GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — The Northview football team just concluded one of its best regular seasons in school history.
The Wildcats’ reward? A road game against one of the top teams in Division 2.
Northview went a perfect 9-0, its first such regular season record since 1970, and also won the O-K Black conference title — again, its first outright crown since 1970.
But the unbeaten Wildcats will face their biggest test of the season in the Friday night district semifinal against the Byron Center Bulldogs, who went 8-1 for the second straight year and will host this matchup due to having higher playoff points.
Byron Center’s only loss was against O-K Green champion Mona Shores, 14-12, in Week 4.
Byron Center and Northview mirror each other on paper and on the field. Both teams scored the same number of points (357) during the regular season. The Bulldogs gave up 168 points, while the Wildcats surrendered 140. Both teams also possess an array of weapons at the skill positions, as well as on defense, and have won with strong efforts on both sides of the ball.
It will be the 17th all-time meeting between the teams, with Byron Center holding a 9-7 edge. The Bulldogs have won the last three in the series when the teams played each other in the O-K White. Byron Center won last year’s game 49-0.
This will be Byron Center’s sixth straight postseason appearance under coach Marc Cisco, while Northview is making its third appearance in the last five years.
The winner will face either Mona Shores (8-1) or Traverse City West (6-3) in next weekend’s district finals.