MHSAA Rankings: February Finals Division IV
With one week left in the season. While it wasn’t planned. I now realize that I have provided preseason rankings. Followed up by midseason ranking in January (midterms) Perhaps it’s the former high school teacher in me. It just seems only appropriate to deliver some final rankings/grades.
I’ll provide a link to the previous rankings. They are detailed with key players and strengths and weaknesses. These are final rankings. A little secret about final grades. At least from my experience. Personally, they were very brief and straightforward. Summer was calling. Throw a bubble sheet into a machine called a scantron to get a final grade. Maybe this is why I don’t teach anymore….
I only bring that up to say these will also be brief and straightforward. Leaning heavily on the resumes the teams have put together. This is NOT who I am necessarily picking to win the state championship. We’ll do some bracketology next weekend. If you would like more detail on the teams, follow the links below.
Preseason 10 here
January 10 here
1. Crystal Falls Forest Park (19-1)
What a run for a group of athletes from the remote reaches of the Upper Peninsula. Rolled to an 8-Man football state championship. Haven’t missed a beat on the hardwood. They don’t have a bad loss and are loaded with good victories. It will be interesting to see how they match up with a red hot Marquette squad this week.
2. Wyoming Tri-Unity Christian (18-2)
With a six time state championship winning head coach retiring. The Crusaders are the headline grabbing story of the division. So much so, you almost forget that they also the defending state champions. They appear to have recovered from a somewhat sluggish start to the regular season. Not many weaknesses on this team.
3. Fowler (18-3)
The only team in the division that has defeated Tri-Unity Christian. It was early but it provides a glimpse their ceiling. Much of that ceiling comes from their uncommon size along their frontline. Their losses to Division III top five program Pewamo-Westphalia are not demerits.
4.Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart (17-2)
The best backcourt in the division by a pretty healthy margin. Especially on the defensive end. Their two losses were to highly ranked Division III squads. Do they have enough size down low to beat the teams above them?
5. Allen Park Inter-City Baptist (19-2)
No noticeable let down after a surprise semifinal run last year. Only losses were close and came to teams from Divisions I and II. At time of writing, they appear to be taking the final week of the season off. Rusty or rested for March?
6. Adrian Lenawee Christian (17-3)
The Cougars feature perhaps the top overall talent in the division. They have really tested themselves out of conference. They have a loss to Tri-Unity Christian and a game against a Division I school scheduled for this week. They shared a Tri County Conference championship with…
7. Petersburg Summerfield (18-1)
The Bulldogs shared the Tri County Conference with Lenawee Christian. They additionally split with them in the regular season. They are a young squad without deep postseason experience. A game against a school from Toledo that was scheduled over the holidays is going to be played this week. I’ll be watching that result.
8. Traverse City Christian (18-2)
A guard heavy team that has been historically good from beyond the arc. They are an independent school that has played a tough schedule. They avenged their early season loss to Lake Leelanau St Mary (see below) A program that has been a bit of a sleeping giant might be ready to break out after years of knocking on the door.
9. Pickford (17-1)
The doppelgänger of the #1 team on this list. Another upper peninsula program that appeared in a 8-Man football state championship game. After a slow start they have been undefeated since the calendar turned to 2025. Only loss came at a neutral site to Harbor Springs. They have a victory over a handful Division I and II schools. Pickford has a plethora of guards that can beat you.
10. Bellaire (16-4)
The Eagles top level senior talent gets them a spot in the top ten despite four losses. Now of them are glaringly bad. They hold a dramatic last second victory over Traverse City St Francis. Shared a Ski Valley Conference championship with East Jordan.
Honorable Mention (Alphabetical order)
Battle Creek St Phillip (17-4) You simply can’t count out a team that is led by triplets (Dwzik) Outside of that novelty, the Fighting Tigers have put together a solid regular season. Winning a Southern Central Athletic Association championship.
Clarkston Everest Collegiate (19-1) A one loss parochial school from the metro Detroit area is always a state championship contender. Just won the CHSL St Anne Tournament at Calihan Hall. So they have plenty of big stage tournament experience. Only loss came to a very good Division III Jackson Lumen Christi.
Lake Leelanau St Mary (17-3) One of the smallest schools in the state. They have defied expectations before. They have a victory over #8 on this list. Other two losses came over Christmas to bigger schools.
Marion (13-6) Not the best record. However added an impact transfer from traditional Division III power McBain. He wasn’t eligible until after Christmas. Gives them an added athletic dimension. They have scheduled very aggressively.
Norway (13-5) The Upper Peninsula program might have the best victory in the division. The victory over Kingsford is telling of their upside. Not much depth as they only dress six players.
