Rivalry Rematches Mark District Championship Round In Lansing-Area High School Football Playoffs

After one round of the MHSAA football playoffs, 12 of 19 Lansing-area high school squads are still standing.

Now district championships are on the line. And in this round, three games involving teams from our part of the state are rivalry rematches.

• Lansing Catholic at Portland: The undefeated Red Raiders scored one of the most impressive victories of the 2015 season when they pummeled Catholic 28-6 on the road in Week 4.

  But the Cougars (9-1) have been on a mission ever since, outscoring opponents throughout that stretch 243-35 and looking like a team that wants to avenge a close loss in last year's state title game. Portland (10-0) has been pretty dominant too, winning games by an average score of 43-11--that's better than the 35.7-13 average the Raiders put up in their 2012 state championship season.

  Both of these CAAC White Division powers were impressive in the first round of the playoffs: Portland demolished Stockbridge 57-18 while Catholic blew out Ovid-Elsie 42-13.

  The Raiders and Cougars have alternated wins and losses over the past four meetings, and this clash will take place at Portland. Both teams at full steam, so don't count on another lopsided affair in either direction.

• St. Johns at DeWitt: A rematch of Week 6 when the Panthers won the CAAC Red Division outright--again--with a 49-21 win over the Redwings. DeWitt (9-1) has beaten St. Johns five times in a row, including a gritty 29-27 win in the 2013 playoffs at DeWitt when the Redwings missed what would have been a game-winning field goal as time expired.

  DeWitt cruised past Haslett 38-20 in the opening round, the Panthers' 15 straight win over their arch rivals. St. Johns took care of fellow CAAC Red foe Mason 20-7.

• Morrice at Deckerville: It's the regional championship round in 8-man football, and the Morrice Orioles (9-1) are looking to repeat an upset they pulled off earlier in the year.

  Morrice beat Deckerville 34-30 at home in Week 6, but now the Orioles will go on the road after putting up nearly 80 points in a blowout of New Haven Merritt Academy. Deckerville (9-1) took care of Peck 30-6 in Round 1 and will surely have vengeance in mind.