Tuesday, October 25, 2016

Volleyball District Preview.

Written Wednesday October 24th at 12:30 AM

Here are the District Volleyball playoff previews for the State Tournament. District 21, 23, 24, 25, 30, 31 are Class A while District 43 is Class B. The pre-district is at 5:30 and 7 PM on Monday October 31st which is Halloween, the district semifinal at 5:30 PM and 7 PM on Wednesday November 2nd and the Final will take place on Friday November 6th at 7 PM or at a predetermined time, anyway here are the districts.


District 21 @ Farmington:

NORTH FARMINGTON vs WEST BLOOMFIELD
NORTH FARMINGTON/WEST BLOOMFIELD winner vs Farmington Hills Mercy
FARMINGTON vs HARRISON

District Final: Friday 6 PM 

Winner will move onto Region Five at Howell.

Thoughts: When I look at this district, there are some teams that could make a serious challenge to Farmington Hills Mercy, whom lost the Catholic League crown to Ann Arbor Gabriel Richard in four games. The Marlins are the defending district champion. Harrison might have the best shot to make a challenge to Farmington Hills Mercy in this district. The Hawks got a nice draw to the final and won the Farmington Public Schools City championship last week. North Farmington is the wildcard in this matchup as they do own a win over Harrison.

PROJECTION: It will be a Farmington Hills Mercy/Harrison final and if that’s the case give me Loretta Vogel’s team over coach Michael Love’s team. I just don’t see the Hawks whom are led by Stefanie Jankiewicz and Marlins transfer Jenna Khoury not matching up well with her former team. PICK: Farmington Hills Mercy.

District 23 @ Warren Cousino:

TROY ATHENS vs Warren Mott
Sterling Heights vs Warren Cousino
TROY ATHENS/Warren Mott winner vs ROYAL OAK
Sterling Heights/Warren Cousino winner vs Warren Regina

District Final: Friday 6 PM

Winner will move onto Region Six at Troy.

Thoughts: This district is not the greatest when it comes to teams in here. Troy Athens won the White this season and the Red Hawks would like to have a repeat performance of what happened last season when they won the district. Warren Cousino looks to be the next best team here in this district and have been rolling as of late and is the host team. I don’t think anyone besides possibly Warren Mott spoiling things but either way prepare for a rematch of last year’s final at Royal Oak.

PROJECTION: It will be a Troy Athens/Warren Cousino district final from last year. The Patriots will have home court advantage but at the end of the day it will be the same result as last year though. PICK: Troy Athens.

District 24 @ Detroit Renaissance

BERKLEY vs SOUTHFIELD ARTS AND TECH
BERKLEY/SOUTHFIELD ARTS AND TECH winner vs OAK PARK
Warren Fitzgerald vs Detroit Renaissance

District Final: Friday 7 PM

Winner will move onto Region Four at Garden City.

Thoughts: This district draw couldn’t be any more perfect for Berkley. The Bears will have to deal with Southfield Arts and Tech and get Oak Park while the two other top teams have to go up against each other with Warren Fitzgerald taking on the host Detroit Renaissance. The Spartans come from Class B to Class A for this district. If Berkley sees the home team then they could be in for some trouble but don’t count Warren Fitzgerald out.

PROJECTION: I said Warren Fitzgerald would win this district if you see my projections in June but you also got two solid teams in this district in Detroit Renaissance and Berkley as well. I’ve been doing some thinking and looking at the Bears, they have a ton of experience when looking at this team. I believe this will be the Berkley's year to win the district. PICK: Berkley.

District 25 @ Birmingham Marian

TROY vs AVONDALE
SEAHOLM vs GROVES
TROY/AVONDALE winner vs Birmingham Marian
SEAHOLM/GROVES winner vs BLOOMFIELD HILLS

District Final: Friday 7 PM

Winner will move onto Region Six at Troy.

Thoughts: This has the makings of a great semifinal and final showdown on the small gym over on Lahser Road. I can’t wait to see the Seaholm/Bloomfield Hills rematch pending if Seaholm can get past arch rival Groves in the pre-district in which they very well should do. The Maples shocked the Blackhawks on the road in three games the last time they met. The winner will go on to likely play against Birmingham Marian. Both teams have had success against the Mustangs in tournaments this season. This will be interesting on the small court of Birmingham Marian.

PROJECTIONS: I said earlier that this would be Birmingham Marian’s year and it very well could be but I’ve been impressed with both Seaholm and Bloomfield Hills. The Maples have been improving after league play while the Blackhawks have been an honorable mention in the State all season long. Bloomfield Hills can match the Mustangs very well and could very beat them again on small court of Birmingham Marian. We shall see, could it be a repeat??? PICK: Bloomfield Hills.

District 30 @ Stoney Creek

Utica vs ROCHESTER
Utica/ROCHESTER winner vs Utica Eisenhower
STONEY CREEK vs ADAMS

District Final: Friday 6 PM

Winner will move onto Region Seven at New Baltimore Anchor Bay.

Thoughts: Utica Eisenhower and Stoney Creek are on a collision course to the district final. Adams is a dark horse candidate here with the experience they have back. I don’t think the Highlanders match up well with Stoney Creek in their district semifinal matchup. Rochester could surprise some folks as they won the Blue this season and have had a history rising up to the challenge against teams in the upper division. Utica has had an up and down season but can be dangerous and have nothing to lose. The winner of the Falcons/Chieftains game will have to deal with the State ranked Eagles. Utica Eisenhower won the Macomb Area Conference Red crown this season. This will be an interesting district but the top two the Eagles and Cougars are destined to meet each other in the district final.

PROJECTION: Everyone the rematch has to happen between the Cougars and Eagles. So, go get your popcorn ready and enjoy the rematch. The final was at Utica Eisenhower last year but Stoney Creek though is a different team and has a new coach in Ross Talbott will change things around this time compared to last season. This time around I see the Cougars being the team that wins their first ever district crown. PICK: Stoney Creek.

District 31 @ Orion

Waterford Kettering vs PONTIAC
Waterford Mott vs OXFORD
Waterford Mott/OXFORD winner vs CLARKSTON
Waterford Kettering/PONTIAC winner vs ORION

District Final: Friday 7 PM

Winner will move onto Region Seven at New Baltimore Anchor Bay.

Thoughts: This one is interesting especially for Clarkston. The Wolves lost to Orion in five games at home in the regular season costing them the Red. Clarkston could get another shot at the Dragons in the district final pending if the Wolves can get past Oxford in the district semifinal. The Wildcats have given both the Dragons and Clarkston problems and could very well do so again. Either way it will be someone in Blue and Yellow that will play the Green and White.

PROJECTION: If an Orion/Clarkston rematch in the district final can’t get you any excited then I don’t know what will. It also won’t surprise me if Oxford upsets Clarkston, I think it will be Orion and Clarkston in the district finals and it will go five games. PICK: Orion.

District 43 @ Detroit Mumford

FERNDALE vs Detroit Mumford
Ferndale University vs Detroit University Prep
FERNDALE/Detroit Mumford winner vs Detroit Henry Ford Creative of Academic Studies
Ferndale University/Detroit University Prep winner vs HAZEL PARK

District Final: Friday 6 PM

Winner will move onto Region Thirteen at Livonia Clarenceville.

Thoughts: The Eagles have improved considerably this season while Hazel Park has improved as well. The Vikings got a great draw while Ferndale has to play Detroit Mumford first. This isn’t a good district on paper but we could all be in for a surprise.

PROJECTION: I think this will be an all OAA Final and coach Rachel Burnham will have herself another district crown. PICK: Ferndale.

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I have highest function of autism (Asperger Syndrome.) I'm a huge Dallas Stars fan. I like to play and watch football, especially when the Dragons play on Friday nights. I am a 2006 alum and used to play football for the Dragons. I ran track, I ran the 100, 200, 400 meter dashes along with shot-put and discus. During my time in Orion I was a manager for Junior Varsity Boys Basketball team. I'm the volleyball, girls basketball, and football announcer for the team and do the book on the road for girls basketball. I do the clock for volleyball in the fall along with girls basketball in the winter and announce some boys basketball games as well. In the spring I coach shot-put at Scripps Middle School, in my fifth season coaching. I run the shot-put for high school meets. I played Special Olympics Basketball, I've won three gold medals for them. I host "Between Taorminas" which is on ONTV along with a podcast called "OAA Now". In other various things outside of Lake Orion, I love to jet ski over Saginaw Bay. Saginaw Bay is basically my life. I'm a trained weather spotter for the National Weather Service for Oakland and Huron counties.