Lahser, Brother Rice, Country Day Learn Playoff Opponents

"Selection Sunday" had several local high school football teams pumped up for this weekend's playoffs.

learned it will play Redford Thurston, will face off against North Farmington and Detroit Country Day will go up against Detroit Crockett.

Selection Sunday

Selection Sunday is one of the most exciting days of the high school football season – and it doesn't even involve any actually football games.

On the “Selection Sunday” program that aired on FOX Sports Detroit, football teams across the state found out the full list of qualifiers and pairings.

Teams that played nine games this season and had six wins automatically qualified (five wins for teams that played eight games). On the show, it was revealed that 234 teams automatically qualified this year, the lowest number ever.

This was good news for teams like Brother Rice and Avondale that finished on the bubble with just five wins. The field for the playoffs is 256 teams, so 22 teams that didn’t automatically qualify were able to get in.

Qualifying teams are divided into eight divisions of 32 schools each based on school size. There are four regions of eight teams in each division and within those regions there are two districts of four teams.

All times and dates for first round games will be announced by the MHSAA on Monday. Games will be played on Friday and Saturday.

Lahser vs. Thurston

The Lahser Knights (6-3) are set to play the Redford Thurston Eagles (8-1) in the first round of the Division 3 playoffs this season.

The two schools met in the first round of the playoffs back in 2008. Three years ago, the Knights won 28-13 and advanced to Division 3 semifinals. Lahser is hoping a win against the Eagles this season will bring it similar success.

After starting the season 3-0, the Knights needed to win its last two games to avoid missing an automatic qualifying bid. Lahser needed overtime to beat Avondale 10-7 two weeks ago, and last week it held off a late surge by Andover to win 28-21.

If the Knights advance they will play the winner of Orchard Lake St. Mary’s (7-2) and Detroit Pershing (7-2).

Brother Rice vs. North Farmington

Brother Rice was one of the teams biting their nails on Sunday. The Warriors finished 5-4 this season and one win way from an automatic qualifying bid for the second straight year.

A solid strength of schedule helped the Warriors again beat the odds and extend its streak of playoff appearances to 13.

Brother Rice will be the only team in its district from outside the OAA. It will play the North Farmington Raiders (7-2), a school making its first trip to the postseason since 2005.

Last year, the Warriors lost in the first round 37-27 to Harrison. The Hawks scored 14 points in the final minutes to stun Brother Rice. A rematch of that game could come in the district finals. Harrison plays Seaholm on the other side of the bracket. 

Detroit Country Day vs. Crockett

It will be a rematch for Detroit Country Day (7-2) in the first round of the Division 4 playoffs this year. The Country Day Yellowjackets will play Detroit Crockett (8-1), the team that knocked them out of districts last season. Crockett beat Country Day 20-14 in the district finals on its way to the Division 4 semifinals.

Both teams are strong again this year and riding seven-game win streaks into the playoffs.

The Yellowjackets lost their first two games of the season before really putting things together offensively. After scoring 23 points combined in the losses, Country Day hasn’t scored less than 34 points since.

One of the teams that beat the Yellowjackets this season is in their district. Harper Woods Chandler Park (7-2) beat Country Day to open the season 16-14. Chandler Park plays St. Clair Shores South Lake (8-1) on the other side of the district bracket.

More high school football playoffs matchups

For a complete list of pairings, see this MHSAA list.