by orionontv | Jun 12, 2023 | Feature Writers, High School Sports
Written Tuesday June 6th at 9:50 PM
Updated Tuesday June 6th at 9:55 PM
Adams will have a new boys basketball coach next winter.
The Highlanders named Isaiah Novak as their new Boys Varsity Basketball Coach. Novak takes over for Jaret Thomas whom stepped down and is now coaching at Avondale.
“Adams is happy to welcome Isaiah Novak as the next head coach of the Boys Basketball program. He brings 13 years of experience at the high school and JUCO (junior college) level. He is an educator and coach who believes if you do things right, good things will happen” Adams Athletics said on Twitter.
“I’m extremely blessed for this opportunity to work with such an amazing Rochester Hills community. We will work hard to win the right way and make our community proud, if you do things right, good things will happen” Novak said in a tweet.
Novak coached at Madison Heights Lamphere for two years from 2021-2023. He went 20-23 in his two years with the program. The Rams went 11-12 and had a stretch where they went 3-8 but went 8-4 to close out the season. Madison Heights Lamphere fell to Birmingham Detroit Country Day 65-42 in the first round last season.
Prior to being at Madison Heights Lamphere, Novak does have a Catholic League background. He is a 2005 alumni at Madison Heights Bishop Foley. He coached at Madison Heights Bishop Foley from 2014-2016 to a 21-24 record. Novak was at Birmingham Brother Rice as the program’s junior varsity coach under Coach Rick Palmer.
Novak takes over a program that saw a ton of success. Adams won their second straight district crown and their first regional crown in school history. They fell to Grand Blanc in the Division One State Quarterfinals last season.
Novak will have a very difficult task ahead of him. He will have a program that is in one of the toughest divisions in the State in the Red with West Bloomfield, Groves, Ferndale, Clarkston, Oak Park, and North Farmington.
Adams has two very talented proven guards in Peter Karsaisis and William Gee coming back and also program strength is very strong. The question is can Novak build on the success that Thomas left???
Stay tuned to OAA Now for the latest on this developing story.
Here is the tweet confirming the hire.
https://twitter.com/athletics_adams/status/1666258972720996354
Novak tweet.
https://twitter.com/coach_novak11/status/1666260569547059201
by orionontv | Jun 12, 2023 | Feature Writers, High School Sports
Written Saturday June 10th at 8:00 PM
As we head into the final week of the 2022-2023 school year here is a preview heading into the final week for girls soccer and softball.
Girls Soccer
Saline at STONEY CREEK-6 PM Wednesday.
The Cougars have went through a lot especially in the postseason where they upset Rochester in the district finals winning probably one of the toughest districts in the state and got a hard fought win over New Baltimore Anchor Bay in the regional finals. Stoney Creek has a home game in the State Semifinals against a very good Saline program. The Hornets have been very good all season. It should be very interesting on Wednesday evening in Rochester.
Softball
LAKE ORION vs Utica Ford II- 4:30 PM Tuesday at Troy Athens
The Dragons are riding with a ton of confidence after beating top ranked Macomb Dakota in the regional final at Oxford. Lake Orion has a chance to get to Michigan State if they can get by a very good Utica Ford II program. The Falcons beat Bloomfield Hills and Warren Regina in the regional but this might be their toughest test yet with the Dragons. It should be a very interesting matchup between two proven programs.
by orionontv | Jun 5, 2023 | Feature Writers, High School Sports
Written Saturday June 3rd at 9:52 PM
Here is my State Semifinal Preview for Lacrosse.
Boys Lacrosse State Semifinal Preview
CLARKSTON vs Birmingham Brother Rice @ TBA
The Wolves are riding into the Division One State Semifinals with confidence after destroying Lake Orion at Troy Athens on Saturday afternoon. They will have a much tougher task with Birmingham Brother Rice. The Warriors are motivated after losing in the State finals last season. Clarkston has a shot to make history and prevent Birmingham Brother Rice from making the State Finals but they need a lot to go right to make it a reality.
Girls Lacrosse State Semifinal Preview
BLOOMFIELD HILLS vs Brighton @ Fenton
These are two teams that are very familiar with each other in the Blackhawks and the Bulldogs. Brighton beat Bloomfield Hills last season and they two are back in the same spot. It should be a very interesting matchup to say the least between these two teams.
by orionontv | Jun 5, 2023 | Feature Writers, High School Sports
Written Saturday June 3rd at 9:52 PM
Here is my insight of the regional for girls soccer.
Region 4 @ Rochester
TROY ATHENS vs New Baltimore Anchor Bay
These are two teams that are very familiar with one another. The Red Hawks have owned the Tars in their history. Troy Athens is on a mission after their district final win. It should be a very interesting matchup between these two teams.
BLOOMFIELD HILLS vs STONEY CREEK
This is a rematch of a 3-0 Cougars win over the Blackhawks during the regular season. Stoney Creek is coming into this game ranked third in the State and won the “group of death” district after stunning top ranked Rochester 3-1 on Friday night. Bloomfield Hills won 1-0 over Troy on Friday night. They are the defending Division One State Champs. It should be a very interesting game to say the least.
by orionontv | Jun 5, 2023 | Feature Writers, High School Sports
Written Saturday June 3rd at 9:20 PM
The Knights used their relays and hurdle events to dominate the girls side in Division One at Rockford scoring 80 points on Saturday at Rockford.
Oak Park has been near the top of the State in the last decade especially with their sprint relays and hurdles have been dominant which was where they were critical in getting points.
Detroit Renaissance whom Oak Park lost to in the regional and in the State meet last season was second with 58 points and Ann Arbor Pioneer was third with 56 points.
Kylie King went second in the 800 meters which also was crucial for the Knights.
Oak Park has another solid class coming in the pipeline. Oak Park Academy which is the Knights feeder system won the Girls Oakland County Middle School meet on Thursday.
West Bloomfield took 6th with 24 points, Groves was 13th with 15 points, Rochester was 18th with 11 points, Royal Oak was 22nd with eight points, Farmington was 30th with six points, Clarkston was 41st with three and a half points, Bloomfield Hills was 42nd with three points, and Berkley was 47th with two points.
On the boys side, Adams was 6th with 28 points, Oak Park was 15th with 17 points, Troy was 19th with 10 points, Berkley was 31st with six points, Avondale was 36th with five points, Royal Oak was 44th with four points, West Bloomfield was 49th with three points, Clarkston was 54th with two points, and Oxford was 65th with .75 points.
OAA Track should be back stronger next season, congrats Knights on your State Crown.
by orionontv | Jun 5, 2023 | Feature Writers, High School Sports
Written Saturday June 3rd at 9:20 PM
The Maples earned their first State title since 2018 in girls tennis when they captured the Division Two crown on a hot Saturday afternoon at Midland.
Seaholm scored 32 points and also snapped Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern’s three year reign on the Division Two State crown. The Huskies had 27 points as did Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern’s arch rivals Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central did as well.
The Maples used their double teams to their advantage which proved to be a difference in the matches. They won three of the four matches in doubles action against Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern.
All three teams entered day two with 22 points each.
North Farmington was 7th with 11 points and Berkley was 11th with nine points.
In Division One, Ann Arbor Pioneer won it with 32 points. Troy was second with 25 points, Clarkston was third with 18 points, Bloomfield Hills was fifth with 17 points, Adams was eighth with 12 points, Stoney Creek was 14th with seven points, and Troy Athens was 17th with five points.
The OAA should be back in the mix next season in Girls Tennis, congrats Maples on your State Crown.
