Stick’s Picks: In Week 3, it’s time to separate the men from boys

There’s never a month full of more optimism than August. That’s when high school coaches talk about how they feel that their team “will be better than last year,” or “that they have a great shot of making the postseason this season.”

Now that we’re in September, some coaches and teams are still entertaining those thoughts, while others are finding out that there are multiple kinks in the armor and much work to be done in a hurry or that those dreams will fade away before season’s end.

Week 3 is full of interesting league clashes, some that will help vault teams into the front pack while others might drop back down the pecking order.

In the OAA Red Division, can Troy Athens, Rochester and Troy keep in the upper half with Clarkston and defending league champion Lake Orion?

In the OAA White Division, will Oxford and Rochester Adams keep in stride with state powerhouse Farmington Harrison?

What about in the MIAC? Will Rochester Hills Lutheran Northwest be able to win its fourth straight league championship?

These questions and many more will be answered in the upcoming weeks.

All games are 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted.

FRIDAY’S GAMES

TROY ATHENS AT CLARKSTON: Athens might be the most improved team in the entire OAA this season and the Red Hawks may be a team that earns a playoffs berth come late October. Is there an upset in the making Friday against a team favored to win the OAA-Red? No.

PICK: Clarkston by 7.

PONTIAC AT LAKE ORION: Still thinking Lake Orion will end up playing Clarkston for the OAA Red Division championship in Week 9. What else is new?

PICK: Lake Orion by 17.

LINDEN AT HOLLY: Holly has started the season 0-2 after high expectations. There will be some upset magic in the Flint Metro League this evening.

PICK: Holly by 3.

SOUTHFIELD LATHRUP AT ROCHESTER ADAMS: Adams may have only 34 players on its roster, which is small for a Class A school. But I’ll take those 34 kids against most.

PICK: Rochester Adams by 14.

GOING FOR 2: Rochester Adams quarterback Tony Annese and the Highlanders are going for their second straight win Friday, hosting Southfield Lathrup. File Photo | Dan Stickradt

ROCHESTER STONEY CREEK AT FARMINGTON HARRISON: Will the Hawks, perhaps the state’s top team regardless of division, have any mercy on Stoney Creek? Quite frankly, the Hawks won’t have mercy on just about anyone.

PICK: Farmington Harrison by 20.

FARMINGTON AT OXFORD: When was the last time that Oxford began the year 3-0? Well, the Wildcats will this year.

PICK: Oxford by 10.

ORTONVILLE BRANDON AT LAPEER WEST: Can the Blackhawks go back-to-back years with 3-0 starts?

PICK: Ortonville Brandon by 6.

AUBURN HILLS AVONDALE AT BLOOMFIELD HILLS ANDOVER: Avondale scored 55 points in Week 1 and 64 in Week 2. Can the Yellowjackets break 70 this week? That might be pushing it.

PICK: Auburn Hills Avondale by 21.

ROCHESTER AT TROY: These two teams usually play out a game worth watching, at least in recent years. So here goes the coin flip to see who prevails in this one. And it’s …

PICK: Rochester by 7.

AUBURN HILLS OAKLAND CHRISTIAN AT ROCHESTER HILLS LUTHERAN NORTHWEST: We’ve said all along that Northwest will win a fourth straight conference title this season.

PICK: Lutheran Northwest by 14.

SATURDAY’S GAMES

RIVERVIEW GABRIEL RICHARD AT WATERFORD OUR LADY OF THE LAKES: Is it hard to pick against Mike Boyd-coach teams? The answer is yes, which is why I won’t in this one.

PICK: WOLL by 10.

PONTIAC NOTRE DAME PREP AT ANN ARBOR GABRIEL RICHARD: Both teams are 2-0, but Notre Dame Prep has won six straight dating back to last season. There’s no reason to pick against the Irish now.

PICK: Pontiac Notre Dame Prep by 6.

TROY CHRISTIAN LEADERSHIP ACADEMYAT ELKHART (IND.) CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP (12 p.m.): What with the Defenders and road trips? Last week it was North Baltimore, Ohio, which is located just south of Bowling Green. Now it’s northern Indiana.

PICK: Troy Christian Leadership Academy by 7.

(Stick’s Picks is prep seer for the AdaVan Media Group’s www.northoaklandsports.com and also CEO of the Stickradt Media Group sportswriting public relations firm. He can be reached at dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com. Follow us on Twitter @LocalSportsFans and on over a dozen social media networks.)

Tags: football, high school football, prep football

Category: Auburn Hills Avondale, Auburn Hills Oakland Christian, Clarkston, Clarkston Everest Catholic, High School, High School (M-Z), Holly, Lake Orion, Ortonville Brandon, Oxford, Pontiac Notre Dame Prep, Prep Wraps, Rochester, Rochester Adams, Rochester Hills Lutheran NW, Rochester Stoney Creek, Troy, Troy Athens, Troy Christian Leadership Acadamy, Waterford Our Lady of the Lakes