20 U.P. teams in football playoffs

Twenty high school teams from the Upper Peninsula have qualified for the state football playoffs.

The Michigan High School Athletic Association has released the following pairings, but the day and time for each game has not yet been announced.

Division 4
Region 1, District 1

Escanaba (7-2) is in the playoffs for the second straight year and will host Whitehall (6-3), which has qualified for the third straight season. This will be the first-ever meeting between the Eskymos and Vikings. The winner will advance to take on the victor of the Ludington-Alma matchup.

Division 5
Region 1, District 1

Menominee (8-1) has qualified for the postseason every year since 1996. This week, the Maroons will play host to first-time opponent Kalkaska (6-3).

The other matchup in this district has Grayling (6-3) traveling to one of Menominee’s conference rivals, Kingsford (6-3). These teams have faced off three times, most recently in 2013, when the Flivvers lost at Grayling in the first round of the playoffs.

In 2015, both Menominee and Kingsford won at home on the opening weekend of the postseason, with the Maroons knocking off the Flivvers in Menominee in the second round.

Division 6
Region 1, District 1

The top-ranked team in the state in Division 6, Negaunee (9-0), hosts Charlevoix (7-2) in a rematch of a 2014 first-round game. Negaunee won that contest, 21-12, on the Red Rayders’ home field.

The Negaunee-Charlevoix winner will take on the survivor of the matchup between Boyne City (6-3) and host Calumet (8-1). The Copper Kings lost at Boyne City in the second round a year ago.

Division 7
Region 1, District 1

Gwinn (6-3) is in the playoffs for the first time since a run to the state semifinals in 1999. The Modeltowners will travel to conference opponent Iron Mountain (7-2), a perennial postseason contender. When the teams met in Week 2 of the regular season, the Mountaineers posted a 27-0 victory.

The winner of the battle will likely have to travel to Traverse City St. Francis (9-0), which hosts Harbor Springs (5-4) in the first round.

Division 8
Region 1, District 1

This district features four Upper Peninsula teams. North Dickinson (6-3) will play at conference opponent Lake Linden-Hubbell (9-0). In Week 8 of the regular season, LL-H shut out the Nordics, 24-0.

Norway (7-2) is in the playoffs for the first time since 2010 and hosts West Iron County (6-3) in the other side of the bracket. The Knights and Wykons are meeting for the first time since the 2001 playoffs.

Division 8
Region 1, District 2

Top seed St. Ignace (8-1) has qualified for the 10th straight year and hosts Hillman (5-4). Hillman is in the playoffs for the 11th consecutive season but has advanced to the second round only once during that stretch.

Newberry (7-2) extends its playoff streak to three years and hosts Gaylord St. Mary (6-3), back in the postseason after a six-year absence.

8-Player
Region 1

All four teams in this region are from the U.P. Defending state champion North Central (9-0) hosts Rapid River (6-3). North Central is 22-0 since moving to the 8-player division before the 2015 season and knocked off the Rockets 76-18 in Week 8 of the regular season.

In the other half of this region, Stephenson (7-2) will travel to take on Forest Park (8-1), which is in the 8-player division for the first time. In the regular season, Forest Park defeated the Eagles, 52-32.

8-Player
Region 2

Engadine (9-0), in the 8-player playoffs for the sixth straight time, hosts Cedarville (6-3), which has qualified for the postseason for 13 consecutive years, including six straight in 8-player. When these teams met in the regular season, Engadine posted a 52-42 victory.

Pickford (8-1) has now made the playoffs twice in two years in this division. The Panthers play host to Fife Lake Forest Area (7-2), which is new to 8-player.