Some very good local teams are facing tough mid-term exams this week on the football field.

Hopefully they’ve studied a whole lot better than I did back in school.

One of the most obvious tests this week will be at Oakridge, where either the host Eagles or the visiting Vikings will incur their first loss of the season.

The Vikings come into the matchup averaging an incredible 53.4 points per game while surrendering just 12.4 points – including six total points over the last three weeks.

Perhaps the next biggest test on the docket will be at Zeeland West, where Mona Shores will clash with the Dux in a game that could end up determining the winner of the O-K Green conference.

The Sailors have lived up to their billing this season, particularly in recent weeks, but are facing a Zeeland West team coming off the high of beating the Big Reds at Hackley Stadium. which is no easy task.

Finally there is Fruitport, a good team that scores a ton of points, but has yet to win two games in a row this year. The Trojans have to try to get a winning streak going against their arch-rival, Spring Lake, in the annual Battle of the Bayou, an intense game where you can throw the records out the window

So who’s going to get a passing grade this week, and who’s going to stumble? Look below to find out:

WHITEHALL (5-0) at Oakridge (5-0) – Rivalry games are typically closer than some may expect. I don’t see that being the case in this game. Oakridge is really good, as always, but Whitehall is just at a whole different level this year.

FRUITPORT (3-2) at Spring Lake (1-4)– The Lakers are bit down this year and the Trojans are playing good football. I expect the Fruitport offense to be too much for Spring Lake to handle.

Zeeland East (1-4) at REETHS-PUFFER (4-1) – The Rockets are one of the area’s best stories this fall. I expect their Homecoming game to be another chapter in their happy turnaround story.

MONA SHORES (4-1) at Zeeland West (5-0) – Maybe I’m biased, but I believe the Sailors saw what happened to Muskegon last week and will be ready for whatever the Dux dish out. The Sailors are a different level of explosive.

FREMONT (3-2) at Orchard View (0-5)– If it wasn’t for the Reeths-Puffer story, the Fremont football team would be the biggest feel-good story in the area. After a sobering loss to Oakridge last week, the Pack will get back on the winning track.

WEST OTTAWA (2-3) at Grand Haven (1-4)– Former Montague coach Pat Collins has done a great job already at West Ottawa, and my gut says the Panthers will grab another win.

HART (3-2) at Mason County Central (1-4) – The Hart team plays some solid football and should get a conference road victory.

Hesperia (1-4) at RAVENNA (4-1) – The Bulldogs are a traditional football power that’s been plowing through the new West Michigan Conference Rivers Division, and that won’t change this week.

Holton (0-5) at SHELBY (1-4) – In the original version of this story, we reported that Shelby was 0-5. We were guilty of assuming (plus nobody from Shelby or Hesperia sent us game results last week), so we apologize to the Tigers. They did indeed beat Hesperia, and they will get another win this week.

KENT CITY (5-0) at Morley Stanwood (0-5) – The Eagles, under a first-year coach, are a success story that’s flown under the radar. Usually this rivalry game is close, but the Mohawks are having an uncharacteristically bad year.

Manistee (3-2) at LUDINGTON (4-1) – The Orioles are very solid this season and want very much to get their ticket to the playoffs. I expect them to dominate on Friday night.

NORTH MUSKEGON (4-1) at Montague (2-3) – The Norse haven’t beaten Montague since 2016. That will change on Friday night with an explosive Norse offense putting away a Montague squad that’s still finding itself.

MUSKEGON (3-2) at GR Union (3–2) – While the Grand Rapids Union program has improved in recent years, I wouldn’t want to be the Red Hawks on Friday night. The Big Reds will come out angry and remind people why they had such high expectations coming into the season.

Schoolcraft (4-1) at MUSKEGON CATHOLIC (3-2) – This may be one of the most under the radar matchups of the week. I expect a tight battle with the home Crusaders sneaking out a victory.

Muskegon Heights (0-5) at WHITE CLOUD (3-2) – The Tigers have struggled this season after a magical 2021. Until they pick up a W it’s hard to pick them to win.