by Becky Andrus | Feb 2, 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.
Tuesday, February 2, 2021
It Didn’t Have To Be This Way.
Written Tuesday February 2nd at 9:30 AM
It didn’t have to be this way.
This isn’t about politics.
It’s to let them play.
“The Let Them Play” movement rallied on Saturday just to have their Winter Sports back. There were legendary players like Andre Rison and Darren McCarty there to support the student-athletes just to let them play. Also college basketball coaches in Greg Kampe, Tom Izzo, Juwan Howard, among others support the student-athletes to just let them play.
Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer and the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services have refused to hear their pleas.
They had no choice and now sadly it’s going to be played out in a courtroom.
It didn’t have to be.
“The Let Them Play” movement on Tuesday confirmed by FOX 17’s Zach Harig sued Whitmer and the MDHHS just to let student-athletes from cheerleading, basketball, wrestling, and hockey to play and start their seasons.
This has garnered national attention. This is the third time that “The Let Them Play” movement protested at the State Capitol in Lansing during the 2020-2021 school year.
Whitmer and the MDHHS extended “the pause” last week to include these five sports which is set to expire on February 21st.
So why aren’t these four contact sports haven’t started their seasons despite most of the United States whom have more coronavirus cases than Michigan are playing???
The data from the MDHHS when they did their antigen test program for football, volleyball, and girls swimming and diving showed a 99.8 and a 99.6 percent negative test rate.
This comes down to trust.
Does Whitmer and the MDHHS trust schools especially athletic directors, superintendents, support staff, and coaches to do the right thing???
This is clearly a lose-lose for Whitmer and the MDHHS.
Here is another question, is this really about public health??? Restaurants, casinos, bars, and in person learning in schools are open despite strict restrictions but they can’t play a basketball game, cheer, wrestle, or play hockey???
Something is not right.
The mental health has been and always will be beyond paramount. Depression and suicides have been rising since “the pause” went into effect. There have been two student-athletes in the state that have taken their lives including a hockey player in Muskegon because of the coronavirus restrictions.
The suicides are something that Whitmer and the MDHHS are morally responsible.
Whitmer mentioned in an email that it’s because of the close contact that makes these four contact sports more risky and the arrival of the new B.1.1.1.7 variant coronavirus strain. I was very thankful that Whitmer wrote back but I had more questions than answers.
Football and volleyball were done safely and with spring sports on the horizon it will be easier to socially distance and competitions are outdoors with the exception of water polo which is in a pool.
This is the most important time of a young man and woman’s life especially if they are a senior. To play a sport they love with their friends and family. The bonds that are grown with teammates and coaches those will forever be cherished.
Teams are like a family. They are basically a family.
If there isn’t a season especially for the seniors they won’t be able to get it back.
These student-athletes are going to be your future voters. The future of the state. They are certainly going to remember all of this.
It has become clear that these student-athletes have lost faith in their state government.
It didn’t need to happen.
It didn’t have to happen this way.
I don’t know what will happen next but it’s the eye of the storm.
by Becky Andrus | Jan 28, 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.
Friday, January 22, 2021
Uyl Needs To Take A Stand.
Written Friday January 22nd at 4:05 PM
MHSAA Executive Director Mark Uyl said that the MHSAA would guarantee all three seasons.
Now it’s time to prove it.
Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer has become the biggest hurdle in the MHSAA to achieving their goals.
Whitmer and the Michigan of Health and Human Services has extended “the pause” three times since November on certain contact sports. Although non-contact sports have been given the green light to continue their seasons.
Basketball, Cheerleading, Wrestling, and Hockey remain on hold until February 21st.
Uyl was blindsided like everyone else by the decision from Whitmer and her administration on Friday morning. “We found out about this decision at 9:30 am just like everyone else and we will address it this weekend to collect more information. We did not anticipate this delay in winter contact practices and competition, and today’s announcement has created many new questions. Obviously this is very disappointing to thousands of athletes who have been training with their teams over the last week and watching teams in other states around Michigan play for the last two months.”
The reason why Uyl needs to prove it is because Whitmer and her administration have done this three times to the student-athletes by halting their ability to compete. Despite coronavirus case numbers coming down, she and her administration have extended the pause anyway.
Robert Gordon stepped down as MDHHS Director on Friday after putting the new order in place. Whitmer appointed Elizabeth Hertel to take over as MDHHS Director. This though will need to be confirmed by the Republican held Senate.
When Uyl meets with the MDHHS he needs to be firm with them. “What are the numbers that are holding them up??? And where would the road map be at???” He mentioned this on the Huge Show.
Uyl and the MHSAA Representative Council are expected to meet next week to adjust the schedule for the four sports affected by the new order.
Uyl needs to take a stand against Whitmer and the MDHHS. He needs to stand up for the student-athletes, parents, coaches, superintendents, and athletic directors that are fed up with Whitmer and the MDHHS pausing these four winter contact sports.
Could the MHSAA sue Whitmer and the MDHHS??? I don’t know but there could be multiple lawsuits filed against Whitmer and the MDHHS.
If Uyl wants three seasons it’s time for him to make a stand for these student-athletes.
Posted by Saginaw Bay at 1:12 PM
by Becky Andrus | Jan 18, 2021 | Feature Writers, High School Sports
By Sammy Taormina
West Bloomfield vs Davison: This is shaping up to be a very interesting Division One State Final in downtown Detroit on Saturday afternoon. Davison is the defending Division One State Champions and they are back to defend their state crown. The Cardinals defense led by Harry Unger, Carter Herriman, and Will Watkins have been dominant allowing 10 points in the last two weeks against Novi Detroit Catholic Central and Rockford. They held the Rams to 64 yards and had two interceptions both were caught by Watkins. He would take one back for a touchdown in a 27-3 stunner over Rockford on the road in the State Semifinals. Davison has a very good secondary led by Teavon Warren, JayLen Flowers, and Clarke Hamilton. The Cardinals offensively has rely on a wide receiver turned quarterback Dion Brown. Brown is a Wayne State commit. He has played every skill position at some time during the season but particularly at wide receiver. Brown became the starting quarterback after then quarterback Brendan Sullivan enrolled early at Northwestern. He has played well as a game manager and athlete in the last two weeks including going seven for 14 for 97 yards and a 31 yard touchdown pass to Flowers whom is also a wide receiver on a fourth down and 12 to blow the game wide open against the Rams. The Cardinals have two very good running backs whom are different in nature. They have a bruising back in Carter Cryderman. Cryderman has played really well and Warren as their speed back as well as he had 30 carries for 163 yards and two touchdowns against Rockford. What helps is that Davison has an experienced offensive line from the team that was in the State Finals last season against Brighton. They are well coached under Jacob Weingartz. Weingartz coached at Lapeer East and was an assistant at Lapeer before taking over the Davison job in 2019. The Cardinals will see a juggernaut of a player in Donovan Edwards. Edwards is having a monster season along with other very talented players in Dillion Tatum, Alex Short, Semaj Morgan, among others. The Lakers have been to the State Finals before in 2017 when they fell to Clarkston 3-2. This could be a low scoring game especially with how good both defenses are even though West Bloomfield played Belleville last week which required double overtime in the State Semifinals. Even though this will be the first ever meeting between the Lakers and Cardinals in varsity both of these programs are no strangers to one another. They met in junior varsity this season at Davison where the Lakers won that game. Both teams have been dominant this season but West Bloomfield has been more battle tested than Davison. Athletically favors the Lakers. They have played schools like Lake Orion, Oxford, and Clarkston that are similar to Davison in the Red. Physically favors the Cardinals especially up front. Like I said earlier this is going to be a very interesting Division One State Final at Ford Field.
by Becky Andrus | Jan 14, 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.
Thursday, January 14, 2021
My Thoughts.
Written Thursday January 14th at 2:15 PM
As I roam through Twitter. I see the pages of current players throughout the State that were retweeted by recruiting and other basketball sites missing the sport they love and wanting it back.
Many cheerleaders, basketball, hockey, and wrestlers want a season.
I don’t blame them.
The MHSAA has failed and our State Government has really failed these kids.
When Governor Gretchen Whitmer and Michigan Department of Health and Human Services director Robert Gordon announced at a press conference on Wednesday afternoon that the pause would be extended to January 31st which included the four contact sports.
At least they can practice but they can’t play yet.
I thought the MHSAA would do more to defend these student athletes but now student-athletes, coaches, and athletic directors will be forced to wait.
When I wrote my column I thought the MHSAA would defend the student-athletes along with the coaches and athletic directors whom worked tirelessly putting together a schedule for the kids.
Then Whitmer and Gordon took it all away AGAIN.
I had enough, I wrote to Whitmer on Wednesday night wanting her to address my concerns. She has not responded to me yet.
The MHSAA is no innocent victim. They have put false hope on everyone thinking that there would be a season and a plan but Whitmer and Gordon have extended restrictions time and time again. This has been done twice to the student-athletes, athletic directors, and coaches, the first was when the pause was introduced in November and then again on Wednesday by Whitmer and Gordon. This has frustrated so many involved with these four sports. It feels like a double standard is being played out and that Gordon and Whitmer are playing mind games with the student-athletes.
The MHSAA released the start of the four contact sports season in February but there is no guarantee that it would stick thanks to Whitmer and Gordon.
Politicians and unelected officials like Gordon should not be involved in high school sports period but Whitmer and her administration has politicized high school sports to a point where everybody has an opinion.
Some positive, some negative.
The kids want to play bottom line.
The data and science has shown that sports can be done safely. The number of coronavirus cases has been going down in the State but still there are things that are still banned. The numbers don’t add up.
When is enough enough???
This is supposed to be the best time of the seniors lives but this looks to me like a carbon copy of 2020. Was Michigan supposed to be the standard when it comes to working together??? Where is the transparency in all this???
I’ve also been disappointed in the legislature as well. They have not stepped up to the plate and defended these students or addressed this.
High school sports was never meant to be political, pandemic or not.
To me the Whitmer administration has caused more damage than good.
It is clear that the Whitmer administration and the MHSAA has failed these kids. The false hope given twice to these student-athletes, coaches, and athletic directors. When does it end???
When is enough, enough???
by Becky Andrus | Jan 11, 2021 | Feature Writers, High School Sports
By Sammy Taormina
Oak Park at Warren DeLaSalle: The Knights have become a story as of late posting four victories in the postseason including a stunning 30-23 victory over Livonia Churchill in the regional finals last week. Oak Park will have a very tall task ahead of them as they will travel to Wayne State to play Warren DeLaSalle. The Pilots and Knights are no strangers to each other especially in the postseason. Warren DeLaSalle has eliminated Oak Park in two of the last three years including a 35-7 home loss in 2018 and a 14-7 loss in 2017. The Pilots had a very turbulent offseason with a hazing scandal that caused a ton of changes in the administration at Warren DeLaSalle. They named Dan Rohn as the new head coach back in March taking over for Mike Giannonie whom ended up taking over at New Baltimore Anchor Bay. Rohm had a ton of success coaching at Grand Rapids West Catholic. Warren DeLaSalle has a very good quarterback in Brady Drogosh. He is a very good runner and passer. Brett Stanley is very solid at running back and is also the team’s punt returner. He had two rushing touchdowns against Warren Mott. The Pilots also have very talented wide receivers Alton McCullum and Jack Yanachik. Their top defender is Will Beesley. Drogosh is an RPO quarterback. He was very instrumental throwing for a touchdown and rushing for a score against Warren Mott last week in a 45-3 blowout. Warren DeLaSalle had 395 total yards of offense in that game. The Pilots really haven’t been that tested in the postseason despite wins over Roseville, St. Clair Shores Lakeview, Port Huron and Warren Mott by a combined 174-23. They do play in the always tough Catholic League with Birmingham Brother Rice, Orchard Lake St. Marys, and Novi Detroit Catholic Central in the Catholic League Central going 2-1 with a 21-13 win over the Eaglets. Their losses were to Birmingham Brother Rice 27-25, Novi Detroit Catholic Central 13-10, DeWitt 43-3, and Detroit Cass Tech 35-0. What should help the Knights in this game is that they played in the Red and have played schools with more than 2,000 kids (Lake Orion, Oxford, and Clarkston.) They have been on the road a ton so this will be nothing new for them. They are playing with nothing to lose and everything to gain.
West Bloomfield at Belleville: This is round three between the Lakers and Tigers. Both teams have been dominant in the postseason and have been on a collision course. West Bloomfield has been rolling very good teams in the regular and in the postseason. They have outscored their last seven opponents since the loss to Clarkston 323-23 including their last two opponents in Sterling Heights Stevenson and Romeo by a combined 115-20. Donovan Edwards has had 10 touchdowns in the last two games for the Lakers. West Bloomfield has had a lot of trouble with Belleville and they will be going back to Wayne County for a third straight year. The Lakers have lost to the Tigers in the last two years which included a 13-10 loss in 2018 and a 27-22 loss in 2019 in which they blew a 22-0 lead. Belleville has been very dominant in the postseason in 2020-2021. They have outscored their last eight opponents by a combined 474-60 in that span including a combined 177-46 in the postseason. The Tigers have a very talented quarterback in Christian Dhue-Reid. He has the State’s career record holder for touchdown passes at 132 including 37 passing scores this season. Belleville is well coached under Jermaine Crowell. This has been the round the Tigers have had problem where they have lost in the last two years. They fell 22-19 to Brighton last season and 28-16 to Chippewa Valley in 2018. Belleville besides Dhue-Reid is very talented with wide receivers Darrel Johnson and Tyree Lockett whom had two touchdowns against Detroit Cass Tech and a very good running back in Kobe Johnson. Belleville is very good defensively. The numbers have proven why they have been dominant. They have a very good defensive lineman in Damon Payne. Payne has had a strong year for the Tigers. Belleville’s linebacking core is very solid in linebackers Cameron Dyson, Aaron Alexander, Ahzahnn Byrd, along with JaShawn Green. The secondary is very good as well in defensive back Myles Rowser whom didn’t play and Charles Wilson whom is also in the secondary. The Tigers had three defensive touchdowns in their game against the Technicians in a 43-10 blowout. Belleville will pose a huge challenge to quarterback Alex Short. This could be the best defense he has seen all season long. It will be a huge challenge for Coach Ron Bellamy and his staff but this is something that the Lakers have been waiting for two years.
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.
