Clarkston vs. Novi Detroit Catholic Central Predictions.

Written Wednesday November 27th, at 5:20 PM

This week on our show Between Taorminas, we previewed the Clarkston vs. Novi Detroit Catholic Central Division One State Finals match up that is to be played at Ford Field on Saturday at 1 PM. My brother Anthony and myself picked winners in this game and the reasons why they will win will be here. We both are Lake Orion guys and of course were there when the Dragons went to the State Finals in 2008 where they lost to Rockford and 2010 where Orion beat Plymouth. Here are the picks and why:

Anthony is picking Clarkston.

The reasons my brother is picking the Wolves is because of line play. The offensive line is the biggest reason why Clarkston is at Ford Field as it has opened many holes for running back Ian Eriksen and allowed quarterback DJ Zezula to throw whenever he wants to.

The defense as a whole has not been bad but it can be challenged as we saw with Lake Orion and Oxford.

The Wolves has been living in the shadow of Lake Orion for years when the Dragons went to the state finals in two of the last five years.

Anthony thinks the key to this game is Eriksen. He has proven to be a difference maker in games. Anthony is pretty certain that Novi Detroit Catholic Central hasn’t seen a running back like this.

Anthony is going with the Wolves because of line play and Ian Eriksen’s running will give Clarkston their first state title.

I am picking Novi Detroit Catholic Central.

The reasons why I’m going with the Shamrocks is really simple, experience. They have been the State Finals the last three seasons. Clarkston has not been this far and have not seen a team like this what they will see with Novi Detroit Catholic Central.

The playoff path both these teams took has been in two different area codes. The Wolves have had pretty much an easy playoff path with the exception of Oxford and avoided having to play Rockford (in the state semifinals and the team that beat Clarkston at home last season.) The Shamrocks went through Northville, Walled Lake Western, and Temperance Bedford all on the road and let’s not forget they play in the Catholic League where they have to play Birmingham Brother Rice twice, Warren De LaSalle, U-D Jesuit, and Orchard Lake Saint Mary’s.

Clarkston had to adapt to it’s passing game as Eriksen got hurt earlier in the season but if Eriksen gets shut down by the Novi Detroit Catholic Central defensive line then it could be trouble for DJ Zezula and their receivers Tim Cason, Cole Chewins, and Caine Wallington. This will be the toughest defense that the Wolves have seen this season. The Shamrocks shut out Detroit Cass Tech and quarterback Jayru Campbell last week at Troy Athens to get a big monkey off its back.

Clarkston’s defense is not the brightest either as it has proven to be vulnerable in the past two weeks, allowing 28 points to Rochester Adams and 26 points to Flint Carman Ainsworth. The most points Clarkston has allowed is 28 and that was against Lake Orion and Rochester Adams, both of them were wins.

I see the Shamrocks winning this game because of experience and motivation. Novi Detroit Catholic Central can neutralize Clarkston’s offense both running the football and passing the ball as well and also Detroit Cass Tech has several Division One recruits and Clarkston is in the same boat.