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Stick’s Picks: League titles, final playoff spots on the line in Week 9

Dan Stickradt | October 19, 2011 | Comments (1)

It was two months ago when football teams at nearly 700 schools around the state entered the 2011 season with high hopes.

For most, those hopes have dwindled. For a few, league championships have been won and playoff spots have been clinched. For a few others, there is still Week 9 to grab that final win to push into the field of 256, or to capture a league championship trophy.

For some teams, it’s a matter of beating an arch-rival or to win the last game to carry over some momentum into 2012. Whatever the scenario is, there’s still a lot to play for on the final weekend of the regular season.

After that, the state will know the postseason field on Sunday night, when the Michigan High School Athletic Association releases its postseason pairings for 32 schools each in the eight different divisions.

The 2011 second season is just around the corner.

But before we dig into the postseason, let’s take a peek at the final week of the regular season. All games are 7 p.m. Friday unless otherwise noted.

(Last Week, 9-4, .693 pct.; Season: 86-21, .804 pct.)

Friday’s Games

LAKE ORION AT CLARKSTON: The two forfeit wins at the beginning of the season has now cost Clarkston. Instead of entering this game with an unbeaten league mark and a 7-1 overall record, the Wolves are 5-3 and need to win not only to share the OAA Red Division crown with Lake Orion, but to get a sixth win and automatically reaching the postseason. Beating arch-rival Lake Orion is normally enough incentive. The Dragons would love nothing more than to win the league title outright and to potentially solidify a home-field postseason game.

PICK: Clarkston by 3.

HOLLY AT ORTONVILLE BRANDON: There’s so much at stake here. Brandon wins and it’s in the playoffs after missing last season with a 5-4 record. Holly wins and it will be the first time in 59 years that the Bronchos can stake claim to a league championship.

PICK: Holly by 6.

ROYAL OAK AT ROCHESTER: Rochester’s string of injuries is going to leave the Falcons with the would’ve, could’ve, should’ve taste in the in mouths for a whole year. If only Rochester had all of their players in Week 2 through Week 6, as they will close with three wins to finish 4-5.

PICK: Rochester by 21.

COLLISION COURSE: Troy Athens' Kris Gervin and the Red Hawks are on course for a potential home-field game in the postseason if they can defeat rival Troy Friday. File Photo.

OXFORD OAK PARK (Friday, 6 p.m.): There’s no telling how many yards Prescott Line will rush for or how big the holes the offensive line will create in this one. But remember Wildcats, don’t spend all of your offensive prowess in the regular season. The postseason is a whole different story.

PICK: Oxford by 14.

TROY ATHENS AT TROY: If Athens can win, that will sail the Red Hawks to 7-2 and, at the very least, clinch third place in the OAA Red Division. That might also be enough to give Athens a home playoff game in pre-districts. Troy would love nothing more than to wreck that potential home-field potential and grab bragging rights for the fifth straight season.

PICK: Troy Athens by 7.

ROCHESTER ADAMS AT ROCHESTER STONEY CREEK: Adams needs a win to guarantee a 14th straight postseason appearance. Injury-riddled Stoney Creek needs to avoid an eight-game losing streak.

PICK: Rochester Adams by 20.

AUBURN HILLS AVONDALE AT BERKLEY: The Avondale coaching staff is scratching their heads not only at the Yellowjackets’ three-game skid and four losses in the past five games, which removed them from the league title chase and playoff spot, but to where their high-powered offense disappeared to down the stretch. Avondale did score 107 points the first two weeks of the season.

PICK: Auburn Hills Avondale by 7.

DETROIT PLYMOUTH EDUCATION CENTER AT ROCHESTER HILLS LUTHERAN NORTHWEST: Last week’s 31-7 defeat to Grosse Pointe Liggett dropped the Crusaders from a share of a fourth straight conference title and out of postseason contention. There’s always building for next season.

PICK: Rochester Hills Lutheran Northwest by 10.

Saturday’s Games

GROSSE POINTE WOODS UNIVERSITY-LIGGETT AT WATERFORD OUR LADY OF THE LAKES (1 p.m. Saturday): The MIAC champion Knights would like nothing more than to completely take the Lakers out of a playoff spot. WOLL will need a win to move to 5-4 and hope that playoff points will be enough to ensure them a coveted at-large postseason spot

PICK: Waterford Our Lady of the Lakes by 6.

TROY CHRISTIAN LEADERSHIP ACADEMY AT ELKHART (IND.) HOME SCHOOL (Saturday, 1 p.m., at Elkhart Central High School): The Defenders were rocked by now three-time Christian Football League of Michigan regular season champion Lansing CHAP last weekend, 40-6. It’s time for Troy to regroup and clinch second place in the league with a road win on Saturday.

PICK: Troy Defenders by 10.

PONTIAC NOTRE DAME PREP VS. ANN ARBOR GABRIEL RICHARD (Saturday, 1 p.m. at Ford Field, CHSL Prep Bowl): The perfect regular season will be completed come Saturday evening. Then the Irish can work on a long postseason run.

PICK: Pontiac Notre Dame Prep by 10.

(Stick’s Picks is prep seer for the AdaVan Media Group’s www.northoaklandsports.com. 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.

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