Stick’s Picks: All teams must face adversity at some point

All teams face adversity of some sort throughout the course of a season.

A key player goes down with a season-ending injury.

A coach or someone affiliated with the program loses a loved one.

A team loses a heartbreaker on a last minute play.

A long winning streak is halted.

All of this is part of sports.

For Clarkston, it must face the adversity of being state-ranked but with an asterisk. The Wolves announced Monday night that they have filed with the MHSAA to forfeit its first two games of the season for use of an academic ineligible player, as published Tuesday morning on NOS and other local and regional media outlets.

Instead of going into Week 4 with a 3-0 record, the Wolves are now 1-2 and 1-1 in the OAA Red Division.

A top 10 team in three different polls, Clarkston now must win five of their last six games to make the playoffs. Their victories against Rochester Adams and West Bloomfield have been erased.

Can the Wolves respond in the right way? Or will this have a lasting effect?

Holly is in a similar boat record-wise. The Bronchos were upset by Swartz Creek in Week 2. Holly lost its first two games on last-minute plays before shutting down perennial Flint Metro League power Linden in Week 3. The Bronchos face Fenton at home this week, a team that reached the Division 2 regional finals (Elite Eight) last fall.

MOVING FORWARD: Auburn Hills Avondale's Mitch Robinson will try to lead the Yellowjackets to a 4-0 start. File Photo.

If Holly is to remain a playoff hopeful and stay relevant in the top half of the FML, a win tonight is essential.

Rochester is also facing adversity, with three key offensive players out this week. If the 1-2 Falcons don’t respond, it could be long season.

Teams such as Lake Orion, Waterford Our Lady of the Lakes and Rochester Hills Lutheran Northwest have already faced some adversity this season and bounced back nicely after season-opening losses three weeks ago.

There are other teams who face some uphill battles this week. I won’t bore the masses any more as to why they face adversity, but instead get on with the Week 4 picks. All games are 7 p.m. Friday unless otherwise noted

(Last week 10-3; Season 30-9).

CLARKSTON AT TROY: With its backs against the wall, Clarkston will come out full steam ahead against a much-improved Troy team.

PICK: Clarkston by 7.

ROCHESTER ADAMS AT OAK PARK: It is hard to pick against Tony Patritto-coached teams, even though Oak Park is a much-improved team as well.

PICK: Adams by 3.

ROYAL OAK AT TROY ATHENS: The Red Hawks had a major hiccup last week against Clarkston. That won’t happen this week.

PICK: Athens by 20.

LAKE ORION AT WEST BLOOMFIELD: West Bloomfield was one of the benefactors of the Clarkston forfeits, picking up a Week 2 win to move to 2-1.That won’t matter this week against one of the area’s premier programs

PICK: Lake Orion by 14.

OXFORD AT FARMINGTON HARRISON: Does it really matter who Harrison is playing? Not really. Injury-riddled Oxford won’t hang with the Hawks.

PICK: Farmington Harrison.

SOUTHFIELD AT ROCHESTER STONEY CREEK: Stoney Creek upset Southfield last year. Every week there are upsets around the state. Can it happen two years in a row?

PICK: Southfield by 7.

ROCHESTER AT PONTIAC: How can the Falcons adapt without three key offensive weapons? Rough times ahead for Rochester.

PICK: Pontiac by 6.

ROCHESTER HILLS LUTHERAN NORTHWEST AT PECK: Peck is one of those small towns in the thumb. Drove through it once…Once.

PICK: Lutheran Northwest by 6.

AUBURN HILLS AVONDALE AT FERNDALE (7:30 p.m. Friday): Unbeaten Avondale will snap out of its one-week offensive slump.

PICK: Avondale by 8.

LIVONIA CLARENCEVILLE AT PONTIAC NOTRE DAME PREP: Why ruin a perfect season now?

PICK: Notre Dame Prep by 7.

FENTON AT HOLLY: There is an upset party brewing in northwestern Oakland County. The main course is barbeque tiger.

PICK: Upset special…Holly by 3.

ORTONVILLE BRANDON AT FLINT NORTHWESTERN: Still wish the Blackhawks played in the OAA. Even their non-league games are a hike.

PICK: Ortonville Brandon by 10.

SATURDAY’S GAME

BIRMINGHAM DETROIT COUNTRY DAY AT WATERFORD OUR LADY OF THE LAKES (1 p.m. Saturday): Two perennial powers playing a Saturday afternoon affair. Pencil this game into my daily planner.

PICK: Detroit Country Day by 10.

TROY CHRISTIAN LEADERSHIP ACADEMY AT HOWELL LINVINGSTON HOME SCHOOL (2 p.m. Saturday): Not really sure what high school is hosting this game. All I know is that Howell is a first-year program in the CFLM and Christian Leadership is 3-1 in its fourth-season — and the loss was to a Class C-sized school in Ohio.

PICK: Christian Leadership by 20.

(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.)

REPORTING SCORES

Varsity coaches are urged to report varsity results in a timely fashion by e-mail to senior editor Dan Stickradt at dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com or results@northoaklandsports.com, or by calling the sports nightline recording at (248) 812-1053. Deadlines are normally midnight each day.

High schools and colleges in the NorthOaklandSports coverage region include Auburn Hills Avondale, Auburn Hills Oakland Christian, Auburn Hills Christian Academy, Clarkston, Clarkston Everest Collegiate, Clarkston Springfield Christian, Holly, Lake Orion, Lake Orion Baptist, Lake Orion Shalom Baptist, Ortonville Brandon, Oxford, Pontiac Notre Dame Prep, Rochester, Rochester Adams, Rochester Stoney Creek, Rochester Hills Lutheran Northwest, Troy, Troy Athens, Troy Bethany Christian, Troy Christian Leadership Academy, Waterford Our Lady of the Lakes, plus Rochester College, Oakland University and Oakland Community College.

The NOS sports desk will also publish information on club, youth and recreation teams with local or regional interest.

PHOTOS: Have courtesy action photos that who wish to contribute? Please feel free to e-mail photos in a color j-peg format to senior editor Dan Stickradt at dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com .Please include all pertinent information, incluing photographer, link back to web site, date, location and competing schools or teams in the photos and the identification of each athlete in each photo.

VIDEO: Have courtesy action videos or interview videos that who wish to contribute? Please feel free to e-mail the imbed codes for video or web-link to senior editor Dan Stickradt at dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com. Please include all pertinent information, including videographer, link back to web site, date, location, competing schools or teams in the video and the identification of each athlete in the video.

INTERNSHIPS / STUDENT WRITERS: High School and college internships are available. Contact marketing director Dennis VanWingerden at dennis@northoaklandsports.com or Senior Editor Dan Stickradt at dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com.

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