OAA Football Way Too Early Top 10.

Written Friday May 8th, at 12:45 PM

Football is still a few months away but here is my early top ten teams. It will change as we get closer to the season.

1. Harrison: The Hawks could be right back in the State Semifinals with whom they will have coming up and whom they return. Harrison will return probably the best defensive end in the state in Khaid Kareem. Kareem has had numerous offers from colleges to play and will be the leader of a Hawks defense that was very good a season ago. The question comes at quarterback, Harrison features Noah Hendricks, a transfer from Wayne Memorial and three very good wide receivers. If Brendan Brown does well at running back for the Hawks then John Herrington's team will be scary again.

2. Southfield: When looking at the potential outlook of the Blue Jays, Southfield could be right back to the State Semifinals in Division Two with who they will have coming back and whom they bring in. The Blue Jays return running back Matt Falcon, whom is going to Michigan next season and will bring in incoming freshman Sam Johnson III. Johnson has been getting high praises from the media and is getting college offers as an eighth grader. Southfield also has a solid stout defense and they are expected to ride their defense again this season.

3. West Bloomfield: When you look at the Lakers, the 7-2 season a year ago was huge for their confidence for them but a tough loss to Walled Lake Central a season ago should motivate them to get back to the playoffs. West Bloomfield will return a lot of talent but did lose a lot of talent as well. It all starts with football and basketball standout Triston Jackson and he has all the athleticism in the world to do well whether it is at quarterback or wide receiver. He will have Navon Mosley and Evan Foster to throw the ball too this season. The question will be for coach Ronald Bellamy is will Justin Clark run the ball and their defense will be tested as well but the schedule is looking nice with Orion, Oxford, Clarkston, and Stoney Creek all having to come to West Bloomfield this season.

4. Groves: The Falcons returned to the playoffs last season will return one of the top play makers in the OAA in running back Cedric Boswell. Boswell is a fast, shifty runner who likes to go through the tackles and make people miss. The question for Groves is the health of their defense and if they can find a quarterback to throw the ball to play-makers Collin Heard and Chase Swoopes. The Falcons play arch rival Seaholm in week one but have to deal with Avondale, Berkley, and Ferndale once the Blue starts and close out with Ann Arbor Pioneer.

5. Clarkston: The Wolves fresh off repeating as Division One State champs will have major questions heading into this season. Nolan Eriksen does return and it looks like Clarkston could return to the 2012 offense in which Eriksen's brother Ian had to carry the load and the next season DJ Zezula got better. The Wolves will bring in quarterback Jacob Wagner, whom has had some hype surrounding him comparing him to Zezula but news out of Clarkston is there are some folks that are spectral about that comparison and the type of player he is. Wagner will have Hayden Schoenherr, Connor Heaton, and Marvin Chambers to throw the ball too to go along with Eriksen. The Wolves defense will be led by linebackers Mitch Heaton, Noah Nicklin, Nick Stallworth, and Zach Scott will be tested early as they get to go to Macomb Dakota week one and have to go to West Bloomfield two weeks later.

6. Adams: The Highlanders finished 5-4 last season but return the balk of their team despite the fact of losing Clarence Brondax. Quarterback Kyle Wood returns for a team that likes to run the veer attack. Wood will have Mitchell Sokol to throw the ball too when needed and a defense that will be much improved as we head into the season led by Stevie Roncelli and Vincent Gray. The schedule won't be easy as Adams has to deal with Southfield, Harrison, Farmington, and Oak Park on the slate but it all starts with beating Stoney Creek, a team that stunned them last season and took them out of the playoffs.

7. Oak Park: The Knights lost a lot of talent from a season ago but will feature a solid defense heading into the 2015 season for coach Greg Carter. The question for the Knights will be on offense as they will have to replace their top running back but will return quarterback Chauncey Lowman. Lowman will have weapons to throw the ball too in Darruis Stokes and Miles Daniel. Oak Park will have the defense and quarterback to be in games but the schedule is brutal as they will go west to take on Zeeland West and their high scoring offense week one, this could be interesting because Carter is a defensive minded coach and Zeeland West scores in bunches.

8. Orion: The Dragons missing the playoffs a season ago have some questions to address, there could be a quarterback controversy between Max Hornifeer and Caiden Prescorn along with who will replace Matt Krause as the power running back this season. Orion defensibly was torched through the air but will return defensive backs Drew Casey, Mike Jarvis, and Jaylen Wiggins. If the Dragons can find play makers to the outside, stability at quarterback, and a defense that returns to the Orion Tough defenses that everyone knows then this Orion team could be right back in the playoffs after a one year exit.

9. Avondale: Josh Holloman is gone from the Yellow Jackets but the return of quarterback Travis Janes along with solid offensive lines and defensive lines return for coach Steve Deutch. Avondale will rely a lot on Janes rocket of an arm to carry them this season and some young skill guys that could get them back into the playoffs after a two year exit. The schedule is interesting as they will play New Boston Huron and close out the season with the team that took them out of the playoffs last season in Waterford Kettering.

10. Oxford: The Wildcats lost a lot of talent a season ago and will have to replace their skill guys but their most of their offensive and defensive lines returns from a season ago that finished 7-2. Oxford coach Bud Rowley likes to do the "Pound the Rock" motto but questions at the skill positions like I said eariler do linger along with a brutal road schedule which includes the likes of traveling to Romeo, West Bloomfield, Clarkston, Stoney Creek, and Orion. It will not be an easy road for the Wildcats if they want to make it back to the playoffs for a third straight year.

Honorable mentions, 11. Farmington, 12. Stoney Creek, 13. Ferndale, 14. Berkley, 15. Seaholm.