Oakland County Top 10 - Week 2

 

1. (a) Novi Detroit Catholic Central (2-0) - Made a gigantic statement in its blow out win against Hudsonville on Thursday night. Most fundamentally-sound team in the area and possibly the entire state. Overly-convincing victory over Hudsonville, comeback winners against Lake Orion in week 1, give the Shamrocks the slightest edge over Rice in the polls.

 

2. (b) Birmingham Brother Rice (2-0) - On a collision course with CC for a shot at the CHSL title. Frankie Popp (177 yds, 4 tds, 4 int against Toledo St. Johns on Saturday) and Kevonte-Martin Manley (over 200 yards of total yards and 2 receiving TDs) shine bright on offense and Justin Cherocci, Jimmy Pickens, and Michael Brown hold it down on 'D' for the Warriors. Pickens, a top recruit at safety, is starting to make a name for himself as one of the more productive running backs in the county.

 

3. Lake Orion (1-1) - The Dragons proved that Week 1's fourth quarter meltdown against Hudsonville was just a hiccup by thoroughly dismantling a solid West Bloomfield squad on Thursday. Its pick your poison with these guys - LO can hurt you in so many ways. Phil Serzo, Vinnie Booker and the 'D' stepped up big, containing WB's speedy receivers on the ends and plugging the gaps in the middle to stuff a tough Lakers running attack.  

 

4. Birmingham Detroit Country Day (2-0) - Junior QB Josh Harris is a straight out stud with possibly the best touch on his throws as any in a gunslinger-stacked Metro-Detroit area . The Yellowjackets had just as an easy time with UofD-Jesuit in week 2 than Rice did in week 1, showing that DCD, D4 state finalists the past two seasons, is competing at the same level as the big boys in D1.

 

5. Clarkston (2-0) - In my opinion, Taylor Scarlett is the most underrated QB in the state, bar none!!! Thoroughbred running back Dakota Bender has yet to bust out big this season and the Wolves are still 2-0. With Bender, a shifty runner who is great catching the ball in the flat, starting slow, Scarlett (5 tds against Troy Athens last Friday) and others have been forced to pick up the slack. However, Clarkston fans have no worries, its only a matter of time before he's shredding opposing defenses again just like he did last season.

 

6. Troy (2-0) - Gary Griffith-coached teams are always going to be tough, but this particular group is one of Griffith's most hard-nosed ever. The '09 Colts are just a bunch of lunch-pail type players, more grit than glam and eager to mix it up in the trenches.

 

7. Southfield (2-0) - Wow, is junior tailback Dae'von Robinson (6 tds and over 400 yds on the ground through two games) good! His star-making performance in the squad's '08 playoff run into the D3 final four  was obviously just a glimpse of the type of player this kid can be. And its only going to get better. Once the Blue Jays QB's Brandon Watkins and Justin Danzy get more comfortable with the system and playing at the varsity level - an experience made much easier with Robinson and fullback Mo Davenport playing behind the in the backfield - Southfield could end up being as good as last year. 

 

8. Farmington Hills Harrison (2-0) - The Hawks are back! Coming off a down year and uncharacteristic playoff miss in '08, Harrison looks lethal once again, scoring blow out wins in its first two weeks of play. Senior signal caller Vince Salatino (nearly 500 yards passing and 7 TD tosses, tops in the OC ) is by far the biggest surprises of the early season. Salatino, in his first year starting under center, has showed the poise of a veteran and the proficiency of a highly-recruited field general - something Salatino is not. His targets, snazzy wideouts Aaron Burbridge (2 tds), Sidney Coleman (2 Tds), and David Evans (2 tds), are making a good case that they are the best receiving corps around.

 

9. West Bloomfield  (1-1) - I'm not worried about head coach James Thomas' Lakers feeling bad for themselves for getting lit up at home last Thursday against Lake Orion. In fact, I'm quite certain that Cam Fields and the like will be more than ready to play when Clarkston comes to town in two weeks. 

 

10. (a) Rochester Hills Adams (1-1) - The Highlanders looked strong on the road against crosstown foe Stoney Creek last Friday night. The skills players might not still be there for Adams - where have you gone Waszak, Wilson, Reynolds, and Barterian, a Highlanders nation turn its lonely eyes to...lol - but that line remains solidly intact and boy are they sturdy. Jordan Sanders looked like Barry Sander when he returned an Int for a pick last week. 

 

10. (b) Auburn Hills Avondale (2-0) - QB Mitch Robinson showed some moxie on in week 1, taking some of the pressure off RB Francois Matthews and FB/LB D.J. Lynch. Ray Tillman and Tony Harris are potential world-beaters at the wide out spots.