By Tom Kendra
LocalSportsJournal.com

Dionne Warwick asked us the musical question back in 1967: “Do You Know the Way to San Jose?”

Here’s TK’s question for you today: Do you know the way to Menominee?

MapQuest wasn’t much help, advising me to take the Lake Express Car Ferry over to Milwaukee, then drive the remaining 171 miles north to Menominee High School, site of this week’s Division 7 regional title game for North Muskegon. Problem is, the ferry stopped running for the season in late October and I can’t swim across inland oceans like Jim Dreyer (aka, “The Shark”).

The next suggestion was driving 457 miles around Lake Michigan, but that entails the traffic and tolls of Chicago.

I think Coach Larry Witham and the Norsemen have the right plan, leaving early Friday morning and heading north toward the Mackinac Bridge, stopping in Gaylord for an afternoon practice (site of last year’s 32-21 semifinals loss to these same Menominee Maroons), then continuing to their hotel in Gladstone – or, as I call it, Happy Rock.

From there, it’s just 70 more miles on Saturday morning to the potentially frozen tundra at 104-year-old Blesch Stadium in Menominee for a game at 12 p.m. Central time, noon here in Muskegon (yes, it’s a different time zone).

The good news is that the forecast is calling for an unseasonably warm day in Menominee, 51 degrees and sunny, which for Yoopers means shorts and shirt sleeves.

One of the interesting things about Menominee is that it is not as far north as you might think. It is actually the southernmost city in the U.P., located near the 45th parallel like Traverse City, halfway between the North Pole and the equator.

While Menominee is in Michigan, the Detroit Lions are only the fourth-closest NFL team, at more than seven hours away. The Packers are less than an hour drive, while the Bears are four hours and the Vikings five hours away.

North Muskegon fans may be wondering why they have to make a 936-mile round-trip, when last year they played Menominee at a neutral site, in Gaylord?

The answer is because the MHSAA no longer uses neutral sites for long-distance games during districts or regionals – only the semifinals.

Witham said his team is taking it in stride and he even took a page out of Gene Hackman’s motivational book this week.

“Ultimately, it’s just like in the movie ‘Hoosiers,’” said Witham. “The field will be 100 yards long and 53 and a third yards wide.

“Yes, it’s an adventure trying to make the arrangements. It’s the longest trip North Muskegon has ever made for an athletic event. But it’s the next leg of our journey and our kids are excited.”

My picks are in all caps and all games are Friday at 7 p.m., unless noted.

Last week: 6-2 (75 percent)

Best pick: Whitehall over Big Rapids. After Whitehall’s offense produced a thrilling comeback win at Forest Hills Eastern in Round 1, it was defensive coordinator Keith Stratton’s boys that delivered the district championship on the road. Whitehall held Big Rapids to just seven points, 32 points less than they had been averaging during a nine-game winning streak.

Worst pick: Mona Shores over Byron Center. This pick really looked bad early in the second half, when the Bulldogs held a 23-0 lead. Jonathan Pittman and the Sailors almost bailed me out with a furious rally, but it was Byron Center’s turn to win a thriller. 

Overall: 147-40 (79 percent)

DIVISION 4

Grand Rapids South Christian (7-4) 48.889 at WHITEHALL (8-3) 51.111 – QBs Carson Vis and Cam Thompson are mirror images of each other – they look and play alike, they are on the same travel basketball team and will be teammates next year on the Western Michigan University basketball team. It should be great entertainment, but while everyone is focused on the QBs, Jack Ambrose, Connor Nash & Co. will win this game in the trenches.

PORTLAND (11-0) 60.778 at Niles (10-1) 61.667 – Coopersville has Del Shannon and Niles has Tommy James and the Shondells. So I Googled to see if James was still alive and, guess what? He’s not only still alive, but he is performing later this month at Soaring Eagle! I suggest the Vikings and their fans shake off the disappointment of this loss and go see their native son (who is now likely a grandfather) perform in Mount Pleasant.

DIVISION 6

Boyne City (9-2) 42.111 at REED CITY (9-2) 48.222 – If we know they are cities, why do we have to include it? Why can’t it just be Boyne at Reed? I’m picking Reed because one of the all-time greats of Muskegon radio, Rick Hickman (who also happens to be a heckuva nice guy), now lives up there.

LANSING CATHOLIC (8-3) 46.111 at Newaygo (9-2) 48.778, Saturday, 1 p.m. – It’s hard to find a more feel-good story in Michigan high school football than Newaygo, where the old coach (72-year-old legend Ralph Munger) is back in his natural habitat motivating the young Lions. The whole town will pack the “Lion’s Den” for this one. 

DIVISION 7

NORTH MUSKEGON (10-1) 42.222 at Menominee (10-1) 48.333, Saturday, noon – Last year against Menominee, the Norse waited until halftime to start playing, trailing 20-0 at the break. I can’t see such a thing happening again. Look for junior Bryce Colbert to dice up the Maroons with the short passing game, followed by plenty of YAC (yards after catch) by NM’s superior skill players.

PEWAMO-WESTPHALIA (9-2) 35.778 at Millington (10-0) 45.264, Saturday, 1 p.m. – Let’s wrap it up with an ode to Tommy James – or, for you younger folks, Tiffany: “I think we’re alone now, there doesn’t seem to be anyone around … I think we’re alone now, the beating of our hearts is the only sound.”