The Great One is both happy and sad on this last weekend of prep football for 2009. On one hand, I'm so excited to watch CC and OL St. Mary's in the finals Saturday and hopefully witness both OC squads celebrating championship glory when its all said and done. On the other hand, I'm sad that there will be no gridiron battles to watch..er......correctly analyze until next August.
Well, don't feel too sorry for the Great Burnzini, the local hoops campaign tips off next week and he will certainly be popping his head out soon to keep his sterling prognostications going during bball season. Until then, here are my picks for the state championship
Game 1
Novi Detroit Catholic Central v. Sterling Heights Stevenson – This game has epic showdown written all over it - The two best teams in the state facing off for the big enchilada, that ever-coveted wooden mitten and statewide bragging rights for the next nine months. On paper and from a strategic point of view this contest is intriguing too, if only for its participants' contrasting playbooks: CC is all grit, steel-curtain defense, and running it down your throat John Cappaletti……er Niko Palazeti-style and Stevenson is all finesse, run-and-gun offense and Peyton Manning er……Jason Fracassa finesse. This one will go down to the wire for sure. Look for CC to pull out a close one, courtesy of a 300 spot put on the Stevenson "D" by Palazeti and Anthony "Captain Cahos" Capatina and a pick-six late by junior cornerback Andrew Nelson to clinch it for the Shamrocks.
CC 38 Stevenson 34
Game 2
Orchard Lake St. Mary's v. East Grand Rapids – I know EGR is going to be favored in this game and the last few times the Eaglets have matched-up with the Yellow and Green things haven't much gone their way, but I have a strong feeling St. Mary's is going to complete the miracle and go from barely qualifying for the playoffs to hoisting the trophy at Ford Field. Since the post-season kicked-off last month, the Eaglets have been playing like a team possessed. The defense, led by Ernest "The Furnace" Thomas (UCLA) and "The Nasty Boys" (Marcus "The Sack Man" Gleaves, James "Doomsday" Ross, and Cortez "The Terminator" Riley) is swarming and constantly quarterback-hungry and the offense, led by senior field general Robert Bolden (going to Penn State next year and playing is best ball of the season in the playoffs) is humming like a pristine engine on a cherry red '67 Corvette. Watch out EGR QB Ryan Elbe, the Sack Man is coming for ya and he ain't one to take lightly. "The Furnace" blazes his way to 120 yards and 3 TD's on the ground and Bolden tosses the game-winner to Allen Robinson in OT for the Eaglets' first title since the year 2000.
St. Mary's 33 EGR 30 (OT)
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