Week One Recap

Written Saturday August 31st at 7:32 PM

Dragons Den Top 10:

1. Orion
2. Adams
3. Oak Park
4. Stoney Creek
5. Southfield
6. Oxford
7. Harrison
8. Birmingham Seaholm
9. Avondale
10. Clarkston

Top Games from last week:

Lake Orion 35, Oxford 30: In a game that took two days to complete the Dragons found a way to win a tough battle with the Wildcats handing them their first loss at home since 2011. Lake Orion outscored Oxford 21-17 on that Saturday to secure the five point win over the Wildcats. The Dragons are now 1-0 on the new season plays Troy Athens this week.

Rochester Adams 12, Clarkston 7: The Highlanders won Friday 12-0. The Wolves won Saturday 7-0. However in the end Clarkston lost big time and it could cost them if they have to play a team that is undefeated, they would have to play it on the road in the playoffs. Now with the undefeated streak gone the Wolves can focus on West Bloomfield while Adams plays at Harrison this week.

Oak Park 25, Orchard Lake St. Mary's 20: No wonder why Knights coach Greg Carter likes to play tough teams early. They like to play them. The Knights found a way to overcome the Eaglets and was down 13-0 for a time before outscoring them 25-7 in the process. Oak Park plays Southfield-Lathrup this week.

BIG WIN: Oak Park: The Knights trailed 13-0 into the second half at Wayne State against Orchard Lake St. Marys. Oak Park battled and battled until the very end outscoring the Eaglets 25-7 in rout to a 25-20 victory. The Knights still have a tough schedule down the stretch with trips to Adams and Harrison and only two home games but they are against Oxford and Southfield.

TOUGH LOSS: Oxford: The Wildcats controlled the game, the clock, and everything on Friday until the storms came. The score was 14-14 with their arch rival Lake Orion. On Saturday the Dragons outscored the Wildcats 21-17 and had to overcome an onside kick to survive 35-30 on the blue turf. The loss was Oxford's first on the blue turf since Rochester Adams took them out of the playoffs in 2011.

BIG DISAPPOINTMENT: Farmington: The Falcons came into the 2013 season making the playoffs the last three seasons but that streak could be in major jeopardy after losing 48-39 on Thursday night at Westland John Glenn. Farmington had a good JV team along with the returning talent but the defense and offense let them down big time. The Falcons threw two interceptions for touchdowns and the defense could not get off the field. The schedule is brutal with trips to Adams, Oxford and Harrison along with home games with Oak Park and Southfield. Farmington probably will not make the playoffs this season

ARE YOU KIDDING ME: Clarkston: With all the hype, all the attention, all the division one college players the Wolves were suppose to dominate their schedule and run ramp-shot in the playoffs and possibly a state championship. However Clarkston lost to Rochester Adams 12-7 and now hopes of an undefeated season is tarnished but they can still get multiple home playoff games and they have Lake Orion, Stoney Creek, and the crossover at home.

TEAM THAT NEEDS A HUG: Troy: The Colts went into a very hostile environment and lost a tough one Thursday night at Dan Barnabo Field to Romeo 33-24. The schedule is going to get very difficult for Troy starting with Rochester, Stoney Creek, Clarkston, are all at Troy with Lake Orion at Ford Field. The Colts need to win two of these games if they want to make the playoffs along with arch rival Troy Athens.

Big Games next week:

2. Adams at 7. Harrison: The Highlanders after getting a 12-7 win over Clarkston has yet another tough challenge when they travel to Farmington to play the Hawks. Harrison shut out Detroit Renaissance 43-0 last week but the Hawks will have a major test this week in the Highlanders veer option attack that will score in bunches.

8. Birmingham Seaholm at 9. Avondale: This is a big match-up in the Blue for the Yellow Jackets and Maples. Last season Avondale lost to Birmingham Seaholm 28-15 in Birmingham. Now this game is in Auburn Hills and it could be another story here.

Rochester at Troy: The Falcons beat the Colts last season but quarterback Jay Darish got hurt in that game. Troy will be ticked as they lost to Romeo last week at Dan Barnabo Field. Rochester better be careful but this will be a very good match up indeed.

Red Standings:

1. Orion              0-0:  1-0
4. Stoney Creek  0-0:  1-0
Rochester            0-0:  1-0
West Bloomfield   0-0:  1-0
10. Clarkston         0-0:  0-1
Troy                     0-0:  0-1
Troy Athens         0-0:   0-1
Pontiac                 0-0:  0-1

Last Week Scores:
Orion 35, Oxford 30
Stoney Creek 42, Royal Oak 8
Rochester 28, Utica 14
West Bloomfield 39, Jackson 12
Rochester Adams 12, Clarkston 7
Warren Mott 47, Troy Athens 7
Romeo 33, Troy 24
Southfield-Lathrup 25, Pontiac 23.

This Week's Games:
Troy Athens at 1. Orion
Pontiac at 4. Stoney Creek
10. Clarkston at West Bloomfield
Rochester at Troy

White Standings:

2. Rochester Adams  0-0  1-0
3. Oak Park             0-0   1-0
7. Harrison               0-0   1-0
Southfield-Lathrup     0-0  1-0
5. Southfield              0-0  0-1
6. Oxford                  0-0  0-1
Farmington                0-0  0-1
Bloomfield Hills         0-0  0-1

Last Week's Scores:
Rochester Adams 12, Clarkston 7
Oak Park 25, Orchard Lake St. Marys 20
Southfield-Lathrup 25, Pontiac 23
Harrison 43, Detroit Renaissance 0
Beverly Hills Wylie E. Groves 47, Bloomfield Hills 19
Orion 35, Oxford 30
Westland John Glenn 48, Farmington 39

This Week's Games:
2. Rochester Adams at 7. Harrison
3. Oak Park at Southfield-Lathrup
5. Southfield at Farmington
Bloomfield Hills at 6. Oxford

Blue Standings:

8. Birmingham Seaholm         0-0  1-0
9. Avondale                          0-0  1-0
North Farmington                  0-0  1-0
Beverly Hills Wylie E Groves 0-0 1-0
Hazel Park                            0-0   0-1
Berkley                                 0-0  0-1
Royal Oak                            0-0  0-1
Ferndale                                0-0  0-1

Last Week's Games:
Birmingham Seaholm 24, Ann Arbor Pioneer 0
Avondale 42, Redford Union 0
North Farmington 22, Bay City John Glenn 14
Beverly Hills Wylie E Groves 47, Bloomfield Hills 19
Redford Thurston 32, Berkley 14
Stoney Creek 42, Royal Oak 8
Livonia Clarenceville 21, Ferndale 14
Madison Heights Bishop Foley 34, Hazel Park 30

This Week's Games:
8. Birmingham Seaholm at 9. Avondale
North Farmington at Berkley
Beverly Hills Wylie E Groves at Hazel Park
Ferndale at Royal Oak

I was shocked with how Clarkston lost to Adams 12-7. Adams just outplayed and out toughed Clarkston. The Dragons survived the Wildcats 35-30 to retain the Double O Trophy. Oxford is a very good team but so is Orion. Watch Out for Rochester, they have 26 seniors on their team but they have a big one with Troy this week. Troy Athens is the word overrated. They have been outscored 88-13 in the last two seasons by Warren Mott. I wasn't surprised that Rockford beat Utica Eisenhower but was a bit surprised when Walled Lake Central lost to Saginaw Heritage and Walled Lake Northern destroyed Livonia Churchill 69-14. Both Waterford schools (Waterford Kettering and Waterford Mott) won but they might not be playoff bound this season. Grand Blanc lost week one yet again to Flint Carman Ainsworth but was shutout. The Bobcats might find a way to make the playoffs and Howell after having a horrible scrimmage last week beat Sterling Heights Stevenson. This week is interesting but the White will have some good games and Avondale and Birmingham Seaholm should be a good one. We'll see what happens.

Dragons Survive Wildcats. Retake Double O Trophy for a second straight season

Written Saturday August 31st, at 7:00 PM

In a game in which took two days to complete the Lake Orion Dragons looked like a Dr Jekyll and a Mr Hyde.

On Friday night the Dragons defense looked awful, just awful. They couldn't stop Oxford junior quarterback Glacier Wallington and senior running back Ben Line but the Dragons offense led by senior quarterback Connor Grant, senior running back Chris Leigh, and senior wide receiver Zach Arnold bailed them out before the storms came.

The score was 14-14.

Oxford scored first when running back James Patrick scored a one yard touchdown pass making the score 7-0 Wildcats.

Leigh scored his first touchdown from 12 yards out tying the score at 7-7. The PAT kicking was done by sophomore Lucas Bevilacqua.

The Wildcats responded as a blown coverage by sophomore Jaylen Wiggins which gave Wallington the advantage in throwing the ball 30 yards to senior wide receiver Mitchell Tilley making the halftime score 14-7 Oxford.

The Dragons responded in the first drive of the third quarter before the storms came when Grant connected with Arnold for a 41 yard touchdown score, tying the game 14-14.

Then the storms came in which it was a downpour.

The fireworks started on Saturday afternoon when Wallington and Line led the Wildcats down the field to the Dragons six yard line. However senior corner back Brad Chisolm sacked Wallington forcing a field goal from Aaron Johnson  making the score 17-14 Wildcats.

Oxford kicked off in which Kyle Bell took the ball and unknown to the Wildcats gave the ball to senior running back Cory Ester and Ester took the ball down the left sideline for a 90 yard touchdown. Then after a Dragons stopped the Wildcats yet again on defense. Senior running back Dominic Giovinnazoo scored on a 11 yard touchdown giving Lake Orion a 28-17 lead late into the fourth.

The Wildcats answered on a 11 yard touchdown run from Line but failed on the two point conversion after catching Wallington dancing down the field trying to create a play making the score 28-23 Lake Orion.

The Dragons were in deep trouble until Grant found running back Chris Leigh on a third an 15. Leigh took the ball deep into Wildcats territory at the 33 yard line. Three plays later Leigh was in the end-zone for the second time in two nights scoring from ten yards out.

Oxford wasn't done yet scoring either.

Wallington scored a touchdown from ten yards out on a quarterback keeper which made the score 35-30 with less than a minute yet to play.

All Lake Orion had to do was recover a onside kick. However the Dragons did not and Oxford had new life with 48 seconds left in the game when the Wildcats recovered the onside kick and the ball was placed on the Lake Orion 37 yard line.

Wallington had one last drive but was sacked by the Dragons defensive line and one play later was intercepted after the ball was caught in the tough north wind and caught by Wiggins. The pick by Wiggins ended a tough night and day for the Dragons defense in which they allowed 30 points.

Lake Orion went into victory formation and celebrated by retaining the Double O Trophy on the Blue Turf at Oxford with a 35-30 victory and sending the Wildcats its first loss on the Blue Turf since Rochester Adams in 2011 (26-20.) It is possible that these two teams could see each other in the playoffs if things work out for both teams.

Grant was efficient in his first start under center throwing a touchdown pass, just controlling the game and the offense. The defense held on to the very end and made the key stops they needed late.

The Dragons are now 1-0 on the season and take on Troy Athens on Friday night at Lake Orion. The Red Hawks (0-1) were rocked by Warren Mott 47-7 on Thursday night in Warren so we'll see what happens.

My thoughts on the Dragons Volleyball Invitational.

Written Wednesday August 28th, at 7:52 PM

My thoughts on the days action on a great day of volleyball at the seventh annual Dragons Girls Volleyball Invitational that took place on Wednesday morning at Lake Orion High School. I thought it was a good tournament with four state ranked powers there. The tournament should help these teams get better and improve as we get deeper into the season.

Lake Orion: The Dragons are what you call a suspect team. This team has all the talent and weapons to contend for a state title but it depends if they want to show up and play. If they play to their competition then it would make coach Ross Talbott nuts and I thought that exactly happened today. Lake Orion beat Rochester and Birmingham Seaholm twice but split with Rochester Adams which is worrisome but in bracket play had to beat Stoney Creek and a hard fought three game win over North Branch before losing in the Finals to Macomb Dakota. The Dragons will be in the thick of the Red race this season with Bloomfield Hills and Clarkston but it will depend if they want to show up and play or not. If they don’t then they are in trouble.

Macomb Dakota: The defending state champions under coach Tracy Ferguson will be strong once again and a big presence will be in the form of Carly Snyder. Snyder will be a huge factor if the Cougars want to repeat as state champions and are currently number one in the state in Class A. If Snyder gets hurt then Macomb Dakota is in a lot of trouble. The Cougars besides Snyder is a pretty young team but looks good as advertised in beating Stoney Creek, Oxford, and Grand Blanc in pool play and then beat Clarkston and Lake Orion in bracket play. I expect a two way battle in the MAC Red with them and Romeo for the crown. The Cougars district is favorable but the regional could be tricky if they have to play Romeo.

Clarkston: The Wolves will be very good this season led by coach Kelly Avernall is ranked fifth in Class A in the state. They have arguably two of the best players in the state in Taylor Delinger and Katie Chadwell along with Brianna Frakes. Delinger transfers back to Michigan from Alabama is getting scholarship offers from SEC schools and Chadwell committed to Oakland next season. I thought of the Wolves performance is that they can be as good as anyone offensively but defensibly Clarkston gives up a lot of points against good teams. In the competition they faced today North Branch just tore them to shreds in pool play but managed to beat Troy and Avondale before meeting Birmingham Seaholm in bracket play where they won in two games before losing to Macomb Dakota. The Wolves will be a dangerous contender in the Red this season but if they want to go far in the playoffs they must improve defensibly.

North Branch: The Broncos are going to be a very good team and is ranked second in Class B in the state. I thought North Branch looked very good with their experience, play-making ability, and toughness and is clearly the best team in Lapeer County this season. The Broncos beat Clarkston in two games in pool play and cruised along until meeting Lake Orion in a tough three game set in bracket play. North Branch lost a tough match up but they will be a force to be a recon with once Battle Creek comes around.

Stoney Creek: The Cougars return a lot of talent from a team that lost to Utica Eisenhower last season but this tournament might have helped Stoney Creek get ready for the Red. The Cougars have Lake Orion and Clarkston at home this season and I thought they looked good today in a tough pool with Macomb Dakota, Oxford, and Grand Blanc. Stoney Creek lost twice to Macomb Dakota, beat Grand Blanc and Oxford twice. The Cougars made the gold bracket and lost to Lake Orion in the quarterfinals. Stoney Creek will be a dark horse team in the Red this season and a sleeper in district play this season.

Rochester: The Falcons shocked me with how hard they fight even when Stephanie Sikorski graduated this team has a never say die attitude. Rochester will be a dark horse in the White this season and if they bring the effort they did today then they will be in a lot of volleyball games this season. The Falcons beat Rochester Adams twice, split with Birmingham Seaholm but lost twice to Lake Orion. Rochester missed out on the gold bracket round but if they bring the performance they had today then they will be a dangerous team this season.

Rochester Adams: New coach Irick Gardner has a lot of work to do if his Highlanders want to contend in the White this season especially with teams like Beverly Hills Wylie E Groves, Troy Athens, and Rochester to deal with. Adams has a very good liberio. She works hard and plays with emotion and passion. The Highlanders shocked Lake Orion in pool play but struggled the rest of the day. Adams lost in bracket play to Grand Blanc. The Highlanders have a lot of work ahead of them and might struggle this season but they have the right coach to reload with in the future.

Birmingham Seaholm: The Maples are a very young team but is very competitive after last season’s state quarterfinal run. I thought the Maples held their own against Lake Orion losing both games and splitting with Rochester but Birmingham Seaholm beat Rochester Adams twice before losing to Clarkston in bracket play. The Maples will compete in the tough Red but coach Heather Lippert will be proud to go to battle with her Maples this season.

Troy: The Colts are very young and inexperienced this season since losing Olivia Parks for to an torn ACL. What makes it worse is that the Colts have to compete in the Red with the likes of Lake Orion, Bloomfield Hills, and Clarkston. I thought Troy looked good at times but other times they did not look good. It will take some time for coach Vince Muscat to get this program to where it should be at.

Oxford: The Wildcats are led by Darin Bandel. Oxford has to get contributions from other players besides Bandel and coach Kristi McDermit knows that. I thought at times that Bandel did get frustrated especially in the Macomb Dakota game. Macomb Dakota is a very good team this season but did manage to beat Grand Blanc twice but split with Stoney Creek. If the Wildcats want to do well this season it must need its star to do more and then some.

Grand Blanc: The Bobcats is expected to be a major contender in not only league play in the Kensington Lakes Athletic Association West division but also a contender in district play. Grand Blanc I thought played well in a tough side of the pool. They lost twice to Macomb Dakota, split with Stoney Creek, and lost to Oxford twice. In bracket play they beat Rochester Adams before falling to Rochester. The Bobcats are expected to contend in the KLAA West and the KLAA. The district is very manageable but they might have to deal with Flushing down the road.

Avondale: The Yellow Jackets might surprise some folks in the Blue and in district play. I thought that Avondale had nothing to lose here in the tournament. The Yellow Jackets lost twice to North Branch and to Clarkston and split with Troy. Avondale beat Troy in bracket play and then lost to Oxford in the semifinals. The Yellow Jackets could shock some people not only in league play but also in districts as well at Troy Athens.

We’ll see what happens in the 2013 season.

Oxford Scouting Report

Written Monday August 26th, at 1:45 PM

The Dragons first opponent of the 2013 season will be the Oxford Wildcats. The game will take place on Friday night at 7 PM in Oxford for the Double O Trophy.

Oxford since 2011 has been 14-7 in the last two seasons and 10-4 in the vaunted White. The Wildcats under legendary coach Bud Rowley theme has always been pound the rock, which means running the football down the opponent’s throat.

The Wildcats have made the playoffs twice in the last two seasons mostly in division two. Oxford lost at home in the first round of the playoffs in 2011 to Rochester Adams 26-20 and last season eliminated Birmingham Seaholm 42-3 but lost to eventual state champion Birmingham Brother Rice 38-6 in the district finals.

Oxford will run the veer option, fullback dive, halfback dive, trap, iso, quarterback option, wildcat (with Tilley or Line,) and the bootleg which is Oxford’s bread and butter on offense. The Wildcats have been known for their line play but they do have some play-makers as well one both sides of the football despite the fact they are not deep.

The Dragons won last season 17-10 in Lake Orion and 45-6 in 2010 at Lake Orion but the Wildcats won in 2011, 41-20 on the first game on the Blue Turf in Oxford.

The Wildcats will feature junior quarterback Glacier Wallington. Wallington can run with the football, is tough mentally, and physically. He can also throw the ball well as well last season had a touchdown pass against the Dragons. Wallington has been getting a lot of attention from the press because of his athleticism at quarterback, there has been some comparisons to Taylor Martinez to Wallington with his ability to run and throw the football but is very underrated safety in which he is a play-maker as well with both his hands and feet.

The next player is junior running back and linebacker Ben Line. Line is the brother of Prescott Line, who is at Southern Methodist and was Mr. Football in Michigan in 2011. His elder brother Zach Line is currently playing for the Minnesota Vikings. Line like his two older brothers is a strong back that likes to pound the tackles and also plays linebacker as well on defense.

The next player is senior wide receiver/running back/safety Mitchell Tilley. Tilley is probably Oxford’s best athlete besides Wallington. He can run the football anywhere and catch passes from Wallington and also creates something where defenses need to be honest. Tilley is a speedy back from the backfield and can catch passes with his speed and athleticism.

Rowley has said that if his Wildcats make the playoffs then they go into Division One and could possibly meet the Dragons in the playoffs. Oxford did have an enrollment hike with its China program and leadership program. Oxford will be a tough match up for Lake Orion because of the pound the rock theme and the Wildcats since opening up the Blue Turf is 7-2 in the last two seasons.

We’ll see what happens on Friday Night.

OAA Picks Week One

Written Saturday August 24th, at 1:30 PM

Here are the picks for Week One for this upcoming football season. Most games are Friday but some is on Thursday. Unless something noted all games is Friday.

Detroit Cass Tech vs. #1 Southfield (at Wayne State): This game has a lot of talent on both sides of the football, whether it’s offensively or defensibly in this match up. The difference could be the kicking game and also experience and that favors the Technicians. PICK: DETROIT CASS TECH 20, SOUTHFIELD 16.

#2 Clarkston vs. #6 Rochester Adams: The Highlanders have motivation to return to the playoffs after missing out for the first time in 15 years. Adams veer option attack will keep this game close for a half. The problem is this is Clarkston. PICK: CLARKSTON 42, ADAMS 14.

#3 Lake Orion vs. #4 Oxford: The key will be line play like it was last season but experience should prevail here in another wild finish. PICK: LAKE ORION 21, OXFORD 14.

#5 Stoney Creek vs. Royal Oak (Thursday): Coach Brad Zube will be doing cartwheels with his cane. This won’t even be close and the Ravens will be 2-44 since 2007. PICK: STONEY CREEK 56, ROYAL OAK 7.

Orchard Lake Saint Marys vs. #7 Oak Park (4 PM at Wayne State): Tough match up for coach Greg Carter and the Knights especially going up against a team that lost in triple overtime in the Division Three State Finals to Grand Rapids Christian. The Knights will be in for a tough game but it will be close for a long while. PICK: ORCHARD LAKE SAINT MARYS 34, OAK PARK 21.

Detroit Renaissance vs. #8 Farmington Hills Harrison (Thursday): Nobody is talking about the Hawks and they will prevail heading into a big showdown next week with Rochester Adams in Farmington Hills. PICK: HARRISON 42, DETROIT RENAISSANCE 0.

#9 Avondale vs. Redford Union (Thursday): This game won’t be close. The Yellow Jackets should roll in Redford heading into their major showdown with Birmingham Seaholm next week in Auburn Hills. PICK: AVONDALE 35, REDFORD UNION 0.

Bay City John Glenn vs. #10 North Farmington (Thursday): The Raiders went into Bay County and beat the Bobcats by two touchdowns last season now the Bobcats travel into Oakland County and that won’t be a pleasant four hour trip either. PICK: NORTH FARMINGTON 35, BAY CITY JOHN GLENN 14.

Ann Arbor Pioneer vs. Birmingham Seaholm (Thursday): The Maples toughened up their non conference schedule and will contend for the Blue this season. Maples fans, players, and coaches remember the beat down by Oxford in the playoffs last season. The bad news is the Pioneers are always tough. It won’t surprise anyone if Birmingham Seaholm starts off 0-3. PICK: ANN ARBOR PIONEER 42, BIRMINGHAM SEAHOLM 21.

Troy Athens vs. Warren Mott (Thursday): The Red Hawks were absolutely crushed last year by the Marauders in Troy. This season could be different but it will be close on 12 Mile in Warren. PICK: TROY ATHENS 28, WARREN MOTT 21.

Troy vs. Romeo: The Colts beat the Bulldogs last season at Troy but this game is at Dan Barnabo Field and that’s not good for the visitors unless you’re named Lake Orion. PICK: ROMEO 17, TROY 13.

Farmington vs. Westland John Glenn (Thursday): If Farmington’s line play can’t hold up then it will be a long season in Farmington and the schedule isn't pretty after this game. Falcons should win this game in Westland but it will be close for a while. PICK: FARMINGTON 31, WESTLAND JOHN GLENN 20.

Beverly Hills Wylie E. Groves vs. Bloomfield Hills: First game as the new Blackhawks will be a happy one for the purple and silver but the White not so much. PICK: BLOOMFIELD HILLS 42, GROVES 21.

Redford Thurston vs. Berkley (Thursday): The Chris Sikora era at Berkley will be off to a good start. PICK: BERKLEY 21, REDFORD THURSTRON 6.

Rochester vs. Utica (Thursday): Chieftains have no chance. PICK: ROCHESTER 56, UTICA 0.

West Bloomfield vs. Jackson: The Lakers should go into Jackson County and handle the Vikings but it will be close for a while. PICK: WEST BLOOMFIELD 28, JACKSON 14.

Madison Heights Bishop Foley vs. Hazel Park (Thursday): Vikings with the new upgrades will be put into good use. The Ventures could be in for a long night but Hazel Park won’t play any defense either. PICK: HAZEL PARK 56, MADISON HEIGHTS BISHOP FOLEY 45.

Pontiac vs. Southfield-Lathrup (Thursday): The Keith Stephens era in Lathrup Village will be off to a good start. Stephens was the former head coach at Pontiac Northern and should know the area real well. Feel real bad for the Phoenix with all the financial distractions but this one will be close. PICK: SOUTHFIELD-LATHRUP 20, PONTIAC 17.

Livonia Clarenceville vs. Ferndale: The term 14-22 never gets old in Ferndale. Oakland Press thinks the Eagles are a playoff team this season BUT this is Ferndale and in the end they will disappoint. PICK: LIVONIA CLARENCEVILLE 21, FERNDALE 13.

OAA Top 24 and reasons for rankings

Written Wednesday August 21st, at 7:03 PM

My thoughts on the Dragons Den, Top Ten are very interesting with people happy, others wondering why I have them ranked high or low this season. Well here are my concerns and reasons why I ranked these teams where they are at. Here is the overall projections and ranking from 24 to one.

Bottom Nine:

24. Ferndale Eagles: Good running back, back for the Eagles but something with 14-22 since 2008 isn’t a good thing.

23. Royal Oak Ravens: 2-43 since 2007 is all you need to know with the Ravens.

22. Southfield-Lathrup Chargers: New coach Keith Stephens gives the Chargers hope but rebuild won’t happen this season though because of the tough White this season.

21. Pontiac Phoenix: Financial difficulties have impacted this Phoenix team when it came to the athletic health insurance and the school district itself. Pontiac has a tough road ahead with Clarkston, Lake Orion, Stoney Creek, Troy, and Troy Athens on the schedule.

20. West Bloomfield Lakers: Lakers Quarterback Tristan Jackson returns and will give the Lakers everything he has but he needs play-makers around him and good line play which will give West Bloomfield a chance to compete.

19. Beverly Hills Wylie E. Groves Falcons: The Falcons were a disappointment from a season ago returns Ross Williams and has Avondale, North Farmington, and Berkley all coming to Beverly Hills but the trip to Birmingham is critical if they want to make the playoffs.

18. Hazel Park Vikings:  New facilities give the Vikings an advantage but will it transfer into winning games???

17. Berkley Bears: New coach Chris Sikora gives the Bears hope and to possibly get into the playoffs this season.

16. Rochester Falcons: Falcons will be all right for Coach Eric Vernon and its 21 seniors but playoffs could be a difficult chore this season with playing the likes of Lake Orion, Clarkston, and Stoney Creek on a consistent basis.

Top 15:

15. Bloomfield Hills Blackhawks: The Blackhawks are now one. The combination of Bloomfield Hills Lahser and Bloomfield Hills Andover is complete. Bloomfield Hills moved up from the Blue to the dangerous White this season. The Blackhawks returns quarterback Spencer McCourt from a season ago when he was at Bloomfield Hills Lahser. Bloomfield Hills has a very brutal schedule and a trip to the playoffs is in deep jeopardy with trips to Oxford, Southfield, and Farmington. The Blackhawks have Oak Park, Harrison, and Adams all coming to Bloomfield Hills.

14. Farmington Falcons: The Falcons will be skilled on both sides of the football but the question will be line play. Farmington also has a tough schedule with games at Oxford, at Adams, and at Harrison. The Falcons host Southfield and Oak Park. Farmington last season finished 6-3 only to lose to Walled Lake Western in the playoffs. The Falcons need to beat Westland John Glenn if they want to have a shot at the playoffs again this season if not then the Falcons are in huge trouble especially in the White.

13. Troy Colts: The Colts return nine starters on defense along with wide receiver and safety Danny Wunderluch and quarterback Jay Darish. The schedule is pretty daunting which is why they are ranked 13^th. The Colts host Stoney Creek, Rochester, and Clarkston, play Lake Orion in downtown Detroit, and has to travel to Romeo and Troy Athens. Troy finished 5-4 last season but lost a lot of experience from a season ago so that is a major concern heading into this season.

12. Troy Athens Red Hawks: The Red Hawks was a disappointment last season at 2-7. Experts have Troy Athens to return back to form than they were in 2011. The Red Hawks returns quarterback Jake Nelson and tight end Lucas Bezerra. Troy Athens schedule is brutal with trips to Warren Mott, Lake Orion, Stoney Creek, and Clarkston. If the Red Hawks lose to Warren Mott week one then their playoff hopes would be in serious jeopardy.

11. Birmingham Seaholm Maples: The Maples are expected to contend for a league title this season in the Blue. The schedule is tricky especially starting with Ann Arbor Pioneer coming to Birmingham in week one. Birmingham Seaholm has to travel to Auburn Hills the next week and hosts North Farmington in week three. It won’t surprise me if the Maples started the season 0-3 so that’s why they are not ranked in the Dragons Den Top Ten poll.

10. North Farmington Raiders: The Raiders have a very good running back in Chauncey Bridges. The reason why the Raiders are ranked is because of Bridges and the schedule is friendly since North Farmington dropped from the White to the Blue. North Farmington was 3-6 last season. Expect a playoff appearance in the north side of Farmington this season.

9. Avondale Yellow Jackets: Avondale was 8-1 last season and is expected to contend in the Blue yet again this season. The Yellow Jackets have a good schedule with Redford Union in Redford and hosts Birmingham Seaholm in week two which is why they are ranked here along with running back Josh Holloman as well. Also Steve Deutch coaches in Auburn Hills so that’s one of the reasons why they are ranked here in the poll.

8. Farmington Hills Harrison Hawks: Harrison was a disappointing 6-3 and lost to Fenton in the playoffs last season but does return running back Lorenzo Collins and has a friendly schedule. They will have Adams, Oxford, Farmington, and Oak Park all coming to Farmington Hills and they have a difficult test at Southfield and at the crossover. The Hawks are expected to make a playoff spot but the inexperience at quarterback could be a daunting task.

7. Oak Park Knights: The Knights made the playoffs for the first time since 2005 and won the White last season with a 7-2 record but it could be difficult if Oak Park wants to return back to the playoffs. My biggest concerns for Oak Park are the tough schedule with only two home games (Southfield and Oxford) this season. The Knights play Orchard Lake Saint Marys at Wayne State in week one and have trips to Adams, Harrison, and Farmington. The next concern is at quarterback in bringing in a new one so they probably will run the football a lot. The next concern will be its depth is always a concern in Knight Valley.

6. Rochester Adams Highlanders: The Highlanders want to return to the playoffs after missing the playoffs for the first time in 15 seasons (went 4-5 last season.) Adams returns quarterback Matt Sokol along with a solid running game. The Highlanders schedule is brutal with home games against Clarkston, Oak Park, Adams, and Oxford coming to Rochester and trips to Southfield,  Harrison, and Stoney Creek is concerning. If Adams wants to return to the playoffs then they must win at least five of these games.

5. Stoney Creek Cougars: The Cougars lost a heart-breaker to Southfield last season and missing out at 5-4. They do return experience in Justin Addar, Joe Cox, Brady Stabelin, Beru Stabelin, and Shawn Scullen. The schedule is very friendly with Royal Oak to kick off the season but have tough games against Lake Orion at home and at Clarkston in the middle of the season. Stoney Creek should be a playoff team this season and will likely meet Rochester Adams to close out the season so that game could have a meaning seeing who will be best in Rochester.

4. Oxford Wildcats: The Wildcats do return Glacier Wallington, Ben Line, Zach Adorn, and Michael Tilley. Line play is a question in Wildcat country. Oxford finished 6-3 last season making the playoffs for a second straight season. The schedule is tough with Lake Orion kicking off the season and has games with Southfield and Farmington at home and trips to Oak Park, Harrison, and Adams. If Oxford can navigate through this schedule then a return trip to the playoffs is very likely.

3. Lake Orion Dragons: The Dragons return skill players Zach Arnold, Cory Ester, Chris Leigh, Dominic Giovinnazzo among others on a team that finished 8-1 last season and a state semifinal appearance. Questions will linger at offensive line, quarterback, defensive line, linebacker, and secondary. Lake Orion has a tough road slate with games at Oxford, at Stoney Creek, and at Clarkston. Troy Athens and the crossover come to Lake Orion this season. The Troy game is at Ford Field. If the Dragons defense can come together along with the offensive line a deep run in the state playoffs is possible.

2. Clarkston Wolves: This maybe Clarkston’s best chance to win a state title. Clarkston finished unbeaten (9-0) last season but lost to Rockford in the playoffs. The Wolves will have Ian Erickson, Nick Matich, David Beddle, Shane Hines, and Tim Cason along with a strong junior class as well. Clarkston has questions with DJ Zezula’s capability at quarterback this season along is can they live up to expectations with how good and the returnees Clarkston has back. The Wolves have Lake Orion, Stoney Creek, and the crossover all coming to Clarkston. Clarkston has to travel to Adams which will be interesting week one.

1. Southfield Blue Jays: The Blue Jays have a very dangerous team from a 6-3 team from a season ago. Southfield added Malik McDonnell and Jaylen Brady at quarterback as transfers. The weakness Southfield has is on special teams. The Blue Jays don’t have a proven kicker and could go for two points a lot. If the Blue Jays want to be a state title team they must develop a kicking game. The schedule works out well with home games against Harrison, Adams, and Oak Park. They do play Detroit Cass Tech week one at Wayne State but their toughest game could be when Southfield goes to Oxford to play the Wildcats and Farmington could be a challenge as well.

Pontiac School District makes Insurance Payment so football team can play this season

Written Tuesday August 13th, at 8:40 PM

There will be football in Pontiac this fall.

The Pontiac School District made a $41,000 insurance payment Tuesday morning following a TV Report that insured its football team to practice at Wisner Stadium.

The Phoenix could not practice on Monday because of the insurance issue with the Pontiac School District and was told not to practice because they were not insured incase of injuries on the field. Pontiac Coach, Damion Redmond told his players the bad news on Monday.

Monday was the first official day that high school teams around the state can practice but won't put the pads on until Thursday.

The Pontiac School District was declared under a financial emergency by Governor Rick Snyder last week has a $37.7 million dollar budget deficit and under Public Act 436 (the state's emergency manager law) it's school board has four options they can choose from, either a consent agreement, meditation, Chapter Nine Bankruptcy, or an Emergency Manager.

Redmond then got the good news Tuesday afternoon, when he heard from district officials that the $41,000 insurance payment was paid and his kids could practice at Wisner Stadium.

Pontiac interim superintendent Kelley Williams said that there might not be a lot of sports to play this season and that some sports programs in the High School and Middle School levels maybe cut because of budget issues. There were rumors that there would be no sports in Pontiac this upcoming school year but that is not the case at all.

If Pontiac were not to had football this season than Southfield-Lathrup, Clarkston, Lake Orion, Troy, Troy Athens, Stoney Creek, and West Bloomfield were to had find games to replace Pontiac on the schedule but now they won’t have to do that now.

Now with the insurance issues taken care of, the Phoenix football team can focus on their first game of the season when they will travel to Lathrup Village and take on former Pontiac Northern coach Keith Stephens and the Southfield-Lathrup Chargers. The schedule is brutal for Pontiac with games against Clarkston (at home), Lake Orion, and Stoney Creek (both on the road) this season.

2013 OAA Football Previews

Written Wednesday August 7th, at 5:45 PM

Dragons Den: Top 10 Teams (Week One)

1. Southfield Blue Jays

Finished last season 7-3, 3^rd White: lost to Oak Park 19-12 OT in the District Finals

Points Scored: 277 points (25.1 ppg): Points Against: 172 points (15.6 ppg)

Projected Record: 8-1, 7-0 White.

GAME OF THE YEAR: at Oxford, Week Six: The Blue Jays have difficult games early in the season with Detroit Cass Tech at Wayne State, at Oak Park, and hosts Harrison and Adams but going north of M-59 has been a huge problem for the Blue Jays in the past. Southfield was blown out on the blue turf 49-26 in 2011 and lost 34-20 to Adams in Rochester last season. The Blue Jays hammered the Wildcats 49-7 at Southfield last season and with its new additions this game appears to be a cakewalk for Southfield however not so fast, Oxford has not lost a regular season home game since Farmington 32-31 and Adams 26-20 in the playoffs in 2011. This game could have upset written all over it for the Blue Jays especially going up against a pound the rock team that loves clock possession on its home field.

2. Clarkston Wolves

Finished last season 11-1, 1^st Red: lost to Rockford 25-14 in the Regional Finals

Points Scored: 424 points (35.3 ppg): Points Against: 159 points (13.2 ppg)

Projected Record: 8-1, 7-0 Red.

GAME OF THE YEAR: at Rochester Adams, Week One: The Wolves are still trying to get rid of last season’s 25-14 playoff loss to Rockford returns tons of talent from last season’s team. Clarkston will have six division one players for 2013 but has questions at quarterback, wide receiver, and at linebacker. The schedule later in the year is tough with home games against Stoney Creek, Lake Orion, and the crossover. The Wolves open up on the road against an improved Highlanders team. Rochester Adams has won three straight games going back to last season. One of those wins was against Southfield 34-20 on its home field. Last season the Wolves beat the Highlanders 42-28. If Clarkston doesn’t win this game then they could be in trouble.

3. Lake Orion Dragons

Finished last season 11-2, 2^nd Red: lost to Detroit Cass Tech 34-27 in the State Semifinals

Points Scored: 478 points (36.7 ppg): Points Against: 179 points (13.7 ppg)

Projected Record: 8-1, 6-1 Red.

GAME OF THE YEAR: at Oxford, Week One: The Dragons just off their third state semifinal appearance in five years has questions at quarterback, linebacker, and the left side of the offensive line after losing playmakers at those positions to graduation. Last season, Lake Orion trailed Oxford 10-0 at the half before scoring 17 unanswered second half points to stun the Wildcats 17-10. The last time the Dragons were in the blue turf was the inaugural game called the battle on M-24 (Lapeer Road.) Oxford opened it up with ease and stunned Lake Orion 41-20 in 2011. The Dragons were not the same team after that game and ended up being upset in the playoffs by Walled Lake Central. The road schedule is very difficult for Lake Orion with games at Stoney Creek, Troy at Ford Field, and at Clarkston in week eight. If the Dragons want to make a statement in 2013 they must win this game.

4. Oxford Wildcats

Finished last season 7-4, 4^th White: lost to Birmingham Brother Rice 38-6 in the District Finals

Points Scored: 272 points (24.7 ppg: Points Against: 224 points (22.1 ppg)

Projected Record: 6-3, 5-2 White.

GAME OF THE YEAR: Lake Orion, Week One: If there is one game that Wildcats fans look forward to it’s the Orion game. The Dragons stunned the Wildcats last season 17-10 behind a strong second half from Lake Orion. Oxford did manage to recover from that defeat with huge wins over Adams, Harrison, Troy, and Oak Park, which took them to the postseason. The Wildcats have not lost a home game since 2011, Rochester Adams 26-20 in the playoffs and in the regular season since losing to Farmington 32-31. If the Wildcats want to make the playoffs they have to go through the White vaunted schedule but getting a win over their southern rivals from M-24 would be a good start to that process.

5. Stoney Creek Cougars

Finished last season 5-4, 3^rd Red: did not make postseason

Points Scored: 266 points (29.5 ppg): Points Against: 194 points (21.5 ppg)

Projected Record: 7-2, 5-2 Red.

GAME OF THE YEAR: at Troy, Week Three: The Cougars rode a three game winning streak after it’s painful loss to Clarkston from a season ago into the Southfield game but fell 25-15 in the last week of the regular season. Stoney Creek could had afforded the Lake Orion and Clarkston losses and even the loss to Southfield but the loss that took them out of the playoffs was a home loss to Troy 19-14. If the Cougars won that game then they would had been in the playoffs for the first time since 2007 (lost to Birmingham Brother Rice in the Division Two first round.) Stoney Creek should be undefeated heading into the Troy game but the defense will be a major concern along with its depth. The Colts will be battle tested after having to play at Romeo in week one so if Stoney Creek can get this game then they will be in good shape especially having to play Lake Orion and Clarkston in a span of two weeks, if not then it could be a re-run of last season.

6. Rochester Adams Highlanders

Finished last season 4-5, 6^th White: did not make postseason

Points Scored: 230 points (25.5 ppg): Points Against: 198 points (22 ppg)

Projected Record: 5-4, 5-2 White.

GAME OF THE YEAR: at Farmington Hills Harrison, Week Two: The Highlanders come into the 2013 season after with motivation after missing the playoffs for the first time in 15 seasons and the first under coach Tony Patrino. Adams has won three straight games to close out the season which included wins over Rochester (31-7) and Southfield (34-20.) The Highlanders returns some talent at quarterback and also at running back. The game that will make or break their season is the Clarkston game. The Wolves beat Adams 42-28 at Clarkston last season and the Highlanders have won three straight games coming into this home contest. Now this game was originally supposed to be played at Ford Field but the sponsor Forgotten Harvest couldn’t get the money to do the classic so the game got moved to Rochester. Adams has a daunting task after the Clarkston game and if they lose this game then they have the Hawks the next week. The Highlanders lost 19-7 to Harrison in Rochester and should be motivated to get some revenge after what happened last season. If Adams beat Clarkston then this will give them great confidence, especially with the schedule with games against Oak Park and Oxford at home and a trip to Southfield is never pleasant so they need this game if they want to make the playoffs.

7. Oak Park Knights

Finished last season 8-4, 1^st White: lost to Wyandotte Roosevelt 10-6 in Regional Finals

Points Scored: 294 points (24.5 ppg): Points Against: 209 points (17.4 ppg)

Projected Record: 5-4, 4-3 White.

GAME OF THE YEAR: at Farmington, Week Four: The Knights won the White last season and do come into 2013 with motivation after making the playoffs for the first time since 2005 but suffered a heartbreaking playoff loss to Wyandotte Roosevelt 10-6 in the regional finals. The schedule is absolutely brutal this season with only two games in Knight Valley and they are against Oxford and Southfield. Oak Park has to play Orchard Lake Saint Marys at Wayne State to open the season. The Knights have road trips to Adams, Harrison, and the crossover. If Oak Park wants to make the playoffs then they need to win the Farmington game. The Falcons lost a lot of talent from a season ago but their junior varsity team was good and also Farmington added some transfers from Farmington Hills Harrison. Oak Park beat Farmington 20-15 in Knight Valley last season. This game is that the Knights really need for confidence issues and it could help them get into the playoffs.

8. Farmington Hills Harrison Hawks

Finished last season 6-3, 5^th White: lost to Fenton 22-19 in First Round

Points Scored: 327 points (32.7 ppg): Points Against: 167 points (16.7 ppg)

Projected Record: 5-4, 4-3 White.

GAME OF THE YEAR: at Southfield, Week Five: Harrison returns a healthy running back for the season and should have an impact on the season and especially this game with Southfield. Harrison went into Southfield and beat the Blue Jays by two touchdowns (28-14 in 2011.) The Blue Jays returned the favor as they trailed 20-3 at halftime in Farmington and came back with a strong second half to beat the Hawks 27-20 last season. Southfield added some top transfers from other school in the state and always had the athletes to compete. Harrison has always been a state power under legionary coach John Herrington, winning state championships and league titles whether in the Kensington Valley Conference or the OAA in the history at Farmington Hills Harrison. This game with the Blue Jays will tell a lot where Harrison will be at this season and teams like Adams, Oxford, Farmington, and Oak Park all have to come to Herrington Field. If Harrison can win this game then the playoffs and possibly a chance to win the White will be a safe bet.

9. Avondale Yellow Jackets

Finished last season 9-2, 1^st Blue: lost to Orchard Lake Saint Mary’s 49-14 in the District Finals

Points Scored: 363 points (33 ppg): Points Against: 206 points (18.7 ppg)

Projected Record: 8-1, 6-1 Blue.

GAME OF THE YEAR: Birmingham Seaholm, Week Two: The Yellow Jackets finished 8-1 last season before losing in the district finals to Orchard Lake Saint Mary’s for the second season in a row. Avondale’s only loss was at Birmingham, when the Maples stunned Avondale and won by two touchdowns 28-15. The Yellow Jackets is one of the favorites to contend in the Blue this season but the Birmingham Seaholm game is huge because if they can win this game it would wipe the bad taste out of the mouth from a season ago. Avondale has a difficult road schedule in 2013. The Yellow Jackets will travel to Hazel Park, Beverly Hills Wylie E Groves, and North Farmington this season but they also host Berkley in a game that could have playoff implications. Avondale needs the Birmingham Seaholm for confidence reasons even though they will kick off the season with a trip to Wayne County to play Redford Union. Redford Union should be a win for the Yellow Jackets.

10. North Farmington Raiders

Finished last season 3-6, 7^th White: did not make postseason

Projected Record: 8-1, 6-1 Blue.

GAME OF THE YEAR: at Birmingham Seaholm, Week Three: The Raiders re-enter the Blue from the White after a three win season from a year ago. North Farmington should be 2-0 heading into the Birmingham Seaholm game thus being careful of the Bay City John Glenn game. The experience from playing in the White should help the Raiders in this game against the Maples. Last season, Birmingham Seaholm was knocked out of the playoffs by Oxford, a team in the White that beat North Farmington by a touchdown 36-28. The Raiders have Avondale, Berkley, and Hazel Park at home but the trips to Beverly Hills Wylie E Groves and Royal Oak will be tricky games for North Farmington this season. It could be a special season in the north side of Farmington Hills if things go right.

Red Projections (Italic: Playoffs)

Clarkston                   7-0       8-1      (Proj Crossover: Southfield)

Lake Orion                 6-1       8-1      (Proj Crossover: Harrison)

Stoney Creek              5-2       7-2      (Proj Crossover: Adams)

Troy Athens                4-3       5-4      (Proj Crossover: Oxford)

Troy                            3-4       4-5      (Proj Crossover: Farmington)

Rochester                   2-5       3-6      (Proj Crossover: Oak Park)

West Bloomfield         1-6       2-7      (Proj Crossover: Lathrup)

Pontiac                       0-7       0-9      (Proj Crossover: Bloomfield Hills)

Top Ten Games that will make an impact on League

1. Lake Orion at Clarkston (Week Eight)- Dragons looking for revenge after a 1^st and 37 late in the game led to an touchdown from Clarkston in last season’s 21-14 loss to the Wolves.

2. Clarkston at Adams (Week One)- Wolves quest to Ford Field starts here but the Highlanders have won three in a row since last season.

3. Lake Orion at Oxford (Week One)- This game was a tale of two halves, are we in store for more fireworks?

4. Stoney Creek at Troy (Week Three)- The Colts cost the Cougars a trip to the playoffs last season by winning 19-14 in Rochester. Think Stoney Creek wants to return the favor for what happened that night.

5. Lake Orion at Stoney Creek (Week Four)- Could be the biggest game in Stoney Creek’s seventh year as a school. This is a very dangerous game for the Dragons.

6. Stoney Creek at Clarkston (Week Five)- Cougars were up by two scores late, only to see Ian Erickson and the Wolves steal it at the end 28-21. Stoney Creek will be ready for this one.

7. Troy at Romeo (Week One)- The Colts beat the Bulldogs 24-20 at Troy last season but Dan Barnabo field is a tricky place for visitors especially those in the MAC Red. The Colts need this one if they want to think playoffs.

8. Lake Orion vs. Troy (Ford Field: Week Five)- The Dragons will have experience being at Ford Field for the Gridiron Classic. The Colts need this game if they want to make the playoffs.

9. Troy Athens at Warren Mott (Week One)- The Red Hawks gave up 496 rushing yards last season and were blown out 41-6 at home by the Marauders. Think the Red Hawks have forgotten that game, it cost them their whole season.

10. Stoney Creek at West Bloomfield (Week Six)- It will be the first time that these two teams got back together since the ugly brawl at Rochester from a season ago.

FAVORITE: Clarkston: This season maybe Clarkston’s best chance if they want to get to Ford Field. The Wolves return a lot of talent and experience from a team that went undefeated last season and took out Davison (41-0) and Grand Blanc (35-19) in the process. The program itself (Freshman and Junior Varsity) went undefeated as well. The Wolves combined went 29-1, if you include the playoffs. Clarkston coach Kurt Richardson might have his most talented team that he has had, since 2009. The Wolves have a lot of individual talent led by offensive/defensive lineman Nick Matich who is going to Western Michigan along with cornerback/wide receiver Tim Cason while defensive lineman David Beddle is going to Michigan State next season. Running back Ian Erickson had two thousand yards and 34 touchdowns last season will go to Eastern Michigan next season and kicker Shane Hynes returns as well and committed to Kent State. Clarkston led the Red defensibly only allowing 159 points (13.2 ppg) but only 67 points in league play (under nine ppg.) The Wolves were second in the Red in offense scoring with 424 points (35.3 ppg) and 251 points in league play (35.8 ppg) last season. Clarkston will have questions at quarterback, either D.J. Zezula or Cane Watlington will be the starter with the loser of that quarterback battle will likely play the slot wide receiver. The Wolves will have juniors Adam Matich on the offensive line and tight end Cole Chewins, which should add some depth for the Wolves. Another question that could derail a trip to Ford Field, is can the Wolves throw the deep ball on a consistent basis if the running attack is shut down? It hurt them in the playoff loss to Rockford when Clarkston had to abandon the run when they were trailing. The schedule is very friendly for Clarkston and they could be undefeated once again but the quarterback issue along with a passing game could hurt this team once again deep in the playoffs if they don’t get this addressed. Clarkston is not the greatest of home teams, considering the last three seasons they were ousted from the postseason at home (2010: Grand Blanc, 2011: Walled Lake Central, 2012: Rockford.)

NEXT BEST: Lake Orion: The Dragons went to the State Semifinals for the third time in five years after beating Sterling Heights Stevenson (35-0), Utica Eisenhower (10-7), and Macomb Dakota (51-35) before falling to Detroit Cass Tech 34-27 on a controversial extra point last season. Three seasons ago, Lake Orion was state champions (2010) in Division One. The Dragons enter the season having some questions at quarterback especially with Derrick DeLaura graduating last season and Sean Charette two seasons ago, that could be decided with either Kyle Bell or Connor Grant getting the nod week one against Oxford. The running game is there in the form of Zach Arnold, Cory Ester, Matt Krause, Chris Leigh, Dominic Giovinazoo, and Zach Serzo. The question is everyone’s mind will be how will Dragons coach Chris Bell use them? It is possible that one or more of these running backs can play wide receiver. The Dragons were top dogs on offense in the Red last season scoring 478 points (36.7 ppg) but 295 points in league play (42.1 ppg.) The Lake Orion offensive line has some questions heading into 2013. They will have Nick Sally returning on the right side of the offensive line but will need someone to step up from the left side of the line. They do have some candidates who can fill that area but they will be young there. The Dragons defense is a concern especially up front with only one starter back on the defensive line and linebacker is a major concern but Lake Orion will have a good secondary to lean on, this season. The Dragons lost Derrick Williams and Nick Booker to graduation but players like Brendan Rourke, Bell, Grant, Aaron Hughes, and Austin Taylor should be key players in the Dragons defense. Lake Orion allowed 179 points (13 ppg) and in league play, allowed 75 points (10.5 ppg.) The schedule you can say is 50-50, the road slate is brutal with trips to Oxford, Stoney Creek, and Clarkston. Troy is at Ford Field and the crossover game will be tough as well this season.

DARK-HORSE: Stoney Creek: This maybe the best class to come out athletically at Stoney Creek since the days of Phil Swanson during the early years of Stoney Creek becoming a high school. The Cougars lost a 25-15 heartbreaker to Southfield in the final week of the regular season. The loss cost Stoney Creek (5-4 in 2012) a trip to the playoffs last season, which would have been the first time since 2007. In Coach Brad Zube’s second season at the helm, the Cougars return a lot of talent in the triple option attack but the expectations are much higher thanks to this class’s performance together. Stoney Creek scored 266 points, which was third in the Red (29.5 ppg) and 196 points in league play (28 ppg) last season. The Cougars returns quarterback Joe Cox who is a duel threat along with running back and slot wide receiver Shawn Scullen along with Justin Allor. Scullen had a big season scoring ten touchdowns last season and can play quarterback, throws the football very well. (Lake Orion when Cox was out last season because of injury) Cox, Allor, and Scullen will put up some points this season because of the triple option attack. Brady and Beru Stabelin will be big on both offensive and defensive lines this season for Stoney Creek. The Cougars defense will be a major concern. The Stoney Creek defense allowed 194 points (21.5 ppg) and 162 points (21.1 ppg) in league play last season but if their offense can stay on the field it would help the defense a lot. Another major concern will be the depth on the team. A lot of Cougars go two ways on both sides of the football. The schedule is manageable to start for Stoney Creek with Royal Oak on the road and Pontiac at home but the Troy game will be tricky. The Cougars should be motivated after losing 19-14 to the Colts last season. Another reason why is that game with Troy is on the road. If Stoney Creek can win that game over the Colts then the two games week four and week five will tell a lot in Stoney Creek’s season when Lake Orion comes to Rochester and the Cougars travel to Clarkston. If the Cougars can get a strong season from Scullen and Cox then Stoney Creek could return to the postseason for the first time since 2007.

TEAM TO KEEP AN EYE ON: Troy Athens: The Red Hawks were 6-3 in 2011 and lost a five overtime 34-31 playoff game to Romeo in the first round at Troy. Last season was just a disaster for the Red Hawks which finished at 2-7. This season if Troy Athens wants to return to the playoffs then they have to improve as a team especially defensibly where their run defense was absolutely horrible. The Red Hawks allowed the sixth most points in the Red last season at 266 points (29.5 ppg) and in Red play allowed 218 points (31.1 ppg.) Troy Athens returns tight end and basketball standout Lucas Bezerra, whom will go to Western Michigan next season for football. Bezerra will be counted on to score more for Coach Terry Heppener’s pro formation attack which scored 156 points (17.4 ppg) and 120 points (17.1 ppg.) Bezerra had over 500 yards and five touchdowns last season. Also keep an eye on quarterback Jake Nelson, Nelson is a duel threat quarterback who had a big year from that position with his arm and his running ability. With these two back expect the Red Hawks to try and contend for a playoff spot this season. Troy Athens plays at Warren Mott to kick off the season. The Marauders made the playoffs last season blew out the Red Hawks 41-6 in Troy in the opener. The Red Hawks goes to Lake Orion, Stoney Creek, and Clarkston during the season but hosts Rochester, the crossover, and arch rival Troy in week eight. Troy Athens could have a chance at the playoffs if things go right for them this season.

ANOTHER TEAM TO KEEP AN EYE ON: Troy: When you look at a season ago, a team that had some tough luck with injuries and other hurdles, it’s Troy. The Colts theme this season is “What Ever It Takes.” Last season, the Colts beat Romeo at Troy 24-20 but lost to Lake Orion 38-0, Clarkston 28-0, Rochester 13-7 with the Colts forced to go to their third string quarterback and Oxford 34-20. The losses to Rochester and Oxford cost Troy a trip to the playoffs. The Colts were just snake bitten with injuries in 2012, losing key players in key games. Troy beat Stoney Creek 19-14 in Rochester, which was one of their big wins last season along with Romeo. Troy lost running backs Terrance and Torrance Cherry from a season ago along with everyday player quarterback/running back/wide receiver Justin Losey to graduation but the Colts return quarterback Jay Darish and wide receiver/safety and punter Danny Wunderluch along with receivers Derrick Daschke and Eric Flanagan. Darish is a duel threat quarterback, he can throw and run when needed to do so. Darish did miss some time last season due to an injury that he suffered in the Rochester game. He returned for the Lake Orion game and was effective the rest of the season. The question for Coach Gary Griffith’s Colts is who will replace Losey’s production from a season ago. It could Justice Bigelow whom might fit that role in Colt country. Troy does have some questions at the line though, they do replace a lot of experience on both sides of the ball. The Colts will be anchored by Damien Howard Downey on both sides of the ball will help this season. Last season the Colts were just awful on offense especially in league play. Troy scored 93 points in league play (10.3 ppg) and 137 points for the whole season (15.2 ppg.) If the Colts want to contend for a playoff spot they must improve on this number and fast especially with how good Lake Orion’s, Clarkston, and Stoney Creek’s offenses are going to be this season. Troy’s defense wasn’t good either the Colts allowed 191 points (21.3 ppg) or 137 points were allowed in league play (15.2 ppg.) The schedule is not friendly to Troy especially having to go to Dan Barnabo Field to play Romeo. The Bulldogs will be motivated for that game after losing last season to Troy. The Colts play Clarkston, Stoney Creek, and the crossover at home, which will all be tough games for Troy. They get Lake Orion at Ford Field, which won’t be easy and have to go to Troy Athens, which that will be a dangerous game for the Colts in week eight. The Colts beat the Red Hawks in a defensive slugfest 10-7 last season at Troy. If things go right for the Colts then it could be the first time since 2009 that Troy could be back in the postseason.

DREAM SCHEDULE: Clarkston: Yes the Wolves are going to be veteran laden and very talented with Ian Erickson, Nick Matich, Tim Cason, Shane Hynes, and David Beddle going to Division One Schools along with a strong junior class. This maybe Coach Kurt Richardson’s best team he has had at Clarkston but a tough non league game at Adams is always interesting, especially that the Wolves has struggled against teams that have ran the veer offense (Rochester Adams) and the triple option offense (Stoney Creek). Clarkston beat the Highlanders 42-28 last season and escaped the Cougars 28-21. Rockford ran some option last season against them in the playoffs. Also what helps the Wolves is that it’s two toughest competitors in the Red, Stoney Creek and Lake Orion, along with the crossover opponent has to come to Clarkston this season. What really counts for Clarkston is can they get over the hump and get it done in the playoffs.

NIGHTMARE SCHEDULE: Lake Orion: Lake Orion just off a State Semifinal appearance for the third time in five seasons, last season appears to be in a bit of a reloading mode especially at quarterback. The home slate of the schedule is not the greatest for the Dragons with games against Troy Athens, West Bloomfield, and Pontiac for it’s homecoming but the road slate is absolutely brutal. Lake Orion plays at Oxford week one and then have dates at Stoney Creek week four, Troy at Ford Field week five, and at Clarkston in week eight. The crossover will be at home and that could be Southfield, Oak Park, Harrison, or Farmington. The Dragons had to survive Oxford 17-10 last season and the Wildcats would like to see a repeat of the 41-20 win in Oxford in 2011. One slip up could mean missing the playoffs for the second time in the Chris Bell era (2000.)

TEAM THAT’S IN TROUBLE: Pontiac: The Phoenix was 1-8 last season and could be in trouble this season but they will compete for Coach Damion Redmond. Pontiac will have some good lineman coming back in defensive lineman/tight end Dario Franklin, offensive lineman Jaylen Mays and Edwin Jimenez. The best chance for Pontiac to win a game this season is when they travel to Lathrup Village to take on former Pontiac Northern Coach Keith Stephens and his new look Southfield-Lathrup Chargers in week one. Pontiac wanted to go down to the Blue because of the enrollment numbers and the talent is not there but was denied until next season. The Phoenix last season scored 122 points (13.5 ppg) and had 94 points (10.4 ppg) in league play. Pontiac’s defense was not good from a season ago. The Phoenix allowed 296 points (32.8 ppg) and 246 points (27.3 ppg) in league play. The Red is brutal this season for the Phoenix, Pontiac has Clarkston coming to Wisner Stadium for likely will be their homecoming and travels to Lake Orion on their homecoming and goes to Stoney Creek. It could get ugly in Pontiac this season but they will compete in a difficult situation.

FEELINGS: The Red will be a three team race this season with Lake Orion, Clarkston, and Stoney Creek. I can see all three teams making the postseason. It would be the first time since 2007 that Stoney Creek would make the playoffs. Coach Brad Zube has done a magnificent job in year one in Rochester heading into year two and will have the talent to do well this season. The experts will pick Clarkston and they have a good reason too especially with the talent the Wolves have returning along with a good junior class and the schedule with Lake Orion, Stoney Creek, and the crossover having to go to Clarkston. Clarkston does have a playoff jinx, especially wearing blue in the playoffs. The Wolves have lost in four straight years wearing their home blues, including losing in the state semifinals in 2009 to Sterling Heights Stevenson and have lost three straight years at home in the playoffs. Talent doesn’t win you a state championship. You can be talented all you want but you got to get it done in the playoffs and even good talented teams do not always fair well in the playoffs. Lake Orion won a state title in 2010 and didn’t have the most talented team from a season ago that made the state semifinals. The Dragons have quarterback concerns along with the defense and a murderous road slate but they have a lot of talented running backs returning and some talent on defense. Troy Athens returns their quarterback and tight end but the defense is a huge concern, especially its rushing defense. I’m not sold on coach Gary Griffith’s crew at Troy because of their schedule with games at Romeo, Stoney Creek and Clarkston are at home and Lake Orion at Ford Field but they do have their quarterback and a go to wide receiver back. The Colts have an outside shot if things go right at making the playoffs. The Romeo game will give Troy trouble. Rochester will be very young after losing a lot of talent but should do well early with Utica to kick off the season. West Bloomfield has some athletes but the question will loom for coach Ronald Bellmay is he on the hot seat over at West Bloomfield. The Lakers will struggle this season but will have a very good quarterback and basketball standout in sophomore Trishton Jackson to carry them this season. Pontiac will also struggle this season in the Red with the enrollment drop, financial concerns, and lost of talent. Last season, Pontiac won one game and the rest of their losses wasn’t even close. It could be a really tough season for the Phoenix this season.

White Projections (Italic: Playoffs)

Southfield                                   7-0       8-1       (Proj Crossover: Clarkston)

Oxford                                        5-2       6-3       (Proj Crossover: Troy Athens)

Adams                                        5-2       5-4       (Proj Crossover: Stoney Creek)

Oak Park                                    4-3       5-4       (Proj Crossover: Rochester)

Farmington Hills Harrison          4-3       5-4       (Proj Crossover: Orion)

Farmington                                2-5       3-6       (Proj Crossover: Troy)

Bloomfield Hills                         1-6       3-6       (Proj Crossover: Pontiac)

Southfield-Lathrup                    0-7       2-7       (Proj Crossover: W. Bloomfield)

Top Ten Games that will make an impact on League

1. Southfield at Oxford (Week Six)- Blue Jays blew out the Wildcats 49-7 last season in Southfield but Oxford got them 49-26 when the game was at Oxford in 2011.

2. Adams at Southfield (Week Seven)- Blue Jays were shocked 34-20 last season in Rochester, think those who are on the team remember that game???

3. Adams at Harrison (Week Two)- Hawks went into Rochester and beat the Highlanders 21-12, expect this one to be closer in Farmington Hills.

4. Harrison at Southfield (Week Five)- By far this is the rivalry in southern Oakland County. The Hawks won by two touchdowns on Southfield’s home field in 2011 and last season the Blue Jays won in Farmington by a touchdown (27-20) after trailing 20-3, this should be interesting.

5. Oak Park at Harrison (Week Seven)- This is a big game for both teams if they want to see the postseason this year.

6. Oxford at Harrison (Week Three)- Wildcats won a thriller 34-31 in overtime over the Hawks last season think Harrison has forgotten that game???

7. Farmington at Oxford (Week Four)- Falcons survived 32-31 on the blue turf in 2011 and beat the Wildcats 19-13 in overtime in 2012. Oxford will be ready for this game.

8. Oxford at Adams (Week Six)- Wildcats cost the Highlanders a trip to the playoffs a season ago with a 28-16 win. Since 2011, Oxford is 2-1 against Adams but that lone loss was in the playoffs.

9. Lake Orion at Oxford and Clarkston at Adams (Week One)- Wildcats want revenge for what happened in the second half at Lake Orion last season and the Highlanders want to keep the streak going against the Wolves.

10. Southfield vs. Detroit Cass Tech and Oak Park vs. Orchard Lake Saint Mary’s (Wayne State: Week One)- One of the best match ups in the state. Athletes everywhere for this primetime game, this game could be a shootout between the Blue Jays and Technicians. Coach/Athletic Director Greg Carter should know Orchard Lake Saint Mary’s well from his coaching days at Detroit DePorres and Inkster but it’s still a tough match up for his Knights.

FAVORITE: Southfield: The Blue Jays will be very talented, have tons of speed, and athletes yet again under coach Gary Teasley this season. Like Clarkston, this maybe the most talented team that Teasley has had at Southfield. The Blue Jays upset Detroit Martin Luther King 22-19 in the first round of the playoffs and in the regular season 21-20 at Wayne State but lost to Oak Park twice in overtime (24-18, regular season at Southfield, 19-12 playoffs at Oak Park) and Adams (34-20) last season. Southfield scored 277 points (25.1 ppg) and 197 points (17.9 ppg) in league play. The Blue Jays brought in two very good transfers in defensive lineman Malik McDowell and quarterback Jaylen Brady to go along with Michigan defensive lineman recruit Laurence Marshall. McDowell is the state’s number one recruit transferred from Detroit Loyola and has several offers from Alabama, Louisiana State, Michigan State, Michigan, Wisconsin, Oregon, Southern California, Notre Dame, and Florida. McDowell along with Marshall should help a defense that led the White in points allowed. Southfield allowed 172 points (15.6 ppg) and 99 points (11 ppg) in league play last season. Brady transferred from Grand Ledge and has committed to Bowling Green for college will be the starter week one against Detroit Cass Tech. Beside these three players, the Blue Jays will have other talented players on it’s team this season like offensive tackle Chukes Okorafor who will play at Western Michigan next season, defensive lineman Lion King Conway, lineman Chris Williams, linebackers Jordan Cry, Jacob Studdard, slot-back Jordan Billingshea (who committed to Western Michigan), safety Cartelis Carter, and wide receiver/defensive backs Varandre and DeAndre White (both twin brothers.) Southfield will be a state title contender in Division Two in 2013 but the schedule is brutal and challenging to say the least. The Blue Jays open up the season with the game at Wayne State against Detroit Cass Tech and then have tough road games at Oak Park and Oxford along with home games against Harrison and Adams. It wouldn’t be a surprise that Southfield would meet Birmingham Brother Rice down the road in the playoffs this season.

NEXT BEST: Oxford: Oxford comes into the 2013 season with high expectations especially with whom they return on offense. The Wildcats won its final three games of the regular season (Southfield-Lathrup: 48-6, Oak Park 14-12, and Troy 34-20 to make the playoffs at 6-3, all were at home to add.) Oxford rolled past the Blue Champs Birmingham Seaholm 42-8 in Birmingham in the first round of the playoffs. The Wildcats made the Division Two district finals before bowing out to Birmingham Brother Rice 38-6 in Birmingham. Oxford had an enrollment rise this off-season which means that the Wildcats will likely be in Division One for the playoffs this upcoming season. Oxford is 17-11 in the last three seasons since entering the OAA from the Flint Metro League in 2010 but is 14-7 in the last two seasons. This season, the Wildcats will be very good especially with Coach Bud Rowley’s classic “Pound the Rock” Power Offense. Oxford returns juniors Glacier Wallington at quarterback and running back Ben Line whom on offense last season scored 272 points (24.7 ppg) and 180 points (25.7 ppg) in league play. Combined, Line and Wallington could be tough duo once again to deal with on both sides of the football. Wallington is a three year starter and a duel threat quarterback who can throw the ball (especially the bootleg), reads defenses, and runs very well when plays break down. Line is a power back who likes to hit someone along with scoring touchdowns. He has been injury prone in the past especially last season and is due to have a big season like Wallington. The question will be is can Oxford’s defense hold up especially against good teams and can the Wildcats create a deep threat this upcoming season. Oxford allowed 244 points (22.1 ppg) and 161 points (23 ppg) in league play. The schedule won’t be easy for the Wildcats. They play Lake Orion at home to kickoff the season and hosts Southfield. Oxford has tough road games at Adams, at Harrison, at Oak Park, and at the crossover this season. If the Wildcats can win at least these five games then a return to the playoffs is a real possibility for the third straight season.

DARK-HORSE: Rochester Adams: The Highlanders for the first time in fifteen seasons did not make the playoffs and the first under Coach Tony Patrino but did win three in a row to close out the season including taking Rochester out of the playoffs with a 31-7 win. Adams will be talented in tight end/quarterback Matt Sokol who is going to Michigan State next season as a tight end and running backs Clarence Broadnax and Jordan Shive who will aid Sokol in the veer offense in 2013. Sokol will probably start at quarterback for its first game of the season against Clarkston but will play some tight end this season. Shive returns to the Highlanders after an injury kept him out last season. Sokol had 1,250 yards and 12 touchdown passes in a veer offense that scored 230 points (25.5 ppg) and 171 points (24.4 ppg) in league play last season. Adams does have questions at wide receiver, even though the wide receiver is not highly involved in the veer offense unless it’s to the tight end. The Highlanders defense was just awful last season allowing 198 points (22 ppg) and 149 points (21.2 ppg) in league play. Adams schedule will be brutal this season. The Highlanders will host Clarkston to open up the season and after that have games at Harrison, at Southfield, and likely at Stoney Creek for the crossover game. Adams will host Oxford and Oak Park but if they don’t win at least three of these games then they won’t make the playoffs for the second straight season under Coach Tony Patrino.

TEAM TO KEEP AN EYE ON: Oak Park: The Knights won the White last season and beat Southfield twice in overtime (24-18 in the regular season in Southfield and 19-12 in the playoffs at Knight Valley), Harrison (26-21), Adams (34-22), and Farmington (20-15) in the process along with Detroit East English Village Prep (20-14) but they did lose the last two weeks of the regular season being it was Oxford (14-12) and Clarkston (41-20.) Oak Park made the playoffs for the first time since 2005 but lost a heartbreaker to Wyandotte Roosevelt 10-6 in the regional finals last season. Returning to the playoffs could be a difficult task especially with the schedule the Knights have this season. The Knights return some key peaces in running back Chance Savage, wide receiver Andrew Jackson, defensive lineman Martez Morton, and linebackers Theo Bell and Junior McMullian along with running back John Kelly will be counted on heavily if Oak Park wants to repeat as White Champions. The question will be at quarterback and also depth could be an issue if the Knights want to get back to the postseason. Oak Park scored 294 points (24.5 ppg) and in league play scored 193 points (17.5 ppg) and allowed 209 points (17.4 ppg) while allowing 112 points (16 ppg) in league play. Coach/Athletic Director Greg Carter will have his hands full this season, especially week one when his Knights return to Wayne State to play the runner up in Division Three, Orchard Lake St. Mary’s. After the game against the Eaglets, the schedule doesn’t any easier with only two home games in Knight Valley this season and they are Southfield and Oxford. They have Harrison, Adams, and Farmington on the road as well, talk about a tough slate.

ANOTHER TEAM TO KEEP AN EYE ON: Farmington Hills Harrison: The Hawks come into 2013 with optimism after a tough 2012 season but the Hawks had to beat Farmington (48-13) and West Bloomfield (48-20) just to make the playoffs. Harrison was knocked out in the first round of the playoffs by Fenton 22-19 in Genesee County last season. Harrison traditionally has been a proud program under legendary Coach John Herrington whom will be in his 42^nd season coaching in Farmington. The Hawks lost Dorian Fields, Ed Huckelby, Garius Coleman, and Jake Sloban to graduation. Harrison returns running back Lorenzo Collins. Collins had an injury riddled season a year ago and was a huge part of the Division Two state championship team in 2010. The Hawks have some questions at quarterback but with the athletes that Coach John Herrington has the Hawks should be fine but depth also will be a concern in Farmington and a lot of them go two ways. Harrison led the White in scoring and in total offense with 327 points (32.4 ppg) but in league play scored 234 points (33.4 ppg.) The defense wasn’t good but the Hawks only allowed 157 points (15.7 ppg) but allowed 113 points (16.1 ppg) in league play last season. Harrison needs to improve defensibly if they want to play well in the White. If the Hawks can get the same production they got offensively from last season, it wouldn’t be a surprise that Harrison will be back in the playoffs. The schedule is very manageable with Detroit Renaissance, Oxford, Adams, Oak Park, and Farmington all having to come to Herrington Field but tough games at Southfield and the crossover could be some trouble.

ANOTHER TEAM TO KEEP AN EYE ON: Farmington: The Falcons come into 2013 with another capable team that has a shot a doing well and making the playoffs if things work out for Coach John Bechtel. Farmington finished 6-4 and made the playoffs last season before losing to Walled Lake Western in heartbreaking fashion. The Falcons are 19-12 in the last three seasons.  Farmington lost three in a row to close the season out on a sour note and injuries were huge in that factor as well (Farmington Hills Harrison 48-13, Lake Orion 43-18, and Walled Lake Western (playoffs) 31-28.) The Falcons were outscored 122-59 in those final three games to close out 2012, two of those games were at home. Farmington returns quarterback Kyle Collins for his junior season and have questions on both the offensive line and defensive line. The Falcons have added some transfers from Farmington Hills Harrison, whom played on the Hawks junior varsity team from a season ago. The Falcons Junior Varsity team won six games last season adds some talent to an already good Farmington team for the 2013 season. The Falcons lost running back Jordan Degreffenreed and running back/linebacker Connor Mohr from last season to graduation. The Falcons return some talent in the form of wide receiver Shahid Muhammad, running back/fullback David Reese, offensive lineman Justin Banks, safety Josh Craven and cornerback Curtis Brunson. Farmington scored 253 points as a team (25.3 ppg) and in league play scored 175 points (25 ppg.) Defensibly they were middle of the pack, allowing 228 points (22.8 ppg) and 140 points in league play (20 ppg) last season. The Falcons have made the playoffs five straight years but making it six could be difficult with home games against Oak Park and Southfield along with tough road games at Harrison, at Oxford and at Adams. The key game will be the first game at Westland against Westland John Glenn. If the Falcons lose this game to the Patriots then it could be a long season at Farmington and might be in danger of missing the playoffs.

TEAM THAT’S IN TROUBLE: Bloomfield Hills: Welcome to the White Bloomfield Hills Blackhawks. The merger of both Bloomfield Hills Lahser and Bloomfield Hills Andover into one school means that the new school will have new colors, which is purple and silver and an enrollment increase, which means that if Bloomfield Hills makes the playoffs then they could be Division Two. Last season, Bloomfield Hills Lahser made the playoffs in Division Three but lost to Avondale 21-19 in the first round while Bloomfield Hills Andover forfeited its season after four games because of a lack of number of players. Former Bloomfield Hills Lahser coach Jeffery Loria returns to coach in his 13th season (12 as Knights head coach and first in Bloomfield Hills) and returns quarterback Spencer McCourt. The Freshman and Junior Varsity teams merged at Lahser while the varsity teams were separated last season. North Farmington moved down to the Blue for the season. There could be a culture shock early in Bloomfield Hills, this is not the Blue. The Blackhawks are not seeing teams like Birmingham Seaholm, Avondale, Hazel Park, Ferndale, Royal Oak, etc and replace them with Oxford, Southfield, Harrison, Adams, Oak Park, and Farmington. The Blackhawks open the season up with Beverly Hills Wylie E Groves coming into Bloomfield Hills but will have tough games at Oxford and Southfield. The home schedule is very tough with Harrison, Oak Park, and Adams coming to Bloomfield Hills. The Blackhawks will play its games this season on the Andover campus. The playoffs could be out of question for the newly made Bloomfield Hills Blackhawks.

DREAM SCHEDULE: Farmington Hills Harrison: The Hawks struggled to a 6-3 season but still found a way to make the playoffs after beating Farmington 48-13 on its home field and West Bloomfield before losing to Fenton 22-19 in the first round last season. The schedule will be helpful for the Hawks, Harrison will only have one tough road game on the slate and that’s Southfield and then the crossover. There is a possibility they could face Lake Orion or Clarkston in that game. The Hawks have Oxford, Oak Park, Adams, and Farmington all coming to Herrington Field and also they kick off the season against Detroit Renaissance which should be a win for the Hawks.

NIGHTMARE SCHEDULE: Oak Park: Oak Park won the White but benefited with a good home schedule and beat Detroit East English Village Prep 21-14 in the process at Wayne State last season. Coach/Athletic Director Greg Carter who loves tough schedules will have a pretty daunting task if his Knights wants to return to the playoffs especially with quarterback, depth concerns, and a brutal schedule. Most of the games this season are on the road and Oak Park opens up with Orchard Lake Saint Marys at Wayne State. Orchard Lake Saint Marys lost a heartbreaking triple overtime state finals to Grand Rapids Christian. Carter does have experience playing the Eaglets being the former coach at Detroit DePorres and at Inkster, he should know George Porritt very well. The Knights have to go to Harrison and Adams but they have only two home games this season and they are against Southfield and Oxford. If Oak Park returns to the playoffs then they would had earned it.

FEELINGS: This is one of the toughest divisions in the state by far, this division along with the Ottawa Kent-Red Division with teams like Rockford, Muskegon, Lowell, East Kentwood, Grand Haven, etc is the toughest in the state in my opinion. Everybody beat each other up from a season ago in this division and this season will be no different. I think Coach/Athletic Director Greg Carter has done a remarkable job in Knight Valley but the schedule is brutal. Last season, Oak Park had to beat Detroit East English Village Prep by a touchdown but playing Orchard Lake Saint Marys is going to be tough. Southfield maybe one of the best team’s in the state this season with their transfers and should be the favorites to win the White. Oxford is not getting respected again but they do have talent returning at quarterback and running back. Expect the Wildcats to be there until the very end. Adams will have a bounce back season and they have a shot at beating Clarkston. Harrison had a down year last season but still found a way to make the playoffs, still not sold on them in the White even though Lorenzo Collins returns healthy for the Hawks. Harrison has the tough teams (Oxford, Adams, Oak Park, and Farmington) at home and has Southfield on the road. Farmington has talent returning from a good Junior Varsity team and some sophomore transfers coming over from Harrison. Bloomfield Hills comes into the league replacing North Farmington and now becoming one school but the schedule is brutal. I’m not sure that the Blackhawks are a playoff team in year one of the merging of Lahser and Andover. Southfield-Lathrup has a new coach in Keith Stephens and it will take time to rebuild the program in Lathrup Village.

Blue Projections (Italic: Playoffs)

Avondale                                          6-1       8-1

North Farmington                             6-1       8-1

Birmingham Seaholm                       5-2       6-3

Berkley                                             4-3       6-3

Hazel Park                                        3-4       5-4

Beverly Hills Wylie E Groves            2-5       3-6

Royal Oak                                         1-6       1-8

Ferndale                                           0-7       2-7

Top Ten Games that will make an impact on League

1. Avondale at North Farmington (Week Six)- Battle of running games makes this one interesting.

2. North Farmington at Birmingham Seaholm (Week Three)- Maples bring in a former White opponent but one they should remember quite well.

3. Birmingham Seaholm at Avondale (Week Two)- Maples won by two touchdowns last season 28-15. The Yellow Jackets should be motivated for this game.

4. Birmingham Seaholm at Hazel Park (Week Six)- This game could prove if the Vikings belong in the playoff conversation.

5. Avondale at Hazel Park (Week Seven)- These two teams have had classic high scoring games in the regular season and playoffs, this season couldn’t be any different. Last season the Yellow Jackets destroyed the Vikings 42-6 in Auburn Hills.

6. Ann Arbor Pioneer at Birmingham Seaholm (Week One)- This game will test the Maples defense since Oxford put 42 on Birmingham Seaholm in the playoffs last season.

7. Berkley at Beverly Hills Wylie E Groves (Week Seven)- The Bears beat the Falcons 40-22 at Hurley Field last season. Berkley is different with a new coach. It will be an interesting game with possible playoff implications at stake in Beverly Hills.

8. Beverly Hills Wylie E Groves at Hazel Park (Week Two)- 71 points was scored last season between the two teams. The Vikings won 38-33 in Beverly Hills. This could be a shootout yet again.

9. Beverly Hills Wylie E Groves at Royal Oak (Week Six)- 80-59 ring a bell from a season ago. We could be in store for more fireworks this year.

10. Ferndale at Royal Oak- (Week Two)- Ravens beat the Eagles 18-13 on a late touchdown for Royal Oak’s second win since 2007. Royal Oak is 2-43 since 2007. Ferndale is 14-22 since 2008.

FAVORITE: Avondale: The Yellow Jackets are perhaps the most complete team in the Blue when it comes to coaching and discipline. You got to give credit to coach Steve Deutch in making Avondale into a contender and getting them to the playoffs on a consistent basis. The Yellow Jackets last season eliminated Bloomfield Hills Lahser 21-19 from the playoffs before losing to Orchard Lake Saint Mary’s 49-14 in the Division Three District Finals. Avondale will be led by running back Josh Holloman. Holloman had 830 yards and 12 touchdowns for the Yellow Jackets last season. Currently he is being looked at by Alabama among other colleges for next season. Avondale scored 363 points (33 ppg) and 253 points (36.1 ppg) in league play last season. The defense will be a major concern in 2013. The Yellow Jackets allowed 206 points (18.7 ppg) and 124 points (17.7 ppg) in league play. The schedule is tough but manageable for Avondale with road games at Redford Union, at Beverly Hills Wylie E Groves, at North Farmington, and at Hazel Park. North Farmington could give the Yellow Jackets some trouble. The Yellow Jackets have Birmingham Seaholm and Berkley at home this season. Avondale lost to the Maples by two touchdowns 28-15 last season. The Yellow Jackets are the favorite coming into the season but it will be a close race throughout the season.

NEXT BEST: North Farmington: North Farmington moved up from the Blue to the rugged White after sharing the league with Beverly Hills Wylie E Groves in 2011. With Bloomfield Hills now together moved up to the White, the Raiders went down to the Blue where they have had success. North Farmington finished 3-6 in the rugged White. One of the wins included a 24-7 win over Pontiac and another win that was huge was when they went four hours up north into Bay County and beat Bay City John Glenn 24-13 last season. The White was a journey to forget with games against the likes of Oak Park, Harrison, Adams, Oxford, Farmington, and Southfield. The Raiders scored 138 points (15.3 ppg) and only 90 points (12.8 ppg) in league play. The North Farmington defense wasn’t good either, allowing 287 points (31.8 ppg) and 267 points (38.1 ppg) in league play. The Raiders will be led by senior running back/defensive back Chauncey Bridges. Bridges should have a big year this season at North Farmington with not having to face White opponents anymore and did very well his Freshman and Sophomore season rushing under a thousand yards while at North Farmington. The schedule looks promising with the Raiders not being in the White anymore. North Farmington opens up the season with Bay City John Glenn making the four hour trip down south into Oakland County to play the Raiders. North Farmington has Avondale, and Hazel Park coming to Farmington Hills during the season but they do travel to Birmingham Seaholm and Beverly Hills Wylie E Groves. It would surprise anyone that North Farmington returns back to the playoffs for the second time in three years.

DARK-HORSE: Birmingham Seaholm: The Maples won the Blue last season at 8-1 under first year coach Jim DeWald, whom came to Birmingham from Bloomfield Hills Andover but Birmingham Seaholm ran into Oxford in the first round of the playoffs and were no match for the Wildcats (Birmingham Seaholm lost 42-8.) Oxford played in a higher division (White) than the Maples and had much tougher competition so Birmingham Seaholm toughen up its non league schedule to help them. Now under DeWald’s second year the Maples will kick off the season at home against Ann Arbor Pioneer, the Pioneers were a playoff team in Division One last season and then the next week they play Avondale in Auburn Hills and then return home to host North Farmington. Birmingham Seaholm brings in a new quarterback in Brandon Alman and feature running back Austin Ware in DeWald’s veer offense. The Maples scored 239 points (23.9 ppg) from a season ago and 210 points (26.2 ppg) in league play. Birmingham Seaholm will have a solid defense this season, which it allowed 181 points (18.1 ppg) and 104 points (13 ppg) in league play last season. If the Maples can go 3-0 in their first three games (Avondale, Ann Arbor Pioneer, and North Farmington) then they will likely be playoff bound again however it wouldn’t surprise anyone if Birmingham Seaholm starts the season at 0-3 and be behind the eight ball early. It could be a short stay in the playoffs seeing the likes of either Farmington Hills Harrison or Birmingham Brother Rice in Division Two.

TEAM TO KEEP AN EYE ON: Berkley: The Bears have a new coach in Hurley Field in Chris Sikora after former coach Jeff Burnside left to go to Novi. Berkley finished 5-4 last season and 5-3 in the Blue but did not make the postseason. The Bears ride a three game winning streak heading into the 2013 season which included wins against Hazel Park (24-14), Beverly Hills Wylie E Groves (40-22), and Royal Oak (42-29) but had some rough losses to Avondale 23-21, Bloomfield Hills Lahser 35-27, and Saginaw 28-14 last season. Berkley loved to put up points in 2012. The Bears scored 274 points (30.4 ppg) and 260 points (32.5 ppg) in league play but the defense is where the Bears need to clean things up. Berkley allowed 218 points (24.2 ppg) and 180 points (22.5 ppg) in league play last season. The Bears has lost a lot of close game in it’s football history will have some talent returning on both sides of the football and should be a dark horse this season. The schedule is interesting for the Bears in 2013. Berkley opens up in Wayne County against Redford Thurston, which should be a win. The Bears will travel to North Farmington, Beverly Hills Wylie E Groves, Dearborn Robichaud, and Avondale while playing Royal Oak, Birmingham Seaholm, Ferndale, and Hazel Park at home. If Berkley can get the six wins then they could be back in the playoffs for the first time since 2010 when they upset Farmington from the playoffs.

ANOTHER TEAM TO KEEP AN EYE ON: Hazel Park: The key word should be finish around Hazel Park. The Vikings were 4-1 heading into a home game with Birmingham Detroit Country Day. Hazel Park ended up losing 44-22 to the Division Four State Champions. Ever since the loss to the Yellow Jackets the Vikings had a 0-4 finish and finished at 4-5 last season. Hazel Park is 7-11 in the last two seasons since they won the Blue in 2010. This season, Hazel Park High School got an upgrade in its facilities and now has field turf thanks to a bond proposal approved by voters in Hazel Park. The Vikings on the field have always had a strong rushing attack and can score points in bunches under coach Scott Guthrie but the defense has given up a lot of yards and a lot of points as well.  The Vikings scored 262 points (29.1 ppg) and scored 240 points (30 ppg) in league play last season. Hazel Park’s defense was not existent from a year ago. The Vikings allowed 304 points (33.7 ppg) and 260 points (32.5 ppg) in league play. Hazel Park’s schedule is manageable starting with it’s non conference, no Birmingham Detroit Country Day is on the schedule for the Vikings and it was replaced by Madison Heights Bishop Foley and Grosse Isle coming to Hazel Park along with Birmingham Seaholm, Beverly Hills Wylie E Groves, and Avondale. Their only tough road game is at North Farmington so Hazel Park could be back in the playoffs for the first time since 2009 with this schedule.

ANOTHER TEAM TO KEEP AN EYE ON: Beverly Hills Wylie E Groves: The Falcons were a playoff team in 2011 and had high expectations but last season they were a dismal 2-7 including losses to Berkley and Ferndale. A major part why the Falcons struggled was on offense. Beverly Hills Wylie E Groves only scored 170 points (18.8 ppg) last season. Defensibly it was not pretty either last season in Beverly Hills. The Falcons allowed 289 points (32.1 ppg) and allowed 249 points (31.1 ppg) in league play. Beverly Hills Wylie E Groves does have some weapons coming back but the problem will be height on both sides of the ball and team chemistry is an issue there in Beverly Hills. The schedule is manageable if they can do well. They kick off with Bloomfield Hills on the road and have to go Hazel Park the next week. The Falcons host Avondale before going to Royal Oak, the site where they scored 80 points in an 80-59 victory over the Ravens and hosts Berkley during the season. Beverly Hills Wylie E Groves has to go to Birmingham to play their arch rivals Birmingham Seaholm to close out their league season. If the Falcons can win at least four of these tough games then the playoffs could be on the horizon.

DREAM SCHEDULE: Hazel Park: The Vikings have new facilities this upcoming fall and have lost 11 of their last 18 games. The schedule is very lovely if they want to make a return trip to the playoffs for the first time since 2010 when the Vikings won the Blue. All the major contenders (Avondale, Birmingham Seaholm, and Wylie E Groves) have to come to Hazel Park except for North Farmington and Berkley in which they have to go to Farmington Hills and also to Berkley. The key word for Hazel Park this season is to finish games out and if they do then playoffs is a real possibility.

NIGHTMARE SCHEDULE: Royal Oak: The Ravens schedule is absolutely brutal this fall. Last season, Royal Oak finished 1-8 and is 2-43 since 2007. The Ravens defense was just a nightmare to see. Royal Oak allowed 416 points from a season ago (46.2 ppg) and in league play 310 points (38.7 ppg) and it could get worse. The Ravens had two games in which they allowed near 60 points (80 points against Beverly Hills Wylie E Groves, lost 80-59 and 58 points against Hazel Park (lost 58-47.) The defense will have to be addressed this season in Royal Oak. The Ravens welcomes in Stoney Creek to kick off the season. The Blue will be brutal for Royal Oak with home games against Birmingham Seaholm, Beverly Hills Wylie E Groves, Plymouth Salem, and North Farmington. The Ravens have to go to Hazel Park, Berkley, and Avondale, which will be tough. The only good news is that Ferndale comes to Royal Oak and that was their only win last season. It could be a long season for Coach Ryan Irish and the Ravens.

TEAM THAT’S IN TROUBLE: Ferndale: The Eagles in the last four seasons have been a major disappointment. Ferndale has not made the playoffs since they went 8-1 in 2008. The Eagles lost 27-13 to Saint Clair Shore. Experts have ranked Ferndale high in prediction and preseason polls only to see them become a disappointment. The Eagles has had playoff quality defense. Ferndale allowed 166 points (18.4 ppg) overall and in league play. The Eagles are known to win some big games only to have a bad loss to someone that they are supposed to beat. Ferndale was a disaster on offense last season. The Eagles scored 152 points (16.8 ppg) and 175 points in league play (13 ppg.) Ferndale since making the playoffs in 2008 has been 14-22 since the 27-13 playoff loss to Saint Clair Shores Lake Shore. Ferndale’s schedule was manageable in 2011 with most of it’s tough opponents coming to Ferndale but the Eagles struggled at home, one of those games was a 7-0 loss to Berkley. Ferndale lost to Royal Oak 18-13 on its home field last season. It was the Ravens second win since 2007. The first win in Ravens history was when Royal Oak beat Saint Clair Shores Lake Shore 21-20 in 2011. Ferndale opens up the 2013 season with Livonia Clarenceville at home and then has the rematch with the Ravens in Royal Oak. Hazel Park, Seaholm, and Avondale all come to Ferndale but they do go to North Farmington and Berkley. The Eagles might not make the playoffs yet again this season.

FEELINGS: The Blue is interesting with Avondale and Birmingham Seaholm making the playoffs last season and North Farmington returns while Bloomfield Hills Andover and Bloomfield Hills Lahser merged and became Bloomfield Hills. Experts will pick Birmingham Seaholm to win the league because of Coach Jim DeWald’s veer option attack and a couple of starters are back for the Maples but after last season’s playoff loss to Oxford and quarterback questions will linger. The Maples kick off the season with Ann Arbor Pioneer, a playoff team from last season. Beverly Hills Wylie E Groves has talent but is very small in height and have issues with the coaching staff according to sources. Avondale is the favorite in my opinion because of coaching and talent over in Auburn Hills despite having questions on defense and having played a difficult schedule in the past. Hazel Park will score points in bunches but will allow points in bunches and could be a major player in trying to make the playoffs for the first time since 2010. Royal Oak under Coach Ryan Irish has to put everything together (offense, defense, and special teams) if they want to make the playoffs for the first time since 2006. The Ravens are 2-43 since 2007, losing to Warren Cousino 27-0 in the 2006 playoffs that season. The schedule is tough to kick off for the Ravens with Stoney Creek coming to Royal Oak. North Farmington returns from the Blue after a one year stint in the White, the Raiders went 3-6 in that season. The Blue could get four teams in to the postseason this season. Berkley has a new coach in Chris Sikora since former coach Jeff Burnside left to go coach at Novi and could be a playoff team. Ferndale, look above.