After fun watching playoff pairings, heavy prep work begins for area football coaches

Fridays are usually the busiest nights of the week for high school football coaches. But there's one evening in October that's just as eventful — the night the MHSAA playoff pairings are announced.

That date arrived Sunday. And teams in the Blue Water Area had their own unique ways of watching the selection show.

"For years now we've been going to the Riviera (restaurant) in downtown Marine City with the team and coaching staff," Marine City coach Daryn Letson said. "We have dinner and watch the show. When you see your name on the screen, it's a gratifying feeling."

"We watched it in our (auditorium) at school," Port Huron Northern coach Larry Roelens said. "We try to make a nice evening out of it. We get together early, eat pizza in the cafeteria and pass out our playoff shirts. It's like March Madness. You can see exactly who you're playing and when. Everybody across the state sees it as well."

"It's something to look forward to and it gives the boys a cool experience," Croswell-Lexington coach Mike LeGrow said. "(Defensive coordinator) Mike Sheridan invited everybody to his house. He has an outside patio with a TV out there and we just grilled some hot dogs and watched the show. It was fun for everybody."

But game week begins once the broadcast ends. That's when the real fun starts.

"Once everything is finalized and you see who you're playing, you go as fast as you can to get things organized," Letson said. "Like your practice schedule, when you're going to play and getting the (junior varsity) kids that you're bringing up situated. It's a lot of CEO-type stuff that you're doing."

The Mariners will host Yale on Friday in one of the few matchups between area teams. Other clubs, such as Cros-Lex, will face schools from entirely different counties.

"As soon as I found out it was Orchard Lake St. Mary's, I fired off about 10 text messages to all my coaching friends (asking if they had film)," LeGrow said. "I'm trying to be as prepared as possible ... oh, I just got one film (now)."

Port Huron coach Dan Perkins wasn't able to watch the show with his team. But he's already gathered some intel on the Big Reds' playoff opponent, Harrison Township L'Anse Creuse.

"They're big and they're really, really athletic," Perkins said. "That being said, they lost some games in their league to some teams we're familiar with as well. I know the MAC White has three quality playoff teams with Roseville and (St. Clair Shores) Lakeview. So (L'Anse Creuse) has played some good competition."

Speaking of Lakeview, that's who Port Huron's crosstown rival Northern will face.

"We shared a conference with Lakeview for a couple years," Roelens said. "They've been in the MAC White for a few years now, so we haven't really seen them for awhile. But they're a well-coached team. They run a double tight, full house T, so it'll be a challenge for us up front. We'll host them and see what happens Friday night."

This coming Friday will likely be the most stressful of the year for coaches, as the next one isn't guaranteed.

"It's a new season and a breath of fresh air," Letson said of the playoffs. "We'll enjoy the journey as long as the journey lasts."

Contact Brenden Welper at bwelper@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter @BrendenWelper.