HILLSDALE COUNTY — Two weeks remain in the Michigan high school football regular season, and Hillsdale County’s 11-player programs have plenty left to play for entering Week 8.
Reading and Jonesville kept their postseason hopes alive with double-digit victories in Week 7, but both enter Friday, Oct. 16, dangerously close to the playoff cutoff in their respective divisions.
Meanwhile, Hillsdale returns to Baumgarten Stadium looking to finish its final Lenawee County Athletic Association football season on a positive note.
Here’s a look back at Week 7’s top performers and what awaits each team in Week 8.
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Reading faces red-hot Bronson in must-win matchup
READING — The Rangers (4-3) returned to the win column in convincing fashion Friday, Oct. 9, defeating Stockbridge 60-28 and securing coach Gavin Wisel his first home victory since taking over the program.
Senior quarterback Carter Bassage delivered another outstanding performance, accounting for six touchdowns and 294 yards of offense.
Bassage completed 6-of-12 passes for 146 yards and three touchdowns while rushing 15 times for 148 yards and three additional scores.
Senior Will Elder caught two touchdown passes totaling 70 yards, while Parker Riddle added a 5-yard touchdown reception. Gavin Wright rushed for 124 yards and a touchdown on 12 carries, and Reid Westfall added 60 yards and a score.
Reading finished with 491 yards of total offense.
The defense also stepped up behind Landon Rose, who recorded five tackles, four sacks and four tackles for loss. Westfall led with seven tackles, while Wright added five tackles and a sack. Reading held Stockbridge to minus-30 rushing yards on 15 carries.
The victory provided a much-needed boost ahead of one of Reading’s toughest remaining tests.
The Rangers travel to Bronson (5-2), which has won four consecutive games by double digits after opening the season 1-2.
The Vikings defeated Homer 38-0 and Buchanan 14-0 before collecting back-to-back Big 8 victories over Maple Valley, 43-20, and Quincy, 40-24.
Bronson features a balanced offensive attack led by senior quarterback Owen Losinski and senior running backs Reid Stukey and Benjamin Stevens.
For Reading, another explosive performance from Bassage could be crucial. Through seven games, the senior has thrown for 876 yards and 14 touchdowns against five interceptions. He has added 335 rushing yards.
A victory over Bronson would arguably be Reading’s biggest of the season and significantly strengthen the program’s postseason outlook.
Entering Week 8, Reading holds a 21-point playoff total, placing the Rangers 31st in the projected 32-team Division 8 field.
Several teams with 3-4 records remain close behind, leaving little room for error.
Reading concludes its regular season at Quincy (4-3) in Week 9.
Jonesville looks to earn second-straight postseason appearance
JONESVILLE — After four consecutive losses threatened to derail a promising start, Jonesville (3-4) returned to winning form with a 30-14 road victory over Addison.
Senior running back John Milks continued his outstanding season, rushing for 215 yards and two touchdowns on 30 carries.
The performance pushed Milks past 1,400 rushing yards for the season, adding another milestone to his impressive career with the Comets.
Quarterback Carson Young rushed for two touchdowns and 28 yards, while sophomore Jordan Duque added 46 yards on two carries.
Jonesville finished with 289 rushing yards.
Defensively, seniors Harper Griffiths and Noah Knepfler recorded 10 tackles apiece, while sophomore Lucas Stanton finished with eight.
The victory kept Jonesville inside the projected Division 7 playoff field, although its position remains precarious.
With a 25-point playoff average, the Comets currently sit 32nd in the projected 32-team field.
Coach Frank Keller’s team likely needs to win its final two games to give itself the best chance of making a second consecutive postseason appearance.
That challenge begins Friday with a Cascades Conference crossover game at Grass Lake (1-6).
The Warriors have struggled against a challenging schedule this season, including a 22-14 loss to Michigan Center in Week 7.
Even two victories might not guarantee Jonesville a playoff berth. The Comets finish their regular season at home against Muskegon Catholic Central (2-5), meaning neither remaining opponent offers substantial opportunities for additional playoff points through victories over teams with strong records.
Still, after falling to several of the Cascades Conference’s top programs, Jonesville has a chance to finish with momentum and potentially extend the season beyond Week 9.
Hillsdale hopes to finish final LCAA season strong
HILLSDALE — The Hornets (1-6) have struggled to find consistency this fall, but not necessarily because of a lack of opportunities.
Hillsdale has been within one score at crucial moments in three of its six losses, including games against Jonesville, Ida and Onsted.
Those missed opportunities have proved costly, leaving the Hornets outside postseason contention despite facing one of the area’s more challenging schedules.
The team’s latest setback came in a 47-0 loss to Hudson, which remained among four LCAA teams tied atop the conference standings.
Senior Brody Arnold led the defense with six total tackles, including a 12-yard sack.
Despite the disappointment, Hillsdale still has two games to build momentum for the future.
Senior quarterback Evan Towne will look to lead the Hornets to their final LCAA home victory when Blissfield (2-5) visits Baumgarten Stadium on Friday.
The Royals have also experienced their share of struggles this season. Their most recent victory came in Week 5, a 21-14 win over Onsted.
For Towne and Hillsdale’s other seniors, the final LCAA game represents another opportunity to leave their mark on the program. For the players returning in 2027, the remaining games can provide a foundation for next season.
Hillsdale will conclude its season by hosting Manchester in Week 9, marking the end of another chapter for Hornet football.
This article originally appeared on Hillsdale Daily News: Playoff football still on the line as 11-player teams head into Week 8