Updated Football Rankings-Changes in the Poll.

Written Saturday June 8th, at 8:56 PM

Well with the addition of the top blue chip recruit transferring from Detroit Loyola to Southfield. This move makes Southfield a better team than it was but this does not change the predictions coming up in the season. Well here are my top ten teams from ten to one with their toughest games of the season.

10. North Farmington: GAME OF THE YEAR: at Birmingham Seaholm, Week Three. The Raiders enter the Blue from the White after going 3-6 and winning only two games in the league. North Farmington two seasons ago won the Blue. With moving down a division expect the Raiders to compete to make the playoffs. The game that will tell the Raiders season is when they take a trip to Birmingham to meet the Maples. If North Farmington learned from what Oxford did to the Maples last season then maybe they can create the impact and return to the playoffs like they were in two seasons ago. They must use the White experience to help this season. If they don’t use it then they will be in trouble.

9. Avondale: GAME OF THE YEAR: Birmingham Seaholm Week Two. The Yellow Jackets did lose a lot of talent last season but they do have a good group of freshman coming in that will make an impact. Avondale also has the coaching in Steve Deutch, whom can also win with less talent. The Yellow Jackets will be good this season and is expected to contend in the Blue. Last season the Yellow Jackets were humiliated by the Maples in Birmingham but now Seaholm is a little weaker and the Maples have to travel to Auburn Hills. With a favorable schedule this season expect Avondale to be in it all year.

8. Oak Park: GAME OF THE YEAR: Orchard Lake St. Marys Week One, at Wayne State. The Knights lost a lot of talent on the team that won the White and lost to Wyandotte Roosevelt last season but do feature a nice blend of veteran experience which should help ease the losses for coach Greg Carter and company. The first game is critical for Oak Park as they play the Eaglets of Orchard Lake St. Marys. Oak Park only has two home games this year and they are against Southfield and Oxford and they have road dates at Harrison and Adams, that’s not a good omen if the Knights want to return to the playoffs they have to win this game in the worst way.

7. Harrison: GAME OF THE YEAR: at Southfield Week Five. The Hawks finished 6-3 last season only to be eliminated by Fenton. Harrison still has athletes and legendary coach John Herrington but also they have a favorable schedule. The Hawks have Adams, Oxford, and Oak Park all coming to Farmington but the crossover will be a test especially if they have to play Clarkston, Lake Orion, or Stoney Creek. The game with Southfield will prove to be the test considering that two seasons ago Harrison went into Southfield and beat the Blue Jays and then last season it was the Blue Jays that went into Farmington and beat the Hawks. If Harrison wants to win the White, they have to win all their home games and get this game in the worst way.

6. Adams: GAME OF THE YEAR: Clarkston Week One, at Ford Field. The Highlanders last season did not make the playoffs but they did win three of their last four to finish 4-5. If Adams wants to continue what they started from last season they will have to go into Downtown Detroit and deal with Ian Erickson. The Wolves will be a dangerous test and if Adams doesn’t get by Clarkston then they have to play at Harrison the next week and then host Oak Park and in week five host Oxford and then go to Southfield, that’s not a good stretch there so Adams needs this game in the worst way.

5. Stoney Creek: GAME OF THE YEAR: Lake Orion, Week Four. This will be the Cougars best team under Coach Brad Zube this season. Stoney Creek has a soft schedule along with a revenge game with Troy on the road early in the season but if the Cougars want to make the playoffs they must win their games they are suppose to win and if they lose one of those games like they did last season with Troy then they have to beat either Lake Orion, Clarkston, or the crossover to do so. The Stoney Creek faithful will be very excited for the Lake Orion game because the Dragons have been a state power for years and feels like this could be the year that the Cougars can beat the Dragons.

4. Southfield: GAME OF THE YEAR: at Oxford, Week Six. In what will be a really good and talented team at Southfield for Coach Gary Teasely and the arrival of the top recruit in the state coming over from Detroit Loyola, the Blue Jays has a tough three game stretch in the middle of the season with Harrison and Adams sandwiched in with Oxford but the Harrison and Adams game will be 4 PM games at home. Southfield’s focus will be on the Detroit Cass Tech game in week one but the game they need to have if they want to win the White is the Oxford game because that will be their toughest road game of the season with the travel. If they win this game then the schedule gets much easier

3. Oxford: GAME OF THE YEAR: Lake Orion, Week One. The Wildcats this season has running back Ben Line and Glacier Wallington at quarterback. The questions will be defensibly for the Wildcats. Oxford was a very good team until they ran into Brother Rice in the playoffs where they were crushed 38-6. What could decide the fate of the Wildcats season will be the game on the blue turf against the rivals to the south, it always does. Last season the Dragons scored 17 unanswered points in the second half to beat the Wildcats 17-10. Both teams this season could play each other three times this season.

2. Lake Orion: GAME OF THE YEAR: at Stoney Creek, Week Four. The Dragons have a lot of questions on the offensive side of the ball, with them having to replace their quarterback and wide receiving core but the running game will be there. If the Dragons can develop a passing game and decide on a quarterback then they will be fine. The defense will be good as well but can the defense handle the triple option attack of Shawn Scullen and Joe Cox, we’ll find that out in week four in Rochester.

1. Clarkston: GAME OF THE YEAR: Adams Week One, at Ford Field. Despite having Ian Erickson the Wolves will be very good this season, defense is still suspect. If they get by Matt Sokol and the Highlanders at Ford Field then they will likely be undefeated heading into the Lake Orion game in week eight on their home turf but be wary of Stoney Creek, last season they took the Wolves to the limit.