Way too early, What am I thinking. Early Season Football Rankings.

Written Thursday January 28th at 5:00 PM

Well the transfers have settled into their new schools and football season starts in August. These are not even close to the rankings and preseason hype but here are my top 23 based on programs right now. THINGS WILL CHANGE.

1. Southfield Warriors: The new Warriors are solid and talented but consistency is a question???

2. Clarkston Wolves: Probably the most consistent team in the OAA.

3. Harrison Hawks: Hold on to hope but they will have a solid team this season.

4. West Bloomfield Lakers: Lost their best class ever but still very solid.

5. Oak Park Knights: Young underclassmen and transfers will make the Knights solid again.

6. Groves Falcons: Lost a lot of talent from a season ago but Falcons well coached.

7. Athens Red Hawks: Most under-appreciated team this season, won’t be overlooked either.

8. Berkley Bears: New expectations but could be tougher to produce them this season.

9. Adams Highlanders: Returns a ton of experience but hasn’t put it together lately.

10. Orion Dragons: Back to the basics will help the Dragons.

11. Oxford Wildcats: Sleeper to watch this season.

12. Stoney Creek Cougars: Solid core despite coach Brad Zube’s departure to Ortonville.

13. Avondale Yellow Jackets: Questions surrounds the Yellow Jackets program.

14. Royal Oak Ravens: Coach Ray McMann is starting to get things working in Royal Oak.

15. Seaholm Maples: Tough test looms early for Maples but talent coming up will be solid.

16. North Farmington Raiders: Will be all right but not as good as last year for coach Todd Schultz.

17. Rochester Falcons: Still a long way to go for the Falcons, move down a division will help.

18. Farmington Falcons: Will struggle this season some.

19. Hazel Park Vikings: Coach Kyle Rowley will have depth this season to work with.

20. Ferndale Eagles: Lost their best player, could be a long season coming up.

21. Bloomfield Hills Blackhawks: It could be a few years for the Blackhawks to get back to the good days.

22. Troy Colts: Experience and lower division will help, not a solid core coming up.

23. Pontiac Phoenix: Could be another long year for the Phoenix.

OAA Picks. Jan 28, 29, 30.

Written Wednesday January 27th at 9:30 PM

Girls.

Red vs White.

Oxford at North Farmington: The Raiders got back in the right track after beating West Bloomfield on Tuesday. The Wildcats will have trouble guarding Kierra Crockett and North Farmington will be rolling along. PICK: NORTH FARMINGTON BY 15.

Adams at Orion: Taylor Smith and Maggie Rogers will get their points for the Highlanders, Maddie Novak and Evelyn Wischmeyer will get their points for the Dragons. The difference in this game will be Tessa Nuss because she has quietly improved her game a bit. PICK: ORION BY 5.

Clarkston at Royal Oak: The Ravens held the high scoring Dragons to 39 points, curious how they would do against the Wolves? Quite well, this has makings of huge upset but it will depend if Brian Sopota has his Royal Oak defense ready like he did against Orion on Tuesday. PICK: ROYAL OAK BY 3.

Stoney Creek at Bloomfield Hills: The Blackhawks will be up for this game wanting to make a statement but the Cougars are more rounded and it will show because Bloomfield Hills has no answer for Ally Voss. PICK: STONEY CREEK BY 6.

Harrison at West Bloomfield: The Hawks put up 88 points on Adams on Tuesday, can’t imagine how many they will put on the Lakers. PICK: HARRISON BY 12.

(Lathrup and Troy got moved to February 16^th)

Blue vs Gold.

Pontiac at Avondale: Interesting matchup here, both teams coming off wins on Tuesday. End of the day when in doubt go with the road team because they have Infinatiee Rowe on their side. PICK: PONTIAC BY 3.

Rochester at Berkley: This is an interesting matchup between the Falcons and Bears. I think Zoe Anderson will be the difference in this game. PICK: BERKLEY BY 6.

Farmington at Hazel Park: Trinity Benton will have a huge game here against the Falcons. PICK: HAZEL PARK BY 4.

Seaholm at Ferndale: The Maples will roll in this game. PICK: SEAHOLM BY 44.

Oak Park at Groves: Best matchup no one is talking about is between the Knights and Falcons. Oak Park has played a tougher schedule than Groves but the Falcons have Shea Carter and it will show here. PICK: GROVES BY 4.

Southfield at Troy Athens: The Blue Jays will lay the hammer on the Red Hawks while getting ready for Saturday. PICK: SOUTHFIELD BY 33.

Lathrup at Southfield: The battle of Southfield will live up to the hype but the problem is the Chargers are gearing up for a State Playoff run and will break the Blue Jays undefeated streak. PICK: LATHRUP BY 10.

Boys.

Red.

Southfield at North Farmington: Might be a good game but the Raiders have too many weapons than the Blue Jays. PICK: NORTH FARMINGTON BY 20.

Clarkston at Lathrup: The Wolves will roll in this game and will avenge the girls on what happened on Tuesday. PICK: CLARKSTON BY 55.

Troy Athens at Adams: The Highlanders will continue to roll in this game over the Red Hawks. PICK: ADAMS BY 23.

Lathrup at Southfield: In what will be one of the final two meetings of the regular season, it will be Mike Avery's first game against the Chargers. The Blue Jays have too much experience for Lathrup to overcome. PICK: SOUTHFIELD BY 12.

White.

Pontiac at Troy: Ben Kelso has his team peaking at the right time, one hiccup from being undefeated with a big one looming with West Bloomfield next week. The Colts won’t offer resistance here against the Phoenix. PICK: PONTIAC BY 14.

Bloomfield Hills at West Bloomfield: Been hearing the battle of the Hills will have a lot of good causes and storylines as Mike Maryanski returns to West Bloomfield with his new team the Blackhawks but end of the day it will take some growing pains for Bloomfield Hills against the Lakers. PICK: WEST BLOOMFIELD BY 8.

Oak Park at Avondale: This will be an interesting game but the Knights will have their transfers and it will show in this game. PICK: OAK PARK BY 14.

Blue.

Stoney Creek at Rochester: Rivalry Games brings the best in teams especially city games. The Cougars have owned the Falcons lately and will continue to do so thanks to their senior leadership. PICK: STONEY CREEK BY 5.

Orion at Oxford: This rivalry game will be tight and close as it always is between the Dragons and Wildcats but in the end it will be Jaylen Wiggins that steals the show. PICK: ORION BY 10.

Farmington at Seaholm: Last season after the loss to the Maples, Falcons coach Terrance Porter had a practice on the same night. Don’t think he will this time around and Farmington will get on the right track after losing to Orion last week. PICK: FARMINGTON BY 1.

Gold.

Ferndale at Groves: The Falcons are playing well and hosting the Eagles will help a lot. PICK: GROVES BY 10.

Berkley at Royal Oak: The Ravens are improved and solid. The Bears have fallen off a bit. PICK: ROYAL OAK BY 8.

Hazel Park at Harrison: The Vikings will be too much for the Hawks. Harrison has lost three straight games and Hazel Park is peaking at the right time. PICK HAZEL PARK BY 14.

Stoney Creek vs Avondale (The Palace): Both teams will be playing the second game of a back to back. It depends on the Palace rims and if the Cougars can shoot on them. I smell an upset here. PICK: AVONDALE BY 1.
 

Ex Farmington Coach learns her fate.

Written Saturday January 23rd at 3:30 PM

On Thursday a former Farmington Cheer-leading coach learned her fate but she won't be going behind bars though.

Former Falcons coach Kandice Hernandez received five years of probation, 200 hours of Community Service, and has to pay $12,622 as a result of her stealing from the team's funds according to the Detroit Free Press.

She was charged with larceny by conversion of $1,000 or more last summer and pleaded guilty on December 2nd avoiding jail time.

Hernandez was also ordered to stay 100 feet away from Farmington High School and is prohibited from any cheer-leading competition or associations. She used to coach the Varsity and Middle School cheerleaders until the charges last summer in which she resigned from her post.

Zube Named New Head Coach at Brandon.

Written Friday January 22nd at 9:20 AM
Updated Friday January 29th at 10:00 AM

Brad Zube is on the move again and this time away from the OAA. He has decided to take his talents to the Flint Metro League.

Zube confirmed he was leaving Stoney Creek for Ortonville-Brandon on his Facebook on Thursday.

Here is his statement from Facebook.

"Dear Stoney Creek Football Family,

Yesterday was one of the toughest days and most emotional days of my professional career. I just wanted to take a moment to thank all of you for your support and dedication to our program these past four years. It has been an absolute pleasure to coach all of your sons. They are without a doubt some of the finest young men a coach could ever ask for.

It has been a great four years at Stoney Creek and I am so very proud of what we have built here. Through ups and downs and big wins and heartbreaking losses we stuck together as a family and we did things the right way with character and integrity. I can assure you that my decision to leave Stoney Creek was not an easy one. Walking away from this program that has meant so much to me and explaining to the boys that my life decision was going to interrupt their lives was incredibly painful. There were a lot of tears and hugs yesterday in the weight room.

I hope you can all understand that my decision to take the head coaching job at Brandon High School was in the best interest of my young family and will allow me to spend more time with Jenny and our growing family while continuing to do what I love. I'm very excited to be the new leader of the Brandon Blackhawks and all of the challenges that are ahead of me in this new position but please know that if I can ever do anything for any of you do not hesitate to ask.

I will forever hold the Stoney Creek Football program close to my heart. It has been an absolute honor and privilege to be your head coach and call Stoney Creek my home the past four years. I am very confident that our outstanding administration at Stoney Creek will find the best person possible to carry on the tradition we have started. Thank you again for all that you have done to enrich my life these past four years!

"We Are SC"
Brad Zube
Head Football Coach
Stoney Creek High School
2012-2015"

Zube did respond in a Facebook Post to yours truly on his reasoning why he left Stoney Creek, it was based on travel. He lives in northern Clarkston and does have a baby boy on the way as well. "SC to my house is 35-40 minutes away when you add my teaching job in Waterford, it's close to 90 minutes a day in my car. Brandon is 12 minutes away from me. Really will make life easier. I see Brandon as a diamond in the rough that SC was four years ago. Excited to get to work up here."

Zube's departure will hurt Stoney Creek, he was building a football program there and did a lot for the community in Rochester. Zube finishes his coaching career as Cougars coach with a 19-18 record but he gave Stoney Creek it's two biggest wins of the season over Orion in 2013 and Adams in 2014. Zube had a playoff apperance in 2013 before falling to Adams 17-6 in the pre-district.

A possible replacement could be Kyle Schultz, Zube's offensive coordinator. He does have coaching experience while he was at Waterford Kettering but it's looking more possible that Schultz could go with Zube to Brandon considering that the campus is ten minutes from his house.

Zube came to Rochester from Pontiac after the 2011 season and will have an interesting task of getting Ortonville-Brandon back to the playoffs after making them last season at 6-3 before losing to Linden in the pre-district. One of the Blackhawks biggest wins was over Holly at Holly which got them eligible for the playoffs. He will also have to get adjusted to the Flint Metro League as he will face the likes of Holly, Clio, Linden, Fenton, Swartz Creek, Flint Kearsley, and Flushing.

He concluded about the love and respect he received from the Stoney Creek family. "I've received nothing but love and support from my SC family. There is a mutual love and respect between myself and that community."

OAA Picks, January 21 and 22.

Written Thursday January 21st at 12:10 AM

Girls.

Red.

Lathrup at Harrison: The Hawks suffered a tough loss to Chelsea in overtime on Saturday, questioning the mental state of Harrison after getting an emotional win over Clarkston to losing to Chelsea. The Chargers meanwhile are rolling on all cylinders and will be a huge problem for the Hawks inside with the Bello twins. It will be a good game no doubt but Lathrup to much for the Harrison. PICK: LATHRUP BY 9.

Clarkston at Stoney Creek: The Cougars will have a big problem guarding Kayla Luckenbach and Kayla Russell but the Wolves will have a big problem in guarding Ally Voss and Emma Sobyczinki. The difference in this game will be Emily Solek off the bench. PICK: STONEY CREEK BY 2.

Adams at Oxford (Friday): Both the Highlanders and Wildcats will be improved later in the season but in this game Oxford will have no answer for Maggie Rogers or Taylor Smith. PICK: ADAMS BY 6.

White.

North Farmington at Orion: The Dragons and Raiders have had classics when they have met, some great battles here in this game but in the end even with a sprained thumb Evelyn Wischmeyer will come through late. PICK: ORION BY 1.

Bloomfield Hills at Royal Oak: Kathrine Prinna will have a big night for the Blackhawks against a Ravens team focused on stopping Amanda Sape. PICK: BLOOMFIELD HILLS BY 12.

Troy at West Bloomfield: The Colts will have no answer for Charlika Stubbs in this game. PICK: WEST BLOOMFIELD BY 25.

Blue.

Oak Park at Southfield: The Blue Jays will be rolling along toward a showdown with Lathrup. PICK: SOUTHFIELD BY 34.

Farmington at Rochester: When in doubt trust Tori Hawkins and Jenna Norgrove. PICK: ROCHESTER BY 14.

Avondale at Seaholm (Friday): The Yellow Jackets have been very disappointing thus far and it will continue thanks to Mackenzie Harbort who could be in line for a 30-point game. PICK: SEAHOLM BY 20.

Gold.

Berkley at Ferndale: The Eagles just won’t have an answer at all for the Bears. PICK: BERKLEY BY 35.

Troy Athens at Pontiac: Maddy Crumm vs Infinatte Rowe, love this match-up between two solid players. I would love to see the upset but it won't happen sadly. PICK: TROY ATHENS BY 8.

Groves at Hazel Park: Shea Carter won’t be stopped. Trinity Benton won’t be stopped either. When in doubt go with the road team. PICK GROVES BY 5.

Boys.

Red.

Southfield at Clarkston: The Blue Jays will be no match for the Wolves, not even at Clarkston not a chance. PICK: CLARKSTON BY 21.

Lathrup at Adams: 18 points against North Farmington and the Highlanders are ticked after suffering their first loss on Tuesday, that's not a good sign for the Chargers. PICK: ADAMS BY 34.

North Farmington at Troy Athens: The Raiders are taking names and destroying people left and right. PICK: NORTH FARMINGTON BY 32.

White.

West Bloomfield at Troy: The Colts very scrappy, the Lakers are riding high right now. West Bloomfield better be careful here against a gutsy Troy team. PICK: WEST BLOOMFIELD BY 1.

Oak Park at Pontiac: The Phoenix play stall ball and pass the ball a ton to get a good shot, that’s the staple of a Ben Kelso. The Knights aren’t at full strength yet and after a disappointing loss to West Bloomfield, it will show in this game. PICK: PONTIAC BY 10.

Avondale at Bloomfield Hills: The Blackhawks shocked Pontiac last week but the Yellow Jackets are a whole different animal besides the fact they are 0-2 in league. This has the makings of a great game in the new digs of Bloomfield Hills. PICK: BLOOMFIELD HILLS BY 2.

Blue.

Farmington at Orion: The Falcons needed a three point shot to beat Rochester on Tuesday. The Dragons got screwed at Stoney Creek on Tuesday despite scoring 71 points. See a pattern here, I do. PICK: ORION BY 10.

Oxford at Stoney Creek: The Wildcats are at 2-0 right now but soon they will be 2-1 in league play thanks to the Cougars. PICK: STONEY CREEK BY 21.

Seaholm at Rochester: Kosmo says the Falcons will pull a “mini upset”??? Come on, you got to give Rochester more love than that Kosmo, the Falcons are a solid team here and it will show against the Maples. PICK: ROCHESTER BY 9.

Gold.

Harrison at Groves: The Hawks are a surprising 2-0 in the league but the Falcons have played a tougher schedule and it will show in this game. PICK: GROVES BY 6.

Ferndale at Royal Oak: The Ravens will roll in the Ravens nest against a struggling Eagles team. PICK: ROYAL OAK BY 14.

Hazel Park at Berkley: The Vikings are getting better and improving. The Bears will provide a challenge but it won’t be enough. PICK: HAZEL PARK BY 5.