by orionontv | Apr 11, 2023 | Feature Writers, High School Sports
Written Friday April 7th at 6:45 PM
The enrollment sheet for all sports is out for 2023-2024.
The MHSAA released the sheet on Wednesday afternoon.
Class A is listed as 807 and above and Class B is 806 to 380 students.
Most of the schools in the OAA are in Class A however Harper Woods, Ferndale, and Ferndale University are in Class B.
The football list is very interesting.
Ferndale (672) and Ferndale University (642) Co-Op which means they will have a combined 1144 students and are in Division Two for the playoffs. When they are separate they both are in Class B.
Division One will have Troy (2298), Lake Orion (2254), Clarkston (2206), Oxford (2049), Troy Athens (2030), West Bloomfield (1903), Rochester (1768), Bloomfield Hills (1739), Stoney Creek (1566), Adams (1564), and Southfield Arts and Tech (1517)
Division Two will have Royal Oak (1443), Farmington (1416), Seaholm (1279), North Farmington (1269), Berkley (1228), Groves (1159) Ferndale Co-Op (1144), and Oak Park (1135)
Division Three will have Avondale (1015) and Pontiac (938)
Division Four will have Harper Woods (775)
Troy is the ninth enrolled school in the State followed by Lake Orion (11th), Clarkston (13th), Oxford (18th), and Troy Athens (19th) round out the top 20 most enrolled in the State.
Several schools do unify in other sports like Lacrosse and Hockey. Groves with Seaholm (Birmingham United-2338), Troy and Troy Athens (Troy Unified-4328), Berkley and Royal Oak (M-1-2674), Rochester and Adams (Rochester United-3332), and Farmington and North Farmington (Farmington United-2485.)
Stay tuned to OAA Now for the latest on this developing story.
Here is the enrollment sheet
https://www.mhsaa.com/sites/default/files/Enrollment%20and%20Classification/2324enroll.pdf
by orionontv | Apr 3, 2023 | Feature Writers, High School Sports
Written Wednesday March 29th at 9:35 AM
Here are the baseball district early thoughts heading into the season.
District 16 at Livonia Stevenson
FARMINGTON
NORTH FARMINGTON
Livonia Stevenson
Novi
Novi Detroit Catholic Central
EARLY THOUGHTS: This should be a very interesting district. Livonia Stevenson should be the early favorite but Farmington, North Farmington, and Novi Detroit Catholic Central could have very strong says. Anyone can win this district with how good these teams are this season.
District 20 at Grosse Pointe South
HARPER WOODS
Grosse Pointe South
Grosse Pointe North
St. Clair Shores Lakeview
EARLY THOUGHTS: This is a very interesting district. Grosse Pointe North looks to be the favorite but Grosse Pointe South and St. Clair Shores Lakeview looks to be very tough outs. It’s going to be rough for Harper Woods being up in Division One this season.
District 22 at Royal Oak
ROYAL OAK
BERKLEY
Sterling Heights
Warren Cousino
Warren Mott
EARLY THOUGHTS: This is a very interesting district. I really like what Berkley has done in the past and they should be the early favorite. Royal Oak looks like they will have a strong say. I’m not sure about the Macomb County schools but right now this district looks like it’s the Bears to lose.
District 23 at TBA
OAK PARK
FERNDALE
Detroit University-Detroit Jesuit
Detroit Mumford
Detroit Renaissance
EARLY THOUGHTS: This is not a very strong district on paper. Detroit University-Detroit Jesuit should be the favorite to win this district. Ferndale looks like they will be the Cubs biggest challenger. Other than that there really isn’t anyone that could challenge the Cubs or the Eagles.
District 24 at Birmingham Brother Rice
SOUTHFIELD ARTS AND TECH
GROVES
SEAHOLM
Birmingham Brother Rice
EARLY THOUGHTS: This district looks like it could be a three teamer between Groves, Seaholm, and Birmingham Brother Rice. The Warriors look like they are the team to beat but never ever count out the Falcons or the Maples. Southfield Arts and Tech could make some noise but the other three teams are going to be very tough for them to beat.
District 27 at Romeo
ROCHESTER
ADAMS
STONEY CREEK
Romeo
Utica Eisenhower
EARLY THOUGHTS: This district has Adams and Utica Eisenhower written all over it. The Highlanders are the early favorite because of proven experience. The Eagles could be a player if things go right. Rochester is solid as is Stoney Creek. Romeo is the wildcard in this district. Until proven otherwise this district looks like its Adams to lose.
District 28 at Avondale
AVONDALE
TROY
TROY ATHENS
BLOOMFIELD HILLS
Utica
EARLY THOUGHTS: This is a pretty even district. Utica is the early favorite but Troy, Troy Athens, Avondale, and Bloomfield Hills should have strong says. This should be a very interesting district to watch that is for sure.
District 29 at West Bloomfield
WEST BLOOMFIELD
LAKE ORION
Waterford Kettering
Waterford Mott
Orchard Lake St. Mary’s
EARLY THOUGHTS: There are two powerhouse programs in this district and it’s very unfortunate that one of them is going home early. The Eaglets are the favorite but the Dragons should have a very strong say. West Bloomfield is the wildcard in this district. I don’t see the Waterford schools making a ton of noise right now.
District 31 at Oxford
OXFORD
CLARKSTON
Fenton
Holly
Grand Blanc
EARLY THOUGHTS: This looks like a very interesting baseball district. Clarkston is the early favorite to win this district but keep an eye on Oxford and Grand Blanc. They could surprise some people. The Bobcats had a deep postseason run last season and they could be more than capable of doing it again. The Wildcats are well coached despite being a young team.
by orionontv | Apr 3, 2023 | Feature Writers, High School Sports
Written Wednesday March 29th at 9:30 AM
Here are the early thoughts for the Girls Soccer districts this season.
District 6 at Clarkston
CLARKSTON
OXFORD
Lapeer
Davison
Grand Blanc
Flushing
Swartz Creek
EARLY THOUGHTS: This should be a very interesting district at Clarkston. Three teams standout with Clarkston, Oxford, and Grand Blanc being the favorites. Davison is the wildcard. Flushing could also play spoiler if things go right. The Wildcats, Wolves, and Bobcats have great chances to get to the regionals.
District 7 at Lakeland
WEST BLOOMFIELD
NORTH FARMINGTON
Milford
Lakeland
Waterford Mott
Walled Lake Central
Walled Lake Northern
EARLY THOUGHTS: This should be a very interesting district in White Lake. Lakeland stands as the early favorite but Waterford Mott, Walled Lake Northern, and Walled Lake Central stands out. Milford is the wildcard. North Farmington and West Bloomfield could surprise some people. When I see this on paper, when in doubt go with the hosts.
District 8 at Novi
FARMINGTON
Farmington Hills Mercy
Livonia Stevenson
Northville
Novi
South Lyon
South Lyon East
EARLY THOUGHTS: This should be a very tough regional at Novi. Northville looks like they are the favorite but can’t count out Livonia Stevenson, Novi, South Lyon, or South Lyon East. Farmington looks like the wildcard and Farmington Hills Mercy is more than capable of beating anyone. The Mustangs should be the favorite but like some said “Anyone can be beat on any given day.”
District 12 at Grosse Pointe South
HARPER WOODS
Grosse Pointe South
Dearborn
Dearborn Fordson
Detroit Cass Tech
Dearborn Heights Crestwood
Detroit Western
EARLY THOUGHTS: This is going to be a very tough district for Harper Woods. Grosse Pointe South is solid as is Dearborn and Dearborn Heights Crestwood. This district right now looks like it favors the Blue Devils to advance to the regional.
District 13 at Royal Oak
BERKLEY
GROVES
SEAHOLM
BLOOMFIELD HILLS
ROYAL OAK
SOUTHFIELD ARTS AND TECH
TROY
EARLY THOUGHTS: This is an all OAA district. Troy looks to be the early favorite but Bloomfield Hills is the defending Division One State Champs. Seaholm, Berkley, and Groves should be big time players as well. Royal Oak has home field which helps and they are more than capable of springing an upset. This should be a very interesting district to watch at Royal Oak.
District 14 at Utica
LAKE ORION
ROCHESTER
ADAMS
STONEY CREEK
Romeo
Utica
Utica Eisenhower
EARLY THOUGHTS: This is a very tough district at Swienhart Field. Whomever wins this district should have a great chance to get to the Final Four. Rochester is the early favorite, they have a lot of proven talent coming back. Stoney Creek has their fair share as does Adams. Lake Orion is the wildcard in all of this with their defensive first mindset. Utica Eisenhower is also solid as is Romeo. Utica is not bad as well. As mentioned whoever wins this district is more than capable to get to the Final Four.
District 15 at Troy Athens
TROY ATHENS
Chippewa Valley
Fraser
Sterling Heights
Sterling Heights Stevenson
Utica Ford II
Warren Cousino
Warren Mott
EARLY THOUGHTS: This is a very interesting district. Troy Athens should be the favorite with home field but keep an eye on Utica Ford II. The Falcons are more than capable of winning this district. Chippewa Valley and Fraser are dark horses in this district and could upset some people as well. This should be a fun district.
District 24 at TBA
FERNDALE
Walled Lake Western
Livonia Clarenceville
Detroit Renaissance
Birmingham Marian
Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood
EARLY THOUGHTS: This district should be very interesting. It looks like this is Birmingham Marian’s to lose but Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood could have a say in this district and give them some problems but early indications look like this district is all Mustangs.
District 26 at Goodrich
AVONDALE
PONTIAC
Goodrich
Holly
Orchard Lake St. Mary’s
Brandon
Waterford Kettering
EARLY THOUGHTS: This should be a very interesting district. Orchard Lake St. Marys, Brandon, and Goodrich look like they are the strong contenders in this district. Avondale looks to be the wildcard. They can beat anyone in this district. This looks like the Catholic League and Flint Metro League reign supreme for now.
by orionontv | Apr 3, 2023 | Feature Writers, High School Sports
Written Wednesday March 29th at 9:30 AM
Here is my early thoughts heading into the softball districts.
District 20 at Farmington Hills Mercy
FARMINGTON
NORTH FARMINGTON
WEST BLOOMFIELD
Farmington Hills Mercy
EARLY THOUGHTS: This looks like it will be a very tough district. North Farmington should be a player as will Farmington. Farmington Hills Mercy looks like they are the team to beat but also never count West Bloomfield out, they could surprise some people.
District 22 at Royal Oak
ROYAL OAK
BERKLEY
GROVES
SOUTHFIELD ARTS AND TECH
EARLY THOUGHTS: This district looks like it could be either Berkley or Groves that wins it. Royal Oak is the wildcard. It should be very interesting to see how this district goes.
District 23 at TBA
FERNDALE
OAK PARK
Detroit Mumford
Detroit Renaissance
EARLY THOUGHTS: This is not a strong district. Ferndale and Detroit Renaissance look like they are the two teams that could come out of this district.
District 24 at Grosse Pointe North
HARPER WOODS
Grosse Pointe North
Grosse Pointe South
Detroit Cass Tech
Detroit Western
EARLY THOUGHTS: This district looks like it could be a battle of Grosse Pointe’s between the Norsemen and the Blue Devils. Harper Woods is in Division One which they could surprise some people. Detroit Cass Tech and Detroit Western are solid teams as well. I think this district looks like it will be a Grosse Pointe school that moves on.
District 25 at Avondale
AVONDALE
BLOOMFIELD HILLS
SEAHOLM
TROY
EARLY THOUGHTS: This district looks like it is anyone’s to win. Bloomfield Hills looks like they are the early favorite but Seaholm, Troy, and Avondale will have strong says. This is a wide open district on paper.
District 26 at Utica
TROY ATHENS
Sterling Heights Stevenson
Utica Ford II
Utica
EARLY THOUGHTS: This district looks like it is a three team district. Utica looks like they are the favorite but keep an eye on Troy Athens and Utica Ford II. They could make some noise once the postseason comes.
District 29 at Oxford
OXFORD
Lapeer
Davison
Port Huron
Port Huron Northern
EARLY THOUGHTS: This could be a very interesting district. Oxford has a great chance to win this district. Davison and Lapeer could have very strong says. Three teams have a shot to win this district.
District 30 at Lake Orion
LAKE ORION
CLARKSTON
ADAMS
Waterford Kettering
Waterford Mott
EARLY THOUGHTS: This has the makings of a very tough district. Adams shocked everyone last season but Lake Orion and Clarkston are in this district. They could pose some problems for the Highlanders. I don’t see the Waterford schools competing. Three teams have a great chance to win this district.
District 31 at Romeo
ROCHESTER
STONEY CREEK
Romeo
Utica Eisenhower
EARLY THOUGHTS: This should be a very interesting district. Utica Eisenhower should be the favorite to come out of this district. Rochester should be very interesting as will be Stoney Creek. Romeo could surprise some people as well but this district should be the Eagles to lose.
by orionontv | Mar 27, 2023 | Feature Writers, High School Sports
Written Saturday March 25th at 9:30 PM
Here are the shortcomings for the 2022-2023 boys basketball season.
Pontiac: It was a rough season for the Phoenix which saw a 65-48 loss to Waterford Kettering in the first round. Pontiac has some questions this offseason to really watch. Coach Dameon O’Neill has to build program strength. This is an area that the Phoenix need to address this offseason.
Ferndale University: The Eagles had an up and down year this season. Ferndale University fell 98-46 to Ferndale in the district semifinals. They lose several talented players to graduation but Coach Josh Nicks has built the program and is developing on program strength. The best is yet to come for the Eagles.
Southfield Arts and Tech: The Warriors had a struggle in Coach Terrance Porter’s first season with the program. Southfield Arts and Tech was no match for North Farmington falling 73-22 in the district semifinals. They lose a lot of proven talent to graduation but they have Xavier Bowman coming back. The Warriors should be a very interesting to watch this offseason.
Avondale: It was a very interesting season for the Yellow Jackets. They went through a coaching change midseason and had to have that transition period during the season. Avondale won 10 games but fell 59-47 to Waterford Mott in the district semifinals. They lose four seniors including Malik Adams, and Jeremiah Phillips to graduation. Avondale has Justin Sykes and Dequarius White coming back for Coach Aaron Fox. Program strength looks solid but they will be a team to watch this offseason that is for sure.
Harper Woods: The Pioneers had a great year. They won the Gold and made a ton of noise in Division One. Harper Woods fell 68-45 to Grosse Pointe South in the district finals. They lose DeAndre Williams to graduation. The Pioneers have have Juilan Young, Isiah Lewis, Colby Bailey, Tyler Lowry, and Stephone Buford coming back for Coach TaJuan Porter. Program strength looks solid for Harper Woods. The Pioneers should be a program to watch this offseason.
Royal Oak: It was a very interesting year for the Ravens which saw a ton of ups and downs. They had a 5-0 start to the season but struggled a little in 2023. Royal Oak fell 59-46 to Detroit Renaissance in the first round. They lose Dylan Hoffman, Davis Arbeiter, and Rashad Wilson to graduation. Royal Oak has Nick Hoffman and Camden Clark coming back for Coach Aaron Smith. Program strength is solid for Smith. The Ravens should be a team to watch this offseason.
Troy Athens: It was a very interesting year for the Red Hawks. Troy Athens had a tough 61-60 loss to Sterling Heights Stevenson in the district semifinals. They lose seven seniors to graduation including Kyree Harper, Douglas Mersier, Brock Thornton, Evan Colquhoun, Alex Profke, and Brogan Withun. The Red Hawks have Emmanuel Robinson, Luke DiGiovanni, Hayden Crum, and Eli Garvin coming back for Coach Dave Scott. Program strength looks solid for the Red Hawks. Troy Athens should be a team to watch this offseason.
Berkley: The Bears had a very interesting year which saw them battle for the Blue crown on more than one occasion. Berkley fell 77-23 to Detroit University-Detroit Jesuit in the district semifinals. They lose six seniors to graduation including Hunter Robinson and Tamir Runkenvich. Berkley has Donovan Powell and Michael Onuoha coming back. Program strength looks to be solid for Coach Joe Sermo. The Bears will be back for sure next season.
Rochester: The Falcons had a ton of ups and downs this season. They fell 64-54 to Lake Orion in the first round. Rochester loses Grant Calcagno, Elijah Kalaj, Rex Maltoid, and Khamanni Potts to graduation. Their future is bright with Max Mohl, Noah Kim, Logan Pleasant, and Jake Tandy coming back for Coach Nick Evola. Program strength looks solid for the Falcons. Rochester should be very interesting to watch this offseason.
Stoney Creek: It was a very tough season for the Cougars. The coaching transition was a big challenge throughout the season. Stoney Creek fell 66-63 to Romeo in the first round. The Cougars lose Leo Kent, Jake Fulkerson, Aiden Grotszko, Jonah McCay, Emillo Villafuerte, Peyton Rummler, Jacob Watson, and Brock Cavanaugh to graduation. Stoney Creek has Tre Walker and Tomaaso Sinacola coming back for Coach Jeff Olind. Program strength look solid in the future. The future looks bright for Stoney Creek as mentioned but this senior class left their mark on the program.
Oxford: It was a very interesting year for the Wildcats which saw a ton of ups and downs. They won 13 games this season. Oxford fell 64-48 to Grand Blanc in the district semifinals. They lose four seniors including Lucas Bottente, Dylan Stone, and Kyle DiMalanta to graduation. The Wildcats have Jake Champagne, Dominic Casissee, Drew Cady, Jay Cady, and Luke Stoffan coming back for Coach Steve Laidlaw. Program strength looks solid for Oxford. The Wildcats should be a program to watch this offseason.
Seaholm: The Maples were a completely different team in 2023. Seaholm struggled in 2022 going 0-5 to start the season but the Maples turned things around after several players returned from suspension and won the Blue on the final shot over Troy Athens. They beat their arch rival Groves 55-48 in the first round but fell 52-34 to Birmingham Brother Rice in the district semifinals. Seaholm loses seven seniors including Ricky Sparby, Jeff Sheldon, and Ben Diskin to graduation. They have Findlay Sparby coming back for Coach Mike DeGetter. Program strength looks solid for the Maples. Seaholm should be a team to watch this offseason and next season as well.
Farmington: The Falcons had a rough year this season which resulted in a 56-41 loss to Detroit Henry Ford. Farmington loses six seniors including Tony Tolbert and Chris Boyd to graduation but does have Greg Grays, Jordan Turner, Darrell Cochrane, Quintez Salter, and Anthony Bailey coming back for Coach Derrick McDowell. Program strength is a concern for Farmington. The Falcons should be improved next season.
Lake Orion: The Dragons had a very interesting season which saw them finish with a 500 record (12-12.) Lake Orion fell to Adams 50-42 in a hard fought district semifinals. They lose five seniors in DJ Morrow, Blake Liddell, Nate Havrilla, Kevin Tobe, and Matteo Decio. The Dragons have Quay Fly, Ethan Sharkey, Hayden Armstrong, Sam Blakeley, Nick Galben, Gabe Scott, and maybe Kaydon DeGraffenreid coming back for Coach Jose Andreadas. Program strength looks to be solid especially at the younger levels for Andreadas. Lake Orion will be a very interesting team to watch this offseason as they have some questions heading into next season.
Groves: The Falcons had a very good season but was upset 55-48 by Seaholm in the first round. Groves loses seven seniors to graduation including Jack Abbot, Max Kramer, and Paige Williams. They have John Simpson, Josh Gibson, Brody Tushman, and Elijah Yelder coming back for Coach Marc West. Groves has two players in Paul Hubbard, and Landon McKinney that could make some noise next season. Program strength looks strong. The Falcons could be right back in the mix next season.
Bloomfield Hills: The Blackhawks had a ton of ups and downs in a transition year but they won 15 games this season. Bloomfield Hills fell 62-56 to West Bloomfield in the first round. The Blackhawks lose five seniors including 1,000 career point scorer Noah Adamcyzk along with CJ Jackson, Ahmad Taylor, and Dominic Shenna to graduation. The Blackhawks have Drew Wilson and Brendan Newland coming back for Coach Brian Canfield. Program strength looks solid as well. Bloomfield Hills will be a very interesting team to watch this offseason.
Troy: The Colts had a great season overcoming a ton of adversity. Troy won a district crown with their win over Sterling Heights Stevenson. They didn’t give up or quit with everything against them despite having home court. The Colts fell 54-48 in the regional semifinals to North Farmington. Troy loses a ton of proven experience including Darrius Whiteside, Zach Penoza, Bryce Parker, and Carter Cusmano to graduation. The Colts have three proven starters in Mason Parker, Jon Whiteside, and Chase Kuiper coming back for Coach Gary Fralick. Program strength is a bit of a concern despite having Greg Tester, Jaiden Peacock, along with the younger Cusmano, and younger Penoza to watch in the wings. Troy should be back in the mix next season no matter what division they are in.
West Bloomfield: The Lakers had a very successful year this season. They had a 12 win turnaround from last season. West Bloomfield earned their first playoff win since 2017 with a 62-56 win over Bloomfield Hills in the first round but they had a very tough 57-47 loss to Orchard Lake St. Marys in the district semifinals. West Bloomfield loses Evan Ammori, DeJuan Moore, Andrew Shewcraft, Terrance Curry, Mitchell Seay and Jayden Jones to graduation. They have Chris Britton, Corey Pittman, Donnie Watts, Caleb Caudle, and Dyoni Edwards coming back for Coach Arnette Jordan. Program strength is very strong for Jordan and the Lakers. West Bloomfield should be a force to be a recon with next season.
Adams: It was a great season for the Highlanders. They won their first regional crown in school history with a win over Clarkston. Adams had a rough matchup with Grand Blanc in the State Quarterfinals falling 64-44 to the Bobcats. They lose Nathan Kim, Jack Donohoe, Broder Kawa, Drew Blackmer, and Ozan Kesici to graduation. The Highlanders have William Dee, Peter Karadasis, Trenton Lagarde, Chan Yang, Gavin Farris, Luke Marcial, Jake Andrzejak, Aaron Troxell, and maybe Brady Prieskorn coming back for Coach Jaret Thomas. Thomas has done an awesome job with program strength. His program is very strong for Adams. The Highlanders will be a force next season.
Clarkston: The Wolves had a good season despite everything they had to overcome from the Red, a not as strong district, to a game of the ages in a double overtime win over Fenton. Clarkston fell 58-48 to Adams in the regional finals. They lose three seniors in Brayden Wiley, Frank Schuster, and Cavanaugh Diton to graduation. The Wolves have Matt Pfliger, Brody Kosin, Desman Stephens, and John Kaul coming back for Coach Tim Waslik. Program strength looks solid for Clarkston next season. The Wolves should be back right in the thick of things.
Oak Park: The Knights had a very good season but they could not overcome Detroit University-Detroit Jesuit for the third straight year by falling 62-47 in the district finals. They have Geon Hutchins coming back for Coach Durand Sheppard. Program strength looks solid for Oak Park. The Knights until they can overcome their Cubs problem they aren’t expected to have deep postseason runs until they can solve their Detroit University-Detroit Jesuit problem.
Ferndale: It was a tale of two seasons for the Eagles. Ferndale started the season 1-5 after playing a really difficult non conference schedule. They managed to get through it and won 16 of their last 17 games to get back to the Breslin Center for the third straight year. The Eagles won the Division Two State Crown and their first State title since 1966 with a 44-38 win over Grand Rapids South Christian They lose six seniors including Cameron Reed, Caleb Renfroe, Noah Blocker, Chris Williams, Jacoby Jackson, and Jayden Hardiman to graduation. The Eagles have Trenton Ruth, Mishawn Hereford, Julian Cardenas, Kendall Mayes, Markiese Young, Kaden Hutson, and Darion Johnson coming back for Coach Juan Rickman. Program strength is a bit of a concern this offseason. Ferndale should be a very interesting to watch next season.
North Farmington: The Raiders had a very strong season but they had a very tough fourth quarter where they were outscored 22-10 which resulted in a very disappointing 56-44 loss to Orchard Lake St. Marys in the regional semifinals. North Farmington loses a lot of proven talent in Ryan Hurst, Malaki Jackson, and Lee Hardy to graduation. They have Tyler Spratt and Landon Williams coming back for Coach Todd Negoshian. Program strength looks solid for the Raiders. It was a tough outcome for North Farmington. The Raiders will be a team to watch this offseason. They should be back next season.
