Playoff Preview: River Rouge @ Riverview

River Rouge enters the MHSAA District final with a 6-4 record after defeating Southgate Anderson in the semis while Riverview arrives with a 9-1 record after a 27-25 come from behind victory over Trenton. These two teams met in the playoffs back in 2020 with Rouge beating the View 38-20. The Panthers are 3-0 all-time against the Pirates.

River Rouge

Head Coach: Eric Pettway

Playoff Record: 27-16

Players to Watch:

Nick Marsh: The Michigan State commit is the Panthers best player. He will carry the ball and is certainly a threat at receiver. The 6-3 athlete is a game changer that will be the best player Riverview has seen all year.

McKale McDowell: The junior will handle the regular QB duties for the Panthers and has thrown for nearly a 1000 yards and 10 TD’s.

Jamori Biggs: Biggs leads the Panthers in rushing and has scored 10 TD’s this season. He also will see time at LB on the other side of the ball.

Leonado Garcia: The senior LB leads the Panthers with tackles that includes 8 TFL’s and 2 sacks.

Jordin Farrow: The 6-3, 260 lb junior is a force on the defensive line for the Panthers. He has recorded 25 tackles and 5 sacks.

Riverview:

Head Coach: Derek McLaughlin

Playoff Record: 20-20

Players to Watch:

Ian Adams: The speedy junior FB for the Pirates is a threat to score every time he touches the ball. He has rushed for over 1,100 yards and has scored 16 TD’s.

Max Lockhart: The senior is a 4 year varsity player that missed the first half of the season because of injury. He has solidified the Pirates defense and averages nearly 9 tackles per game.

Nate Pinkava: Just a junior, the RB/LB is arguably the Pirates best player. He has rushed for over 900 yards and has recorded 15 TD’s. On defense, he is part of a talented and quick LB Corp.

Caleb Dibrano: This senior is kind of the unsung hero for the Pirates. His name rarely gets mentioned among those outside the Riverview program. The Buc QB is sneaky fast and throws a good ball when necessary.

Charlie Singleton: The senior LB is another player most haven’t heard of, but he is among the Pirate leaders in tackles.

Overview: This is an intriguing match up between two schools that are just 8 miles apart. Rouge has played a daunting schedule, but have won 5 straight entering Friday’s game. Riverview has won 8 straight since their week 2 loss to Airport.