OAA adds Ferndale University.

Written Monday April 6th at 12:10 PM

The OAA will be expanding in the short term according to a source.

Citing to an accurate source the league will accept Ferndale University effective this fall.

The Rising Eagles are in the same school district as Ferndale which will help accommodate the smaller schools like Berkley, Ferndale, Oak Park, Avondale, Pontiac, and Royal Oak.

It doesn’t help from a football standpoint since Ferndale and Ferndale University are a Co-Op squad in the fall.

Ferndale University brings basketball, volleyball, cross country, track and field, and boys soccer according to the MHSAA website.

The Rising Eagles Boys Basketball program earned a district title in 2013. They went 8-7 last season but lost 92-37 to Ferndale in the Division Two district semifinals. The Girls Basketball program went 11-5 and made some noise in the postseason by beating Detroit Osborn 56-26 in the pre-district but fell 52-36 to Warren Lincoln in the Division Two district semifinals.

Ferndale University Co-Op's with Ferndale in girls soccer, baseball, golf, softball, tennis, and football as mentioned.

This is something that Ferndale has cherished since Ferndale University with 463 students is part of the Ferndale School District.

Thoughts

I think this move to bring Ferndale University into the league pleases the smaller schools. I don’t know if this benefits the bigger schools especially with scheduling and it certainly doesn’t help from a football standpoint. I know this move will please the smaller schools and Ferndale University will no longer be an independent.

It will be very interesting how the bigger schools respond to this announcement.

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

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