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