first-half possessions and led 27-0. Junior Troy Peters carried 18 times for 193 yards and a rushing touchdown and added a passing score. Jake Ackley kicked three field goals.
DeWitt finally moved the ball in the second half. 2027 quarterback Griffin Braman threw an 18-yard touchdown to Lucius Cappelletti and hit 2028 ATH Channing Ridley for the two-point conversion to make it 27-11. Peters answered with a long drive that produced Ackley’s third field goal. The win is Mason’s first over DeWitt since a 2023 playoff game. DeWitt falls to 1-1; Mason sits 2-0 and looks like a renewed Division 3 force. Peters, Braman, and Ridley all added important film for evaluators.
Heavyweight Statement: Cass Tech 48, Grandville 21
No. 1 Cass Tech trailed 14-13 early in the third quarter after Grandville’s Gavin Roskam returned an interception 47 yards for a touchdown. Then Texas A&M commit Donald Tabron II and the Technicians’ skill players took over. Tabron threw three touchdown passes, including two 80-yard scores (Peyton Robinson and Mylan Griggs). Julian Taylor scored three times — a 7-yard catch, a 3-yard run, and a 70-yard run. Cass Tech outscored Grandville 35-7 after halftime and won 48-21. Grandville’s Jayce Hopewell had a 60-yard touchdown run that made it 27-21, but the Bulldogs could not match Cass Tech’s speed. Cass Tech is 2-0; Grandville is 1-1.
Instant Classic: Jonesville 64, Leslie 62 (3 OT)
Jonesville survived Leslie 64-62 in triple overtime on a rain-soaked field. Leslie, a Division 7 contender, rallied from a late deficit. Jonesville led 32-28 in the fourth after a goal-line stand and an end-zone interception before the game exploded into extra periods. Both teams traded scores through two overtimes. In the third OT, Carson Young found Reece Rundquist for a touchdown and added a two-point keeper for a 64-56 lead. Leslie scored but was stopped on the tying conversion. Joel Cranmore was enormous in defeat: 197 passing yards, four passing TDs, 150 rushing yards, and three rushing TDs. Jonesville is 2-0 with two one-possession wins.
More 11-Man Thrillers and Surprises
Several other games went down to the wire or produced unexpected results:
- Saranac 15, Maple Valley 14
- Ravenna 28, Oakridge 27
- Jenison 34, Forest Hills Northern 31 (OT)
- Rochester Adams 21, Rochester 19
- Holton 30, Fennville 28
- Lutheran Westland 20, Our Lady of the Lakes 14 (OT)
- Imlay City 14, Richmond 10
- Grand Haven 17, Reeths-Puffer 14
- Northville 10, Canton 7
- Fenton 27, Haslett 20
Harper Woods bounced back from its Week 1 loss to Chelsea with a 48-12 win over Ferndale. Dakota Guerrant scored twice receiving and on a punt return; Jamarion Flowers and Deandre Bidden each had two rushing touchdowns. Ithaca looked unstoppable in a 54-0 win over Allen Park Cabrini. Gibson Rondy went 13-for-13 for 274 yards and four touchdowns and added a rushing score. Dearborn Heights Robichaud’s Mario Smith ran for more than 200 yards and five touchdowns in a 52-12 win. Detroit Southeastern’s Anthony Laster threw for 301 yards and five total touchdowns while Nate Moore added 185 rushing yards and two scores in a 50-14 victory. Detroit Denby’s Trey Bush caught 14 passes for 212 yards. Chelsea continued its surge with a 56-27 win over Jackson after last week’s upset of Harper Woods.
11-Man Blowouts and Statement Wins
Thursday featured numerous lopsided results that will affect rankings and playoff points:
- Brighton 59, Wayne Memorial 0
- Utica Ford 59, Sterling Heights 0
- Marine City 69, Warren Woods Tower 24
- Napoleon 62, Grass Lake 22
- Constantine 70, Watervliet 20
- Hudson 54, Onsted 6 (47 first-half points)
- Oxford 49, Troy Athens 17
- South Lyon 49, Livonia Churchill 14
- Divine Child 42, Lake Fenton 7
- Grand Ledge 35, Battle Creek Lakeview 14
- Okemos 21, Grand Rapids Union 0
- Hudsonville 49, East Lansing 0
- Walled Lake Western 58, Franklin 7
- Cassopolis 60, White Pigeon 0
- Bronson 59, Stockbridge 6
- Fowler 49, Lake City 0
- Belding 55, Holland 35
- Algonac 38, Hazel Park 21
- St. Clair 48, Eastpointe 0
- Gibraltar Carlson 52, Edsel Ford 14
- Portage Central 42, Forest Hills Central 21
- Mona Shores 33, Portage Northern 0
- West Ottawa 53, Mattawan 12
- Kalamazoo Central 54, Detroit Renaissance 12
- Wyandotte Roosevelt 35, Trenton 21
- Howell 41, Belleville 31
- Hartland 57, Westland John Glenn 6
- Zeeland East 29, Flushing 21 (OT)
- Coopersville 41, West Catholic 21
- Byron Center South Christian 42, East Grand Rapids 19
Bay City John Glenn beat rival Garber 35-7 for a third straight series win. Bay City Central earned its first win under new coach Marc Jarstfer, 34-13 over Kearsley, behind Paulino Perez’s 193 rushing yards and three touchdowns. Laker held Ubly to a late score in a 12-6 defensive win. Mt. Pleasant improved to 2-0 with a 39-26 win over Saginaw United in Freddie Makinen’s first varsity start at quarterback. Chippewa Hills rolled 53-8. Harrison shut out White Cloud 44-0. Sturgis snapped a 21-game losing streak with a 27-8 win over Pennfield.
8-Player Football: High Scores, Comebacks, and Shutouts
The 8-player ranks produced the expected mix of explosive offenses, defensive stands, and wild finishes. Several programs used Thursday to make early statements.
Colon rallied from a 35-28 fourth-quarter deficit to beat Lenawee Christian 40-35. Jeremiah West scored to cut the lead to one; Jabari Falls ran for the go-ahead touchdown with 1:30 left. Falls finished with 158 rushing yards and two scores; West added 88 rushing yards and a scoring pass. Climax-Scotts improved to 2-0 with a 36-26 win over previously unbeaten Britton-Deerfield. Potterville beat Bellevue 15-6.
Dansville stayed unbeaten in its 8-player transition, defeating St. Joseph Our Lady of the Lakes 28-16 after a dominant Week 1 debut. The Aggies’ move to 8-man has generated community buzz after years of 11-man struggles.
Other notable 8-player results included:
- Deckerville 56, Bad Axe 0
- Gaylord St. Mary 54, Central Lake 0
- Mayville 42, Capac 0
- Mendon 58, Morenci 6
- North Dickinson 58, Superior Central 30
- Brethren 60, Suttons Bay 14
- Bark River-Harris 54, Gwinn 6
- Norway 50, Bessemer 0
- Newberry 42, Brimley 12
- Frankfort 48, Muskegon Catholic 0
- Pittsford 64, Burr Oak 44
- Merrill 54, Morrice 7
These games highlight the wide-open nature of 8-player football. Big-play athletes who can score from anywhere and two-way players who dominate both sides of the ball stand out immediately to college coaches looking at smaller-school prospects. High-scoring nights and defensive shutouts alike provide useful evaluation tape.
Recruiting and Ranking Impact
Thursday’s results will shuffle polls. DeWitt’s loss is the biggest single ranking mover. Mason, Cass Tech, Chelsea, Ithaca, Harper Woods (rebound), Brighton, and several 8-player powers all strengthened their résumés. Jonesville’s triple-overtime win and Colon’s late rally will be remembered as character-building moments.
Friday’s remaining games include additional ranked 11-man matchups that will complete the Week 2 picture, as well as, a #1 vs #1 matchup in 8-man when, Division 1 #1. Montabella faces off against Division 2 #1. Portland St. Pats. For now, September 3 delivered an upset of a champion, a heavyweight statement, a three-overtime classic, a wave of blowouts, and a full 8-player slate that reminded everyone how different — and how entertaining — the two versions of the sport can be. Full scores, recaps, and stats tracking remain at nxtgen-recruits.com/scoreboard. The 2026 season is two weeks old and already unpredictable.
