Three Detroit Public School League programs remain alive after the opening round of the 2026 MHSAA football playoffs.
The Detroit Public School League entered the opening round with eight teams in the MHSAA football playoffs.
Only three remain.
Cass Tech, Detroit Martin Luther King and Denby advanced with convincing victories Friday night, keeping the PSL represented across Divisions 1, 3 and 5.
East English, Southeastern, Cody, Mumford and Central saw their seasons end.
The surviving programs now move one victory away from regional championships—and one week closer to bringing the PSL back to Ford Field.
Cass Tech Remains Perfect
Cass Tech entered the postseason as the PSL’s strongest state-championship contender, and the Technicians looked the part in their opening game.
Cass Tech defeated Plymouth 55–13, improving to 10–0 and advancing to face Dearborn Fordson in the Division 1 district final.
Fordson will arrive with momentum after eliminating Belleville 28–14. That result turned an already important district final into one of the biggest games on next weekend’s Metro Detroit schedule.
Cass Tech has dominated throughout the season, but Fordson’s victory over Belleville provides a clear warning: reputation and expectations will not decide the postseason.
The Technicians remain the favorite. They must now prove it against a team that just removed another Division 1 power from the bracket.
King Responds With a Dominant Victory
King entered the playoffs following consecutive losses to Cass Tech and Archbishop Moeller.
The Crusaders responded exactly how a championship-caliber program should.
King defeated Grosse Pointe North 41–3, producing one of the most dominant performances of Friday’s opening round.
The victory sends King into a Division 3 district-final matchup with Harper Woods. The Pioneers were equally impressive Friday, defeating Warren Fitzgerald 50–8.
King–Harper Woods is more than another district final. It is a matchup between two talented Metro Detroit programs with legitimate postseason expectations.
King brings championship tradition and experience. Harper Woods brings confidence, talent and an opportunity to establish its own postseason legacy.
One of them will be eliminated before the regional round.
Denby Rolls Into the Next Round
Denby delivered the PSL’s third opening-round victory, defeating Redford Union 56–14.
The Tars will face Summit Academy North in the Division 5 district final. Summit Academy advanced with a 34–27 victory over Father Gabriel Richard.
Denby’s offensive production immediately stands out. Scoring 56 points in an elimination game sends a message, but the challenge becomes more difficult against a Summit Academy program that has already survived a competitive playoff opener.
Cass Tech and King will receive most of the attention because of their divisions and championship histories. Denby should not be overlooked.
The Tars are playing for the same district championship and the same opportunity to move deeper into November.
Five PSL Seasons End
Friday was much more difficult for the rest of the league.
Macomb Lutheran North defeated East English 36–22 in Division 4.
Marysville eliminated Southeastern 44–24, while St. Clair ended Cody’s season with a 41–16 victory.
Mumford was shut out 14–0 by undefeated Gibraltar Carlson in Division 2.
Central’s strong season ended with a 16–8 loss to Warren Michigan Collegiate in Division 6.
Those results show how quickly the postseason can change a season. Several of these programs entered Friday with strong records and home-field opportunities, but only three PSL teams survived the opening round.
PSL District-Final Matchups
The league’s remaining teams are scheduled to compete during the November 6–7 district-final weekend:
Division 1: Fordson vs. Cass Tech
Division 3: King vs. Harper Woods
Division 5: Denby vs. Summit Academy North
Individual dates, kickoff times and host arrangements should be confirmed with the participating schools.
DVS Analysis
Cass Tech remains the PSL’s clearest state-championship threat. The Technicians are unbeaten, explosive and experienced in major postseason games.
King may have the most difficult district-final assignment. Harper Woods has already shown it can compete with—and defeat—established Metro Detroit powers. The Crusaders cannot afford to treat that matchup like an ordinary second-round game.
Denby has an opportunity to become one of the PSL’s best postseason stories. The Tars will not generate the same statewide attention as Cass Tech or King, but a district championship would demand recognition.
The PSL began the playoffs with eight programs. Three remain.
Now Cass Tech, King and Denby carry the league’s championship hopes into November.
