MHSAA Division 3 Regional Breakdown & Predictions
The Division 3 regional tournaments have some great pairings, including one pairing that features four top-10 teams. Some of the usual suspects to make it to Battle Creek will find themselves being heavily challenged this week. Which teams will advance…
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Continue ReadingThe Division 3 regional tournaments have some great pairings, including one pairing that features four top-10 teams. Some of the usual suspects to make it to Battle Creek will find themselves being heavily challenged this week. Which teams will advance to next week’s quarterfinals? Here’s my breakdown and predictions for all eight regions.
RELATED: Our Division 1 Regional Predictions
RELATED: Our Division 2 Regional Predictions
RELATED: Our Division 4 Regional Predictions
Regional 17 at Manistique
Semifinal Matchups: Calumet vs. Manistique; Rogers City vs. Traverse City St. Francis
Breakdown: A solid regional of teams really looking to break out in the state picture, the first semifinal has No. 24 Calumet meeting Manistique (HM). The Copper Kings went four sets last week in matches with Ironwood, Iron Mountain and Norway. Manistique also won three times in districts, dropping just one set to Negaunee in the district final. Rogers City was tested a lot last week in Charlevoix, playing four sets with Harbor Springs and Johannseburg-Lewiston before going five with East Jordan in the district final. St. Francis went four sets with Elk Rapids and Suttons Bay before sweeping Grand Traverse Academy in the district final. This region is wide open, but Calumet has maintained a more consistent level of play through the year, so I give the edge to the Copper Kings.
Finals Prediction: Calumet over St. Francis
Regional 18 at Houghton Lake
Semifinal Matchups: Beaverton vs. Manton; Beal City vs. Houghton Lake
Breakdown: These matches should be razor-thin. No. 18 Beaverton is the top-ranked team in the region and coming off district wins over St. Louis and San ford Meridian. The Beavers draw Manton, which grinded out district wins over Pine River and Lake City last week. Beal City is an HM team in Division 3 for us, but the Aggies have had runs to Battle Creek in the not-so-distant past. The Aggies face No. 22 Houghton Lake, which won three matches last week that included a five-set victory over Roscommon in the district final. I think Beaverton can get past Manton and will then have an edge over the Beal City/Houghton Lake winner, as I think that winner will have to go five sets for the victory.
Finals Prediction: Beaverton over Beal City
Regional 19 at Kent City
Semifinal Matchups: Grand Rapids NorthPointe Christian vs. Hesperia; North Muskegon vs. Pewamo-Westphalia
Breakdown: No. 12 NorthPointe Christian made a statement last week in its sweep of No. 15 Covenant Christian in its home district final. The Mustangs draw upset-mind Hesperia, which bested No. 20 Hesperia in four sets in its district championship match. The other semifinal has No. 9 North Muskegon facing No. 21 Pewamo-Westphalia. The Pirates of P-W bested Lakeview, Morley Stanwood and Saranac in their district run last week. Two of those teams are Honorable Mentions in our D3 rankings. The Norsemen of North Muskegon had a big win last week, defeating No. 14 West Michigan Christian in four sets as part of the district semifinal. They then swept Saugatuck. North Muskegon looks to be the most battle-tested team in the region and that can go a long way this time of year.
Finals Prediction: North Muskegon over NorthPointe Christian
Regional 20 at Bronson
Semifinal Matchups: Schoolcraft vs. Niles Brandywine; Centreville vs. Bronson
Breakdown: You’d be hard pressed to find a better regional in any division. This four-team pairing featured four squads ranked seventh or better in our D3 rankings. No. 2 Bronson is looking to keep its effort to win a fourth consecutive state championship alive when it faces No. 4 Centreville on Tuesday. The Vikings weren’t challenged last week in sweeps of Galesburg-Augusta and Union City. Centreville was pushed to five sets in its district final match with Constantine. The Bulldogs will have their hands full on Tuesday on Bronson’s home floor. In the other semifinal, No. 3 Schoolcraft battles No. 7 Brandywine. Both teams were a perfect 9-for-9 when it came to sets in district play last week. For Schoolcraft, that included a sweep of No. 16 Kalamazoo Christian in the district final. I like Bronson and Schoolcraft to advance and the Broncos already own a win over Schoolcraft this year. With the home floor, the Vikings should make it through.
Finals Prediction: Bronson over Schoolcraft
Regional 21 at Springport
Semifinal Matchups: Bath vs. Hanover-Horton; Vandercook Lake vs. Manchester
Breakdown: The semifinal between No. 5 Manchester and No. 11 Vandercook Lake should be a must-see contest. The Flying Dutchmen cruised to nine perfect sets last week. Vandercook Lake went five with Lumen Christi in its district opener, but then swept East Jackson and Michigan Center. These two met early in the season, with Manchester getting the win in four sets. Look for a similar outcome on Tuesday. Bath has been hovering around the rankings all season and it bested last year’s Class C runner-up, Laingsburg in a district finals sweep. Hanover-Horton didn’t drop a set last week, but the Comets could have their hands full with the Bees.
Finals Prediction: Manchester over Bath
Regional 22 at Whitmore Lake
Semifinal Matchups: Charyl Stockwell Academy vs. Adrian Madison; Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central vs. Dearborn Heights Star International
Breakdown: A stacked regional here, with three teams in our top 15. No. 1 SMCC has really established itself as the team to beat in Division 3 this year and the Kestrels did nothing to hurt that opinion with sweeps of Cabrini, Ecorse and No. 6 Riverview Gabriel Richard last week. Dearborn Heights Star had a perfect 6-for-6 week in sets during district play and will look to pull off a massive upset on Tuesday. No. 13 Adrian Madison dropped one of 10 sets last week, to No. 25 Whiteford. The Trojans have an exciting pairing with No. 10 Charyl Stockwell Academy. The Sentinels have played a challenging schedule all season, taking a few lumps along the way. It appears to have paid off though, as they swept Greenhills and Whitemore Lake last week. Regardless of who comes out on top in that great semifinal, its hard to see either stopping the SMCC train.
Finals Prediction: SMCC over Charyl Stockwell Academy
Regional 23 at Madison Heights Bishop Foley
Semifinal Matchups: Rochester Hills Lutheran Northwest vs. Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett; Madison Heights Bishop Foley vs. Brown City.
Breakdown: No. 19 Brown City went four sets to get past Sandusky in the district final last week and now has to face Bishop Foley on its home floor. The Ventures held off Shrine in four sets for a third consecutive district title and will be tough to beat in their gym. Liggett wasn’t challenged much in a three-team district while Lutheran Northwest had a five-set battle with Academy of the Sacred Heart. That tough match could help it on Tuesday. Ultimately, Brown City has the most potential in this group. Bishop Foley could play spoiler, but I will stick with the Green Devils.
Finals Prediction: Brown City over Lutheran Northwest
Regional 24 at Bad Axe
Semifinal Matchups: Reese vs. Byron; Millington vs. Unionville-Sebewaing
Breakdown: No. 8 Unionville-Sebewaing had a minor slip in its district semifinal, going four sets with Cass City. It then looked dominant in a sweep over No. 17 Harbor Beach. The Patriots meet No. 23 Millington, which went 9-1 in 10 sets last week. Byron rolled to a perfect week over nine sets at the Hamady district while Reese went to four sets with both St. Charles and Valley Lutheran. USA should be the team to beat this week, as the Patriots look like a legit contender to reach Battle Creek.
Finals Prediction: Unionville-Sebewaing over Reese