Written Thursday November 13th at 8:15 AM

Here is a preview of the games at Rochester for the OAA/MAC Boys Basketball Challenge on December 6th at Rochester.

This will be updated with times and more information.

STONEY CREEK vs Utica Eisenhower:

This could be a district preview between two neighbors who played in the football postseason recently (Stoney Creek 35-31 first round.) Both teams have young coaches (Stoney Creek-Marco Tomich, Utica Eisenhower-Anthony Muscat.) Both teams have proven guards and are looking to have bounce back years. The Cougars have experience but they need to overcome the losing mindset from the past. This should be a very interesting game.

ADAMS vs Macomb Dakota:

This looks to be a heavyweight fight of two teams that should make noise in their respective leagues this season. The Cougars are always loaded under Coach Paul Tocco while the Highlanders have Cannon Flynn for Coach Isiah Novak. Adams supporting cast will need to be huge in this game if they want to beat Macomb Dakota.

ROCHESTER vs Chippewa Valley

This is a very interesting matchup of two teams that can go up and down and score in bunches. The Falcons have experience but so does the Big Reds. Chippewa Valley is very athletic but there are some questions in the interior. Rochester is team oriented which is the most dangerous. It’s which style of play decides this game.

TROY vs Utica

These are two teams that are very young and scrappy. The Colts lost a lot of experience from last season. The Chieftains were very young and should be much improved. This could be a low scoring game between two teams that preaches defense.

TROY ATHENS vs Macomb Lutheran North

The Red Hawks have a lot of experience from winning a district crown last season. The Crusaders are a very proven program which should challenge Troy Athens. Macomb Lutheran North has been a proven power and has had deep postseason runs. This is an opportunity to show everyone what the Red Hawks are made of.

OXFORD vs Fraser:

The coaching matchup between Coaches Joe Fedorchik and former Stoney Creek Coach Steve Norgrove is a really fun coaching matchup. The Ramblers have been improving as a program under Norgrove. The Wildcats lost a lot of talent but Oxford still is a force to be a recon with. This should be a fun and competitive game.

Written Wednesday November 12th at 11:35 PM

The Eagles have a new girls basketball coach.

Ferndale named April Johnson as their new head coach. The MHSAA website confirmed the hire.

Johnson played at Detroit Renaissance and played at Bethune Cookham University. She played point guard and brings experience into the program.

Johnson takes over a program that has a ton of questions. Program strength is a serious concern and will be something to watch. Ferndale won ten games and a district crown last season but the Eagles saw a mass exit leave the school and head elsewhere. Johnson will be tasked into rebuilding the program and also getting non conference games for her new program.

Ferndale will be in the Blue with Adams, Southfield Arts and Tech, Harper Woods, Troy, and Troy Athens this season. They are in a tough district which has Ferndale University, Birmingham Detroit Country Day, Madison Heights Lamphere, Center Line, and Hazel Park which could be at Birmingham Detroit Country Day but it’s not confirmed yet.

The Eagles have only two players according to my notes coming back in Zahra Richardson and JaNiya Larry but it’s unknown if they are in the program. Ferndale was not at Media Day on Tuesday at Groves.

The first day for girls basketball tryouts is November 19th.

Stay tuned to OAA Now for the latest on this developing story.

MHSAA website confirming the hire.

Written Sunday November 9th at 1:15 PM

This will be updated later today for Groves game against either St. Clair Shores Lakeview or Grosse Pointe South.

HARPER WOODS vs Dearborn Divine Child at Westland John Glenn: Saturday 1 PM

The Pioneers really haven’t been tested in the first two weeks of the postseason (Macomb Lutheran North, Harper Woods Chandler Park Academy) but this week that changes when Dearborn Divine Child comes back to Beaconsfield Street to play Harper Woods in a rematch that was won by Harper Woods in the district finals 40-21 last season. The Pioneers have a ton of proven stars as mentioned in the blog. The Falcons have a proven quarterback in Drew Sheridan, who is the brother of former Michigan quarterback Nick Sheridan along with running back Marcello Vitti. Both have been very instrumental in their postseason success. This should be a very interesting matchup on Saturday afternoon with the winner likely seeing Goodrich pending if they get by Williamson in the Division Four State Semifinals.

GROVES at St. Clair Shores Lakeview: Friday 7 PM

The Jeremiah Whitley show has taken over the Falcons along with a timely defense (Warren Cousino 36-22 in the district finals.) Whitley has had nine touchdowns in two games in the postseason but lets see how this young Groves squad handle going into Macomb County. The Falcons will get the Huskies in a very interesting matchup of two teams with different styles. Groves likes to balance things out while St. Clair Shores Lakeview likes to run the Wing T offense which is a time possession offense. The Huskies will rotate seven different running backs (including Brennan Johnson, Logan Grubb, and Dallas Harris who combined for over 180 rushing yards against Grosse Pointe South) plus they have a quarterback in Gavin McGee who is also very efficient as a runner in the Wing T offense. St. Clair Shores Lakeview has wins over Utica Eisenhower (30-27), Lapeer (21-7), and Port Huron Northern (21-14). They beaten Grosse Pointe South twice including a 25-22 win in week seven and a 24-7 win in the district finals with both games in Grosse Pointe and it was their first district crown in school history. The key to this game is possessions for both teams as mentioned. The Huskies like to limit the opposing team’s possessions and play time possession football while the Falcons want to play balanced football. The winner will get Gibraltar Carlson or Dexter in the Division Two State Semifinals.

ADAMS vs Romeo: Friday 7 PM

The Highlanders have been rolling through their city rivals (Rochester, Stoney Creek) this postseason. They will have a rematch with Romeo in the regional finals at Highlander Stadium. Adams beat the Bulldogs 39-7 in week one but Romeo is a much different team than they were from week one. The Bulldogs won the Macomb Area Conference Red crown and is coming off a 56-0 blowout of bitter Macomb Area Conference Red rival Macomb Dakota at Dan Barnabo Field. The Highlanders present a lot of challenges for Romeo. This should be a very interesting game on Adams and Tienken Roads. Whoever wins this game will get Saline or Detroit Cass Tech in the Division One State Semifinals.

CLARKSTON vs Novi Detroit Catholic Central: Friday 7 PM

The Wolves and Shamrocks are no strangers to one another, it was Clarkston that won the Division One State crown at Novi Detroit Catholic Central’s expense in 2013 and 2017 at Ford Field. The Wolves have been rolling since the Harper Woods game (lost 27-21) but this will be Clarkston’s gravest challenge in form of who the Shamrocks have with multiple players that are Division One bound talents. Novi Detroit Catholic Central has a set of brothers in Samson Gash and Gideon Gash whom both have been dominant this postseason along with an experienced quarterback in Duke Banta. They also have Cedrick Williams who has also made some noise at running back. Novi Detroit Catholic Central has a huge offensive line along with a solid defense. The Shamrocks really haven’t been tested this postseason with two blowout wins over Hartland and Brighton. Clarkston has a very experienced team and it’s defense has seen quarterbacks in Jaxson Dosh (Davison) and Jake Murrow (Grand Blanc) this postseason. This will be the Wolves gravest challenge but the good news for Clarkston is they have athletes too and the game is at Clarkston not at Novi.