EDWARDSBURG — The 2018 Division 4 state champion Edwardsburg football team will not get a chance to defend its title at Ford Field in Detroit. Instead, it will have to compete for the Division 3 title.

The Eddies (9-0) have moved up into Division 3 for the 2019 playoffs according to the Michigan High School Athletic Association, which announced the opening round pairings Sunday night.

Edwardsburg, winners of 23 consecutive football games, will host St. Joseph out of the SMAC this weekend. The last time the Eddies lost a game was in the 2017 Division 4 state championship game.

Edwardsburg and St. Joseph are no strangers to playing each other in the postseason. The Bears and the Eddies competed in the 2015 Division 3 district championship game, which St. Joseph win 40-28.

The winner advances to the district championship game against either Zeeland East (5-4) or Zeeland West (8-1). A West victory would send the Eddies on the road for the second round of the playoffs.

Three other local teams qualified for the playoffs as undefeated Brandywine (9-0) will host Constantine (7-2) in the opening round in Division 6, while Cassopolis (9-0) will host White Pigeon (7-2) in the Division 8 opening round.

The Bobcats are undefeated for the first time since 1995 and only the second time in school history. Brandywine is one of only two unbeaten teams in Division 6. Brandywine has never played the Falcons in their history.

The winner will face either Jonesville (6-3) or Hillsdale (9-0). A Hillsdale victory would send the Bobcats on the road for the district championship game.

Cassopolis and White Pigeon are members of the Southwest 10 Conference. The Rangers blanked the Chiefs 41-0 earlier this month.

Cassopolis was bouncing back and forth between Division 7 and Division 8 all season, but ended up in eight, where they are considered one of the dark horses by the Fox Sports Detroit commentators, who announced the pairings.

The winner will face either Mendon (7-2) or defending state champion Reading (8-1) in the district finals. A Reading victory means the Rangers hit the road in week two of the postseason.

Dowagiac (6-3) is the only local team that will open the playoffs on the road. They will take on Hopkins at 7 p.m. on Friday.

The Chieftains had to fight their way into the postseason by winning its final three games of the regular season, including a come-from-behind win over Vicksburg in the final minutes on Oct. 18.

Dowagiac and Hopkins have played twice before, once in the regular season back in 1999 and once in the playoffs in 2011. The Chieftains won those games 47-22 and 42-13 respectively.

The winner advances to the district championship game against either Kalamazoo Hackett (5-4) or Berrien Springs (8-0). A Shamrock victory would allow them to host the second-round contest.

No other start times were announced at press time.

Read what our area coaches have to say about making the playoffs and get the official kickoff times in Tuesday’s Dowagiac Daily News and Niles Daily Star, as well as online at leaderpub.com