Postseason Watch-Week Eight.
Updated Saturday October 7th at 12:30 PM
The postseason is only a month away so here are some scenarios surrounding some teams in the OAA that have a chance to make the postseason, some are locks, others are on the bubble and others need to win out.
Thanks to GoosePoop on Twitter/X for giving me some analytics on each team’s chances to make the postseason so here they are.
LOCKS:
Lake Orion (7-0): The Dragons are looking really good when it comes to the postseason. Lake Orion has had strong wins over Harper Woods, West Bloomfield, Adams, and Clarkston. They still have state power and likely undefeated Saline coming up. Lake Orion has Farmington in their homecoming this week. The Dragons are safely in the postseason field in Division One.
Clarkston (4-3): The Wolves are looking really good when it comes to the postseason and they keep getting better every week. They have played a really tough schedule and have beaten some really good teams as well. Despite losing to Northville, Southfield Arts and Tech, and Lake Orion (all of whom are strong teams), they hold quality wins over Adams and West Bloomfield. Clarkston still has, Division Four, Harper Woods for their homecoming and finish the regular season playing Co Macomb Area Conference Red champion Utica Eisenhower. Both teams are strong programs. If you’re a Wolves fan, you won’t have to worry about not making the postseason. Clarkston is safely in the postseason field in Division One.
West Bloomfield (5-2): The Lakers have had some issues especially defensively. The win over Chippewa Valley is huge at the moment for West Bloomfield. They need to address the defense as they have a ton of injuries right now. The schedule is very interesting for the Lakers starting with Southfield Arts and Tech who could a potential postseason opponent and Oak Park who is fighting for a playoff birth. West Bloomfield is safely in the postseason field in Division One.
Southfield Arts and Tech (7-0): The Warriors early season wins have already got them into the postseason. Southfield Arts and Tech is kind of in a lull when it comes to competition in the White with their two toughest challengers in Groves and Harper Woods they faced earlier in the season. The win over Detroit Cass Tech is looking better and better. They still have West Bloomfield which is always interesting as both teams look to that game as a barometer game. The Warriors are safely in the postseason field for Division One.
Seaholm (6-1): The Maples have been rolling with confidence heading into the postseason. Seaholm has some big wins under their belt as well and will have two quality opponents to help prepare them for the postseason in Oak Park (For the Blue title) and arch rival Groves who have given them a lot of problems in the past, mostly because Groves has played in the much tougher White division. Despite having to figure out their problems with Groves, the Maples are safely in the postseason field for Division Two.
Groves (5-2): The Falcons have played some very strong opponents (West Bloomfield and Southfield Arts and Tech) and picked up some big wins including a big league win over Harper Woods and a big non league win over North Farmington. Groves still has games with Ferndale, and arch rival Seaholm, who they could possibly meet twice in the postseason in which the Falcons have gotten the better of the Maples primarily because of playing in the tougher OAA White. Groves is safely in the postseason field for Division Two.
Harper Woods (4-3): For a team who is in Division Four, the Pioneers have played a really tough schedule playing against a ton of Division One (Stoney Creek, Lake Orion, Southfield Arts and Tech) and Division Two teams (Groves). Harper Woods still has to play two more Division One programs in powerhouse Clarkston and finish the year against Division Two Roseville. Even if they have a losing record, the Pioneers are safely in the postseason field for Division Four because of their strength of schedule and could be a state championship contender come postseason time.
Avondale (6-1): The Yellow Jackets have been rolling as of late, most likely securing the Gold Championship in the process. Avondale has also been tested with quality wins over division three Brandon and Division Two Oak Park but had a setback against division two power Seaholm. Avondale still has rivals Pontiac and Warren Fitzgerald looming on their schedule. They are safely in the postseason field for Division Three and they could make a ton of noise.
Adams (4-3): The Highlanders are a very interesting team to watch because they are a wildcard. Their chances of getting in the postseason are still very strong, probably the strongest of the bubble teams. Adams has Bloomfield Hills, and Sterling Heights Stevenson, two Division One teams, both teams they are capable of beating. It’s hard to envision this program not making the postseason, also whoever gets them first, it will be a tough test going against the vaunted veer offense.
North Farmington (4-3): The Raiders have been playing well as of late, despite playing a very daunting schedule especially early with Division Two powers Groves, Caledonia, and Seaholm. The Raiders have held their own and was able to get strong wins over Division One’s Troy and Troy Athens along with division two, Oak Park, and division three . The Raiders will have two strong tests coming up with Division One foes Oxford and Bloomfield Hills. Even if North loses to one of these teams, they should be a lock for the postseason. Oxford is the toughest of the two teams remaining on their schedule.
BUBBLE:
Troy (4-3): The Colts have been struggling a little bit as of late especially going against Division Two powers Seaholm, Oak Park, and North Farmington. Troy however, has benefited with wins over Division One Detroit Mumford and Division One Macomb L’Anse Creuse North but that was early in the season. They did bounce back with a homecoming win over Berkley. They also have two tests on the horizon with Fraser and arch rival Troy Athens. Their arch rival will be their biggest test, it is a rivalry game so you throw records out the window. Despite Troy being successful, the last few years, Athens has had a history of playing spoiler. If Troy loses one of these next two games, their chances of making the postseason is slim.
Oak Park (3-4): The Knights are a dark horse to watch when it comes to the postseason but the schedule looks very challenging. After an 0-2 start, Oak Park has bounced back with wins over Troy Athens and Troy respectively. Oak Park however, has Division One power West Bloomfield, along with Division Two power Seaholm looming. For the Knights, it’s either win out or win one of two. Should this happen, the Knights will be able to make the postseason given the schedule they have played.
NEED TO WIN OUT:
Oxford (2-5): The Wildcats are in a win now mode if they want to make the postseason. They have North Farmington, and University-Detroit Jesuit all at Wildcat Stadium. Despite playing a very tough schedule with the likes of Utica Eisenhower, Clarkston, Adams, arch rival Lake Orion, and West Bloomfield, Oxford has two wins (Division Two, Oak Park and Division One, Stoney Creek.) If Oxford can win their next two home games and receive help from the teams they have played then they are most likely a postseason team. It’s that simple for the Wildcats, win out and most likely you’re in the postseason.
Troy Athens (3-4): The Red Hawks overtime win against Royal Oak has put them in a position where they have to win out in order to make the postseason. They have wins over Berkley, Royal Oak and Pontiac. If Athens is to make the postseason, they must beat their arch rival Troy and Utica Ford II, both games are very winnable for the Red Hawks.