High School Fall Football Preview

Over the past three decades, five different local schools have reached at least the state semifinals in football. The last school from our coverage area to win a state title was Rochester Adams in 2003. The Highlanders defeated Birmingham Brother Rice 28-7 for the Division 2 state crown that year. Before that, it was Troy taking the Class AA title in 1994 with a 17-0 victory over Bay City Central. Oxford is the third local school to bask in state glory, winning the Class BB state title in 1992 with a 20-13 victory over Grand Rapids Kenowa Hills.

Rochester Adams also lost in the state semifinals on three occasions — in 2007 to Detroit King (14-7), in 2004 to Muskegon (25-0) and in 2005 to Birmingham Brother Rice (14-7).

That is just a portion of area teams that have shined in the postseason with at least a Final Four run.

Clarkston lost on the final play of the game in the state semifinals last season, falling to Sterling Heights Stevenson, 37-35. It was not the first time the Wolves lost inside the final two minutes in the state semifinals. Clarkston dropped a 14-9 decision to Utica Eisenhower in 1999 and a 17-15 decision to Grand Ledge in 2002. All of those games came in the D-1 tournament field.

Two years ago, Lake Orion also played in its first D-1 state title game, where it dropped a 26-14 decision to Rockford. Lake Orion made it to the state semifinals round once before the 2008 season, falling to Rockford 48-7 back in 1998.

As for Troy, the Colts have also had three other long postseason runs. The first was a state came in 1985, when they were the Class A state runner-ups following a 29-3 loss to Traverse City. Troy also lost in the Class A state semifinals to Detroit King in 1990 (19-0) and again in the Division 1 state semifinals to Livonia Stevenson (40-35). Read More Here…

By Dan Stickradt

North Oakland Sports