Three Saginaw-area teams remain, with two playing Friday.

Heritage, Frankenmuth and Millington carry the Saginaw-area football banner into the regional final/quarterfinal games with an eye on a Thanksgiving weekend trip to Ford Field.

Division 2

Heritage (8-3) at East Lansing (8-3)

Time: 7 p.m. Friday

Series: First Meeting

Path to regional final: Heritage d. Midland Dow, 52-20; Midland High, 17-7. East Lansing d. Milford, 43-22; Dexter, 50-49.

Top players: East Lansing features one of the top tailbacks in the country in Jace Clarizio, who scored four touchdowns in the Trojans’ win over Dexter and has verbally committed to Michigan State University, although Alabama has also offered him. East Lansing is led by quarterback Ben Fletcher.  Heritage quarterback Connor Greif leads the Hawks with more than 1,400 passing yards. The 6-foot junior finished the regular season with 15 passing TDs and six rushing TDs. Ethan Kraatz, who has committed to Bowling Green, anchors the offensive and defensive lines.

Playoff highlights: Heritage has never reached the semifinals, while East Lansing is 3-7 in semifinal games and won a state title in 1991. In 1999 and 2023, East Lansing lost in the semifinals to the teams that beat Heritage in the quarterfinals. In 1999, Heritage lost, 20-0, to Saginaw High, which went on to top East Lansing, 16-9, on is way to the state title. In 2023, Muskegon beat the Hawks, 42-14, in the quarterfinal and East Lansing, 42-7, in the semifinal on its way to a state championship.

Losses: Heritage’s losses have come against Grand Blanc (22-21), Davison (45-22) and Midland High (28-13). East Lansing’s losses have come against Hudsonville (14-12), DeWitt (42-35) and Davison (35-10).

2024 scoring: Heritage 337-225; East Lansing 405-224.

Next game: The winner advances to the state semifinals at a neutral site against the winner of the Division 2 quarterfinal between Byron Center (10-1) and Portage Central (8-3).

Division 5

Gladwin (8-3) at Frankenmuth (11-0)

Time: 7 p.m. Friday

Series: Frankenmuth leads, 2-1, including 41-14 win in 2024 regular-season finale.

Path to regional final: Gladwin d. Kingsford, 18-15; d. Ogemaw Heights, 28-16. Frankenmuth d. Howard City Tri-County, 61-6; Belding, 37-7.

Top players: Donald “Trace” Corlew does a little bit of everything for Gladwin, with 43 catches for 771 yards and 13 TDs as a receiver. As a back, Corlew has 44 carries for 409 yards. He also returned two kickoffs for TDs and threw for a touchdown. Defensively, Corlew has 33 tackles and two interceptions. Matthew Lechner anchors the Gladwin line with 60 tackles, including four sacks. In the first meeting that ended the regular season, Colton Pfenninger led Gladwin with 73 yards rushing and 134 passing in a 41-14 Frankenmuth win. Hagan Wascher had a big game for the Eagles against Gladwin with 12 tackles on defense and, on offense, 30 yards rushing, 27 receiving and 24 returning. Lineman Derrick Simmons, who has committed to Michigan State, is a force at defensive tackle and on offense, where he’s the lead blocker for a run game that has gained more than 3,000 yards.

Playoff highlights: Gladwin has only reached the semifinals twice but is 1-1, losing to Belding, 20-14, in 1998 before beating Grand Rapids Catholic Central in 2022 on its way to beating Frankenmuth in the state final, 10-7. Frankenmuth is 2-8 in state semifinals, with wins in 2020 over Lansing Catholic (35-14) and in 2023 over Detroit Country Day (38-0).

Losses: Gladwin has three losses to Ogemaw Heights (12-7), Clare (26-21) and Frankenmuth (41-14).

2024 scoring: Frankenmuth 436-100; Gladwin 353-201.

Next game: The winner advances to the Division 5 semifinals at a neutral site against the winner of the regional final/quarterfinal game between Grand Rapids Catholic Central (7-4) and Kalamazoo Hackett (9-2).

Division 7

Pewamo-Westphalia (9-2) at Millington (10-0)

Time: 1 p.m. Saturday

Series: First meeting

Path to regional final: Millington d. Laker High, 42-14; d. Cass City, 34-7. Pewamo-Westphalia d. Montrose, 42-14; d. Ithaca, 17-14.

Top players: Dallas Walsh leads the Millington ground game and is a top defensive player. Walsh is Millington’s career rushing lead and career scoring lead. Truk Terbush is coming off a dominating passing performance in the win over Cass City, while Brevin Hendricks is a top defensive lineman with 11 tackles for loss and nine sacks. The Pirates featured a pair of 100-yard rushers in the win over Ithaca, with Eli Thelen running for 116 yards and two TDs and Braylon Thelen adding 113 yards rushing. Kevin Hafner played a key role in the win over Ithaca, kicking both extra points and a 45-yard field goal.

Playoff highlights: Millington has reached the semifinals six times but has yet to win one, including a 35-7 loss in 2023 to Jackson Lumen Christi. Pewamo-Westphalia has been one of the top Division teams in the state in the past 10 years, winning four state titles with championships in 2016, 2017, 2019 and 2021. The Pirates also appeared in state finals in 2015, losing to Ishpeming, and in 2011, losing to Nouvel with current Heritage coach Justin Thelen starting at quarterback.

Losses: Pewamo-Westphalia’s two losses have come to Fowler, 14-11, and Lansing Catholic, 35-34.

2024 scoring: Millington 440-73; Pewamo-Westphalia 413-122

Next game: The winner advances to a Division 7 semifinal game at a neutral site against the winner of the regional final/quarterfinal between Menominee (10-1) and North Muskegon (10-1). If Menominee wins, the game would likely be at the Superior Dome in Marquette.

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