Bark River-Harris senior Christian Spear (12) patiently waits for a hole to open up during practice on Oct. 28, 2024 at Bark River-Harris High School. (“The Big Dog”Mitch Vosburg/Daily Press)

HARRIS — For the eighth time in the last 11 seasons, Bark River-Harris football has a Week 10 game.

After a 5-4 finish to their 2024 season, the Broncos accumulated enough playoff points to enter as one of 32 teams in the 11-player Division 8 playoff field.

“Making the playoffs as a first-year head coach is kind of an honor,” BR-H coach Caleb Adams said. “I’m happy with that and the way the season went. I’m happy for the seniors. They get to play another week.”

The Broncos started the season at 0-2 with a 36-12 loss to Ishpeming Westwood and a 42-6 home loss to Iron Mountain. Then BR-H rattled off four-straight wins over West Iron County, Gwinn, Manistique and L’Anse by a combined score of 172-8 and earned a second win over West Iron County, 49-0, in Week 8.

The Broncos foe will be East Jordan. The Red Devils (7-2) have a 48-6 Week 1 win over Manistique and a 33-6 win over Frankfort, who’s also in the Division 8 playoff field. East Jordan’s two losses came at the hands of a 26-20 defeat to Charlevoix, who’s in the Division 7 playoff field, and a 7-6 loss to Maple City Glen Lake, a playoff team in Division 8.

However, the Red Devils have had three of their last four seasons ended by U.P. teams. In 2020 it was a 24-20 playoff loss to Gwinn. In 2021 it was a 44-6 playoff loss to Ishpeming Westwood. Last season the Red Devils bowed out in the first round of the playoffs following a 20-6 loss to Ishpeming.

“They return a lot of starters,” Adams said of the Red Devils. “They have a lot of playoff experience from last year. Ishpeming went down there and beat them (last season). We plan on doing the same.”

The Red Devils are led by senior quarterback Korbyn Russell, who’s committed to pitch for Michigan State University and also plays inside linebacker. There’s also senior Logan Shooks, a senior running back and outside linebacker who’s a downhill, physical ball player.

The Broncos are thrilled to play a team from the other side of the bridge.

“It’s something different,” senior offensive lineman Lucas Hall said. “They look like they have a pretty good facility. It’s a different look.”

Senior running back Christian Spear agreed.

“We’re so used to playing the same teams up here,” Spear said. “I’ve never played East Jordan. It’s always fun going (down state). We get a charter bus this year too. I’ve never ridden in one. That’s pretty sick.”