Pair of second-quarter defensive scores lifts Rochester Adams past Birmingham Seaholm

BIRMINGHAM – Rochester Adams gained momentum from defensive touchdowns on consecutive plays in the second quarter as the Highlanders rebounded from a slow start to earn a 34-14 victory over Birmingham Seaholm in an Oakland Activities Association White Division football game at Seaholm High School Friday night.

With the score tied, 7-7, just past the half-way point of the second quarter, Adams (2-1, 1-1 OAA White) took the lead for the first time thanks to its defense.

Seaholm (1-2, 1-1 OAA White) had driven the ball into Highlander territory, but on a fourth-down play, the Maples fumbled the ball for the first of five times on the night. Adams’ Jamie Perry was there to scoop up the ball for the Highlanders, and the senior returned the fumble 70 yards for a touchdown to give his team the lead.

On the very next offensive play for Seaholm, Adams senior Jake Anderson recovered another Maples’ fumble and took it to the end zone for another score. The two touchdowns, scored just 20 seconds apart, gave Adams a 21-7 advantage, and Adams coach Tony Patritto said it helped get his team some confidence.

“We weren’t playing well on defense in the first half, and we told the kids ‘if you get a chance to make a play you have to make it’ and they did,” Patritto said.

The Maples battled back just before halftime as senior Leigh Murray connected with senior Daniel Rebock for a 22-yard touchdown pass to make the score 21-14. That was as close as Seaholm would get, however.

Adams recovered a loose ball on the opening kickoff of the second half to set up the offense with great field position. Junior quarterback Kyle Wood extended the Adams’ lead to 28-14 with a 9-yard touchdown run a few plays later.

Patritto said Wood is capable of making big plays when the Highlanders need them.

“We can throw the ball a little bit better, we can catch it better and we can block better, but I’m really pleased with Kyle,” Patritto said. “He tucked the ball, and made a really important score for us, and he made some big throws in tough situations. I’m very, very proud to be his coach.”

Seaholm was not able to get much going offensively in the second half, and Adams took advantage by controlling the clock. Sophomore Chase Kareta sealed the game for Adams with a 5-yard touchdown run, his second score of the day, with 4:37 to play in the game.

Wood finished the game with 91 yards on 10-of-21 passing and added 21 yards and a score on the ground. Kareta had five carries for 42 yards and two touchdowns.

In addition to his passing touchdown, Murray scored on a 5-yard run in the first quarter for Seaholm.

Senior Nick Sierpien led the Maples with 52 yards on 14 carries.

http://www.miprepzone.com/oakland/results.asp?ID=16971

Warren De La Salle 64, Birmingham Seaholm 49: Pilots pull away in second half to stay unbeaten

By Jake Thielen | MLive.com
on December 19, 2014 10:53 PM

Warren De La Salle outscored Birmingham Seaholm 18-7 in the third quarter turning what had been to a close game into a double-digit win in a non-league boys basketball game Friday night at Seaholm High School.

De La Salle (2-0) led by just four, 24-20, at halftime, but started the third quarter on an 11-4 run before eventually opening a 23-point lead on Seaholm by early in the fourth quarter. Though Seaholm (1-3) matched De La Salle’s 22 fourth-quarter points, the Maples could not cut the lead to fewer than 13 points in the final frame.

De La Salle coach Greg Esler said his team improved its all-around effort after halftime.

“We started picking up defensively, started getting a little more patient offensively and started sharing the ball a little bit better,” Esler said. “(Junior Kevin) McKay, I thought he was really outstanding, and we just picked up our play. Offensively we ran a couple sets, and fortunately for us they worked, and defensively we got after the shooters and played a little more disciplined.”

McKay led the way for the Pilots with 18 points and, if not for an ankle injury, had a chance at a triple double. McKay checked out of the game for good early in the fourth quarter and finished with eight steals and seven assists.

“He’s a tremendous player; he’s one of the best player’s I’ve ever coached,” Esler said about McKay. “Probably after his fourth year, his senior year, he’ll be the all-time leading scorer for De La Salle. Central (Michigan) has already offered him, but he explodes the basket and his outside shooting has really improved. We probably didn’t get him the ball as much as we should, but he’s a great player, and he’s a good team player also.”

Senior Alex Capoccia led the Pilots with 11 points in the second half, and he finished with a total of 14 points and five rebounds. Junior Quinton Glaspie added 12 points and four rebounds, while sophomore Jack Ballantyne added 10 points and a team-high seven rebounds.

Defensively De La Salle caused problems for Seaholm by getting defenders in passing lanes all night. The Pilots recorded 13 steals as a team in the win, several of which led to fast-break points at the offensive end.

“We started pressuring their point guard, and Kevin got us the ball and we started getting after it a little bit,” Esler said. “We tell our kids deflections lead to steals, steals lead to easy baskets and easy baskets lead to victories.”

Seaholm coach Mike DeGeeter said he thought the Maples did a good job slowing De La Salle down early, but that the team couldn’t sustain that throughout the whole game.

“Early on I thought we moved the ball pretty well,” DeGeeter said. “Once (De La Salle) changed the tempo of the game, I think that we didn’t match it. We need to dictate tempo, and I think we had the tempo dictated to us.”

Senior Austin Roth, who led the Maples with 15 second-half points, said by the time Seaholm regained control of the flow of the game it was too late to make a comeback.

“Early on we (kept pace,) then they kind of sped us up and got us playing out of our normal tempo,” Roth said. “Then we had to adjust, and in the second half we did, but we were already in such a hole that we couldn’t come back out of it.”

DeGeeter said his team refused to give up in the second half, despite trailing by double digits. He said one of the team mottos is ‘the next play,’ and that the Maples’ players did a good job of focusing on that instead of worrying about the score.

“One of our biggest things is never giving up,” senior Griffin Neel said. “Austin Roth, one of our top scorers, we always believe in him. Once we got him the ball, he was pushing hard, and we were able to keep it going and keep the intensity up.”

Roth’s 17 points led Seaholm, while Neal finished with four points and a team-high five rebounds. Senior Austin Paritee added nine points for the Maples, while junior Joe Wujciak had five points.

http://highschoolsports.mlive.com/news/article/3318242547174400452/warren-de-la-salle-64-birmingham-seaholm-49-pilots-pull-away-in-second-half-to-stay-unbeaten/

Lake Orion tops Birmingham Seaholm in OAA Red volleyball battle

By Jake Thielen | MLive.com
on September 23, 2014 10:50 p.m.

In a matchup of two of the top volleyball teams in Class A, and the Oakland Activities Association Red Division, Lake Orion started strong and held off Birmingham Seaholm to capture a crucial win in four games, 25-15, 25-16, 19-25, 26-24, Tuesday night at Lake Orion High School.

No. 7 Lake Orion (29-4-2) captured the first two games in convincing fashion, but the Dragons ran into trouble in the third game. No. 5 Seaholm (26-7-2) never trailed in the third game, as the Maples seized control of the momentum with a 25-19 win.

The fourth game started well for Lake Orion, which led 9-3 early, but the Maples battled back to take the lead. However, the Dragons battled back from a 21-17 deficit to take the game and win the match.

With the score tied at 24, sophomore Andrea Findley recorded an ace to give Lake Orion the lead. The Dragons then blocked a Seaholm shot back over the net and in to clinch a 26-24 victory in the deciding game.

Lake Orion coach Tony Scavarda said his team didn’t play as well as he would have liked, particularly defensively, but that it made plays when it mattered.

“I always tell them a sign of a good team is to be able to battle adversity and even when you’re not playing your best somehow pull out a win,” Scavarda said. “I think that’s kind of what we did there.”

Scavarda said Seaholm made some adjustments after the second game that proved to be challenging for the Dragons.

“They were effective setting their middles – we actually had game planned for (Seaholm junior Lauren McLeod ,) who’s a really good middle, and she was playing totally different then what we had seen the previous two times we played them,” Scavarda said. “She was hitting the opposite way, and was very effective, and they were also serving a lot tougher in the last two sets.”

Senior Hannah Murdock led Lake Orion with 20 kills, while freshman Danielle Sargent and juniorMarley Redd added nine and six kills, respectively. Junior Kori Varney led the Dragons with 25 digs.

The loss puts Seaholm behind in the race for the OAA Red crown, which also includes No. 4 Clarkston, but Seaholm coach Heather Lippert said playing the tough competition that the Red offers will benefit the Maples in the long run.

“Always playing against good competition – it’s good to win and lose,” Lippert said. “If you lose, you see what you’re not doing right and what you need to change. Winning all the time can sometimes make your kids a little more relaxed, and then they’re not ready for the next time.”

Junior Annie Schechter led Seaholm with 18 kills, and she added 16 digs. SeniorMadison Martin led the Maples with 41 digs, while senior Paige Zywick added 19 assists.

http://highschoolsports.mlive.com/news/article/758193844855637491/lake-orion-tops-birmingham-seaholm-in-oaa-red-volleyball-battle/

2013 football previews

Clawson Trojans

2012 record: 5-4, missed playoffs

Coach: Jim Sparks, 11 years (60-45)

Key players: Senior WR Marquian Johnson, senior OL John Mittlestaedt, senior WR/LB Charles Tarver, senior RB Steven Klein, senior LB Joe Pizzo, junior QB Ty Sparks, junior OL Miguel Chene

2012 Review: The Trojans looked poised to qualify for the playoffs for a third straight year, before an upset loss in the season’s final week at East Detroit denied the team its sixth win. Still, Clawson went 4-1 in Macomb Area Conference Bronze Division play, and its young roster gained plenty of experience.

2013 Outlook: With most of its core skill position players returning on the offensive side of the ball, Clawson looks poised to make a run at another postseason appearance in 2013.

Senior all-state receiver Marquian Johnson will look to build on his 2012 season which saw him break the school record with 12 touchdown catches. Junior quarterback Ty Sparks, who set school records as a sophomore with a 60% completion percentage and 21 touchdown passes, also returns, giving the Trojans a formidable passing attack.

“We have a lot of skill positions back so we’re in pretty good shape,” Clawson coach Jim Sparks said. “We should be able to move the ball but it will depend on the line.”

Line play will also be crucial for the Trojans defensively as it is an area where the team doesn’t have a lot of experience.

Clawson’s 2013 schedule features the same nine opponents as it did in 2012, though Sparks said he expects the Trojans will be challenged as its foes in the MAC Bronze continue to improve.

“As long as we develop consistency, we’ll be competitive,” Sparks said.

Macomb L’Anse Creuse North Crusaders

2012 record: 8-3, lost in Division 1 District Final

Coach: Anthony Kiner, 1 year (8-3)

Key players: QB Sean Koski, CB/WR Deionte Nicholas, MLB Troy Tanzy, S/RB Trevor Conklin

2012 Review: After back-to-back 0-9 seasons, Anthony Kiner took over the coach of the L’Anse Creuse

North program and led the Crusaders to the best one-season turnaround in school history. North finished the regular season 7-2 and defeated Romeo in the pre-district round of the playoffs before falling to Macomb Dakota in the district final.

2013 Outlook: Heading into his second season with the team, Kiner is eager to continue to build on what the 2012 team accomplished.

“The kids bought into what we were doing and changed the energy of the program,” Kiner said. “It was fun to watch the kids grow and see the effect winning had on the team.”

The Crusaders got a taste of the playoffs last year, but Kiner is looking to prove it wasn’t a fluke in 2013.

“We fully expect to be back in the playoffs,” Kiner said. “We want to win the MAC Blue and we’re taking steps toward bringing the program to the next level.”

The Crusader offense will be led once again by its star quarterback, senior Sean Koski, who can beat defenses with both his arm and his legs.

“(Koski) is a dual threat with a strong arm,” Kiner said. “He can make all the throws.”

Defensively North will be led by cornerback Deionte Nicholas, safety Trevor Conklin and linebacker Troy Tanzy, who Kiner called ‘a workhorse and everything you want in a middle linebacker.’

Birmingham Seaholm Maples

2012 Record: 8-2, OAA Blue champion, lost to Oxford in pre-districts

Coach: Jim DeWald, 1 year (8-2)

Key players: CB Aaron Ware, SS Dylan Kanaan, FS Andrew Barton, DL Karl Marback, LB Chris Hill, RB Nick Vestevich

2012 Review: In coach Jim DeWald’s first season with the team, Seaholm went undefeated in the Oakland Activities Association Blue Division. The Maples’ entered the playoffs with an impressive 8-1 record, but fell to Oxford in a 42-8 blowout first-round loss.

2013 Outlook: Seaholm returns most of the core players on a defense that held its opponents to 15 points or less five times in 2012, not including a forfeit win over Andover. DeWald said he believes the defense will be one reason why the Maples have a chance to repeat as OAA Blue champions, though he expects strong challenges from North Farmington and Auburn Hills Avondale.

DeWald said how his team performs on the offensive side of the ball, where it lacks experience, will be crucial.

“Our offensive line has to play physical and move people off the ball,” DeWald said. “Our skill positions might be better than last year, but it won’t matter much if we can’t move people off the ball.”

Seaholm will get a chance to prove itself early as the Maples open the season by hosting Ann Arbor Pioneer before following that with back-to-back games against fellow OAA Blue frontrunners Avondale and North Farmington.

Holland, Ann Arbor Pioneer, Birmingham Seaholm shine at Friday’s boys’ Division 2 swimming preliminaries

Jake Thielen | MLive.com, March 08, 2013 6:37 p.m.

ROCHESTER – Strong performances from the state’s top boys’ swimming programs and a new Division 2 state record in the 100-yard breaststroke were the highlights of the 2013 MHSAA Division 2 preliminaries Friday afternoon at Oakland University.

Holland High School qualified first in the boys’ 200-yard medley relay (1:35.46), just 0.01 seconds ahead of second place Ann Arbor Pioneer. The Dutch also qualified first for the 400-yard freestyle relay (3:07.36), while seniors Kyle Doss (100-yard backstroke, 51.05) and Gage Mitchell (100-yard butterfly, 51:02) each won their respective heats to qualify.

Holland coach Don Kimble said his team can’t let up on its good performance going into Saturday’s finals.

“We came in with a lot of top seeds, and everybody didn’t panic, held their own and we had some guys move up; now we just have to do the work tomorrow,” Kimble said. “They did a good job today. You have to get your work done on Friday to have a shot on Saturday.”

Holland junior Thomas Rathbun qualified first in both the 200-yard freestyle (1:40.62) and the 500-yard freestyle (4:33.48). Kimble said he liked what he saw from Rathbun during the preliminaries.

“We’ve been working on some stuff, trying to get his turns better,” Kimble said. “He looked really good, and swam under control. It should be interesting tomorrow to see how fast we can go.”

Senior Jeremiah Morren qualified second in both the 50-yard and 100-yard freestyle behind Midland Dow’s Jackson Goethe, and seniors Jonathon Maat, Connor Bos and Derek Bosko each qualified for individual events.

Other highlights from the preliminaries were Ann Arbor Pioneer’s Chris Klein setting a Division 2 record of 55.47 in the 100-yard breaststroke, and strong performances from the teams from Pioneer and Birmingham Seaholm.

Holland, Pioneer and Seaholm were the top three ranked teams in Division 2 in the final AP poll before the state championships.

Seaholm coach Tom Wyllie said he was encouraged by the speed his team displayed throughout the day in the preliminary heats.

“We broke a varsity record today in the 100 breaststroke, and our 400 free relay was our second fastest relay time since I’ve been coaching here and I’ve been here for 16 years,” Wyllie said. “We swam very well today.”

Wyllie said the team was focused and several of its members set personal-best times.

“We just stepped up and swam our own races and swam fast,” Wyllie said. “We didn’t let anything intimidate us, and the points are going to be what the points are. We can’t really control what anybody else does; it’s all what we do. That’s what I’m most excited about – they all stepped up and just went after it.”

http://highschoolsports.mlive.com/news/article/5175103290146227831/holland-ann-arbor-pioneer-birmingham-seaholm-shine-at-fridays-boys-division-2-swimming-preliminaries/

Birmingham Seaholm girls cross country qualifies for state finals in dominant fashion, Erin Finn takes individual title

 

Jake Thielen for MLive.com, October 27, 2012 4:50 p.m.

WATERFORD – The Birmingham Seaholm girls’ team qualified for the high school cross country state finals in dominant fashion, placing seven runners in the top 11 during Saturday morning’s Division 1 regional at Hess-Hathaway Park in Waterford.

The Maples finished with a team total of 29 points, 39 points ahead of second place Northville which finished with 68.

Sophomore Audrey Belf led the Seaholm team with a second-place time of 18:34.8. Tess Wilberding (fifth,) Marissa Dobry (sixth,) Rachel Dadamio (seventh,) Aubrey Wilberding (ninth,) Julia Demko (tenth,) and Danielle Bentzley (eleventh) rounded out the strong effort from the Maples.

Seaholm coach Jeff Devantier said the team accomplished its goal of having everyone on the team finish near the front of the pack.

“The last race that we ran for the league meet we didn’t quite do that, and we were a little disappointed,” Devantier said. “Today we did exactly what we really wanted to do. We wanted to place everybody in the top 15, and we wanted all the varsity girls to get medals.”

Seaholm, ranked first in Division 1 by MichiganCrossCountry.com, qualified for next week’s state finals, as did Northville and third place Waterford Mott (93 points.)

The day’s top individual time belonged to West Bloomfield senior Erin Finn, who finished 44 seconds ahead of Belf with a time of 17:50.8.

Finn finished just shy of her best time this year, 17:35 in September’s Spartan Invitational, but said her race today was faster than she had expected.

“Most of the season I have been iron-deficient and that’s really affecting my running,” Finn said. “I started supplements probably two or two and a half weeks ago, and I’m feeling better finally. I’m not 100 percent yet, but hopefully by next week I’ll be there.”

The state finals will be held next Saturday at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn.

http://highschoolsports.mlive.com/news/article/5178861495538124883/birmingham-seaholm-girls-cross-country-qualifies-for-state-finals-in-dominant-fashion-erin-finn-takes-individual-title/

Week 7 games to watch

 

1. Birmingham Seaholm (5-1, 5-0 OAA Blue) at Bloomfield Lahser (5-1, 5-0 OAA Blue) – This is the last scheduled regular season home game for Lahser, which is merging with Andover. Lahser got back in the column last week against Berkley, 35-27. The Maples are coming off a huge win over previously undefeated Avondale. Expect the Seaholm defense, led by Karl Marback and Dylan Kanaan, to spoil the Knights’ party.

Pick – Seaholm.

2. Farmington Hills Harrison (4-2, 3-2 OAA White) at Oak Park (6-0, 5-0 OAA White) – I have to admit I did not see this coming from Oak Park this year, but Greg Carter’s team has looked unstoppable so far. That continues at home against Harrison.

Pick – Oak Park

3. Berkley (2-4, 2-3 OAA Blue) at Hazel Park (4-2, 4-1 OAA Blue) – Berkley has played Lahser and Avondale tough in the last two weeks but couldn’t close the deal either time. Hazel Park suffered a setback last week in a non-league game with Country Day, but the Vikings continue to impress offensively. I don’t don’t think Berkley can score enough to keep pace in this one.

Pick – Hazel Park

4. Birmingham Groves (1-5, 1-5 OAA Blue) at Royal Oak (1-5, 1-4 OAA Blue) – This might not be the best matchup record wise this week, but it could be one of the most competitive. Royal Oak won last week against Ferndale and looks to continue its momentum in what will be the Ravens’ homecoming game. I just can’t see Groves not winning a game that wasn’t forfeited a year after going to the playoffs. This is the Falcons’ week.

Pick – Groves

5. Troy Athens (1-5, 1-4 OAA Red) at Rochester (4-2, 3-2 OAA Red) – This is a crucial game for Rochester, which has played very well against teams not ranked No. 1 or 2 in the state. The Falcons were blown out last week at Lake Orion and will be tested by an Athens team that’s better than its record indicates. Still, I like Rochester to rebound in the one. Look for a huge game for James Ward on the ground.

Pick – Rochester

Week 6 games to watch

1. Auburn Hills Avondale (5-0, 4-0 OAA Blue) at Birmingham Seaholm (4-1, 4-0 OAA Blue) – A matchup between two of the three teams with undefeated conference records in the OAA Blue (Lahser being the other.) Seaholm has had two weeks to prepare for this game as the Maples won by forfeit last week. The Seaholm defense has only allowed more than nine points once this season, but it will be tested by an Avondale team that can move the ball offensively and score a ton of points in a hurry. Avondale QB Spencer Smith and the Yellow Jackets’ RB tandem of Michael Johnson and Joshuwa Holloman have been almost unstoppable but this will be their biggest challenge so far. Expect a close game with the home team doing just enough to come out on top.

Pick – Seaholm

2. Berkley (2-3, 2-2 OAA Blue) at Bloomfield Hills Lahser (4-1, 4-0 OAA Blue) – Coming off a blowout non-conference loss at Pontiac Notre Dame Prep, Lahser must win this game to keep pace in the OAA Blue. Berkley is no pushover, losing by just two points to Avondale last week. However, I expected Lahser to play like a team with something to prove. Expect Lahser QB Spencer McCourt to bounce back and for the Knights to win this one at home.

Pick – Lahser

3. Detroit Country Day (4-1) at Hazel Park (4-1, 4-1 OAA Blue) – After being blown out by Avondale in Week 1, Hazel Park has rattled off four straight impressive wins. Last week against Royal Oak the Vikings rushed for 700 yards as a team in a 58-47 shootout win. Raeshaun Campbell, Gary Tyner and Deonte Bynum each had more than 200 yards on the ground for Hazel Park in that game and that trio will need to come up big again for the Vikings to have a chance to beat Country Day. In the end though the Country Day offense, which looked very impressive two weeks ago in a 35-21 win over Seaholm,  may prove to be too difficult for the Hazel Park defense to slow down.

Pick – Detroit Country Day

4. Rochester (4-1, 3-1 OAA Red) at Lake Orion (5-0, 4-0 OAA Red) – After last week’s dominant 38-0 win over Troy (and Detroit Cass Tech’s loss to Orchard Lake St. Mary’s) Lake Orion is now ranked No. 2 in the state for Division 1 behind Clarkston. The Dragons’ RB trio of Jacob Miller, Cory Ester and Zak Arnold once again proved to be unstoppable as all three had long touchdown runs in the win. Perhaps equally as impressive is the Lake Orion defense, which shut out a Troy team with a lot of weapons on offense. Rochester at 4-1 is having a nice season and looks like a good bet to make the playoffs, but the Falcons may simply be over matched in this one.

Pick – Lake Orion

5. Oxford (3-2, 3-1 OAA White) at Southfield (3-2, 2-2 OAA White) – Things looked bleak for Southfield at halftime of last week’s game at Farmington Hills Harrison. Down 17-0 going into the third quarter, the Bluejays needed to rally to stay alive in the OAA White race, and that’s exactly what they did. Southfield outscored Harrison 27-3 in the second half for a huge 27-20 comeback victory. Can the Bluejays keep that momentum going at home this week against a tough Oxford team that also beat Harrison and nearly knocked off Lake Orion? Yes they can.

Pick – Southfield

Week 4: Games to watch

1. Oak Park (3-0, 2-0 OAA White) at Southfield (2-1, 1-1 OAA White) – At the beginning of the year, I thought Oak Park could make a run in the OAA White. However, I certainly didn’t see them starting 3-0. RB Malik Washington has been a big part of the Knights’ success – he ran for 173 yards and four touchdowns last week against Rochester Adams. Oak Park will face a tougher defense this week in Southfield, which is coming off a shutout of North Farmington. Southfield looks to have figured things out offensively too (44 points last week). I’ll take the Blue Jays in a close game.

Pick – Southfield

2. Oxford (2-1, 2-0 OAA White) at Farmington (3-0, 2-0 OAA White) – Oxford shocked a lot of people with its win over Farmington Hills Harrison last week. The Wildcats have rebounded nicely from a disappointing Week 1 loss to Lake Orion and look just as dangerous as last year. Farmington picked up a nice win over Southfield in Week 2 and its defense has been outstanding thus far. Can they slow down the Oxford run game though? I think the Falcons will be up to the challenge.

Pick – Farmington

3. Rochester Stoney Creek (2-1, 1-1 OAA Red) at Lake Orion (3-0, 2-0 OAA Red) – Stoney Creek opened the season with two convincing wins, but lost a close one to Troy last week. The Cougars will face their toughest test yet in an undefeated Lake Orion team that seems to be finding its rhythm offensively.

Pick – Lake Orion

4. Birmingham Seaholm (2-1, 2-0 OAA Blue) at Berkley (2-1, 2-0 OAA Blue) – Both teams enter the game undefeated in the Blue Division. Seaholm is looking to rebound after losing to Detroit Country Day in a non-league game, while Berkley beat Andover convincingly, 62-13, in what will turn out to be the Barons’ final game (Andover announced Tuesday it was disbanding its football program.) Seaholm with a win here and a forfeit win in the scheduled Andover game the week after would carry some momentum into the great matchup with Avondale on Sept. 28.

Pick – Seaholm

5. West Bloomfield (1-2, 0-2 OAA Red) at Rochester (2-1, 1-1 OAA Red) – It will be interesting to see how Rochester rebounds a week after being shut out by Clarkston, 24-0. Rochester is a talented offensive team, but struggled to get anything going against Clarkston’s formidable defense. To stay in the OAA Red hunt, the Falcons will need a win against West Bloomfield, which registered a blowout win in week 1 against non-league foe Jackson, but was clearly overmatched against Clarkston and Lake Orion. What will we see from Ron Bellamy’s Lakers this week and will it be enough to pull the upset? I don’t think it will be.

Pick – Rochester

2012 Season Predictions – OAA Blue

Order of finish

1. Bloomfield Hills Lahser (Last year – 6-4) – Is there a team to beat in the OAA Blue? Not really. At least five teams have a legit shot to win the league. Lahser is my pick as it made the playoffs last year and the Knights return a solid group of skill players.

2. Birmingham Seaholm (Last year – 6-4) – The Maples made the playoffs last year, only to have the misfortune to draw perennial juggernaut Farmington Hills Harrison in the first round. Seaholm has a good chance to make it back to the postseason this year under new head coach Jim DeWald who coached Andover last season. The Maples’ defense, led by senior LB Dan Simon, should be solid.

3. Ferndale (Last year – 4-5) – Ferndale missed the playoffs last year, but returns most of the core players from that team. With an experienced roster and play-making QB Eric Ellis running the show, the Eagles are poised to make a run at the OAA Blue championship.

4. Birmingham Groves (Last year – 6-4) – Groves was over-matched and overpowered in a 53-7 playoff loss to Southfield last year, but the Falcons still put together a solid season. Losing RB Keon Collier to graduation hurts, but  Groves should still be able to contend for a return trip to the playoffs.

5. Auburn Hills Avondale (Last year – 5-5) – With star QB Mitch Robinson on the team, Avondale could use its passing game to put up a lot of points in a hurry. With Robinson graduated, expect the Yellow Jackets to focus on the run game, led by RB Michael Robinson led and Bowling Green commit OL Clark Clancy.

6. Hazel Park (Last year – 3-6) – Hazel Park probably won’t contend for the OAA Blue crown, but with senior QB Andrew McClellan returning the Vikings could very well pull a few upsets and shake things up a bit.

7. Berkley (Last year – 4-5) – Berkley will have a lot of new starters this season, but the Bears could make a run behind a solid defense and running game. Player to watch – senior RB/WR Eric Hudson.

8. Royal Oak (Last year – 1-8) – Royal Oak ended a 28-game losing streak in its season opener vs. St. Clair Shores Lake Shore last year, but that was the lone win for the Ravens in the 2011 campaign. Moving to the OAA Blue from the OAA Red should help the Ravens going forward under new head coach Ryan Irish.

9. Bloomfield Hills Andover (Last year – 0-9) – Andover will field its last-ever team this year as the Barons will merge with Lahser following this season. Unfortunately, the team is coming off an 0-9 season and isn’t likely to contend.