2011 Football Regional Primer

Division 1

Walled Lake Central (8-3) v. Utica Eisenhower (10-1) 7 pm Friday

Last time they appeared in regionals – 2010, beat Fenton 39-13

Fun fact – Central has only been to the final four one time in school history and it was last year

Player to watch – Factorback Curtis Booth is back from injury and doing LOTS of damage

AA Pioneer (9-2) v. Novi Detroit Catholic Central (10-1) 1 pm Saturday

Las time they appeared in regionals – 2010, lost to Plymouth 9-7

Fun fact – Head coach Tom Mach and the Shamrocks are in search of their fifth state title this decade and the program's 17^th overall regional crown

Player to watch – Dave Racey (WR/CB) has been relatively quiet this postseason….NOT FOR LONG!!

Division 2

Walled Lake Western (10-1) v. Port Huron (10-1) 7 pm Friday

Last time they appeared in regionals – 2001, beat Detroit Pershing 50-12

Fun fact; Coach Zdebski career record at Western is 93-43. He has the best winning percentage of any coach in school history. The Men of Z won a state championship in 1999 and before he took the reins, Zdebski was the offensive coordinator on the Warriors' 1996 state title squad.

Player to watch – Cam Vieux, the Warriors slippery WR is a superior athlete and – Burney's about to call his own shot – he will catch the game-winning TD from Kyle Bambard on Friday to send TEAM ZDEBSKI to its first final four since 2001

Birmingham Brother Rice (7-4) v. Southfield (8-3) 1 pm Saturday

Last time they appeared in regionals – Rice in 2009, beat Midland 49-27; Southfield 2009, lost to Warren De La Salle 27-6

Fun fact – The last time Rice and Southfield faced off on the gridiron was 10 years ago in a district final which saw the Warriors prevail convincingly 24-0

Player to watch – Rice; Alex Oles, the Warriors beefy offensive lineman had his best game of the season leading the way for his team's ravenous rushing assault up front last week against Harrison, so expect more of the same against the Bluejays

Southfield; Cedrick Hill, the 'Jays senior safety has been doing a great job under the radar this whole year (he can cover and hit with the best DB's around the area) captaining the Southfield secondary and he will show his stuff against the rugged Rice running attack

Division 3

Linden (7-4) v. Orchard Lake St. Mary's (9-2) 1 pm Saturday

Last time they appeared in regionals – 2010, beat Redford Thurston 45-7

Fun fact – Part 1; St. Mary's played the first game in school history in the fall of 1913, a losing effort to Pontiac HS. Part 2; Eaglets head coach George Porritt is one of the only coaches in state history to raise state championship banners in both football and basketball

Player to Watch – Jalen Watts-Jackson (WR/CB), the Eaglets STUD SOPH is getting better every game, think Allen Robinson before he broke out