OAA 2012 Football Top 10

Written Monday May 21st at 12:35 AM

Hello to all it's been a while since I have done a blog with the new show Between Taormina's and coaching along with school anyway here are my top 10 Oakland Activities Association football teams for the upcoming 2012 season.

10. Rochester Adams Highlanders.

Despite the loss to Port Huron in the district finals, the Highlanders have questions especially with depth. Gone is Tony Annesse so Adams does have to do some rebuilding a bit. The schedule doesn't help much with games at Clarkston and Oak Park along with home games with Southfield and Harrison. This could possibly be the year the Highlanders don't make the playoffs.

9. Clarkston Wolves.

Clarkston is going to be a dangerous team this season but despite the fact the defense is still going to be a major concern for the Wolves. The Wolves are always one of the top teams on offense in the OAA Red and scoring points shouldn't be much of a concern. The schedule is kind to the Wolves for the first three weeks because they are at home and if they beat Adams week one, they should be 3-0 heading into the Troy Athens game. The problem for the Wolves is their two toughest competitors in the Red are on the road in Troy Athens and Lake Orion.

8. Auburn Hills Avondale Yellow Jackets.

Avondale loses a lot in Mitch Robinson and some other speeders but don't count out their coaching under Steve Deutch. The schedule is a bit tough with Seaholm and Lahser on the road but they do get Ferndale at home to close out the season.

7. Birmingham Seaholm Maples.

Seaholm was a playoff team last season but they ran into Harrison. However it's a new year and the Maples are going to be the happy ones here base on scheduling, they will have Avondale, Lahser, Ferndale, and Birmingham Detroit Country Day all coming to Maple Stadium but that last game with arch rival Birmingham Groves is in Beverly Hills and that could be a trap game.

6. Bloomfield Hills Lahser Knights.

This will be the last season of Knights football before they merge with Bloomfield Hills Andover to become the Bloomfield Hills Blackhawks. The Knights will be one of the favorites to win the OAA Blue this upcoming season but the schedule might not help them. They have Avondale and Ferndale at home but trips to Pontiac Notre Dame Prep and Seaholm are dangerous games for the Knights.

5. Oak Park Knights.

With some more transfers coming into the Knights program, this could be the year for the Knights to make the playoffs. However the defense will be a concern in Knight Valley and how the transfers will get along with each other playing with one of the best coaches in the State. The schedule is going to be interesting with a game at Wayne State against Detroit Crockett. The Knights have home games with Adams and Harrison but two trips could determine if the Knights make the playoffs, the game at Southfield and the game at Oxford has upset traps written all over it for the Knights.

4. Troy Athens Red Hawks.

Troy Athens is going to be one of the top teams in Oakland County despite the four overtime loss to Romeo in the playoffs last season the Red Hawks are primed to make a deep playoff run. The Red Hawks are young, talented, and dangerous. The schedule will not be their friend as they don't see a home game until week four and that is when they play Clarkston. They also have road games at Warren Mott, Pontiac, Troy, and Rochester and add the fact that they will play at Ford Field that could determine the OAA Red in Lake Orion.

3. Lake Orion Dragons.

The Dragons were a disappointment last season especially on defense and it showed in their home playoff loss to Walled Lake Central. Lake Orion is one of those teams that will be a favorite in the OAA Red. The schedule is pretty friendly to the Dragons, Orion plays Oxford at home and they would want to get some revenge for last season's defeat to the Wildcats. Orion does get Clarkston and Troy at home but games at Ford Field against Troy Athens and at Pontiac could determine how far Lake Orion goes in the playoffs.

2. Farmington Hills Harrison Hawks.

The Hawks lost a lot of talent on last year's team and after the embarrassing loss to Birmingham Brother Rice in the playoffs. Gone are Mario Ohjemia and Jake Vento but Harrison always reloads and should be good again this season. The Hawks schedule is tough to start the season, they play Detroit Renaissance, Adams, and Oxford all on the road in three consecutive weeks and add that they play Oak Park and Farmington on the road also. But they do get Southfield at home which is a reward for them.

1. Southfield Blue Jays.

The Blue Jays made the elite eight last season falling to Birmingham Brother Rice at home. Southfield is quick and has the speed to do some damage. The schedule though is daunting with a home games against Oak Park and Farmington but trips to Adams, Harrison and at Wayne State with Detroit Martin Luther King is not going to be easy games but expect Southfield to be there and could be OAA Champs.