State of the OAA Football- After the First Five Weeks.

Written Tuesday September 20th at 2:30 PM

AVONDALE:

The transition to Ed Couturier has not fared well for the Yellow Jackets so far this season but you kind of want to give them a pass with the tough offseason they have had. Avondale has had two heartbreaking losses to New Boston Huron and Rochester. The Yellow Jackets is 14-17 since 2012 but after the Bloomfield Hills game this week the schedule will ease a bit until they get to Almont at the end of the season but this is a make or break game this week for Avondale.

BERKLEY:

The Bears have been cruising as of late until a 26-3 loss to Pontiac Notre Dame Prep last week. The loss to the Irish may be a blessing in disguise for coach Chris Sikoria’s team. The Blue is still in play for Berkley as they still have to play Bloomfield Hills in October. The Bears are fine right now but they have a big one with Rochester this week.

FERNDALE:

The Eagles are the most improved team in the league but a lot of that has been with the MHSAA’s CoOP program in which they can get players from another high school in their district. Coach Eric Royal got 10-12 players and they have benefited from the program. Ferndale has been very competitive losing its closest game by 14 points to Berkley. The Eagles have two tough games coming up against Madison and Dearborn Edsel Ford to close the season. If Ferndale can win both those games than they could be in line for a playoff appearance for the first time since 2008.

HAZEL PARK:

The Vikings have really struggled since 2012 going 2-30 with both their wins coming against Pontiac. Hazel Park was blown out in each of their three losses until the Phoenix game, it's something that has made coach Kyle Rowley nuts. The Vikings have a tough schedule with games against Royal Oak, Ferndale, and Rochester. Hazel Park better start winning games against teams not name Pontiac or they won’t improve at all.

BLOOMFIELD HILLS:

The Blackhawks have been off to a nice start which is pleasing to coach Dan Loria. Some of those victories were over Stoney Creek, Troy, and Rochester. They were tested against Ferndale but survived 23-20 last week. Bloomfield Hills has really improved up front and have a ton of athletes. The month of October is where they will be tested though with games against Pontiac Notre Dame Prep, Berkley, and Orion.

PONTIAC:

The Phoenix have been struggling going 2-37 since 2011. Pontiac and coach John Thompson needs to keep improving, it may not be this year though that the Phoenix break through but something must be done if Pontiac has any chance of competing this season. The schedule is not easy to close the season with games against Ferndale, Berkley, Avondale, Troy, and Harper Woods to close the season.

TROY:

The Colts took a bit of a step back last week in losing to Royal Oak 28-21. The Colts are 5-26 since 2013, something in which coach Gary Griffith needs to turn around and quick. Troy doesn’t have a freshman team which is alarming for a big school. The Colts have a tough schedule with Troy Athens and Detroit Country Day and not to mention league games against Berkley and Rochester during that stretch. It could be a long season for Troy.

ROCHESTER:

It’s been a tale of two seasons for the Falcons and I will be owing coach Eric Vernon and his players an apology for my season projection on the Rochester Falcons. The first two weeks Rochester did not look good against Adams and Bloomfield Hills getting outscored 73-26 in those two games. The Falcons have turned their season around in Pontiac by beating Pontiac Notre Dame Prep in overtime 38-32 and they followed that up with a 29-28 win over Avondale. Rochester’s defense is still a major problem as they are allowing 133 points (33.2 points per game) but the offense has improved. The Falcons must fix their defense if they have any chance of making the playoffs.

ROYAL OAK:

The Ravens had two disappointing games against Lakeview and Stockbridge getting outscored 69-36 in those two games but they have allowed 21 points in the last two weeks. Royal Oak has a tough schedule ahead of them with games against Berkley, Bloomfield Hills, Rochester, and Ferndale to close out the season. If the Ravens want to make the playoffs, then they must win at least three of these games if you don’t include Hazel Park. Expect a tough road for coach Ray McMann and Royal Oak.

OAK PARK:

The Knights have had a tough schedule going up against Detroit Cass Tech and Groves but coach Greg Carter’s offense has improved lately averaging 43 points per game in the last two weeks. Oak Park won a huge game over Adams 44-43 in overtime last week. The Knights still have to play Harrison, Clarkston, and Southfield Arts and Tech so by far means they need to win at least one of those games if they have any chance to make the playoffs.

ADAMS:

The Highlanders are a different team than the last two seasons. Adams lost a heartbreaker to Oak Park 44-43 last week. They have Harrison, Clarkston, Stoney Creek, and Groves coming up. The Highlanders though look different but they still run the same veer offense under coach Tony Patrino. Adams needs to win one or two of these games if they want to be a playoff team this season.

HARRISON:

The Hawks have managed to bounce back since their opening season loss to East Kentwood. Harrison shutout West Bloomfield 28-0 last week and still has Adams, Oak Park, Groves, and Oxford on the schedule. The Hawks and coach John Herrington's team look to be in great shape for another playoff appearance.

FARMINGTON:

The Falcons have really been struggling losing five of their last six games and there have been rumblings and calls to fire coach John Bechtel whom has been there for 37 years. Parents have not been happy with Bechtel and the direction where the program has been going. Probably the tipping point was a 29-28 home loss to Seaholm in which the Falcons had two 21 point leads in that game. The turmoil there is very real. I don’t know if I see Farmington winning "truly" a game this season after getting a forfeit win over Walled Lake Western this week.

NORTH FARMINGTON:

The Raiders whom does not have a freshman or junior varsity program has really been struggling. North Farmington has had three running clocks against them this season, something that has bothered coach Todd Schultz. The Raiders are 17-23 since 2011 something that they need to fix. North Farmington must both sides of the football in which they have only scored 10 points (2.5 points per game) and have allowed 165 points (41.5 points per game) both stats are the worst in the league this season. It could get even uglier with Harrison still on the schedule. It won’t be pretty.

GROVES:

The Falcons are the best team in the league so far. Groves has wins over Southfield Arts and Tech and Oak Park. The West Bloomfield win was won via forfeit but the Falcons are in great shape not only to make the playoffs but to make a deep run into the playoffs despite a tough schedule and games against Harrison, Adams, and Saline that loom.

SEAHOLM:

The Maples might have found their chance to turn its season around with a 29-28 win over Farmington last week. Seaholm still has problems defensibly where it has allowed 139 points (34.7 points per game.) Offensively coach Jim DeWald’s team scored 29 points against Farmington into which against the teams they lost too they only scored ten points. The Maples play Groves next and still have tough games against Orion, Oak Park, and Pontiac Notre Dame Prep. We’ll see where Seaholm stands this week against their arch rivals from Beverly Hills.

SOUTHFIELD ARTS AND TECH:

The Warriors are an interesting team, they have games where they looked good against Troy Athens and Clarkston and games where they didn’t look good against Detroit Martin Luther King and Groves. The offense has been a bit of a struggle as of late as Southfield Arts and Tech has only scored 69 points so far (17.2 points per game) but the defense has only allowed 84 points (21 points per game) but 39 of those allowed were to Detroit Martin Luther King so in part the Warriors have allowed 45 points (15 points per game) in their last three games. Southfield Arts and Tech has been improving but coach Tim Conley’s team have some questions surrounding them. They have a lot of Division One players and a ton of talent that have been getting a ton of attention. The schedule isn’t easy either with games against Orion, Oak Park, Oxford, and West Bloomfield loom.

OXFORD:

The Wildcats since their 27-26 win over Romeo have struggled especially defensibly and it has shown in their three losses all be to very good teams in their defense. Oxford has allowed 143 points in the last four games (35.7 points per game), including 52 points to arch rival Orion last week. The Wildcats defense is the reason why they have been struggling, not their offense or their special teams in which they have been playing very well in that standpoint. Oxford’s pound the rock offense led by running back Ethan Williams works in which they have scored 90 points (22.5 points per game.) What is killing coach Bud Rowley’s team is the defense. That is something the Wildcats must address and quickly. They still have games coming up against Harrison, Southfield Arts and Tech, Troy Athens, and Stoney Creek.

CLARKSTON:

The Wolves have managed to get back on track since their 24-18 overtime loss to Southfield Arts and Tech. Clarkston has managed to win the games they are suppose too and will have their homecoming this week against Troy Athens. The Wolves still have games against West Bloomfield, Oak Park, Adams, and Orion coming up so they will be tested down the stretch.

TROY ATHENS:

The Red Hawks have been a disappointing team in the eyes of the media with their start to the season. The only win that Troy Athens have was against North Farmington in which they won 14-7 in that game. The problem for the Red Hawks have been their offense in which they scored 49 points (12.5 points per game) so far this season with the big and experienced offensive line they have and that’s not mentioning the schedule they still have to face. Troy Athens still has Clarkston, Orion, Oxford, and West Bloomfield to play, not to mention Troy. This could get ugly for coach Josh Heppner if he doesn’t get this turned around.

STONEY CREEK:

The Cougars have struggled under first year coach Bob Lantzy trying to change the culture over there. Stoney Creek still has to play Rochester, Adams, Southfield Arts and Tech, Oxford, and West Bloomfield. The Cougars though have plenty of problems defensibly as they allowed 102 points (25.5 points per game) and offensively they have struggled scoring 61 points (15.2 points per game.) Stoney Creek though is in better position for the future to build its program around, probably going down a division will help the Cougars going forward.

WEST BLOOMFIELD:

The Lakers have no margin for error now as they did not look good last week against Harrison in a 28-0 loss, the first time they were shutout since they lost 17-0 to Rochester in 2010. West Bloomfield has three winnable games coming up in Stoney Creek, Farmington, and Troy Athens but they have tough games with Southfield Arts and Tech and Clarkston. Lakers coach Ronald Bellamy knows that his team needs to win the three winnable games and either the Wolves or Warriors game if they have any shot of returning to the playoffs this season.

ORION:

The Dragons may have finally found an offense in last week’s 52-35 win over Oxford but injuries have plagued Orion coach Chris Bell’s team the last two and a half seasons. The Dragons must address their defense that has allowed 109 points (27.2 points per game) but the offense has managed to make some progress a bit scoring 96 points (24 points per game.) Orion has a tough schedule to close out the season with Clarkston, Southfield Arts and Tech, Troy Athens, and Bloomfield Hills on the schedule. If Orion wants to make a run toward the playoffs they must get healthy first.