Hazel Park Staying Put.

Written Saturday May 20th at 8:50 PM

It looks like the Hazel Park Vikings will be staying in the OAA after all.

Citing an accurate source, the Macomb Area Conference Principals turned down Hazel Park's request to enter the league. The Athletic Directors approved the move for the Vikings to enter the conference.

Now this rejection by the MAC Principals leaves Hazel Park in a bit of a quagmire. The Vikings were suppose to be leaving the OAA for the MAC in the 2018-2019 School Year but for now they will be staying in the OAA for the time being.

The Vikings reasons why they wanted to leave the league was because of competitive balance, especially in football. In the 2016 season, Hazel Park was not happy that Troy, Rochester, and Bloomfield Hills were in the Blue because those three schools had bigger enrollments (Troy 2,422, Rochester 1,705, Bloomfield Hills 1,842) and the Vikings have one of the smallest enrollments in the league (881 students.)

Hazel Park finished the 2016 season at 2-7 and haven't made the playoffs since 2010.

The Vikings are 10-44 since 2011 but is 3-33 since 2013.

Hazel Park this upcoming football season will be in the Blue with Pontiac, Ferndale, Avondale, and Royal Oak but North Farmington and Farmington come down from the White. Both the Raiders and Falcons have new coaches. It will be interesting for the Vikings in week one when they open up at Warren Fitzgerald in August.

The Vikings will be in Class A next season for Volleyball and Basketball. Hazel Park will possibly be placed in a district with Southfield Arts and Tech, Berkley, Oak Park, Warren Fitzgerald, and Detroit Renaissance.

Hazel Park's Boys Basketball team won their first district title since 1965 but lost a heart-breaker to Detroit Collegiate Prep of Northwestern in the regional semifinal. The Vikings shared the White with Troy last season. Hazel Park will have a tough chore this upcoming season as they are now in the Red division and will play the likes of Clarkston, North Farmington, West Bloomfield, Troy, Southfield Arts and Tech, and Bloomfield Hills.

The Hazel Park Girls Basketball team should be good again this upcoming winter with a ton of experience back after they won 14 games and making the district final last season. The Vikings Volleyball team will also be solid as well next season.

Thoughts.

I was surprised the MAC Principals voted Hazel Park down despite having a close rivalry with Warren Fitzgerald, Clawson, Madison Heights Madison, and Madison Heights Lamphere.

It will be interesting to see what Hazel Park does but the Vikings will be in the league for now.

Stay tuned to OAA Now for the latest updates on this developing story.