By DOUG DONNELLY  

Whiteford’s football team will be playing in the MHSAA state playoffs for the ninth straight season this year, but things will look a little different than the previous eight. 

The MHSAA announced a new playoff format Friday afternoon in which teams are being placed in districts.  

Teams have been placed in pre-arranged divisions based on enrollment. Teams in Districts will be seeded 1-8 based on playoff-point average, with the teams with highest averages hosting at the District and Regional levels. 

Whiteford will compete in District 63 of Division 8. The other teams assigned to that district include Allen Park Cabrini, Britton Deerfield, Detroit Douglass, Detroit Leadership Academy, Detroit Southeastern, Melvindale Academy for Business & Tech and Summerfield. 

The eight TCC teams have been split into four different districts. Here’s a look at the other TCC teams and their district assignment: 

DIVISION 8, REGION 31, DISTRICT 62: Addison, Concord, Dansville, East Jackson, Hudson, Morenci, Pittsford and Sand Creek. 

DIVISION 8, REGION 32, DISTRICT 63: Allen Park Cabrini, Britton Deerfield, Detroit Douglass, Detroit Leadership Academy, Detroit Southeastern, Melvindale Academy for Business & Tech, Whiteford and Summerfield. 

DIVISION 6, REGION 23, DISTRICT46: Madison, Brooklyn Columbia Central, Jonesville, Michigan Center, Napoleon, Onsted, Quincy and Stockbridge. 

DIVISION 6, REGION 24, DISTRICT47: Blissfield, Clinton, Dearborn Advanced Tech Academy, Detroit Voyageur Prep, Ecorse, Erie Mason, Ida and Lutheran Westland. 

The playoffs will be conducted over six weeks: 

Oct. 30-31: District First Round 

Nov. 6-7: District Semifinals 

Nov. 13-14: District Finals 

Nov. 20-21: Regional Finals 

Nov. 27-28: State Semifinals 

Dec. 5-6: State Finals.