STICK’S PICKS: The second season has arrived for high school football

The second season has finally arrived.

The five-week march to Ford Field begins Friday and Saturday for 256 football teams in the MHSAA prep football playoffs. There are nine local schools that are in the hunt for district, regional and possibly a state championship and only two play each other in the first round.

There are several interesting matchups on tap in the first round and even some possible showdowns in the district finals the following weekend.

Isn’t this a great time of year?

The Oakland Activities Association proved to be one of the state’s best leagues, sending 14 of 25 schools to the postseason, including four from the OAA-Red, and five each from the OAA-White and OAA-Blue.

For Lake Orion, this is the first time the Dragons will be trying to defend their state championship. For others such as Clarkston, the Wolves are gunning for their first state crown.

Troy Athens is in the postseason for the first time in seven years, while Holly is hoping to win its first-ever postseason game.

Pontiac Notre Dame Prep is gunning for their 14^th straight win as one of the state’s hottest teams. Auburn Hills Avondale and Ortonville Brandon squeaked into the postseason with 5-4 records and hope that they can spring an upset or two.

Oxford and Rochester Adams will have a repeat meeting in the opening round, as the Highlanders will hope to avenge an overtime loss to the Wildcats from Week 6.

Additionally, Troy Christian Leadership is in the Christian Football League of Michigan Bowl Game for the first time in program history.

If you are a fan of prep football, there will be no shortage of quality games in the area alone. Pick a team and hop on the bandwagon.  It’s high school football at it’s best.

Who will advance?

You know, there’s only one way to find out.

(Last Week, 9-2, .818 pct.; Season: 95-23, .806 pct.)

Friday’s games

AUBURN HILLS AVONDALE AT LAPEER EAST: If Avondale can figure out to get all of its athletes on the same page in a given game, this team could be dangerous. Both the OAA-blue, where Avondale was one of five teams to qualify, is similar to the Flint Metro League, where five schools also made the cut. There are more upsets in the first round than any other round. There will be one in Lapeer Friday night.

PICK: Auburn hills Avondale by 3.

PONTIAC AT CLARKSTON: Pontiac is a much different team than when Clarkston pounded the Phoenix earlier in the season. In fact, Pontiac is a team that could pose a threat to any squad with its big-play athletes. Don’t see an upset here, as the Wolves are trying to make amends and exercise some postseason demons of yesteryear.

PICK: Clarkston by 10.

WALLED LAKE CENTRAL AT LAKE ORION: The host Dragons are the defending D-1 state champs while Walled Lake Central reached the D-2 Final Four last season. Both are not as talented as last season but are still teams capable of making a run. Lake Orion is playing at home and that will be the difference.

PICK: Lake Orion by 7.

ROMEO AT TROY ATHENS: One of the best turnaround jobs in the state, Troy Athens is proving that they are a program on the rise. Will it be enough to beat the Bulldogs and gain a berth against either Utica Eisenhower or Macomb Dakota in the district finals? Why not?

PICK: Troy Athens by 3.

ORTONVILLE BRANDON AT PORT HURON: Brandon has a very good quarterback and some good size on its lines. It’s puzzling why the Blackhawks have underperformed this season and are limping into the postseason at 5-4, having lost three of its last four. Brandon would love nothing more than to turn the tables and beat Port Huron, which is having one of its best seasons to date.

PICK: Port Huron by 8.

ROCHESTER ADAMS AT OXFORD: If there is one team in this district and regional that may slow down the high-powered Wildcats, it is Adams, which is in the postseason for the area-best 15^th straight time. This game will be close, but the result will be the same.

PICK: Oxford by 7.

Saturday’s games

MARYSVILLE AT PONTIAC NOTRE DAME PREP (7 p.m. Saturday): First off, this is one of the state’s top districts, and clearly a district to watch in Division 4. If the Fighting Irish can win and move to 10-0, they could very easily visit Marine City in the district finals. Notre Dame Prep coach Kyle Zimmerman was a standout quarterback for the Marine City in the mid-1990s. See the big picture?

PICK: Notre Dame Prep by 10.

CHRISTIAN FOOTBALL  LEAGUE OF MICHIGAN

TROY CHRISTIAN LEADERSHIP ACADEMY AT LANSING CHAP (TBA): Lansing defeated the Defenders two weeks ago to claim the regular season championship. Now the two will play in the CFLM Bowl Game. Lansing has not lost to a CFLM team in three seasons.

PICK: Lansing CHAP by 14.

(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.

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, Clarkston, Editor's Column, Featured Articles, High School, High School (M-Z), Holly, Lake Orion, Ortonville Brandon, Oxford, Pontiac Notre Dame Prep, Prep Wraps, Publishers Viewpoint, Rochester, Rochester Adams, Rochester Stoney Creek, Troy, Troy Athens, Troy Christian Leadership Acadamy