High school football is Pure Michigan, especially in Manchester

Manchester JV against Clinton earlier this year.

There's nothing more Michigan than the high school football playoffs.

The season continues for the Flying Dutchmen, after posting one of the best records in Washtenaw County at 8-1. They play in a Division 6 district which contains several southern Michigan teams, including Leslie, Hillsdale (Manchester's most recent victim) and Grass Lake, which gave them their only loss of the season. Move on farther, and the possibility of playing other teams from other parts of the state emerge. Because of being in Division 6, a division with smaller schools, it opens up the geography, as many smaller schools are in more rural areas.

This is a football state, no question about it. Between two Big Ten schools, several other Division I programs (including my alma mater), Division II schools that garner national attention and we can't forget about these guys, this state loves it some football. Which is why the high school football playoffs are so special: what's a better way to celebrate Michigan than competing against some of the other best schools and regions in the state? It's a wonder the Pure Michigan campaign hasn't thought of marketing it harder.

I'm not a football writer, and I don't pretend to be. I'm no expert on stats, and I can't tell you who will win it all (of course, it'd be nice to see the Dutch play in Detroit). The closest experience I have is I played in one playoff game as a backup to the backup in high school for my now-defunct high school (We were clunked 47-7).But I do know that while everyone wants their team to win at Ford Field come Thanksgiving weekend, it's something the entire state can embrace.

Manchester's journey could be an interesting one geographically. Once it gets through districts, Manchester will play a school from southwest Michigan (Hartford, Cassopolis, Constantine or Schoolcraft)  for the regional crown. From there, they could play schools ranging from Ecorse to Vassar in the state semifinals. And it wouldn't be uncommon to see an Upper Peninsula school in the state title game.

I've seen how football is in other communities across the state. Living in mid-Michigan for several years, It wasn't hard to see that's a football-hungry area of Michigan. Schools like Mount Pleasant, Beal City and Ithaca expect to do well in the playoffs after completing 9-0, 8-1 seasons. Near Detroit, it's no secret who the teams to beat are (yes, I'm looking at you, Brother Rice), and it's best not to knock East Grand Rapids anytime. I don't know a lot about the Upper Peninsula's football hunger, but I bet it's not a bad feeling to win a title and knock off a few "trolls" (Lower Peninsula dwellers) in the process.

Manchester's hungry for a playoff victory, especially after losing in the first round last year to Willow Run. The road the Dutch could take may make for just as an exciting trip as the games themselves.

In any case, Go Dutch!

Manchester High School football is back

Ah, football season.

It's close to being the greatest time of the year (I'll still give Christmas the nod here). It's the quintessential American sport, and is played by people of all ages, in pads and in shorts.

While I haven't had the pleasure of enjoying a football game in Manchester, I was treated to the beginning of the season last night, as I watched the JV team play Clinton down in Clinton, nearby where I live. While the game was postponed due to the weather being poor, it was still refreshing to see the players on the sidelines, hearing the shrill of the whistle and seeing the lights pour down onto the field.

High school football is a great thing for both the community and the players. It's a game that brings together some unlikely kids, and forces them to get along while doing some physically and mentally tough training. It's a great thing for kids to partake in; I played football for three years (read: backup to the backup), and don't regret anything about it. With it comes risks, such as injury, but most times, the rewards outweigh the negatives.

As the Flying Dutchmen look to return to the playoffs this year, here's a taste of fall football from last night's JV game in Clinton. The Dutchmen held a 20-14 lead with more than nine minutes remaining in the third quarter: