Round 1 Playoff matchups to watch in Southeast Michigan

This Friday the playoffs kickoff and we have a bounty of great games to watch in the Metro Detroit area. From giants facing off against one another to unfamiliar foes, this is going to be an incredibly fun week of High School Football. Let’s check out the top 6 games in the area. <strong><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Games to Watch</span></strong> <strong>Cass Tech @ Fordson (D1) - </strong>This is THE game to watch in southeast Michigan, hands down. This matchup has top talent on both sides of the ball, with two programs that can definitely win the state championship. Cass Tech’s only losses were against King, one of the best programs in the state, with one more loss while they had many players sitting due to covid. As for Fordson, they’re looking elite sitting at 7-2 with one of the top athletes in the state, [player_tooltip player_id="30132" first="Antonio" last="Gates Jr"]. Fordson players to watch: WR [player_tooltip player_id="30132" first="Antonio" last="Gates Jr"], T [player_tooltip player_id="30140" first="Ka’Marii" last="Landers"],  C [player_tooltip player_id="30197" first="Fayez" last="Al-Ziyadi"], WR <a class="uni-link--implied" href="https://www.hudl.com/profile/11789470">Mohammed Sayed</a> Cass Tech players to watch: T [player_tooltip player_id="30143" first="Jackson" last="Pruitt"], DT [player_tooltip player_id="30286" first="Deone" last="Walker"], DL [player_tooltip player_id="162650" first="Jalen" last="Thompson"], G [player_tooltip player_id="30153" first="Masai" last="Reddick"], CB [player_tooltip player_id="30164" first="Nate" last="Briggs"] <strong>Oxford @ Clarkston (D1) - </strong>Two opponents very familiar with one another will face off in a win-or-go-home battle. Earlier this season, Clarkston came away with the victory 20-17, and this matchup should be just as competitive. Clarkston finished the season 8-1, earning 2nd place in the OAA Red while Oxford finished 5-4, earning 3rd place. Clarkston players to watch - RB <a href="https://www.hudl.com/profile/13219465/Ethan-Clark">Ethan Clark</a>, QB [player_tooltip player_id="30159" first="Mike" last="DePillo"], G <a class="uni-link--implied" href="https://www.hudl.com/profile/13192685">[player_tooltip player_id="30321" first="Cole" last="Dellinger"]</a>, MLB <a class="uni-link--implied" href="https://www.hudl.com/profile/11464509">Caleb Stalworth</a> Oxford players to watch - RB <a href="https://www.hudl.com/profile/13237003/Tate-Myre">Tate Myre</a>, TE <a href="https://www.hudl.com/profile/11748800/Austin-AT-Witt">Austin Witt</a>, QB <a href="https://www.hudl.com/profile/11556248/Brady-Carpenter">Brady Carpenter</a>, OLB <a href="https://www.hudl.com/profile/11557454/Jacob-Welc">Jacob Welc</a> <strong>Waterford Mott @ Berkley (D2) - </strong>These are two unfamiliar teams facing off against each other in what I expect to be a great game. These teams are from comparable leagues (OAA Blue vs Lakes Valley) and offer similar talent. This should be a fun one to watch. Mott players to watch - CB <a class="uni-link--implied" href="https://www.hudl.com/profile/11468326">[player_tooltip player_id="99347" first="Ashton" last="Tong"]</a>, G <a class="uni-link--implied" href="https://www.hudl.com/profile/11468191">CJ Aldred</a>, QB <a class="uni-link--implied" href="https://www.hudl.com/profile/16188224">Kalieb Osborne</a> Berkley players to watch - RB <a href="https://www.hudl.com/profile/11157514/Jake-Domzalski">Jake Domzalski</a>, DT <a href="https://www.hudl.com/profile/11157526/Sean-McKenzie">Sean McKenzie</a>, QB <a class="uni-link--implied" href="https://www.hudl.com/profile/11158095">Zach Maurice</a> <strong>Walled Lake Western @ Lakeland (D2) - </strong>These teams were supposed to play one another during the regular season, but it got called off due to covid. Both squads come in at 6-3, with very similar offensive and defensive statistics. If you’re in the White Lake area, this is surely a great matchup to watch. Western players to watch - LB [player_tooltip player_id="164622" first="Aidan" last="Vaughan"], QB <a class="uni-link--implied" href="https://www.hudl.com/profile/12681557">[player_tooltip player_id="30322" first="Drew" last="Viotto"],</a> WR <a class="uni-link--implied" href="https://www.hudl.com/profile/12952086">[player_tooltip player_id="30346" first="Darius" last="Taylor"]</a> Lakeland players to watch - SB <a class="uni-link--implied" href="https://www.hudl.com/profile/11628018">Reed Jabiro</a>, QB <a class="uni-link--implied" href="https://www.hudl.com/profile/15386119">Tate Farquhar</a>, DE <a class="uni-link--implied" href="https://www.hudl.com/profile/13476996">Dillon Gacki</a> <strong>River Rouge @ Harper Woods (D3) - </strong>Here’s another matchup against two excellent teams with the potential to go far in the postseason. River Rouge, although ranked lower in the playoffs, comes into this one as the slight favorite. Rouge finished the season 6-2 with losses against De La Salle and St. Ignatius (OH). Harper Woods on the other hand comes in 7-2 with losses against De La Salle and St. Mary Prep. Needless to say, this one’s going to be great. If you’re in the Detroit area, this is an excellent one to watch River Rouge players to watch - TE <a class="uni-link--implied" href="https://www.hudl.com/profile/11401007">[player_tooltip player_id="30139" first="Davonte" last="Miles"]</a>, WR <a class="uni-link--implied" href="https://www.hudl.com/profile/14272518">Nicholas Marsh</a>, QB <a class="uni-link--implied" href="https://www.hudl.com/profile/11152780">[player_tooltip player_id="30169" first="Jalen" last="Holly"]</a>, MLB <a class="uni-link--implied" href="https://www.hudl.com/profile/8049916">Jonathan Marshall</a> Harper Woods players to watch - WR <a class="uni-link--implied" href="https://www.hudl.com/profile/12770887">[player_tooltip player_id="30142" first="Tayshawn" last="Trent"]</a>, ATH [player_tooltip player_id="30141" first="Christion" last="Stokes"], QB <a class="uni-link--implied" href="https://www.hudl.com/profile/7944182">[player_tooltip player_id="30188" first="Vinny" last="Booth"]</a>, FS <a class="uni-link--implied" href="https://www.hudl.com/profile/8904540">[player_tooltip player_id="77223" first="Jacob" last="Oden"]</a> <strong>Riverview @ Allen Park (D3) - </strong>Last but not least we have undefeated Riverview facing off against 7-2 Allen Park. The reason Riverview isn’t ranked higher is because of their strength of schedule, which was not as good as most other programs. Though they’re still a great team who hasn’t even smelled a loss up to this point, and this is going to be a great test. As for Allen Park, They have the home field advantage at 7-2 with losses against great teams in Harper Woods and Woodhaven. Riverview players to watch - QB [player_tooltip player_id="164626" first="Preston" last="Thompson"], TE <a href="https://www.hudl.com/profile/4324364/Landon-Kincaid">Landon Kincaid</a>, RB <a class="uni-link--implied" href="https://www.hudl.com/profile/11129961">Reece Wakeman</a> Allen Park players to watch - G <a href="https://www.hudl.com/profile/3073244/Gabe-Craig">Gabe Craig</a>, RB <a class="uni-link--implied" href="https://www.hudl.com/profile/10045500">Sunerio Hamilton</a>, QB [player_tooltip player_id="93690" first="Ethan" last="Gajewski"]