The strong just got a little bit stronger heading down the stretch.

Royal Oak Shrine, the state's No. 1 ranked prep football team in Division 7, will add another weapon for the playoffs when star sophomore slotback Jared Wangler returns to the line-up for the start of districts or possibly even sooner.

As a freshman in 2010, Wangler was a key member of the Knights varsity team, helping them gain a spot in the playoffs and record another winning season. He's been on the sidelines since an ankle injury sustained in Week 2 in Shrine's defeat of Macomb Lutheran North.

Jared's big brother is Jack Wangler, a standout junior wide receiver for the Knights. Jack made a Calvin Johnson-esque 30-yard touchdown grab on Sunday in the first quarter of the squad's 25-7 homecoming beat down of rival Waterford Our Lady of the Lakes.

Both Wanglers boys also headline Shrine's basketball team, each possessing expert- marksmanship from the perimeter. Their father is John Wangler, the Knights sports legend that quarterbacked the University of Michigan to a win in the 1981 Rose Bowl. Their older sister, Halle, was an all-state guard on the basketball floor at Shrine from 2008-2011 and is currently playing at Oakland University.

This season, John has put on the headphones and is helping direct the Knights offense as head coach John Goddard's top offensive assistant. The results have been resoundingly positive. Utilizing the elder Wangler's great knowledge of gridiron strategy, Shrine is putting up a robust 35 points per game and holds a flawless 7-0 record heading into its Catholic League tournament semifinal showdown with Madison Heights Bishop Foley on Saturday.

The Knights are seeking their first league and district championships since 2008. Boding well in their favor is the team's versatility and balance. Besides the talented Wangler brothers, junior quarterback Connor Francek is a top notch field general and the running back tandem of Raymond Brown and Harry Cooney can hurt teams either pounding it up the middle with their brute strength or breaking it out around the edge with their underrated speed. Senior defensive captain Collin Kelly is an absolut beast from his middle linebacker spot and can also tote the rock between the tackles when called upon.