Week Eleven Picks.

Written Wednesday October 31st at 9:50 AM

Welcome to the 2018 OAA football season. We will pick games this season with my good friends in the media this season, here are the pickers for the season. Anthony Taormina-Host Between Taorminas and History Now on ONTV, Scott Burnstein-State Champs blogger and host, Oakland Press sports writer, Keith Dunlap-Detroit Free Press sports writer, Dan Stickradt-North Oakland Sports, top writer, and Sean Cotter-Farmington video coordinator. Anyway good luck everyone this season.

DUNES 94-32

TRAIN 93-33

DUNLAP 101-25

STICK 91-35

BURNEY 97-29

COTTER 95-31

Harrison at Birmingham Detroit Country Day

This will be the seventh meeting all time between the Hawks and the Yellow Jackets with Harrison holding a 6-0 edge. The last time these two teams met was in 2000 when Harrison beat Birmingham Detroit Country Day 28-7. The Hawks beat Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook-Kingswood 24-10 last week while the Yellow Jackets beat Center Line 42-6. Birmingham Detroit Country Day has played one OAA opponent this season and lost 27-13 to Ferndale. Harrison plays in the White. This will be an interesting matchup, both teams have athletes but if it comes down to a depth game, advantage Hawks but home field favors the Yellow Jackets.

DUNES: HARRISON 21, BIRMINGHAM DETROIT COUNTRY DAY 7

TRAIN: HARRISON 24, BIRMINGHAM DETROIT COUNTRY DAY 14

DUNLAP: HARRISON 20, BIRMINGHAM DETROIT COUNTRY DAY 14

STICK: HARRISON 23, BIRMINGHAM DETROIT COUNTRY DAY 20

BURNEY: HARRISON 28, BIRMINGHAM DETROIT COUNTRY DAY 21

COTTER: HARRISON 17, BIRMINGHAM DETROIT COUNTRY DAY 14

South Lyon East at Farmington

This is the first meeting between the Falcons and the Cougars. Farmington was outscored 69-7 in their last two games but snapped out of that funk with a 42-9 blowout of Avondale last week. South Lyon East has been very competitive despite coming into the playoffs with a 5-4 record. The Cougars went into Ortonville and shocked Brandon 22-15 last week and they own a win over Waterford Mott during the season. Farmington will have their hands full despite having home field advantage.

DUNES: SOUTH LYON EAST 33, FARMINGTON 23

TRAIN: SOUTH LYON EAST 35, FARMINGTON 14

DUNLAP: SOUTH LYON EAST 28, FARMINGTON 17

STICK: FARMINGTON 28, SOUTH LYON EAST 20

BURNEY: SOUTH LYON EAST 24, FARMINGTON 20

COTTER: FARMINGTON 21, SOUTH LYON EAST 14

Warren De LaSalle at Oak Park

This is a rematch of last season’s 14-7 Pilots victory at Wayne State over the Knights in the regional finals. Oak Park has a ton of talent back and this game is in Knight Valley but Warren De LaSalle has their top running back returning as well. Both teams have played tough schedules. I think with the game being at 6 PM it could be an advantage for the Knights. We shall see what happens.

DUNES: OAK PARK 20, WARREN DELASALLE 14

TRAIN: WARREN DELASALLE 28, OAK PARK 16

DUNLAP: WARREN DELASALLE 24, OAK PARK 23

STICK: OAK PARK 35, WARREN DELASALLE 21

BURNEY: OAK PARK 23, WARREN DELASALLE 20

COTTER: OAK PARK 14, WARREN DELASALLE 10

Birmingham Brother Rice at Groves

These two teams are no strangers to one another considering that they are neighborhood rivals and not to mention that the Warriors earned a 24-21 overtime win in the pre-district in Beverly Hills last season. The Falcons have been waiting for this rematch for over a year now. Groves is 3-9 against Birmingham Brother Rice including 1-6 in the last seven meetings. The Falcons won 35-14 over Seaholm last week while the Warriors won 27-14 over Livonia Churchill. There will be plenty of emotions heading into this matchup.

DUNES: GROVES 31, BIRMINGHAM BROTHER RICE 24

TRAIN: GROVES 24, BIRMINGHAM BROTHER RICE 21

DUNLAP: GROVES 27, BIRMINGHAM BROTHER RICE 20

STICK: BIRMINGHAM BROTHER RICE 21, GROVES 14

BURNEY: GROVES 34, BIRMINGHAM BROTHER RICE 31

COTTER: GROVES 14, BIRMINGHAM BROTHER RICE 13

Novi Detroit Catholic Central at West Bloomfield

This will be the first meeting between the Lakers and Shamrocks which will be in the Swamp. West Bloomfield and Novi Detroit Catholic Central has played one common opponent in Orchard Lake St. Marys. The Shamrocks lost to the Eaglets 31-29 but the Lakers beat Orchard Lake St. Marys 13-10 two weeks ago. Novi Detroit Catholic Central beat Canton 49-28 while West Bloomfield had no problem with Plymouth winning 49-14 last week. Whoever style of play carries out whether it’s the Shamrocks ground attack or the Lakers balanced attack will win this game.

DUNES: WEST BLOOMFIELD 21, NOVI DETROIT CATHOLIC CENTRAL 17

TRAIN: WEST BLOOMFIELD 17, NOVI DETROIT CATHOLIC CENTRAL 7

DUNLAP: WEST BLOOMFIELD 28, NOVI DETROIT CATHOLIC CENTRAL 24

STICK: WEST BLOOMFIELD 28, NOVI DETROIT CATHOLIC CENTRAL 27

BURNEY: WEST BLOOMFIELD 27, NOVI DETROIT CATHOLIC CENTRAL 26

COTTER: WEST BLOOMFIELD 24, NOVI DETROIT CATHOLIC CENTRAL 21

White Lake Lakeland at Clarkston

This will be the third meeting between the Wolves and the Eagles with the last one being in 1975 when Lakeland beat Clarkston 21-19. Lakeland needed a rally late to beat Adams 23-20 in overtime last week. The Wolves beat Lake Orion 30-7 last week. Experience favors Clarkston in this matchup but the Eagles won’t be intimated going into the Wolves Den.

DUNES: CLARKSTON 42, LAKELAND 7

TRAIN: CLARKSTON 35, LAKELAND 7

DUNLAP: CLARKSTON 31, LAKELAND 14

STICK: CLARKSTON 28, LAKELAND 14

BURNEY: CLARKSTON 30, LAKELAND 20

COTTER: CLARKSTON 28, LAKELAND 7

Oxford at Lapeer

This is the first meeting between the two schools but the Wildcats and Lightning are no strangers to each other when Lapeer was separated between Lapeer East and Lapeer West when both teams were in the Flint Metro League. The Lightning have dominated the Saginaw Valley League and has a week one win over Lake Orion this season. The Wildcats looked good in destroying Lapeer’s arch rival Davison 38-13 last week forcing three Cardinals interceptions. This will be a good one on the gray turf but it will be who dominates time of possession will win this game.

DUNES: LAPEER 28, OXFORD 27

TRAIN: OXFORD 24, LAPEER 21  

DUNLAP: OXFORD 21, LAPEER 14

STICK: OXFORD 31, LAPEER 21

BURNEY: OXFORD 24, LAPEER 23

COTTER: LAPEER 31, OXFORD 28

Week Ten Recap.

Written Sunday October 28th at 12:45 PM

Here are the playoff recaps around the OAA for Week Ten.

CLARKSTON 30, LAKE ORION 7: The Wolves used a balanced offensive attack despite a very controversial call late in the first half that kept their 21-7 halftime lead intact. Clarkston also had balance offensively in the game. The Wolves and coach Kurt Richardson will host Lakeland next week. Lake Orion has a lot coming back next season and it looks like the program is heading in the right direction under coach John Blackstock.

Lakeland 23, ADAMS 20: The Highlanders lost quarterback Carter Farris to a broken fibula but it was Adams defense and penalties that cost them dearly in their overtime loss to Lakeland at home. The Highlanders made a ton of mistakes which was un-Tony Patrino like and the Eagles came back to tied the score at 17-17 to force overtime. Adams got a field goal on their drive but Lakeland scored a touchdown on their initial drive that sealed it. The Highlanders have a lot of experience coming back led by Farris next season. Adams will be back for sure.

OXFORD 38, Davison 13: The Wildcats made Davison quarterback Cannon Hall look pedestrian in a 38-13 win over the Cardinals forcing three turnovers while Drew Carpenter managed the game as well with his legs in the process and the team went all pound the rock on Davison. Oxford will head to Lapeer next week after the Lightning beat Grand Blanc on the gray turf. It should be a war considering that the Wildcats are better on the road then they are on the blue turf and they are battle tested. The common opponent for both teams has been Lake Orion this season to which both teams beat the Dragons. Lapeer is undefeated coming into this game so this makes this one very interesting.

WEST BLOOMFIELD 49, Plymouth 14: The Lakers were dominant against Plymouth in the Swamp giving them a big win over the Wildcats. West Bloomfield and coach Ron Bellamy will have a war on their hands in the Swamp when Novi Detroit Catholic Central visits next week in the district finals. The Shamrocks beat Canton at home setting the stage for this much anticipated showdown.

OAK PARK 40, FERNDALE 20: The Knights looked dominant against a very good Ferndale team. The Eagles played well but couldn’t overcome the experience that coach Greg Carter’s team had. Ferndale will be very good again next season for coach Erik Royal. Oak Park will have a rematch with Warren De LaSalle. The Knights lost at Wayne State 14-7 last season to the Pilots but this one is in Knight Valley. If Oak Park can win this game then a trip to Ford Field seems likely.

FARMINGTON 42, AVONDALE 9: What happened to the Yellow Jackets, they collapsed. Avondale let Falcons running back Kendall Williams score six touchdowns in a shocking blowout. Farmington and coach Kory Cicroch will move onto play South Lyon East whom upset Brandon in Ortonville last week. South Lyon East does bring some problems to the Falcons but right now Farmington is living in the moment. The Yellow Jackets lose a ton of talent next season so it will be interesting what coach Ed Coutrier has in store for next season.

GROVES 35, SEAHOLM 14: It was de ja vu in Birmingham as Groves beat Seaholm for the second time in two weeks. The Maples took an early 7-0 lead but the Falcons experience and tough schedule paid dividends proving to be too much in the Maple Forest. Groves will play at home in a rematch against Birmingham Brother Rice who ousted Livonia Churchill last week. The Falcons lost to the Warriors in the pre-district 24-21 in overtime last season, it should be a war which coach Brendan Flaherty will have his team ready for. Seaholm had a renaissance this season and coach Jim DeWald has his team heading in the right direction.

HARRISON 24, Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood 10: The Hawks used a strong and balanced second half to outscore the Cranes 21-10 to win 24-10 on Saturday afternoon. Harrison and coach John Herrington will move onto the district finals at Birmingham Detroit Country Day who beat Center Line last week. The Yellow Jackets have faced one OAA opponent in Ferndale to which they fell 27-13 at Ferndale. It should be interesting next week between the Hawks and Birmingham Detroit Country Day.

Volleyball District Preview.

Written Wednesday October 24th at 12:00 AM

Hello everyone the Volleyball districts are not that far out. They start on Monday and go to Friday. Here is my insight and projections heading into the districts.

District Seven @ Bloomfield Hills

TROY ATHENS vs Waterford Mott

AVONDALE vs TROY

TROY ATHENS/Waterford Mott vs WEST BLOOMFIELD

AVONDALE/TROY vs BLOOMFIELD HILLS

INSIGHT: This looks to be an interesting district with the bottom half of the district really heavy. Troy whom is the favorite in this district is Fran McBride, Faith Keading, and Jessica Robinson for coach Tom Vigilant. Bloomfield Hills has not had the best of seasons under first year coach Larry Wyatt has Alexa Rousseau back along with others and home court. West Bloomfield has a new coach in Lauren DeLuyck Forbes but they have a ton of experience led by junior Laura King along with seven seniors, four juniors, and two sophomores. The Lakers won the White crown this season. Avondale could be a factor in the district. Troy Athens has Alexa Withun and has improved during the season. Waterford Mott has had a long year.

PROJECTION: I think the winner of Troy and Bloomfield Hills wins this district. West Bloomfield should get to the district final but will run into a very good Red opponent. The Red opponent will win this district and that’s Troy. PICK: TROY.

District Five @ Waterford Kettering

OXFORD vs LAKE ORION

CLARKSTON vs Waterford Kettering

OXFORD/LAKE ORION vs Holly

INSIGHT: This district will be played sideways from the basketball court at Waterford Kettering. Lake Orion appears to have gotten healthy again with Sydney Smith joining the likes of Paige Briggs, Ciara Livingway, Lauren Bell, Kendall Robertson, and Wren MaCaulay among others for coach Tony Scavarda. Clarkston looks to be the Dragons top challenger led by Claire Nowicki, Hailey Stewart, Skylar Jidas, and Alicia Watlington, among others for coach Kelly Pinner. The Wolves have always seemed to improve as the season goes along and has Lake Orion's number in the postseason. Holly has a ton of experience with six sophomores playing a ton of minutes. Oxford has experience for coach Brian Kim but the results haven’t come this season. Waterford Kettering is very young and could be in for a long season.

PROJECTION: This district should be Lake Orion/Clarkston round two. If the Dragons want to make a statement over the Wolves, then they must win this game. Also if they win the regional is at Lake Orion. I think the Dragons when healthy is one of the most dangerous teams in the State. Clarkston is proven that they have gotten better during the season and expect them to do so but something is different about this Dragons team, the motivation and experience factor will get them through. PICK: LAKE ORION.

District Six @ Stoney Creek

ROCHESTER vs Utica Eisenhower

ADAMS vs Romeo

ROCHESTER/Utica Eisenhower vs Utica

ADAMS/Romeo vs STONEY CREEK

INSIGHT: This is going to be one of the toughest districts in the State. Stoney Creek whom won the Red outright is loaded led by Kate Stration, Kate Yatooma, Stephanie Smith, Nina Billota, and Ava Menzo, among others for coach Ross Talbott also have home court in this district. Rochester has improved under first year coach Kirk Gibbs led by a ton of experience. Adams has had a down season in the Red but they are always is a threat for coach Bridgette Harding. Romeo has a ton of experience back for coach Stacey Williams led by Salina Milana. Utica Eisenhower could be the biggest threat in this district to Stoney Creek has Sydney Palazzolo, Sam Palazzolo, Meghan Dombrowski, Abbey Biermann, among others for coach Caitlyn LaPratt. Utica under Caitlyn’s husband Jeffery LaPratt has Monae Knowles, Abbey Rissman, Jaclyn Duff, and Cayley Ebeling could spoil someone’s dreams.

PROJECTION: If this is not Utica Eisenhower vs Stoney Creek round four then I’ll be shocked. The Cougars have home court and seem to have overcome their Eagles problem. I see coach Ross Talbott going to his old stopping grounds in the regional. PICK: STONEY CREEK.

District Twenty Seven @ Detroit Renaissance

Redford Thurston vs Detroit Mumford

Redford Union vs OAK PARK

Redford Thurston/Detroit Mumford vs Detroit Renaissance

INSIGHT: This is not a strong district when you look at the teams. Detroit Renaissance looks to be the top team in this district. Detroit Mumford is not that far behind. I don’t know much about Redford Thurston or Redford Union. The Knights are struggling this season and might not be a factor in this district.

PROJECTION: When in doubt go with the home team that’s what I always say. PICK: DETROIT RENAISSANCE.

District Twenty Five @ Farmington

FARMINGTON vs SOUTHFIELD ARTS AND TECH

NORTH FARMINGTON vs Farmington Hills Mercy

FARMINGTON/SOUTHFIELD ARTS AND TECH vs Livonia Stevenson

INSIGHT: This is a unique district when you look at the teams here. I kind of wish that one of these teams would head into the Detroit Renaissance district but that’s not the case sadly. The favorite has to be Farmington Hills Mercy. The Marlins are well coached under Loretta Vogel and are the Catholic League Champions for Class A/B and has some talent led by Emily Susitko, Logan Beyer, Mallory Conrad, and Jessica Mruzik. Mruzik played on the United States Developmental team in the summer. Southfield Arts and Tech had a rough season under first year coach Alisha Love but they have some talent in Krista Blakely. North Farmington won the Blue this season features a veteran squad for coach Kat Hall led by Katy Cangemi, Laylah Carter, Delayna Jabbori, and Laylah Carter. Livonia Stevenson is a veteran team for coach Juilan Wargo in Abbey Cleaveland, Libby Cleaveland, and Koryn Parmenter. Farmington is led by Sydney Eggleton for coach Katie Drews in what is expected to be an interesting district.

PROJECTION: I see this being a Farmington Hills Mercy vs Livonia Stevenson district final. The Marlins though with the experience of Mruzik could be the difference of getting Farmington Hills Mercy to the regional. PICK: FARMINGTON HILLS MERCY.

District Twenty Six @ Birmingham Marian

BERKLEY vs SEAHOLM

GROVES vs ROYAL OAK

BERKLEY/SEAHOLM vs Birmingham Marian

INSIGHT: A lot of volleyball pundits say that this is an easy district with Birmingham Marian likely coming out of this district but there could be some teams that could give the Mustangs trouble even though they have home court. Birmingham Marian has some experience to lean on for first year coach Mayssa Cook in Maddie Dowd and Christine Audette. Royal Oak has had a tough season for coach Emily Burwinkle but they have managed to right the ship a little bit led by Emma Brewster, Sierra Randle, Brooke Randle, and Rena Grossman. Groves finished middle of the pack in the White is led by Ellie Ruprich for coach Jenny Brown. Berkley has some size for coach Chantelle Corson. Seaholm has a young team for coaches Heather and Jason Gambone in Maddy Ligon and Anna Osbourne. Despite the youth they could be a factor in this district.

PROJECTION: I think there will be an upset but not where you think. I think the Ravens get by Groves and get to the district final and play Birmingham Marian. The experience and home court factor will be too much for the Ravens against the Mustangs. PICK: BIRMINGHAM MARIAN.

District Fifty Six @ Livonia Clarenceville

HARRISON vs Romulus

Livonia Clarenceville vs Ann Arbor Gabriel Richard

HARRISON/Romulus vs Wixom St. Catherine Sienna Academy

INSIGHT: The newly crowned Catholic League C/D Champions Wixom St. Catherine Sienna Academy has a ton of experience coming back led by Katie Grose and they have continued that stretch for coach Malia Gabel. Ann Arbor Gabriel Richard has a ton of experience back along with Livonia Clarenceville. Harrison in their final season of volleyball has had a decent season for coach Michael Love. Romulus has had a rough season thus far.

PROJECTION: I don’t think anyone is beating the Stars in this district although this district could be a sleeper with all the experience everyone with the exception of Romulus has but end of the day give me Wixom St. Catherine Sienna Academy. PICK: WIXOM ST. CATHERINE SIENNA ACADEMY.

District Fifty Eight @ Hazel Park

Ferndale University vs Detroit University Prep

Detroit Henry Ford for Creative Studies vs Detroit International

Ferndale University/Detroit University Prep vs FERNDALE

Detroit Henry Ford for Creative Studies/Detroit International vs HAZEL PARK

INSIGHT: This is a district that is not well known but it will be soon enough. Ferndale has a new coach in Stella Johnstone whom was the junior varsity coach last season and has a ton of talent back led by Lexi Crosby and a strong freshman class. Hazel Park is a veteran heavy team led by Faith Aquino, Leighanna Passeno, Madisyn Harris, Brooke Lynch, and Olivia Fortress. Don’t know much about the rest of the teams in this district.

PROJECTION: I see this being a Ferndale/Hazel Park district final. I think that Johnstone’s passion gets the Eagles to the regionals. The future looks bright for Ferndale. PICK: FERNDALE.

District Sixty One @ Brandon

Pontiac Notre Dame Prep vs Brandon

PONTIAC vs Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood

Pontiac Notre Dame Prep/Brandon vs Goodrich

INSIGHT: The Fighting Irish are the defending Class B State Champions and led by two Miss Michigan Volleyball candidates in Natalie Risi and Madeline Chinn. Pontiac Notre Dame Prep looks poised to make another State Championship run. Brandon has not had a strong season even though they only have four seniors. Goodrich has had a strong season and could give the Fighting Irish some trouble. On the other side of the district the Phoenix have had a tough season and Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook has had a miserable season.

PROJECTION: This district is the Fighting Irish’s to lose although Goodrich could give Pontiac Notre Dame Prep problems. I see a Pontiac vs Pontiac Notre Dame Prep district final with a blowout looming. PICK: PONTIAC NOTRE DAME PREP.

Cross Country Regional Preview.

Written Wednesday October 24th at 12:00 AM

Here are my projections and insight heading into the Boys and Girls Regional for Cross Country. With thanks to my co-host Ian Locke and Athletic.net, here are my projections.

Region 6 @ Willow Metro Park

BERKLEY

OAK PARK

Ann Arbor Huron

Canton

Salem

Plymouth

Detroit Cass Tech

Detroit Western

Detroit Martin Luther King

Detroit Renaissance

Detroit University Detroit Jesuit

Garden City

Livonia Churchill

Livonia Franklin

Livonia Stevenson

Northville

Novi

Novi Detroit Catholic Central

Redford Thurston

Boys: Plymouth has five runners in the top ten. Salem has three runners in the top 15. Canton has three in the top 20. I think these three teams will move to the State final but it will be Plymouth that wins the trophy. PICK: PLYMOUTH.

Girls: The regional is a three team race between Northville, Salem, and Plymouth. Northville has six runners in the top 15. Plymouth has two runners in the top five and Salem has three in the top 15 and four in the top 20. I think Northville wins this regional. PICK: NORTHVILLE.

Region 7 @ Hess Hathaway Park

FARMINGTON

NORTH FARMINGTON

WEST BLOOMFIELD

Walled Lake Northern

Walled Lake Central

Walled Lake Western

Waterford Kettering

Waterford Mott

Lakeland

Holly

Milford

Fenton

Grand Blanc

Farmington Hills Mercy

Boys: This will be interesting as Milford has four runners in the top 15 while Walled Lake Central has three runners in the top ten. Lakeland has two runners in the top 15 and Fenton has two in the top 20. I think Milford and Walled Lake Central are locks while Lakeland survives and moves on to States. Milford looks to be the favorite to hold the regional crown. PICK: MILFORD.

Girls: Fenton has four runners in the top 20 while Milford has two runners in the top 15. I think Fenton and Milford are locks while Lakeland has two runners in the top 15. I see these three teams moving onto States and I see Milford pulling off an upset of sorts over Fenton. PICK: MILFORD.

Region 8 @ Lake St. Clair Metro Park

GROVES

SEAHOLM

TROY

TROY ATHENS

BLOOMFIELD HILLS

ROYAL OAK

Birmingham Brother Rice

Fraser

Grosse Pointe North

Grosse Pointe South

Roseville

St. Clair Shores Lake Shore

St. Clair Shores Lakeview

Sterling Heights

Sterling Heights Stevenson

Warren De LaSalle

Warren Mott

Warren Cousino

Warren Woods Tower

Boys: Grosse Pointe North has four runners in the top ten. Birmingham Seaholm has three runners in the top 20 and Birmingham Brother Rice has three in the top 20. I see the Norsemen, Maples, and Warriors moving onto States. I see Grosse Pointe North winning the regional crown. PICK: GROSSE POINTE NORTH.

Girls: I see Troy, Seaholm, and Bloomfield Hills moving onto States. The Colts have five runners in the top 20 while the Maples have four runners in the top 15 and the Blackhawks have three runners in the top 10. I think Troy wins this regional. PICK: TROY.

Region 9 @ Algonac

AVONDALE

CLARKSTON

LAKE ORION

OXFORD

ROCHESTER

ADAMS

STONEY CREEK

Chippewa Valley

New Baltimore Anchor Bay

Macomb Dakota

Romeo

Utica Ford

Utica Eisenhower

Utica

Macomb Lutheran North

Boys: Clarkston has four runners in the top 15 while Lake Orion has two in the top 15 and Oxford has three in the top 15. Stoney Creek has three in the top 20. I see the Wolves, Wildcats, and Cougars moving onto States but Clarkston wins the regional crown. PICK: CLARKSTON.

Girls: Clarkston has a deadly core of runners as they have six runners that are in the top 15. Lake Orion has two runners that are in the top 15 along with Romeo. These are the three teams I see getting to States but it will be Clarkston that holds the regional trophy. PICK: CLARKSTON.

Region 16 @ Linden Middle School

HARRISON

FERNDALE

Birmingham Detroit Country Day

Birmingham Marian

Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood

Clawson

Detroit Communication Media Arts

Detroit Cody

Detroit Fredrick Douglass

Detroit Mumford

Detroit Old Redford

Detroit University Prep

Goodrich

Linden

Lake Fenton

Orchard Lake St. Marys

Brandon

Pontiac Notre Dame Prep

Boys: This will be an interesting regional. I see Goodrich with five runners in the top 15 along with Lake Fenton who has six runners in the top 15 going through to States and Linden barely sneaks by as they have two runners in the top 15. I see Lake Fenton winning this regional over a solid Goodrich team. PICK: LAKE FENTON.

Girls: This is shaping up to be a tight meet between Pontiac Notre Dame Prep, Birmingham Marian, and Goodrich. All three of these teams have at least two runners in the top 15 coming into this meet. I think these three teams will be State bound but it will be the Fighting Irish that takes home the regional trophy. PICK: PONTIAC NOTRE DAME PREP.

Region 17 @ Algonac

HAZEL PARK

Algonac

Armada

Warren Fitzgerald

Warren Regina

Center Line

Croswell-Lexington

Harper Woods Chandler Park

Imlay City

Madison Heights Lamphere

Macomb Lutheran North

Marysville

Richmond

St. Clair

Yale

Boys: This will be interesting between Yale, Madison Heights Lamphere, and Armada. I think these teams will move onto States with the depth and talent that each team has. Armada has three runners in the top ten but Yale has four runners in the top 15. This will be a close meet but Yale survives close. PICK: YALE.

Girls: This is an interesting meet between Croswell-Lexington and Imlay City. Macomb Lutheran North might have a say as well. I like Croswell-Lexington to win this regional thanks to their running depth but Imlay City and Macomb Lutheran North will join them at States.  PICK: CROSWELL-LEXINGTON.

Week Ten Picks.

Written Wednesday October 24th at 12:00 AM

Welcome to the 2018 OAA football season. We will pick games this season with my good friends in the media this season, here are the pickers for the season. Anthony Taormina-Host Between Taorminas and History Now on ONTV, Scott Burnstein-State Champs insider, Oakland Press sports writer, Keith Dunlap-Detroit Free Press sports writer, Dan Stickradt-North Oakland Sports, sports writer, and Sean Cotter-Farmington video coordinator. Anyway good luck everyone this season.

DUNES 89-29

TRAIN 89-29

DUNLAP 94-24

STICK 84-34

BURNEY 91-27

COTTER 88-30

Groves at Seaholm

The Falcons and Maples met last week in Beverly Hills with Groves winning 26-9 over Seaholm. It’s odd that the playoff game will be played in front of the Maple Forest even though the Falcons have played a much tougher schedule than the Maples. It’s always hard to beat a team twice and it hasn’t been easy for Groves at Seaholm lately. The winner of this game will either see Birmingham Brother Rice at home or travel to Livonia Churchill next week.

DUNES: GROVES 28, SEAHOLM 21

TRAIN: GROVES 24, SEAHOLM 7

DUNLAP: GROVES 17, SEAHOLM 14

STICK: GROVES over SEAHOLM

BURNEY: GROVES 24, SEAHOLM 23

COTTER: GROVES 21, SEAHOLM 10

Davison at Oxford

This is the eighth meeting all time between the Wildcats and the Cardinals. Davison who is 4-3 in the series features quarterback Cannon Hall whom is a Mr. Michigan Football Candidate but he didn’t look like one last week against Lapeer where his team was blown out 28-6 by the Lightning. The Wildcats are a tough out for anybody have tough wins over Lake Orion, Clarkston, and Romeo but they haven’t been tested in the last two weeks. The winner of this game will likely head to Lapeer next week baring a miraculous upset by Grand Blanc. Things will get interesting at Wildcat Stadium on Friday night.

DUNES: OXFORD 28, DAVISON 21

TRAIN: DAVISON 24, OXFORD 14               

DUNLAP: OXFORD 24, DAVISON 14

STICK: OXFORD over DAVISON

BURNEY: OXFORD 21, DAVISON 20

COTTER: OXFORD 28, DAVISON 20

Ferndale at Oak Park

This will be the sixth meeting all time between the Knights and the Eagles. Ferndale even though they won 30-0 last week over Redford Thurston, I feel bad for them because they have now played three tough opponents to open the playoffs in three years. Oak Park is on a mission to get to Ford Field which included a 21-14 victory over Clarkston. If the Knights can win this game and get by Warren De LaSalle next week then Ford Field could be a reality for Oak Park.

DUNES: OAK PARK 42, FERNDALE 32

TRAIN: OAK PARK 48, FERNDALE 7

DUNLAP: OAK PARK 42, FERNDALE 0

STICK: OAK PARK over FERNDALE

BURNEY: OAK PARK 30, FERNDALE 15

COTTER: OAK PARK 42, FERNDALE 6

Plymouth at West Bloomfield

This is the first meeting between the Lakers and the Wildcats that will take place on Friday night in the Swamp. Plymouth had won four straight games but lost 42-21 to Livonia Churchill last week. West Bloomfield has won two straight including a 13-10 victory over Orchard Lake St. Marys. The winner of this one is looking at Novi Detroit Catholic Central or Plymouth Canton next week.

DUNES: WEST BLOOMFIELD 42, PLYMOUTH 14

TRAIN: WEST BLOOMFIELD 28, PLYMOUTH 7

DUNLAP: WEST BLOOMFIELD 35, PLYMOUTH 24

STICK: WEST BLOOMFIELD over PLYMOUTH

BURNEY: WEST BLOOMFIELD 34, PLYMOUTH 24

COTTER: WEST BLOOMFIELD 38, PLYMOUTH 14

Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood at Harrison

This will be the only meeting between the Hawks and the Cranes. Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood has not beaten any playoff teams this season. They did get a forfeit win over Detroit Delta Prep last week. Harrison had to beat Farmington 48-7 last week to get into the playoffs and they have played a very tough schedule. The Hawks should be dominant on Saturday afternoon and play either Birmingham Detroit Country Day or Center Line next week.

DUNES: HARRISON 49, BLOOMFIELD HILLS CRANBROOK KINGSWOOD 0

TRAIN: HARRISON 45, BLOOMFIELD HILLS CRANBROOK KINGSWOOD 7

DUNLAP: HARRISON 42, BLOOMFIELD HILLS CRANBROOK KINGSWOOD 0

STICK: HARRISON over BLOOMFIELD HILLS CRANBROOK KINGSWOOD

BURNEY: HARRISON 33, BLOOMFIELD HILLS CRANBROOK KINGSWOOD 17

COTTER: HARRISON 49, BLOOMFIELD HILLS CRANBROOK KINGSWOOD 7

White Lake Lakeland at Adams

This is the first ever meeting between the Highlanders and the Eagles. Lakeland has big wins over Walled Lake Western, Waterford Mott, and South Lyon East. The Eagles won the battle of Bogie Lake over Walled Lake Northern 57-14 last week. Adams has that big win at Oxford and won 17-3 over Stoney Creek last week. It will be interesting to see what happens in this matchup in Rochester.

DUNES: ADAMS 24, LAKELAND 14

TRAIN: ADAMS 23, LAKELAND 14

DUNLAP: ADAMS 17, LAKELAND 16

STICK: ADAMS over LAKELAND

BURNEY: ADAMS 28, LAKELAND 25

COTTER: ADAMS 27, LAKELAND 24

Avondale at Farmington

The Falcons beat the Yellow Jackets 28-14 in week five which took Avondale out of the Blue title race but things have changed recently for both the Yellow Jackets and Farmington. The Falcons have been outscored 69-7 in the last two weeks while Avondale is putting up gaudy numbers including last week blowing out North Farmington 44-3. It will be interesting to see what happens in this rematch in Farmington with the winner seeing either South Lyon East or Brandon. The Yellow Jackets for sure want revenge after losing 45-44 to the Blackhawks last season in Auburn Hills but they have to get by the Falcons first to make that happen.

DUNES: AVONDALE 35, FARMINGTON 14

TRAIN: AVONDALE 28, FARMINGTON 21

DUNLAP: FARMINGTON 21, AVONDALE 14

STICK: FARMINGTON over AVONDALE

BURNEY: AVONDALE 27, FARMINGTON 26

COTTER: FARMINGTON 28, AVONDALE 21

Lake Orion at Clarkston

The Dragons and Wolves just met two weeks ago at Lake Orion with Clarkston winning 24-14 on their Football for a Cure night. This time both teams are meeting in the postseason. The Wolves are coming off a 21-14 loss to Oak Park last week while the Dragons went into Monroe and beat the Trojans 31-24 last week. Clarkston has won the last eight meetings. If Lake Orion can stay mistake free then an upset could be very well possible here.

DUNES: LAKE ORION 24, CLARKSTON 20

TRAIN: LAKE ORION 31, CLARKSTON 24  

DUNLAP: CLARKSTON 28, LAKE ORION 17

STICK: CLARKSTON over LAKE ORION

BURNEY: CLARKSTON 21, LAKE ORION 17

COTTER: CLARKSTON 21, LAKE ORION 17

Regional Soccer Outlook.

Written Monday October 22nd at 5:15 PM

Here is the outlook and insight for both Clarkston and Berkley's chances in the regional.

Clarkston: The Wolves won their tough district with a 1-0 victory over Adams at Oxford in the district final. They also beat Stoney Creek in the district semifinals. Clarkston will have a tough matchup with Novi Detroit Catholic Central in the regional at Grand Blanc. It will be interesting to see how that matchup goes. It has been somewhat of a surprising season for the Wolves.

Berkley: The Bears have a great chance to go far but they will have to go through a very good Warren De LaSalle team that they have scrimmaged during the season at Utica Ford. If Berkley gets by the Pilots then they could clash with Utica Eisenhower or Utica Ford II. The Falcons shocked Troy Athens in the district final 1-0 last week. It will be interesting to see what happens.

Playoff Thoughts.

Written Sunday October 21st at 9:05 PM

Here are my thoughts on each team heading into the playoffs.

Harrison: The Hawks open up with Dearborn Heights Crestwood at home. That is a great matchup for Harrison, I don't think that the Cranes have an answer for the Hawks athleticism. Harrison matches up well with Birmingham Detroit Country Day based on athletes. My main concern for the Hawks going forward will be Grosse Ile. Grosse Ile is a very athletic team that can give Harrison problem and lack of depth could be an issue in that game. I like the draw that the Hawks got and they are in Division Four which is a bonus.

Farmington: This is a horrible matchup for the Falcons now yes they are at home and they beat Avondale 28-14 at Farmington and it's back at the scene of the crime. The Falcons have lost two straight by a combined 69-7. The key is can Farmington break out of this slump if not, good bye.

Avondale: This could not have gone any perfect for the Yellow Jackets, another chance at Farmington and if they win that one looking at Brandon in Ortonville. This is more of revenge week for Avondale which they are more than capable of winning this district.

Ferndale: The Eagles can't seem to get a break when it comes to the playoffs. First it was Detroit Martin Luther King, then it was Warren De LaSalle, and now it's Oak Park. The enrollment with Ferndale University has affected how the matchups have been for the Eagles and it showed this time.

Oak Park: The Knights picked up a big win last week over Clarkston now they will face Ferndale in the postseason. Oak Park has to get past the Eagles and then a likely clash with Warren De LaSalle in a rematch at Oak Park. If the Knights can win this district then they have a great chance to get to Ford Field.

Groves: The Falcons have an interesting matchup with Seaholm. They have won five straight over the Maples including a 26-9 win last week but the last time they went to Seaholm they needed to escape with the win last season. Groves has played by far a more tougher schedule than the Maples but anything is possible in the Maple Forest.

Seaholm: This is an interesting rematch with your arch rival at home. The Maples lost 26-9 to Groves in Beverly Hills last week. If I'm coach Jim DeWald this is the perfect time to look at adjustments and it's another opportunity to get revenge on Groves. The Maple Forest will be rocking this weekend.

Adams: The Highlanders got a great draw with Lakeland coming to Rochester but I'm very concerned about Adams defense because they give up a ton of points. Lakeland is a dangerous opponent for the Highlanders because of who they have back. It will be interesting to say the least.

Oxford: Can the Wildcats solve Cannon Hall??? Hall is Davison's quarterback and he was shut down last week against Lapeer. I'm very concerned with Oxford schedule the last two weeks since they beat Clarkston. If the Wildcats can regain that same intensity that they had prior to Clarkston then Oxford could give Lapeer big problems.

West Bloomfield: This is a tough district for the Lakers even though they have everyone coming to the Swamp but they have Novi Detroit Catholic Central and Canton as well. Plymouth is no easy pushover and West Bloomfield lost Donovan Edwards to injury a few weeks ago. The Lakers if they get by the district will have to deal with Belleville in the regional. This is a tough road for West Bloomfield.

Clarkston: The Wolves have been limping into the playoffs after losing to Oak Park last week but Clarkston always performs well in the playoffs. They have a great district draw and a rematch with their arch rival. It will be interesting to see what happens.

Lake Orion: The Dragons are back in the playoffs for the second time in five years and they take on a familiar opponent in Clarkston. Lake Orion has struggled against the Wolves not having beaten them since 2010, does that all change Friday???

Playoff Projections.

Written Saturday October 20th at 3:40 PM
Updated Sunday October 21st at 2:00 AM

Here are my projected playoff parings. These are the projected parings from Division One through Four. The underline is the projected teams who gets in at 5-4 based on their playoff points and classes.

The official matchups will be released on Sunday at 7 PM on Fox Sports Detroit.

Numbers are by number of points.

Division 1

R1 D1

Rockford (61) at Traverse City West (89)

Holland West Ottawa (72) at Hudsonville (74)

R1 D2

Kalamazoo Central (71) at Saline (102)

Brighton (87) at East Kentwood (99)

R2 D1

Grand Blanc (60) at Lapeer (112)

Davison (79) at CLARKSTON (89)

R2 D2

LAKE ORION (63) at OXFORD (87)

ADAMS (73) at Romeo (82)

R3 D1

Lakeland (72) at WEST BLOOMFIELD (96)

Plymouth Canton (73) at Novi Detroit Catholic Central (82)

R3 D2

Plymouth (68) at Belleville (119)

Monroe (72) at Brownstown Woodhaven (98)

R4 D1

Utica Eisenhower (76) at Chippewa Valley (122)

Macomb Dakota (85) at Grosse Pointe South (95)

R4 D2

Detroit Western (55) at Detroit Cass Tech (114)

Dearborn (57) at Dearborn Fordson (100)

Division 2

R1 D1

Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central (60) at Muskegon Mona Shores (96)

Jenison (72) at Traverse City Central (84)

R1 D2

Okemos (68) at Jackson (104)

Portage Northern (82) at Portage Central (83)

R2 D1

Midland Dow (55) at Flushing (88)

Midland (67) at Swartz Creek (73)

R2 D2

Temperance Bedford (58) at South Lyon (112)

Dexter (63) at Fenton (84)

R3 D1

Walled Lake Western (70) at SEAHOLM (84)

Birmingham Brother Rice (79) at GROVES (82)

R3 D2

Livonia Franklin (59) at Livonia Churchill (87)

Wyandotte (69) at Dearborn Heights Crestwood (87)

R4 D1

St. Clair Shores Lake Shore (65) at Port Huron Northern (96)

Roseville (68) at St. Clair Shores Lakeview (71)

R4 D2

FERNDALE (81) at OAK PARK (100)

Warren Mott (84) at Warren DeLaSalle (92)

Division 3

R1 D1

Petoskey (61) at Mount Pleasent (104)

Gaylord (64) at Cedar Springs (95)

R1 D2
East Grand Rapids (72) at Muskegon (115)

Grand Rapids Northview (76) at Grand Rapids Christian (87)

R2 D1

St. Joseph (61) at Zeeland East (95)

Middleville Thornapple Kellogg (75) at Zeeland West (84)

R2 D2
Mattawan (56) at Parma Western (78) 

Stevensville Lakeshore (58) at Battle Creek Central (64)

R3 D1

St. Johns (55) at DeWitt (115)

Haslett (88) at East Lansing (98)

R3 D2

South Lyon East (57) at Brandon (97)

AVONDALE (77) at FARMINGTON (78)

R4 D1

Garden City (63) at Warren Woods Tower (82)

River Rouge (74) at Detroit Martin Luther King (81)

R4 D2

Trenton (70) at Gibraltar Carlson (97)

Riverview (74) at Allen Park (84)

Division 4

R1 D1

Big Rapids (48) at Escanaba (74)

Whitehall (52) at Ludington (67)

R1 D2

Spring Lake (47) at Grand Rapids Catholic Central (83)

Allendale (53) at Wyoming Goodwin Heights (57)

R2 D1

Otsego (49) at Lake Odessa Lakewood (71)

Grand Rapids South Christian (57) at Holland Christian (63)

R2 D2

Plainwell (60) at Edwardsburg (97)

Paw Paw (71) at Three Rivers (84)

R3 D1

Chelsea (67) at Alma (82)

Flint Powers (71) at Willamston (78)

R3 D2

Yale (51) at St. Clair (70)

Croswell-Lexington (68) at North Branch (70)

R4 D1

Goodrich (51) at Birmingham Detroit Country Day (77)

Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood (63) at HARRISON (70)

R4 D2

Center Line (58) at Grosse Isle (104)

Detroit Cody (71) at Milan (75)

Week Nine Recap.

Written Saturday October 20th at 12:35 AM

INSIDE THE OAA TOP 10

1. Groves

2. Oxford

3. Oak Park

4. Ferndale

5. West Bloomfield

6. Seaholm

7. Harrison

8. Adams

9.  Avondale

T-10. Lake Orion

T-10. Clarkston

Week Nine Scores

WEST BLOOMFIELD 13, Orchard Lake St. Marys 10

ADAMS 17, STONEY CREEK 3

LAKE ORION 31, Monroe 24

OXFORD 35, TROY ATHENS 0

River Rouge 45, SOUTHFIELD ARTS AND TECH 0

OAK PARK 21, CLARKSTON 14

BLOOMFIELD HILLS 21, ROCHESTER 15

GROVES 26, SEAHOLM 9

AVONDALE 44, NORTH FARMINGTON 3

ROYAL OAK 39, Monroe Jefferson 8

HARRISON 48, FARMINGTON 7

HAZEL PARK 46, Detroit University Science and Math 20

TROY 20, BERKLEY 12

FERNDALE 30, Redford Thurston 0

Ann Arbor Gabriel Richard 48, PONTIAC 6

BIG WIN: Lake Orion: The Dragons went into Monroe trailing 17-10 at the half but came out in the second half and stunned the Trojans 31-24 on Friday night. The win gives Lake Orion a great shot at making the playoffs. They will be waiting to see if they get an invite on Sunday night but odds are they should.

TOUGH LOSS: Clarkston: The Wolves lost a tough one to Oak Park 21-14 at home on Friday night. Clarkston’s offense had three opportunities to score but couldn’t come through against the Knights and their stout defense. Oak Park looks to likely host multiple playoff games. The Wolves could be on the bubble of hosting a playoff game.

TEAM THAT SENT A STATEMENT: Harrison: I’m so happy that the Hawks will be competing in the playoffs after blowing out Farmington 48-7. Harrison deserved to be in the playoffs and they will be likely in Division Four. The Hawks could be a factor heading into the postseason.

TEAM THAT’S IN TROUBLE: Farmington: On the other side of that defeat was the Falcons as they fell 48-7 to Harrison. Farmington has been outscored 69-7 in the last two weeks. That’s not a good sign if they want to do something in the playoffs.

WHAT HAPPENED? Seaholm: The Maples and Groves wore military uniforms on Friday night in Beverly Hills but it was the Falcons that won 26-9 on Friday night. Groves just ran the football all over Seaholm. It will be interesting if both of these teams meet next week.

TEAM THAT NEEDS A HUG: Rochester: It’s been a tough journey for the Falcons and they lost 21-15 to Bloomfield Hills on Friday night. Rochester had some tough losses to Adams, Groves, Oak Park, and Harrison but they lost to Stoney Creek and Bloomfield Hills by close games. The Falcons head into the offseason with some questions.

ARE YOU KIDDING ME: Southfield Arts and Tech: The Warriors were destroyed on Friday night by River Rouge 45-0. Southfield Arts and Tech was outmatched by River Rouge and it showed. The Warriors have a ton of questions with their program heading into next season.

Week Nine Picks.

Written Wednesday October 17th at 7:00 PM

Welcome to the 2018 OAA football season. We will pick games this season with my good friends in the media this season, here are the pickers for the season. Anthony Taormina-Host Between Taorminas and History Now on ONTV, Scott Burnstein-State Champs insider, Oakland Press sports writer, Keith Dunlap-Detroit Free Press sports writer, Dan Stickradt-North Oakland Sports, sports writer, and Sean Cotter-Farmington video coordinator. Anyway good luck everyone this season.

DUNES 76-27

TRAIN 77-26

DUNLAP 81-22

STICK 71-32

BURNEY 78-25

COTTER 76-27

3. Seaholm at 1. Groves

This maybe the game of the season as the battle of Birmingham takes place. The Falcons have owned the Maples winning the last four meetings and have played a tougher schedule than Seaholm. Groves has won six straight since a 0-2 start. The Maples have had a renaissance winning four straight since losing to South Lyon leading to the Blue crown for the first time since 2013. This one will be a good one that is for sure.

DUNES: GROVES 27, SEAHOLM 24

TRAIN: GROVES 35, SEAHOLM 28

DUNLAP: GROVES 24, SEAHOLM 21 OT

STICK: GROVES 21, SEAHOLM 14

BURNEY: GROVES 31, SEAHOLM 28

COTTER: GROVES 28, SEAHOLM 7

Troy Athens at 2. Oxford

The Wildcats have made the playoffs for the first time since 2014 and have won three straight since being upset by Adams. Oxford looks to stay healthy as they get ready for the postseason. The Red Hawks and former Oxford quarterback and coach Billy Keenest has had a rough season but they did get their first win of the year by beating Troy 31-0 last week. There are better days ahead for Troy Athens but it will be interesting how Wildcats coach Bud Rowley plays this against his former quarterback.

DUNES: OXFORD 35, TROY ATHENS 21

TRAIN: OXFORD 42, TROY ATHENS 7        

DUNLAP: OXFORD 48, TROY ATHENS 7

STICK: OXFORD 35, TROY ATHENS 14

BURNEY: OXFORD 27, TROY ATHENS 17

COTTER: OXFORD 42, TROY ATHENS 7

4. Oak Park at 6. Clarkston

It’s always hard to recover from a loss but the loss to West Bloomfield 27-21 last week may have been the best thing to happen to Oak Park. The Knights had won seven straight heading into that matchup with the Lakers. If Oak Park wants to make a statement then why not go into Clarkston and make that statement. The Wolves beat Lake Orion 24-14 last week and have not looked impressive since. This is the Knights best chance if they want to host a regional.

DUNES: OAK PARK 30, CLARKSTON 27

TRAIN: CLARKSTON 24, OAK PARK 21

DUNLAP: CLARKSTON 27, OAK PARK 24

STICK: OAK PARK 28, CLARKSTON 21

BURNEY: CLARKSTON 27, OAK PARK 24

COTTER: CLARKSTON 24, OAK PARK 21

5. Ferndale at Redford Thurston

This is a big matchup for both teams but for different reasons with both teams named Eagles. Ferndale is red hot winning five straight games to make their third straight playoff appearance including last week’s 20-7 victory at Hurley Field over Berkley. Redford Thurston is also red hot since losing three straight early in the season as they sit at 5-3 needing one win to get to the playoffs. It will be a good one in Redford that is for sure.

DUNES: FERNDALE 28, REDFORD THURSTON 21

TRAIN: FERNDALE 42, REDFORD THURSTON 14

DUNLAP: FERNDALE 35, REDFORD THURSTON 10

STICK: FERNDALE 21, REDFORD THURSTON 19

BURNEY: FERNDALE 24, REDFORD THURSTON 14

COTTER: FERNDALE 28, REDFORD THURSTON 6

Orchard Lake St. Marys at 7. West Bloomfield

The Battle of Orchard Lake is upon us. It is the first ever meeting between these two neighborhood rivals on the gridiron. The Lakers are playoff bound after a 27-21 victory over Oak Park last week. The Eaglets lost 24-21 to Birmingham Brother Rice last week and will not make the playoffs for a second straight season. This could be a highly entertaining game in the Swamp.

DUNES: WEST BLOOMFIELD 42, ORCHARD LAKE ST. MARYS 14

TRAIN: WEST BLOOMFIELD 49, ORCHARD LAKE ST. MARYS 7

DUNLAP: WEST BLOOMFIELD 42, ORCHARD LAKE ST. MARYS 18

STICK: WEST BLOOMFIELD 28, ORCHARD LAKE ST. MARYS 14

BURNEY: WEST BLOOMFIELD 33, ORCHARD LAKE ST. MARYS 25

COTTER: WEST BLOOMFIELD 28, ORCHARD LAKE ST. MARYS 27

8. Avondale at North Farmington

The Yellow Jackets are in the playoffs for a second straight season including locking up a 45-6 victory over Hazel Park to secure a playoff berth. The Raiders are improving but lost 23-17 to Macomb Lutheran North last week. It will be interesting to see where North Farmington’s mindset is at heading into next season but for Avondale it’s about staying healthy and getting ready for the playoffs.

DUNES: AVONDALE 42, NORTH FARMINGTON 22

TRAIN: AVONDALE 49, NORTH FARMINGTON 7

DUNLAP: AVONDALE 31, NORTH FARMINGTON 14

STICK: AVONDALE 28, NORTH FARMINGTON 20

BURNEY: AVONDALE 23, NORTH FARMINGTON 20

COTTER: AVONDALE 42, NORTH FARMINGTON 7

Stoney Creek at 9. Adams

This is a must win game for the Highlanders as they look to get to the playoffs for a third straight season which included a huge 33-14 win over Southfield Arts and Tech last week. Adams has won eight of nine against Stoney Creek but this is a different Cougars team than the Highlanders have seen. Stoney Creek has really improved, outscoring their opponents 59-14 in the last two weeks which included a shocking 25-0 victory over Rochester last week. This one could surprise some folks as the Cougars really have nothing to lose and Adams has everything to lose.

DUNES: ADAMS 28, STONEY CREEK 24

TRAIN: ADAMS 35, STONEY CREEK 7

DUNLAP: ADAMS 31, STONEY CREEK 13

STICK: ADAMS 24, STONEY CREEK 14

BURNEY: ADAMS 32, STONEY CREEK 21

COTTER: ADAMS 38, STONEY CREEK 6

Farmington at 10. Harrison

This will be an interesting matchup to close the season on Harrison’s final home game of the regular season. Both teams are coming off losses, the Falcons to Seaholm 21-0 and the Hawks to Groves 25-6 last week. Harrison has owned the series over Farmington by going 30-5 in that span. This will be an interesting matchup to say the least.

DUNES: HARRISON 35, FARMINGTON 0

TRAIN: HARRISON 35, FARMINGTON 14

DUNLAP: HARRISON 42, FARMINGTON 7

STICK: HARRISON 35, FARMINGTON 21

BURNEY: HARRISON 30, FARMINGTON 23

COTTER: HARRISON 35, FARMINGTON 0

Rochester at Bloomfield Hills

I’m still in shock to see what happened to the Falcons at Stoney Creek when looking at the score. Rochester was shocked 25-0 by the Cougars last week with all the close losses they have had during the season. The Blackhawks have not been competitive losing seven straight games and been blown out in six of them. It’s going to be interesting to see who comes out and finishes the season strong.

DUNES: ROCHESTER 35, BLOOMFIELD HILLS 7

TRAIN: ROCHESTER 17, BLOOMFIELD HILLS 14

DUNLAP: ROCHESTER 24, BLOOMFIELD HILLS 20

STICK: ROCHESTER 35, BLOOMFIELD HILLS 21

BURNEY: ROCHESTER 23, BLOOMFIELD HILLS 20

COTTER: ROCHESTER 28, BLOOMFIELD HILLS 14

Lake Orion at Monroe

It’s do or die for the Dragons as they travel south down I-75 to Monroe to take on a 6-2 Trojans team that is really athletic and solid. It’s the first meeting between the teams since 1998 when they met in the regional. Lake Orion is coming off a 24-14 loss to Clarkston. Monroe lost 28-6 to Saline last week. The Dragons has a size advantage and has played a tougher schedule than the Trojans. If Blaze Lauer shows up and not make mistakes then Lake Orion will be playoff bound at 5-4 even though this will be their first game on grass since Romeo in the postseason in 2015.

DUNES: LAKE ORION 35, MONROE 28

TRAIN: LAKE ORION 28, MONROE 14

DUNLAP: LAKE ORION 31, MONROE 21

STICK: LAKE ORION 21, MONROE 20

BURNEY: LAKE ORION 23, MONROE 20

COTTER: LAKE ORION 28, MONROE 21

Southfield Arts and Tech at River Rouge

The Warriors saw their playoff hopes dashed last week by Adams 33-14 which will make them miss the postseason for a second straight season. We don’t know what the mindset of Southfield Arts and Tech will be as they travel to River Rouge to play the Panthers. River Rouge has not played a game in two weeks so it’s possible they could be rusty but it will be a tough task to say the least for the Warriors.

DUNES: RIVER ROUGE 37, SOUTHFIELD ARTS AND TECH 30

TRAIN: RIVER ROUGE 35, SOUTHFIELD ARTS AND TECH 31

DUNLAP: RIVER ROUGE 27, SOUTHFIELD ARTS AND TECH 20

STICK: RIVER ROUGE 22, SOUTHFIELD ARTS AND TECH 20

BURNEY: RIVER ROUGE 34, SOUTHFIELD ARTS AND TECH 31

COTTER: RIVER ROUGE 26, SOUTHFIELD ARTS AND TECH 14

Troy at Berkley

The Colts have lost their scoring touch in their six game losing streak which included getting shutout by a combined 69-0 in the last two weeks. The Bears meanwhile has lost five straight including a 20-7 defeat to Ferndale last week. Someone has to win this game at Hurley Field.

DUNES: BERKLEY 10, TROY 3

TRAIN: BERKLEY 14, TROY 10

DUNLAP: TROY 21, BERKLEY 14

STICK: TROY 21, BERKLEY 20

BURNEY: TROY 28, BERKLEY 26

COTTER: BERKLEY 7, TROY 3

Riverview Gabriel Richard at Pontiac

It’s been another rough season for the Phoenix as they look to next season. Pontiac has lost seven straight games and they haven’t even been competitive in any of them getting outscored 337-28 in that span. They will take on a Riverview Gabriel Richard team that is one win away from making the playoffs. The Pioneers have won two straight outscoring their opponents 72-21 in that span. It’s going to get ugly at Wisner Stadium.

DUNES: RIVERVIEW GABRIEL RICHARD 56, PONTIAC 0

TRAIN: RIVERVIEW GABRIEL RICHARD 35, PONTIAC 0

DUNLAP: RIVERVIEW GABRIEL RICHARD 28, PONTIAC 6

STICK: RIVERVIEW GABRIEL RICHARD 21, PONTIAC 13

BURNEY: RIVERVIEW GABRIEL RICHARD 26, PONTIAC 16

COTTER: RIVERVIEW GABRIEL RICHARD 49, PONTIAC 8

Monroe Jefferson at Royal Oak

The Ravens will need a ton of help if they want to make the playoffs. Monroe Jefferson lost 17-0 at home to Royal Oak last season. The Bears have been outscored 81-0 in the last two weeks which is not good. The Ravens won 35-0 over Detroit Edison last week. It could be a long ride up north for Monroe Jefferson.

DUNES: ROYAL OAK 24, MONROE JEFFERSON 0

TRAIN: ROYAL OAK 28, MONROE JEFFERSON 7

DUNLAP: ROYAL OAK 35, MONROE JEFFERSON 14

STICK: ROYAL OAK 24, MONROE JEFFERSON 21

BURNEY: ROYAL OAK 30, MONROE JEFFERSON 22

COTTER: ROYAL OAK 35, MONROE JEFFERSON 0

Detroit Science and Math at Hazel Park

It’s the final game in the OAA for the Vikings as they are leaving for the MAC next season. The Vikings are coming off a 45-6 loss to Avondale last week. Detroit Science and Math won 20-18 over Marine City Cardinal Mooney last week. It will be an interesting matchup for Hazel Park.

DUNES: DETROIT SCIENCE AND MATH 24, HAZEL PARK 16

TRAIN: HAZEL PARK 35, DETROIT SCIENCE AND MATH 0

DUNLAP: HAZEL PARK 23, DETROIT SCIENCE AND MATH 15

STICK: HAZEL PARK 22, DETROIT SCIENCE AND MATH 7

BURNEY: HAZEL PARK 25, DETROIT SCIENCE AND MATH 15

COTTER: HAZEL PARK 32, DETROIT SCIENCE AND MATH 8