STICK’S PICKS: Prep football season finally reaching playoff qualifiers stage
CLOSING IN: Troy Athens defensive lineman Kento Mori and the Red Hawks are 4-1 and two wins away from the school's first postseason berth since 2004. Photo By Larry McKee, www.lmckeephotography.com
This is Week 6 around the Michigan prep football scene and this is the first week that schools can officially celebrate a postseason berth.
While there are several area teams that are on collision course with postseason destiny, only one, Pontiac Notre Dame Prep, is undefeated at this point. A win Friday night will jettison the Fighting Irish into the postseason for the eighth time in school history.
As for the rest of the local teams, Lake Orion, Troy Athens, Auburn Hills Avondale, Rochester Adams and Ortonville Brandon are two wins away, all standing at 4-1. They need just two wins in the final four weeks to make the cut
Additionally, Clarkston, Rochester Hills Lutheran Northwest, Troy, Waterford Our Lady of the Lakes, Oxford and Holly are all 3-2 with four games left and work still needed to done. Clarkston would be 5-0 but had to forfeit two games. The Wolves are still perhaps the area’s best team, at least on the field.
That’s 12 local teams still alive for an MHSAA postseason berth, schools that hope to be amongst the 256-school field this season. The MHSAA will announce the state playoffs on Oct. 23.
There are only three local schools that are outside of the playoff picture regarding the MHSAA playoffs.
Additionally, Troy Christian Leadership is already in the Christian Football League of Michigan postseason and has been invited to a national playoff showcase for home schools in November. The Defenders are still hoping to play in the CFLM first-place bowl game in mid-October.
There are still four weeks of games still left on the regular season docket. Here are this week’s picks:
(Last Week, 13-1 .929 pct.; Season: 56-11, .836 pct.)
Friday’s Games
PONTIAC NOTRE DAME PREP AT DEARBORN DIVINE CHILD: If you’re not on the Fighting Irish’s bandwagon just yet, now would be the time to do so. Make it 10 straight, boys.
PICK: Notre Dame Prep by 10.
ROCHESTER HILLS LUTHERAN NORTHWEST VS. SOUTHFIELD CHRISTIAN (at Detroit Country Day): Northwest will not lose two games in a row. No way, especially not to a winless team.
PICK: Lutheran Northwest by 14.
AUBURN HILLS AVONDALE AT BIRMINGHAM GROVES: It’s good to see Jeff Douglas back in the lineup. The Yellowjackets will need a receiver with good hands to start catching Mitch Robinson strikes.
PICK: Auburn Hills Avondale by 7.
CLARKSTON AT ROCHESTER: Rochester is hosting its hall of fame night at halftime. The Falcons could use some all-time greats from yesteryear in this one.
PICK: Clarkston by 21.
LAKE ORION AT TROY: Troy is one of the more improved teams around. It still will not be enough to upend the defending state champions, who are getting better each week.
PICK: Lake Orion by 10.
OXFORD AT ROCHESTER ADAMS: Who is the best player in the OAA White Division? Tony Annese or Prescott Line?
PICK: Oxford by 3.
WEST BLOOMFIELD AT TROY ATHENS: Athens is two games away for making the postseason for the first time since 2004. Better make that one win after Friday night.
SOUTHFIELD LATHRUP AT ROCHESTER STONEY CREEK: The injuries have piled up for Stoney Creek this season. A winless team coming to town is just what the doctor ordered for the Cougars.
PICK: Rochester Stoney Creek by 7.
HOLLY AT FLINT KEARSLEY: That Week 2 loss to Swartz Creek may end up haunting Holly when it comes to the final league standings. This result will not.
PICK: Holly by 20.
LAPEER EAST ATORTONVILLE BRANDON: If the Blackhawks can defeat Lapeer East, then the league race will get very interesting.
PICK: Ortonville Brandon by 7.
AUBURN HILLS OAKLAND CHRISTIAN AT WESTLAND LUTHERAN: Oakland Christian is struggling with a very young team this season. The growing pains will continue Friday.
PICK: Westland Lutheran by 7.
WATERFORD OUR LADY OF THE LAKES AT LIVONIA CLARENCEVILLE: The Lakers have some clear sailing ahead this weekend.
PICK: WOLL by 10.
Saturday’s Games
TROY CHRISTIAN LEADERSHIP ACADEMY VS. SALINE WASHTENAW CATHOLIC HOME SCHOOL (at Birmingham Seaholm, 7 p.m., Saturday): The Defenders are ranked 14th nationally in the home schools poll. They are also one of the state’s most improved football teams.
PICK: Troy by 14.
(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 Christian Acadamy, Auburn Hills Oakland Christian, Clarkston, Clarkston Everest Catholic, High School, High School (M-Z), Holly, Lake Orion, Ortonville Brandon, Oxford, Pontiac Notre Dame Prep, Prep Wraps, Publishers Viewpoint, Rochester, Rochester Hills Lutheran NW, Rochester Stoney Creek, Troy, Troy Athens, Troy Christian Leadership Acadamy, Waterford Our Lady of the Lakes
