The Harper Woods football team celebrates after a win in 2023 with the MHSAA Division 4 trophy.
By: Scott Bentley | C&G Newspapers | Published August 27, 2025
METRO DETROIT — The 2025 high school football season is officially underway as last weekend teams all over Michigan played their first game of the year.
Week 2 looks like it will provide the early season big-name matchups that the state has waited all offseason for.
Premier Matchup of the Week
Sept. 5 — 7 p.m.
Port Huron Northern at Madison Heights Lamphere
This matchup features two MAC division winners from 2024 and is a rematch of a game played last season. Lamphere won the MAC-Gold with an 8-1 record last year and beat Northern 21-13. Despite the loss, Port Huron Northern finished with a 7-2 record and a MAC-Blue title. Both teams have high hopes for this season and will look to get a big win before division play starts.
Matchups to Watch
Sept. 5 — 7 p.m.
Harper Woods at Clarkston
An OAA crossover matchup between two fixtures in the MHSAA postseason. Last season, Harper Woods made it to the state semifinals before losing to eventual state champion Goodrich. Clarkston is a blue-blood program that wins playoff games seemingly every year and is coming off of a big week 1 matchup against Belleville in the Amazon Prep Kickoff Classic. The game is also “Community Night” and kids ages 12 and younger will get in for free.
Sept. 5 — 7 p.m.
Rochester at Rochester Adams
This cross-town rivalry is a matchup played every season, outside of 2011. Amazingly, and despite its annual setup, Rochester hasn’t defeated Adams since a 1996 game that had a score of 20-14. It will be a tall task, however, as Rochester went 4-5 a year ago while Adams put up a 10-3 record and made the state semifinals.
Sept. 5 — 7 p.m.
Warren De La Salle Collegiate at Davison
De La Salle went 8-3 last year with a pair of playoff wins. This year, the team looks to make a run at the Catholic High School League Central Division championship. Davison lost to De La Salle on opening night in 2024 by a score of 21-3, but the team recovered nicely and finished the season 7-3.
Sept. 5 — 7 p.m.
Pontiac Notre Dame Prep at Jackson Lumen Christi
This is not only one of the most anticipated matchups of the week, but it’s one of the biggest games of the entire season. 2024 Division 5 state champion Pontiac Notre Dame Prep is going to Jackson to face 2024 Division 6 state champion Lumen Christi. The teams went a combined 25-2 last season and look to be two of the best teams in Michigan again this fall.