Rochester Scouting Report.

Written Monday September 30th, at 12:15 AM

In perhaps one of the toughest games of the season the Dragons (4-1, 3-1 Red) survived last week at Ford Field against Troy. This week’s opponent the Rochester Falcons could present the Dragons with similarities and differences that the Colts featured last week.

Rochester comes into this game with a record of 3-2, and 2-2 in the Red feature an experienced and senior laden team. The Falcons have 26 seniors on their football team and also this is their homecoming game this season. Rochester has big wins over Utica 28-14, West Bloomfield 33-26, and Pontiac 40-0. Their losses were to Troy 21-14 and Clarkston 34-13.

The Dragons historically have not been kind to opposing teams on their homecoming. Last season, Lake Orion was 2-0 in ruining teams’ homecoming games (Farmington and Pontiac fell to the Dragons.)

The Falcons run an I-pro offense under Coach Eric Vernon. The I-Pro offense is a regular pro style offense that most National Football League teams use and run. It features a combination of a power offense and a spread offense. It has a tight end, a fullback, and some good receivers and has to have a good quarterback to run it which Rochester does. In College Football, Alabama, Michigan State, Michigan, and Iowa run this type of offense.

Rochester returns all seven guys on both sides of the football on the offensive and defensive lines so they do have a lot of experience in that area. The Falcons run a 4-3 defense and has been prone to allowing touchdowns through the air. Rochester allowed three touchdowns each to Jay Darish of Troy and D.J. Zezula of Clarkston this season.

The Falcons features senior quarterback Kevin Byrd. Byrd did not play football last season after transferring from West Bloomfield to Rochester and has stabilized the quarterback position over at Rochester. Byrd has thrown two touchdown passes or more in every single game this season. He was ten for 13 for 178 yards and two touchdowns against Utica and had two touchdown passes against Troy. Byrd struggled against Clarkston when he threw a pick six for a touchdown and was pressured all night by the Wolves defense but had two touchdown passes. He also had two touchdown passes and a rushing touchdown two weeks ago against West Bloomfield and played well in limited time against Pontiac. Byrd likes to throw the ball but can run when the play brakes down. He is a good quarterback and has played some when he was at West Bloomfield so he does have experience.

The next guy is senior wide receiver/defensive back Demetris Magee. Magee is a fast speedy athlete with good hands, and a good wide receiver. He is also the team’s kickoff and punt returner, Magee had a 60 yard kickoff return against Troy. Magee as a wide receiver has had some monster games this season. He had 134 receiving yards and two touchdowns against Utica and did catch a 13 yard touchdown pass against Troy. Magee had two touchdown receptions against Clarkston and had a ten yard touchdown reception against West Bloomfield. He is a very dangerous wide receiver and the team’s best athlete.

The next guy is senior fullback Tyler Carten. Carten is a big back but he has had some big games. He had 18 carries and 104 yards against Utica and a touchdown and had a four yard touchdown run against Troy. Carten will carry the ball some and does block well when need too.

The next guy is senior running back Vince Piacentini. Piacentini had a big game two weeks ago against West Bloomfield where he had 139 yards and a touchdown. He has become a good power running back for Rochester and he continues to improve each game.

The next guy is senior running back Blake Fetterhoff. Fetterhoff although does not get the attention at running back as Piacentini and Carten do but he has had some good games this season. He had 16 carries for 70 yards against Utica.

We’ll see what happens this week. This will be a difficult game for Lake Orion. If the Dragons play like they did for three quarters against Troy then they are in trouble. If they play like they did in the fourth quarter against the Colts then the game could get ugly real fast.

OAA Top 24. Week Five.

Written Sunday September 29th, at 1:20 AM

24. Hazel Park Vikings (0-5): Somebody cry me a river this is sad to see.

23. Pontiac Phoenix (0-5): Poor Phoenix, they get Clarkston this weekend for homecoming. With apologizes to Joey Styles, Oh my God.

22. Ferndale Eagles (1-4): Eagles know what winning looks like now. It won’t last long.

21. Troy Athens Red Hawks (1-4): Red Hawks lost their best chance of getting their second win last week against West Bloomfield now they have a tough chore with an angry bunch of Cougars in Rochester for homecoming.

20. Southfield-Lathrup Chargers (1-4): Chargers inexperience got to them in Bloomfield Hills last week. Southfield-Lathrup might not win another game this season.

19. Avondale Yellow Jackets (2-3): Losing three of four games and is in severe danger to miss the playoffs is not a good thing for the Yellow Jackets. They have to win in Farmington Hills this week to avoid being eliminated from the postseason.

18. Bloomfield Hills Blackhawks (1-4): Blackhawks got their first win as a school together over Southfield-Lathrup last week. This week may be tough with Oak Park coming into Bloomfield Hills for the Blackhawks.

17. Farmington Falcons (1-4): The Falcons lost a tough one to Oak Park but will be competitive the rest of the season even though playoffs maybe out of the question.

16. West Bloomfield Lakers (2-3): Lakers got a big win at Troy over Troy Athens. It could set them up nicely if they can beat Troy this week at home.

15. Royal Oak Ravens (2-3): Ravens fought well with the Maples but have a tough challenge with Ross Williams this week.

14. North Farmington Raiders (3-2): Raiders allowed 49 points last week to Groves. They just need two wins to make the playoffs.

13. Troy Colts (2-3): The Colts hung in there with Lake Orion for three quarters. The fourth quarter was ugly. Troy still has to play Clarkston for homecoming, that’s not good.

12. Berkley Bears (2-3): Bears upset Avondale 34-31 last week. If they can beat Groves next week then they could make playoffs.

11. Oxford Wildcats (2-3): Wildcats would have been 5-0 hasn’t they lost their three games by a combined 15 points.

10. Rochester Falcons (3-2): Falcons taking advantage of beating the bad teams but have struggled against good teams and Lake Orion this week is a good team.

9. Rochester Adams Highlanders (3-2): Highlanders might have a clearer path to the playoffs after their big win over Oxford last week.

8. Beverly Hills Wylie E. Groves (5-0): Ross Williams might be Mr. Michigan for football if he keeps this torrid pace up.

7. Birmingham Seaholm Maples (5-0): Maples might want to give the starters the game off when they travel to Hazel Park. It will be over by the end of the first quarter next week.

6. Oak Park Knights (4-1): Knights looked vulnerable last week at Farmington. Now they have to go to Bloomfield Hills this week and have to go to Harrison in two weeks.

5. Stoney Creek Cougars (4-1): Cougars were crushed by Clarkston 42-7 last week. Things will be looking up until week nine with the crossover and they do have the second spot because of their upset win over Lake Orion.

4. Farmington Hills Harrison Hawks (4-1): Hawks lost a tough one to Southfield but will still be a threat no matter what happens the rest of the regular season.

3. Lake Orion Dragons (4-1): Dragons offense still looks out of sync. Lake Orion’s defense is starting to get better a little bit.

2. Southfield Blue Jays (4-1): If the Blue Jays can win out the White will be colored in dark blue and grey but they have a tough game with Oxford on the road this week.

1. Clarkston Wolves (4-1): Wolves have everything rolling right now on a direct path toward Lake Orion week eight.

Dragons explode for 35 in the fourth quarter to beat Troy at Ford Field

Written Sunday September 29th, at 1:15 AM

When you are struggling as an offense after getting destroyed last week to Stoney Creek 36-7 and arguably your best lineman is in crutches, your best defensive end is also on crutches, and your best defensive lineman is on the sidelines with a hip flexor and all of a sudden you’re in a tie game at 17-17.

You panic right???

Yeah you do panic but what happens next???

If you answered a 35 point explosion in one quarter you thought right.

The Dragons exploded for 35 unanswered points to make the game a blowout at Ford Field in a 52-17 victory over the Troy Colts on Saturday night.

Lake Orion even though was the visiting team wore a special jersey to support the military in green with black numbering and a gray shoulder yoke. Troy wore their road whites for the game.

The Dragons struck first on an attempted Colts punt when Troy mishandled the punt and fumbled in the end zone. Lake Orion’s Charlie Khoury pounced on the ball and recovered it for a Dragons touchdown making the score 7-0.

Lake Orion was in line to score again but returning running back Chris Leigh fumbled the ball on the Troy one yard line and the Colts recovered. Instead of 14-0 Orion, it was still 7-0.

Troy would get two more fumbles from Lake Orion and an interception but struggled to capitalize against a Dragons defense that got torched last week for 36 points by Stoney Creek. The Lake Orion defense showed up and got a fumble recovery from the Colts in the first quarter.

The Colts would then get a 32 yard field goal after a fumble by Dragons running back Matt Krause in the second quarter which made it 7-3.

The Dragons answered back with a 35 yard field goal of their own from kicker Brad Schaenzer making the score 10-3 Lake Orion heading into the half.

The Lake Orion offense in the first half was just awful, awful. The Dragons turned the football over three times (two fumbles and an interception) was shut down most of the half. Some of the struggles was their own fault, others was the Troy defense did pretty well in shutting them down.

The third quarter things got interesting and it started with the Dragons in the form of Corey Ester. Ester took a hand off of the jet sweep and took the ball past three Troy defenders to the end zone for a 56 yard touchdown making the score 17-3 Orion.

The Colts then started to make a rally, just like they did against Rochester three weeks ago but with a different quarterback in the form of Nick Bradley. Bradley a junior was filling in for starting quarterback Jay Darish whom was still recovering from a stinger and a shoulder injury that he suffered in the Stoney Creek game with Troy two weeks ago.

Bradley then got to work and found Devon Alexander for a 50 yard touchdown pass. Alexander guessed right and beat cornerback Aaron Hughes on his way into the end zone. It was 17-10 Dragons.

The Colts managed to stop the Dragons again and then Bradley got the ball back connected with Danny Wunderlich whom made a leaping catch past a gambling cornerback Brad Chisholm for a 75 yard touchdown tying the score at 17-17 with four minutes left in the third quarter.

Lake Orion would then answer right back with big runs from Krause and Leigh along with Zach Arnold getting involved in the frame. Dragons quarterback Connor Grant whom returned from his stinger injury he suffered last week against Stoney Creek connected with Ester for a 24 yard touchdown pass giving Lake Orion the lead 24-17 to end the third quarter.

The Dragons defense would then stop the Colts and forced them to punt at their one yard line. Once the punt was on Ester took the ball and ran 30 yards back to the Troy one yard line. Grant and his offense came out and made a statement that he was back with a touchdown run making the score 31-17.

The Lake Orion defense returned back to form after the Colts got the ball on the next possession. Troy running back Charles Adams fumbled the ball and was recovered by Logan Shadida. Shadida returned the ball 18 yards for a Dragons touchdown making the score 38-17 Dragons.

The Dragons would then get a fourth down stop against the Colts offense yet again and was back on offense. This time Arnold struck again like he did last season at Ford Field against Troy Athens when he had two touchdowns in a 68-20 rout went down the sideline for a 66 yard touchdown making the score 45-17 Dragons.

Lake Orion would then put its second string in late in the game and would get success from running backs Justin Pavalasak and Zach Serzo. The drive would lead to a ten yard touchdown late for Pavalasak closing out the scoring for the evening at 52-17 Lake Orion.

With the win the Dragons are now 4-1 overall and 3-1 in the Red on the season while the Colts fall to 2-3 overall and 2-2 on the season. Lake Orion will continue its three game road trip with a trip to Rochester on the Falcons homecoming. That game will be at 7 PM on Friday night. The Falcons (3-2, 2-2 Red) have a lot of senior experience on their team and should have the makings of a good game on Friday night.

OAA Recap Week Five.

Written Sunday September 29th, at 1:10 AM

1. Clarkston

2. Southfield

3. Lake Orion

4. Harrison

5. Stoney Creek

6. Oak Park

7. Seaholm

8. Groves

9. Adams

10. Rochester

BIG WIN: Southfield: The Blue Jays scored on a 60 yard touchdown pass to beat Harrison 20-19. Southfield had to overcome a tough gutsy Hawks team especially on home field. The Blue Jays now have a tough game this week at Oxford and if they can get this one then the White is there’s.

TOUGH LOSS: Harrison: The Hawks battled evenly with Southfield for the whole game and was up 19-13 until 45 seconds were left when the Blue Jays scored on a 60 yard touchdown pass to beat Harrison. The Hawks will be in the playoffs and still have to play Oak Park in two weeks but at home.

MOST DISSAPOINTED: Farmington: Farmington had an opportunity at home to take down Oak Park. They had the Knights on the ropes but they couldn’t get it done in a 26-21 loss. In the process, Farmington now sits at 1-4 and will most likely miss out on the playoffs this season but has a slim hope they could make it if they win out.

ARE YOU KIDDING ME: Avondale: The Yellow Jackets were one of the favorites coming into the Blue but now have three losses after losing at home 34-31 on their homecoming and have lost three of their last four games. Now the Yellow Jackets have to beat North Farmington just to make playoffs.

Top Games for Week 6:

3. Lake Orion (4-1) at 10. Rochester (3-2): This is a big game for Rochester on its homecoming. The Dragons are vulnerable and it showed in the Troy game where they were tied 17-17 in the third quarter but they did explode for 35 points in one quarter against the Colts. The Falcons are a senior laden team and has quarterback Kevin Byrd and wide receiver Demetrius Magee along with a very good power running game but has struggled to beat good teams (Clarkston 34-13). Lake Orion has a defense but the offense is a mystery. This could be a very close game or a Dragon rout if you look at it.

2. Southfield (4-1) at Oxford (2-3): This has the potential to be a trap game for Southfield. The Blue Jays won 49-3 last season in Southfield. The last time the two teams met at Oxford, The Wildcats beat them 34-23. Oxford has been successful when under pressure to make the playoffs. Despite their home loss to Lake Orion earlier this season, the Wildcats in past years has made a living of beating big teams at home. Then again, this is the Blue Jays best team they have ever had and they have proven they can win big road games particularly at Oak Park two weeks ago.

Avondale (2-3) at North Farmington (3-2): The Yellow Jackets have lost three of four games and this game in Farmington Hills might end the playoff run for Avondale. The Yellow Jackets were upset 34-31 by Berkley in Auburn Hills last week and could be in danger to miss out. The Raiders were absolutely crushed by Groves 49-22 last week in Beverly Hills and might want to get revenge for that game. This should be a battle of running backs with Avondale's Josh Holloman and North Farmington's Chauncey Bridges battling it out. The Raiders could still get in the playoffs with five wins because they play an eight game schedule this season.

Red Standings:

1. Clarkston                 4-0       4-1

5. Stoney Creek           3-1       4-1

3. Lake Orion               3-1       4-1

10. Rochester               2-2       3-2

Troy                             2-2       2-3

West Bloomfield           1-3       2-3

Troy Athens                 1-3       1-4

Pontiac                         0-4       0-5

Last Week Games:

Clarkston 42, Stoney Creek 7

Lake Orion 52, Troy 17

Rochester 40, Pontiac 0

West Bloomfield 32, Troy 29

This Week Games:

1. Clarkston at Pontiac

3. Lake Orion at 10. Rochester

Troy Athens at 5. Stoney Creek

Troy at West Bloomfield

White Standings:

2. Southfield                 4-0       4-1

4. Harrison                   3-1       4-1

6. Oak Park                 3-1       4-1

9. Adams                     2-2       3-2

Oxford                         2-2       2-3

Farmington                   1-3       1-4

Bloomfield Hills            1-3       1-4

Southfield-Lathrup        0-4       1-4

Last Week Games:

Southfield 20, Harrison 19

Oak Park 26, Farmington 21

Adams 28, Oxford 21

Bloomfield Hills 21, Southfield-Lathrup 14

This Week Games:

2. Southfield at Oxford

4. Harrison at Southfield-Lathrup

6. Oak Park at Bloomfield Hills

Farmington at 9. Adams

Blue Standings:

7. Birmingham Seaholm                        4-0       5-0

8. Beverly Hills Wylie E. Groves           4-0       5-0

North Farmington                                 2-2       3-2

Royal Oak                                            2-2       2-3

Berkley                                                2-2       2-3

Avondale                                              1-3       2-3

Ferndale                                               1-3       1-4

Hazel Park                                           0-4       0-5

Last Week Games:

Seaholm 35, Royal Oak 21

Groves 49, North Farmington 22

Berkley 34, Avondale 31

Ferndale 35, Hazel Park 6

This Week Games:

7. Birmingham Seaholm at Hazel Park

8. Beverly Hills Wylie E. Groves at Royal Oak

Avondale at North Farmington

Ferndale at Berkley

Other Games Around the State:

I was impressed with Muskegon Mona Shores. They took Muskegon to the wire and however did lose 26-20. Mona Shores proved that they are a playoff team this season in my opinion and the Ottawa-Kent Black Division will be a challenge as well.

I was shocked how easily Walled Lake Northern took down Walled Lake Central 41-10 at Ford Field. The Knights defense has been known to give up tons of points and can score in tons as well looked dominant against the Vikings. With this loss this eliminates Walled Lake Central from the playoffs.

No one around the state talks about Lansing Holt. The Rams just keep on winning and should now be on everybody’s radar to make playoffs even after a 0-2 start which included losses to Hudsonville and Rockford. Lansing Holt took out Lansing Everett two weeks ago and now beat East Lansing last week. This week the Rams take on the last tough obstacle in the Capital Area Blue Division in Lansing Sexton. If they go three for three then they will be assured a trip to the playoffs regardless.

Howell looked very good until the last two weeks. The Highlanders lost to Grand Blanc last week and Pinckney two weeks ago. The comfy road the Highlanders have is long gone as the possible crossover could be a trip to Waterford to play Waterford Kettering and that won’t be an easy trip for Howell. They better be careful or they might miss the playoffs.

Well see you next week folks.

Troy Scouting Report

Written Tuesday September 24th, at 5:30 PM

This has been a tough week for Dragons fans and players that saw what happened at Stoney Creek last week maybe this week could be a good opportunity to heal after the fireworks of disaster happened in Rochester when the Dragons return to where they won the Division One 2010 State Championship and beat Troy Athens last season 68-20.

Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.

The Dragons (3-1, 2-1 Red) will play the Troy Colts (2-2, 2-1 Red) on Saturday night at 6 PM as part of a three game Gridiron Classic. The first game will be Romeo (1-3) against Sterling Heights Stevenson (1-3) at 2 PM followed by Walled Lake Central (1-3) against Walled Lake Northern (2-2) at 4 PM and then the Dragons and the Colts battle it out.

The Colts beat Pontiac last week 20-13 at Wisner Stadium last week and beat Rochester 21-14 three weeks ago but lost 21-12 to Stoney Creek and 33-24 to Romeo.

Troy is a spread team who likes to throw the ball a lot but against Pontiac they went to a ground and pound attack when their quarterback went out with an injury last week.

The Colts will be led by quarterback Jay Darish. Darish did not play last week against Pontiac due to a stinger and separated shoulder injury he suffered against Stoney Creek two weeks ago but is expected back for this game. Darish has a quick release and was 21 for 29 for two touchdowns three weeks ago against Rochester and was 13 for 19 for 270 yards and two touchdowns against Stoney Creek but Darish have been prone to throw interceptions. He had two picks against Romeo and a lost fumble in week one in a 33-24 loss at Dan Barnabo Field.

The Colts lost a lot of experience from a season ago but have become more of a passing team with Darish’s throwing ability. Troy coach Gary Griffith has called Darish the best thrower that he has seen come in his 39 seasons at Troy have three very good receivers and a very good tight end but has a good running back as well.

Troy’s running back is Senior, Charles Adams. Adams had a big game with 240 yards and two touchdowns against Pontiac last week and is a power back who can take over games by himself if he has the chance.

The first receiver is Senior Jerome Marshall. Marshall is a quick receiver whom caught the game winning 56 yard touchdown pass from Darish against Rochester and had four catches for 73 yards in that game.

The next receiver is Senior Danny Wunderlich. Wunderlich is Darish’s top target whom caught a 75 yard touchdown pass from Darish against Stoney Creek. He does play safety as well on defense and is the team’s punter.

The next receiver is Junior Eric Paperanda. Paperanda caught a six yard touchdown pass against Rochester and also had a big night with seven catches for 58 yards in that game and had a ten yard touchdown pass against Stoney Creek.

The next receiver is senior tight end Justice Bigelow. Bigelow had three catches for 55 yards against Rochester and does very well when it comes to slant passes and other stuff from the tight end position.

The Colts are not a deep team though as they have several players go two ways but with the way the Dragons played last week against the blitz happy Cougars anything can happen.

We’ll see what happens on Saturday night in downtown Detroit.

OAA Picks: Week Five.

Written Sunday September 22nd, at 9:30 PM

1. Stoney Creek (4-0, 3-0 Red) at 4. Clarkston (3-1, 2-1 Red): The Cougars just off an emotional 36-7 blowout win over Lake Orion is riding high right now but heading into Clarkston with a healthy Ian Erickson could be a difference in this game. Stoney Creek was up by two touchdowns last season before losing it late 28-21 to Clarkston. If Stoney Creek can get this game at Clarkston then they would be the first team since 2011 when Oxford beat both Lake Orion and Clarkston in the same season. If the Cougars have the same emotion along with everytime when they blitzed occasionally on defense in the Lake Orion game and bring it to Clarkston then they could do it again for the second straight week. The Wolves like the Dragons have struggled against veer and triple option teams in the past and Clarkston has already lost to a team that has run a veer option already (Adams.) The Cougars will exact revenge for last season’s loss to Clarkston with a win here. PICK: STONEY CREEK 35, CLARKSTON 28.

2. Farmington Hills Harrison (4-0, 3-0 White) at 3. Southfield (3-1, 3-0 White) (4 PM): The Blue Jays beat Oak Park 20-12 last week but the Hawks have wins over Rochester Adams and Oxford but they were at home. Southfield’s only loss was to Detroit Cass Tech and that team is very good. This will be a good test for Harrison. History favors the road team in this series with the Blue Jays winning last season in Farmington Hills and the Hawks winning in Southfield two seasons ago. The Hawks are the road team in this game but it will change in the Blue Jays favor because of experience. PICK: SOUTHFIELD 28, HARRISON 21.

5. Oak Park (3-1, 2-1 White) at Farmington (1-3, 1-2 White): The Knights lost a tough one to Southfield for their home opener last week but they get to travel to Farmington to meet the Falcons who lost to Oxford last week after leading 28-21 before the Wildcats scored two touchdowns to beat Farmington 35-28. The Falcons are the most desperate team here but the Knights will prevail here in Farmington because of Shane Kelley. PICK: OAK PARK 40, FARMINGTON 18.

6. Lake Orion (3-1, 2-1 Red) vs. Troy (2-2, 2-1 Red) (Saturday 6 PM at Ford Field): The Dragons were humiliated last week 36-7 by Stoney Creek has concerns at quarterback and also at middle linebacker. The offense and defense were exposed big time in that game but the situation with Connor Grant is unknown at this time whether he will play or not. The Colts survived Pontiac 20-13 last week has a pretty good defense along with a good quarterback in Jay Darish along with his wide receiver targets. I think the team that is most ticked will win this game and that right now is Lake Orion. PICK: LAKE ORION 21, TROY 13.

Royal Oak (2-2, 2-1 Blue) at 7. Birmingham Seaholm (4-0, 3-0 Blue): The Maples have been playing very well lately and have big wins at Avondale and North Farmington. Birmingham Seaholm better not take a team that has been 4-45 since 2007 lightly. The Ravens have already doubled their win total and should make it interesting but in the end it will be too much Maples for the Ravens. PICK: SEAHOLM 49, ROYAL OAK 14.

10. North Farmington (3-1, 2-1 Blue) at 8. Beverly Hills Wylie E. Groves (4-0, 3-0 Blue): In another battle of two star running backs between the Raiders Chauncey Bridges and the Falcons Ross Williams. Who ever wins the defensive battle will win this game. I like the home team here because they already shut down Josh Holloman of Avondale last week in a win over the Yellow Jackets. PICK: GROVES 49, NORTH FARMINGTON 20.

9. Oxford (2-2, 2-1 White) at Rochester Adams (2-2, 1-2 White): This is a huge game for both teams if they want to make the playoffs and both their schedules are very difficult. Adams still has to play at Southfield while Oxford has to play Southfield at home and at Oak Park. The Highlanders have already beaten Clarkston (12-7) and might have a better resume than the Wildcats right now because of that win. You have a star studded match up between quarterbacks Matt Sokol of Adams and Glacier Wallington of Oxford. I think the wildcard here maybe Mitchell Tilley, if he gets going than Oxford will be just fine if not then the Wildcats are in trouble. I like Oxford here in this game because they are very desperate but it will be really close. PICK: OXFORD 38, ADAMS 35 IN TRIPLE OVERTIME.

Rochester (2-2, 1-2 Red) at Pontiac (0-4, 0-3 Red): The Phoenix battled hard last week and almost knocked off Troy 20-13 who was without quarterback Jay Darish. Rochester had to survive a two touchdown rally to beat West Bloomfield 33-26 last week. The Falcons have more senior laden talent on the field and should be in good shape but it will be close again like it always has been in this series. PICK: ROCHESTER 37, PONTIAC 32.

Berkley (1-3, 1-2 Blue) at Avondale (2-2, 1-2 Blue): Hard to say that the Yellow Jackets defense in two of the last three games have been awful. The Bears have some talent and fought well until the very end with Birmingham Seaholm. The reward for Berkley will be an upset victory in Auburn Hills. PICK: BERKLEY 49, AVONDALE 35.

West Bloomfield (1-3, 0-3 Red) at Troy Athens (1-3, 1-2 Red): The Red Hawks won their last home game over Pontiac now they get the Lakers. West Bloomfield battled Rochester to the very end last week. The Lakers emotion will get them a big win this week in Troy. If Tristan Jackson plays then it could be much worse than the predicted score indicated. PICK: WEST BLOOMFIELD 27, TROY ATHENS 17.

Southfield-Lathrup (1-3, 0-3 White) at Bloomfield Hills (0-4, 0-3 White): This maybe the Blackhawks best chance to get a win this season. If not then it could be an even longer year. The Chargers took a step back since beating Pontiac but Bloomfield Hills took a better step last week against Harrison. I’m going with the team with most experience in the White. You can make a guess. PICK: SOUTHFIELD-LATHRUP 28, BLOOMFIELD HILLS 20.

Hazel Park (0-4, 0-3 Blue) at Ferndale (0-4, 0-3 Blue): Someone has to win the pillow fight of the week here. Both teams have lost to Royal Oak and both teams have not seen Birmingham Seaholm yet. I like Hazel Park in this game to get its first win of the season in a high scoring affair. PICK: HAZEL PARK 56, FERNDALE 42.

OAA Recap: Week Four.

Written Sunday September 22nd, at 12:30 AM

1. Stoney Creek

2. Harrison

3. Southfield

4. Clarkston

5. Oak Park

6. Lake Orion

7. Seaholm

8. Groves

9. Oxford

10. North Farmington

BIG WIN: Stoney Creek: The Cougars got a big win for not only coach Brad Zube but also the program as well. They blew out Lake Orion 36-7 on Saturday night. Stoney Creek completely outplayed the Dragons on all phases of the ball. The Cougars are likely playoff bound now with this win and they could make yet another big statement if they beat Clarkston in Clarkston this week.

TOUGH LOSS: Oak Park: The Knights were riding high after beating Orchard Lake St. Marys and Rochester Adams but losing to your arch rival from Southfield is very tough. It wouldn’t surprise anyone if Oak Park meets Southfield in the playoffs. The schedule is tough for the Knights. They have Oxford at home and have to go to Harrison so they could get in at 5-4 because that win over the Eaglets is huge right now.

MOST DISSAPOINTED: Troy: Even though the Colts beat Pontiac 20-13 Friday night at Wisner Stadium. Troy should have beaten Pontiac more than they did. The Colts have not been the same team since losing to Stoney Creek two weeks ago. Troy still has to play Lake Orion and Clarkston. They do get the Dragons at Ford Field on Saturday afternoon and the Dragons are not in a good mood after getting crushed 36-7 by Stoney Creek on Saturday night in Rochester.

ARE YOU KIDDING ME: Lake Orion: The Dragons did lose quarterback Connor Grant to a stinger and neck injury but the offense only scored seven points which is alarming. The offensive line was awful and could not pass or run protect and the defense was exposed. Stoney Creek scored 36 points against the Dragons defense. Lake Orion has to get its act together next Saturday against Troy at Ford Field and get this problem fixed.

Top Games for Week 5:

2. Harrison (4-0) at 3. Southfield (3-1): This is one of the biggest games in the White. Southfield is probably the best team in the White just beat Oak Park 20-12 last week. This is the Hawks first major road test against a good Blue Jays team. Harrison has beaten Adams and Oxford all ready and a big win in Southfield will give them confidence heading into the postseason.

9. Oxford (2-2) at Adams (2-2): Both teams come in at 2-2 and both teams need this game if they want to make the playoffs. The other team might have to sweat it out. If Adams goes 5-4 I think they will make the playoffs because of their week one win over Clarkston. Oxford might need this game more because they do not have a quality win yet while Adams has one major win this season (Clarkston.) This is a perfect opportunity for the Wildcats to get that quality win.

1. Stoney Creek (4-0) at 4. Clarkston (3-1): This would be another hectic game for Stoney Creek after shockingly blowing out the Dragons on Saturday night but with Clarkston they should have Ian Erickson back for this game. The Wolves trailed by two touchdowns last season in Rochester but came back to beat the Cougars 28-21. They had Clarkston beat last season and feel they can do it to them this time in the Wolves Den.

10. North Farmington (3-1) at 8. Beverly Hills Wylie E. Groves (4-0): In yet another battle of two running backs. The Falcons beat Avondale 49-22 and does have a good but not big defense but the Raiders have some size and this game could be closer than people think. North Farmington could get into the playoffs with five wins since they do play an eight game schedule. Groves better not be looking ahead to Birmingham Seaholm in four weeks in Birmingham.

Red Standings:

1. Stoney Creek           3-0       4-0

4. Clarkston                 3-0       3-1

6. Lake Orion               2-1       3-1

Troy                             2-1       2-2

Rochester                     1-2       2-2

Troy Athens                 1-2       1-3

West Bloomfield           0-3       1-3

Pontiac                         0-3       0-4

Last Week Games:

Stoney Creek 36, Lake Orion 7

Clarkston 51, Troy Athens 0

Rochester 33, West Bloomfield 26

Troy 20, Pontiac 13

This Week Games:

1. Stoney Creek at 4. Clarkston

6. Lake Orion vs. Troy @ Ford Field (Saturday)

Rochester at Pontiac

West Bloomfield at Troy Athens

White Standings:

2. Harrison                   3-0       4-0

3. Southfield                 3-0       3-1

5. Oak Park                 2-1       3-1

9. Oxford                     2-1       2-2

Adams                         2-1       2-2

Farmington                   1-2       1-3

Southfield-Lathrup        0-3       1-3

Bloomfield Hills            0-3       0-4

Last Week Games:

Southfield 20, Oak Park 12

Oxford 35, Farmington 28

Adams 37, Lathrup 8

Harrison 35, Bloomfield Hills 13

This Week Games:

2. Harrison at 3. Southfield

5. Oak Park at Farmington

9. Oxford at Adams

Bloomfield Hills at Southfield-Lathrup

Blue Standings:

7. Birmingham Seaholm                        3-0       4-0

8. Beverly Hills Wylie E Groves            3-0       4-0

10. North Farmington                           2-1       3-1

Royal Oak                                            2-1       2-2

Avondale                                              1-2       2-2

Berkley                                                1-2       1-3

Hazel Park                                           0-3       0-4

Ferndale                                               0-3       0-4

Last Week Games:

Seaholm 31, Berkley 15

Groves 49, Avondale 22

North Farmington 45, Ferndale 15

Royal Oak 48, Hazel Park 14

This Week Games:

Royal Oak at 7. Birmingham Seaholm

10. North Farmington at 8. Beverly Hills Wylie E. Groves

Ferndale at Hazel Park

Berkley at Avondale

Thoughts around the State:

Besides the Dragons blowout loss to Stoney Creek there were some other games that had my attention. I was surprised that Zeeland East beat Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central 27-25. The Chix usually average 40 points per game but they had to win the game with defense.

Lansing Holt is now back at 500 after winning at Lansing Everett 31-21. It was the first loss of the season for Lansing Everett. The schedule is tough for the Rams as they will play East Lansing at home next week and then travel to Lansing Sexton and that could settle the Capital Area Blue title. The Rams need one more win if they want to make the playoffs this season.

Quarterback Nate Krumm was very impressive for a disappointing Walled Lake Central squad. The Vikings are 1-3 on the season but Krumm had 8 touchdowns in a 63-34 beatdown at Waterford Mott. The Corsairs were riding high after a 61-58 win last week over Walled Lake Northern. Waterford Mott’s defense has allowed 121 points in the last two weeks and is 2-2. What maybe the saving grace is that the Corsairs have already played Walled Lake Northern but they still have to play Walled Lake Western in a few weeks along with arch rival whom has been equally surprising Waterford Kettering. The Captains are 3-1 on the season and beat White Lake Lakeland 59-12 but Waterford Kettering still has to play Walled Lake Northern and Walled Lake Central and could possibly meet Grand Blanc or Howell for the crossover this season.

Lowell gave Muskegon its first loss on the season 31-20. The Big Reds have played a tough four game stretch and ended up going 3-1 in the process after playing Grand Rapids Christian, Rockford, and Mona Shores along with the Red Arrows. The schedule will get easier for Muskegon so they will be in the playoffs and could possibly meet Lowell in the playoffs.

Well I’ll see you next week folks.

OAA Rankings Week Four

Written Sunday September 22nd, at 12:15 AM

24. Ferndale Eagles (0-4): Eagles are going to be in the Pillow Fight of the Week this week.

23. Hazel Park Vikings (0-4): Vikings will be there too this week in Ferndale.

22. Bloomfield Hills Blackhawks (0-4): The Blackhawks played a little better against Harrison. They get Southfield-Lathrup this week at home. This game maybe their best chance to get a win.

21. Pontiac Phoenix (0-4): The Phoenix was right in it with Troy until the very end. This team is coming together even though the record doesn’t indicate it.

20. Southfield-Lathrup Chargers (1-3): The Chargers got crushed by Adams 37-8. Now they get to go visit Bloomfield Hills this week.

19. Farmington Falcons (1-3): Falcons are on life support. They play Oak Park at home this week and the Knights are in a foul mood.

18. Troy Athens Red Hawks (1-3): Red Hawks got crushed by Clarkston but they get West Bloomfield at home this week.

17. West Bloomfield Lakers (1-3): Lakers fought back with Rochester but it wasn’t enough. Now they need to focus on Troy Athens.

16. Berkley Bears (1-3): Bears played much better against Birmingham Seaholm but it wasn’t enough to beat them.

15. Royal Oak Ravens (2-2): Ravens are now 4-45 since 2007 but a tough one this week at the Maple Nest looms.

14. Avondale Yellow Jackets (2-2): Avondale’s defense is not very good but they probably will still get into the playoffs

13. Troy Colts (2-2): I wouldn’t want to be a Colt this week dealing with the Angry Dragons.

12. Rochester Falcons (2-2): The Falcons survived West Bloomfield last week but the schedule gets tough after Pontiac, they get Lake Orion, Stoney Creek, and Adams. Ouch.

11. Rochester Adams Highlanders (2-2): Big game with Oxford looms this week.

10. North Farmington Raiders (3-1): Big one with Groves looms this week.

9. Oxford Wildcats (2-2): The Wildcats came back to beat Farmington on their homecoming now they need to beat Adams in another must win game.

8. Beverly Hills Wylie E Groves (4-0): If the Falcons win this game over North Farmington then they will be unbeaten heading into Birmingham with the Maples.

7. Birmingham Seaholm Maples (4-0): Maples just cruising along in the Blue as we speak.

6. Lake Orion Dragons (3-1): Dragons lost their starting quarterback and offense only scored seven points and defense got exposed for 36 points last week against Stoney Creek. They must get things fixed before Saturday’s game at Ford Field against Troy.

5. Oak Park Knights (3-1): The Knights lost a tough one to Southfield last week. They should bounce back with Farmington this week.

4. Clarkston Wolves (3-1): Wolves better beware of Stoney Creek on Friday in Clarkston

3. Southfield Blue Jays (3-1): Blue Jays won a big one 20-12 at Oak Park last week. This week they host Harrison.

2. Farmington Hills Harrison Hawks (4-0): Big test for the Hawks at Southfield this week.

1. Stoney Creek Cougars (4-0): Cougars can try to make it two for two in the huge win category if they can beat Clarkston this week.

Memories of the 2003 Harrison Game and 2007 Troy Game shows ugly head in Dragons shocking loss to Cougars 36-7

Written Saturday September 21st, at 11:50 PM

The Lake Orion Dragons have had a long history with losing quarterbacks to devastating injuries.

In the Farmington Hills Harrison game in 2003 in Farmington Hills, the Dragons lost quarterback Nate Recknagel to a knee injury. Lake Orion would lose that game 21-7 to the Hawks. The Dragons would lose to Rochester Adams and eventually to Flint Carman Ainsworth in the playoffs. Recknagel was at the game tonight

In the 31-13 loss to Troy in 2007, the Dragons lost quarterback Chris Lum to a knee injury where he was taken on an ambulance. Lum came back seven weeks later to lead Lake Orion to the regional finals of 2007 playoffs. Now why is this familiar???

It happened Saturday night AGAIN.

Dragons quarterback Connor Grant while playing on defense suffered a stinger to the neck and was taken on ambulance late into the first quarter.

Stoney Creek would eventually take advantage of Grant’s absence at safety and at quarterback in a shocking 36-7 rout for the Cougars over the Dragons. This was the first loss to anyone not named Clarkston since 2007 when the Dragons lost 31-13 at Troy in the second week of the season. The game was suppose to be played on Friday but due to a severe weather threat that did not happen.

The Cougars players, fans, and coaches showed up to Saturday night's game ready and energized.

Leading the charge was Stoney Creek quarterback Justin Allor. He did not play last season at Lake Orion due to injury he suffered against Troy (The Dragons would win that game 42-7.) Allor was 12 for 16 for 133 yards and two touchdowns and had six carries for 84 yards.

Allor had a nine yard touchdown run to start the game off at 7-0 Cougars.

The Dragons then responded with help of a couple personal foul penalties against the Cougars went down the field with Zak Arnold scoring from 27 yards out to tie the score at 7-7.

Then it got ugly. Stoney Creek would score 29 unanswered points after that.

Stoney Creek wide receiver and kicker Alex Schnurr whom caught every big pass toward him from Allor connected on a 42 yard field goal making the score 10-7 Stoney Creek.

The Dragons after the Grant injury was forced to go with Kyle Bell at quarterback. Bell and the offensive line struggled all night long with pass and run protection. Bell was two for eight for 43 yards and was sacked five times and threw an interception.

The Cougars would take advantage of a Bell interception by Sean Scullen with running back Joe Cox scoring a one yard touchdown making the score 17-7 Stoney Creek.

The Dragons couldn’t get anything on offense tried and clawed to get down field but Stoney Creek’s blitz happy defense didn’t budge and it gave them another drive. The Cougars got a 26 yard field goal from Schurr making the score 20-7 Stoney Creek.

Lake Orion had one chance to get the ball down field but couldn’t muster much and was shut down and then Bell was sacked to close out the half 20-7 Cougars.

In the third quarter the Dragons had hope and took the ball into the Cougars 35 yard line but were denied again by the Cougars blitz happy and quick defense and turned the ball over on downs. Stoney Creek would then get a big pass play from Cox to Scott Reader. Stoney Creek would then get a 28 yard field goal from Schurr making the score 23-7 Cougars.

The Dragons had another chance to score but was AGAIN denied when the Cougars blitz happy and quick defense shut the Lake Orion offense again. The failed drive led to Allor’s 51 yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter on a veer quarterback option making the score 29-7 but the Cougars missed the two point conversion.

Lake Orion then was shut down one final time as they couldn’t get anyone going from Arnold, Cory Ester, and Dominick Giovinnazzo, among others could not stop the Stoney Creek blitz happy and quick defense or their option offense.

Stoney Creek then put the final exclamation point with fireworks going off on each touchdown scored by the Cougars with an eight yard touchdown from Reader making the score 36-7 Cougars and that was your ball game.

The Dragons had 194 yards for the whole game compared to the Cougars 409 yards.

This was a big win for Stoney Creek coach Brad Zube and the Cougars program. This win all but guarantees a trip to the playoffs for Stoney Creek (4-0, 3-0 Red.) They play Clarkston next week and have a great shot a going into Clarkston and beating the Wolves.

Zube is 1-3 in his career against Lake Orion coach Chris Bell.

For the Dragons (3-1, 2-1 Red) they need to do some sole searching especially on offense and especially on defense. The offense, defense, and special teams were exposed tonight. Grant going down to injury did not help the cause but you can’t put the blame on his shoulders or Bell’s performance at quarterback. Bell also plays on defense and special teams which is a major concern. I still think that the Dragons need to seriously look at Jack Harding or Cameron Kostiz to start at quarterback while Grant is out.

The playoffs are still in play for the Dragons and they just need to forget about this game and move onto the Troy (2-2, 1-2 Red) game next week at Ford Field. Tonight proved that all teams are human and Lake Orion is one of those teams.

           

OAA Picks Week Four.

Written Monday September 16th, at 10:20 PM

1. Lake Orion (3-0) at 3. Stoney Creek (3-0): The Cougars are 3-0 and will have quarterback Justin Allor for this game (he missed last season’s game due to injury.) Sean Scullen, Joe Cox, and Nick Rangos will also be big as well for Stoney Creek but it won’t matter with what the Dragons have in speed, size, and depth led by Cory Ester, Zach Arnold, Matt Krause, Dominick Giovinnazzo, and Connor Grant. Lake Orion’s depth and size will give Stoney Creek massive problems and their first loss of the season Friday night. PICK: LAKE ORION 35, STONEY CREEK 28.

5. Southfield (2-1) at 2. Oak Park (3-0): One of the best games in the state will be here with these two schools just five miles apart. Oak Park beat Southfield twice last season in overtime in both the league game and the playoffs. The Blue Jays have quarterback concerns with Jaylen Brady struggling since transferring in from Grand Ledge along with another good quarterback. The Knights have John Kelley but the wildcard will be coaching and special teams. That favors Oak Park in Knight Valley. PICK: OAK PARK 27, SOUTHFIELD 24 IN OVERTIME.

4. Farmington Hills Harrison (3-0) at Bloomfield Hills (0-3): The Hawks have beaten Rochester Adams and Oxford in the last two weeks. Harrison should get by the Blackhawks in Bloomfield Hills and get ready for Southfield next week. PICK: HARRISON 48, BLOOMFIELD HILLS 7.

Troy Athens (1-2) at 6. Clarkston (2-1): The Wolves return home after a three game road trip. Ian Ericksen might just take another week off and get ready for Stoney Creek next week. PICK: CLARKSTON 49, TROY ATHENS 7.

7. Birmingham Seaholm (3-0) at Berkley (1-2): The Maples are on a different world right now and there could not be a challenge for Seaholm until week eight when the Falcons visit Birmingham. PICK: SEAHOLM 28, BERKLEY 13.

10. Avondale (2-1) at 8. Beverly Hills Wylie E. Groves (3-0): In a battle of running backs Ross Williams of Groves and Josh Holloman of Avondale both are track stars. Williams is the 100 meter hurdles champion. Holloman is the 100 meters champion. This should be and entertaining match of speed in a shootout. I’m going with the Yellow Jackets because last year was 41-6 in Auburn Hills. PICK: AVONDALE 63, GROVES 56.

Farmington (1-2) at 9. Oxford (1-2): The Wildcats return home after a tough loss to Harrison and has lost the last two seasons to Farmington. This is a different Falcons team and also this is a different Oxford team. The Wildcats have the three best players on the field in Glacier Wallington, Mitchell Tilley, and Ben Line and they will send Oxford back to 500 on the season. PICK: OXFORD 35, FARMINGTON 21.

Ferndale (0-3) at North Farmington (2-1): Chauncey Bridges and the Raiders should bounce back against a team that has allowed 87 points in the last two weeks after losing a tough one last week at Birmingham to Seaholm. Let more points be scored against Ferndale. PICK: NORTH FARMINGTON 63, FERNDALE 0.

Troy (1-2) at Pontiac (0-3): This is the Phoenix first game at Wisner Stadium of the season. Pontiac should be motivated being at home but the Colts are fuming after losing to Stoney Creek. Troy better be careful not to look ahead to Ford Field against Lake Orion next week. PICK: TROY 31, PONTIAC 13.

Rochester Adams (1-2) at Southfield-Lathrup (1-2): The Highlanders two losses were legit (lost to Harrison and Oak Park) but their only win was against Clarkston. Adams behind Matt Sokol should be OK and head back to 500 with a win over the Chargers in Lathrup Village. PICK: ADAMS 35, SOUTHFIELD-LATHRUP 7.

Rochester (1-2) at West Bloomfield (1-2): Kevin Byrd returns to West Bloomfield to face his old team. His return to Laker land will be a happy one for his new team the Falcons over the Lakers. PICK: ROCHESTER 49, WEST BLOOMFIELD 7.

Royal Oak (1-2) at Hazel Park (0-3): The Ravens beat Ferndale two weeks ago but lost to Avondale last week in Auburn Hills. The Vikings meanwhile have been outscored 111-6 in the last two weeks. Royal Oak is 3-45 since 2007 and soon will be 4-45 since 2007 and 500 on the season. PICK: ROYAL OAK 35, HAZEL PARK 7.

Stoney Creek Scouting Report

Written Saturday September 14th, at 9:50 PM

Ever since the 2002 season when Stoney Creek came into existence, the Stoney Creek football program has seen the early rise, then the fall, and then the rise again of its program. Stoney Creek has made the playoffs twice in its history. The first time was in 2006 when they went 8-0 in OAA Division Three and 8-2 overall when they lost to Grosse Pointe North in the first round of the playoffs and in 2007 when they went 8-2 and 7-1 in Blue play before falling to Birmingham Brother Rice in the first round of the playoffs. The Cougars were a combined 16-4 and 15-1 in Blue play in those two seasons.

Stoney Creek has changed as well since those special two playoff seasons. They struggled as they went into White from 2008-2011 and then they had an enrollment hike. The enrollment hike led the Cougars to the Red in 2012 and have been there since.

Friday night Stoney Creek will have the biggest game in its school history when the Cougars face the Lake Orion Dragons in Rochester.

This will be the first major test for Stoney Creek since Clarkston came to Rochester. The Cougars had the Wolves beat until Clarkston scored two touchdowns late to beat Stoney Creek 28-21 last season.

Stoney Creek comes in with a 3-0 record, 2-0 in the Red and has a good chance to make the playoffs for the first time since 2007. It is the first time since 2007 that the Cougars were 3-0 but they were in the Blue that season. The schedule has not been that impressive this season for Stoney Creek. The Cougars beat Royal Oak 42-8 three weeks ago, Pontiac 62-13 two weeks ago, and got a big road win at Troy 21-12 last week. Stoney Creek had 510 total yards of offense, 353 on the ground last week against the Colts.

The Cougars are a four headed juggernaut with their triple option offense and is a senior laden team. This 2014 class at Stoney Creek maybe the most successful class in program history since the Phil Swanson days in 2006. The Cougars offense has scored 125 points (41.6 ppg) and the defense which runs a 4-3 scheme has allowed 33 points (11 ppg) this season.

The maker of the offense is second year head coach Brad Zube. Zube spent two seasons at Pontiac as head coach before coming to Rochester to coach Stoney Creek. Before Zube arrived, the Cougars were 3-15 in the last two seasons before he arrived and after that Zube has led Stoney Creek to an 8-4 record since 2012. The Cougars finished last season 5-4 losing a heartbreaker the final week of the season to Southfield.

This is not the first time that Zube and Dragons coach Chris Bell has faced off against each other. Bell is 3-0 against Zube in his career. The Dragons in 2010 beat the Zube led Pontiac Phoenix 44-13 and 40-12 in 2011. Last season, Lake Orion won over Stoney Creek 42-7 but the Cougars were without Justin Allor, their quarterback who got hurt in the Troy game did not play.

The first player is quarterback Joseph Allor. Allor has a good arm, can throw, and run when need to. He was hurt last season and did not play against the Dragons. Allor is a good quarterback for the triple option attack that Stoney Creek possesses. He threw for 113 yards and an eight yard touchdown pass to Sean Scullen along with an interception last week against Troy.

The next player is slot back Sean Scullen. Scullen is considered as an athlete on the roster and there is a reason why he is an athlete. He is a runner, can catch the ball, AND CAN THROW THE FOOTBALL. He was the starting quarterback against the Dragons last season when Lake Orion beat Stoney Creek at Lake Orion. Scullen had 120 all purpose yards (98 yards rushing) He had a rushing touchdown, caught a pass for a touchdown, and threw a 44 yard pass to wide receiver Alex Schnurr as part of their “Joker” package last week against the Colts.

The next one player is power back Nick Rangos. Rangos is physical and likes to go in between the tackles. He had 145 rushing yards on 16 carries, 133 of those yards was in the first half last week against Troy. He has had some big games against Royal Oak and Pontiac going over 100 yards in those games.

The next one is wide receiver/running back Joe Cox. Cox can run and catch the ball very well. He had 61 yards on 13 carries and a two yard touchdown last week against Troy. Cox also had 100 all purpose yards and an interception last week against Pontiac and did well against Royal Oak.

Zube praised his offense to reporters after the Troy game but it could be a different story against a Dragon defense that since allowing 30 points against Oxford three weeks ago have only allowed 12 points. “That’s one of the things with our offense. We can speed our tempo up and we can slow our tempo down. When it gets to game situations like this (against Troy) we can slow it down and control it.”

Stoney Creek’s defense is a 4-3 defense and has only allowed 33 points (11 ppg) so far this season but they were against Royal Oak, Pontiac, and Troy. They may have their greatest challenge this week with the Dragons speed, size, and depth.

If this game goes to a track meet, it favors Lake Orion. Depth could be a major problem for Stoney Creek as well in this game. The Cougars have always used that they are up against the wall. It wouldn’t surprise anyone if Stoney Creek tries to use the same game plan like Oxford did against Lake Orion and also use some trickery which they have. Scullen and Cox can both throw the ball along with Allor. Scullen was the quarterback last season in the Lake Orion game. The Dragons are much different than Troy, Pontiac, and Royal Oak. It is something that Zube said to reporters after the Troy game and we’ll leave at that.

“Chris Bell’s program at Orion is awesome. They are the standard of the OAA. We’re going to have to give them our best shot.”

We’ll see what happens Friday night.