Week Ten Picks.

Written Tuesday October 24th at 7:20 PM

Welcome to the 2017 OAA Football Season, this season we will pick games that include OAA Teams. This year we have Anthony Taormina from History Now and Between Taorminas on Orion Neighborhood Television, Scott Burnstein from MIPrepZone and State Champs, Dan Stickradt from North Oakland Sports, Keith Dunlap a free-lance writer at the Detroit Free Press, and Sean Cotter Ford worker and Farmington loyalist.

SAMMY 73-44

ANT 87-30

SEAN 91-26

STICK 96-21

KEITH 96-21

BURNEY 88-29

Division One

Grand Blanc at Clarkston

The Wolves are coming into the playoffs limping after two tough weeks but both of them resulted in wins over Harrison and Orion. They will play a Bobcats team that needed a two point stop to beat Brighton 27-26. Grand Blanc has a new coach in Cedrick Alexander and rumor has it he’s had to study film late into the night on how to stop Clarkston. I don’t know if the Bobcats have enough to beat the Wolves. Expect Clarkston to roll to Davison next week.

SAMMY PICK: CLARKSTON 35, GRAND BLANC 14.

ANT PICK: CLARKSTON 27, GRAND BLANC 24.

SEAN PICK: CLARKSTON 42, GRAND BLANC 13.

STICK PICK: CLARKSTON 28, GRAND BLANC 14.

KEITH PICK: CLARKSTON 24, GRAND BLANC 20.

BURNEY PICK: CLARKSTON 28, GRAND BLANC 22.

Romeo at Adams

This will be very competitive in Rochester on Friday night. The Highlanders have had a successful season and will look to continue to ride that momentum against a Bulldogs team that has had a ton of success lately with the State title in 2015 and a State Semifinal appearance last season. Romeo is not the same team they have been in the past two seasons. We don’t know the status of Cole Patrino and that could be a difference maker heading into the game. The winner of this game will see Utica Eisenhower at Sweinhart Field next week.

SAMMY PICK: ADAMS 24, ROMEO 17.

ANT PICK: ROMEO 14, ADAMS 10.

SEAN PICK: ADAMS 21, ROMEO 17.

STICK PICK: ADAMS 35, ROMEO 14.

KEITH PICK: ADAMS 24, ROMEO 7.

BURNEY PICK: ADAMS 27, ROMEO 23.

Troy at Waterford Mott

The Colts are in the playoffs for the first time since 2009 but the MHSAA punished Troy by giving them a trip to Waterford to play the Corsairs. The Colts won an emotional 20-19 game over Troy Athens last week. They will have their hands full with Waterford Mott and their athleticism along with quarterback David McGlown. The question will be being what Colts team shows up, the one that won six games to get to the playoffs or the one that got blown out by Oak Park, Groves, and Harrison??? This one will get ugly in Waterford.

SAMMY PICK: WATERFORD MOTT 56, TROY 0.

ANT PICK: WATERFORD MOTT 42, TROY 3.

SEAN PICK: WATERFORD MOTT 42, TROY 10.

STICK PICK: WATERFORD 28, TROY 21.

KEITH PICK: WATERFORD MOTT 42, TROY 7.

BURNEY PICK: WATERFORD MOTT 28, TROY 14.

Bloomfield Hills at West Bloomfield

I wonder how many times the Lakers coaching staff will be thinking about what happened in week two when West Bloomfield had a 24-7 lead only to see John Paddock and Ty Slazinski go nuts and stun the Lakers 28-24 in the Swamp. West Bloomfield will be clearly remembering that game because that was the last time they lost, they have won seven straight since then. The winner of this game will likely be heading to Waterford next week. The Lakers will show no mercy this week.

SAMMY PICK: WEST BLOOMFIELD 56, BLOOMFIELD HILLS 14.

ANT PICK: WEST BLOOMFIELD 49, BLOOMFIELD HILLS 21.

SEAN PICK: WEST BLOOMFIELD 52, BLOOMFIELD HILLS 28.

STICK PICK: WEST BLOOMFIELD 35, BLOOMFIELD HILLS 28.

KEITH PICK: WEST BLOOMFIELD 42, BLOOMFIELD HILLS 31.

BURNEY PICK: WEST BLOOMFIELD 24, BLOOMFIELD HILLS 21.

Division Two

Royal Oak at Oak Park

The Ravens are in the playoffs for the first time since 2006 but the MHSAA rewarded Royal Oak with a trip to Oak Park to take on a Knights team that is making their fifth straight playoff appearance. The Ravens won 17-0 at Monroe Jefferson last week. Oak Park won a wild 58-39 game with Bloomfield Hills last week. This matchup is a mismatch on paper and expect this one to be over by 8 PM.

SAMMY PICK: OAK PARK 70, ROYAL OAK 0.

ANT PICK: OAK PARK 64, ROYAL OAK 0.

SEAN PICK: OAK PARK 54, ROYAL OAK 0.

STICK PICK: OAK PARK 35, ROYAL OAK 7.

KEITH PICK: OAK PARK 48, ROYAL OAK 10.

BURNEY PICK: OAK PARK 33, ROYAL OAK 16.

Birmingham Brother Rice at Groves

This will be an interesting matchup in Beverly Hills as the Falcons and Warriors meet again in the district playoffs. Groves beat Birmingham Brother Rice 24-0 in the district final last season on route to their first ever State Semifinal now they will meet in the first round. I think both these rivals are different, the Warriors have a new coaching staff while the Falcons are a younger team based on experience. Groves is 28-5 since 2015, this one could go down to the wire yet again.

SAMMY PICK: GROVES 24, BIRMINGHAM BROTHER RICE 21.

ANT PICK: BIRMINGHAM BROTHER RICE 17, GROVES 14.

SEAN PICK: BIRMINGHAM BROTHER RICE 35, GROVES 14.

STICK PICK: GROVES 21, BIRMINGHAM BROTHER RICE 20.

KEITH PICK: GROVES 17, BIRMINGHAM BROTHER RICE 10.

BURNEY PICK: BIRMINGHAM BROTHER RICE 24, GROVES 20.

Warren DeLaSalle at Ferndale

The Eagles are back in the playoffs for the second straight season but the MHSAA didn’t give Ferndale any benefits. Instead the MHSAA gave the Eagles a home game against Warren DeLaSalle, the Catholic League Champions. The Pilots are very athletic, experienced, and well coached in former Macomb Dakota coach Mike Gionnone. Warren DeLaSalle also beat Novi Detroit Catholic Central twice in two straight weeks and was mentioned as the darkhorse in Division Two. Ferndale beat Dearborn Edsel Ford 28-24 last week and shared the Blue title with Avondale and Hazel Park which was their first title since 1996. Everything looks to be against the Eagles even though they are at home and have depth concerns heading into this game but they have nothing to lose.

SAMMY PICK: FERNDALE 21, WARREN DELASALLE 18.

ANT PICK: WARREN DELASALLE 42, FERNDALE 0.

SEAN PICK: WARREN DELASALLE 49, FERNDALE 0.

STICK PICK: WARREN DELASALLE 21, FERNDALE 14.

KEITH PICK: WARREN DELASALLE 31, FERNDALE 14.

BURNEY PICK: WARREN DELASALLE 31, FERNDALE 23.

Division Three

Brandon at Avondale

Brandon coach Brad Zube returns to the OAA and he brings his Blackhawks with him to Auburn Hills to take on the Yellow Jackets. Avondale shared the Blue with Hazel Park and Ferndale, made the playoffs for the first time since 2012 will be riding a lot of momentum after beating Macomb Lutheran North 41-20 last week. Brandon beat Swartz Creek to punch their ticket to the playoffs. This will be an interesting matchup, Zube knows the OAA from his coaching days at Pontiac and Stoney Creek. This will be a huge test for coach Ed Coutrier on how he gets his team ready for this matchup. The winner of this one will likely go to Linden next week to take on the Eagles.

SAMMY PICK: BRANDON 28, AVONDALE 25.

ANT PICK: BRANDON 24, AVONDALE 21.

SEAN PICK: BRANDON 28, AVONDALE 21.

STICK PICK: AVONDALE 34, BRANDON 28.

KEITH PICK: BRANDON 21, AVONDALE 20.

BURNEY PICK: BRANDON 21, AVONDALE 19.

Hazel Park at Warren Woods Tower

The Vikings are back in the playoffs for the first time since 2010 after beating Madison Heights Bishop Foley 47-7 to earn a berth into the playoffs and clinched a share of the Blue with Avondale and Ferndale, their first league title since 2005. Warren Woods Tower finished 7-2 and was second in the MAC Gold. The Titans hammered Sterling Heights 63-14 last week after having two subpar weeks in which they were outscored 41-20 in those two weeks, which resulted in losses. Hazel Park’s defense will be there, they have been solid all season along and the league that the Vikings play in will help as well. This one has upset trap written all over it.

SAMMY PICK: HAZEL PARK 21, WARREN WOODS TOWER 14.

ANT PICK: HAZEL PARK 21, WARREN WOODS TOWER 20.

SEAN PICK: WARREN WOODS TOWER 28, HAZEL PARK 12.

STICK PICK: HAZEL PARK 27, WARREN WOODS TOWER 21.

KEITH PICK: HAZEL PARK 24, WARREN WOODS TOWER 17.

BURNEY PICK: HAZEL PARK 20, WARREN WOODS TOWER 19.

Harrison at Warren Fitzgerald

The Spartans have had a successful season going 7-2 but the matchup they got with the Hawks might not be to Warren Fitzgerald’s liking even though it’s at home. Harrison played in a tougher league (White) than the Spartans (MAC Silver.) The Hawks played well for a half last week against Clarkston before falling 23-12 last week. Harrison would want to get some revenge in Warren against a solid Warren Fitzgerald team and the players are going to go all out for coach John Herrington.

SAMMY PICK: HARRISON 21, WARREN FITZGERALD 7.

ANT PICK: HARRISON 28, WARREN FITZGERALD 7.

SEAN PICK: HARRISON 49, WARREN FITZGERALD 7.

STICK PICK: HARRISON 28, WARREN FITZGERALD 20.

KEITH PICK: HARRISON 35, WARREN FITZGERALD 13.

BURNEY PICK: HARRISON 25, WARREN FITZGERALD 17.