Top Non League Statement Games-Week One.

Written Wednesday August 3rd at 10:14 PM
Updated Tuesday August 9th at 6:00 PM

Top Non-League Statement Games for Week One. We will not include the Stoney Creek/Bloomfield Hills, West Bloomfield/Groves, or Rochester/Adams games because they are OAA vs OAA matchups.

Oak Park vs Detroit Cass Tech at Wayne State:

This maybe the most interesting game in the State as coach Greg Carter’s Knights play a vicious first game against Detroit Cass Tech. Oak Park will have new quarterback Dwan Mathis and he and the talented Knights offense will go up against a very solid Technicians defense led by Donavan Peoples-Jones, Jordan Reid, and Jaylen Kelly-Powell. Detroit Cass Tech is loaded as well led by quarterback Rodney Hall and they will go up against a solid Oak Park defense led by Michigan bound lineman JayRamond Hall and Justin Rogers. The Technicians are loaded but so are the Knights. This game could have something special in the making at Wayne State.

Southfield Arts and Technology vs Detroit Martin Luther King at Wayne State:

This game will be the debut for the new Southfield Arts and Technology football team. The Warriors will be talented this season for coach Tim Conley as they will go up against a team in the Crusaders that will have a ton of emotion after losing their head coach Dale Harvel after he passed away from a heart attack, after a seven on seven scrimmage. Detroit Martin Luther King will be led by linebacker Cepeda Phillips and should be talented yet again, also they are the defending Division Two State Champs. The Crusaders named Tyrone Spencer as their head coach succeeding Harvel. This will be an interesting game between the Warriors and Detroit Martin Luther King.

Clarkston vs Lapeer at Michigan:

The Lightning have been very good since merging in 2014 but this game at the Big House will be a stern test going up against a team that has the same ideological winged helmets as Michigan. Lapeer in its history is 20-2 overall but both losses were in the playoffs. The Lightning and Wolves met in the playoffs at Clarkston with the Wolves winning 23-20. Lapeer and Clarkston are the co-hosts for this game. Both teams are physical and expect a slug fest in this game.

Orion vs Chippewa Valley at Wayne State:

This one could be interesting at Wayne State as Scott Merchant will take on Chris Bell. The Dragons have a ton of questions after losing their two top players to transfers and is 8-10 in the last two seasons. The Big Reds lost a ton of talent last season so both teams could be re-loading a bit. Orion has lost the last two meetings to Chippewa Valley including last season’s 35-28 loss and also a 38-35 loss in 2014 to the Big Reds. This will be an interesting matchup between two good friends at Wayne State.

Romeo at Oxford:

This game looks very similar to the 2011 Orion/Oxford game when the Dragons came in as the defending Division One State Champs and the Wildcats won that game 41-20 on the first night of the blue turf. This season it’s the Bulldogs that come of Oxford as the defending Division One State Champions. Romeo lost a ton of talent and they must reload a bit while Oxford returns quarterback Nate Fleming and running backs Ethan Williams and Ben Krause. The Wildcats were humiliated at Dan Barnabo Field 47-0 last season, knowing coach Bud Rowley he would like to have some pay back this season.

Warren Mott at Troy Athens:

This will be an interesting matchup for the Red Hawks going up against the Marauders whom made the playoffs last season. Most will know Warren Mott’s big 32-27 win over Macomb Dakota last season will give ideas what the Marauders will look like. Warren Mott returns a big offensive line along with a very good read option quarterback in Michael Pond and wide receiver Maurice Allen. The Red Hawks should score well in this game with quarterback Joey Stark and his big offensive line at the controls. I expect this one to be a shootout in Bob Dowd’s house.

Harrison vs East Kentwood at Michigan:

The Hawks will try to get some revenge after losing 35-28 to the Falcons at home in 2015. Harrison though will have a new team and tough stretch ahead of them. Coach John Herrington’s team will need to decide on a starting quarterback to go along with their athletes at wide receiver. The running game and line-backing will be the strength of the Hawks. They will have Notre Dame bound Ovie Oghufo whom is expected to do a lot for Harrison in 2016. East Kentwood will be solid as they are led by lineman Turner Ruby, quarterback Evan Maday, and running backs Andre Welch and Ansel Jefferies. This could be a high scoring game yet again in the Big House.

Birmingham Brother Rice at Seaholm:

The Warriors have made headlines this offseason. They will have a blend of youth and experience when they travel to the Maple Forest to start the season. Birmingham Brother Rice will have a new quarterback in Marino Valenti after their former quarterback Johnny Tracy transferred to Walled Lake Western. What will help Valenti will be the Michigan bound tight end Carter Dunaway and also wide receiver Matt Jordan to pass the ball too. The Warriors will also have a potent ground game as well in Marcellis Gaines but line play is a question for Birmingham Brother Rice. The Maples are a veer team and expect them to play time possession football. If Seaholm can win this game, then it would send a big statement just like basketball a few years ago.

Berkley at Holly:

The Bears just off making the regional final last season would like to get some revenge after losing 25-7 at Hurley Field to the Bronchos. Holly will be solid in the tough Flint Metro League while Berkley will be very good yet again. The Bears won at Holly in 2014 34-7 but this is a different Bronchos staff and they have a solid defensive coordinator in Dave Tooley. It will be a challenge going back up to Holly for Berkley.

Warren Fitzgerald at Hazel Park:

The Battle Of Nine Mile has not been kind to the Vikings lately. Not only has Warren Fitzgerald owned Hazel Park but they have outscored the Vikings 92-12 in the last two Battle of Nine Mile meetings. The Spartans have a strong running back in Najon Moore. Moore rushed for over 1,400 yards in his sophomore season in 2014. Warren Fitzgerald will have to replace some players when they made the playoffs in 2015. The Vikings are 1-26 since 2010 but there is some optimism with Kyle Rowley’s team this season, especially with the arrival of Orion transfer Dallas Cleary. Hazel Park better be careful not to exceed their own press clippings, the Spartans are legit.

Stockbridge at Royal Oak:
Now I know this is a Week Two game but this is an opportunity for the Ravens to make a statement against a very good football team. The Panthers are led by the Division Five-Division Six player of the year in quarterback Mason Gee-Montgomery. Gee-Montgomery is the signal caller of a spread all out attack that put up 5,000 yards in his high school career. He went 22-22 for 391 yards, and five touchdowns in a game last season, which is the MHSAA record for most consecutive completions. Who ever booked this football game is crazy but this could be an interesting statement to see how Stockbridge matches up against a Royal Oak team that is improved this season.