Fife retiring as Boys Basketball coach of the Wolves.

Written Tuesday September 11th at 2:10 PM
Updated to Include Between Taormina's Episode 104 on Tuesday September 11th at 10:40 PM

The Clarkston Wolves will have a new Boys Basketball coach this upcoming winter.

Dan Fife has told his players that he is retiring from coaching on Tuesday.

Fife whom is the third winningest all time coach in State history with a 703-170 record in his 36 years as coach of the Wolves, which is his Alma mater. Clarkston has won the last two State Championships under Fife’s watch.

Fife played basketball and baseball at Clarkston. He would play his college ball at Michigan and eventually played professional baseball for the Detroit Tigers and Minnesota Twins.

Fife returned to Ann Arbor and started to coach basketball as an assistant to then coach Johnny Orr.

He was also the Athletic Director until 2015 for his Alma Mater which is now currently occupied by Jeff Kosin, a former player who played for Fife.

Fife cited family reasons as the reason why he is retiring from Clarkston. He wanted to spend more time with his grandchildren.

Fife said to Mick McCabe of the Detroit Free Press that it was a hard decision and that he almost cried when he told his players.

Fife in his 36 years behind the Wolves bench has led the team to two State titles, 703 wins, 29 league titles, 30 district titles, 13 regional championships, and was the first ever freshman to play for Clarkston scoring 1,589 points as a player.

It is unknown who will be the next coach for the Wolves although according to sources it’s possible that coach Tim Waslik, former Clarkston Girls Basketball coach could be the front runner and he has been an assistant under Fife since he stepped down from coaching Girls Basketball in 2013.

Thoughts.

Fife wanted to go on his own terms and he did just that. He accomplished everything that he wanted to do whether it was playing or coaching.

I hope one day that Fife will get the gymnasium named after him. He has brought Clarkston to glory through hard work and dedication. Fife should be up there with the greats in the State of Michigan throughout all of high school sports.

He will certainly be missed and is truly an icon.

Here is the story from Mick McCabe of the Detroit Free Press

https://www.freep.com/story/sports/high-school/mick-mccabe/2018/09/11/dane-fife-retires-clarkston/1267788002/

Here is Between Taorminas Episode 104 that featured Fife and former Lake Orion Girls Basketball and Athletic Director Bill Reiss.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oKDiYwCiz_s

The Podcast

https://soundcloud.com/user-539915961/oaa-now-091718

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

Week Three Recap.

Written Saturday September 8th at 12:15 AM

INSIDE THE OAA TOP 10

1. Oak Park

2. Seaholm

3. Clarkston

4. West Bloomfield

5. Harrison

6. Avondale

7. Oxford

8. Southfield Arts and Tech

9. Farmington

10. Adams

Week Three Scores

LAKE ORION 28, ADAMS 24

WEST BLOOMFIELD 31, OXFORD 24

CLARKSTON 47, TROY 7

AVONDALE 67, PONTIAC 0

ROYAL OAK 16, HAZEL PARK 12

BERKLEY 13, Warren Lincoln 12

SEAHOLM 47, NORTH FARMINGTON 6

FARMINGTON 10, FERNDALE 7

ROCHESTER 23, TROY ATHENS 20

GROVES 28, STONEY CREEK 6

SOUTHFIELD ARTS AND TECH 44, BLOOMFIELD HILLS 6

OAK PARK 23, HARRISON 15

BIG WIN: Lake Orion: The Dragons offense returned in a big way at Adams on Friday night stunning the Highlanders on their new home field 28-24. Lake Orion is still a work in progress defensibly but the offense doubled their season average. Adams goes to Clarkston next week while the Dragons host Troy Athens.

TOUGH LOSS: Oxford: The Wildcats may have lost a tough one to West Bloomfield 31-24 on Friday night but they played tough and was in the game with the Lakers. At one point Oxford was tied with West Bloomfield at 17-17 in the Swamp. The Wildcats are a very good football team and has two proven playmakers in Trent Myre and Drew Carpenter. Oxford hosts Southfield Arts and Tech in a big matchup while the Lakers go to Bloomfield Hills to play the Blackhawks.

TEAM THAT SENT A MESSAGE: Avondale: The Yellow Jackets ran up the score on Friday night at Wisner Stadium against Pontiac resulting in a 67-0 blowout. I know Avondale and Pontiac are rivals but come on, it’s tough for the Phoenix right now but the Yellow Jackets are picking up where they left off from last season. Avondale hosts Ferndale next while Pontiac goes to North Farmington.

WHAT HAPPENED: Harrison: The Hawks had a tough matchup with Oak Park on Friday night in Knight Valley but Harrison made it close throughout though even though losing 23-15 in the game. The Hawks are a team that no one should panic on. Harrison hosts Troy next week while the Knights host Stoney Creek.

ITS TIME TO PANIC: Adams: The Highlanders were living on the edge lately with two close games against Bloomfield Hills and Rochester but they could be in some serious trouble after losing 28-24 to Lake Orion on their new home field. The schedule is brutal for the Highlanders as they have road trips to Oxford, Harrison, and next week when they go to Clarkston. They have Southfield Arts and Tech, Stoney Creek, and West Bloomfield at home. It’s going to be tough for Adams going forward.

TEAM THAT NEEDS A HUG: Troy Athens: The Red Hawks had a tough loss against Rochester on Friday at home losing in overtime 23-20. The Falcons experience in overtime helped them here thanks to their heartbreaking one point loss to Adams. Rochester hosts Groves while Troy Athens goes to Lake Orion next week.

ARE YOU KIDDING ME???:  Ferndale: This is the second straight week that the Eagles have lost a tough game. Last week they were crushed 53-8 by Seaholm but lost a heartbreaker to Farmington 10-7. Ferndale needs to fix the ship and quickly or their chances of making the playoffs could be in serious danger. They have to go to Auburn Hills to play the Avondale Yellow Jackets next week.

Week Three Picks.

Written Wednesday September 5th at 11:00 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 18-12

TRAIN 19-11

DUNLAP 19-11

STICK 19-11

BURNEY 19-11

COTTER 19-11

2. Harrison at 1. Oak Park

This is a huge matchup between the Hawks and the Knights. Harrison has blown out their first two opponents while Oak Park had a tough one last week winning that game. The Knights are also stewing after last season’s 17-14 loss to the Hawks. Oak Park will be playing without one of their top studs in Maliq Carr as he is suspended for this game after being ejected in last week's game. This will be an interesting matchup in Knight Valley.

DUNES: OAK PARK 24, HARRISON 14

TRAIN: OAK PARK 18, HARRISON 14

DUNLAP: OAK PARK 20, HARRISON 10

STICK: OAK PARK 28, HARRISON 21

BURNEY: OAK PARK 28, HARRISON 27

COTTER: OAK PARK 19, HARRISON 14

North Farmington at 3. Seaholm

This will be an interesting matchup in the Maple Forest. Seaholm has been rolling lately since entering the Blue after shockingly blowing out Ferndale last week. The Raiders came off a huge home win over Hazel Park but they have issues scoring points. The Maples are a different animal with their full healthy core of players back.

DUNES: SEAHOLM 35, NORTH FARMINGTON 6

TRAIN: SEAHOLM 28, NORTH FARMINGTON 7    

DUNLAP: SEAHOLM 28, NORTH FARMINGTON 14

STICK: SEAHOLM 27, NORTH FARMINGTON 14

BURNEY: SEAHOLM 31, NORTH FARMINGTON 21

COTTER: SEAHOLM 42, NORTH FARMINGTON 0

4. Clarkston at Troy

The Wolves have been red hot lately including beating a very good West Bloomfield team last week and Grandville the following week. Clarkston hits the road to go to Troy to take on a Colts team that could be a darkhorse. Could this be an upset trap in the making, it’s possible but not likely.

DUNES: CLARKSTON 56, TROY 0

TRAIN: CLARKSTON 49, TROY 0

DUNLAP: CLARKSTON 42, TROY 0

STICK: CLARKSTON 31, TROY 13

BURNEY: CLARKSTON 33, TROY 26

COTTER: CLARKSTON 42, TROY 7

5. Oxford at 7. West Bloomfield

Who would had ever thought this game in the Swamp would become a big matchup for both teams. The Wildcats have won two straight including beating their arch rival Lake Orion last week. The Lakers lost a tough one to Clarkston last week but they will be fine going forward. Time possession football favors Oxford while high octane tempo favors West Bloomfield. It will be an interesting matchup as mentioned in the Swamp.

DUNES: WEST BLOOMFIELD 31, OXFORD 17

TRAIN: WEST BLOOMFIELD 35, OXFORD 14

DUNLAP: WEST BLOOMFIELD 24, OXFORD 17

STICK: WEST BLOOMFIELD 21, OXFORD 14

BURNEY: WEST BLOOMFIELD 28, OXFORD 22

COTTER: WEST BLOOMFIELD 40, OXFORD 21

6. Avondale at Pontiac

The Yellow Jackets are a scoring machine, scoring 54 last week. Avondale is a different team than they were two seasons ago. They go to Wisner Stadium to take on a Phoenix team that was blown out last week. It could very well be the same this week in Pontiac.

DUNES: AVONDALE 63, PONTIAC 6

TRAIN: AVONDALE 56, PONTIAC 0

DUNLAP: AVONDALE 48, PONTIAC 6

STICK: AVONDALE 30, PONTIAC 7

BURNEY: AVONDALE 30, PONTIAC 15

COTTER: AVONDALE 48, PONTIAC 0

Lake Orion at 8. Adams

The Highlanders have been finding ways to win lately by a combined four points. Adams opens up their new field against a Dragons team that has been having a ton of problems lately. Maybe going on the road could be the best thing for Lake Orion but the offense needs to show up and keep their defense off the field if not then they could be staring 0-3 in the face. The Highlanders beat the Dragons 32-8 last season but wonder could lady luck run out this week???

DUNES: LAKE ORION 21, ADAMS 14

TRAIN: LAKE ORION 17, ADAMS 14

DUNLAP: ADAMS 17, LAKE ORION 10

STICK: ADAMS 24, LAKE ORION 21

BURNEY: ADAMS 24, LAKE ORION 20

COTTER: ADAMS 24, LAKE ORION 7

9. Farmington at 10. Ferndale

This is a rematch after last season’s 37-7 Eagles victory last season. Ferndale is coming off allowing 53 points last week in a blowout loss at home. The Falcons are off to a 2-0 start after blowing out their respective league opponents. This one will be interesting, one is looking to keep it going while the other looks to bounce back.

DUNES: FERNDALE 28, FARMINGTON 24

TRAIN: FERNDALE 24, FARMINGTON 21

DUNLAP: FARMINGTON 21, FERNDALE 14

STICK: FARMINGTON 21, FERNDALE 20

BURNEY: FARMINGTON 23, FERNDALE 22

COTTER: FARMINGTON 35, FERNDALE 14

Rochester at Troy Athens

This will be an interesting matchup between the Falcons and Red Hawks. It is also the first meeting since 2013 between the two 0-2 teams. Both teams had tough blowout losses last week. At least someone will be 1-2 by the end of the week.

DUNES: ROCHESTER 20, TROY ATHENS 7

TRAIN: ROCHESTER 17, TROY ATHENS 14

DUNLAP: ROCHESTER 21, TROY ATHENS 17

STICK: ROCHESTER 35, TROY ATHENS 7

BURNEY: ROCHESTER 28, TROY ATHENS 18

COTTER: ROCHESTER 28, TROY ATHENS 14

Groves at Stoney Creek

If there is one team that has played a tough two games in the State besides Grandville, then it’s the Falcons. Groves has played West Bloomfield and Oak Park being really competitive even though they lost both games, they should be fine moving forward. The Falcons better not underestimate a Cougars team that has played better lately but lost a tough one last week. It could be an interesting matchup for Stoney Creek against a solid Groves team.

DUNES: GROVES 35, STONEY CREEK 10

TRAIN: GROVES 42, STONEY CREEK 7

DUNLAP: GROVES 35, STONEY CREEK 14

STICK:  GROVES 27, STONEY CREEK 14

BURNEY: GROVES 34, STONEY CREEK 27

COTTER: GROVES 28, STONEY CREEK 7

Warren Lincoln at Berkley

This will be the first meeting between the Bears and the Abes since 1958 when Berkley won 12-7 but now these two teams are in different conferences but one team is really struggling giving up a ton of points while one team bounced back at home at Hurley Field. It could be a long day for Warren Lincoln.

DUNES: BERKLEY 42, WARREN LINCOLN 0

TRAIN: BERKLEY 24, WARREN LINCOLN 7

DUNLAP: BERKLEY 21, WARREN LINCOLN 20

STICK: BERKLEY 14, WARREN LINCOLN 13

BURNEY: BERKLEY 27, WARREN LINCOLN 20

COTTER: BERKLEY 31, WARREN LINCOLN 6

Royal Oak at Hazel Park

This is another interesting matchup that features a return trip for the Ravens to Hazel Park to battle with the Vikings. Hazel Park won last season 13-7 over Royal Oak. Both teams are different after last season. Both teams are coming off tough losses, the Ravens were blown out while the Vikings lost a tough one on the road. It will be an interesting matchup to say the least.

DUNES: ROYAL OAK 20, HAZEL PARK 14

TRAIN: ROYAL OAK 24, HAZEL PARK 14

DUNLAP: ROYAL OAK 31, HAZEL PARK 25

STICK: HAZEL PARK 21, ROYAL OAK 20

BURNEY: ROYAL OAK 22, HAZEL PARK 14

COTTER: ROYAL OAK 21, HAZEL PARK 6

Bloomfield Hills at Southfield Arts and Tech

This will be an interesting matchup after what happened last season when the Warriors were upset 23-22 at home against the Blackhawks. Both teams come in with 1-1 records and are different teams, one is coming off a tough loss while the other is coming off a blowout win. This will be interesting back on Lahser Road.

DUNES: SOUTHFIELD ARTS AND TECH 40, BLOOMFIELD HILLS 16

TRAIN: SOUTHFIELD ARTS AND TECH 32, BLOOMFIELD HILLS 17

DUNLAP: SOUTHFIELD ARTS AND TECH 23, BLOOMFIELD HILLS 20

STICK: SOUTHFIELD ARTS AND TECH 28, BLOOMFIELD HILLS 14

BURNEY: SOUTHFIELD ARTS AND TECH 32, BLOOMFIELD HILLS 25

COTTER: SOUTHFIELD ARTS AND TECH 31, BLOOMFIELD HILLS 14

Week Two Recap.

Written Friday August 31st at 10:30 PM

INSIDE THE OAA Top Ten

1. Oak Park
2. Harrison
3. Seaholm
4. Clarkston
5. Oxford
6. Avondale
7. West Bloomfield
8. Adams
9. Farmington
10. Ferndale

Week Two Scores

OXFORD 28, LAKE ORION 7
FARMINGTON 42, ROYAL OAK 16
BERKLEY 45, PONTIAC 0
TROY 27, STONEY CREEK 21
OAK PARK 13, GROVES 7
AVONDALE 54, Warren Fitzgerald 28
SEAHOLM 53, FERNDALE 8
NORTH FARMINGTON 9, HAZEL PARK 6
SOUTHFIELD ARTS AND TECH 39, ROCHESTER 7
ADAMS 24, BLOOMFIELD HILLS 21
CLARKSTON 28, WEST BLOOMFIELD 25
HARRISON 41, TROY ATHENS 0

BIG WIN: Clarkston: The Wolves have been shaky as of late but managed to pull off two big wins including a big home win over West Bloomfield 28-25. Clarkston now goes back on the road next week at Troy. Both of these teams will be fine going forward.

TOUGH LOSS: Groves: The record says 0-2 for the Falcons but Groves has played two really good teams in West Bloomfield and Oak Park. The Falcons hung tough with the Knights but Oak Park escaped Beverly Hills with a 13-7 victory. Groves will be fine though. They play Stoney Creek next week.

WHAT HAPPENED: Rochester: The Falcons came off an emotional loss to Adams 28-27 last week but they laid an egg in a home loss to Southfield Arts and Tech losing 39-7 in the process. The Warriors are very athletic and talented after needing a bounce back after losing to Davison at Wayne State. Rochester falls to 0-2 on the season and plays Troy Athens next week.

TEAM THAT NEEDS A HUG: Stoney Creek: The Cougars had this game with Troy under control but the Colts found a way and escaped Stoney Creek with a 27-21 victory. The Cougars have grown and has gotten better each week under coach Nick Merlo. Stoney Creek's schedule will get tougher though as they have Groves next week.

TEAM THAT SENT A STATEMENT: Seaholm: The Maples went into Ferndale and blew out the Eagles 53-8. That's the most points that Ferndale has allowed under coach Eric Royal. Seaholm has a ton of experience back which always helps and is 2-0 on the season. The Eagles fall to 1-1 on the season, they play Farmington next week. The Maples host North Farmington next week in front of the Maple Forest.

TEAM THAT'S IN TROUBLE: Lake Orion: The Dragons have some big issues right now, they have appeared to have hit rock bottom losing two straight games including a 28-7 home defeat to the arch rival Oxford Wildcats. Lake Orion has only scored 14 points in their last two games, they need to address this issue among other problems. The Dragons have Adams next week in Rochester, maybe hitting the road could be a good thing for this team.

ARE YOU KIDDING ME: Royal Oak: The Ravens fresh off making the playoffs last season suffered another setback as they fell 42-16 to the Farmington Falcons falling to 0-2 on the season. Royal Oak needs a bounce back in the worst way as they have Hazel Park next week.

Week Two Picks.

Written Tuesday August 28th at 1:00 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 11-6

TRAIN 10-7

DUNLAP 8-9

STICK 12-5

BURNEY 10-7

COTTER 11-6

1. Oak Park at 7. Groves

This will be an interesting matchup between the Knights and the Falcons. Oak Park beat Groves last season and is coming into this matchup red hot after beating Utica Eisenhower 31-13 last week. The Falcons need to get back on track especially defensibly where they allowed 39 points in a 39-28 loss to West Bloomfield in Beverly Hills. Got to wonder where Groves mindset is at.

DUNES: OAK PARK 24, GROVES 21

TRAIN: OAK PARK 27, GROVES 24

DUNLAP: OAK PARK 27, GROVES 17

STICK: OAK PARK 33, GROVES 14

BURNEY: OAK PARK 28, GROVES 21

COTTER: OAK PARK 38, GROVES 7

2. West Bloomfield at 5. Clarkston

This is a State Finals rematch in which the Wolves beat the Lakers 3-2 but both teams are different this time around. West Bloomfield won 39-28 in Beverly Hills last week over Groves. Clarkston survived Grandville 12-9 at Michigan last week. This could be a doozy this week on Flemings Lake Road.

DUNES: WEST BLOOMFIELD 42, CLARKSTON 12

TRAIN: WEST BLOOMFIELD 28, CLARKSTON 7      

DUNLAP: CLARKSTON 17, WEST BLOOMFIELD 16

STICK: WEST BLOOMFIELD 21, CLARKSTON 14

BURNEY: WEST BLOOMFIELD 24, CLARKSTON 23

COTTER: WEST BLOOMFIELD 21, CLARKSTON 14

9. Seaholm at 3. Ferndale

I’m very surprised that no one is talking about how big this matchup is between the Eagles and the Maples. Arguably these are the two hottest teams in the league with what they did last week on their home fields. Ferndale destroyed Fraser 62-0 while Seaholm destroyed Troy Athens 41-7. This will be an exciting matchup to say the least in Ferndale.

DUNES: FERNDALE 28, SEAHOLM 21

TRAIN: FERNDALE 28, SEAHOLM 24

DUNLAP: SEAHOLM 21, FERNDALE 20

STICK: FERNDALE 27, SEAHOLM 21

BURNEY: FERNDALE 27, SEAHOLM 26

COTTER: FERNDALE 20, SEAHOLM 14

4. Harrison at Troy Athens

The Red Hawks enter their new division on their heels a bit after losing 41-7 last week at Seaholm. The Hawks destroyed North Farmington 41-0 on their home field last week. This is the first meeting between Harrison and Troy Athens since 2006. I wonder if there are any risk takers thinking possible upset here???

DUNES: HARRISON 49, TROY ATHENS 0

TRAIN: HARRISON 42, TROY ATHENS 0

DUNLAP: HARRISON 42, TROY ATHENS 7

STICK: HARRISON 35, TROY ATHENS 7

BURNEY: HARRISON 33, TROY ATHENS 20

COTTER: HARRISON 42, TROY ATHENS 0

6. Adams at Bloomfield Hills

The Blackhawks are starting to roll again after beating Utica 39-14 last week at home. This week will bring a much tougher matchup for Bloomfield Hills as they take on a Highlanders team that left Rochester with a bit of a bad taste in their mouths. Adams escaped Rochester with a double overtime 28-27 victory. Last season, the Highlanders put 54 against the Blackhawks at Bloomfield Hills, wonder how the encore would be.

DUNES: ADAMS 42, BLOOMFIELD HILLS 7

TRAIN: ADAMS 28, BLOOMFIELD HILLS 24

DUNLAP: ADAMS 24, BLOOMFIELD HILLS 17

STICK: ADAMS 24, BLOOMFIELD HILLS 14

BURNEY: ADAMS 21, BLOOMFIELD HILLS 17

COTTER: ADAMS 28, BLOOMFIELD HILLS 14

Warren Fitzgerald at 8. Avondale

The Yellow Jackets are off to a great start winning 31-13 at Troy last week. Now Avondale will be at home to take on a Warren Fitzgerald team that has had success lately. The Spartans also won last week over Warren Lincoln 40-20. This will be a matchup of two high scoring teams, defense could be optional in this one.

DUNES: AVONDALE 52, WARREN FITZGERALD 45

TRAIN: AVONDALE 24, WARREN FITZGERALD 21

DUNLAP: AVONDALE 28, WARREN FITZGERALD 18

STICK: AVONDALE 24, WARREN FITZGERALD 21

BURNEY: AVONDALE 31, WARREN FITZGERALD 22

COTTER: AVONDALE 35, WARREN FITZGERALD 28

10. Oxford at Lake Orion

This battle for the Double O Trophy will be interesting. The Wildcats are riding high after beating Romeo 24-21 last week. The Dragons fell to a very good Lapeer team 17-7 at Michigan last week. Whoever wins the time of possession battle will win this game on the new football field of Lake Orion.

DUNES: LAKE ORION 31, OXFORD 17

TRAIN: LAKE ORION 14, OXFORD 7

DUNLAP: LAKE ORION 23, OXFORD 20

STICK: LAKE ORION 21, OXFORD 20

BURNEY: LAKE ORION 18, OXFORD 16

COTTER: LAKE ORION 21, OXFORD 17

Southfield Arts and Tech at Rochester

Both teams are coming into this game with disappointing outcomes. The Falcons lost a heartbreaker in double overtime to Adams 28-27. The Warriors had a very disappointing outcome at Wayne State where they were embarrassed by Davison 28-6. Whomever wins this game should be back on track and the team who falls to 0-2 is in deep trouble.

DUNES: ROCHESTER 35, SOUTHFIELD ARTS AND TECH 32

TRAIN: SOUTHFIELD ARTS AND TECH 24, ROCHESTER 7

DUNLAP: ROCHESTER 24, SOUTHFIELD ARTS AND TECH 17

STICK: ROCHESTER 21, SOUTHFIELD ARTS AND TECH 19

BURNEY: SOUTHFIELD ARTS AND TECH 32, ROCHESTER 25

COTTER: ROCHESTER 21, SOUTHFIELD ARTS AND TECH 14

Stoney Creek at Troy

This is an interesting matchup considering last season was a low scoring game between the two teams but one team has a new coaching staff in Stoney Creek but there were upsides surrounding them. The Cougars found a line and running game against Utica Ford beating them 24-5 but it was the defense that was huge in allowing five points. The Colts took a big step back as they lost 31-13 to Avondale at home. Troy needs to fix both sides of the football and with the schedule coming up for them, they need this game badly.

DUNES: STONEY CREEK 20, TROY 17

TRAIN: STONEY CREEK 14, TROY 13

DUNLAP: TROY 27, STONEY CREEK 13

STICK: TROY 14, STONEY CREEK 13

BURNEY: TROY 22, STONEY CREEK 21

COTTER: STONEY CREEK 17, TROY 10

Pontiac at Berkley

This will be an interesting matchup between the Phoenix and the Bears at Hurley Field along with the first game for new coach Sean Shields. Pontiac is coming off a 28-8 win over Detroit Consortium at Wisner Stadium. Berkley lost 37-21 to Farmington last week. If depth becomes a factor, got to favor the Bears but who knows what if the Phoenix win again???

DUNES: PONTIAC 21, BERKLEY 14

TRAIN: BERKLEY 28, PONTIAC 7

DUNLAP: BERKLEY 35, PONTIAC 6

STICK: BERKLEY 14, PONTIAC 7

BURNEY: BERKLEY 24, PONTIAC 22

COTTER: BERKLEY 42, PONTIAC 6

Hazel Park at North Farmington

The Vikings are off to a good start in their final season in the OAA after beating Detroit University Prep 50-14 last week in Hazel Park. The Raiders were blown out 41-0 at Harrison last week. North Farmington should be ready to go this week being that it will be their home opener in Farmington Hills.

DUNES: NORTH FARMINGTON 24, HAZEL PARK 14

TRAIN: NORTH FARMINGTON 35, HAZEL PARK 14

DUNLAP: NORTH FARMINGTON 17, HAZEL PARK 13

STICK: HAZEL PARK 14, NORTH FARMINGTON 13

BURNEY: HAZEL PARK 17, NORTH FARMINGTON 16

COTTER: NORTH FARMINGTON 21, HAZEL PARK 12

Royal Oak at Farmington

The Falcons whom started the season on a high note had a 37-21 home win over Berkley last week. The Ravens lost a disappointing 21-9 outcome to St. Clair Shores Lakeview in Macomb County. Royal Oak beat Farmington last season, could there be a different outcome, it’s possible.

DUNES: FARMINGTON 38, ROYAL OAK 14

TRAIN: FARMINGTON 28, ROYAL OAK 14

DUNLAP: FARMINGTON 31, ROYAL OAK 24

STICK: ROYAL OAK 21, FARMINGTON 14

BURNEY: FARMINGTON 34, ROYAL OAK 30

COTTER: FARMINGTON 35, ROYAL OAK 14

Week One Recap.

Written Friday August 24th at 11:00 PM

INSIDE THE OAA TOP 10

1. Oak Park

2. West Bloomfield

3. Ferndale

4. Harrison

5. Clarkston

6. Adams

7. Groves

8. Avondale

9. Seaholm

10. Oxford

Week One Scores

HAZEL PARK 50, Detroit University Prep 14

Lapeer 17, LAKE ORION 7

BLOOMFIELD HILLS 39, Utica 14

FERNDALE 62, Fraser 0

OAK PARK 31, Utica Eisenhower 13

STONEY CREEK 24, Utica Ford 5

AVONDALE 28, TROY 13

SEAHOLM 41, TROY ATHENS 7

WEST BLOOMFIELD 39, GROVES 28

St. Clair Shores Lakeview 21, ROYAL OAK 9

PONTIAC 28, Detroit Consortium 8

ADAMS 28 ROCHESTER 27

OXFORD 24, Romeo 21

Davison 28, SOUTHFIELD ARTS AND TECH 6

CLARKSTON 12, Grandville 9

FARMINGTON 37, BERKLEY 21

HARRISON 41, NORTH FARMINGTON 0

BIG WIN: Oxford: The Wildcats needed three touchdowns from Trent Myre and a field goal to get their third straight home victory over Romeo 24-21 on the blue turf. The Oxford defense played well against a good Bulldogs offense. The game was tight to the very end which included the Wildcats withstanding a Romeo field goal attempt that would have tied the game. This is a huge win for coach Bud Rowley and his team. Oxford has a quick turnaround, they go to Lake Orion next Thursday.

TOUGH LOSS: Lake Orion: Four mistakes proved to be very costly in the Dragons 17-7 loss to Lapeer on Thursday night in Ann Arbor. Lake Orion lost the time possession battle which proved to be key in the contest. This loss was similar to Rockford in 2008 with the same exact score but the league this season is much tougher. The Dragons have a lot of work to do especially on the offensive side of the football but the defense is fine right now.

TEAM THAT SENT A MESSAGE: Ferndale: The Eagles keep getting no love from people but they blew out Fraser 62-0 on Thursday night at home. Ferndale has found itself a quarterback in JoeLewis Estell whom takes over for Keshawn Smith had a big night along with the team’s big offensive line. The Eagles have a huge one next week when Seaholm comes to Ferndale and they are riding high after blowing out Troy Athens 41-7 on Thursday night in the Maple Forest.

WOULDN’T PRESS PANIC BUTTON: Groves: The Falcons were very competitive in their 39-28 loss to West Bloomfield on Thursday night in Beverly Hills. The defense and penalties are a big concern for coach Brandon Flathery and his team. Groves does have to play Oak Park next week and has Harrison and Seaholm during the season but even if this team is 0-2 they are still in good shape. I wouldn’t panic on the Falcons as of yet.

ITS TIME TO PANIC: Troy: The warning bells are out for the Colts as they fell 28-13 to Avondale at home on Thursday night. This was the first loss for Troy to Avondale since 1978. The Colts couldn’t muster two long drives but it was turnovers that doomed both drives and took them out emotionally in the game. Troy’s schedule is vicious as they still have to play Oak Park, Groves, Harrison, Troy Athens, and Clarkston. I think it’s time to press the panic button here.

TEAM THAT NEEDS A HUG: Rochester: The Falcons battled with their arch rivals from Adams at home on Friday night, trying to get the school’s first win since 1996 over their western city rivals. This game went to double overtime but it was the Highlanders that escaped Rochester with a 28-27 victory after the Falcons tried to go for the win but couldn’t convert giving Adams the game. Rochester is better than people thought with all of the experience back. I wonder if this could

ARE YOU KIDDING ME???: Southfield Arts and Tech: The Warriors were shockingly dominated by the Davison Cardinals at Wayne State 28-6. Davison’s defense had three interceptions and quarterback Cannon Hall went 11 for 38 with one passing touchdown but rushed for 91 yards on 17 carries with three touchdowns. Southfield Arts and Tech has a tough schedule with games against Clarkston, West Bloomfield, Lake Orion, Oxford, Adams, and River Rouge looming.

Week One Picks.

Written Monday August 20th at 5:15 PM

Welcome to the 2018 OAA football season. We will pick games this season with my good friends in the media, 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 president, and Sean Cotter-Farmington video coordinator. Anyway good luck everyone this season.

DUNES

TRAIN

DUNLAP

STICK

BURNEY

COTTER

1. Oak Park vs Utica Eisenhower @ Wayne State

This will be a rematch of last season’s 24-7 win by the Eagles over the Knights. There is a big difference from last season’s game to this year. Oak Park is loaded and could be scarier than last year. Utica Eisenhower has to replace their quarterback among other pieces. Line play will be key in this matchup but I don’t think the Knights will make a ton of mistakes like they did last season. It could get real ugly for coach Chris Smith and his team.

DUNES: OAK PARK 24, UTICA EISENHOWER 14

TRAIN: OAK PARK 49, UTICA EISENHOWER 28

DUNLAP: OAK PARK 18, UTICA EISENHOWER 14

STICK: OAK PARK 28, UTICA EISENHOWER 14

BURNEY: OAK PARK 31, UTICA EISENHOWER 23

COTTER: OAK PARK 20, UTICA EISENHOWER 14

2. West Bloomfield at 3. Groves

The Lakers have won two of the last three meetings against the Falcons however all of the meetings were in the Swamp. This season the game is in Beverly Hills. Groves size will be tested against the athleticism and talent that West Bloomfield has. Both teams are expected to be playoff teams but the question will be is whom will get off to a good start early.

DUNES: WEST BLOOMFIELD 21, GROVES 20

TRAIN: WEST BLOOMFIELD 35, GROVES 14

DUNLAP: WEST BLOOMFIELD 21, GROVES 13

STICK: WEST BLOOMFIELD 28, GROVES 7

BURNEY: WEST BLOOMFIELD 28, GROVES 20

COTTER: WEST BLOOMFIELD 24, GROVES 21

North Farmington at 4. Harrison

The Raiders open the season with new uniforms and a new attitude. They have a ton of experience coming back but they haven’t beaten the Hawks since 1978. Harrison has a lot of experience coming back and athleticism as well. This will be an interesting one, experience favors North Farmington but talent favors the Hawks. Could this one be an upset trap in the making???

DUNES: HARRISON 42, NORTH FARMINGTON 14

TRAIN: HARRISON 35, NORTH FARMINGTON 7

DUNLAP: HARRISON 42, NORTH FARMINGTON 7

STICK: HARRISON 21, NORTH FARMINGTON 7

BURNEY: HARRISON 34, NORTH FARMINGTON 17

COTTER: HARRISON 49, NORTH FARMINGTON 0

5. Adams at Rochester

This could be an interesting matchup for the Falcons, knowing that they have not beaten their city rival in 22 years (1996.) Rochester has a ton of experience back along with three transfers that came into the program. The Highlanders fresh off making the playoffs for the second straight season has questions at whom will run the football for them. Adams could make some noise again this season but they’ll need to win this one. Could this be the year that the Falcons win this one, it would make Rochester alumni Keith Dunlap and Dan Stickradt happy.

DUNES: ROCHESTER 21, ADAMS 14

TRAIN: ADAMS 28, ROCHESTER 7

DUNLAP: ADAMS 24, ROCHESTER 13

STICK: ROCHESTER 21, ADAMS 20

BURNEY: ADAMS 34, ROCHESTER 28

COTTER: ADAMS 31, ROCHESTER 7

6. Southfield Arts and Tech vs Davison at Wayne State

Last season was insane between the Warriors and Cardinals at Wayne State with Davison winning 56-54 in three overtimes. It was one of those games that cost Southfield Arts and Tech a trip to the playoffs. This season, these two teams get to do it again but with some changes. The Cardinals have a new coach as Jacob Weingartz takes over the team. Weingartz was an assistant at Lapeer, formally coached at Lapeer East takes over for Kyle Zimmerman who resigned at the end of the season after his team was eliminated by Clarkston in the district finals. Davison will have Cannon Hall back to go up against an athletic Warriors defense that wants revenge in the worst way. Southfield Arts and Tech should be motivated heading into this game. It will be interesting if the Warriors can get a measure of revenge after last season.

DUNES: SOUTHFIELD ARTS AND TECH 35, DAVISON 21

TRAIN: SOUTHFIELD ARTS AND TECH 42, DAVISON 21

DUNLAP: SOUTHFIELD ARTS AND TECH 28, DAVISON 26

STICK: SOUTHFIELD ARTS AND TECH 35, DAVISON 14

BURNEY: SOUTHFIELD ARTS AND TECH 27 DAVISON 26

COTTER: SOUTHFIELD ARTS AND TECH 35, DAVISON 22

7. Clarkston vs Grandville @ Michigan

This will be the first meeting between the Wolves and the Bulldogs. Grandville lost a ton of talent from a season ago but so did Clarkston. It will be interesting to see which team and system shows up, could it be the Wolves running attack led by Jake Bellete and Jake Honstetter with linemen Rocco Splinder and Garrett Dellinger leading the way or will it be the Bulldogs Wing T offense and experience on defense that gives Clarkston trouble. A lot of questions will be answered in this matchup.

DUNES: GRANDVILLE 31, CLARKSTON 14

TRAIN: CLARKSTON 28, GRANDVILLE 27

DUNLAP: GRANDVILLE 35, CLARKSTON 20

STICK: CLARKSTON 21, GRANDVILLE 14

BURNEY: CLARKSTON 24, GRANDVILLE 22

COTTER: GRANDVILLE 35, CLARKSTON 31

Fraser at 8. Ferndale

This will be the first ever meeting between the Eagles and the Ramblers. Fraser has really struggled going 8-19 since 2015. Ferndale has been heading upward lately going 15-5 in the last two seasons. If the Eagles can address their quarterback situation than this Ferndale team will be riding on all cylinders again, Fraser has no chance in this game.

DUNES: FERNDALE 38, FRASER 0

TRAIN: FERNDALE 42, FRASER 0

DUNLAP: FERNDALE 24, FRASER 10

STICK: FERNDALE 20, FRASER 14

BURNEY: FERNDALE 28, FRASER 24

COTTER: FERNDALE 35, FRASER 13

9. Avondale at Troy

This is a rematch of a 48-25 that the Colts won in Auburn Hills. The win got Troy into the playoffs for the first time since 2009. This season the game is in Troy. The Colts have a ton of skill players back but the Yellow Jackets are loaded everywhere but depth is a concern for this team. Avondale will be riding a lot of motivation heading into this game. It could get interesting.

DUNES: AVONDALE 35, TROY 21

TRAIN: AVONDALE 35, TROY 7

DUNLAP: TROY 31, AVONDALE 10

STICK: AVONDALE 21, TROY 20

BURNEY: AVONDALE 27, TROY 23

COTTER: AVONDALE 33, TROY 18

10. Lake Orion vs Lapeer @ Michigan

This will be the first meeting between the Dragons and Lightning. Lapeer has a ton of playoff experience back for coach Mike Smith led by their quarterback Brady Apple and running back Jalen Kirkland. Lake Orion whom is 16-21 since 2014 has most of their offense back from last season led by quarterback Blaze Lauer whom is hungry to get back to prominence. Both of these teams know each other well from scrimmaging one another in the past. This one will be interesting to watch for sure.

DUNES: LAKE ORION 35, LAPEER 28

TRAIN: LAKE ORION 27, LAPEER 24

DUNLAP: LAKE ORION 23, LAPEER 20

STICK: LAPEER 21, LAKE ORION 17

BURNEY: LAKE ORION 28, LAPEER 27

COTTER: LAKE ORION 24, LAPEER 21

Romeo at Oxford

This will be the fifth straight year that the Wildcats and the Bulldogs will play each other. Romeo holds a 23-6 overall record in the series but Oxford has won the last two on their home field. The Bulldogs will be led by their star linebacker Brock Horne and lineman Eric Fraeyman. The Wildcats feature their own talent in Drew Carpenter and Trent Myre. If these two guys show up and play well then Oxford could win their third straight on the blue turf over Romeo.

DUNES: OXFORD 20, ROMEO 17

TRAIN: ROMEO 35, OXFORD 17

DUNLAP: ROMEO 27, OXFORD 13

STICK: ROMEO 28, OXFORD 21

BURNEY: ROMEO 33, OXFORD 23

COTTER: ROMEO 26, OXFORD 14

Utica at Bloomfield Hills

This will be the first meeting between the Blackhawks and the Chieftains. Bloomfield Hills and Utica were playoff teams last season (Bloomfield Hills lost to West Bloomfield, Utica lost to Utica Eisenhower in the pre-districts.) Both teams are replacing a ton of talent and have tough schedules awaiting them. It will be important who wins this game knowing that it could be a long year for both teams.

DUNES: BLOOMFIELD HILLS 28, UTICA 24

TRAIN: BLOOMFIELD HILLS 17, UTICA 14

DUNLAP: BLOOMFIELD HILLS 21, UTICA 20

STICK: BLOOMFIELD HILLS 21, UTICA 7

BURNEY: BLOOMFIELD HILLS 21, UTICA 18

COTTER: BLOOMFIELD HILLS 28, UTICA 21

Utica Ford at Stoney Creek

This will be a rematch of a 19-12 game last season won by the Cougars at Runkel Field. Both teams have new coaches, Stoney Creek has Nick Merlo coaching this season and he has brought a different culture to the school. Utica Ford is going through a ton of emotions as their coach Todd Koehn, whom was a former Stoney Creek assistant coach passed away in early July as Tony Smith takes over as the Falcons interim coach. This will be an interesting game to say the least in Rochester.

DUNES: STONEY CREEK 21, UTICA FORD 18

TRAIN: UTICA FORD 16, STONEY CREEK 14

DUNLAP: UTICA FORD 14, STONEY CREEK 10

STICK: UTICA FORD 21, STONEY CREEK 14

BURNEY: STONEY CREEK 24, UTICA FORD 20

COTTER: UTICA FORD 18, STONEY CREEK 13

Troy Athens at Seaholm

This will be an interesting matchup as the Red Hawks and Maples will play each other for the first time since 1999. Both teams are looking for bounce back seasons. Troy Athens has a new coach in Billy Keenest who will be tasked to turn around a 14-42 record. Seaholm had a rough year going 1-8 but coach Jim DeWald will have his team ready for this matchup. This will be a great quarterback matchup in the Maple Forest between Bobby Birney and Gray Kinnie. This game will be determined whom wins the defensive battle, both teams have struggled in this area but whoever’s defense shows up wins this game.

DUNES: TROY ATHENS 27, SEAHOLM 24

TRAIN: TROY ATHENS 24, SEAHOLM 21

DUNLAP: SEAHOLM 17, TROY ATHENS 14

STICK: SEAHOLM 14, TROY ATHENS 7

BURNEY: TROY ATHENS 20, SEAHOLM 17

COTTER: SEAHOLM 21, TROY ATHENS 13

Berkley at Farmington

This will be a rematch between the Bears and the Falcons which will take place at Farmington. Last season, Berkley beat Farmington 28-23 at Hurley Field. The Bears have a new coach in Sean Shields who comes from Madison Heights Bishop Foley but knows the Bears well coaching their Junior Varsity team two years ago after a disappointing 1-8 season. The Falcons revamped their whole coaching staff as John Goddard comes as an assistant to Kory Cioroch after a disappointing 3-6 season. Whomever wins this game will gain some confidence in the Blue early.

DUNES: FARMINGTON 31, BERKLEY 17

TRAIN: FARMINGTON 28, BERKLEY 24

DUNLAP: FARMINGTON 23, BERKLEY 13

STICK: FARMINGTON 20, BERKLEY 14

BURNEY: FARMINGTON 31, BERKLEY 23

COTTER: FARMINGTON 32, BERKLEY 21

Detroit University Prep at Hazel Park

This will be the first meeting between the Vikings and the Panthers. Hazel Park made the playoffs for the first time since 2010 last season. Detroit University Prep but is one game over 500 (9-8) since the 2015 season. The Vikings have basically replaced everyone but four players from last season. We’ll see how this one goes.

DUNES: DETROIT UNIVERSITY PREP 20, HAZEL PARK 14

TRAIN: DETROIT UNIVERSITY PREP 49, HAZEL PARK 13

DUNLAP: DETROIT UNIVERSITY PREP 24, HAZEL PARK 17

STICK: HAZEL PARK 14, DETROIT UNIVERSITY PREP 6

BURNEY: DETROIT UNIVERSITY PREP 21, HAZEL PARK 20

COTTER: HAZEL PARK 18, DETROIT UNIVERSITY PREP 6

Detroit Consortium at Pontiac

This will be the first ever meeting between the two schools at Wisner Stadium. Detroit Consortium is on a four game losing streak after starting the season 5-0 last season. The Phoenix are 4-49 since 2011 and are looking to write their own chapter. If Pontiac can win this game and start 1-0, it will certainly go a long way.

DUNES: PONTIAC 18, DETROIT CONSORTIUM 15

TRAIN: DETROIT CONSORTIUM 27, PONTIAC 6

DUNLAP: DETROIT CONSORTIUM 20, PONTIAC 6

STICK: DETROIT CONSORTIUM 14, PONTIAC 7

BURNEY: DETROIT CONSORTIUM 26, PONTIAC 16

COTTER: DETROIT CONSORTIUM 21, PONTIAC 8

Royal Oak at St. Clair Shores Lakeview

This will be the third meeting between the Ravens and the Huskies. Both teams split 21-0 victories on their home fields, St. Clair Shores Lakeview two seasons ago, Royal Oak last season. Both teams are also rebuilding a bit. The Huskies went 2-7 last season while the Ravens made the playoffs for the first time since 2006. I’ll be curious how Royal Oak will adjust on the road in St. Clair Shores against the Wing T of the Huskies. If the Ravens can shut it down again, it should give them some confidence.

DUNES: ST. CLAIR SHORES LAKEVIEW 21, ROYAL OAK 14

TRAIN: ST CLAIR SHORES LAKEVIEW 17, ROYAL OAK 14

DUNLAP: ROYAL OAK 21, ST. CLAIR SHORES LAKEVIEW 20

STICK: ROYAL OAK 28, ST. CLAIR SHORES LAKEVIEW 17

BURNEY: ROYAL OAK 30, ST. CLAIR SHORES LAKEVIEW 25

COTTER: ST. CLAIR SHORES LAKEVIEW 31, ROYAL OAK 7