Nine is number.

The 2012 Birmingham Brother Rice football team is going for a repeat state championship and the program's NINTH overall – each and every one headed by legendary head coach Al Fracassa, the state's most winningist prep sideline general….it's GRIDIRON GODFATHER, so to speak!!!

Bringing back more than half of their starters, chances of a repeat D2 state crown for WARRIORNATION are high.

Senior captain Cheyen Lacanaria will open his second year as the team's starting quarterback and have another loaded stack of weapons at his disposal in directing the Rice offense, not mention some TOP SHELF protection being provided by a line spearheaded by senior STALWARTS Kyle Marsh and Griffin Anderson.

Toting the rock for the BLACK&ORANGE this fall will be the potentially torrid tandem of juniors Brian Walker and Shon Powell. Following a year in the shadows – backing up all-state running back Devin Church (Illinois), Walker will be on the marquee this season and be the squad's featured back, looking to be in the best shape of his life after dropping 20 pounds of baby fat in the offseason. DUDE IS CHISELED!!!! Powell is "sleeper" speedster to keep an eye out for entering the 2012 campaign.

Joining Walker and Powell in the backfield will be tough-as-nails fullback Greg Marzec, a big reason Church broke the school's all-time single-season rushing record in 2011, who returns to clear the way for his new backfield mates this year.

The Warriors wide receiving corps will be a deep group of jitterbugs, seeing Lacanaria have a vast array of targets in his passing arsenal.  Isaac Turner, Grant Perry, Josh Flye, John Plaskey, Marty Bulger and Corey Lacanaria, Cheyne's little brother and a star catching the ball on JV last season, will most likely make up his top options. Turner, Plaskey and Bulger are the vets of the contingent and Perry and Flye are a pair of youngsters that could blossom into genuine playmakers by the end of the year.

On the subject of playmakers, Rice's defensive unit, known as 'The Electric Company,' has a lot of them. First on the list is senior middle linebacker Jonny Reschke, one of the top players in the entire state and someone who will be playing in the Big Ten in the future as a member of the Michigan State Spartans. Flanking Reschke at the other two linebacker spots will be returning starter Luke Cherocchi and fast-rising newcomer Shaun Jones, an agile, aggressive and instinctive outside backer with a high D1 upside.

Up front, holding things down in the trenches for the Warriors, is a standout crew of pass rush experts, young and old alike. Returning starters Sergio Perkovic and Kevin Henry are the TEACHERS while Dom Perkovic, Sergio's little brother, and Alberto Sandoval will be the students. Troy Lewis, another senior that came on strong at the end of last year, will contribute heavily as well on the defensive line.

The secondary is the area graduation from the state title team hurts Rice the most. However, don't expect that much, if any, of a drop-off, because there still exists a group of workhorses back there. Namely, we're talking about guys like senior captain Anthony Dalimonte (hurt for most of last season and returning with a vengeance), who will start at one corner spot and junior Jason Alessi, who will start at safety. SPIDERMAN IMPOSTOR Chris Carter will start at safety, too, and is one more name to watch out for in terms of BLOWING UP in 2012.

Alessi will also headline the squad's special teams unit as a VERY RELIABLE kicker.

Sophomores Alex Malzone and Bo Pickens are two up-and-comers that will be in the mix this season as well, with Malzone, a possible D1 recruit under center, seeing some snaps at quarterback and Pickens continuing his family's legacy of RICE GRID GREATNESS chipping in at both safety spots.

Defending D1 state champ Detroit Cass Tech awaits Brother Rice in its season-opener on Aug 25 under the lights at Wayne State.