by orionontv | Jan 24, 2023 | Scouting
Brandon Kathman FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Sr. District Executive & Operations Marketing Lead 1/24/2023
[email protected]
947-886-5736
Scouts’ Competition Adapts to Warmer Winter
Local Scouts held their annual winter “Hodag” competition with over 220 participants on Jan 21;
this was accomplished in spite of abnormally high temperatures and a lack of snow at Camp
Agawam in Lake Orion.
The event, which is modeled after the Alaskan Iditarod sled race, pits Scout troops in friendly
competition as they travel between stations designed to test their skills. Hosted by the youth of
Scouting’s honor society, the Order of the Arrow, the event requires troops to stow their gear in a
sled dragged from station to station.
“The planning for this year’s Hodag was different than before,” Chapter Chief Teo Gammons, 17,
of the Order of the Arrow, said. “We brought new activities to the event. People had fun, even
though the sled race had to be modified.”
Temperatures in the upper 30s and a series of atypical rainstorms left the campgrounds damp and
muddy for an event typically reliant on snow. However, according to Gammons, the Scouting
program teaches youth to innovate and overcome new challenges.
Many troops outfitted their sleds with wheels to become chariots of sorts, ensuring their use would
still be possible, even on a muddy field. Order of the Arrow members took turns carrying their
mascot, “Manny,” a 50-pound stuffed moose, in the races as an unofficial competitor; when the
youth became tired, several adult volunteers stepped up to carry the oversized plush animal.
“Hodag is an event I look forward to every year,” Anthony Goatley, 16, of Lake Orion Troop 284,
said. “The energy is wonderful, and it’s always nice to see some old friends.”
Saint Clair Shores Troop 1407 ultimately carried the day, winning the competition. However,
according to one local Scout, Manny was just a “different kind of winner.”
According to Field Director Bob DeWar, the success of the event in spite of uncooperative
weather conditions speaks to the resilience of the youth leadership.
“We are so proud of the amazing young people who step up and lead their own adventures in
Scouting,” DeWar said. “This was another great event, and the high attendance speaks to the trust
our movement has in its young leaders.”
Picture 1: Clarkston Troop 189 races in a grudge match against Manny the Moose, carried by local executive Brandon Kathman.
Picture 2: Troop 1407 are named winners of the 2023 Hodag competition.
Picture 3: Lake Orion Scout Liam O’Dea holds up a stuffed fish, making a joke about “frozen fish.”
Picture 4: Lake Orion Troop 128G competes in a game of giant Jenga.
Picture 5: Lake Orion Troop 128B races to assemble a tent.
Picture 6: Troop 128G pulls a modified sled, converted into a chariot of sorts.
Picture 7: Wheeled sleds race against Manny the Moose, carried by Liam O’Dea.
by orionontv | Jan 23, 2023 | Feature Writers, High School Sports
Written Saturday January 21st at 10:35 AM
Here are my thoughts on each team in boys basketball thus far.
Pontiac: The Phoenix have not been playing well and that is a concern going forward for Coach Dameon O’Neil. Pontiac has been scoring more since the West Bloomfield game and that could be a start. They are 1-4 in January which is not good. The Phoenix need to address some things especially defensively if they want to turn things around.
Ferndale University: The Eagles have seven wins but they have not been consistent which should be a concern for Coach Josh Nicks. They are 2-3 in January but have played some really good teams to their defense. Ferndale University is fine but they need to be more consistent especially in the Gold.
Avondale: The Yellow Jackets have really picked things back up after a rough early January. They have put together two good wins to start the late half of January. Avondale has not been consistent which it’s a concern for Coach Pat Clancy. They have a very tough week looming with Adams and Rochester. If the Yellow Jackets play like what they did against Troy against the two Rochester schools then anything is possible.
Harper Woods: The Pioneers look like they are the best team in the Gold despite being two games over 500. Harper Woods has been playing consistent basketball despite the loss to River Rouge and the very tough non conference schedule. They have wins over West Bloomfield and Pontiac which says a lot. Coach TaJuan Porter has this program heading in the right direction.
Southfield Arts and Tech: The Warriors had started to figure some things out. They really struggled against Detroit University-Detroit Jesuit giving up 91 points. Southfield Arts and Tech has played a tough schedule to their defense but they do have some concerns going forward. Coach Terrance Porter still has Lincoln Park, Clarkston, and River Rouge for their non conference. It’s going to be very tough for the Warriors going forward.
Royal Oak: January has been a really tough month for the Ravens. They are 2-4 on the month and they still have a tough schedule ahead of them. Dylan Hoffman scored his 1,000 career point and was honored in their loss to Berkley. Coach Aaron Smith needs to find that magic from November and December if they want to turn things around.
Troy Athens: The Red Hawks have been a hot and cold team. Troy Athens has had nine days to prepare for their next game against Rochester. Coach Dave Scott needs to find some sort of consistency with his program. They are struggling record wise right now.
Seaholm: The Maples have really started to turn things around. Seaholm has some big wins over Stoney Creek and Oxford which is a good sign for Coach Mike DeGeeter. They are starting to get healthy and on the same page which is a good sign for the Maples.
Oxford: The Wildcats have not been the same team since the Lake Orion game. Oxford had a very tough loss to Seaholm as well. Jake Champane has had some bright moments but when teams focus on him they seem to struggle. They need Lucas Bottete, Joe Cady, Jay Cady, or Dominic Cassise to step up if Coach Steve Laidlaw wants to turn this around.
Berkley: The Bears are the best team in the Blue and their play has showed why but there is a danger and they have experienced this before. Berkley has relied on Tamir Runkenvich and Jacob Sheriff and they have proven they can win on the road well. Coach Joe Sermo has also gotten some third and fourth scoring as well. The Bears are in a good place right now and there is room for improvement as well.
Rochester: The Falcons have really missed Khammani Potts which is a reason why they are 1-3 in their last four games. Eli Kalaj and Grant Calcagno have been performing at high levels each night for Coach Nick Evola. The Falcons need to find that third scorer with Potts out if they want to turn things around.
Stoney Creek: The Cougars are much better than their record indicates but they have really struggled lately. Stoney Creek really misses Peyton Rummler as he is still out with a shoulder injury but he could be back in February. Jake Fulkerson, Leo Kent, and Tre Walker are doing everything they can right now. Coach Jeff Olind has his work cut out in trying to turn the Cougars around.
Groves: The Falcons have clearly been battle tested. Groves lost two tough games to Adams and West Bloomfield. Josh Simpson and Josh Gibson have been playing really good basketball but so has Elijah Yelder, Max Cramer, and Paige Williams. Coach Marc West has done a solid job with this program. The record is deceiving but the Falcons are clearly a player for sure.
Farmington: The Falcons hung tough with Troy in a tough loss. Farmington is 1-3 in their last four games now all be it the three losses were to very good teams in Berkley, Oak Park, and Troy. They have a makeup with North Farmington looming along with West Bloomfield. That could be very tough for Coach Derrick McDowell and his team this week.
Lake Orion: The Dragons are clearly a different team with DJ Morrow in the lineup. Lake Orion had a tough one point loss to Bloomfield Hills. Missed layups and free throws doomed them in that game. Blake Liddell will be key going down the stretch along with Nate Havrilla, Kevin Tobe, and Kayden DeGriffenreid. Coach Jose Andreadas’s team has a tough week with Warren DeLaSalle and Groves looming. The Dragons will be fine.
West Bloomfield: The Lakers have been playing some consistent basketball. Cameron Britton is a name to watch for Coach Arnette Jordan. Britton was very instrumental in their win over Groves. Mitchell Seay has had some moments as well. West Bloomfield will be fine going forward. They have a tough matchup with Detroit University Prep looming this week.
Bloomfield Hills: The Blackhawks are a different team without Noah Adamcyzk. Adamcyzk missed half of the Lake Orion game with a groin injury but gutted it out late in that game. Drew Wilson has played well and Brandon Newland has had moments as well. Coach Brian Canfield has a strong team but there are some warning signs particularly in the postseason that Bloomfield Hills needs to be aware of.
Troy: The Colts have been rolling as of late especially the play of Mason Parker. Troy has not lost in January but that will be tested when they play Bloomfield Hills this week. Darius Whiteside, Carter Cusmano, Chase Kupier, Jon Whiteside, and Zach Penoza have been playing really good basketball for Coach Gary Fralick. It should be very interesting to see what happens with the Colts.
Adams: The Highlanders got Brady Prieskorn back from injury which is a huge deal for Coach Jaret Thomas. William Gee and Peter Karakasis are going to be special players for Adams. They are pure three point shooters and can create their own offense. The Highlanders have tough non conference games with Stoney Creek, Oxford, Seaholm, Avondale, and New Haven looming and that’s still not the Red schedule. Thomas has his team in a good spot right now despite their loss to Ferndale.
Clarkston: The Wolves have not been playing consistent basketball but have found ways to win games. Other than the blowout loss to Ferndale, Clarkston hasn’t been the same Clarkston of the past. They still don’t have Jon Kaul as he has been dealing with a hand injury. He could be back in February. Desman Stephens, Brayden Wiley, Cavanugh Diton, and Brody Kosin have been doing a lot of the heavy lifting for Coach Tim Waslik. Once Kaul comes back, the Wolves should be ready to roll.
Oak Park: The Knights had been rolling with confidence but they had a very tough road loss to North Farmington which snapped their three game winning streak. Oak Park is still a very young team with a ton of sophomores. Coach Durrand Sheppard’s team will be fine. They have Adams looming this week.
Ferndale: The Eagles might be coming back to life a little bit. They got Caleb Defoe back which is a big deal for Coach Juan Rickman and they are already 2-0 in the Red with wins over Adams and Clarkston. Ferndale’s schedule is very tough as mentioned and Rickman said that they want to get back to Breslin which they have a shot to do that. The Eagles might be back and that’s bad news for the Red.
North Farmington: The Raiders have been rolling as of late. They have turned things around since their loss to Warren Lincoln with wins over Grand Blanc and Benton Harbor. Ryan Hurst, Landon Williams, Tyler Spratt, and Prince Jackson have been playing well for Coach Todd Negoshian. North Farmington is a well-oiled machine right now.
by orionontv | Jan 23, 2023 | Feature Writers, High School Sports
Written Saturday January 21st at 9:28 AM
Here are my thoughts on each girls basketball team right now.
Oak Park: The Knights have been playing some really good basketball. Oak Park has won three straight and have been averaging over 40 points per game in each of those wins. Coach Chantelle Corson has to be really pleased with this three game stretch. Maybe the Knights have seemed to have turned the corner and if they have then it’s a great sign going forward.
Ferndale: The Eagles have had moments of greatness and other games not so much. Ferndale has the talent and has won some games. Ferndale needs to play some more non conference games. I’m really hoping that Coach Keith Paris can look for some more teams to play for his girls. They do deserve to play more games this season.
Pontiac: The Phoenix are really struggling but they have been improving despite the record. It has clearly been a struggle for Pontiac and Coach Corray Lett whom is in his first season with the program. The wins should come in time. The Phoenix clearly have a ton of work to do to get their program back on track.
Ferndale University: The Eagles have clearly struggled. It has been very tough for Coach Brianna Rowe lately. Ferndale University needs to keep growing as a program but right now this is a team that is taking a ton of lumps for sure.
Avondale: The Yellow Jackets have had a rough January. They are 0-4 this month and counting the loss to Warren Fitzgerald then it’s a five game losing streak. The offense has clearly disappeared which is evident in points per game and the points against have went up. They have averaged under 30 points per game while allowing over 50 points per game in this losing streak. If Coach Roy Christmon wants to turn things around they have to find ways to score and defend. Avondale is clearly in trouble right now.
Farmington: The Falcons have been a Jekyll and Hyde team. They look very good against the Blue but really bad against the non conference. This has to change if Coach Lauren Guzman’s team wants to make some noise in the postseason. Farmington is the second best team in the Blue right now but Oak Park has made some strides but they need to win games against the non conference because if they don’t then they could be an early exit in the postseason.
Bloomfield Hills: The Blackhawks have been rolling since their 19 point fourth quarter against Seaholm in November but they really haven’t been tested since that game which is a concern for Coach Kristen Massey. The blowouts are good and does gain some confidence but they need a true test on the schedule. Bloomfield Hills added a big test with Stoney Creek after both teams needed to find a game after their respective opponents bailed on them. They also have to play Birmingham Marian in February but the Mustangs have been struggling. The Blackhawks needs to be tested before the postseason. It will certainly help the MPR if that happens.
Adams: The Highlanders have taken a ton of lumps lately. They have not won a game into the New Year but they have been competitive. Adams has been competitive in three of the five games. If Coach Joe Malburg can slow things down with his young team then the scoring could go up and the points against can go down in a big way. The Highlanders so far are on the right track but they have to slow the game down and not get sped up.
Troy Athens: The Red Hawks have been a very odd team. Troy Athens is 1-3 in their last four games which is a concern. In their last three losses the defense has been the problem. They have allowed 44 points per game. In their win against Royal Oak they allowed 36 points. If Coach Stacie Klumpp wants to turn things around it has to be on the defensive end.
Harper Woods: The Pioneers have been a very interesting team to figure out. In their wins they have averaged over 45 points but the losses especially against Oxford and Berkley they have averaged 33.5 points per game. Harper Woods has some issues against teams that guard them and they still have North Farmington looming. If I’m Coach Anthony Brown you have to find way to score against proven teams.
Seaholm: The Maples have had their moments of greatness. Addy Flynn has been Seaholm’s most consistent player. They really needed that two point win against Adams in a low scoring defensive slugfest. Coach Chris Manchester has a real tough three game stretch coming up. The record doesn’t indicate it but this is a team that is making a ton of progress.
Royal Oak: The Ravens have not had a very good January. They are 2-3 in this stretch and have lost two of the last three games. The offense has really struggled since the New Year and that is a big concern going forward. If Coach Brian Sopota wants to turn this thing around they have to put up more than 43 points to win games.
Berkley: The Bears are back there are no questions about that. Berkley is 4-1 in their last five games with their only loss to a very good Rochester team and they held them to 32 points which is impressive. The defense has been very good for Coach Cody Feltner and the offense has gotten back on track. They are playing like they are on a mission right now. This is a classic “We’re Back A Dinosaur Story” type season right now.
North Farmington: The Raiders are in a very good spot right now in the White but their goals need to increase. They have a good chance to win their district. Sela Lefler and Penelope Creary have been the key for North Farmington. Coach Jeff Simpson seems to be pushing the right buttons right now. As mentioned the Raiders are in a good spot.
Oxford: The Wildcats are in a really tough spot right now losing to North Farmington at Ian Smith Gym. Neveah Wood getting hurt also did not help things. Oxford if they want to keep their White hopes alive needs to go into North Farmington and win and get some help. Coach Rachel Bryer needs to get this team back on the right path and she will.
Southfield Arts and Tech: The Warriors defense is still a big problem. They have allowed over 50 points in 11 of their last 12 games. That’s not winning basketball at all. Until Coach Shiquita Coltrane fixes her defense then Southfield Arts and Tech could really struggle going forward.
Troy: The Colts have had a ton of growing pains but there are signs that they are getting better. They put up 50 points against Southfield Arts and Tech which is the most they put up since the Waterford Kettering game. Troy is making some strides which is a good sign for Coach Julius Porter.
Groves: The Falcons have some serious concerns after very losses to Lake Orion and Riverview. They need to change some things a little bit if you’re Coach Allison Hidey. Kaitlyn Sanders is doing everything she can and so has Cira Racco. They really need a third scorer to step up and they have to get back what got them there which was slow the game down and control tempo. There is still time to turn things around for Groves.
Stoney Creek: The Cougars will be tested with the injury to Mia Carson. Sarah LaPrarie has played more of a bigger role. Stoney Creek has Lily Solek and Merrick Schalbach that could also fill the void with Carson out. Coach Kellen James has a tough schedule coming up. The Cougars are fine.
Clarkston: The Wolves have been around 500 and have been playing good basketball. Elliana Robak has been a difference maker but Emily Valencia has started to play well. They had a big win against Stoney Creek. Three of their next four games are on the road starting this week.
Rochester: The Falcons have been battle tested. They hung tough with West Bloomfield despite falling in that game but they had their hands full with Berkley. Rochester is a very interesting team especially with Alice Max and Kiley Robinson. It will be very interesting to see where they are at for Coach Bill Thurston to see if they can get back on track a little bit.
Lake Orion: The Dragons had a really interesting week. They hung tough with Detroit Renaissance but a 26-7 third quarter run was the difference in that game. Lake Orion took on a very good Flushing team and held them to 18 points and then beat Groves pretty convincingly. Everyone has been involved as of late and that’s a great sign going forward for Coach Bob Brydges and his program. They have a tough stretch coming up with a ton of road games at the end of the month.
West Bloomfield: The Lakers have been playing really good basketball. They were very impressive over Detroit Cass Tech and Rochester last week. The Davis and Hendrix sisters have been the catalysts along with a very good half court press. West Bloomfield looks like they are getting things ready for the postseason.
