Get to Know the 2019 OAA Football Non League Opponents.

Written Wednesday July 24th at 12:15 PM

These are the OAA non league opponents. I did not include all matchups that are OAA vs OAA.

Romeo (Macomb Area Conference-Red) (Oxford-Week One): This is the 31^st meeting between the Bulldogs and Wildcats. Romeo is 23-7 against Oxford. This is the sixth straight year both teams are playing each other. The Wildcats have won the games in Oxford which were 28-20 in 2014, 27-26 in 2016, and 24-21 last season. The Bulldogs have won elsewhere besides Oxford which included 30-17 at Michigan Stadium in 2017 and a 47-0 blowout at Dan Barnabo Field in 2015. Romeo has made the playoffs 17 of the last 18 years. Oxford made the playoffs last season for the first time since 2014. This one sets up to be an interesting matchup back at Dan Barnabo Field.

Lapeer (Saginaw Valley League- Blue) (Lake Orion-Week One): This is the second meeting between the Lightning and the Dragons. Lapeer won 17-7 at Michigan Stadium last season. They return one of the best players in the Saginaw Valley League in Phoenix Dickson. Lake Orion should be better this season. Both teams have tough schedules going forward so this game in Lapeer is very important for both teams.

Utica (Macomb Area Conference-White) (Bloomfield Hills-Week One): This should be a very interesting matchup for the Blackhawks as they travel to Swienhart Field to take on the Chieftains. This is the second meeting between these two teams. Bloomfield Hills won 39-14 over Utica last season at home. It is a big game for both teams to see where they are at heading into a very tough conference slate.

Grosse Pointe South (Macomb Area Conference-White) (Groves @ Wayne State-Week One): This is the second meeting between the Blue Devils and Falcons. Groves beat Grosse Pointe South 44-10 in the 2016 regional final. The Falcons have made the playoffs five straight years (52-16 since 2013.) The Blue Devils have made the playoffs nine of the last ten years  (28-15 since 2015.) This has the makings of an interesting one at Wayne State.

Utica Ford II (Macomb Area Conference-White) (Stoney Creek-Week One): This is the third meeting between the Falcons and the Cougars. Stoney Creek has won both meetings in the season series by a combined 43-17. The Cougars won 24-5 at Stoney Creek last season and 19-12 at Runkel Field in 2017. Utica Ford II is 7-20 since 2016 and will look to have a bounce back year at the Cougars expense.

Detroit Old Redford Academy (Charter School Conference) (@ Troy Athens-Week One, @ Farmington-Week Nine): The Ravens have really struggled going 11-24 since 2015 which included going 1-8 last season. This will be the first meeting between the Red Hawks and Detroit Old Redford Academy. Farmington will also play this same program as well. It's the first meeting between the Falcons and the Ravens. It should be interesting for both teams when they clash with Detroit Old Redford Academy.

Detroit Henry Ford (Detroit Public School League-Third) (Farmington-Week One): The Trojans have been a hot and cold team similar to Farmington. Detroit Henry Ford has not been the same program since 2009, only making the playoffs twice in that span. This is the third meeting between the teams with the Falcons holding a 2-1 season series with all the meetings being in the playoffs. Farmington beat Detroit Henry Ford 49-19 in 2011 and 21-14 in 2002. The Trojans blew out the Falcons 38-0 in 2006. Farmington has a lot of experience back which helps them on their journey to Detroit.

St. Clair Shores Lakeview (Macomb Area Conference-Blue) (@ Royal Oak-Week One): This game usually decides who goes on to bigger and brighter things. The Huskies and their Wing T offense has beaten the Ravens twice in St. Clair Shores while Royal Oak won the only meeting at home. Oddly enough the scores in the earlier meetings have been 21-0 but last season’s game was 21-9 in St Clair Shores. This game kept the Ravens from making the playoffs for a second straight year. Expect this one to be really close.

Waterford Kettering (Lakes Valley Conference) (@ North Farmington-Week One): This will be the ninth meeting between the Raiders and Captains. It will also be the coaching debut for coach Jon Herstein. North Farmington has owned Waterford Kettering which included a 38-0 blowout in 2011. The Raiders will look to return to the playoffs for the first time since 2013 (14-31 since the last time they made the playoffs.) Waterford Kettering has really struggled as a football program. The Captains went 1-8 last season and is 46-135 since 1999. It should be an interesting test for Herstein’s team heading into this matchup.

Brandon (Flint Metro League-Stripes) (@ Berkley-Week One): The Blackhawks have been turned into a football powerhouse since coach Brad Zube came to Ortonville from Stoney Creek. Brandon is 29-12 since 2015 which each season they made the playoffs. This is the second ever meeting between the Bears and Blackhawks. Berkley beat Brandon 53-14 in 1995 however the times have changed, these two teams are in different stratospheres right now. This is going to be a tough matchup for coach Sean Shields and his Bears at Hurley Field.

Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook-Kingswood (Catholic League AA) (@ Pontiac-Week One): I’m really feeling bad for Pontiac, having to take on a Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook-Kingswood team that has been rolling on all cylinders. The Cranes have been a dominant powerhouse in the Catholic League going 38-15 since 2014. Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook-Kingswood will have a young team this season and they will head to Wisner Stadium to take on a Phoenix team that has been in turmoil this offseason and is 5-48 since 2011. This is the first meeting between the teams.

Detroit Renaissance (Detroit Public School League-First) (@ Avondale-Week Two): This is the first meeting between the two teams. The Phoenix have been around 500 lately going 18-20 since 2015. Avondale has made the playoffs two of the last three years. Should be a good test for new coach Corey Bell to get on the right boat.

Ypsilanti Lincoln (Southeastern Conference-White) (Farmington-Week Three, North Farmington-Week Nine): The Railsplitters are an interesting team. They have missed the playoffs three of the last four years which included three 4-5 seasons. Ypsilanti Lincoln made the postseason in 2017 after starting 0-2 that season. The Railsplitters are an inconsistent team either they are on or they are not. They lost four straight games to close out the season last year. It will be the first meetings for the Farmington schools when they both will travel to Ypsilanti and their new turf field.

Allen Park (Downriver) (Ferndale-Week Six): This will be the first meeting between the Jaguars and the Eagles. Allen Park has made the playoffs eight of the last nine years including last season which they won nine games. The Jaguars are 70-19 since 2010. Ferndale has made the playoffs three straight years with a 22-8 record. This should be an interesting matchup in Allen Park.

Pontiac Notre Dame Prep (Independent) (Berkley-Week Four, @ Troy Athens-Week Nine): Pontiac Notre Dame Prep will get to see two OAA opponents this season just like Ypsilanti Lincoln and Detroit Old Redford Academy. The Fighting Irish had been a playoff team for seven straight years Pontiac Notre Dame Prep missed out last season going 4-5. This will be the second meeting between the Bears and the Fighting Irish. Berkley fell 26-3 in 2014 at Hurley Field to Pontiac Notre Dame Prep. It will be the first meeting between the Fighting Irish and the Red Hawks which makes things really interesting. I expect the Fighting Irish to rebound quickly. It will be a tough matchup for both Berkley and Troy Athens.

Southgate Anderson (Downriver) (@ Royal Oak-Week Five): This will be the first meeting between these two teams. The Titans are 23-43 since 2012 which includes four straight 3-6 seasons while the Ravens are 11-8 in the last two seasons. It should be an interesting matchup between these two teams in Royal Oak.

Okemos (Capital Area Conference-Blue) (@ North Farmington-Week Seven): This will be the first meeting between the Raiders and Chieftains. Okemos was a playoff team last season winning seven games. They should have experience heading into this game. The North Farmington coaching staff should know Okemos very well as the majority of coach Jon Herstein’s staff was at Harrison. The Hawks went 1-1 against the Chieftains. This will be a very interesting matchup between these two teams at North Farmington.

Detroit Leadership Academy (Independent) (@ Pontiac-Week Eight): The Cougars are in their third year as a Varsity Football program. This should be an interesting matchup with the Phoenix at Wisner Stadium between these two teams. Detroit Leadership Academy has eight wins as a school, three of them being forfeits. Pontiac on the other hand is 5-48 since 2011. Something has to give in the first meeting between the teams.

4^th Place Catholic League Central Team (West Bloomfield-Week Nine): This has been an interesting concept. Whoever the Catholic League opponent is will be interesting for the Lakers. Orchard Lake St. Marys played their neighborhood rival for the first time in the Swamp. West Bloomfield had to survive 13-10 last season. The Lakers are 1-0 all against both the Eaglets and Novi Detroit Catholic Central whom they took down 20-17 in overtime in the district finals. West Bloomfield has never played Detroit University-Detroit Jesuit or Birmingham Brother Rice, could that change, it’s possible.

Monroe (Southeastern Conference-Red) (@ Lake Orion-Week Nine): This is the third meeting between the Trojans and the Dragons. Lake Orion is 2-0 in this series. They won at Monroe 31-24 last season and 41-22 at home in the postseason in 1998. The Trojans will be an interesting team to keep an eye on as they replace a ton of talent but they have some back. The Dragons will also be an interesting team to keep an eye on. This one should be an interesting game at Lake Orion.

River Rouge (Independent) (@ Southfield Arts and Tech-Week Nine): The Warriors have struggled (7-11 and missing the playoffs in two straight seasons.) This will be the second meeting between the Panthers and Southfield Arts and Tech. River Rouge blew out the Warriors 45-0 last season in River Rouge. Southfield Arts and Tech has not forgotten that game. The Warriors are really going to need to turn things around heading into this matchup but it will be at home this time which helps.

Brownstown Woodhaven (Downriver) (Groves-Week Nine): This will be the first meeting between the Warriors and Falcons. Brownstown Woodhaven has made the playoffs four of the last five years. The Warriors have scored over 300 points in that stretch but they gave up 62 points last year in a playoff loss to Monroe. This should be an interesting matchup of high scoring offenses on the turf field of Brownstown.

Birmingham Detroit Country Day (Independent) (Ferndale-Week Nine): This will be the third meeting between the Yellow Jackets and the Eagles. Ferndale won both meetings 17-7 victory in Birmingham in 2017 and 27-14 at Ferndale last season. The Eagles have a tough schedule, got to wonder if a playoff spot could be on the line heading into this matchup.

Ann Arbor Father Gabriel Richard (Catholic League-AA) (Pontiac-Week Nine): This is a rematch of a 48-6 blowout that the Fighting Irish gave the Phoenix at Wisner Stadium last season.The 2019 game is in Ann Arbor. Pontiac has really struggled while Ann Arbor Father Gabriel Richard had made the playoffs nine of the last 11 years but missed out after going 2-7 last season. We don’t know where the Phoenix mindset will be at heading into this matchup but this looks real bleak for Pontiac.

Flint Kearsley (Flint Metro League-Stars) (Royal Oak-Week Nine): This is the first meeting between these two teams. The Hornets have not made the playoffs since 1998 and hasn’t had a winning season since 2003. Flint Kearsley is 34-101 since 2003. The Hornets were better on the offensive side of the football last season and with the Flint Metro League expanding, it should help them. The Ravens will have to travel to Flint. It will be an adjustment for coach Ray McMann’s team as Flint Kearsley has grass and not field turf.