Two Defending State Champions, One League Crown: Divine Child and Lumen Christi Set for Week 9 Showdown
The final week of Michigan’s high school football regular season will deliver a championship-level matchup before the postseason even begins.
Defending state champions Dearborn Divine Child and Jackson Lumen Christi will meet Friday, October 23, at Divine Child High School. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.
Both programs enter the regular-season finale with 7–1 overall records and identical 3–0 marks in the Catholic High School League’s AA Division. That makes Friday’s matchup a winner-take-all battle for the division championship.
The stakes alone would make this one of Metro Detroit’s most compelling Week 9 games. The championship résumés make it even bigger.
Divine Child captured the 2025 MHSAA Division 4 state championship by defeating Hudsonville Unity Christian 23–22 at Ford Field. It ended the Falcons’ 40-year championship drought and marked the program’s first state title since 1985.
Lumen Christi continued one of Michigan’s most dominant championship runs by defeating Kingsley 28–14 in the Division 6 final. The victory secured the Titans’ fourth consecutive state championship and the 15th title in program history.
Now, the reigning champions will meet with another trophy at stake.
Both teams arrive battle-tested
Divine Child opened its title defense with a convincing 56–28 victory over Unity Christian in a rematch of last year’s Division 4 final. Junior quarterback Drew Sheridan completed 16 of 19 passes for 261 yards and five touchdowns in the season-opening win, immediately establishing the Falcons as a threat to repeat.
The Falcons won their first seven games before suffering their first loss Saturday, falling 38–24 to Warren De La Salle. Friday’s matchup gives Divine Child an immediate opportunity to respond and enter the playoffs with a league championship.
Lumen Christi has also navigated a demanding schedule. The Titans improved to 7–1 by surviving a 28–27 road battle against Detroit Country Day in Week 8.
That one-point victory kept Lumen Christi unbeaten in AA Division play and set up Friday’s championship showdown.
A rematch with even more at stake
Divine Child defeated Lumen Christi 17–13 during the 2025 regular season. Both teams recovered from that physical September meeting and ultimately finished their seasons celebrating state championships at Ford Field.
This year’s rematch carries even greater immediate significance. The winner will complete an undefeated run through the CHSL-AA and claim the division crown while building momentum entering the MHSAA playoffs.
For Divine Child, it is an opportunity to rebound from its first loss and protect its home field. For Lumen Christi, it is a chance to avenge last season’s defeat and add another championship to one of the state’s most decorated football programs.
Two defending state champions. Two 7–1 records. One league title.
Friday night in Dearborn should feel like the postseason arrived one week early.
Game information
Matchup: Jackson Lumen Christi at Dearborn Divine Child
Date: Friday, October 23, 2026
Kickoff: 7 p.m.
Venue: Divine Child High School, 1001 N. Silvery Lane, Dearborn
Championship: CHSL-AA Division title
