FOOTBALL: OAKLAND ACTIVITIES ASSOCIATION WHITE DIVISION TEAM CAPSULES 2015
2015 OAKLAND ACTIVITIES ASSOCIATION TEAM CAPSULES
Below are the 2015 Oakland Activities Association football team capsules, as compiled by Dan Stickradt based on information submitted by coaches. He can be reached at dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com. Follow on Twitter @LocalSportsFans.
OAA WHITE DIVISION
SCHOOL: Birmingham Seaholm
NICKNAME: Maples
HEAD COACH: Jim Dewald (39-43 at multiple schools)
2014 RECORD: 4-5, 3-4 OAA-White (fifth)
POSTSEASON IN 2014: None
KEY PLAYERS: Nick Schulcz, sr. OL-DE; Michael Schulcz, jr. OL; Troy Hairston, sr. LB; Dan Rebock, sr. WR; Justin Newberry, sr. RB; Jackson McElhenney, sr. DB; Teddy O’Keefe, sr. LB; Michael Kaminski, sr. K
KEY LOSSES: Austin Paritee, WR; Jack Payne, OL; Trevor Lloyd, OL; Justin Bryant, SL-SE; Jake Rotger, LB; Gideon Bush, K; Tommy Sheppard, QB; Emmett Green, DL
NOTABLES: After three straight postseason appearances, the Maples took a step back last season and finished a game under five-hundred. This season only four returning starters are back on both sides of the football and there multiple unproven players trying to crack Seaholm’s lineup.
SCHOOL: Farmington
NICKNAME: Falcons
HEAD COACH: John Bechtel
2014 RECORD: 7-3, 7-0 OAA-Blue (first)
POSTSEASON IN 2014: 0-1, lost in D-2 pre-district to Oak Park (38-13)
KEY PLAYERS: Dez Fitzpatrick, sr. WR; David Reese, sr. LB-RB; Kyle Brunson, sr. RB-SS; Jakkar Jackson, sr. FS-RB; Andrew McLeod, sr. OT-DT; Phillip Norris, sr. OG-DE; Andre Sarfoh, sr. WR-SE; Justin Collins, sr. WR-C; J-Drew M cGovern, soph. QB; Mack Daniels, jr. C-DL; Zack Purry, jr. RB-SE; Josh Turner, jr. WR-DB; Phillip Garret, jr. OL-DL; Daylen Baldwin, jr. WR-DB; Zeb Noble, sr. WR-DB
KEY LOSSES: Kyle Collins, QB; Justin Banks, DT; Mark Thomas, OG; Courteous Preston, LB; Michael Raad, TE; Omari Mitchell, LB-OL; Kyle Brunson, SE; Jakkar Jackson, WR; Vonn Pallett, TE-DE; Courteous Preston, OL;
NOTABLES: In seven of the previous nine seasons, the Falcons have fought through a tough schedule to reach the postseason. This season Farmington departs the OAA-Blue for the OAA-White and with a combined nine returning starters, quality speed and size, this team could be a factor in the OAA-White, which appears to be the deepest of the three OAA divisions this season. The coaching staff’s main concern is depth in the trenches — the Falcons must avoid injuries in that department.
SCHOOL: Farmington Harrison
NICKNAME: Hawks
HEAD COACH: John Harrington, 45th season (403-92)
2014 RECORD: 10-3, 6-1 OAA-White (tied-first)
POSTSEASON IN 2014: 3-1, reached D-2 state semifinals before falling to Muskegon Mona Shores (25-24)
KEY PLAYERS: Khalid Kareem, sr. DT-OL (committed to Alabama); Jared Char, sr. LB-FB; Jamison Scarber, sr. WB-CB; Kordell Agee, sr. SE-CB; Alex Bolstrum, sr. K; Ovie Ogufou, sr RB; David Vinski, sr. P; Anthony Giovinni, ar RB-KR
KEY LOSSES: Javon Shaw, QB; Mike Ojemudia, LB; Devon Cook, SE; Justin Whitted, LB; Donte Eubanks, CB; Dorian Williams, OT; Derrick Parker, NG; Iwarri Smith, LB; Josh Scott, TE;
NOTABLES: With the Farmington schools researching to see if closing Harrison for financial reasons would be viable, it has left a dark cloud over one of the state’s most storied programs. On the field, the Hawks must replace eight players that ventured onto the college ranks and will compete with only 35 on varsity. But as Harrison has proved over the past four-plus decades under Coach Harrington, this program will compete and will always be a worthy opponent. The Hawks’ 13 state championships, four state runner-ups and 23 total Final Four appearances says it all.
SCHOOL: North Farmington
NICKNAME: Raiders
HEAD COACH: Todd Schultz
2014 RECORD: 4-5, 2-5 OAA-White (sixth)
POSTSEASON IN 2014: None
KEY PLAYERS: Sasoun Tcholakian, sr. WR-DB; Matt Blair, sr. OL-DL; Mher Tcholoakian, sr. WR-DB; Adam Jabboori, sr. OL-DL; NAthan Penny, sr. RB-LB; Jeremy Check, sr. OL-DL; Brian Mackie, sr, OL-DL; Chris Nader, sr. OL-DL; Dilan Yaldo, sr. TE-DE
KEY LOSSES: Kyle Penny, QB/P; Marvin Yaldo, LB; Billy Morgan, WR; Mason Cornell, RB; Jon Smith, OL-DL; Matt Blair, OL-DL
NOTABLES: The Raiders have one of the biggest and most experienced lines in the OAA. The strength of the pile movers will hopefully offset the squad’s inexperience at QB and in the secondary in the early stages of the season. North Farmington has only reached the postseason three times in the past decade and with the OAA-White one of the state’s top leagues in recent years it will make it difficult, although not impossible, for this team to be a threat for a title. A sleeper pick, maybe?
SCHOOL: Oak Park
NICKNAME: Knights
HEAD COACH: Greg Carter, sixth season at Oak Park (20th overall)
2014 RECORD: 8-3, 6-1 OAA-White (tied-first)
POSTSEASON IN 2014: 1-1, lost in D-2 district finals to Southfield (14-13)
KEY PLAYERS: Dylan Stackhouse, sr. DE-RB-LB; JaRaymond Hall, jr. OT; Miles Daniels, sr. WR-RB-DB; Jordan Level, sr. WR; Chauncey Lowman, sr. RB; Robert Daniel, soph. DB; Abdullah Yaseen, sr. DB
KEY LOSSES: Jalen Kelley, SL; John Kelly, RB; Junior McMullen, LB; Juan Hernandez, WR; Shahid Bellamy, DL; Ricardo Smith, DL; Marvin White, WR/S; Patrick Harris, LB.
NOTABLES: Since Coach Carter took over, the Knights have increasingly become more competitive and are coming off three straight postseason berths. Oak Park will be one of the area’s fastest teams and well-coached. With their league so deep, the Knights could just as easily win a conference as they could finish near the bottom. The talent is definitely there for another winning season.
SCHOOL: Rochester
NICKNAME: Falcons
HEAD COACH: Erik Vernon, seventh season
2014 RECORD: 1-8, 1-6 OAA-White (seventh)
POSTSEASON IN 2014: None
KEY PLAYERS: Sam Wolfe, sr. TE-ILB; Alex Grabowski, sr. SE; Darrell Villalpando, sr. CB-WR; Thomas Loftus, jr. SE-RB; Brandon Jones, sr. OL-DL; Brent Burtraw, soph. QB; Kobe Bryant, sr. OL-DL; Luke Deel, sr. K-P
KEY LOSSES: Blake Walton, OL/DL; Anthony Cicala, DB; Chris Ross, WR-DB; Blake Fetteroff, RB
NOTABLES: Rochester will field some quality size in the trenches and apparently has more athletic players at the skilled positions with an improved pipeline of talent coming up. The program has only posted two winning seasons in 15 years. The Falcons should be improved, no doubt, but how much is the question? Playing five schools that reached the postseason last year and seven schools that finished above five-hundred last season does Rochester no favors, as it desperately tries to build itself back up to a quality program like the days of the 1980s and early 1990s.
SCHOOL: Rochester Adams
NICKNAME: Highlanders
HEAD COACH: Tony Patritto, 13th season
2014 RECORD: 5-4, 4-3 OAA-White (fourth)
POSTSEASON IN 2014: None
KEY PLAYERS: Kyle Wood, jr. QB; Mark Patritto, jr. DB; Ben Petersmark, jr. OG-ILB; Jamie Perry, sr. LB-FB; Daniel Sanders, sr. LB-WR (transfer from Chicago Urban Prep); Mitchell Sokol, jr. WR-DB; Jonathan Kmiec, jr. K; Alex Kim, soph. DB (also plays soccer; All-State as freshman in soccer); Andrew Dolenga, sr. RB-DB; Julian Benavides, jr. RB-DB
KEY LOSSES: Clarence Broadnax, RB; Ryan Bernier, C; Jacob Petersmark, DB; Jacob Okarski, LB; Mark Sokol, OL; Paul Moceri, OL-DE
NOTABLES: A string of 15 straight postseason appearances was snapped in 2012. The Highlanders returned to the playoffs in 2013 (regional finals) only to miss the cut last season. This year a large and talented junior class will spearhead the attack, along with one quality transfer (Daniels). The Highlanders had seven of those juniors on varsity as sophomores and their QB is a third-year starter. Again, with the OAA-White so deep and talented, there will be no room for error for Adams and any other team in its league.
SCHOOL: Southfield
NICKNAME: Blue Jays
HEAD COACH: Tim Conley, 11th season (70-39)
2014 RECORD: 9-4, 6-1 OAA-White (tied-first)
POSTSEASON IN 2014: 3-1, reached D-2 state semifinals before falling to Warren DeLaSalle (31-7)
KEY PLAYERS: Matt Falcon, sr. RB-DB; ERic Eldridge, jr. OL; Delan Wynn, sr. WR-DB; Jordan Davison, sr. WR-DB; Tim Brown, sr. WR-DB
KEY LOSSES: Dior Johnson, FS Marquis Grimes, OT; Jeremy Gates, WR/RB; Kanye Harris, QB; Charles Harris, DE; Aaron Turner, OG; Aaron Cooper, DE; Keith Dewberry, LB.
NOTABLES: Southfield is coming off one of its best all-time seasons behind a march to the D-2 Final Four. The Blue Jays will have ample team speed and size in the trenches to compete at the least for a league title and postseason berth. Quick maturity filling the voids left by graduation will be one of the keys for this program trying to make this another special season. The Blue Jays are used to winning under Conley with eight straight winning campaigns and nine in the last 11 years with seven postseason appearances.
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