East Oakland County football preview

OAKLAND COUNTY — As the summer workouts come to a close, high school teams across the state are ready for another exciting football season. Here are previews for all teams in the C & G Newspapers coverage area in eastern Oakland County.

 

Auburn Hills Avondale
Last season’s record: 6-4.
League: Oakland Activities Association Gold Division.
First game: vs. Warren Cousino, 7 p.m. Aug. 24.

Making their third-straight playoff appearance in 2022, Avondale is poised for another successful season behind a slew of returning players on both sides of the ball.

Senior quarterback Tyler Herzog, who threw for 1,873 yards and 17 touchdowns in 2022, will command the huddle while junior Cooper Voeffray (WR), junior Justin Greer-Sykes (WR), senior Eric Christoff (WR) and junior Alijah Grigsby (RB) anchor the skill positions offensively.

Senior linebacker Matt Lloyd, senior linebacker Myles Moore, junior defensive back Max Checkley, senior defensive back Marion Baxtresser, and senior defensive end Joey Wall are all expected to be impact players on the Avondale defense.

Senior Hunter Petras will handle the kicking responsibilities for the Yellow Jackets.

 

Berkley
Last season’s record: 2-7.
League: Oakland Activities Association Gold Division.
First game: vs. Walled Lake Central, 7 p.m. Aug. 24.

Graduation woes hit Berkley last season, and it showed in the wins and losses category.

This year, Berkley is on the wrong end of the returning starters pool for both sides of the ball, but they’re determined to improve this season.

Led by senior quarterback Sunny Kadlitz, the Bears are more motivated than ever entering the 2023 season.

“Sunny is the leadership,” Berkley coach Sean Shields said. “Everyone follows Sunny. If Sunny says, ‘Hey, we’ve got to jump,’ everyone else is asking, ‘How high?’ Everyone knows he’s the guy and that he’s going to do right by everybody.”

Alongside Kadlitz, senior wide receiver Brendan Bushey and Fadil Traore lead the pass-catching unit while junior Anthony Anderson and senior Ethan Rothenburg are expected to handle the bulk of the carries.

The Bears defense is led by an array of talent including senior Amadou Ndiaye (LB), senior Josh Flanders (DB), sophomore Collin Richardson (DL), sophomore Jack Rittenbery (DL) and junior Kyle Gabriel (LB).

 

Clawson
Last season’s record: 5-5.
League: Macomb Area Conference Bronze Division.
First game: at Perry, 7 p.m. Aug. 25.

It didn’t look promising when Clawson started out 0-2 to start the season, but league play came when they needed it most as they went 4-1 in the Bronze to earn their fifth-straight playoff appearance.

While Clawson graduated a trio of all-region talent, they’ll look for their young players to step up and make an impact this season.

Clawson will open with Perry and Marine City respectively this season, the same teams they went 0-2 against to start the season in 2022.

 

Ferndale
Last season’s record: 5-5.
League: Oakland Activities Association Gold Division.
First game: vs. Harrison Township L’Anse Creuse, 7 p.m. Aug. 24

It was apparent coming into 2022 that Ferndale possessed the talent to be a successful football team, and they showed just that by improving their win total by four.

Now a .500 team, Ferndale is prepared to take that next step with a healthy number of their starters from last season returning.

Senior Leander Neal (WR), junior Jaden Mills (WR), junior Dekari Smith (RB/WR), senior Lavarr Croxton (OL) and senior DeMarco Walker (OL) are all expected to be impact performers on the offensive end.

Croxton will also anchor the Eagles defensive unit alongside junior Gary Maxwell (DB), junior Darnell Lee (DB), junior Deandre Miller (DL), junior Bryce Ferguson (LB) and junior Antonio Jones (LB).

 

Hazel Park
Last season’s record: 4-5.
League: Macomb Area Conference Bronze Division.
First game: at Imlay City, 7 p.m. Aug. 24.

On the cusp of having a winning season in back-to-back years, Hazel Park is looking to overcome the hill of having their last winning season in 2017.

Hazel Park moved down to the Bronze division last season after struggling in MAC-Silver play, and was competitive against league opponents.

While their offense, which averaged just under 25 points per game, showed flashes of efficiency, the defense’s 25 points per game allowed in 2022 will be an area of improvement going into this season.

 

Lake Orion
Last season’s record: 4-6.
League: Oakland Activities Association Red Division.
First game: vs. Livonia Stevenson (at University of Michigan), noon Aug. 24.

Lake Orion showed flashes of the perennial powerhouse Lake Orion squad that dominated over a decade ago, but it’s about keeping the momentum going.

Senior all-region running back Billy Roberson will lead the offense alongside senior Raymond Payne (WR), senior Dominic Novak (WR), Joey DeBrincat (WR) and junior Tristan Hill (QB).

Hill will have an impressive offensive line group in front of him with seniors Sam Blakeley, Connor O’Roark and Alex Russell all returning.

Senior Kaydon Degraffenreid (LB), an all-region selection, senior Korbin Smith (DB), junior Trey Pochmara III (DB), junior Austin Conn (DB) and junior Brandon Nepjuk (DL) are all expected to anchor the defensive unit.

 

Madison Heights Bishop Foley
Last season’s record: 10-1.
League: Catholic League Intersectional 1.
First game: vs. Pontiac, 7 p.m. Aug. 25.

Graduating five all-region players last season, Bishop Foley is entering the 2023 season without a slew of their premier talent from their 10-1 squad last season.

Regardless, Bishop Foley’s dominant offense is staying the course with junior quarterback Tad Dobek, junior running back Mason Kanar, senior wide receiver Gabe Martino, and sophomore wide receiver Noah Cronk-Koehler. Foley also returns a key offensive lineman in junior Mitchell Brewer.

“We’re not having wholesale changes scheme-wise, but we’re definitely adapting a little bit to their strengths,” Foley coach Brian Barnes said.

Currently on a playoff streak of five straight seasons, Foley is embracing the underdog mentality as they look to showcase their young talent this season.

 

Madison Heights Lamphere
Last season’s record: 8-3.
League: Macomb Area Conference Silver Division.
First game: at Sterling Heights High School, 7 p.m. Aug. 24.

Making the playoffs their last three seasons, Lamphere is poised for another strong year behind junior quarterback Aidan Grzesikowski.

Grzesikowski took a massive step last season as the leader in the huddle, and Lamphere coach Ray Ostrowski said he expects him to be even better this season.

“He’s just a competitor,” Ostrowski said. “He gets after it in the weight room. He’s put on a lot of size this offseason during the summer and the spring. I just think he’s a competitor.”

The offense will also be led by running backs Nico Johnson, a senior, and Amaleki Harris-Ward, a junior, who have an impressive offensive line in front of them with senior Trent Jackson, junior Deandre Verge, and junior Caleb Beaver all up front.

Verge will also anchor the defense alongside junior Gavin Chargo (DL), senior Josh Crowe (DL), senior Sully Check (DB), and junior Quincy Twymon Jr. (DB).

 

Madison Heights Madison
Last season’s record: 1-8.
League: Macomb Area Conference Bronze Division.
First game: vs. Detroit Douglass High, 7 p.m. Aug. 25.

It was another down year for Madison, tallying only three wins total in the last three years.

Madison’s offense showed flashes of improvement in 2022, and they’re hoping to get the offense clicking on a more consistent basis this season.

Madison will have a difficult test in week two against St. Clair Shores South Lake, a team that beat Madison 38-12 last season.

 

Pontiac
Last season’s record: 0-9.
League: Oakland Activities Association Gold Division.
First game: Madison Heights Bishop Foley High, 7 p.m. Aug. 25.

For Pontiac, the primary goal is to get in the win column after being winless since the 2018 season.

Junior quarterback Khanye Donalson will command the huddle with junior wide receiver Fa’Marzay Jeffrey leading the receiving corps.

 

Pontiac Notre Dame Prep
Last season’s record: 7-4.
League: Independent.
First game: vs. Clinton High School, 7 p.m. Aug. 25.

After opening the season with a loss in 2022, Notre Dame Prep’s five-game win streak shot them right back into playoff contention, and they’re poised for another successful season this year.

Led by a trio of all-region players on offense in seniors Jacob Tuttle (QB), Zach Mylenek (RB) and Matthew Sadecki (TE/LB), Notre Dame Prep is only looking to improve on an offense that scored 24 or more points in nine games last season.

Notre Dame Prep will have an early test as they open up against Clinton, a team that bested them in their season opener last year.

 

Rochester
Last season’s record: 6-5.
League: Oakland Activities Association White Division.
First game: at Utica, 7 p.m. Aug. 24.

Rochester has stayed the course of success the past three years, posting winning seasons in each.

After going 4-1 in league play last year, they’re ready to take the next step this season behind their returning starters.

Junior Jack Lower and senior Marco Leyva will handle the bulk of the carries behind an experienced offensive line led by senior Cam Williams and junior Adam Glinski.

Lower, senior Daniel Kable (LB), and senior Isaac Putrus (DL) will anchor the Rochester defensive unit this season.

 

Rochester Adams
Last season’s record: 10-2.
League: Oakland Activities Association Red Division.
First game: at Orchard Lake St. Mary’s High, 7 p.m. Aug. 25.

Adams can’t be overlooked this season, but the majority of their starters from last season graduating has the team flying under the radar this year.

Adams has made seven-straight playoffs, and they’re poised to make another run this year as they’ve retooled and are ready to go.

“In this particular season, we chose the motto of ‘We believe’ because nobody thinks we’re going to be any good,” Adams coach Tony Patritto said. “If we don’t believe in ourselves, we have no chance. That’s going to be our approach, and I love being the underdog.”

The Adams offensive unit is led by senior tight end Brady Prieskorn, a University of Michigan commit, senior wide receiver Drew Heppner, and junior wide receiver Lachlan Tillotson.

Junior linebacker Matteo Humbert will anchor the defensive unit for the Highlanders, who will find out early what kind of team they have when they open the season with St. Mary’s, Rochester and Clarkston, respectively.

 

Rochester Hills Stoney Creek
Last season’s record: 5-5.
League: Oakland Activities Association Red Division.
First game: vs. Harper Woods High, 7 p.m. Aug. 24.

A middle-of-the-road team in 2022, Stoney Creek never seemed to find their footing up until their final two regular season games, which were wins against Rochester and New Baltimore Anchor Bay, respectively.

Senior all-state offensive lineman Jacob Kropchak returns to the offense alongside senior running back Kyle Parks, senior wide receiver Jonah McKay and senior offensive lineman Roman Lambert.

All-region defensive back and senior Andrew Napolitano will anchor the defensive unit with senior linebacker Adam Bazzi and senior defensive lineman Zach Amerson.

Stoney Creek will face a tough three-week stretch when they face West Bloomfield, Clarkston and Lake Orion starting in week three.

 

Royal Oak
Last season’s record: 1-8.
League: Oakland Activities Association Gold Division.
First game: vs. Holly, 7 p.m. Aug. 24.

Last finishing with a winning season in 2018, Royal Oak is hoping to turn a corner this year behind a core of returning starters.

Senior wide receiver Steven Johnson will lead the receiving corps with senior Anthony Garcia (RB) and Aiden Tesch (OL) both expected to be impact players on the offensive end.

Tesch and Johnson will also anchor the defensive unit alongside senior linebacker Mike Herman.

 

Royal Oak Shrine
Last season’s record: 3-6.
League: Catholic League Intersectional 2.
First game: at Grass Lake, 7 p.m. Aug. 25.

Shrine is headed down the right path entering 2023, and head coach Brent Widdows, who is entering his first season as head coach, has his guys motivated for this season.

“I think they want to get better and there’s this desire for, dare I say, greatness,” Widdows said. “They don’t want to be somebody’s punching bag.”

Shrine opened up the season 0-4, but a 3-2 stretch to end the year has the momentum trending upward behind sophomore quarterback Caydin Barbato and junior running back Josh Cairo.

Shrine will open the season with the same four opponents they faced in 2022, so it’ll be an efficient guide as to where the team has improved this year.

 

Southfield A&T
Last season’s record: 8-3.
League: Oakland Activities Association White Division.
First game: at Detroit Cass Tech (at Wayne State University), 1 p.m. Aug. 26.

Posting their highest win total since the 2016 season, Southfield A&T was putting on a clinic each time they touched the field last season, winning the OAA White title.

Led by one of the most dynamic quarterbacks in the state, senior Isaiah Marshall, Southfield’s offense should be just as explosive this season. The University of Kansas commit threw for 2,571 yards and 27 touchdowns while also rushing for 1,065 yards and 18 touchdowns in 2022.

Marshall will have University of Toledo commit Tashi Braceful on the outside this season alongside senior Jawon Jarrett (ATH).

University of Kansas commit Jalen Todd (DB) will anchor the Warriors defensive unit alongside senior Reggie Garnder (DL) and senior Mathias Davis (DE).

 

Troy
Last season’s record: 7-3.
League: Oakland Activities Association Blue Division.
First game: vs. Macomb L’Anse Creuse North, 7 p.m. Aug. 24.

Three-straight playoff appearances is something to be excited about, especially when you’re winning seven or eight games each season as Troy has the past two years.

With a core of returning starters on the defensive end, Troy is hoping to earn their fourth-straight trip to the playoffs for the first time since 1992-1995.

The four-year veteran Nolan Block (RB) headlines the offense alongside senior quarterback Parker Brandenberg, who had the Colts offense rolling the last three games with 42, 27 and 41 points, respectively.

“Slowly as the year went on, I think kids got more confident that they should be out on the field and more confident in what they were doing,” Troy coach Chris Frasier said. “It definitely felt a little smoother as the year went on.”

Junior defensive back Jaielen Peacock anchors the defensive corps alongside senior defensive end De’Niro Prince and Junior defensive lineman Lucas Tic.

 

Troy Athens
Last season’s record: 5-4.
League: Oakland Activities Association Blue Division.
First game: vs. Fraser, 7 p.m. Aug. 24.

Back-to-back winning seasons have Troy Athens feeling confident heading into 2023, but they’re looking to play some playoff football this year.

The Athens offense is led by their experienced offensive line in senior Micah Pobursky and senior Hayden Crum.

Senior defensive lineman Deshaun Nolton anchors the Redhawks defensive unit alongside sophomore linebacker Cainan Hanbury, junior defensive back Elliot Booth, and senior defensive back Kendle Terry.