OAA RED DIVISION
SCHOOL: Clarkston
NICKNAME: Wolves
HEAD COACH: Kurt Richardson, 26th season (179-76)
2011 RECORD: 7-4, 6-1 OAA Red Division (tied-first); Postseason: def. Pontiac (40-12); lost to Walled Lake Central (45-26) in Division 1 district final
RETURNING STARTERS: Ben Kaminsky, sr. RB/LB (5-8, 205); Jesse Chadwell, sr. OT (6-6, 270, committed to Illinois); Craig Columbo, sr. OL (6-4, 280); Nick Azzopardi, sr. OL (5-10, 240); Nick Mattich, jr. OL/DL (6-3, 250); Nathan Yeloushan, sr. TE/LB (6-2, 200); Eric Eberle, sr. OL (6-2, 275); Chris Calvano, sr. LB (6-1, 185); Alex Dicea, sr. WR/DB (5-10, 170)
KEY PROSPECTS: DJ Zezula, soph. QB (6-0, 180); Dyan Hancock, sr. LB (6-3, 180); Ian Erickson, jr. RB; Jared Yaroch, sr. WR; Tim Cason, jr. WR; Alex Dicey, sr. WR; Adam Kline, soph. WR; David Beattle, jr. DT; Bryce Witherspoon, soph. DT; Alex Peck, jr. LB; Caine Watlington, jr. LB
NOTABLES: Last season was marred by two forfeit losses because of the use of an ineligible reserve player and a second-round postseason exit after which the Wolves ran out of their own stadium.
SCHOOL: Lake Orion
NICKNAME: Dragons
HEAD COACH: Chris Bell, 15th season (118-39 at Lake Orion); 19th overall (138-59)
2011 RECORD: 6-4, 6-1 OAA Red Division (tied-first); Postseason: lost to Walled Lake Central (20-17) in Division 1 pre-districts
RETURNING STARTERS: Jacob Miller, sr. RB (5-10, 185) 954 rushing yards, 13 TDs; Chaz Miller, sr. WR (6-6, 180) 460 rec. yards; Jeremy King, sr. WR/K (6-0, 180); Corey Ester, jr.SL (5-9, 165); Zak Arnold, jr. SL (6-0, 175); Joey Friedman, jr. C (5-10, 190); Derric Williams, sr. LB (6-2, 215); Nick White, sr. LB (6-0, 190); Nick Booker, sr. SL/DB (5-9, 175); Brandon Clements, sr. WR/DB (6-0, 175)
KEY PROSPECTS: Chris Leigh, jr. SL (5-11, 180); Trenton Elkins, jr. OL (5-10, 240) state placer in powerlifting; Travis Hill, sr. DL (6-2, 230); Durham Basso, sr. DL (6-0,190); Derek Delaura sr. QB (6-0, 200)
NOTABLES: After winning the state championship in 2010, the Dragons were a bit of a disappointment last season, finishing with a 6-4 record and a first-round exit. Lake Orion does not have great size on the field, but it has ample speed, with several members of its 2012 state championship track team on the gridiron and plenty of experience on both sides of the football. There’s no reason to believe that Lake Orion won’t contend for another league championship and make the postseason for the 12th straight time. Is there enough magic for a deep postseason run? With three Final Four berths under Bell, including 2009 and 2011, no one should be surprised if this team is still alive deep into November.
SCHOOL: Pontiac
NICKNAME: Phoenix
HEAD COACH: Damian Redmond, first season
2011 RECORD: 6-4, 4-3 OAA Red Division (fourth); Postseason: lost to Clarkston (40-12) in Division 1 pre-districts
RETURNING STARTERS: Jody Harrison, sr. QB/DB (5-10, 175); Blake Samuels, sr. OT/DE (6-2, 240); Trajan Seay, sr. WR/DB (6-0, 170)
KEY PROSPECTS: Most of the starting lineup will be first-year starters.
NOTABLES: Hard times could be upon Pontiac’s first-year coaching staff. Numbers have dropped to around 50 players in grades 9-12 and most of the starters were lost to graduation, lack of interest, or disciplinary reasons. Meanwhile, as enrollment keeps dropping overall just a few short years after the merger, the other teams in the OAA Red are all slated for better years and the Phoenix must mature and come together in a hurry if they are able to remain a playoff-caliber team.
SCHOOL: Rochester
NICKNAME: Falcons
HEAD COACH: Erik Vernon, fourth season (11-17)
2011 RECORD: 4-5, 2-5 OAA Red Division (tied-sixth)
RETURNING STARTERS: Manny Mendoza, sr. WR/DB (6-3, 205) all-league; Division I prospect; John Doroshewitz, sr. QB/DB (6-2, 190); Schwan Shadaia, jr. OL/DL (6-0, 205); Shane Shadaia, jr. OL/LB (6-0, 190); Peter Dusat, sr. OL (6-4, 230)
KEY PROSPECTS: Demetrius McGhee, jr. RB/WR/CB (5-10, 180); Miles Dale, sr. P/K (6-1, 175) committed to Cincinnati for soccer; Jimmy Harten, sr. OL (6-4, 230)
NOTABLES: Injuries and disciplinary action hurt the Falcons last season, along with a couple of close losses. Rochester did win its final three games last season, and with plenty of experience, healed wounds and with one of its largest offensive and defensive lines in years, it’s primed for an improved season. The program seems to be in better shape overall, as Vernon and staff have made the Falcons far more competitive than some of the other teams in the past decade-plus.
SCHOOL: Rochester Stoney Creek
NICKNAME: Cougars
HEAD COACH: Brad Zube, first season (fourth overall)
2011 RECORD: 1-8, 0-7 OAA Red Division (eighth)
RETURNING STARTERS: Sean Scullen, jr. RB/QB/DB (6-2, 175); Jack Stablien, sr. OL (6-3, 275); David Kerr, jr. OL (6-1, 215); Stu Gadigan, jr. OL (6-2, 225); Sam Clayman, sr. LB (6-0, 210) injured half of last season
KEY PROSPECTS: Justin Allor, jr. QB/RB/DB (5-11, 180); Noah Beck, jr. RB (5-9, 165); Alex Schnurr, jr. WR/K (6-1, 185); Jack Van Almen, jr. LB (6-0, 185); Peter Price, jr. DE (6-2, 215); Kyle Bricknell, sr. DB (5-10, 170); Brandon Ballard, jr. DB/LB (5-9, 180); JaQuis Jamison, sr. DB (5-11, 170)
NOTABLES: After dropping its final eight games last season, the Cougars made a coaching switch and brought in Brad Zube, who coached Pontiac to a postseason berth last season. Stoney Creek has a very talented junior class that is used to winning, going 9-0 as freshmen two years ago and 7-2 on the junior varsity last season. Will this group help the Cougars add a few wins this season in a new division (OAA-Red) or will they continue to struggle? This could be one of the more intriguing teams in the entire OAA. Don’t count this team out from at least getting back to around five-hundred if other teams in the OAA-Red falter. It is also set for the future, with as many as 18 juniors slated for starting positions this season.
SCHOOL: Troy
NICKNAME: Colts
HEAD COACH: Gary Griffith, 39th season
2011 RECORD: 3-6, 3-4 OAA Red Division (fifth)
RETURNING STARTERS: Justin Losey, sr. WR/RB/QB/DB/K (5-8, 155) all-league in 2011; Thomas Richardson, sr. OL (6-4, 295) all-league last season; MAC and GLIAC schools showing interest; Greg Webber, sr. OL (6-2, 295) all-league last season; MAC and GLIAC schools showing interest; fourth-year starter; Brian Johnson, sr. OL (5-9, 215); Davis Strobridge, jr. LB (5-9, 220); Connor Hayden, sr. DE (6-1, 200); Danny Wunderlich, jr. WR/DB/P (6-0, 170); Joe Leonard, sr. RB/DB/K (5-8, 160)
KEY PROSPECTS: Jay Darish, jr. QB (5-11, 170); Torrence Cherry, sr. SL/RB/K (5-9, 160) transfer from Indiana; Terrence Cherry, sr. SL/RB/K (5-9, 160) transfer from Indiana; Juwaun Jackson, sr. RB/DB/K (5-9, 160) transfer from Southfield; Justice Bigelow, jr. DB; Quincy Walker, sr. DB; Eric Hagen, sr. K
NOTABLES: With many of their key players back, some position switches, and beefy offensive and defensive lines with plenty of experience, early indications point to the Colts to having a much better season. Troy, which lost its final three games last season, has perhaps its biggest lines in the trenches in many years.
SCHOOL: Troy Athens
NICKNAME: Red Hawks
HEAD COACH: Josh Heppner, fourth season (12-16)
2011 RECORD: 7-3, 5-2 OAA Red Division (third); Postseason: lost to Romeo (34-31) in Division 1 pre-districts
RETURNING STARTERS: Joe Shields, sr. RB/DB (5-11, 165); Sam Haskell, sr. RB/WR/DB (5-9, 165); Lonnie Jaynes, sr. RB/LB (5-11, 215); Jalen Thomas, sr. OT/DT (6-5, 280); Grant LaBeau, sr. OT/DT (6-2, 225); Max Blank, sr. WR/DB (6-0, 160); Andrew Hazen, sr. MLB (5-11, 210); Ivan Kharcenko, sr. WR/RB/LB (6-1, 185)
KEY PROSPECTS: James Ortmann, sr. QB (6-1, 195); Lucas Bezerra, jr. TE/DE (6-4, 215) MAC schools showing interest; Thomas Lance, jr. TE/DT (6-2, 210); Craig Bazen, jr. RB/DB (6-0, 170); Jake Nelson, jr. LB (6-1, 170); Brandon Elliott, jr. K (5-11, 170); Ryan Ruckensufss, soph. OL/DL (6-2, 230)
NOTABLES: Last year, the Red Hawks snapped a seven-year streak of finishing under five-hundred and not making the playoffs. Perhaps injuries halted Athens’ run in 2011. Half of the Red Hawks’ resurgence is that Heppner and his staff has vowed to stick around for a while. The other half is that Athens is simply getting better football players than in recent years. Athens should continue to be a top-half team in the OAA-Red this season, and don’t be surprised if the Red Hawks are one of the 32 teams in the D-1 state tournament in late October. This team has plenty of size and team speed to compete with the big boys.
SCHOOL: West Bloomfield
NICKNAME: Lakers
HEAD COACH: Ron Bellamy, third season (5-13)
2011 RECORD: 2-7, 2-5 OAA Red Division (tied-sixth)
RETURNING STARTERS: Matt Farrow, sr. RB/DB (5-9, 190); Keith Love, sr. OL/DL (6-2, 240); John Hubbard, sr. FB/LB (5-10, 190); Jeff Poole, sr. WR/DB (5-11, 180); Chaz Monarch, sr. SS (6-1, 180)
KEY PROSPECTS: JJ Blom, jr. ILB (6-0, 200)
NOTABLES: The Lakers may have lost players to graduation, yet the coaching staff feels like the younger players in the program are better football players with higher football IQs. West Bloomfield may be victim this season of more experienced teams, because like league foe Stoney Creek, it has far more underclassmen than seniors.