Can a team that los
t one game by a 60-0 score still qualify for the post-season playoffs?
Martin will find out in the next several weeks. The Clippers are 4-2 on the season overall and if they win two of their remaining three games, against Decatur this Friday, against Galesburg-Augusta Oct. 14 and Kalamazoo United Oct. 21, they will qualify automatically for the Division 8 post-season grid tournament. They could possibly make the playoffs if they win only one of the last three.
Martin lost 60-0 to Saugatuck in a contest last month. Its other loss was to Fennville 12-8 in the season opener. It has defeated Marcellus, Bloomingdale, Eau Claire and Bangor this fall.
Martin last was in the playoffs in 2007, but them mysteriously lost its next 55 games in a row, finally breaking the streak in 2014 with a victory over Bellevue.
The Clippers defeated Bloomingdale 39-12 last Friday.
Freshman Payton Hunt had 102 yards rushing and three touchdowns. Senior Collin Warner, enjoying his best season, rushed for one touchdown and threw a touchdown pass to Cayden Curry. Carter Hilton, back after missing two games with concussion like symptoms, threw a touchdown pass to Luke VanPutten.
*We played a dominating first half, giving up only 49 yards total and scoring touchdowns on four of our first five possessions,” said Coach Randy Hunt.
‘Bloomingdale played a much more physical second half and put together some good drives on offense and stiffened up on defense.
“Overall we are very happy with the way the team is performing on both sides of the ball. Hopefully, we return a couple of two-way starters this week for what should be a great game with Decatur,” Hunt said. The last three game of this season will tell us a lot about where we are as a program.”
Defensively, Martin gave up 94 yards rushing and 99 passing. Austin Pillars led the team with 12 tackles and Robbie Martin had 10 tackles and one sack. Warner also added a sack to go along with eight tackles. Tanner Curry and Hunt each had nine tackles.
Being a class D school — of which there are only 36 — any D school that is 5-4 will get in as it looks right now. After counting up the number of teams with six wins or more the MHSAA then fills the 256 team field with 5-4 teams. By rule they are taken equally from each class. So D is allocated a fourth of the slots, IF they have enough 5-4 teams. This year it looks like the number of 5-4 teams will be between 25-35.
The way it looks right now getting two wins is the way to go for Martin.
While Saugatuck is safely ensconced in Div VII and Martin is Div VIII, there is a good chance that Martin’s district opener could be Muskegon Catholic Central (6-0 currently rated #1 in the state). Districts are seeded, so having six wins could give the Clippers a match with Vestaburg or Fowler both currently 4-2.