FOOTBALL: 2016 OAA RED DIVISON TEAM CAPSULES
2016 OAA RED DIVISON TEAM CAPSULES
Below are the 2016 Prep Football Team Capsules, as compiled by NorthOaklandSports.com staff. For updates, email senior editor Daniel Stickradt at dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com, results@northoaklandsports.com or raton1972@comcast.net . Follow on Twitter @LocalSportsFans or on multiple social media platforms.
OAA RED DIVISION:
Below are the 2016 Prep Football Team Capsules, as compiled by NorthOaklandSports.com staff. For updates, email senior editor Daniel Stickradt at dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com, results@northoaklandsports.com or raton1972@comcast.net . Follow on Twitter @LocalSportsFans or on multiple social media platforms.
SCHOOL: Clarkston
HEAD COACH: Kurt Richardson, 30th season (career record not available)
2015 RECORD: 7-3, 6-1 OAA-Red (second)
POSTSEASON: Lost in D-1 pre-district to eventual state champion Romeo (28-14)
KEY RETURNEES: Nick Stalworth, sr. LB (5-11, 215); J.T. King, sr. QB (5-11, 165); Carter Gale, sr. C (6-1, 250); Michael Fluegel, jr. RB (6-1, 180); Stewart Newblatt, jr. DT/OT (6-3, 225); Jake Blaska, sr. WR (5-8, 165); Brandon Baker, sr. LB (6-1, 250); Jake Buchmann, sr. SE/DB (5-10, 160); Kyle Genter, sr. CB (6-0, 175); Ryan Prisby, sr. TE/OLB (6-4, 220); Tyler Retford, sr. WR/DB (6-1, 175); Carson Stottlemyer, sr. LB/OT (6-1, 215); Ben Spiker, sr. LB/OT (6-4, 210); Noah Nicklin, jr. OG/DT (6-3, 250); Zach Scott, jr. OL (5-11, 175); Jack Bilson, sr. DT/OT (6-3, 275); Vince Vikran, sr. OL (6-3, 225).
KEY NEWCOMERS: Zach Mansour, sr. K (5-11, 170); Jermaine Roemer, jr. P/OLB (6-3, 180); Roman Santos, jr. RB/DT (5-9, 175); Josh Cantu, jr. RB (5-9, 170); Tyler Fedora, jr. WR (6-0, 175)
NOTABLES: After winning back-to-back Division 1 state championships in 2013 and 2014, Clarkston suffered a first-round exit last season to eventual state champion Romeo. The Wolves are coming off 13 straight postseason appearances and have made the cut 15 times in the past 17 campaigns. There’s every reason to believe that Clarkston will again be a title contender in the OAA Red Division and again be a program capable of postseason success as more than half of the starters are back in uniform.
SCHOOL: Lake Orion
HEAD COACH: Chris Bell, 19th season at Lake Orion (166-74 at three schools)
ASSISTANT COACHES: John Blackstock, Mike Heath, Eric Jennings, Brad Fischer, Brad Thomas, Jay Cohoe, Eric Ghiaciuc, Kevin Misiak, Tyler Misiak, Jason Larsen
2015 RECORD: 4-5, 3-4 OAA-Red (fifth)
POSTSEASON: None
KEY RETURNEES: Nick Novak, sr. OT/DT (6-5, 270, committed to Navy); Jeff McCarty, sr. C (6-3, 260); Max Horneffer, sr. WR (5-9, 170); Chris Wilson, sr. RB/WR (6-0, 180); Dan White, sr. RB (6-1, 175); Tyler Vestrand, sr. LB (5-10, 185); Roger White, sr. LB (5-8, 190); Ryan Kolp, sr. LB/QB (6-1, 200); Joe Slayton, sr. DB (6-0, 170); Jaren Albright, sr. DB (5-10, 165); Chris Brown, sr. DB (6-0, 175); Sean Wilson, sr. RB (6-0, 180); Ryan Tomaszewski, sr. DB (5-10, 175)
KEY NEWCOMERS: Jon Haggitt, jr. WR (5-8, 170); Jordan Lewis, jr. DL (6-2, 260); Pierce Burke, jr. WR (6-2, 185); Casey Stironek, jr. WR/TE/LB (6-3, 190); Austin Findley, jr. OT/DT (6-2, 250).
NOTABLES: After qualifying for the postseason 13 straight times and 15 times in 16 seasons, Lake Orion has hit a bump in the road, failing to finish above five-hundred in both 2014 and 2015 seasons. The last time that happened was 1995 and 1996, before Chris Bell was head coach. The Dragons were hit hard by the injury bug the past two years and lost some transfers in the off-season, but should counter with an experienced ball club this autumn. It’s highly-doubtful the Dragons will suffer a third straight losing campaign if they remain healthy.
SCHOOL: Oxford
HEAD COACH: Bud Rowley, 36th season (249-128)
ASSISTANT COACHES: Dave Brown, Derek Osborne, Jason Cady, Matt Call, Bill Lebich
2015 RECORD: 3-6, 3-4 OAA-Red (fifth)
POSTSEASON: None
KEY RETURNEES: Ryan Motela, sr. FB/DE; Ethan Williams, sr. RB/LB (5-8, 165); Parker Fleming, jr. QB/DB (6-1, 170); Garrett Tyrrell, sr. DB (5-9, 150); Drake Barry, sr. RB/LB (5-8, 175); Ben Krause, jr. FB/LB (5-10, 195); Ben Nuss, jr. WR/DB (5-11, 170); Chad Brown, sr. OL/DL (6-4, 220); Campbell Coker, sr. OL/LB (5-11, 220); Cameron Petrusev, sr. OL-DL (5-10, 220)
KEY NEWCOMERS: Matt Mielnicki, jr. K/DB/P/WR (5-10, 160); Tommy Day, soph. WR/DB (5-7, 150); Marcus Hufnagel, soph. FB/DL (6-0, 200); Trent Myre, soph. RB/DB (5-8, 155); Evan Brunning, sr. TE/DL (6-4, 230); Ronald Green, soph. WR/DB (5-8, 155).
NOTABLES: From 1980 through 2015, Oxford has only posted two losing seasons in that 36-year stretch. Last season was one of them. The good news for the Wildcats is that they return a bunch of talent and have a very deep well of sophomore prospects. The bad news is Oxford plays a brutally tough schedule. The Wildcats must spring upset or two and hope that the younger players fill in quickly in order to avoid back-to-back losing seasons for the first time since 1978 and 1979.
SCHOOL: Rochester Stoney Creek
HEAD COACH: Bob Lantzy, first season (302-116 at various schools)
2015 RECORD: 3-6, 3-4 OAA-Red (fifth)
POSTSEASON: None
KEY RETURNEES: Dylan Trudo, sr. RB/OLB; Victor Van Almen, sr. LB/RB; Frank Potenza, soph. QB/SE; Brady Campbell, sr. TE/DE
NOTABLES: Former Utica Eisenhower Hall-of-Fame coach Bob Lantzy comes out of retirement to see if he can create the same magic with the Cougars as he did with the Eagles. In the previous 14 seasons, Stoney Creek finished above five-hundred seven times and below five-hundred seven times. The Cougars are coming off a rebuilding campaign where 11 starters graduated but several younger players saw ample playing time. With a new system and coaching staff, Stoney Creek will be a question mark in terms of where it could finish in the OAA-Red. This will be a defensive-minded squad, the trademark of Lantzy-coached teams, although the team’s quarterback Frank Potenza, now a sophomore, started some games at QB as a freshman.
SCHOOL: Southfield A&T
HEAD COACH: Tim Conley, 12th season (77-43 at Southfield High)
ASSISTANT COACHES: Milton Jones Jr., Aaron Marshall, Dan Deegan, Jason Solomon, Vernon Burden, Russell Johnson, Marlon Friendly, James Cooks, Brian Marshall, Kellen Reeves, Malcolm Rutledge, Tom Conley
2015 RECORD: Southfield 7-4, 5-2 OAA-White (third); Southfield Lathup 6-4, 4-3 OAA-Blue (third)
POSTSEASON: Southfield Def. Oak Park (36-14); lost in D-2 district finals to Berkley (28-20); Southfield Lathrup lost in D-2 pre-district to Berkley (27-0)
KEY RETURNEES: Justin Cain, sr. SE; Andre Carter, jr. DE; Damani Carter, sr. DB; Torey Barclay, sr. DE; Kwai Cooper, sr. NT; Eric Eldridge, sr. OG; Isaiah Moon, sr. SE; Jordon Nickerson, sr. OT; Keith Powe, sr. LB; Cam Tucker, sr. C; Brandon Gray, jr. SE; George Hill, sr. OT; Sam Johnson, soph. QB; Eric McArn, jr. RB; Lorenzo McCaskill, sr. LB; Torey Barclay, sr. DE; Andre Carter, jr. DE; Marcus Rutledge, sr. OT; Marquise Thorn, sr. OT/DT; D’mauri Russell-Allen, sr. RB; Dominic Moore, DB; Rodney Harrington, sr. DB; Ed McCoy, sr. DB; Bryce McCoy, sr. DB; Mathew Gilbert, jr. DT.
KEY NEWCOMERS: Justin Meeks, jr. WR; Lew Nichols, soph. RB/WR; Marcus Fuqua, soph. SE.
NOTABLES: This is the first year of the merger of Southfield Lathrup into Southfield, which has been renamed Southfield A&T. Both programs reached the postseason last season and 170 athletes signed up over the summer to play football in the program. There is talent galore. Can Southfield A&T find chemistry between the athletes and coaching staff. If they can, this team could be scary good. There is size, blazing speed and athleticism and most of all — depth.
SCHOOL: Troy Athens
HEAD COACH: Josh Heppner, eighth season (24-40 overall)
ASSISTANT COACHES: Mike Divito, Billy Keenist, Neal Mozdzierz, Matt Rawlik, Garry Lenaway, Jeff Cavazos, Steve Culp, Dave Kenan, Bo Bilinski, Bill Spinek
2015 RECORD: 5-4, 5-2 OAA-Red (third)
POSTSEASON: None
KEY RETURNEES: Joey Stark, sr. QB (6-1, 185); Mitch Wochoski, sr. OL (6-6, 285); Jared York, sr. OL/DL (6-2, 265); Griff Goodin-Smith, sr. LB/FB (6-2, 225); Jerod Willis, sr. OL (6-2, 255); Marsello Gashaj, sr. DE/LB (6-3, 215)
KEY NEWCOMERS: Andrew Yan, jr. FB (6-2, 205); Jake Cavozos, jr. RB/WR (6-0, 185); Nick Cotton, jr. WR (6-2, 180); Patrick Graham, jr. MLB/TE (6-2, 220); Nathan Oprinca, jr. DE/TE (6-2, 215); Josh Eckerle, jr. DL (6-0, 245); Brody Fitzpatrick, jr. SS (6-0, 185).
NOTABLES: Athens turned a corner and climbed back above the five-hundred mark and if it wasn;t for a pair of close losses, the Red Hawks would have comfortably found themselves in the postseason. Athens has seen a overall numbers spike, which should improve its depth, and the roster is full of space eaters on the lines and quality speed and athleticism at the skilled positions. This team could very well finish in the upper echelon of the OAA-Red this fall.
SCHOOL: West Bloomfield
HEAD COACH: Ron Bellamy, seventh season (33-24)
2015 RECORD: 9-1, 7-0 OAA-Red (first)
POSTSEASON: Lost in D-1 pre-district to Novi (31-28)
KEY RETURNEES: Garrett Winn, sr. WR/CB (5-10, 170); Tyree Jones, sr. DT (6-4, 290); Alex Palazolla, sr. DE (6-3, 190); Domenik Vulaj, sr. OL (6-4, 280); Prince Linus, sr. SS (6-0, 180); Davion Johnson, sr. RB (6-0, 195); Christopher Kalaj, sr. LB (6-1, 210).
KEY NEWCOMERS: DeQuincy Lewis, sr. LB/WR (6-0, 180).
NOTABLES: After enjoying its best ever regular season in school history which included an outright OAA Red Division title, it’s first-ever league title in the OAA, West Bloomfield suffered a shocking first-round upset in the D-1 postseason to Novi despite being ranked No. 2 in the state by the Associated Press. Gone is a bevy of talent, several to the college ranks, and the Lakers must retool heavily to remain near or at the top of the conference.
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