Oakland County Football Rankings -- The First 15

1. Birmingham Brother Rice
You can't deny the heroics of Brother Rice's "Mr. Everything" Jason Alessi as he and Alex Malzone teamed up for one of the greatest finishes you'll see, but the Warriors still have plenty to work on after nearly losing to De La Salle in week 4.

2. Southfield
Picked up as big of a league win as you will find on Friday over Oak Park, which immediately puts the Blue Jays in the driver's seat in the OAA White. But Southfield can't overlook Farmington Hills Harrison on Friday, who has gotten off to a perfect start this season.

3. Novi Detroit Catholic Central
Once again back to its dominant, overpowering self, Catholic Central looks like it hasn't missed a beat so far this season and behind the likes of Dylan Roney, Zack Bock and Connor Holton, the Shamrocks once again have one of the best rushing attacks in the state.

4. Stoney Creek
There may not be a bigger, or better statement win to come out of Oakland County all season long than the one the Cougars put together over Lake Orion on Saturday. A 36-7 drubbing proved that the Cougars are the real deal and have as good of a shot as any at claiming the OAA Red this year.

5. Walled Lake Western
The Warriors passed their first true test on Friday night, pulling off a comeback victory over Walled Lake Northern and look like the team to beat in the KLAA North, as expected by many behind quarterback Kyle Bambard and one of the area's top defenses.

6. Clarkston
The Wolves look like they're back on track after a disappointing start to the season after 51-0 beatdown of Troy Athens with a squad that is at less than 100% due to injuries. As the Wolves get healthier throughout the year, they will continue to round into form.

7. Farmington Hills Harrison
While Harrison has been a perennial power in Oakland County over the years, the 4-0 start to the year for the Hawks still comes as a bit of a surprise to many. It was an expected down year for Harrison, but behind Lorenzo Collins and Jevon Shaw, the Hawks look like a legitimate contender in the OAA White once again.

8. Oak Park
Despite a narrow loss at the hands of Southfield on Friday, the Knights obviously still remain as one of the area's most dangerous teams behind star RB/CB John Kelly as well skill position players Ricardo Brown and Juan Fernandez going forward.

9. Pontiac Notre Dame Prep
Quite a statement was made on Friday night when the Irish took down perennial Division 5 power Flint Powers in convincing fashion, picking up a 28-2 win. The Irish can make another big time statement this week with a win over Loyola.

10. Orchard Lake St. Mary's
Mark Zanders might be the best running back in Oakland County that nobody knows about, but that could change in the very near future. One week after rushing for nearly 300 yards, Zanders rushed for 133 more in a blowout win over U-D Jesuit and has the Eaglet's vaunted ground attack back into top form.

11. (Tie) Birmingham Seaholm
For the first time this season, the Maples trailed in a game against Berkley in week four, but aside from that, Seaholm was dominant once again, picking up another convincing win to stay perfect on the season. There have been fewer units better than the Maple defense, which has surrendered just over 10 points per contest so far.

11. (Tie) Birmingham Groves
Ross Williams entered the 2013 season as one of the state's best kept secrets, but now, four weeks into the season, Williams is now one regarded as one of the state's best and highly regarded running backs after totaling 780 yards on the ground through four weeks and has led the Falcons to a 4-0.

13. Lake Orion
A disappointing and relatively surprising loss to Stoney Creek in week four, but the Dragons still remain as one of the OAA Red's top teams and you can expect a far better performance from the offense and defense next week against Troy.

14. Waterford Kettering
There might not be a team in the entire state that has been more of a pleasant surprise in the 2013 season than the Captains this year, who have proven that they are for real with impressive wins over Walled Lake Central and Lakeland in back-to-back weeks.

15. North Farmington
If Ross Williams is having the biggest breakout season so far this year, Chauncey Bridges might as well be listed as 1A. The North Farmington star running back has rushed for 784 yards so far this year and has helped the Raiders jump out to a 3-1 start on the year.

Oakland County Football Rankings -- Week 1

1. Birmingham Brother Rice
The Warriors had as big of a statement win in week one as you will find, topping the No. 34 ranked team in the country, Cleveland St. Ignatius 29-20, behind a balanced effort both ways. In the 2013 season, Brother Rice may have the most explosive offense in school history, behind Alex Malzone, Grant Peryy and Corey Lacanaria leading the way in the aerial attack.

2. Southfield
May have lost the season opener, but Southfield remains one of the most dangerous teams in the area behind its vaunted defense and limited the No. 2 team in the nation, Cass Tech, all game long. Look for the Blue Jays offense to look to get on par with the defense in the coming weeks with quarterback Jalen Brady and receivers Jordan Billingslea and Ray Buford.

3. Oak Park
The Knights started slow in their season opener on Friday afternoon, but showed just how dangerous they can be in the second half as they outscored St. Mary's 25-7 in the final 24 minutes behind a stellar performance from star junior John Kelly to pick up an impressive win to start the season.

4. Lake Orion
Picked up an impressive win over Oxford in a two-day bout behind the always dangerous trio of Zak Arnold, Chris Leigh and Corey Ester, while Connor Grant stepped in under center to help balance the offensive attack for Lake Orion in the opener.

5. Novi Detroit Catholic Central
Strong statement win to start the season over Detroit Cody behind the usual punishing rushing attack and strong defensive performance. Promising start for Sean Birney at quarterback and the rushing trio of Zack Bock, Conner Holton and Dylan Roney to lead the way for the offense.

6. Walled Lake Western
Impressive performance from the Warriors going both ways as both the defense and the offense were dominant all game long in their convincing win over Bay City Western. There was little doubt coming in that the offense would be hard to stop and behind quarterback Kyle Bambard and the Western offense was nearly unstoppable all game long.

7. Walled Lake Northern
Quite the statement win for the Knights as they pummeled Livonia Churchill as the prolific offense picked up right where it left off last year, nearly scoring 70 points to start the season behind first year quarterback Chase Burton, who executed the offense to perfection in the season opener.

8. Rochester Adams
The Highlanders made any and all doubters think twice about what they expect out of Adams this fall as they put together what turned out to be the upset of the week. A great, suffocating performance from the defense that stopped Clarkston in its tracks all season long, behind an offensive effort that found enough success to get the job done.

9. Stoney Creek
The Cougars came out and started their season just like many expected and should be a legitimate contender all season long for the OAA Red title all season long. With Justin Allor and Sean Scullen helping pace the offense, the Cougars will be a very difficult team to slow down all season long.

10. Lakeland
With Ross Heiman at quarterback all year long, the Eagles are capable of besting just about any team on their schedule. Heiman was sensational in the season opening win over Northville and should be a headache for teams with his arm and legs all season long in 2013.

Elite Eight -- Getting Started

***The Top Eight Stars From The Opening Week Of Football Season***

8. Marquian Johnson-Ty Sparks -- Clawson
The dynamic quarterback-wide receiver duo picked up right where they left off in the season opener as Sparks completed 12-of-19 passing for 222 yards and four touchdowns, while Johnson made five grabs for 134 yards and three touchdowns to lead Clawson to a season opening win.

7. Jason Alessi -- Birmingham Brother Rice
"Mr. Everything" was at it once again for the Warriors on Saturday afternoon as the do-it-all senior came up with several big plays to lead the Warriors past St. Ignatius, including a 70 yard punt return for a touchdown, an interception and two field goals and led the team in tackling as well.

6. Rochester Adams defense
If you're looking for a statement win from week one, look no further than Rochester Adams and the defensive performance the Highlanders put together as they held one of the top teams in the state to just seven points as Adams upset heavily favored Clarkston.

5. Dakota Kupp -- Waterford Mott
Kupp was as good as advertised in the season opener as he made it look easy driving the Corsairs up and down the field, throwing for 250 yards and three touchdowns, while completing 10-of-15 passes to lead Mott to a season opening win.

4. Ross Heiman -- Lakeland
Heiman did it all for Lakeland on Thursday night as the senior quarterback totaled over 200 yards of total offense and accounted for both touchdowns for the Eagles, including a 50 yard scamper which was the game-winner to lead Lakeland to a 14-10 win over Northville.

3. Johnny Kelly -- Oak Park
Kelly was a human highlight reel on Friday afternoon for Oak Park as the junior running back rushed for 167 yards on 16 carries and also had a 50 yard touchdown run, which proved to be the game clincher to lead the Knight's back from a 13 point halftime deficit.

2. Ross Williams -- Birmingham Groves
Williams was a one man wrecking crew at times on Friday and Saturday for Groves as the senior running back rushed for 233 yards and three touchdowns to lead the Falcons to a convincing win over Bloomfield Hills.

1. Alex Malzone -- Birmingham Brother Rice
Malzone put together quite a performance in his first career start for the Warriors as the junior signal caller threw for 294 yards and a touchdown to lead the Warriors to a 29-20 win over nationally ranked Cleveland St. Ignatius. Malzone put on a clinic in the first half to get Brother Rice off to a fast start, completing 16-of-22 passing for 193 yards and a score.

Week 1 Oakland County Football Picks

Southfield vs. Cass Tech (At Wayne State)
No question the best match-up of week 1, and with all of the Division 1 talent that will take the field Friday, there's little doubt that this game will live up to the hype. The Technicians are the two-time defending state champions in Division 1 behind star quarterback Jayru Campbell and have star power all over the place. But the Blue Jays have just as much talent, including the state's best player Malik McDowell, along with Michigan commit Lawrence Marshall and plenty more on defens. Look for big debuts from McDowell and Jalen Brady who will suit up for Southfield for the first time in their careers.
PREDICTION: Southfield 27, Cass Tech 21

Orchard Lake St. Mary's vs. Oak Park (At Wayne State)
An intriguing match across the board with a new edition of the Eaglets going up against an Oak Park squad that returns a lot of fire power from last year's season. The best individual match-up of the week, regardless of what game, might come down to St. Mary's DB/WR Jalen Watts-Jackson and Oak Park DB/RB Johnny Kelly as both players are two of the best in the two-way players in the area. But look for the Knights to find just enough success in the run game to get by.
PREDICTION: Oak Park 33, OLSM 28

Birmingham Brother Rice vs. Cleveland St. Ignatius
This will be a tall task for the two-time Division 2 state champions to face a perennial power in the state of Ohio like St. Ignatius, but with the offensive firepower the Warriors have to work with, they can play with just about anyone. Look for a big effort from the passing game, led by Alex Malzone, Corey Lacanaria, Grant Perry and Josh Flye to lead Brother Rice in the season opener.
PREDICTION: Brother Rice 31, St. Ignatius 28 in OT

Birmingham Groves at Bloomfield Hills
The first ever game for the new Bloomfield Hills Black Hawks, and you can expect they will be more than ready to make a statement in their first opportunity to do so. Grove's running back Ross Williams could cause some big problems for Bloomfield Hills, but look for the duo of Spencer McCourt and Khalil Gracey to connect early and often to give the Black Hawks their first ever win.
PREDICTION: Bloomfield Hills 42, Groves 31

Walled Lake Northern at Livonia Churchill
A big opportunity for the Knights to prove that they are for real for a second straight season and can be a legitimate contender on a yearly basis. This match-up has proved to be high scoring in the last couple of years and this time around should see much of the same, but look for a big breakout game from quarterback Chase Burton as he takes over for what should be another prolific Northern offense.
PREDICTION: WLN 45, Churchilll 42

Clarkston at Rochester Adams
It's going to take quite a bit for opposing teams to slow down the Clarkston offense or defense with the star power the Wolves have to offer across the board. Adams will come ready to challenge the OAA Red favorites behind star quarterback Matt Sokol, but Clarkston should prove to be too much to handle in week one behind a balanced rushing attack led by Ian Eriksen and newcomer Centrus Williams.
PREDICTION: Clarkston 35, Adams 21

Lake Orion at Oxford
Likely to be a matchup of speed (Lake Orion) against power (Oxford) this week as the Dragons have their three-headed monster of Zak Arnold, Corey Ester and Chris Leigh going up against an Oxford rushing attack led by Ben Line. But the X-Factor in this game will be Oxford signal caller Glacier Wallington who has developed into one of the area's top dual threat quarterbacks over the course of the last couple of years.
PREDICTION: Oxford 17, Lake Orion 14

Waterford Kettering at South Lyon East
It should be interesting to see how the Cougars will go forward this year without the best player in school history, Cam Thomas, and how Kettering looks to take the next step with a key core of returning players. Look for Danny Hubbell and Juan Webb to have a big game to get the Captains off to a good start on the 2013 season.
PREDICTION: Kettering 31, SLE 21

Northville at Lakeland
A big chance for Lakeland to prove it is capable of being a legitimate contender in the KLAA this season, a win for the Eagles would prove to be a mini-upset and could put them on track to finally making the playoffs after narrowly missing out in recent years. But a senior-laden group led by Ross Heiman, Beau Wilhelm, Brad Govan and Dalton Christie will come out ready to go in week 1.
PREDICTION: Lakeland 23, Northville 21

Detroit Cody at Novi Detroit Catholic Central
There's a lot of new faces lining up for the Shamrocks this season, but don't expect much to change this fall, Catholic Central will still be Catholic Central and will once again have a punishing rushing attack. Look for a Zack Bock and Dylan Roney to help pick where last year's group left off and lead the Shamrocks to a convincing win.
PREDICTION: Catholic Central 38, Cody 14

Auburn Hills Oakland Christian at Clarkston Everest Collegiate
Saturday night should be a night filled with excitement for Everest as it will host its first ever game. However, the Mountaineers have a roster that has plenty of experience playing in big games in recent years, including quarterback Sal Mastromatteo, who was the starting quarterback at Waterford Our Lady of the Lakes last season, and should help lead Everest to its first ever win.
PREDICTION: Everest 29, Oakland Christian 21

2013 OC Football Watch List -- Defensive Backs

Jalen Watts-Jackson – Orchard Lake St. Mary’s

One of the best pure cover corners in the state of Michigan, Watts-Jackson is as good as it gets when it comes to shutting down receivers and can step up and make a big play at any time in the secondary.

Tyson Smith – Orchard Lake St. Mary’s

One of the more underrated defensive backs in the area, Smith has been extremely consistent when it comes to matching up with receivers and making big plays and hits from the secondary.

Jason Alessi – Birmingham Brother Rice

A true ball-hawk, Alessi has proven to be one of the best at tracking down balls in the secondary and uses his return skills to show he can take it back for six points at any turn.

Chris Carter – Birmingham Brother Rice

Pairs with Alessi to make arguably the best safety tandem in Oakland County, Carter is capable of making big plays in run support, but has also proven to be rock solid when it comes to defending the pass.

Tim Cason – Clarkston

One of the premier shutdown corners in the state, Cason makes quarterbacks think twice when it comes to throwing in his direction with his ability to pick off almost any pass at any time in the secondary.

Caine Watlington – Clarkston

Gives opposing offenses all sorts of fits when it comes to trying to pass against the Wolves as he is as good of a No. 2 cornerback you will find in the area and has proven to be a very good tackler in the open field.

Johnny Kelly – Oak Park

A rising star on both sides of the ball, Kelly has quickly emerged as one of the state’s best cornerbacks after a breakout season as a sophomore and should continue to be one of the best cover corners this fall.

Carterris Carter -- Southfield
One of the most verstaile players in the area on either side of the ball, Carter will see time all over the field defensively thanks to his athleticism and ability to rush the quarterback and stop the run at linebacker or play in coverage at safety

Ray Buford – Southfield

Another high rising incoming junior, Buford is as good of an athlete as you will find in the secondary and has become one of the best at finding the ball anytime it’s thrown in his general direction.

Curtis Brunson – Farmington

One of the best pure playmakers you will find from the safety position, Brunson has proven to be a ball-hawk on deep passers, but is also a big time hitter who makes receivers pay when they go over the middle.

Josh Craven – Farmington                            

One of the most versatile players you will find, capable of playing a number of different positions on both sides of the ball and defensively will be one of the best back seven players in the area against the run and pass.

Sean Scullen – Stoney Creek

Another very versatile game changer in the secondary, Scullen has the coverage skills to play corner, and is also good when it comes to stepping up against the run and playing from sideline to sideline.

Joe Cox – Stoney Creek

A devastating hitter out of the secondary, Cox can make big plays on receivers going over the middle and can stop the run as well if a back makes it to the next level.

Matt Almany – Bloomfield Hills

Another well rounded safety Oakland County has to offer, Almany can make big time plays against the pass and can also come up with big hits at almost any time in any game.

Dylan Kanaan – Birmingham Seaholm

Yet another punishing hitter from the safety position, Kanaan is one of the premier hitters in the area and is also a well-rounded player against the run and the pass as well

Aaron Ware – Birmingham Seaholm

A good, shutdown corner to pair with Kanaan, Ware is capable of shutting down receivers in almost game and is more than capable of stepping up to help against the run as well.

Kevin O’Malley – Walled Lake Central

One of the unquestioned leaders of the Central defense, O’Malley has proven to be very good at limiting opposing receivers and is one of the best when it comes to making tackles in the open field.

K.C. Caldwell – Waterford Mott

Will be a key two-way player for the Corsairs in 2013 with his ability to make big time catches on offense and that carries over into his ability to intercept almost any ball thrown his way on defense.

2013 OC Football Watch List -- Linebackers

Jordan Cry – Southfield

A flat out tackling machine, Cry is as well rounded of a linebacker as you will find in Oakland County and figures to be one of the state’s leading tacklers once again in 2013 and is one of the best linebackers against the run.

Shaun Jones – Birmingham Brother Rice

Poised to have a big breakout 2013 season, Jones will step in this fall and should be one of the leaders of the Brother Rice linebacking group as he’s one of the most sure-tacklers in the area.

Aiden Cullen – Pontiac Notre Dame Prep

One of the unquestioned leaders of the Notre Dame Prep defense, Cullen has proven to be one of the best linebackers in the area when it comes to stopping the run and defending the pass and should do much more of the same this fall for the Irish.

Jermaih Johnson – Pontiac Notre Dame Prep

Grabs plenty of headlines as a running back, but Johnson is also one of the County’s best linebackers and has been one of the most complete and best linebackers you will find and should be one of the best two-way players once again in 2013.

Connor Grant – Lake Orion

Will be one of the most complete linebackers that Oakland County will have to offer this fall, Grant will be a big contributor for the Dragons against the run as well as the pass this fall.

Austin Shamoun – Walled Lake Central

One of the leaders of the Central defense, Shamoun will help hold down the front and back seven for the Vikings with his ability to defend against the run and the past.

Chris Hill – Birmingham Seaholm

Will help lead what should be a dominant defense for Seaholm this fall, Hill should be one of the best linebackers in Oakland County  against the run with his ability to slow down just about any rushing attack.

John Simmons – Walled Lake Western

One of the best true athletes from the linebacker position, Simmons is a capable of making big plays in the open field with his speed and ability to go from sideline to sideline.

Shaquan McGriff – Ferndale

A very physical linebacker who will make several big hits throughout the season, McGriff will be one of the strongest forces from his position all season long and is one of the best against the run.

Aaron Chretian – Walled Lake Northern

A no doubt sure-fire tackler, Chretian has proven to be one of Oakland County’s best pure tacklers and will continue to do so in 2013 with his ability to make plays against the run as well as the pass.

Brennan Schneider – Waterford Mott

Another true tackling machine Oakland County has to offer, Schneider was one of Oakland County’s leading tacklers last year with his ability to stop the run and defend against the pass and should do much of the same this fall.

Noah Burnham – Waterford Our Lady of the Lakes

Will be one of the leaders this fall for the Lakers and should once again be a true tackling force with his ability to slow down opposing rushing attacks in a number of different ways.

2013 OC Football Watch List -- Defensive Linemen

Malik McDowell – Southfield

The best prospect in the state of Michigan, McDowell proved to be a disruptive force in his three years at Loyola and now heads to Southfield where he should continue to be one of the state’s most feared linemen to running backs and quarterbacks.

Lawrence Marshall – Southfield

One of the most intimidating pass rushers that the state of Michigan has to offer, Marshall has proven to be one of the best at chasing down quarterbacks as well as making tackles in the open field and should once again be a tackling machine this fall.

Lion King Conaway – Southfield

Will have plenty of opportunities to make big plays from the defensive line with many units turning their attention to Marshall and McDowell, but is very capable of making life tough for opposing offensive coordinators.

Chris Williams – Southfield

Will also have his fair share of opportunities to make a big impact this fall, Williams can and will be a matchup nightmare for the majority of offensive lines in the OAA White and helps form the most complete unit in the state.

Dylan Roney – Novi Detroit Catholic Central

One of the most complete players you will find, Roney is effective against the run and has made himself feel at home in opposing backfields over the course of his high school career and will should be a force yet again in 2013.

Chris Okoiye – Novi Detroit Catholic Central

A raw athlete along the defensive line, Okoiye is a matchup problems for the vast majority of defenses he lines up against and has been one of the best run stoppers in the area.

David Beedle – Clarkston

Another one of the most complete defensive linemen you will find in Oakland County this fall, Beedle has been as good as it gets against the run and is equally as effective in pass rushing situations.

Nick Matich – Clarkston

Capable of coming up with a big play or stop at almost any turn, Matich is one of the area’s most feared defensive linemen with his ability to stop the run or wreak havoc on the quarterbacks.

Al Sandoval – Birmingham Brother Rice

Had a breakout season last year along the Brother Rice defensive line and figures to have a big senior season, Sandoval will be one of the true leaders on the Warrior’s defense that will be looking for a 3-peat this fall.

Dominic Perkovic – Birmingham Brother Rice

Will look to be one of the best pure pass rushers in the area this fall, Perkovic should team up with Sandoval to make one of the most complete tandems you will find in the area this fall.

Julian Jones – Orchard Lake St. Mary’s

A true force on the defensive line, Jones should once again be one of the best nose tackles in the state this fall with his ability to shut down the run and limit opposing rushing attacks.

Shaheed Belamy – Oak Park

A very good athlete from the defensive line position, Belamy is capable of make life tough for opposing quarterbacks and will be one of the leaders for the Oak Park defense.

Ricardo Smith – Oak Park

Should help the Oak Park defensive line be one of the more complete units you will find with the ability to disrupt opposing rushing and passing attacks along with Belamy.

Karl Marback – Birmingham Seaholm

Emerged as one of the area’s best when it comes to stopping the run along the Seaholm defensive line and can also be a disruptive force against pasing situations.

Ben Forhan – Walled Lake Northern

A true pass rusher from his defensive end position, Forhan will be a disruptive force in the KLAA North this fall and should make life difficult for opposing quarterbacks while also being a big contributor against the run as well.

Brandon Keen – Waterford Our Lady of the Lakes

Will anchor both lines for the Lakers this fall, but should be as good as it gets for defensive linemen in Division 8 this fall and will make opposing backfields his home in 2013.

Louie Compton – Waterford Mott

A very athletic defensive end, capable of blowing up a play at just about any turn and should be one of the premier pass rushers in the county by the end of the season.

Matt Okaiye – Waterford Kettering

A four year contributor for the Captains, Okaiye will help set the tone for the Kettering defense this fall and should be a very capable contributor against the run as well as the pass.

2013 OC Football Watch List -- Offensive Linemen

Alex Joss – Walled Lake Western

One of the best in the county when it comes to pass and run blocking, Joss has turned into one of the most dominant offensive lineman in the state and will play a key role for what should be an explosive offense for the Warriors.

Sage Baltrusatis – Birmingham Brother Rice

The unquestioned leader along the Brother Rice offensive line, Baltrusatis has become one of, if not the state’s best center over the past couple of years and should once again be one of the best pass protectors and run blockers this fall.

Jeremy Hickey – Birmingham Brother Rice

Another key contributor along the offensive line for the Warriors this fall, Hickey will help play a key role in keeping quarterback Alex Malzone upright, while busting open holes for running backs Brian Walker and Shon Powell.

Chukwuma Okorafor – Southfield

One of several key members returning on both sides of the line for the Blue Jays, Okorafor will be the anchor of the Southfield offensive line as he will help give the lightning quick Southfield offense time to show off its big play ability.

Nick Matich – Clarkston

One of the best lineman you will find on both sides of the ball, Matich is as reliable as it gets when it comes to opening holes in the running game as well as blocking down field for a powerful rushing attack.

Adam Matich – Clarkston

Should step in and prove to be another very good offensive lineman who is reliable in both the running game as well as the passing attack after missing last season due to injury.

Brandon Keen – Waterford Our Lady of the Lakes

A transfer from Lake Fenton, Keen will instantly become the anchor of both the offensive and defensive lines and should come up big when it comes to busting open holes for the Lakers in the run game.

Richard Martin – Oxford

Will be the next in a long line of Oxford road-graders who are as good as it gets when it comes to busting open holes for a traditionally powerful Oxford rushing attack and will do the same this fall.

Alex Galias – Novi Detroit Catholic Central

Will step right in this fall and should be the anchor of the always consistent and dominant Catholic Central offensive line and should help bust open holes for the Shamrock running game.

Jeremy Schram – Orchard Lake St. Mary’s

Should be one of the most consistent linemen in the area this fall when it comes to pass protecting and run blocking and should help lead the way for a new St. Mary’s backfield in 2013

Antonio Dokic – Farmington

A leader along the offensive line for the Falcons, Dokic should be a key contributor to help give what should be an explosive Farmington offense time in the passing game as well as space in the running game.

Dorian Williams – Farmington Hills Harrison

Will be one of the key players for the Hawks on the offensive side of the ball as he will be one of the main blockers leading the way for star running back Lorenzo Collins in 2013.

Kanwal Bal – Auburn Hills Avondale

Should continue to keep the Yellow Jackets as one of the most potent rushing attacks in the area this fall as he will bust open holes and is also a top pass protector as well.

Kevin Kwapis – Walled Lake Central

A massive 6-9 tackle, who is dominant when it comes to both run and pass blocking and should be able to make life easier on quarterback Nick Krumm as well as running back Zack Goor.

Cody Patterson – Walled Lake Central

Another big lineman the Vikings will have to offer this season and is as good as it gets when it comes to busting open holes for the run game both off the ball and down field.

Clay Turner – Walled Lake Central

One of the senior captains for the Vikings this fall, Turner will be the unquestioned leader on the offensive line from his center position and has proven to be an effective blocker in the run and passing game.

Logan Birnie – Walled Lake Northern

Very strong blocker in a number of ways in the run game, capable of blocking down field to help spring an explosive Northern offense and has also been effective in pass blocking as well.

Corey Williams – Walled Lake Northern

Will team with Birney to help anchor the Northern offensive line and will help keep the new Northern quarterback upright, while helping the Northern running attack find success.

2013 OC Football Watch List -- Receivers

Moe Ways – Birmingham Detroit Country Day

The most dangerous receiving threat that Oakland County has to offer, Ways has proven as sure handed as it gets at wide receiver whether it’s making catches on deep routes or over the middle and is as good of a “big play” receiver as you will find in the area.

Jacob Hill – Birmingham Detroit Country Day

A true downfield threat for the Yellowjackets, Hill is one of the best when it comes to stretching the field which helps allow other receivers and skill position players find space in the open field and can also create for himself in a number of different ways.

Tristian Wiegers – Birmingham Detroit Country Day

Has obvious chemistry with his brother and star quarterback Tyler Wiegers, Tristian has been a very reliable receiver on both the short routes as well as some of the deeper routes and keeps secondaries spread out with another legitimate receiver.

Derrick Coleman – Birmingham Detroit Country Day

A big, physical tight end that will force opposing defenses to keep an eye on him in the passing game and will bring a lot to the run game with his blocking ability.

Corey Lacanaria – Birmingham Brother Rice

Has some of the best hands in the area and is capable of making just about any catch thrown in his direction and will once again be a reliable member of the Brother Rice receiving corps for a number of different reasons.

Joshua Flye – Birmingham Brother Rice

Much like Lacanaria, Flye is capable of making the tough catch in traffic and can be a legitimate deep threat down the field for Alex Malzone thanks to his elite speed and athleticism.

Damaris Woods – Birmingham Brother Rice

Could have a break out year and add another weapon to an already dangerous receiving group at Brother Rice with his ability to both stretch the field and make defenders miss when he gets the ball in space.

Grant Perry – Birmingham Brother Rice

Proved to be a dangerous threat at times last season for the Warriors, Perry is another true playmaker that the Brother Rice offense will have at its disposal in the 2013 season thanks to his sure hands and explosiveness.

Anthony Gunn – Pontiac Notre Dame Prep

Gunn proved to be as reliable and dangerous of a threat from the wide receiver position last year for the Irish and figures to take another step in his junior year this fall and should be the go-to guy for Brenden Newvine in the aerial attack.

Marquian Johnson – Clawson

One of the most dangerous and exciting pure playmakers in the area, Johnson has proven throughout his career that he is capable of making a big play at almost any time and will catch just about any ball thrown in his direction.

Sean Scullen -- Stoney Creek 

Will do a lot of everything this year for the Cougars, but will do plenty of damage from the wide receiver position with his play-making ability and versatility. Very sure-handed in the passing game and can hurt you in a number of different ways.

Desmond Fitzpatrick – Farmington

With just his freshman year under his belt, Fitzpatrick has already picked up a Big 10 offer after showing he is capable of being the next Oakland County star receiver. With his speed, hands and route running, Fitzpatrick is in for a big 2013 season.

Cole Chewins – Clarkston

One of the most complete tight ends that the area has to offer, Chewins is capable of stretching defenses as well as making the tough catches in traffic and is one of the best when it comes to blocking in the run game for the Wolves.

Khalil Gracey -- Bloomfield Hills
A big athletic receiver, Gracey has all the makings of a big time Division 1 receiver and should be the go-to receiver for starting quarterback Spencer McCourt this fall. Gracey's speed, athleticism and jumping ability is something very few high school corner backs can match up with

Zak Arnold – Lake Orion

The Dragons will return quite a bit to their receiving corps, and Arnold figures to play a big role in what could be a dangerous passing attack for the Dragons as he is one of several Lake Orion receivers who can break a big play at any time.

Corey Ester – Lake Orion

Ester has proven in the past that he is capable of making a big play whether it’s running the ball, or catching it, but in the receiving game, he causes several matchup problems for defenses thanks in large part to his speed.

Wade Morris – South Lyon East

A dangerous receiver in a number of ways, Morris is a true threat in the passing game, whether it’s making the shorter catches to move the sticks, or making long receptions for big plays, he can hurt you in a number of ways.

Jordan Billingslea – Southfield

One of the many speed demons Southfield has to offer, Billingslea is as good as it gets when it comes to stretching the field or getting the ball in open space and will be one of the area’s most dangerous receivers all season long.

Jalen Watts-Jackson – Orchard Lake St. Mary’s

One of the best two-way players Oakland County has to offer, Watts-Jackson has turned himself into one of the area’s most consistent receivers during his career with his hands and play-making ability.

Tyson Smith – Orchard Lake St. Mary’s

Smith, much like Watts-Jackson, will be a dangerous two-way player for the Eaglets this fall and figures to be another legitimate target for incoming quarterback Garrett Edgell in both the deep and short passing game.

Nate Conrad -- Orchard Lake St. Mary's

Was used quite a bit as a blocker last year for the Eaglets, but when given the chance, proved to be a reliable target in the passing game and should see more passes thrown his way in the 2013 season.

Beau Wilhelm – Lakeland

A very good athlete who can make big plays in the passing game when asked to, but what hurts teams most is his ability to hang on to the ball and make defenders miss in the open field.

Lucas Bazerra – Troy Athens

A dominant tight end in almost every aspect, Bazerra is as sure-handed of a tight end as you will find, and is capable of being an excellent blocker in the run game for the Red Hawks as well.

Brad Govan – Lakeland

Can help stretch the field on offense with his size and ability to haul in a long pass, Govan is also a perfect fit for a run heavy Lakeland team with his ability to block down field.

Chris Cliff – Walled Lake Northern

Proved he is a legitimate threat to secondaries in his sophomore campaign, Cliff should be one of the area’s best receivers with his hands and will likely be one of the fastest wide outs you will see this season.

Juan Webb – Waterford Kettering

A top end athlete, Webb can make defenses pay in a number of ways with the ball in his hands, whether it’s down the field for a long pass, or a shorter pass, he’s capable of finding the end zone on almost any play.

Twitter.com/JDeuceDullack

2013 OC Football Watch List -- Running Backs

Richard Wilson – Birmingham Detroit Country Day

As dangerous of a running back as you will find in the state this season, Wilson has proven to be nearly unstoppable carrying the ball or catching it out of the backfield after he posted over 30 touchdowns and totaled over 1,500 total yards of offense as a junior in 2012.

Ian Eriksen – Clarkston

Was as productive as it gets last season after posting over 2,100 yards rushing and 34 touchdowns in what turned out to be the definition of a breakout season. Eriksen will likely carry the ball close to 300 times once again this year as the bell cow in the Clarkston backfield.

Brian Walker – Birmingham Brother Rice

A true power back between the tackles, Walker has proven that he can and will be a workhorse out of the Brother Rice backfield and will be one of many key explosive threats that the Warriors have to offer in 2013.

Shon Powell – Birmingham Brother Rice

If Walker is the “Thunder” out of the Brother Rice backfield, then Powell is the “Lightning” for the Warriors after emerging in a big way in the 2012 playoffs, proving to be a legitimate home run threat in the run and the passing game.

Joshuwa Holloman – Auburn Hills Avondale

Turned heads over the summer at a camp held at Alabama University where he turned in a 40 yard dash time of 4.23. After sharing time at running back last year, Holloman will be the go-to guy out of the Avondale backfield and will be as good of a big play threat that there is at the running back position.

Jermaih Johnson – Pontiac Notre Dame Prep

Was as productive as it gets out of the Irish backfield in 2012 after rushing for nearly 1,200 yards in the regular season to go along with 19 touchdowns, while proving to be one of the most versatile backs in Oakland County.

Lorenzo Collins – Farmington Hills Harrison

Can and will do a little bit of everything for the Hawks as he’s proven to be dangerous carrying the ball between the tackles or outside and is one of the better pass-catching running backs that Oakland County has to offer.

Chauncey Bridges – North Farmington

One of the most versatile backs you will find, Bridges has shown the ability to make defenses pay with his ability to run the ball or catch the ball and gives the North Farmington offense a number of different ways to use him.

Ross Williams – Birmingham Groves

Speed is the name of the game for Williams, who is as exciting as it gets when he gets into open space. Williams can and will hurt teams in a number of ways, including on special teams and in the passing game to go along with running the ball.

Jacob Studdard -- Southfield
A multi-dimensional back who can do a lot of everything for the Southfield offense, Studdard is more than capable of handling the majority of carries out of the backfield, but is also skilled enough as a received to line up out wide as well.

Jeremy Gates -- Southfield
A flat out speed demon out of the backfield, Gates has the ability to make a big time run at any time as he's proven to be one of the best at making plays in the open field. Look for Gates to bring big play potential on every down to an already explosive Southfield offense.

Ben Line – Oxford

Another “bell cow” type running back, Line proved that he could handle the majority of the workload out of the Wildcats backfield last year and is one of the top power backs that Oakland County will have to offer in 2013.

Johnny Kelly -- Oak Park
Had a breakout sophomore campaign where he proved to be one of the best home-run threats that Oakland County has to offer, Kelly can do a little bit of everything on offense for the Knights, whether running or catching the ball.

Chris Leigh – Lake Orion

An absolute barn burner who will see plenty of action out of the Lake Orion backfield, Leigh is also versatile enough to make a big time impact for the Dragons as a receiver as well with his ability to make big time catches.

Jeff Baker – Novi

Rushed for nearly 1,000 yards for the Wildcats in 2012, Baker will once again be one of the more punishing backs that Oakland County has to offer once again this fall for a Novi team looking to rebound from last year.

Emanuel Jackson – Novi

A true up and comer on the gridiron, Jackson has only begun to scratch the surface after a freshman season where he rushed for over 600 yards and eight total touchdowns and will be a nice change of pace to Baker.

Zack Bock – Novi Detroit Catholic Central

A player who can get the job done out of the backfield in a number of ways whether it’s running the ball outside, or inside for the Shamrocks and could make an impact on special teams as well.

Jeff Robinson – Orchard Lake St. Mary’s

Has some big shoes to fill as the power back out of the OLSM backfield, but Robinson fills the traditional Eaglet RB/FB mold almost perfectly. A downhill, powerful runner and is an elite blocker in both pass protection and in the run game.

Christopher Crump – Orchard Lake St. Mary’s

Another back who will look to pick up some of the load left behind from graduated players, Crump has big play ability and can break off a big run at just about any time. Look for him to make an impact in the run game as well as the pass game.

Malik Green – Walled Lake Western

A big time playmaker in a number of different ways for the Warriors, Green is capable of running between the tackles and picking up tough yards or bouncing it outside and using his speed to hurt defenses.

Zack Goor – Walled Lake Central

A bruising back who isn’t afraid to lower his shoulder to get the tough yards but can also make teams when he gets into space, Goor proved he could be a workhorse in the Viking’s offense last season and should do more of the same in 2013.

Nico Woods – South Lyon

A speedy, athletic back who is as dangerous as it gets when he gets out into open space, Woods is capable of making a play going nowhere into a big time gain for the Lions and adds a big play threat to an already strong offense.

Sean Thomas -- Waterford Our Lady of the Lakes
A dangerous runner out of the Lakes backfield, Thomas proved to be a legitimate threat running the ball for the Lakers in 2012 as he proved he can get the tough yards between the tackles or bounce it outside for big gains as well.

Danny Wallace – Milford

A true power back, Wallace is as good as it gets when it comes to picking up the tough yards and running between the tackles after rushing for nearly 1,000 yards last year in a powerful rushing attack for the Mavericks.

Shaquan McGriff -- Ferndale
A punishing running back who doesn't shy away from contact, McGriff is one of the stronger backs you'll find when it comes to running the ball inside and is an elite blocker in the run and pass game as well.

Dalton Christie – Lakeland

The go-to guy in the Lakeland backfield, Christie has proven he can be both a power back or someone who can make plays out in space and will get the majority of the carries this year for the Eagles.

P.J. Kern – Walled Lake Northern

Another big power back, Kern is the definition of a power runner and will play a big role in the Northern backfield after several losses from last year’s team. Kern could have a breakout year running inside for a high-octane Northern offense.

Alex O’Brien – South Lyon East

Will likely get more carries this year after the Cougars lost Cam Thomas, but O’Brien is more than capable of handling the load at running back as he’s proven to be one of the more versatile backs around.

Josh Schneider -- South Lyon East

A speedy back who was a contributor on the track team last spring and can spell O'Brien from time to time in the backfield, Schneider can be a dangerous weapon for the Cougars if he can get into open space.

Danotiss Smith – Waterford Kettering

An electric athlete who can hurt teams in a number of ways with his speed and athleticism when the ball is in his hands, Smith will make a big impact for the Captains in the run game as well as the aerial attack.

Twitter.com/JDeuceDullack

2013 OC Football Watch List -- Quarterbacks

Alex Malzone – Birmingham Brother Rice

Even though he hasn’t been the No. 1 quarterback on the Brother Rice depth chart in the past two years, Malzone comes in to the 2013 as one of the most dangerous passers with his arm strength and accuracy and will once again have Brother Rice in the hunt for a state championship

Tyler Wiegers – Birmingham Detroit Country Day

Headed to Rutgers, Wiegers became one of the state’s most coveted quarterbacks after an impressive junior campaign where he was as dangerous as it gets with his ability to strike for a big play at any time and is one of the best in terms of protecting the ball as well.

Jalen Brady – Southfield

While Brady has yet to take a snap as a Blue Jay, the Bowling Green commit is already regarded as a top play maker from the quarterback position, whether he’s throwing the ball, or pulling it down to run and will have plenty of weapons at his disposal this fall.

Kyle Bambard – Walled Lake Western

One of the top kickers around, Bambard has proven to be just as dangerous as a quarterback as he has been one of the area's top signal callers with his ability to make a big play through the passing game as well as running the ball as well.

Spencer McCourt – Bloomfield Hills

One of the area’s top returning signal callers, McCourt has proven that he can make just about any throw and has one of the stronger arms after solidifying himself as one of Oakland County’s top quarterbacks in his junior campaign.

D.J. Zezula – Clarkston

After a full season under center, Zezula is poised for a big junior season where he should be able to keep defenses honest with his passing ability and will be a nice 1-2 punch with the Clarkston running game.

Dakota Kupp – Waterford Mott

Kupp is one of the fast rising pro-style quarterbacks that Oakland County has to offer as he's shown the ability to make almost any throw in the pocket for the Corsairs and passed for over 1,500 yards as a sophomore last season.

Nate Grys – Madison Heights Bishop Foley

A baseball star for the three time defending state champion ventures, Grys is also a strong armed quarterback who can make just about any throw from the pocket or on the run.

Danny Hubbell – Waterford Kettering 

Hubbell showed plenty of big play ability with his arm for the Captains last year and proved he can both make the deep throws to stretch secondaries, but is also an accurate passer on the shorter routes as well.

Glacier Wallington – Oxford

After being thrown into the fire in his freshman year, Wallington comes into his junior as one of the more experience signal callers in Oakland County and has continued to improve in each of the last two years.

Tristan Jackson – West Bloomfield

Jackson is another one of Oakland County’s talented young quarterbacks who has proven to be a legitimate threat in a number of ways while directing the West Bloomfield offense.

Nick Krumm – Walled Lake Central

After a promising season as the Viking signal caller, Krumm will enter this season as one of the most dangerous running quarterbacks in Oakland County and should continue to improve as a passer.

Brenden Newvine – Pontiac Notre Dame Prep

Newvine will be one of the top dual threat quarterbacks that Oakland County has to offer in the 2013 season as he showed off his ability to be a true playmaker during the playoffs last season.

Matt Sokol – Rochester Adams

Heading to Michigan State where he will play tight end for the Spartans, Sokol still remains one of the area’s best dual threat quarterbacks with his ability to create with both his arms as well as his legs.

Justin Allor – Stoney Creek

Very accurate passer in the pocket, Allor played a key role in Stoney Creek’s resurgence last season after proving to be one of the most efficient passers in the area after tossing 12 touchdowns in just five games for the Cougars.

Ross Heiman – Lakeland
Savvy field general for the Eagles, and has been an always improving passer over the course of the last couple of years at Lakeland and should keep defenses honest with the passing game to go along with the rushing attack.



Twitter.com/JDeuceDullack

Recruiting News and Notes for Week of July 14

Girls Basketball
Erin Davenport (SR) Clarkston G -- Committed to Macomb Community College
Davenport, one of the three senior back court standouts for Clarkston this season gave her commitment to play for Macomb Community College after helping lead the Wolves to a 22-2 record and three consecutive district titles. Davenport was named to the All-OAA Red Team and was also on the All-Oakland County Honorable Mention team as well.

Patrice Matthews (SR) Clarkston G -- Committed to Kellogg Community College
Matthews, one of the best 3-point shooting threats in the area this past season, committed to play for Kellogg Community College recently after wrapping up her career with the Wolves. Matthews was selected as Clarkston's most improved player for the 2012-2013 season, while she played a key role in Clarkston's OAA Red and District titles this past season.

Girls Bowling
Alicia Babicz (SR), Lake Orion -- Committed to Aquinas College
Babicz, one of the state's top bowlers from this past winter, recently committed to bowl at Aquinas after wrapping up her senior season where she advanced to the Division 1 quarterfinals and also took fifth place at regionals. Babicz finished the year with an average of 198 while being named third team all-state and was named to the All-Oakland County team as well.


If you have a recent college athletics commitment to report, parents and coaches can email Jeff Dullack at Jeff.Dullackii@yahoo.com. Be sure to include the athlete's first and last name, which high school he or she attends, where he or she has committed to along with any statistical information you would like to pass along.

Oakland County Regional Softball Predictions

Rochester Regional
Teams -- Troy, Romeo, Hartland, Lake Orion
Breakdown -- It's hard to pick against Romeo, which has Taylor Weaver, who has been one of the state's most dominating pitchers over the course of the past couple of years, but it won't be any easy task for Romeo to get past a tough Troy in the first game of the regional. Troy has plenty of balance throughout its lineup and the Colts have a pitcher, Taylor Schmidt, who recently threw a no-hitter in the district final and went head-to-head with another top pitcher in Haley Zemmer and came out on top. In the second game, there is another interesting pitching match-up between Hartland senior Abbie Minsker and Lake Orion freshman Sierra Gonzales. Minsker has been dominant all year long, while Gonzales has flown under the radar, while quietly emerged as one of the top aces in the OAA. I've gone back and forth between all four teams in this district and any of these teams has a legitimate shot at playing in the quarterfinals next week.
Regional Semifinal Prediction #1: Troy 2, Romeo 1
Regional Semifinal Prediction #2: Lake Orion 3, Hartland 2
Regional Final Prediction: Lake Orion 4, Troy 2 (in 9 innings)

Novi Regional
Teams -- Birmingham Marian, South Lyon, Farmington Hills Mercy, Plymouth Canton
Breakdown -- This regional is Mercy's to lose, the Marlins are without a doubt the most complete team in the region and the Marlins can change the outlook of a game with one swing of the bat as the Marlins are cementing themselves as one of, if not the best power-hitting team in MHSAA history. Mercy can't overlook Canton, who played spoiler in the district final as it upset rival Plymouth and will could have to face Marian once again in the final, or a very experienced South Lyon squad. The first game between Marian and South Lyon will be interesting to see if the young Mustangs, which have a number of freshman on the team who are significant contributors can keep up with a South Lyon team that did plenty of damage in the KLAA this year and are ready to make a statement.
Regional Semifinal Prediction #1: South Lyon 7, Birmingham Marian 6
Regional Semifinal Prediction #2: Farmington Hills Mercy 7, Plymouth Canton 2
Regional Final Prediction: Farmington Hills Mercy 9, South Lyon 2

Bloomfield Hills Andover Regional
Teams -- Pontiac Notre Dame Prep, Clawson, St. Clair, Richmond
Breakdown -- Notre Dame Prep has simply been a completely different team since Carly Joseph rejoined the Irish as she's shown that she hasn't missed a step since returning after missing part of the season. While Joseph has proven to be a force in the circle and at the plate in the district playoffs, as she allowed no earned runs in 13 innings on Saturday, while helping pace the Irish offense in a semifinal win over Cranbrook, topping St. Clair will be no easy task of the Irish want to advance to the quarterfinals. St. Clair will counter Notre Dame Prep's dual threat menace with one of their own in Brittany Schweiger, who is one of the best in the state when it comes to pitching and hitting, but I expect this regional final to be way closer than what most expect it to be.
Regional Semifinal Prediction #1: Notre Dame Prep 4, Clawson 0
Regional Semifinal Prediction #2: St. Clair 6, Richmond 1
Regional Final Prediction: Notre Dame Prep 5, St. Clair 4 (in 10 innings)

Madison Heights Bishop Foley Regional
Teams -- Rochester Hills Lutheran Northwest, Detroit Henry Ford, Allen Park Cabrini, Grass Lake
Breakdown -- There have been few teams who have bounced back better than Lutheran Northwest has this season, the Crusaders started the season with a disappointing 2-9 record, but have surged back as they have put together a 12-3 record in the second half of the season, which will likely help lead them past Henry Ford in the first game. But the winner of Cabrini and Grass Lake will probably end up being the regional champion as both teams have top 10 rankings in the state and are two of the most balanced teams around.
Regional Semifinal Prediction #1: Lutheran Northwest 8, Henry Ford 4
Regional Semifinal Prediction #2: Allen Park Cabrini 5, Grass Lake 2
Regional Final Prediction: Allen Park Cabrini 7, Lutheran Northwest 2

Auburn Hills Oakland Christian Regional
Teams -- Portland St. Patrick, Webberville, Waterford Our Lady of the Lakes, New Lothrup
Breakdown -- This regional will come down to the Laker's pitching, because there is no question that they can hit and produce runs with some of the best teams in the area. Much like the baseball regional, there isn't a clear cut favorite to come out of this regional as all four teams have put been very solid, but not dominant over the course of the last couple of months, which means this regional is wide open. The difference that will tip the scales in Lakes' favor will be senior Abby Kline, who has shown that she can take over a game and shut down opposing hitting attacks, and that should be the difference on Saturday.
Regional Semifinal Prediction #1: Portland St. Patrick 6, Webberville 4
Regional Semifinal Prediction #2: WOLL 5, New Lothrup 1
Regional Final Prediction: WOLL 4, Portland St. Patrick 0

Grosse Point Woods University of Liggett Regional
Teams -- Allen Park Inter-City Baptist, Westland Huron Valley, Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett, Wixom St. Catherine
Breakdown -- Last week was obviously a special one for Wixom St. Catherine and without a doubt is the best story in high school sports right now. After finishing the season with a 17-5 record, Wixom St. Catherine flew under the radar and pulled off a bit of a surprise by winning a district title in the team's first year by upsetting Royal Oak Shrine in the district final. But the semifinal game on Saturday will be a very difficult task facing Wixom St. Catherine as it will play regional host Liggett, which finished the season as a top five team in the state. Liggett is without a doubt the favorite to come out of this region, considering its high ranking in the state, but if junior hurler Mary Greene can keep Wixom St. Catherine in the game with the Knights, there could be another surprise in the making.
Regional Semifinal Prediction #1: Inter-City Baptist 7, Huron Valley 3
Regional Semifinal Prediction #2: GPW Liggett, 4, Wixom St. Catherine 2
Regional Final Prediction: GPW Liggett 6, Inter-City Baptist 3

Oakland County Regional Baseball Predictions

Rochester Regional
Teams -- Hartland, Lake Orion, Rochester Adams, Stoney Creek
Breakdown -- Pitching should dominate this regional, especially in the first semifinal game between Lake Orion and Hartland, which will be a rematch of last year's regional final where Hartland edged out the Dragons to move on. Lake Orion has all of the pitching you look for from a team that has eyes for Battle Creek, with Nick Deeg, Brad Schaenzer and Josh Bays. But Hartland will counter with another very good pitching staff that features Michigan State commit Jake Lowery. On the other side, of the regional semifinals, it will be interesting to see if Rochester Adams can continue to play spoiler, or if the Cougars can pick up a fourth straight win over the Highlanders this season. Chances are the first semifinal will come down to which team can have the most success offensively, and then hope that they can match up in pitching with either Lake Orion or Hartland in the final.
Regional Semifinal Prediction #1: Lake Orion 4, Hartland 2
Regional Semifinal Prediction #2: Rochester Adams 3, Stoney Creek 2
Regional Final Prediction: Lake Orion 5, Rochester Adams 1

Novi Regional
Teams -- Northville, North Farmington, Birmingham Brother Rice, Walled Lake Northern
Breakdown -- Barring a major upset, this regional belongs to Brother Rice, the Warriors are one of, if not the most complete team in the state in terms of pitching and hitting and the depth that comes with both of those categories. Walled Lake Northern could be able to hang in with Brother Rice in the early stages of their semifinal, but Brother Rice will be hard to slow down. It seemed as if North Farmington had eyes on planning for regionals even during the district playoffs as they chose to save senior ace Sterling Sharp, and go with some of the younger pitchers on the staff, and I think that will pay off in the semifinal on Satuday. If anybody can or will compete with Brother Rice in the regional final, it would be North Farmington because to the Senior-Frosh duo of Sharp and Alex Darden.
Regional Semifinal Prediction #1: Brother Rice 8, WL Northern 4
Regional Semifinal Prediction #2: North Farmington 5, Northville 4
Regional Final Prediction: Brother Rice 5, North Farmington 2

Bloomfield Hills Andover Regional
Teams -- Clawson, Orchard Lake St. Mary's, Richmond, St. Claire.
Breakdown -- Heading into the playoffs, there wasn't any question of whether or not St. Mary's could hit, as the Eaglets have proven to be one of the best teams around when it comes to offensive production. However, there were questions about whether the Eaglets had enough pitching to make a run in the postseason. But Connor Bowers has answered each and every one of those questions so far as he's emerged as a true ace over the course of the last month and should be able to help pitch the Eaglets into contention for the regional. Assuming that St. Mary's meets up with St. Claire in the regional final, it will be a tall task for the Eaglets to move past a top five team in the state, but the Eaglets lineup paired with the emergence of Bowers will be enough for St. Mary's to advance to the quarterfinals.
Regional Semifinal Prediction #1: Orchard Lake St. Mary's 7, Clawson 3
Regional Semifinal Prediction #2: St. Claire 2, Richmond 0
Regional Final Prediction: OLSM 4, St. Claire 1

Madison Heights Bishop Foley Regional
Teams -- Madison Heights Bishop Foley, Harper Woods, Ann Arbor Gabriel Richard, Allen Park Cabrini
Breakdown -- There's not a whole lot to say about this regional. It's not a matter of if the Ventures are going to win, but how many runs they will win by in both games on Saturday. Bishop Foley has been dominant all year long and are now in a regional with three teams that have sub-.500 records on the year. Everything is lined up perfectly for the Ventures to get back to Battle Creek and be in serious contention for a third straight state title.
Regional Semifinal Prediction #1: Bishop Foley 12, Harper Woods 2
Regional Semifinal Prediction #2: Allen Park Cabrini 3, Ann Arbor Gabriel Richard 1
Regional Final Prediction: Bishop Foley 11, Allen Park Cabrini 1

Auburn Hills Oakland Christian Regional
Teams -- Waterford Our Lady of the Lakes, New Lothrup, Portland St. Patrick, Potterville
Breakdown -- Throughout much of the season, Lakes has had some offensive inconsistencies, but one of the things that hasn't been inconsistent is the dominant pitching that the Lakers have to offer. For a Division 4 team to have as good and as deep of a pitching staff as Lakes has is something that can't be overlooked in the playoffs, and with Jake Glover, Steven Scott and Colt Moran holding down the rotation, the Lakers have a better than good chance to advance to the quarterfinals. One thing that also plays into Lakes' hands is the fact that there isn't a single overly dominant team in this regional, once again giving the Lakers the upper hand considering that pitching staff.
Regional Semifinal Prediction #1: Waterford Our Lady of the Lakes 5, New Lothrup 1
Regional Semifinal Prediction #2: Portland St. Patrick 7, Potterville 6
Regional Final Prediction: Waterford Our Lady of the Lakes 2, Portland St. Patrick 0

Grosse Point Woods University of Liggett Regional
Teams -- Grosse Pointe Woods University of Liggett, Royal Oak Shrine, Plymouth Christian, Allen Park Inter-City Baptist
Breakdown -- With all due respect to the Plymouth Christian and Inter-City Baptist, this regional will come down to the first semifinal game between Shrine and Liggett. Liggett has simply been too tall of a task for the Knights in recent years, but if there's any year where the Knights could unseat Liggett, it could be this year. Shrine has plenty of pitching behind the arms of Connor Francek and Mike Cobbledick and that could give the Knights just enough to get by the perenial D-4 power that is Liggett. This game will come down to whether or not Shrine can generate any type of offensive production against Oakland University commitment Connor Fannon, and I think they just might be able to do that. Since the beginning of the playoffs, I have been calling for a Shrine vs. WOLL quarterfinal and I'm not going against that now as Shrine will move on.
Regional Semifinal Prediction #1: Shrine 4, Liggett 3
Regional Semifinal Prediction #2: Inter-City Baptist 7, Plymouth Christian 4
Regional Final Prediction: Shrine 7, Inter-City Baptist 3

Loyola's McDowell, Southfield's Marshall joining forces?

Over the course of the past couple of days it has become clear that Detroit Loyola star defensive lineman Malik McDowell will be transferring out of Loyola for his senior season for unknown reasons.
Now the rumor mill is starting to spin and places are being named where the highly coveted defensive line menace could end up and one of the destinations that continues to be named over and over again has been Southfield.
That would mean that arguably the best defensive end in the state, Lawrence Marshall, who has committed to Michigan, along with the best defensive tackle in the state, McDowell, who is widely considered as the best player in the state as well, could end up playing next to one another on the defensive line this fall.
If these rumors are true, and McDowell ends up at Southfield this fall, Marshall and McDowell could help form half of what could be one of the best defensive line units that the state of Michigan has seen in the past 20 years and possibly beyond that.
Last season Marshall tallied six sacks, and over 100 tackles from his defensive end position, while McDowell racked up 16 sacks last year along with 12 in 2011 to go along with averaging 65 tackles in each of the last two seasons.
McDowell has picked up some big time offers over the course of the last couple of years, including ones from Michigan, Michigan State as well as Alabama and Florida.
Those two on the same defensive line, is just flat out scary and could make for a very, VERY, long season for quarterbacks in the OAA White this fall.

By The Numbers -- Country Day's Keener Steps Down

When looking at Keener's body of work in his time at County Day, the numbers speak for themselves.

- 677. His 677 wins is second most in MHSAA history

- 9. Keener won nine state championships while in charge of the Country Day program, most recently this past season, and won those state titles in a number of different ways, whether it was with his team's that featured a Battier or a Webber, or his team with Ray McCallum and Amir Williams. Or this past season, where there wasn't a true star, or even one of the big near seven footers protecting the paint, but Keener and his staff, still managed to coach their way to a state title.

- 35. Keener spent 35 years as the head coach of the Yellowjackets and averaged nearly 20 wins per season.

- Zero. That's the number of state championships the Country Day basketball program won before Keener's arrival.
- 25. The number of games that Desert Mountain, the team in Arizona that Keener will take over for won last season on its way to an appearance in the state semifinals, so it's safe to say that Keener will still have a lot to work with out west.

- Lastly, there's not an exact number for this, but the number of college and NBA players Keener helped produce from Country Day is too high to keep track of, which is a tribute to the job that Keener and his has done in the past 35 years.

The timing was right for Keener to leave Country Day for a number of different reasons, but most importantly, it was for family reasons because Keener and his wife are heading to Arizona to be closer to their son who is in Arizona for college and for the job at Desert Mountain was probably too good to pass up. Also, it's very fitting that arguably the most successful coach in MHSAA history gets to go out on top after winning his ninth state title less than two months ago.

Country Day cannot replace Keener, the amount of wins and state titles the Yellowjackets had in his time wont be matched for a very long time, and expecting Keener's successor to do so would be unfair. However, the best person to be Keener's successor is his top assistant, Rick Palmer, who is one of the top X's and O's coaches in the state.

What will help Palmer's case in the Country Day coaching search is the support he will have from the returning Country Day players as well as the support from the player's families. But possibly the most important support that Palmer will likely have is the support from Keener, who will likely give his full endorsement to his top assistant, and support like that cannot go ignored in the coaching search, and it likely won't.

Country Day should take its time to find its next coach and should open up its coaching search to a number of in-state and possibly out of state applicants. The list of qualified coaches trying to land the job that is arguably the best coaching job in the state of Michigan will be long and there will be several names that should be taken under serious consideration. Names that could fly under the radar for the job at Country Day could be Mike Massucci, who is the current head coach at Royal Oak, and Fred Massey, who played a big role in the development of several of County Day's big men. 

Bloomfield Hills High School Names Graves as Head Basketball Coach

Over the course of the past few years Bloomfield Hills Lahser has seen its basketball program go to new heights behind the trio of Yante Maten, Armand Cartwright and Khalil Gracey, along with head coach Duane Graves..

But with Lahser merging with Bloomfield Hills Andover to form the new Bloomfield Hills high school starting next year, there was some doubt that the junior trio along with Graves would still be together as the Blackhawks opened up their coaching search which rumored to come down to Graves and Andover head coach Jeff Rubin.

But as of Friday morning it was rumored that Graves had received and accepted the job offer to be the head coach of the Bloomfield Hills Blackhawks, however Bloomfield Hills Schools only said that the job had been offered to Graves.

Graves later confirmed that he received the job on twitter.

I'm pleased to announce that I have been name varsity boys basketball coach for the Bloomfield Hills Black Hawks Thanks for all the support

— Lahser Knights Bball (@LahserKnightsBB) April 19, 2013

Since Graves took over for Lahser back in 2011, the Knights have been one of the fastest rising basketball programs in Oakland County as the Knights have won both district and league titles in each of the past two seasons, and made a trip to the regional final in this past season.

Keeping Graves was the right choice for Bloomfield Hills considering that in just a couple of years, Graves helped turn things around in a hurry for Lahser as he helped lead the Knights to a pair of district titles after they had a drought of over 10 years. The hiring also made a lot of sense because Graves has helped develop the Knights with the core of Maten, Cartwright and Gracey and has now helped put the Blackhawks into a position where they could be serious contenders to make an appearance at the Breslin Center for next year's state finals.

This is no knock on Rubin, who proved to be one of the area's top coaches over the past couple of years as well in his time with Andover as he helped lead the Barons to an 11-10 record. There's no doubt in my mind that Rubin will once again be on the sidelines, helping lead another strong team in the area.

Next season, the Knights will have high expectations as they will return the soon-to-be senior trio as well as a number of other steady contributors that suited up for the Barons and Knights last season.

Oakland County Softball Preview - Top Players

1. Haley Zemmer - Troy Athens
Zemmer is arguably the area's best pitcher, but what gives her the edge over some of the other players in Oakland County is her ability to not only dominate in the circle, but her ability to dominate in the batter's box as well. Zemmer finished last year with an ERA of just over 1.00 and struck out a whopping 323 batters while tallying 31 wins. Offensively, she was nearly just as good as Zemmer hit nearly .500 on the season, while driving in almost 50 runs. Zemmer is already committed to play for Oakland..

2. Sarah Gutknecht - Farmington
Without a doubt the best offensive player that Oakland County has to offer, Gutknecht makes it look easy at the plate as she hit just under .600 last season in her junior campaign, while driving in and scoring 30 runs. Gutknecht is also one of the area's top defensive players as you will rarely, if ever, see her make an error at her shortstop position. Gutknecht has signed to play for Michigan State.

3. Selena Hicks - Lakeland
Hicks is the second half of the argument when it comes down to the best pitcher in Oakland County as she's proven to be an ace since she started pitching for the Eagles. Hicks finished with a 16-3 record last season in the circle for the Eagles as she helped lead Lakeland to Battle Creek after going 23-5 with an ERA of just over 1.00 in her sophomore campaign.

4. Sydney Heath - Troy
It's not often you find someone who hasn't played a specific sport on the high school scene for two years, but still manages to earn a scholarship offer to play that sport. But that's exactly the case for Heath, who spent the last couple of years as a star on the Troy track and field squad, but will play softball for the Colts after receiving and accepting an offer to play for Michigan State. Look for Heath to be a steady force in the Troy lineup, while also being one of the best defensive outfielders that Oakland County has to offer.

5. Jordan Lennington - Birmingham Seaholm
Lennington has been as consistent as it gets over the past four years for the Maples, as she's entering her fourth year as a starter for Seaholm. Last season, Lennington hit over .500 and almost 30 RBI in her junior season, while hitting three home runs and five triples, but what might be the most impressive stat from last season for Lennington was the fact that she struck out just two times all season long.

6. Sydney Hasselbach - Clarkston
The most imposing power threat in Oakland County, Hasselbach has the ability to change the outlook of a game with just one swing. Last season Hasselbach hit over 10 home runs and drove in over 60 runs while hitting .546 in the middle of the Clarkston lineup. Look for the senior catcher to do plenty of damage from behind the plate as well as she's proven to be one of the best when it comes to slowing down opposing running attacks.

7. Kelly Merkle - Lakeland
Merkle is another power hitter that will likely give opposing teams nightmares after her big season in 2012. Look for Merkle to help solidify a dangerous Lakeland lineup from the middle of the order and will have plenty of opportunities to pick up the RBI this season. Last year, Merkle hit over .500 for the Eagles as she helped lead the Eagles to a somewhat surprising season, which ended in Battle Creek.

8. Jackie Murphy - Farmington Hills Mercy
Murphy has some big shoes to fill this season as she'll replace Kayce Nieto as the ace of the Mercy pitching staff and she'll likely do some serious damage for the Marlins in the circle this year. Look for a big season from Murphy offensively as well as she proved to be one of the most consistent and lethal hitters that Oakland County had to offer last season.

9. Madison Burgess - Lakeland
Burgess is as good as it gets when it comes to lead-off hitters as she had a monstrous sophomore season last year and figures to do much of the same in her junior year this season. Last season Burgess hit over .450 and had an on-base percentage of .525 while proving to be arguably the best base-stealing threat in the county after swiping nearly 40 bases last year.

10. Zoe Schmerin - Birmingham Groves
Schmerin can flat out hit the ball as well as anyone in Oakland County as she's proven to be able to hit for both power and average and is one of, if not the best defensive catcher in the area. Last year, Schmerin hit well over .500 in her junior campaign, while also tallying two home runs and hitting 45 RBI to help lead the offensive attack for the Falcons and you can expect more of the same out of the senior catcher this season as well.

11. Devon Schomberg - Waterford Mott
One of the best when it comes to finding ways to get hitters out and is capable of striking out just about anybody, at any time.

12. Meg Tarrance - Farmington Hills Mercy
One of the leaders of the Mercy squad and has proven to be an offensive threat over the last couple of years in the middle of the Marlin's batting order.

13. Rachel Waynick - Waterford Mott
Will miss some time early on because of a torn ACL, but when she returns near midseason will likely pick up where she left off as one of the top hitters in the area, capable of getting on base at any time.

14. Jessica Mehr - South Lyon
It's almost impossible to keep Mehr off the base-paths, especially after last season where she hit nearly .600 as a sophomore and should do more of the same this year.

15. Madeline Maday - Clarkston
One of the rising stars of the circle, Maday was flat out dominant in her freshman campaign as she posted an ERA just north of .90 and struck out almost 230 batters.

16. Sydney Jones - South Lyon East
Another player who is one of the area's fastest rising players, Jones had a dominant season in 2012, and will look to have yet another strong season in her junior campaign.

17. Alicia Gronowski - Lake Orion
Gronowski has proven to do just about everything for the Dragons as she is not only one of the area's best hitters, but has also been a top defensive player and pitcher as well.

18. Taylor Steinhelper - Waterford Kettering
One of the best top of the order hitters out there, Steinhelper has proven she can get on base with the best of them after hitting .470 last year and his a threat on the bases after stealing 32 bases and scoring 42 runs.

19. Carly Banchiu - Waterford Mott
Another piece to the terrific trio that Mott has to offer, Banchiu figures to have a big senior season after missing her junior campaign with a torn ACL, look for her to return to her sophomore form where she became one of the best hitters around.

20. Karissa Gawronski - Lakeland
Another Lakeland player who had a breakout season of sorts last year, Gawronski was as consistent of a No. 2 hitter as there is after posting a .495 batting average as a sophomore.

21. Nikki Wald - North Farmington
Should help lead the offensive attack for the Raiders after hitting nearly .500 with 45 runs last year and is also a top notch defender at her third base position.

22. Kaitlyn Kendall - North Farmington
Will help solidify the middle of the North Farmington lineup as she's shown she can be one of the best around when it comes to driving in runs after tallying 44 RBI in her junior seasons.

23. Mackenzie Norton - Waterford Kettering 
The ace of the Captains pitching staff, Norton picked up 25 wins in her sophomore season should be dominant once again this year and should be one of the main hitters in the Kettering order.

24. Anika Wiesinger - Lakeland
Wiesinger is as good of an ace as there is in Oakland County, but is the No. 2 pitcher on the Lakeland staff. As a junior, Wiesinger picked up 20 wins in the circle last season and pitching along with Selena Hicks should prove to be a dominant 1-2 punch for the Eagles this year.

25. Megan Keller - North Farmington
Keller should be another consistent bat in the middle of the Raider's order after posting a .463 batting average and had five home runs along with 33 RBI as a sophomore.

15 More To Keep An Eye On (NO ORDER)
1. Autumn Cervantez - Oxford
2. Cori Mittelbrun - Troy
3. Julie Malear - Lake Orion
4. Taylor Krumm - Walled Lake Central
5. Veronica Dyer - Birmingham Detroit Country Day
6. Emma Colegrove - Waterford Kettering
7. Maggie Vosler - Southfield Christian
8. Angie Mastromatteo - Waterford Our Lady of the Lakes/Clarkston Everest
9. Kelly McCassland - Rochester Adams
10. Erika Meyers - Birmingham Detroit Country Day
11. Katelyn Hendershott - Ortonville Brandon
12. Elizabeth Carlson - Farmington Hills Mercy
13. Mamie Talty - Birmingham Groves
14. Verca Barnwell - Birmingham Detroit Country Day
15. Lexi Hamilton - Birmingham Seaholm