by Becky Andrus | Jan 11, 2021 | Feature Writers, High School Sports
Covering all 22 OAA teams with insight and thoughts on each team from Northern Oakland County to Southern Oakland County.
Sunday, January 10, 2021
By Sammy Taormina
A Look Back At Oak Park’s Incredible Journey, Still Going On.
Written Sunday January 10th at 1:00 PM
When the State Playoffs began the Oak Park Knights just went 0-6 after playing a very difficult Red schedule going up against Clarkston, Lake Orion, Oxford, Southfield Arts and Tech, and West Bloomfield. They were heading to Grosse Pointe to play a Grosse Pointe South program riding a ton of confidence after playing in the Macomb Area Red division. They had wins over Chippewa Valley, Romeo, and Utica Eisenhower and have played Sterling Heights Stevenson and Macomb Dakota.
The Knights came off a 47-0 blowout loss to Clarkston and was riding no momentum heading into the postseason.
Nobody gave them a chance including myself and Ian Locke even though there were hints due to the Knights schedule that they could do this.
After that game against Grosse Pointe South, things changed and they became whole.
The Knights have been a very successful program under Coach Greg Carter. Carter came to Oak Park in 2011 and is also the Athletic Director as well. Even though they were 3-6 that season the foundation was set for the future. The Knights have made the playoffs the last eight years.
2019-lost 12-6 to Farmington in first round
2018-lost 35-7 to Warren DeLaSalle in district final
2017-lost 14-7 to Warren DeLaSalle in regional final
2016-lost 34-7 to Detroit Martin Luther King in district final
2015-lost 38-14 to Southfield in first round
2014-lost 14-13 to Southfield in district final
2013-lost 14-8 to Detroit University-Detroit Jesuit in district final
2012-lost 10-6 to Wyandotte in regional final
But in 2020 something was different outside of moving to the Red. They wanted to shock the State, going from worst to first. This team wearing the black helmet, white uniform with red elbows, and red pants.
They wanted to pull off the unthinkable.
They have been playing with nothing to lose and look where it has gotten them thus far.
They beat Grosse Pointe South 35-27 in the first round
They beat Detroit University-Detroit Jesuit 27-21 in the district semifinal
They beat Wyandotte 27-14 in the district final
Then came the regional final. A round that Oak Park hasn’t gotten past even with good teams they have had. Their season usually ends in this round.
All of that changed on Saturday afternoon
They got a huge pass play for a touchdown with 41 seconds left trailing 23-22 and the Knights players and fans went crazy. They got that defensive stand and got past Livonia Churchill 30-23 earning their first regional title in school history.
They will have a chance to make even more history and get to their first State Final. They will have to overcome a program that has given them two postseason losses when they play Warren DeLaSalle on Saturday afternoon in the Division Two State semifinals at Wayne State.
This postseason run has been nothing short of incredible when describing the Knights. They were left for dead heading into the postseason but with them being whole good things have been happening for Oak Park.
A lot of the credit has to go to lineman Rayshawn Benny. Benny has been battling an injury throughout the regular season and really got back when they played Clarkston. Ever since that game he has played like a man on a mission on both sides of the line. Benny being back has really helped guys like Bwana Miller and Davion Primm at running back make plays and create holes along with quarterback James Burnley whom looks like a completely different quarterback compared to the regular season. Amari Harris and KyShawn Jackson has saw their confidence rise with Benny’s return.
Also Carter and his staff deserves a ton of credit as well through out all of this.
Oak Park’s run in the postseason has opened up a debate. Should everyone make the playoffs??? If this were the current format or even the 2019 format they would have not made the postseason, this is something that Carter acknowledges.
The Knights are playing another week and another tough opponent. They are playing with nothing to lose.
Just how they like it.
by Becky Andrus | Dec 23, 2020 | Feature Writers
Covering all 22 OAA teams with insight and thoughts on each team from Northern Oakland County to Southern Oakland County.
Wednesday, December 23, 2020
What Gives???
Written Wednesday December 23rd at 1:15 PM
So Fall Sports are postponed again for the third time???
Winter Sports haven’t even started yet in the State
What gives???
Someone has clearly dropped the ball.
The MHSAA announced to teams to stop practicing on Tuesday because of the testing protocols aren’t ready yet from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.
Players, Coaches, Fans, Athletic Directors are absolutely fed up and I don’t blame them. All the false hope just for these student-athletes to return to play. It’s like a yo-yo.
Probably villain number one has to be MDHHS Director Robert Gordon.
Gordon was the person that suggested to MHSAA Executive Director Mark Uyl that a return to play was possible if student-athletes do an antigen test program. I question the legality of this program because most parents don’t like or want to see their student-athletes get tested three times a week. Also by law the government cannot forcefully give something the kid doesn’t want without the parent’s consent.
Gordon and Governor Gretchen Whitmer has put so many hurdles on these student-athletes just to let them play and finish their seasons.
On November 18th Whitmer and Gordon announced through an epidemic order that new restrictions were given because of rising coronavirus cases caused “the pause.” The move included pausing school sports. Gordon said that the reason was because of the mixing of different households was why they were included in the order.
Although there have been stats that teammates are like families and playing inside a bubble could work. It was very successful in the Stanley Cup Playoffs and in the NBA restart even though they went through vigorous testing.Travel is not really an issue when it comes to high school sports.
It was in September after a Let Them Play protest in Lansing, Whitmer gave the go ahead for schools to start sports under strict safety guidelines. The move gave student-athletes a chance to play much to the disagreement of MDHHS Chief Medical Executive Joneiah Khaldun.
I did talk to my co-host Ian Locke and he is right there were the majority of kids that got to play a fall season which I get and very thankful for but there are others that haven’t finished what they started.
Look at what happened in winter in 2020 and spring sports didn’t even have a season.
Uyl said that spring season will get a guaranteed season in 2021. Uyl also said that there will be three seasons but Whitmer and Gordon have been making things very difficult for Uyl to keep his promise.
Here is a suggestion for Uyl that he and the MHSAA Representative Council need to consider. They could move Winter Sports to start in February and end in early April with the postseason tournament. Also have Spring Sports start in late April and end on Independence Day weekend.
That is an option for the MHSAA.
There will be parents and fans who want to blame Uyl but clearly looking at all the data all the blame has to fall on Whitmer and especially Gordon. Nobody is denying that COVID-19 is real. It is real but there are sporting events that can be done safely.
I just read MIPrepZone’s Drew Ellis article and he’s exactly right on the money.
All I want to say to the student-athletes, athletic directors, and coaches. Just hang in there, stay strong. This is not your fault. Things are going to get better just got to believe and trust in each other. Do the things we can control.
This is clearly a failure in government.
The State of Michigan is truly failing our kids and are not seeing the bigger picture especially from an emotional and mental standpoint.
Drew Ellis Article.
ttps://www.theoaklandpress.com/sports/miprepzone/drew-ellis-get-prep-athletes-off-this-emotional-roller-coaster/article_08ae1df4-4546-11eb-8316-c727627ebd23.html
Posted by Saginaw Bay at 10:16 AM
by Becky Andrus | Dec 21, 2020 | Feature Writers
Covering all 22 OAA teams with insight and thoughts on each team from Northern Oakland County to Southern Oakland County.
Friday, December 18, 2020
Most Winter Sports Paused for Now but Fall Sports Can Proceed.
Written Friday December 18th at 3:00 PM
Well most Winter Sports are still paused for now.
Governor Gretchen Whitmer, Michigan Department of Health and Human Services Medical Executive Joniah Khaldun, and Director Robert Gordon announced that indoor contact sports are still banned for now in a new order that is effective until January 15th.
That could change if trends improve which they have been lately.
Gordon mentioned that fall sports like football, volleyball, and swimming and diving can end their seasons. Excluding them from the order.
Football will be played on January 2nd with the semifinals on January 9th at home sites though it is possible for those games to held at neutral sites. The State Finals on January 15th and 16th at Ford Field.
Volleyball quarterfinals will start on January 5th while the State Semifinals and Finals will be played at the Kellogg Center in Battle Creek.
Girls Swimming and Diving will be held on January 15th and 16th at the three host sites.
There will be no spectators and all safety protocols will be in place.
The OAA currently has North Farmington, Oak Park, and West Bloomfield still playing in football while Clarkston is the only school left in volleyball. North Farmington heads to Traverse City Central, Oak Park goes to Livonia Churchill, while West Bloomfield hosts Romeo. Clarkston volleyball will play Grand Blanc at Lapeer in the State Quarterfinals.
The new order is not good for the indoor winter sports except for skiing which is outdoors. It’s possible they could go to the spring. It is possible that the MHSAA could extend the seasons past June.
The MHSAA Representative Council will meet again on December 22nd to address the rest of winter sports. The spring sports remain unchanged for now.
Gordon announced a new antigen testing program that can be implemented for fall sports. Wonder if it could be addressed for winter and spring sports???
“With respect to sports, outdoor and non-contact sports are reopening. We will also be offering a new pilot program for fall sports, including contact sports that use antigen tests in order to ensure safety as students complete high school fall championships. This is a very limited number of schools that had seasons interrupted and this will be a chance to do two things, it will let students complete a season that is, of course very important to them. And it will allow schools and the State of Michigan to work together to learn how these antigen tests to encourage safe reopening in January” said Gordon.
It will be very interesting to see what happens with winter sports. It will be something to keep an eye on.
Stay tuned to OAA Now for the latest on this developing story.
Here is the MHSAA’s Statement.
https://www.mhsaa.com/News/Press-Releases/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/9455/MHSAA-Fall-Tournaments-to-Resume-Updated-Winter-Tournament-Schedules-Forthcoming
Here is the Tweet from State Champs from MHSAA Executive Director Mark Uyl
https://twitter.com/statechampsmich/status/1340041028125020164
Posted by Saginaw Bay at 12:00 PM
by Becky Andrus | Dec 14, 2020 | Feature Writers
Covering all 22 OAA teams with insight and thoughts on each team from Northern Oakland County to Southern Oakland County.
Monday, December 14, 2020
Why Everyone Making the Football Playoffs is a Good Thing.
Written Monday December 14th at 2:00 PM
Why everyone making the playoffs is a good thing.
In other sports everyone makes the playoffs. In football it was done this season because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Could this be the norm???
This pandemic playoff format where everyone makes the playoffs has been a success. This is something that the MHSAA Executive Director Mark Uyl and the MHSAA Representative Council need to seriously look at.
You had some great and intriguing matchups in the postseason that no one would had thought off like Lake Orion/Grand Blanc, West Bloomfield/Sterling Heights Stevenson, Stoney Creek/Chippewa Valley etc.
Oak Park would have not made the playoffs under the old format which is based on strength of schedule and playoff points. In 2019, you needed six wins to make the playoffs. The Knights went 0-6 this season but right now they would be still playing if not for this pause.
How it would work is that everyone plays eight games and expand the playoffs like this year. It would create very interesting storylines.
There are coaches and some fans that are against this model because it rewards bad teams and that everyone makes the postseason. On the flip side if you have played a brutal schedule and don’t have a winning record and you see a team that has an easier schedule make the playoffs then you’ll be up at arms.
OAA 2017 rings that bell.
As a former player and current blogger and podcaster I think this is an awesome format to look at in the future and it creates surprising matchups and teams like we have seen in this postseason.
The pandemic playoff format tells where several schools particularly in the OAA have to be in the conversation.
We know about West Bloomfield, Lake Orion, Clarkston, Oxford, Adams, Oak Park, Southfield Arts and Tech, Groves, Seaholm, North Farmington, Farmington, and Stoney Creek. They have been there and done that. They have won State titles or have had deep playoff runs but there are several schools that have been underachieving programs that could use this experience to reshape their brand.
For teams that were in the Blue this season, it pretty much tells the whole story.
Rochester was the division champ going unbeaten for the first time since 1991 but they were blown out by Adams. Avondale lost to Groves. Troy Athens was blown out by Southfield Arts and Tech. Those three schools lost to OAA schools that were either in the Red or in the White which of course is much tougher competition all in the first round. Ferndale lost to Detroit Renaissance which I’ll mention below about them because their problem seems to be out of league. Pontiac was blown out which I also mention below. Troy and Berkley both won their first round games over Bloomfield Hills and Royal Oak respectably but were blown out by West Bloomfield and Warren Mott in the district semifinals.
Ferndale is the perfect example of a program needing this pandemic playoff format. The Eagles have the smallest enrollment in the OAA but they have a Co-Op program with Ferndale University which puts them in Division Two for the postseason. My biggest issue with Ferndale is that the Eagles have proven they are a league contender in the Blue but it’s when they go out of the OAA and face bigger schools like Detroit Renaissance this is where they struggle. This is something that Coach Eric Royal needs to address this offseason, it’s not the in league but the out of league they need to address.
I was very happy for Pontiac and their student athletes. A football program that has had a very difficult nine years (5-72 since.) Let’s be fair the Phoenix are the only Division Three school in the OAA. For them to experience what it’s like in the postseason is a huge accomplishment. Pontiac had to go to Bay City and got blown out 64-0 by Bay City Central in the first round. The league seriously need to help Pontiac big time especially with what they have been going through maybe give them some open dates not have them go through that gauntlet. I wrote a separate column surrounding this issue.
Should teams be rewarded for the tough schedules they play sure but it’s up to those teams as mentioned in the Blue that need to step up and show results.
At the end of the day this pandemic format gave everyone a chance to play. Should the MHSAA and the Representative Council make this permanent it would be very interesting. It could create a Cinderella story and it gives teams a fresh start from the regular season and into the postseason.
Posted by Saginaw Bay at 10:50 AM
by Becky Andrus | Dec 14, 2020 | Feature Writers
Covering all 22 OAA teams with insight and thoughts on each team from Northern Oakland County to Southern Oakland County.
Monday, December 14, 2020
It’s time for the OAA to help Pontiac Football.
Written Monday December 14th at 2:00 PM
It’s time to help Pontiac Football out.
It has been a rough ride for the Phoenix and Athletic Director Lee Montgomery and Coach Charles White.
Pontiac has had to go through numerous coaching changes. Uncertainties regarding their program. State intervention, you name it.
The Phoenix are 5-72 since 2011. 2011 was the last time they made the playoffs. They are 3-20 combined against Avondale, Berkley, and Ferndale. If you include Royal Oak its 5-25.
Pontiac did make the playoffs this season as part of the pandemic postseason. They were in Division Three and played Bay City Central where they were blown out 64-0.
Should the league allow the Phoenix to go out of league and find more open dates???
It would help them with their confidence and develop their program.
Pontiac has had a ton of problems with a lot of things out of their control. Playing in the OAA has some advantages but every week they are playing a tough opponent and are getting blown out in each game.
That impacts player confidence.
I know it takes time to develop a program but if the league can help the Phoenix out by giving them open dates so they can find winnable games, it would go a long way to building their program back up so they can be at a better position where they can compete in the OAA.
This is not a knock on their players, staff, athletic department, and program. They are working really hard and getting better each day.
Help from the league would go a long way to help them move forward.
Posted by Saginaw Bay at 10:46 AM
by Becky Andrus | Nov 19, 2020 | Feature Writers, High School Sports
Covering all 22 OAA teams with insight and thoughts on each team from Northern Oakland County to Southern Oakland County.
Wednesday, November 18, 2020
Mental Health Aspect-Opinion Piece.
Written Wednesday November 18th at 9:10 PM
What I’ve been hearing with coronavirus cases rising in the State. The State decided that a three week pause could help things however something else is brewing underneath everything that the media, state officials, or medical experts should look at.
The mental health and emotional component.
The mental health of student athletes is seriously at risk and that is a serious problem.
Michigan Department of Health and Human Services Director Robert Gordon, Michigan Department of Health and Human Services medical executive Joneigh Khaldun, and Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer put a pause in school sports among other things for three weeks on Sunday night.
I thought about what more mental anguish and sadness that these student athletes have to suffer thanks to these three.
Gordon said in the press conference that the reason why school sports were paused was because of contact risks. “We are suspending organized sports for three weeks because they bring together people in setting that often involve high levels of contact and exhalation and where individuals move from outdoors to indoors.”
I’m not buying what Gordon is saying at all. All schools do temperature checks and have “clear to go apps” even before they enter the building. Schools have done a great job keeping students and staff safe, I’ve seen it. This was all done behind MHSAA executive director Mark Uyl’s back. He wasn’t even consulted when the new restrictions came out.
Most health experts say that school sports can create “super-spreader events” because of the mixing but there is evidence out there that that is not the case. According to the MHSAA there was no evidence that the virus was spread at their events. Also there was no evidence that the virus spread through AAU events or any community wide outbreaks in those settings. Now there have been student athletes that have gone into quarantine don’t get me wrong because they were exposed or came close to someone who was exposed but there hasn’t been really any evidence of a community wide outbreak surrounding school sports.
It makes you think that Gordon was behind all of this all along.
In Ohio with their winter sports, they are going with everything as planned.
Whitmer forced the MHSAA’s hand in the spring as she shut spring sports down through executive orders which caused mental anguish for kids.
The MHSAA Executive Council and Uyl put together a plan that once the order was lifted they would resume all practices starting December 9th. Volleyball would have quarterfinals play on December 15th and would have the semifinals and finals on December 17th thru 19th at the Kellogg Center in Battle Creek. Girls Swimming and Diving would be conducted on December 22nd and 23rd with three high schools hosting one meet. Football regionals would be played December 15th and 16th followed by the State semifinals on December 21st and 22nd and the State Finals at Ford Field on December 28th and 29th.
Girls Basketball has already been in practice while the rest of winter sports haven’t started tryouts yet.
All of this could change if coronavirus case numbers don’t go down which would make this decision by Whitmer, Gordon, and Khaldun that much more heartbreaking and if they were to extend the epidemic order past December 8th.
I read an article about high school sports and mental health and it was a very interesting read. Mental health is not a one size fits all approach. As I read this article in the Indianapolis Star, there was a study out that said that 65 percent reported symptoms of depression and 36 percent showed that student athletes having moderate or severe anxiety.
Indiana assistant director for school mental health Kristy Eaton said in the article that “We need to be aware that depression and anxiety and feelings of isolation our kids and student-athletes are very much at risk right now. Research tells us that about one out of every five kids sitting in a classroom has a diagnosed or a diagonosable mental health condition. Add the stressors of the unknowns about COVID and you have a recipe for kids that may really start struggling with their own mental health.”
Mental health is not a one size fits all approach. Some kids respond to it differently than others but it can be very dangerous if something is taken away. “It can manifest in moodiness and irritability or an angry outburst often underlying that is fear. I don’t know what is going to happen next with this COVID thing. Sleep and hygiene issues can crop up. Same thing with eating issues, overeating-refusing to eat. You might see substance abuse. You might see or hear talk of suicide. Those are some of the warning signs that kids have gotten into a situation where it’s likely that they’re going to need some professional help” Eaton concluded.
Playing school sports helps the mental mind and has given student athletes a sense of normalcy but if sports were taken away it could lead to more bad than good. Playing sports also helps develop time management skills and team bonding.
I noticed that in Uyl and the MHSAA Executive Council. They looked at the mental health aspect of student athletes which is why they went ahead and kept things as normal as possible in August with no changes along with mask wearing and social distancing. Most student athletes are doing the right thing. I have a lot more questions for Whitmer, Gordon, and Khaldun. If they (Whitmer, Gordon, or Khaldun) want on my podcast, I’ll let them on or if they want to have a conversation, I have an email if they want to explain why school sports were paused and the mental health aspects that student athletes face, I’m at [email protected]
It is no doubt that student athletes belong in a school setting building relationships and bonds. Detroit University-Detroit Jesuit boys basketball coach Pat Donnelly wrote on Twitter a very interesting tweet that I really hope Gordon, Khaldun, and Whitmer read. “OPEN, Gyms for individual exercise. CLOSED, Organized sports, and fitness centers so why is it that we can’t host individual workouts for HS (high school) athletes??? Physical health, mental health, future opportunities (college.) And yes they can wear a mask and be socially distant.”
That’s a very good question. The MHSAA and State put the mask and social distancing guidelines in the fall. Schools and student-athletes have followed them to the bone to keep their seasons intact.
Maybe Whitmer, Gordon, and Khaldun didn’t think it through before deciding to shut sports down for three weeks or maybe they don’t care about the student athlete or their mental and emotional well being.
Maybe it’s time for Whitmer, Gordon, and Khaldun to explain the emotional and mental aspect that this is taking its toll on our student athletes. I would like to see more of that in the future.
The Indy Star article.
https://www.indystar.com/story/sports/high-school/2020/09/01/how-covid-can-affect-high-school-athletes-mental-health-and-how-they-can-get-help/3405045001/
MHSAA Restart article.
https://www.mhsaa.com/News/Press-Releases/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/9444/MHSAA-Representative-Council-Announces-Schedule-to-Complete-Fall-Sports-Resume-Winter
Posted by Saginaw Bay at 6:07 PM
