MICHIGAN INDEPENDENT ATHLETIC CONFERENCE
— Team capsules compiled by Daniel Stickradt. Email dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com Follow on Twitter @HSSportsScene and @LocalSportsFans
SCHOOL: Auburn Hills Oakland Christian Lancers
LEAGUE: Michigan Independent Athletic Conference
HEAD COACH: Rob Novy, third season
LAST SEASON’S RECORD: 4-4, 2-3 MIAC (fourth)
KEY RETURNEES: Reece McConnell, sr. OL/DL; Josh Siminski, sr. QB; Hunter Washington, sr. RB; Seth Williams, sr. RB/DB; Ryder Patterson, sr. WR/DB; Luke McConnell, jr. RB/OLB
OUTLOOK: This is the 10th season of football at Oakland Christian. the Lancers have always battled a numbers game, but will compete this season with six returning starters on both sides of the football. The conference has three newcomers and is wide open. Perhaps Oakland Christian can shine and contend for a conference title.
SCHOOL: Rochester Hills Lutheran Northwest Crusaders
LEAGUE: Michigan Independent Athletic Conference
HEAD COACH: Rich Alkire, first season
LAST SEASON’S RECORD: 6-4, 3-2 MIC (third)
KEY RETURNEES: Zackary Alkire, sr. QB/SE (3,100 all-purpose career yards); Daniel Macs, sr. RB/LB (All-State Honorable Mention); Rylan Reithmeier, sr. OT/DL
KEY NEWCOMERS: Zachary Ponder, sr. WR
OUTLOOK: After 13 seasons, Don Justice has departed and Rich Alkire fills in the void. The Crusaders have a fine core of returning athletes and should be one of the top teams in the MIAC, which now boasts eight football programs. Northwest has also reached the postseason seven times in the past nine years.
SCHOOL: Southfield Christian Eagles
LEAGUE: Michigan Independent Athletic Conference
HEAD COACH: Larry Weiss, sixth season
LAST SEASON’S RECORD: 1-8, 0-5 MIAC (sixth)
OUTLOOK: After going 10-2 in 2013, the Eagles have finished 5-22 the past three years. Tmhis program has only reached the postseason twice since its inception in 2006.
SCHOOL: Sterling Heights Parkway Christian Eagles
LEAGUE: Michigan Independent Athletic Conference
HEAD COACH: Joe Beck, second season
LAST SEASON’S RECORD: 4-5, 4-1 MIAC (second)
KEY RETURNEES: Alex Challangoe, sr. OG; Maurice Hutchinson, jr. FB/TE; Julian Davis, jr. RB/WR/OLB/KR; Jacob Couture, sr. OT/DT; Bryce Perko, jr. OT/ILB; Brandon Challangoe, jr. C/DT; Kyle Petitpren, jr. OG/OLB; John Bowling Jr., sr. OG; Maurice Hutchinson, jr. MLB; Alfred Carra, sr. K/P
OUTLOOK: In a rebuilding season, the Eagles still finished second to GPW University-Liggett. With Liggett now in the CHSL-Intersectional 2, that leaves the door wide open for a new champ in the MIAC. Can Parkway Christian respond with a league title?
SCHOOL: Westland Lutheran Warriors
LEAGUE: Michigan Independent Athletic Conference
HEAD COACH: Paul Guse
LAST SEASON’S RECORD: 4-5, 1-4 MIAC (fifth)
OUTLOOK: The Warriors have reached the postseason three times in six seasons after never making the cut before that stretch. An improvement to 4-5 and back-to-back wins to close the 2016 season could help Westland back over the hump and into the upper echelon of the conference
SCHOOL: Detroit Public Safety Academy Eagles
LEAGUE: Michigan Independent Athletic Conference (new)
HEAD COACH: Jenorris Jackson, second season
LAST SEASON’S RECORD: 2-7, Independent
OUTLOOK: This is the second season of football for the Eagles, who are one of three new members to the MIAC. This team is young, but far more talented than last season and should be competitive.
SCHOOL: Detroit Cesar Chavez Aztec Eagles
LEAGUE: Michigan Independent Athletic Conference
HEAD COACH: Allen Schmidt
LAST SEASON’S RECORD: 4-5, Independent
OUTLOOK: This is Cesar Chavez’s eighth season of football and first in the league. With a mix of youth and experience, there’s no telling how the Driving Eagles will finish in the expanded MIAC.
SCHOOL: Dearborn Heights Star International Falcons
LEAGUE: Michigan Independent Athletic Conference
HEAD COACH: Nick Margo, first season
LAST SEASON’S RECORD: 0-9, Independent
OUTLOOK: For a program entering its 13th season, Star International academy is starved for wins. The Falcons only scored 48 points last season and have generated only nine total wins since its inception. Star International will play in the MIAC for the first time. Could this be the year the Falcons win more than three games in a season?