DCC Stays No. 1 as Cass Tech, Clarkston Shake Up Michigan’s Top 10

DETROIT — Week 5 delivered some of the biggest games of the Michigan high school football season, and Metro Detroit came out of the weekend with an even tighter grip on the top of the statewide rankings.

Detroit Catholic Central remains the team everyone is chasing.

But Cass Tech is getting closer.

The latest Michigan Top 25 released Sunday has Detroit Catholic Central at No. 1, Clarkston at No. 3 and Cass Tech at No. 4, giving Metro Detroit three of the state’s four highest-ranked teams. 

And after what happened Friday night, the movement makes sense.

DCC continues to set the standard

Catholic Central improved to 5–0 with a dominant 36–3 victory over Toledo St. John’s Jesuit, extending its winning streak to 19 games. The Shamrocks had previously dismantled Warren De La Salle 53–0 and remain No. 1 in the latest rankings. 

DCC’s next two games could tell us even more.

The Shamrocks face Toledo Central Catholic before a major Oct. 9 showdown against Orchard Lake St. Mary’s. 

Cass Tech makes its case

Cass Tech entered Friday with perhaps its biggest opportunity of the regular season.

The Technicians delivered.

Cass defeated previously unbeaten Detroit King 20–7, turning a 7–0 halftime deficit into 20 unanswered second-half points and handing the Crusaders their first loss.

The victory moves Cass Tech from No. 5 to No. 4 in the Massey-based Top 25. King falls from No. 6 to No. 8. 

And the rivalry may not be finished.

The latest rankings report notes that Cass Tech and King are likely headed toward another meeting in October for the PSL championship. 

After what we saw Friday, Round 2 would immediately become one of the biggest games on the DVS calendar.

Clarkston makes a huge jump

Don’t overlook Clarkston.

The Wolves defeated previously unbeaten Oxford 31–28 in one of Week 5’s biggest Metro Detroit games.

That victory moves Clarkston from No. 4 to No. 3, putting the Wolves one spot ahead of Cass Tech in the latest Top 25. Oxford drops to No. 14. 

Clarkston now prepares for West Bloomfield.

St. Mary’s makes its own statement

Perhaps the other major Metro Detroit result came from Orchard Lake St. Mary’s.

The Eaglets defeated previously unbeaten Brother Rice 48–20, moving St. Mary’s to No. 7 while Brother Rice falls to No. 18. 

That’s particularly important because St. Mary’s will soon get its own opportunity against DCC.

The Eaglets face De La Salle next before the Oct. 9 meeting with the top-ranked Shamrocks. 

Metro Detroit controls the top

After five weeks, the latest statewide Top 25 includes:

No. 1 Detroit Catholic Central
No. 3 Clarkston
No. 4 Cass Tech
No. 7 Orchard Lake St. Mary’s
No. 8 Detroit King
No. 14 Oxford
No. 18 Brother Rice
No. 21 Harper Woods
No. 24 Northville 

That means five of Michigan’s current Top 10 are Metro Detroit programs.

And we’re only halfway through the regular season.

Catholic Central remains on top.

Clarkston keeps winning.

Cass Tech just knocked off King.

St. Mary’s just handed Brother Rice its first loss.

And several of these teams still have to play each other.

The race at the top of Michigan high school football is far from settled.