Beverly Hills Detroit Country Day

Helmet courtesy of MichiganHelmetProject.org

League: Independent
Last season: 11-3
Opening game: 7 p.m. Aug. 27 at Birmingham Seaholm

Offense

Key player: Josh Harris, junior, quarterback

Harris ended his sophomore season playing like a seasoned pro in the Division 4 state final.

He totaled 896 yards on 44 completions and threw 13 touchdown passes. He also rushed for another score in the Yellowjackets’ run-first offense.

“We’re going to have the ability to run with Josh, but at the end of last year, he proved he could throw the ball,” coach Dan MacLean said.

“Josh has got a good deep arm that keeps defenses honest, and he’s shown good accuracy on the underneath stuff.”

DCD will have its work cut out for it replacing graduated playmakers such as wide out Bennie Fowler, who had 11 total touchdowns, and running back O’Neil Swanson, who had 13 scores.

Senior tight end Jason Ray caught 10 passes and scored three touchdowns as a junior, and will be a bigger part of the passing game with junior receiver Kenny Knight and senior receiver Brett Smith.

Junior running back Lee Bailey and senior fullback Joe MacLean will carry the load in the rushing attack.

“All those guys have got good speed and are good open-field runners,” MacLean said.

Special teams

Key player: Brett Bukari, senior, kicker

Bukari, the son of DCD soccer coach Bob Bukari, knows what a state champion looks like, and MacLean believes his left foot will be a big part of taking the Yellowjackets to a third-straight state finals game as they search for their first title in that run.

“He gives us another scoring threat,” MacLean said. “Last year was his first year in football, and he’s gone to a lot of camps this summer. He’s got a really strong leg, and he’s very accurate on kickoffs.”

Coach’s outlook

While MacLean believes the 2009 squad has the talent and experience to make it back to Ford Field, he recognizes that there’s a reason not many team make it three years in a row.

“It’s a very long season,” MacLean said of the grind from August to November.

“You have to have an element of luck, and with our numbers, you have to stay healthy. If we do, then we have a very good chance to go back and get it done.”

— Brad D. Bates