Baseball.

EAST LANSING – Last year, Nathan Lehnert was playing eighth-grade baseball. Friday, he pitched his team into a state championship.

Lenhart scattered five singles over six innings and got out of two bases-loaded jams, propelling Portland St. Patrick to a 2-0 Division 4 semifinal win over Gaylord St. Mary.

It was a good thing Lehnert was seemingly oblivious to how much power St. Mary wielded. The Snowbirds ( 37-2-1) had not been shut out all season and averaged nearly 11 runs per game, outscoring postseason opponents 72-14.

“I don’t even know what their other scores were. I just went at it like any other game and we tried our best,” the 15-year-old righthander said. “I had prepped the night before – mentally prepared — and I knew my defense behind me could help back me up.”

• Scores/schedules: Baseball, softball, soccer state finals

Travis Moyer was one Shamrock who had Lehnert’s back. Not only was Moyer solid at third base, he earned the save by pitching the seventh. Moyer, St. Patrick’s senior ace who will get the start Saturday, said his younger teammate had the stuff Friday.

“He did a wonderful job for us, he did all anyone could ask for,” Moyer said. “He had some tough spots with bases loaded a couple of times, but he came up big. He got ground balls and we made the outs and we didn’t give up any runs.”

“All he’s done as a freshman is be 8-0 with an ERA of about 1,” St. Patrick coach Bryan Scheurer said. “He had some jitters early, a couple of bases-loaded jams, but continued to get stronger as the game went on. I’m proud of that young man.”

Although St. Mary loaded the sacks in both the second and third innings, they couldn’t push any runs across. Shortstop Brandon Scheurer completed a force play in the second and Moyer snared a line drive one inning later.

“(Lehnert) kept us off-balance, and when we hit the ball, they made some phenomenal plays, so what do you do? There were a couple of diving catches there, and that’s baseball, that was a great game. I hope everybody had fun watching it,” St. Mary coach Matt Nowicki said.

St. Patrick (23-7) scored in the top of the first inning when Brendan Schrauben singled to left, stole second, went to third base on a groundout. He was bunted home by Dan Mackowiak.

The bottom of the Shamrocks’ order pushed across another run in the fifth, with Graham Smith singling and stealing second. Scheurer’s single to center plated Smith.

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Holland Christian ace and MSU signee Mike Mokma.

EAST LANSING – Holland Christian’s Mike Mokma was cruising with a four-run lead, allowing only one hit over the first three innings. And then came the fourth.

Linden managed five runs on three hits as the Maroons committed three errors, but panic never set in with the 6-foot-7 ace.

Mokma struck out 14 batters and allowed only four hits Saturday morning as Christian rallied for an 8-5 victory to claim the Division 2 state championship.

Christian (36-6) took the lead in the bottom of the sixth when Chase Dreyer smacked a one-out double to right. Following a passed ball, Brandon Riemersma laid down a perfect suicide squeeze bunt.

• Today’s baseball, softball and soccer state finals

“That was the first successful one I’ve had,” Riemersma said. “I was a little nervous, but coach had confidence in me so I had to be confident in myself.”

Riemersma was able to be confident because the suicide squeeze is a staple in the Christian attack.

“We practice it every single day in batting practice,” he said. “We’ll do a round of BP and at the end coach will say suicide bunts and everyone will get a couple of pitches, no matter where they are, we have to work on getting them down.”

A one-run lead was nice, but Mokma, who signed with Michigan State, turned it into a three-run advantage when he laced a double down the leftfield line.

“I’ve been in a slump lately and I just wanted to hit the ball hard,” he said. “I got up there, got a little mad and hit it hard, right on the line. I couldn’t have done it without the suicide squeeze.”

Mokma (15-0) had no difficulty retiring the final three Linden (29-10-1) batters in order.

“I wanted the last three outs,” he said. “I wanted to get them out. I was a little pumped.”

Over the course of the game, Mokma struck out two batters in all seven innings.

“I knew I throwing pretty well, I didn’t know I was throwing that well,” he said. “Command of the fastball was working well. The slider was really good today and the little changeup was good, too. So it was all working.”

When the final out was recorded, Mokma gave a chest pound over his heart toward his brother, Chris, the freshman first baseman.

“It’s something else, I’ll tell you what,” Mokma said. “I’ve been playing with his since I was 5 or 6 and now I’m 18 and a senior in high school and I’m still playing with him.”

Contact Mick McCabe: 313-223-4744 or mmccabe@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @mickmccabe1.

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Oxford senior Connor Bandel.

Connor Bandel made state history earlier this month. He was nationally recognized for his efforts.

The Oxford senior was named Michigan’s Gatorade Boys Track and Field Athlete of the Year this morning, joining 49 other exceptional track athletes around the nation.

Bandel set the state finals record in shot put with a throw of 67 feet, 5.75 inches earlier this month in Hudsonville at the state championship meet. He also set his second consecutive discus title.

Oak Park’s Brianna Holloway was named the Gatorade Girls Track and Field Athlete of the Year on Thursday.

High school track athletes of the year

Alabama: Trey Cunningham, Winfield City (Winfield)
Alaska: Brett Morman, South Anchorage (Anchorage)
Arizona: Connor Stevens, Hamilton (Chandler)
Arkansas: Zach Jewell, Mena
California: Michael Norman, Vista Murrieta (Murrieta)
Colorado: Caleb Ojennes, Palmer Ridge (Monument)
Connecticut: Eric van der Els, Brien McMahon (Norwalk)
Delaware: Kevin Murray, Charter School of Wilmington
D.C.: Drew Glick, Woodrow Wilson
Florida: Damion Thomas, Northeast (Oakland Park)
Georgia: Isaiah Rogers, Campbell (Smyrna)
Hawaii: Anthony Kahoohanohano-Davis, Baldwin (Wailuku)
Idaho: Michael Slagowski, Rocky Mountain (Meridian)
Illinois: Sean Torpy, Carl Sandburg (Orland Park)
Indiana: Ben Veatch, Carmel
Iowa: Ryan Schweizer, Dowling Catholic (West Des Moines)
Kansas: Noah Green, Blue Valley Southwest (Overland Park)
Kentucky: William Allen, Dunbar (Lexington)
Louisiana: Raymond Calais, Cecilia (Breaux Bridge)
Maine: Sam Rusak, Scarborough
Maryland: Shyheim Wright, Northwest (Germantown)
Massachusetts: Thomas Ratcliffe, Concord-Carlisle (Concord)
Michigan: Connor Bandel, Oxford
Minnesota: Jaret Carpenter, Wayzata (Plymouth)
Mississippi: DeMichael Harris, Saint Aloysius (Vicksburg)
Missouri: Christopher Nilsen, Park Hill (Kansas City)
Montana: Jake Perrin, Flathead (Kalispell)
Nebraska: K. J. Cotton, Papillion-La Vista (Papillion)
Nevada: Zachary Hawley, Dayton
New Hampshire: Sebastian Eaton, Souhegan (Amherst)
New Jersey: Cory Poole, East Orange Campus (East Orange)
New Mexico: Alejandro Goldston, Volcano Vista (Albuquerque)
New York: Rayvon Grey, Beacon
North Carolina: Marcus Krah, Hillside (Durham)
North Dakota: Zach Sweep, Century (Bismarck)
Ohio: Andrew Jordan, Watkins Memorial (Pataskala)
Oklahoma: Vernon Turner, Yukon
Oregon: Harrison Schrage, Grant (Portland)
Pennsylvania: Jordan Geist, Knoch (Saxonburg)
Rhode Island: Bobby Colantonio, Barrington
South Carolina: Darrell Singleton, West Ashley (Charleston)
South Dakota: Mason Hericks, Watertown
Tennessee: George Patrick, Brentwood Academy (Brentwood)
Texas: Adrian Piperi, The Woodlands
Utah: Casey Clinger, American Fork
Vermont: Tyler Marshall, CVU (Hinesburg)
Virginia: Grant Holloway, Grassfield (Chesapeake)
Washington: Jack Yearian, Bellarmine Prep (Tacoma)
West Virginia: Tristan Slater, Capital (Charleston)
Wisconsin: Ben Gucinski, Fox Valley Lutheran (Appleton)
Wyoming: Brody Smith, Cody

Detroit King coach Dale Harvel hugs players at Ford Field in Detroit on Oct. 23, 2015.

Funeral services for Detroit Martin Luther King coach Dale Harvel are scheduled for Saturday at Second Ebenezer Baptist Church, on 6 Mile and Dequindre roads.

The family hour will begin at 10 a.m. with funeral services starting at 11 a.m., according to King assistant coach Kelvin Shepherd.

Harvel, 57, died Friday of an apparent heart attack he suffered while at King on Friday night for a 7-on-7 scrimmage against Dayton Dunbar. He was pronounced dead at Receiving Hospital.

He coached at King for 30 years and was legendary coach James Reynolds’ defensive coordinator.

There will be a bowling fundraiser for the family from 7 to 10 p.m. Thursday at Bronco Lanes, on Ryan between 8 Mile and 9 Mile roads. The three games of bowling will cost $12, including shoes.

Contact Perry A. Farrell: 313-222-2555 or pafarrell@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @farrellperry.

Detroit King’s Ambry Thomas, right, lets a pass get out of his reach as Detroit Cass Tech’s Alexander Donnell defends him Sept. 26, 2015.

Ambry Thomas tossed a Fowling Tournament game-winner: He hit the gold pin off the board and didn’t touch any of the other nine pins.

That meant his Detroit King team advanced to the next round during today’s Prep Kickoff Classic tournament in fowling (throwing a football at a 10-pin bowling setup on a wood plank) at the Fowling Warehouse in Hamtramck.

He smiled.

After the week he and his Crusader teammates have been through, it was nice to see something good happen.

King coach Dale Harvel died Friday. Grief counselors and other personnel have been to the school to talk to the players and coaches to deal with the situation. Harvel will be buried Saturday after funeral services at Second Ebenezer Baptist Church.

Thomas, the team’s leader and one of the state’s top players, will play this season for his coach.

“It has been rough early on, but I think the kids have been responding,” Tyrone Spencer, the team’s defensive coordinator, said during a break in the action. That’s the position where Harvel started under former coach James Reynolds.

“We had some social workers and psychologist come talk to the kids on Monday,” Spencer said. “I like their attitude going forward. This season is all for Coach Harvel from this point on. We’ve just been talking about the fun times with Coach; how stern he was and some of the jokes he had, and then just those good times. Talking about the situation and getting it out really helped the kids.”

Thomas, a highly recruited defensive back, said he would change his college visits itinerary so he can be with his teammates.

“I’ve had a good summer,” Thomas said. “I competed at Sound Mind Sound Body and at The Opening, I made the all-tournament team playing both sides of the ball. I was the top receiver with 10 catches for 338 yards and four touchdowns.

“The week has been real tough, but we’re still working and fighting. We know he’s here with us. We know what he wants our goal to be. Dale … he was a real coach to me. When I first came to King, he immediately threw me in the fire as a 10th-grader. He trusted Coach Spence to throw me into the fire. We built a strong relationship. That’s why it hurt me so much that he’s gone.”

Despite dealing with the death of Harvel, the Crusaders are the defending Division 2 champions, and everyone in the Detroit Public School League and the state will be gunning for them.

“We have a big target on our back right now,” Thomas said. “Nobody cares about us losing our coach. We have to keep that in our mind and keep working. I’ve changed a bunch. Everyone has to step up now. I have a bigger role to play — myself, the coaching staff and our team, period.

“We know who this season is dedicated to. I’m all around this year. I’m playing everything. I can’t wait.”

Contact Perry A. Farrell: 313-222-2555 or pafarrell@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @farrellperry.

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Detroit Cass Tech receiver Donovan Peoples-Jones

Detroit Cass Tech will have more than enough skill players to compete for a Division 1 state title. The Technicians’ Jaylen Kelly-Powell and Donovan Peoples-Jones are two of the most gifted players in the state and could play offense and defense.

But the key to the season could be how well offensive right tackle Jordan Reid and the offensive and defensive lines come together.

Reid, Kelly-Powell and Peoples-Jones were at the Detroit Sports Commission Prep Kickoff Classic Fowling Tournament Wednesday in Hamtramck.

“It’s coming together well; we have a lot of guys that are willing to play and a lot of guys that want to play,” Peoples-Jones said. “They want to be out there to represent Cass Tech. Jordan is the leader. He’s really good. He’s really technical, he’s smart, and he knows what he’s doing out there. He wants to win, too.”

• Related:
  Donovan Peoples-Jones plans to go nationwide

Reid, a Michigan State commit, will be responsible for protecting senior quarterback Rodney Hall’s blind side. Hall is a left-hander.

“The offensive line at Cass Tech this year is going to be pretty good,” Reid said. “We have some juniors coming back from last year that are going to play. I was a junior last year and started. We still have the same size as we did last year. Maybe an inch or two shorter. Other than that, we’re going to be a powerhouse.”

■ Top of the park: Tom Danosky has taken over at Allen Park. He played and coached under retired coach Tom Hoover as a quarterback in 1996, so he knows the program’s expectations and doesn’t plan to change a whole lot.

“Coach hired me in 2002,” Danosky said. “The whole staff is pretty much staying on board. I hired one other guy that I played with. I played for Hoover his first year as head coach. I’m going to try to keep going what he had going.

• Related:
  Detroit King dedicates football season to late coach Harvel

“We have a great tradition. We have a lot of kids that have worked real hard. All effort. They give 100% every day, and the kids buy in. The kids, from a small age, have looked up to the kids that have played varsity football. They want to be part of the tradition and part of that Jag lettering. We get good results.”

Danosky inherits a team featuring 17 seniors, with Antonio Mangiapane and Tyler Beachnau leading the way.

■ And the winner is: Southfield Arts and Technology, the merged high school of Southfield and Southfield-Lathrup, defeated Dearborn Fordson for the tournament title.

Contact Perry A. Farrell: 313-222-2555 or pafarrell@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @farrellperry.

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Grosse Pointe South’s Raven Neely in May 2015.

Raven Neely didn’t win the Division 1 singles final this year, but tennis coaches around the state of Michigan still honored her achievements.

Neely, who lost in the semifinal as a junior and in the championship as a senior at No. 1 singles, was named the state’s Miss Tennis in June by the Michigan High School Tennis Coaches Association.

A student athlete must be a senior to win the award. Unfortunately, the ceremony isn’t until Feb. 3, 2017 at the Troy Marriott, so Neely will be well into her freshman season at Northern Illinois University after starring at Grosse Ponte South for three years.

“I found out in June,” Neely said. “I don’t know why the ceremony is so late. I might have to come back and give my speech. I have several months to get it ready. Coaches have to vote for you. Because I was one of the nominees they voted for me and they all agreed that I should get it.

“I had no penalties. I had a clean record. That’s also why I got the award. The most satisfying thing for me was making it to the finals and knowing that my hard work has paid off.”

Since losing to West Bloomfield freshman Anika Yarlagadda in the final, Neely, the daughter of former Eastern Michigan basketball star Lorenzo Neely, has been on a tear on the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Summer Circuit, a venue for college players.

She has reached the singles finals in events at Western Michigan, Notre Dame and Michigan State, and a doubles final at Northwestern University.

Neely has climbed to 68th nationally and second in Michigan in the Babolat Recruiting rankings.

She currently leads the ITA Summer Circuit with 70 points, 14 ahead of Duke’s Ellyse Hamlin. She will participate in the ITA National Summer Championship, Aug. 13-16, at Indiana University.

“I am proud of Raven’s achievements this summer,’’ said Tanya Gombera, her coach at NIU, in a story published by the Daily Chronicle. “I’m excited to have her. I think we have probably one of the strongest teams we’ve had and I’m looking forward to seeing what we do in the fall.”

Gombera is the reason Neely picked NIU.

“The coach, I love my coach, and it was mainly because of her,” she said. “I’ll be in good hands with her and I also like the team. I feel like I can go out there and make a name for myself.”

She’ll compete for one of the top four singles spots at NIU.

“I’m ready to handle that,” she said. “My mental game has improved by having a better attitude on the court and not getting down on myself as much. Believing in myself a lot more than what I used to.”

Her mental game improved between her junior and senior year. When down, Neely’s body language would betray her.

Lorenzo had a lot of talks with his daughter about her on-court demeanor.

“He has always been in my head about that kind of stuff,” she said. “I feel like it really kicked in after my junior year. And my coach (Dennis Royal). I’ve had a pretty good summer.

“Since high school the biggest improvement definitely has been my mental game, definitely. That is how I’ve been able to get through those tough matches. I’ve been staying poised and grinding things out on the court.”

Contact Perry A. Farrell: 313-222-2555 or pafarrell@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @farrellperry.

Detroit East English Village center/nose tackle Tyrone Sampson.

Tyrone Sampson was drenched in sweat and it was still 30 minutes before practice was set to begin.

Sampson was running patterns and catching passes. But he loved throwing passes, some of which were even spirals. Delvin Washington was not worried about Sampson beating him out for the starting quarterback spot.

“Yeah, Delvin should be worried,” Sampson said, laughing.

“Naw, I’m just joking around. That’s my quarterback.”

And Sampson is Washington’s center, all 6-foot-2, 312 pounds of him.

Sampson and his Detroit East English teammates were having a ball as Sunday night was about to turn into Monday when they officially began practicing for the 2016 season at the stroke of midnight.

“We were getting a little playful before we have to put in work,” said Sampson. “We’re just making sure we have fun now and not then. We’re getting the playful out of us so we can get down to work.”

Shortly before midnight, East English head coach Rod Oden summoned his players to the weight room where he delivered his state of the team address.

Detroit East English running back/cornerback Zhamaine March

Oden spoke to his players about getting out of camp healthy and also said with so many new faces in the lineup, this was going to be a difficult camp.

I’m not going to lie,” Oden told the players, who were hanging on his every word. “It’s going to be hard and long and extra physical.”

East English was 9-3 last season and lost twice to Detroit King and once to Cass Tech. Those teams played in state championship games.

“There’s a sense of urgency here,” he said. “We have to get over that regional final hump.”

The Bulldogs, who open the season against Brighton on Aug. 25 in Michigan Stadium at 4 p.m., have made the playoffs all four years of the schools existence and Oden is a no-nonsense coach who demands a lot from his players and it began at midnight.

“There’s nothing fun about camp,” he said. “It’s going to be a grind. Get ready, it’s a new day. It’s go time.”

With that, the East English players left the weight room and sprinted on to the field at midnight.

McCabe: Midnight start to practice right time for Walled Lake Central

They showed no signs of being tired, and that was because many of them were prepared for their first practice.

“We slept all through the day getting ready for tonight,” said junior cornerback/running back Zhamaine March. “I slept a good amount of hours today.”

Washington enjoyed being out for the midnight practice. He felt his teammates were sharper and ready to go because of the unusual start time.

“I like that it’s a tradition,” he said. “We’ve been doing this since the school’s been open. It gives us a little excitement coming into the season. A lot of schools don’t do this. We’re the first school in Detroit to do midnight practice.”

Oden began the midnight practices when the school opened in the fall of 2012, a merger of Crockett, Finney and Kettering. It was a team bonding process.

But Oden also had another reason for staging the event at midnight.

“I wanted to show people that there is a misconception in the community that we can’t do things after 7 o’clock, we can’t play night games and all of that,” he said. “Four years in a row, we’ve had no incidents and it’s showing that this community can come together. They support the guys that play football here.”

This has evolved into an event for the entire school, not just the football team. There were a couple of hundred fans in the stands as the players took the field.

The only down side to the midnight practice is that East English’s second practice was scheduled for 12 hours later, Monday at noon.

That will test the mettle of more than just the players.

“I turned 40 this year,” said Oden. “It’s going to be tough on me.”

Contact Mick McCabe: 313-223-4744 or mmccabe@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @mickmccabe1.

Head Coach George Porritt, left, watches as the team runs drills during the first Orchard Lake St. Mary’s High School football practice on Monday, Aug. 8, 2016 at Orchard Lake St. Mary’s High School in Orchard Lake Village.

Even for a veteran football coach such as George Porritt, now in his 28th year at the helm of Orchard Lake St. Mary’s, the first day of fall practice can still be a mystery.

“It’s the same thing,” he said this morning about how little things have changed in almost three decades. “You really don’t know where you’re at. I always go into the first day thinking, ‘What do we do?’ To me I always think basic, basic, basic. I’ve been doing it a long time but the night before I’m still asking myself ‘What should we do first?’”

Whatever that is seems to work for the Eaglets, who have sent 16 players to the NFL over the years.

St. Mary’s is the two-time defending state champions in Division 3, having defeated Chelsea, 29-12, last year and Muskegon in 2014 by one touchdown, 7-0. Yet despite that success and a solid core of players returning – including Div. 1 college verbal commitments Josh Ross (Michigan), Dwayne Chapman II (Western Michigan), Richard Bowens (Iowa State) and Ralph Holley (Western Michigan) – Porritt had most of the offensive unit on one knee for almost 30 minutes this morning while he went over key sets.

“All week, we’ll try to condition a little, but it’s still a lot of teaching, teaching, teaching,” Porritt said. “I tell my assistants, ‘Go slow, don’t assume that they know it, because they don’t.’”

Holley agreed that once a teacher, always a teacher describes his head coach.

“The offense is our bread and butter here at St. Mary’s, and so coach goes through it slowly and detailed,” Holley said. “He wants to make sure we have it so his talk actually helps us a lot.”

With all the highs experienced the past two seasons, Chapman said today’s opening day of football was still special.

“The excitement is there today, senior season, last time around, and I’m happy to be doing it with my brothers out here on the field,” he said. “The biggest thing is to make sure we come together as a team, make sure the younger guys know what they’re doing, make sure everybody’s where they’re supposed to be when they’re supposed to be, and just give it our all for this last go around.”

Holley and Chapman said selecting Western Michigan for the next step in life was a good fit for each individually, but they are happy to know more years of playing together is coming.

“We just have good chemistry together and I think Western is the right place for me, and playing with my buddy for another four years will be great,” Holley said, after Chapman referred to the pair as the dynamic duo.

“I want to end it off with a bang,” Chapman said about 2016. “The three-peat is the only thing on my mind right now.”

Holley added: “We do have a lot of motivation because everybody’s on our head now. We’re predicted to win the Catholic League again and everybody in the state knows about St. Mary’s and our back-to-back championships. We just have a lot of motivation from the people who doubt us and say we can’t three-peat.”

East English Village football continues midnight practice tradition
Macomb Dakota football still looking tough under new coach Greg Baur

Detroit King football coach Tyrone Spencer.

When Detroit King’s football team started lifting weights in January, coach Dale Harvel didn’t want to hear any talk about the undefeated 2015 Division 2 state championship team.

“People were coming around trying to honor the championship team and Coach Harvel wouldn’t hear it,” said then-defensive coordinator Tyrone Spencer. “As soon as we started lifting he wanted the guys to forget about the season.”

Ten days ago, the King community buried Harvel, who died of a heart attack after a 7-on-7 scrimmage in July.

Spencer is now the head coach, having prepared under legendary coach James Reynolds and Harvel who, like Spencer, made his mark as the Crusaders’ defensive coordinator.

The football team assembled at 5 p.m. Monday, drifted to the field and was ready to go by 6 for its first fall practice.

“I think I got to sleep about 3 a.m. (Monday morning),” Spencer said. “I was just ready to get out here and get going.”

Losing Harvel was traumatic, but now the program has to move forward. And plenty of Division 1 talent has to be replaced.

Donnie Corley, the hero of the Division 2 championship game with his game-winning touchdown catch against Lowell last year, is at Michigan State. Running back Martell Pettaway is at West Virginia. Lavert Hill, a star in the backfield and in the secondary, is a freshman at Michigan. Armani Posey, who took over at quarterback and never looked back, is at Bowling Green.

“As long as we know this is about us, we’ll be OK,” Spencer said. “You see people wearing shirts saying ‘Detroit against Everybody.’ It’s similar to that.”

• Detroit King dedicates football season to Harvel

Youth is everywhere. There’s a competition at quarterback. Kevin Willis is expected to see extensive time in the backfield. Star senior Ambry Thomas, the No. 2 overall recruit in Michigan for 2017, will be everywhere.

“Right now, for sure, just at receiver and DB,” Thomas said of where he will play.

And?

“Kickoff and punt returns,” he added. “Kick return gets me excited. All last year, I wasn’t able to do it. All Little League, I did it. It was smooth. I’m going to get it done this year.

“First day of practice; we’re looking to pick up where we left off from last year.”

That would be fine for junior offensive lineman Josh Mayberry. He missed last season because of an ACL injury.

“It broke my heart having to watch,” he said. “They needed me. I thought I could have helped them more during the season. It was a really good year. We had a lot of big people on our team. It was just crazy. I had never been hurt like that. I’m really excited. I’ve been looking forward to this since last year.  We should be a good powerful team. We should be able to do something this year. Everybody will find out on Aug. 27.”

A gleam was in his eye. Mayberry’s ready.

Other possible contributors include senior wide receiver Christian Chapman and senior linebacker Cepeda Phillips.

There are subtle differences between Harvel and Spencer.

“Coach Spencer is different intensity-wise,” said lineman Damani Green, a three-year letter winner. “Coach (Spencer), he can handle things a little bit easier than Coach Harv. Coach Harvel was pretty intense.”

Contact Perry A. Farrell: 313-222-2555 or pafarrell@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @farrellperry.

Dearborn cross country coach Bob Bridges, center, on Aug. 10, 2016.

There he sat, early Wednesday morning, in his white 2004 Chevrolet minivan, waiting to begin his 61st year of coaching.

Bob Bridges, a mere 85 years old, guesstimates that he has been Dearborn’s cross country coach for only 35 or 40 years because, before that, he coached football.

He retired from teaching math in 1997, but he remains coaching cross country and track because, well, he can.

“My kids are good and the parents are good,” he said. “Let’s face it, in my two sports, parents can’t say much.”

On his way to the high school, Bridges passed senior Riad Rababeh, who was running a 10K (6.2 miles) before taking part in Dearborn’s opening practice.

A year ago, Rababeh wasn’t running before practice. A year ago at this time, cross country was just another school activity for Rababeh.

“Last year for cross, I didn’t even run in the summer,” he said. “I went into cross season and it turned out really, really good. When it came to cross, I just started running seriously and just progressed on itself from there.”

It turned out ridiculously well for Rababeh, who finished a surprising eighth in the Division 1 state championship meet, in 15:30.8, easily the best time he’s recorded.

Dearborn cross country coach Bob Bridges on Aug. 10, 2016.

“I was hoping for top 30,” he said, laughing. “And I was just hoping to run faster than 15:50, my previous best. That was a huge day for me. I definitely didn’t expect to get top 10. It definitely changed everything.”

Suddenly, running became the focus of Rababeh’s life. He ran a 15:16 indoor 5K,15:08 outdoor 5K and finished third in the 3,200 meters at the state track meet, after failing to qualify as a sophomore.

Rababeh spent the summer running and did more than just a series of long runs.

“I do a bunch of base mile runs,” he said, “and I have one tempo fast run where I do a 10K at 5:23 pace and I do a long run of 14 of 15 miles either Friday or Saturday.”

In addition to his own hopes, Rababeh has increased expectations from Bridges, who expects his protégé to be a force at the state meet.

“He’s got talent, but he also works,” Bridges said. “If you work and have talent you should be successful. He does what he’s told.”

Rababeh has already reached one of his goals. He and Luke Armstrong are team captains.

“The other guys look up to us as leaders,” he said. “It’s good to be back. It’s fun and cross country is one of the most fun sports. It’s individual and it’s team so it’s a really good time.”

As the team gathered for their first run, Bridges took a desk pad, the kind people had on their desks in the 1960s and ‘70s, and he had diagrammed the route for Monday’s first practice.

That’s what you get from a guy who was coaching before any of this athletes were born.

Then Bridges got in his van and met the team in Hines Park, where he had water for them before they started back to the school.

He waited a while after the runners took off, then drove back to the school, picking up a few of the runners who were struggling in their first practice.

It was a routine Bridges has followed for years on the first day of practice.

“It’s really cool running for him,” Rababeh said. “He knows what he’s been doing and he’s been coaching for a long time. It’s really traditionally running with him. He sticks to what he knows so it’s really good.”

Contact Mick McCabe: 313-223-4744 or mmccabe@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @mickmccabe1.

Be sure that you follow Freep Sports on Twitter (@freepsports) and Instagram and like us on on Facebook.

Southfield A&T football practice.

The building that once housed Southfield High is now called Southfield Arts and Technology.

Blue and white, formerly the school colors, are now white, blue and red with touch of gray. Blue Jays? The nickname is now the Warriors.

There’s no longer a rivalry with Southfield-Lathrup because that school closed at the end of last school year. Outside of Lathrup’s building, it says University High School Academy.

Malcolm P. Tutankhamun, an alum of Lathrup, is now the offensive line coach at A&T under head coach Tim Conley. Jason Solomon, the head football coach at Lathrup last season, is now the linebackers coach for the Warriors.

“It’s really hard just to know I can’t go back to the physical building and seeing the SL,” said Tutankhamun, who played his college football at Howard University. “Seeing how the schools merged, I see how something beautiful can rise from the ashes of both of the schools and the names. The kids coming together on the field is really something beautiful. I think it’s really great for the city of Southfield; to just have one school to focus on in terms of athletics.

“I like being a part of something new that’s coming in.”

It’s becoming a blended family.

Conley, the former Southfield High coach, got the Southfield A&T job in January. Since then, he formed activities to bring the two student bodies together in an attempt to bond.

“We started weight lifting and team activities,” Conley said. “We went to basketball games together, put a cheering section together for the Lathrup girls’ team or for the Southfield team. We do a thing called March Madness, where kids earn points to pick their number. These kids are great. They’re just kids. We did a lot of community service. We had a robot competition at the school, a bunch of Lathrup kids came over. We had a field day.

“They all knew each other. They all probably went to middle school together.”

When he said he had 13 starters back on defense, he included Lathrup players.

Four of them, all seniors, are penciled in to start: Keith Powe, a physical 5-foot-10, 220-pound linebacker; nose guard Kwai Cooper (5-9, 280); defensive lineman Ed McCoy, 6-3, 220; and Marcell Green, a 6-1, 220-pound linebacker.

On offense, Powe is expected to see time in the backfield as a starting running back behind sophomore quarterback Samuel Johnson III.

“We needed the depth,” Conley said. “In the program, we have about 50 from Lathrup between JV and varsity. We’re in the OAA Red (Conference) now and that’s a grind out. You have some really great weight-lifting programs behind these teams like Oxford and Lake Orion and Clarkston.

“You have to have that depth to play those big schools. We left a great league and we’re crossing over with (Birmingham) Groves and Oak Park. We lose (Farmington Hills) Harrison.”

Conley is surrounded by talent.

Linebacker Lorenzo McCaskill was honorable mention All-State and had 110 tackles last year. He’s being recruited by the likes of Pittsburgh and Cincinnati.

Eric Eldridge, a 340-pound offensive lineman, has committed to Ball State.

Running back Eric McArn rushed for 1,300 yards and 11 TDs. He has 11 offers.

Wide receiver Brandon Gray caught eight touchdown passes last year and has 15 offers.

Junior defensive end Andre Carter has 16 offers and is a relative unknown in the state.

Then there’s Johnson. As a freshman, he passed for 1,700 yards, threw 20 touchdowns and had just three interceptions. His scholarship offer list is up to 20.

“We didn’t ask him to do a whole lot last year, but this year we expect more,” Conley said.

That’s fine with him.

“We have an experienced O-line and an experienced receiving core,” Johnson said. “I think we should be pretty good. The transition has been cool. My teammates from Lathrup are good. All we can do is come together as a team and ball-out this year. I know the tempo of the game and I’ve adjusted. I’m older and more experienced and I’ve learned from my mistakes.”

Contact Perry A. Farrell: 313-222-2555 or pafarrell@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @farrellperry.

Detroit Cass Tech receiver Donovan Peoples-Jones

Detroit Cass Tech’s Donovan Peoples-Jones has been selected to the American Family Insurance ALL-USA Preseason Football Team, released today by USA Today.

Peoples-Jones is one of six wide receivers listed on the 24-member offense. The defensive All-America team will be released Wednesday, but no one from Michigan is on the team.

As a junior Peoples-Jones caught 69 passes for 1,168 yards and 18 touchdowns. He also has a 3.9 grade point average.

Also on the offense is Michigan commit Dylan McCaffrey, a quarterback from Valor Christian in Littleton, Colo.

View the full American Family Insurance ALL-USA Preseason Football Team offense here.

Contact Mick McCabe: 313-223-4744 or mmccabe@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @mickmccabe1.

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Donovan Peoples-Jones plans to go nationwide with recruitment

Novi volleyball coach Jennifer Cottrill leads volleyball tryouts at Novi High School on Wednesday, Aug. 10. 2016.

Here are the teams in the USA TODAY Sports/American Volleyball Coaches Association Preseason Super 25 for girls volleyball.

1. Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.)

Players to watch: Shannon Scully, OH, 2017 – Utah; Siena Secrist, OH, 2018 – USC; Kelsey Campeau, L, 2018 – UCLA; Brielle Mullally, S, 2019.

Need to know: Defending CIF-Southern Section champions should be a force to be reckoned with this season as they bring back Scully and Secrist at the outside positions and Mullally directing the offense.

2. Assumption (Louisville, Ky.)

Players to watch: Jacqueline Askin, OH, 2017 – Bowling Green; Payton Frederick, L, 2018 – Western Kentucky; Lexie Hamilton, L, 2017 – Louisville; Brooke Moore – Austin Peay, OH, 2017; Alexis Triplett, L, 2018 – Lipscomb; Kayla Kaiser, MB, 2018 – Georgia Tech.

Need to know: Since 1992, Assumption has won 19 state championships, including the 2015 title.  The Rockets look to make a run in 2016 led by seniors in Hamilton, Moore, Askin, Crockett and Palmer. Kaiser and Frederick are the top juniors.

3. Santa Margarita (Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.)

Players to watch: Julianna Reisinger, L, 2017 – Purdue; Meghan McClure, OH, 2017 – Stanford; Haley Carmo, MB, 2018; Devon Chang, S, 2018 – Cal Berkeley.

Need to know: Katy Daly’s Santa Margarita squad won the difficult Trinity League last season and began the season with a big win against Southlake Carroll from Texas before heading to Hawaii for the Ann Kang Invitational, where it lost in the final to Mira Costa.

4. Hebron (Lewisville, Texas)

Players to watch: Kylee McLaughlin, S, 2017 – Oregon St; Annie Benbow, L, 2018; Lauren Merrill, MB, 2018; Emma Clothier, MB, 2019.

Need to know: Despite losing eight players from last season, Hebron opened by winning the prestigious Texas Volleyball Invitational, the largest HS tournament in the country with 80 teams.

5. Eagan (Minn.)

Players to watch: Gabrielle Orr, OH/S, 2017 – Iowa; Alyssa Doucette, OH, 2017 – Missouri State; McKenna Melville, DS, 2018 – UCF; Ally Murphy, OH, 2018 – North Dakota State; McKenzie Lee, S, 2018

Need to know: Defending AAA state champions did not lose any players to graduation and have as many as five Division I prospects.

6. Cathedral (Indianapolis)

Players to watch: Payton White, L, 2017 – Auburn; Nia Parker-Robinson, OH, 2017 – Wake Forest; Maria Schorr, S, 2017 – Dayton; Shaney Lipscomb, MB, 2017 – Hawaii; Emily Kleck, 2018; Mattison Norris, MB, 2018; Jean Cripps, MB/RS, 2019

Need to know: Coach Jean Kesterson squad finished last year with their seventh state title, a 36-0 record and No. 1 ranking nationally.  Although they graduated six D-I players, the Fighting Irish look to just reload with four key seniors in the 6-1 Robinson, Schorr (Dayton), White (Auburn) and Brooks.

7. Geneva (Ill.)

Players to watch: Ally Barrett, OH, 2017 – UConn; Grace Loberg, OH, 2017 – Wisconsin; Alexandria Mullen, MB, 2017 – Boston College

Need to know: A big time offense led by Barrett, Loberg and Mullen, the Vikings are primed to have another impressive year.

8. Buford (Ga.)

Players to watch: Gabrielle Curry, OH, 2017 – Kentucky; Vivian Guy, L, 2017; Tatum Shipes, OH, 2018 – Auburn; Sophia Costello, L, 2018.

Need to know:  With the combined efforts of pin hitters Gabrielle Cooney (Kentucky) and Tatum Shipes (Auburn), Buford will look to repeat as Georgia state champions.

9. Jesuit (Portland, Ore.)

Players to watch: Kathryn Decker, OH/RS, 2017 – Santa Clara; Emily Demots, OH, 2017 – Portland; Grace Massey, L, 2017; Claire Zanon, OH, 2017.

Need to know: After back-to-back undefeated seasons, Jesuit is looking to continue its dominance in Oregon.

10. Shawnee Heights (Tecumesh, Kan.)

Players to watch: Megan Cooney, OH/MB, 2017 – Illinois; Jazz Sweet, RS, 2017 – Nebraska.

Need to know: After losing to eventual state champions St. James Academy in last year’s state tournament, Laura Curry should expect her squad to hopefully build on last year’s success thanks to Cooney and Sweet.

11. Mira Costa (Manhattan Beach, Calif.)

Key players: Amanda Montag, OH, 2017 – Navy; Britt Bommer, S, 207 – Northwestern

Need to know: Mira Costa will look to build on a very successful 2015 that saw the Mustangs fall to Mater Dei in the state tournament.

12. Southlake Carroll (Southlake, Texas)

Key players: Annalise Kit, S, 2017 – Clemson; Rachel Meyne, OH, 2017 – Colgate; Haley Hallgren, OH, 2017 – USC; Asjia O’neal, MB, 2018 – Texas.

Need to know: Losses to start the season were to strong California teams – Edison and Saint Margarita.  The team still features a stacked lineup with multiple DI commits.

13. Hamilton (Chandler, Ariz.)

Key players: Preslie Anderson, MB, 2017 – Cal Berkeley; Sydney Lostumo, S, 2017 – Fresno State; Heaven Harris, MB/RS, 2017 – Northern Arizona; Darian Clark, OH, 2018 – Cal Berkeley; Emily Cockell, L, 2018.

Need to know: Hamilton returns this season with a stacked line up that includes multiple DI commits.

14. Fayetteville (Ark.)

Key players: Haley Warner, RS, 2018 – Florida; Ella May Powell, S, 2018 – Washington; Faith Waitsman, MB, 2017; Abbie Kathol, OH, 2017.

Need to know: Youth National team members Warner and Powell lead the team.

15. Sacred Heart (Louisville)

Key players: Paige Hammons, OH, 2017 – Florida; Nadia Dieudonne, S, 2017 – Xavier; Abigail Westenhofer, S, 2017 – Saint Louis; Kaelin Gentile, MB, 2017; Lauryn Bennett, RS, 2017; Megan Crush, L, 2017.

Need to know: Brett Versen takes over the reins at Sacred Heart.  They return many of their starters from last year’s team that lost to Assumption in the regional finals. Leading the way will be senior outside hitter Hammons along with four other senior contributors.

16. Brentwood (Tenn.)

Key players: Kamryn Carter,OH, 2017; Garrett Joiner, OH, 2018; Logan Eggleston, OH, 2019.

Need to know: Brentwood is looking for its fourth straight state title.

17. Novi (Mich.)

Key players: Erin O’Leary, S, 2018 – Michigan; Ally Commings, OH/RS, 2017 – Valparaiso.

Need to know: Any team with O’Leary (USA Youth National Team) setting is going to be competitive, and this one has DI players at the pins to take the swings.

18. Catholic Memorial (Waukesha, Wis.)

Key players: Lexi Alden, OH, 2017 – Maryland; Ivey Whalen, MB, 2017 – Northwestern; Kathryn Christian, MB, 2018; Maddy Rondeau, S/RS.

Need to know: Catholic Memorial brings back their entire starting lineup that won last year’s state title in Wisconsin.

19. Xavier College Prep (Phoenix)

Key players: Makena Patterson, MB, 2017 – Texas A&M; Lanie Wagner, OH, 2018; Shannon Shields, S, 2019.

Need to know: Last year’s Arizona state runner-ups, the Gators bring back a strong group but lose Gatorade National Player of the Year Khalia Lanier.

20. Yorktown (Ind.)

Key player: Kenzie Knuckles, OH, 2019.

Need to know: Knuckles and seniors Olivia Reed, Kendall Murr and Rhyen Neal lead for Stephanie Bloom’s Tigers.

21. Mount Notre Dame (Cincinati)

Key players: Natalie Steibel, OH, 2018 – Deleware; Tori Beckelheimer, 2018, OH; Sarah Reisenberger, MB, 2017; Grace Hauck, MB, 2018.

Need to know: The Cougars have won the Ohio state championship the past three years.  Joe Burke’s squad will once again contend for a state title.

22. Prior Lake (Minn.)

Key players: Maddy Bremer, MB, 2018 – Northern Colorado; CC McGraw, OH, 2018 – Minnesota.

Need to know: State AAA runners-up, the team returns the majority of its roster led by a pair of juniors in Bremer and McGraw.

23. Torrey Pines (Calif.)

Key players: Kiara McNulty, S, 2018 – Northwestern; Brynn Chandler, S, 2017 – Cal Berkeley; Chiara Spain, MB, 2017; Emily Fitzer, RS, 2019.

Need to know: Torrey Pines will once again field a dangerous team for coach Brennan Dean coming off a CIF San Diego Section title.

24. St Joseph Academy (Frontenac, Mo.)

Key players: Gabby Blossom, S/RS, 2018 – Penn State; Marissa Tomek, OH, 2017; Lauren Reding, MB 2017; Hannah Gruensfelder, L,  2017 – Ohio State.

Need to know: The Angles of St. Joseph’s brings back their entire lineup as they look to once again contend of the state title.

25. Scutt Catholic (Omaha, Neb.)

Key players: Brooke Heyne, OH, 2017 – Kansas State; Allison Schomers, S/RS, 2017 – UMKC; McKenna Kirkpatrick, MB, 2017; Lily Heyne, MB, 2019.

Need to know: After a 40-2 season and a state championship, Skutt Catholic is looking to continue its NE Class B dominance behind a strong trio of seniors.

Under consideration: Walton (Marietta, Ga.), Tumwater (Wash.), Oak Ridge (Conroe, Texas)m Plano West (Plano, Texas), St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.), Pleasant Grove (Utah(, Immaculate Heart Township (Washington Township, N.J.), Princess Anne (Virginia Beach, Va.), La Cueva (Albuquerque, N.M.)

Orchard Lake St. Mary’s Ralph Holley (59) celebrates a blocked extra point off the foot of Chelsea kicker Graham Kuras during the 2nd quarter of OLSM’s 29-12 win in the Division 3 state final at Ford Field.

When it comes to Ralph Holley, the statistics don’t tell the entire story.

Hey, the stat sheet doesn’t tell half his story.

For instance, in last season’s Division 3 state championship game, the Orchard Lake St. Mary’s nose guard was credited with one sack and only three tackles.

They seem like rather pedestrian stats for one of the top defensive linemen in the state, until you realize that Holley often occupied two offensive linemen or two linemen and a running back trying to keep him out of the backfield.

► Related: Excitement in air for two-time defending champ Orchard Lake St. Mary’s
► Related: Breaking down Catholic league football

“If they can’t stop me, and I’ve been tearing it up in the backfield, they usually send a running back and the center and the guard to triple-team me,” Holley said. “I don’t particularly like double-teams, but when I take double-teams, it opens a hole for linebackers to make plays. It’s all about the team, to be honest. A play I don’t get is a play that the linebacker will get to benefit the team.

“That’s satisfying to me because I know that I helped get that play.”

Holley, a 6-foot-2, 290-pound senior, made the leap from St. Mary’s freshman team to the varsity by the end of his freshman season.

As a sophomore, he worked his way into the starting lineup as his technique steadily improved.

“I came in as a sophomore with some pretty big guys on top of me, and I had to work my way to the top,” he said. “I didn’t start every game, but I started some games as a sophomore. The first game I started was against U-D. And I’ll never forget — I had three sacks that game. It was an eye-opener, like this is what I was called to do.”

Holley also has participated in basketball and track and field, and last spring qualified for the Division 2 state meet in the shot put.

► Related: McCabe’s No. 5 team: Macomb Dakota
►Related: McCabe’s No. 4 team: Muskegon
► Related: McCabe’s top 25 players: No. 1 Donovan Peoples-Jones

But the aspect of track and field that might have benefited him more than the shot put was running the 200 meters. Holley is anything but a premier sprinter, but the daily track workouts improved his speed and footwork, and it easily translates to football.

“I don’t want to be a big guy that can’t move,” he said. “I’ve got to be able to be mobile and move quick.”

Holley likes to line up and angle down on the center, which is when he uses his club-and-rip move to get into the backfield.

“I club them to the side and rip through his arm,” he said, describing a move where he begins by smacking the center in the arm. “To perfect it, it took me a good three or four months. I’m pretty sound with my hand placements and everything like that.”

He received the best birthday gift ever Jan. 22 when Miami (Ohio) offered him a scholarship. Since then, he has acquired eight other offers and has committed to Western Michigan.

“My mom was relieved. My dad was relieved,” Holley said. “They were, ‘Oh, we don’t have to pay for college!’ It’s a great blessing for the family.”

The way Holley looks at it, football in general has been a blessing to him.

“I like how it builds my character,” he said. “It challenges me every day, with the running and the constant punishment we take. It challenges us to mature as men. I’ve learned I can overcome adversity.”

Note: Wide receiver KJ Hamler, who transferred from OLSM to IMG Academy in Florida for his senior season, tore his ACL in a preseason game last week. He has been recruited by Michigan and Michigan State, among others.

Mick McCabe’s top-25 teams: Nos. 11-15

Meet the Eaglets

Last season: 12-1.

Top players: LB/RB Josh Ross, LB/OL Dwayne Chapman, NG/OG Ralph Holley, LB John Pearson, RB/DB Shermond Dabney, DB/WR Richard Bowens.

State playoff record: 64-14.

Coach: George Porritt, 28th season (246-67).

Overview: The Eaglets are the odds-on favorite to three-peat in Division 3. Ross, verbally committed to Michigan, is a dominating defender, and he will see a lot of action on offense this season. Chapman will team with Ross to give St. Mary’s a dynamic pair at inside linebacker. Holley controls the middle of the line on a stingy defense that returns eight starters.

Contact Mick McCabe: 313-223-4744 or mmccabe@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @mickmccabe1.

Mick McCabe’s top-25 teams: Nos. 16-20
Mick McCabe’s top 25 teams: Nos. 21-25

Head coach George Porritt, left, watches as the team runs drills during the first Orchard Lake St. Mary’s High School football practice on Monday, Aug. 8, 2016 at Orchard Lake St. Mary’s High School in Orchard Lake Village.

Central Division

Coaches’ poll: 1. Orchard Lake St. Mary’s 46, 2. Novi Detroit Catholic Central 45, 3. Warren De La Salle 41, 4. Birmingham Brother Rice 35; 5. University of Detroit-Jesuit 33.

St. Mary’s (12-2, 3-1)

Strength: Success

Top players: RB/LB Josh Ross, OG/NT Ralph Holley, RB/LB Shermond Dabney, WR/CB Richard Bowens, OL/LB Dwayne Chapman, OL/DL John McCarthy, TE/LB John Pearson.

Outlook: The Eaglets should look an awful lot like the squad that earned a Division 3 state title last year, since George Porritt and his staff don’t have many holes to fill. “We’ve got a good group coming back on defense, and we’ve got to play great team defense, especially early in the year as our offense gets up to speed,” he said. “We’re working at finding a starting quarterback and our offensive line needs to stabilize.”

► Related: McCabe’s No. 3 team: Orchard Lake St. Mary’s
► Related: Breaking down the Downriver football conference
► Related: Breaking down Oakland Activities Association football conference

Catholic Central (9-3, 3-1)

Strength: Backfield

Top players: TE/DE Jack Morris, OT/DT Blake Bueter, TE/DE Jackson Ross, LB Tyler Moreland, RB/DB Nick Capatina, RB/LB Matt Young, Soph. QB Austin Brown, Jr. FB Cameron Ryan, Jr. MLB Isaac Darkangelo.

Outlook: The Shamrocks developed young players en route to a regional appearance in 2015, and that leaves the program in good shape this fall. “We have backs that have experience, but our defense is a bit younger,” said Coach Tom Mach, entering his 41st season. “The offense will have to hold the ball a bit more to give our defense time to jell. We don’t have a lot of leeway for development, but we’re used to that.”

De La Salle (6-4, 3-1)

Strength: Unity

Top players: RB/DB Allen Stritzinger, DB Kevin Lee, LB Steve Killop, DE John Fisher, P/K Trentin Piwinski, Jr. FS Brendan Madigan, WR/DB Ryan Anderson, RB Vinnie Pelione.

Outlook: It’s a season of change at DeLaSalle as new coach Mike Giannone arrives from Macomb Dakota. Giannone will bring in some new offensive sets, and the Pilots should have the skill players to pull it off – provided their injury list isn’t as extensive as it was at the end of last season when their top game-breakers were sidelined. “Most good teams are three injuries away from being mediocre,” Giannone said.

Brother Rice (2-7, 0-4)

Strength: Defensive line

Top players: TE/DE Carter Dunaway, WR Matt Jordan, Jr. WR/DB Caleb Jackson, DE Jack Saylor, CB Nick Massey, Soph. RB Marcellus Gaines, Soph. QB Mariano Valenti

Outlook: The 2015 Warriors couldn’t fill the deep holes left by the 2014 graduating class and suffered through their first sub-.500 season in 30 years. As they try to rebound, at least they now boast more experience with 16 starters back. “It’s tough – you do the best you can to respond,” Coach Dave Sofran said. “I think we should have a shot at the playoffs. We feel positive, but you never know until you play.”

U-D Jesuit (6-4, 1-3)

Strength: Seniors

Top players: WR-QB/S Scott Nelson, WR/DB A.J. Thomas, OL Joe Ziedas, jr. OT Carlos Vettorello, LB Brian McNamara, QB Michael Sims.

Outlook: The Cubs took several steps toward respectability last year by winning a division game, earning a playoff bid and playing eventual champ Detroit King close in the pre-district. “We want more,” Coach Oscar Olejniczak said. “We just don’t have the numbers that the other Central teams have, but we have to push through it.” The league granted the UD-Jesuit “schedule relief,” meaning the Cubs play just two division foes.

AA Division

Coaches’ poll: 1. Detroit Loyola 30, 2. Ann Arbor Richard 26, 3. Dearborn Divine Child 25. (Note: Pontiac Notre Dame Prep, a former Catholic Double-A member, is competing as an independent this year).

Loyola (10-3, 3-0)

Strength: Stability

Top players: TE/LB Kailen Abrams, FB/DE Delbert Martin, soph. RB Anthony Robinson, OL Teron Johnson, RB Hunter Harris, OL/DL Marcus Edmonds, QB/DB Price Watkins.

Outlook: The Bull Dogs have won 22 straight league games, won the last four Prep Bowls and made four consecutive deep playoff runs, bowing out in the state semifinals last year. Opponents don’t expect them to slow down now, after so many new players got their feet wet last season. “We have a smaller roster but we’re more experienced,” Coach John Calahan said. “The kids are looking forward to it.”

AA Richard (5-5, 0-3)

Strength: Experience

Top players: QB Jack Gaderick, OL/DE Alex Wilder, RB Josh Krettlin, OL Brendan Fredericks, CB David Hebda, CB Henry Hebda, FB/DE-LB Matt Carrado, TE/LB Brian Victor.

Outlook: Gabriel Richard should be able to build on 2015, when the Fighting Irish squeaked into the playoffs under a first-year head coach. Most starters are back, including 6 rising jr.s on defense. “We’re only missing three starters from last year, and I feel really good about this group,” Coach Mike Girskis said. “We’ll be a lot stronger this year, even though we’ve probably got the hardest schedule we’ve ever had.”

Divine Child (4-5, 1-2)

Strength: Intelligence

Top players: Jr. QB-WR Quinn Blair, OL/DL Liam Soroghan, RB/DL Jordan Jones, jr. OL/DL Aidan Hutchinson.

Outlook: Although Coach John Filiatraut said “there’s no easy road in the AA,” he’s hoping his Falcons will return to the level they were at in 2014, when they won seven games. “We have the potential to play good, sound football,” he said. “If we limit our turnovers and penalties and play disciplined football, we will be strong.” Divine Child christens a new field this fall and will finally play home games at its school.

Intersectional-1 Division

Coaches’ poll: 1. Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook 40, 2. Macomb Lutheran North 34, 3. Riverview Richard 33, 4. Allen Park Cabrini 29.

Cranbrook (9-2, 6-1)

Strength: Confidence

Top players: RB/LB Jaylen Allen, QB Tyler Santangelo, jr. OG/DE Christopher Smith, jr. RB Aaron Wiggins, LB Tristan Knoer, soph. WR Kobi Russell, LB Dan Russell, soph. DB Torrell Williams, C Garrett Faulkner.

Outlook: What’s not to like? Cranbrook is coming off its first playoff win since 2008, has more kids out than ever, and is eligible to play in the Prep Bowl this fall. “The confidence level has changed so much,” Coach Joe D’Angelo said. “This group has brought respectability back to Cranbrook football. Now, we’re going into games believing we can win. It’s nice to see the school get excited.”

Lutheran North (4-5, 3-3)

Strength: Football IQ

Top players: WR/CB Daric Craig, QB Charles Kruse, C/DT Ryan Pini, jr. WR/DB Joel Vandermeer, RB/LB Joe Karle, OG/DE Gavin McKenzie.

Outlook: The Mustangs showed an upturn in 2015 and Coach Ryan Wesley says this experienced group has the skill level to raise it another notch. “We have plenty of seniors who have been starting since they were sophomores,” he said. “We’re looking to find the fire and prove to ourselves we can win. We run a ton of sets, but our kids are among the smartest out there and we plan to use that to our advantage.”

Riverview Richard (7-4, 5-2)

Strength: Momentum

Top players: Jr. OL/DL Devin Slaughter, OL/LB Jac Lemieux, jr. WR Eric Wigginton, WR/CB Anthony Brown, K Zach Loewengruber, Slot/MLB Brennan Holberg, jr. QB Devin Gleason, soph. QB Kyle Alonte.

Outlook: The positive energy is also there at Gabriel Richard, which has had three straight winning seasons, two playoff experiences and put in a new field last year. “We need to get off to a fast start and use that momentum,” Coach Tom Michaelsen said. “We’ve got a lot of guys competing for positions, and hopefully that competition translates into victories.”

The Pioneers are younger, but their numbers have increased.

Cabrini (2-7, 1-6)

Strength: Coachability

Top players: RB/DB Kyle Kessler, jr. QB Matt Bzura, WR/DB Trevor Kimes, OL Josh Fust, jr. OL Sam Solis, WR/DB Ben LePage, soph. OL Noah Hamid.

Outlook: In his second season guiding the Monarchs, Allen Park native Ken Briere says they can improve if they win the close games – something that has been Cabrini’s downfall in recent years. “We have to finish,” he said. “What everyone has over us is numbers, but it’s not something to cry about. Last year we were senior-laden but our younger guys got more playing time, which will help this year.”

Intersectional-2 Division

Coaches’ poll: 1. Madison Heights Bishop Foley 50, 2. Waterford Our Lady of the Lakes 42, 3. Royal Oak Shrine 41, 4. Clarkston Everest Collegiate 35, 5. Marine City Cardinal Mooney 32.

Bishop Foley (2-7, 0-7)

Strength: Senior class

Top players: WR/DB Joe Schmidt, OL/DL Trevor Shankin, FB Cooper Smith, QB Alex Dixon, RB/LB Nolan Gerds, OL Ray Pippen, OL Jacob Doxen, MLB/K/P Evan Finegan.

Outlook: Although the Ventures have lost 14 straight league contests, everyone thinks this should be their year now that a deep senior class has finally matured. Schmidt is a four-year starter in the backfield, while Pippen, Shankin and Doxen all have good size in the trenches. “We always have to instill a winning attitude, but things should come together a bit better this year,” Coach Sean Cobb said.

Our Lady of the Lakes (13-1, 7-0)

Strength: Reputation

Top players: OL/DL Gabe Nickels, TB/S Isaac Oliver, RB/DB Kurt Romkema, OL/DL Nick Imbier, soph. WR Noah Robak, soph TE/LB David Balent, soph. Slot/S Vince Oliver.

Outlook: The Lakers graduated 18 out of 25 players from last year’s Division 8 state finalist squad but have been able to fill the gaps quickly with an influx of new players — many of them upperclassmen. Now, 80 percent of the boys in the school are playing football. “We have outstanding leadership in our senior class,” Coach Josh Sawicki said. “We’re not as worried about them jelling together as much as playing together.”

Shrine (4-5, 2-5)

Strength: Offensive line

Top players: QB Asher Smith, WR/DB Michael Niehaus, FB Beck Benson, OL Max Payne, soph. TB Dan Romano, OL Conner Gum, jr. Slot Josef Mehall, WR Jay Hester, soph. OL Victor Carpenter.

Outlook: The Knights’ 12-year playoff run ended last fall, a season in which Coach John Goddard said every senior on the team missed at least one game due to injury. Thus, the Knights are aiming to stay healthy. “Our numbers are up, but still, with the size of our team, an injury to us is like losing five guys,” he said. “If you’re injury-free in this league, you’ve got a great shot a getting to the Prep Bowl and making the playoffs.”

Everest (5-5, 3-3)

Strength: Drive

Top players: RB/LB Alex Legg, jr. QB/S Grant Burgess, OL/DL Gunther Schultz, WR/LB Tommy Thibodeau, jr. RB/DB Simon Fenske.

Outlook: The Mountaineers have reached the playoffs each season since starting their program three years ago, so their goal for 2016 is fairly obvious – even though there are just 18 players filling out the roster. “We want to keep that (playoff streak) because it’s pretty special,” Coach Mike Pruchnicki said. “The whole backfield is back, we work hard and we’re disciplined. We have good kids — ‘Eighteen strong:’ that’s what we call it.”

Cardinal Mooney (3-6, 1-2 IFL)

Strength: Attitude

Top players: RB/MLB Wyatt Greenia, jr. WR/S Troy Webster, soph. QB Quincy Greenia, C Owen Sheldon, jr. DT Dozzio Trapiss.

Outlook: The Cardinals rejoin the Catholic League for the first time since 2010 after putting in three seasons as an eight-man squad and playing two more in another league. Coach Jared Greenia said his troops will have to concentrate on the basics in order to excel. “We’re not a run-and-gun team but we can chew away some yards by slowing it down and playing ball control, with a bend-don’t-break defense,” he said.

Mick McCabe

Cory Chavis might have bitten off more than he can chew.

Chavis, 42, is the first-year head football coach for the first-year program at Detroit Leadership Academy, a charter school on the city’s far west side, near Ford Road and Evergreen.

Leadership Academy is in its fourth year of existence and will graduate its first class in the spring.

Because this is Leadership’s first year in the Michigan High School Athletic Association, it is ineligible to compete in the state playoffs.

​► Related: McCabe: MHSAA fails the test in dealing with Chris Fahr
► Related: McCabe: Danosky’s turn to lead consistently good Allen Park program
► Related: McCabe’s top 25 players: No. 1 Donovan Peoples-Jones​

That won’t be a concern for the Cougars, who begin their eight-game schedule against Class A Detroit Western at 5 p.m. Friday at Mumford.

Things get worse from there for the co-ed school of between 140 and 150 in the high school.

In Week 2, Leadership plays Buchanan, which has 476 students and was 11-1 last season. And then plays Birmingham Detroit Country Day, with 692 students and an 11-2 record a year ago.

It also faces Division 7 powerhouse Detroit Loyola in Week 6 and concludes in Week 9 against U-D Jesuit, which has about 740 boys.

Are we sure Chavis knows what he’s getting himself into?

“We stacked up a pretty big list of games here,” he said. “It wasn’t that way to begin with, but at the end of the day we got what we got. We’re just going to push forward, and we’re looking forward to the challenge.”

► Related: McCabe’s No. 3 team: Orchard Lake St. Mary’s

There are two ways you can approach a schedule like this. You can complain about the tough road ahead, or you can embrace the challenge.

Chavis is doing the latter.

“We’re teaching our young men that, yeah, this is a game and, yes, do you want to win? Absolutely,” he said. “But this is more about creating a family environment. Most first-year teams don’t win a lot of games, so it’s not about winning games.

“It’s about strengthening yourself physically and mentally. It’s about being able to get exposure. There’s a lot of opportunity in having programs where you’re playing big schools.”

Leadership Academy will get exposure and opportunity, while teams like Country Day and U-D Jesuit will get ridiculously easy wins in their pursuit of six victories to make the state playoffs.

In addition to coaching, Chavis is the director of external partnerships for Equity Education, which runs the school.

He said adding football is a way to help the school increase enrollment.

“The reality was, football is great for leadership training, team training for our young men,” he said. “At this point in Detroit, if you don’t have a football team, you lose your kids to schools that do. So it’s something that we want to provide, the mental, physical aspect of it. And we also wanted to provide something our kids would want to get involved with.”

The Cougars will enter the opener with 25 players on the varsity team, of which only three are seniors. And, by the way, there is no junior varsity or freshman team.

Again, does Chavis have any idea what he is in for?

“I hear you,” Chavis said. “Numbers don’t mean that much, though. It’s about heart. It’s football. A couple wins here and there. If we get four wins, I’d smile a great big smile.”

It is football, all right, and let’s hope Chavis can smile in nine weeks.

Mick McCabe’s top-25 teams: Nos. 11-15

Contact Mick McCabe: 313-223-4744 or mmccabe@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @mickmccabe1.

Novi Detroit Catholic Central’s Alex Bock runs for a big gain against Birmingham Brother Rice. The Shamrocks tied for first in their division and won a district title.

All players are seniors unless noted. (2015 records in parentheses.)

6. Novi Detroit Catholic Central (9-3)

Top players: OG/DT Blake Bueter, DE/TE-OT Jackson Ross, DE/TE Jack Morris, sophomore QB Austin Brown, LB/RB Tyler Morland, junior FB Cameron Ryan, OG William Butler.

Coach: Tom Mach, 41st season (357-96).

Overview: Smash-mouth football is the norm at CC, but with the passing abilities of Brown, the Shamrocks might be a bit more diversified. The offensive line, featuring Bueter and Ross, will open holes for Morland and Ryan, who were effective last season. The only problem is a challenging schedule that includes powerhouse Cleveland St. Ignatius.

►Related:Breaking down Catholic League

7. Rockford (8-4)

Top players: Junior QB Jason Whittaker, junior C Cody Carone, FB Nick Isley, OT Matt Baker, OLBs junior Paul Reinke and Cole VanSetters, DBs junior Mark Remetma and Josh Patterson.

Coach: Ralph Munger, 37th season overall (306-94), 24th at Rockford (219-64).

Overview: There is a nice blend between juniors, four of whom started as a sophomores, and seniors that should mean the Rams will not miss the playoffs for the first time since 1994. Whittaker started eight games last season and is a solid passer. Carone and Baker are cornerstones for a good offensive line. The Rams again will play stingy defense, led by Reinke and VanSetters.

►Related:Top-25 teams: Nos. 11-15

►Related:Top-25 teams: Nos. 16-20

►Related:Top-25 teams: Nos. 21-25

8. Canton (10-3)

Top players: RB Markus Sanders, OT David Gunnis, TE Brennon Pelland, junior LB Lou Baechler, junior DB Colin Troupe, DT Jake Warner.

Coach: Tim Baechler, 26th

season overall (190-66), 19th at Canton (155-46).

Overview: The Chiefs came remarkably close to playing in the Division 1 state championship game last season, losing a 48-41 semifinal shoot-out to Cass Tech. Canton, in its full-house backfield, spreads the ball around to its three backs, but Sanders was able to run for 2,495 yards last fall. Gunnis and Pelland lead a tough offensive line, and the Chiefs will be equally tough in the trenches defensively.

►Related:Breaking down Kensington Lakes league

9. Clarkston (7-3)

Top players: LB Nick Stallworth, QB J.T. King, junior DB/RB Michael Fluegel, C Carter Gale, WR/DB Tyler Retford, DBs Jake Buchman and Kyle Genter.

Coach: Kurt Richardson, 31st season (232-82).

Overview: The offensive line and the secondary will be strong for the Wolves. A dependable line will be important to King, who makes the switch from DB to QB. Fluegel also will help King by giving Clarkston a reliable running attack.

►Related:Breaking down the OAA

10. Hudsonville 7-5

Top players: DB/QB Jack Mandryk, LB/RB Dalton Ager, DT/C Lane Potter, DE/TE Bryce Akins, junior RB/LB Jake Hoekstra, junior DE/TE Hunter Stearns.

Coach: Dave Lidgard, 30th year at Hudsonville, seventh as head coach (32-29).

Overview: The Eagles will be attempting to end Rockford’s stranglehold on the OK Red title. Mandryk is a multidimensional QB who can beat you in a lot of ways, and he is even better on defense. Hudsonville’s strength will be a defensive front seven capable of competing with anyone in the state.

Contact Mick McCabe: 313-223-4744 or mmccabe@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @mickmccabe1.

Lowell QB Ryan Stevens looks to pass the ball against Detroit Martin Luther King in the second half of the Michigan High School Athletic Association football finals at Ford Field in Detroit on Friday, Nov. 27, 2015.

Red

Coaches’ poll: 1. Pioneer 49; 2. Saline 45; 3. Bedford 38; 4. Monroe 37; 5. Skyline 31; 6. Huron 25

Pioneer (7-4, 4-1)

Strength: Defense

Top players: LB/RB Antjuan Simmons; DL/TE Derrick Hubbard; DL/TE Jordan Nwogu; WR/DB Jordan Harris; DB/WR Cedrick Benton; FB/LB Christian Reid; DL/FB Justin Collier

Outlook: Pioneer brings back eight returning starters on defense and will look to lean on that unit through the first few weeks of the season. Simmons, an Ohio State commit, is one of the best players in the state and was an All-State performer both ways last season. Hubbard, a Western Michigan commit, is another versatile player who will have a big impact on both sides of the ball.

Saline (10-1, 5-0)

Strength: Defense

Top players: TE Bryce Wolma; RB Connor Hibbard; OL Caleb Ruefner; DB Robbie Felton; DL Sean O’Keefe; junior LB CJ Gildersleeve; LB Tyler Plocki; DT Nathan Powers

Outlook: The top team in the division last year, Saline enters this season with just seven returning starters — three on offense and four on defense. Wolma — an Arizona commit — and Hibbard will look to provide a smooth transition on offense. But despite a relative lack of experience, don’t count the Hornets out — this is a team that will only get better as the season progresses.

Bedford (4-4, 3-2)

Strength: Offensive and defensive skill positions

Top players: QB/FS Joe Wiemer; RB/DB Jared Nanney; OL Trevor Carr; junior DT Shane Yoder; DB David Jeffers; DB Joe Shepherd; DL Zach Putman; OL Jake Curtis; FB Joe Oehlers

Outlook: Bedford has a tough schedule but could make some noise with its strong class. The Kicking Mules return most of their starters from last year and will look to continue improving as a team throughout fall camp. According to coach Jeff Wood, both the offensive and defensive lines are getting more experience as camp progresses.

Monroe (5-5, 2-3)

Strength: Offensive skill positions.

Top players: RB Carson Clark; RB/LB Jovan Johnson Jr.; WR/S Danny Rickle; WR/CB Donovan Isaac; DB Sam Kinsey

Outlook: Monroe fell to Saline last season in the first round of the playoffs and is looking to make it back to the postseason under a new coaching staff. The Trojans have to replace their entire offensive line but will do so with Clark, owner of the school’s single-season rushing record, and Johnson, who carried the ball in addition to playing linebacker.

Skyline (4-5, 1-4)

Strength: Offense

Top players: WR/LB Hunter Rison; RB/LB Chuck Jones; RB/LB Treshaun Heyward; QB Darryn Davis; OL/DL Brandon Cole; DB Sam Welling; OL/DL Robert Turner; WR/DB Dominic Franklin

Outlook: The Eagles have several standouts at their skill positions. Rison, a Michigan State commit, is a big play waiting to happen at receiver, while Jones — a Central Michigan commit — and Heyward will anchor the running game. The three also form Skyline’s linebacking corps. The Eagles continue to look for their first playoff appearance in school history.

Huron (0-9, 0-5)

Strength: Defense.

Top players: QB/SS Broderick Smith; OL/DL Ahmad Samaha; WR/DB Miles Smith; WR/DB Miles Young; OL/DL Chase Robinson; WR/DB Marquise Johnson

Outlook: Huron is onto its third football coach in four years after the school and former head coach Andre Parker parted ways after a winless season in 2015. Huron has posted just one winning season since 2002, and new coach Daniel Novak will look to turn around the program by changing the culture and team atmosphere. The River Rats will look to their class to lead the way.

• Detroit PSL preview
• Kensington Lakes preview
• Catholic League preview
• OAA preview
• MAC preview
• Downriver preview

White

Coaches’ poll: 1. Chelsea 47; 2. Ypsilanti Lincoln 44; 3. Ypsilanti 43; 4. Tecumseh 33; 5. Adrian 32; 6. Dexter 26

Chelsea (12-2, 4-1)

Strength: Offensive line

Top players: RB Cam Cooper; QB Jack Bush; TE Alex Vasquez; DL Cash Shegan; WR Chris Roush; OL Andrew Klink.

Outlook: The Bulldogs finished the runner-up after losing to Orchard Lake St. Mary’s in the Division 3 state final game last season and will be replacing most of their defense. But Chelsea, a perennial playoff team under coach Brad Bush, returns several key contributors on offense and will be able to rely on its offensive line to provide a consistent running game.

Ypsilanti Lincoln (4-5, 3-2)

Strength: Offense

Top players: Junior QB Cam Thompson; junior QB Undral Pritchett; junior WR Matt Moorer; junior LB Will Lynn; TE Myles Beverly; junior RB/DB Derek Thomason; junior DL Avery Kenyon; junior LB Josh Verges; sophomore RB/LB Jordan Roberson

Outlook: The Railsplitters are in the enviable position of returning most of their standout players from last season and are in position to battle for a conference championship and playoff spot. Thompson — the returning starter — and Pritchett will split time to start the season. Moorer and Beverly will be experienced targets for whomever is under center.

Ypsilanti (4-5, 4-1)

Strength: Defense

Top players: LB/QB Amari Jenson; junior WR Jalen Allen; RB Emerson Wilson; DL/OL Markus Bevier; LB/RB Chris Willis

Outlook: There’s a new sheriff in town for the Grizzlies — former Michigan running backs coach Fred Jackson has taken over. Ypsilanti stumbled to a poor start last season but ended strong, beating Chelsea in week seven to win the White division. Jenson is a talented linebacker who finished third on the team in tackles in 2015 with 80, while Bevier was named honorable mention for his efforts on the defensive line. Jackson expects his defense to anchor the team with its aggressive, free-flowing style, and he thinks his team has a shot to make it back to the postseason.

Tecumseh (4-5, 3-2)

Strength: Defense

Top players: RB/DB Jordan Patterson; junior QB Alex Foss; WR/DB Jakob Shadley; RB/LB Gabe Bechtol; LB Will Sparrow; TE/DL Lucas Coker; LB Kevin Jeffery; OL/DL Josh Treadway.

Outlook: The Indians enter the season lacking depth on the offensive and defensive lines, but have explosive edge players, according to coach Greg Dolson. Look for Tecumseh to lean on its quarterback Boss — who Dolson says is like an extension of the coaching staff. Patterson is an explosive player on both sides of the ball.

Adrian (2-7, 1-4)

Strength: Defense

Top players: WR/DB Dre Buie; OL/DL Logan Davis; QB/LB Andrew Hribar; OL/DL Hunter Krueger; OL/LB Matt Padilla; WR/DB Ty Peck; OL/LB Blake Thompson; RB Caiden Welter

Outlook: Adrian returns more experience on defense. According to coach Scott Cripe, the Maples have decent team speed this season. With several returning starters who play both ways, the Maples will look to develop more depth in hopes of allowing some of their two-way players concentrate on one side of the football.

Dexter (0-9, 0-5)

Strength: Offense

Top players: QB/WR/FS Joey Hiser; RB/DB Seamus McCurren; WR/DB Ryan Flattery; OL/DL Parker Goetz; LB/RB Truman Stovall; OL/DL Travon Reid.

Outlook: Coming off a winless season, the Dreadnaughts will look to make some noise within the White division this fall. Dexter is lacking in depth, but the offense will be anchored by a strong offensive line that should create running room for McCurren and Stodall.

Donovan Peoples-Jones runs by Detroit King’s Jalen Embry for a TD in a 2013 game at Ford Field in Detroit.

Division I

East

Coaches’ poll: 1. Cass Tech 29; 2. (tied) East English 26 and King 26, 4. Osborn 21 (without Wilcher’s vote).

Cass Tech (11-3, 2-1)

Strength: Offense.

Top players (my input): Senior WR Donovan Peoples-Jones, senior S Jaylen Kelly-Powell, senior OT Kelvin Ateman Jr., senior OG Jordan Reid, senior DE Zach Morton, senior CB Donovan Johnson, senior QB Rodney Hall and senior RB Tim Cheatham.

Outlook: The Technicians will be seeking their seventh consecutive trip to at least the Division 1 semifinals plus their second straight trip to the Division 1 finals with redemption on their mind. They dropped last year’s state title game to Romeo, 41-27. They definitely are prime for a return to the finals with five-star wideout and the nation’s No. 1 receiver in the class of 2017, Donovan Peoples-Jones. While Peoples-Jones is expected to anchor the offense along with senior quarterback Rodney Hall, four-star senior safety Jaylen Kelly-Powell should do the same for the defense. With such star power and a strong supporting cast, Cass Tech is a legit Division 1 title contender.

QB Rodney Hall ready to pass No. 1 Detroit Cass Tech to state title

King (14-0, 3-0)

Strength: Defense.

Top players: Senior CB Ambry Thomas, senior OLB Cepeda Phillips and junior DB/WR Jaeveyon Morton.

Outlook: The reigning Division 2 state champs, who are led by four-star senior cornerback Ambry Thomas, will have a new head coach roaming the sidelines this season. Legendary King coach Dale Harvel, who spent 30 fine years with the Crusaders, passed away tragically in late July after suffering a heart attack at a 7-on-7 scrimmage. He will be succeeded by Tyrone Spencer, who previously served as Harvel’s defensive coordinator. “I expect our team to be tough, to play hard this year and to give great effort, win, lose or draw,” Spencer said. “I really believe they will do that because they’re a competitive bunch of guys, even though a lot of them are young.”

East English (9-3, 1-2)

Strength: Offensive line.

Top players: Senior QB Delvin Washington, junior RB/CB Zahmaine March, junior C Tyrone Sampson, junior G/DE Orniska Webster, senior OT/DT Jaylin Phillips, senior WR/DB Samuel Womack, senior DT Tukeemo McGee and junior Desjuan Johnson.

Outlook: The “blue-collar” Bulldogs, as head coach Rod Oden labeled them, got sweet revenge against Warren De La Salle in last year’s playoffs by defeating the Pilots a season after they had taken out East English in the district championship en route to claiming the school’s first state title. East English will now seek revenge against King, who defeated the Bulldogs in both the regular season and in the Division 2 regional championship. With 14 returning starters, this blue-collar bunch could make history by leading the school to its first ever state semifinal appearance.

Osborn (2-7, 1-2)

Strength: Skill positions.

Top players: Sophomore QB Isiah Watts, junior RB Derrick Jones, senior WR Ramon Gates, senior WR Antonio Jackson, senior LB Anton Brown and junior DL/LB/OL Christian Stewart.

Outlook: Former Harper Woods Chandler Park junior varsity head coach Marlon Baker enters his first year at Osborn, which last qualified for the state playoffs in 2008. Baker knows it will be an uphill battle for the Knights in the toughest division in the PSL, yet he believes his team will compete every single week. “I think we’re going to be that team that’s going to shock a lot of people,” Baker said. “We’re going to contend every game, and I think we’ve got all the skills. It’s just how far our offensive line is going to take us.”

West

Coaches’ poll: 1. Mumford 39, 2. Renaissance 34, 3. Cody 32, 4. Western 31.

Mumford (4-5, 2-1)

Strength: Defensive line.

Top players: DE Greg Johnson, DL Bryant Evans, LB Brandon Green, DL Aaron Woods, OT Andre Bailey, QB Omar Pagan, RB Cerell Lewis and WR Lavien Fields.

Outlook: In his fourth year on the job, head coach Donshell English hopes to get the Mustangs back on track after they took a step back last year and finished 4-5, missing out on the state playoffs for the first time since 2012. Mumford’s defensive line should play a significant role in getting the school back to the postseason.

• Kensington Lakes preview

Renaissance (5-4, 2-1)

Strength: Defensive end.

Top players: Senior QB Jason Johnson, senior RB/S Cam’Ron Starks, junior DE/TE Vernon Rush, junior DE Brian Buckson, junior OT/OG Damareion White and junior LB/S/HB/TE Abdur Boyer.

Outlook: The Phoenix only have three seniors returning, but have a strong junior and underclassmen group that will try to get the Phoenix back to the state playoffs after missing out in 2015. If head man Lou Beatty gets the most out of QB Jason Johnson and fellow senior Cam’Ron Starks, the Phoenix could be in store for a big season with the two-headed monster of Vernon Rush and Brian Buckson on the defensive line. Rush and Buckson are the two guys whom Beatty considers to be his “defensive pillars.”

Cody (2-7, 2-1)

Strength: Defense.

Top players: DE Jayssaor Ball, LB/RB Zyaire Gardner and junior C Gerard Sims.

Outlook: After a disappointing 2015 campaign, Cody hopes to bounce back and return to the playoffs for the first time since 2013. “I expect us to be a lot stronger, and a lot more disciplined this year,” head coach Calvin Norman said. Norman expects to have better defensive and offensive lines in place than in previous years, which he believes will enable the Comets to improve upon their 2-7 finish last season.

Western (2-7, 0-3)

Strengths: Wide receiver and defensive back.

Top players: Senior DB/WR Brent Watson, senior DB/WR Devin George and DE Antonio McCance.

Outlook: After losing four of their seven games on the last possession last year, the Cowboys expect to turn the corner and win some of those games this season. Although the Cowboys will be very young and inexperienced on the offensive line, they are a primarily veteran bunch which will be led by playmaking wideouts Brent Watson and Devin George. If the Cowboys can buy enough time from their line to hurl the ball to Watson and George on the outside, this could be a dangerous offensive team in 2016.

• Catholic League preview

Division II

East

Coaches’ poll: 1. Denby 39, 2. Central 37, 3. (tie) Pershing 30 and Southeastern 30.

Denby (6-5, 0-3)

Strength: Offense.

Top players: Senior RB Adonte Calhoun, senior FB Giovanni Allen, senior QB Romel Taylor, senior DB/WR Tonato Tutt, junior LB Jaylin Early, senior TE/DE Rahim Ali, senior C Cameron Spicer, junior OT/DT David Blake, junior S/WR Brandon Stevenson and junior RB/DB Armani White.

Outlook: Denby is gunning for its fourth straight playoff appearance, and for its first regional title game appearance since 2006 when it fell to Warren Cousino. “We are very excited about this season and feel we are ready to make that breakthrough in the city and state ranks,” Denby head coach Tony Blankenship said. “If we can remain healthy, we will be a force to be reckoned with.”

• OAA preview

Central (6-4, 3-0)

Strength: Interior line/skill positions.

Top players: Senior LB/RB Santangho Reynolds, RB Demetrious Christian, RB Chaim Austin, WR Anthony Baker, WR Rodney Johnson and MLB Darnell Newbold.

Outlook: Central aims to make it three consecutive state playoff appearances in 2016. It also looks to advance past the first round for the first time since 2010 when it advanced all the way to the regional championship against the now defunct Detroit Crockett. First-year Central head coach Lynn Sanders, a 1994 graduate of the school, will use a strong interior line and a talented bunch of skill players to try to accomplish that feat.

Pershing (4-5, 2-1)

Strength: Skill positions.

Top players: Senior OL/DT Airon Reeves, senior LB Jonathan Moore, senior RB Omar Twilley, senior WR Michael Bursey and junior WR Dejuan Seals.

Outlook: After finishing 4-5 in back-to-back campaigns, the Doughboys look to creep above the .500 mark in 2016. They will attempt to do so while using no true No. 1 quarterback. Instead, Pershing head man Kareem Sadler will deploy a QB-by-committee approach. The Doughboys will have a veteran offensive line blocking for their multiple quarterbacks and creating holes for running back Omar Twilley this season, though. With that being said, expect the Doughboys to rely heavily upon their ground game, especially during the beginning of the season.

Southeastern (1-8, 0-3)

Strength: Defensive front seven.

Top players: Junior QB Curtis Murphy, senior OL KeAnthony Mayers, junior C/DT Leon Sims, junior MLB Michael Hargro, junior CB/RB Creed Stegall and senior DE Anthony Hudson.

Outlook: After two straight seasons of losing at least eight games, Southeastern head coach Jason Smith believes the experience of playing on varsity garnered by junior quarterback Curtis Murphy and others who were underclassmen a year ago will pay dividends. If it does, expect this team to get to four wins, which almost occurred in 2015 after suffering three losses of six points or less.

• MAC preview

West

Coaches’ poll: 1. Northwestern 38, 2. Henry Ford 37, 3. Douglass 33, 4. CMA 28.

Northwestern (9-1, 3-0)

Strength: Athleticism.

Top players: Junior athlete Joseph Dennis, sophomore athlete Calvin Fair, senior quarterback Marcus Smith, senior MLB Delvon Wells, sophomore DE/WR Jason Singleton and senior OL Narico Richardson.

Outlook: What Northwestern had in experience last year with 16 returning starters, they lack this year with only four returning starters on each side of the ball. “Seeing how fast those (young) guys can adjust to being on varsity and playing at this level of football will determine how we do as a school,” Colts head coach Jimmy Hill said. With that being said, it might be fair to expect a little dip in wins from last year’s 9-1 mark, which marked the school’s second ever nine-win campaign and its best finish since going 9-2 in 2007.

Henry Ford (5-4, 2-1)

Strength: Defense.

Top players: Senior DB/WR Ricky Garner, junior QB Antonio Green, senior LB/TE Alton Dawson and junior OL/DL Jalen McKinney.

Outlook: After finishing above .500 for the first time since 2011 with a 5-4 record, the Trojans hope to build upon last season’s success despite having 12 players graduate from last year’s squad. Senior defensive back Ricky Garner will have to be a force defensively, and junior Jalen McKinney will have to be a force on both lines in order for Ford to gain further traction within the PSL in 2016.

• Downriver preview

Douglass (3-6, 1-2)

Strength: Speed on defense.

Top players: Sophomore DB/RB Jalen Mann, junior starting QB Jalen Randall, senior LT Paul Brown, senior LB/RB Terrell Harris and senior FS Christian Jones.

Outlook: Douglass head man Phil Sherman has an extremely young squad in year number two at the helm for the Hurricanes with only one returning starter. The Hurricanes are coming off a 3-6 campaign after two consecutive one-victory finishes. With all the youth on this year’s squad, a return to the playoffs for the first time since 2012 might not be in store yet. However, with another step forward taken this year, it definitely could be on the horizon for the ‘Canes.

CMA (1-8, 0-3)

Strength: Linebackers.

Top players: Senior QB Matthew Webb, senior LB Darius Bell, DL/OL Shannon Johnson and senior LB/RB James Clark.

Outlook: CMA scored a total of 14 points throughout the entire 2015 campaign. They should be in store for an uptick in offense with senior passer Matthew Webb.