A Quick Look at the Biggest Week 4 Matchups in the OAA

<p>This is the first week of the season where I won't be making the trip down to Metro Detroit to watch a football game. Although I won't be driving down, it doesn't mean that there aren't some incredibly crucial games this weekend. This weekend in the OAA features a few matchups with major playoff implications. All three of these games could go either way, and we could very well see a few of these teams at Ford Field come November. Here's a quick breakdown of some of the biggest week 4 games in the OAA! </p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Lake Orion (2-1) @ Oxford (1-2)</h2>   <p>This is a massive OAA Red matchup that will have major playoff implications. </p>   <p>On paper, Lake Orion is the favorite. They come into this game undefeated, having won against a weak Troy opponent last week. In the previous weeks, they defeated Stoney Creek and Northville, both solid opponents. Still, this may be their toughest matchup yet. Oxford has shown a tremendous amount of toughness thus far, having just lost by one score against Clarkston. For this matchup, Tristian Hill needs to be on point. I'd love to see him take good care of the football and take risks only when needed. I'm also curious to see how the defense performs- guys like [player_tooltip player_id='602104' first='Parker' last='Bresett'] will play a big role in this game.</p>   <p>Oxford has had a much tougher schedule so far. Through 3 weeks, Oxford has faced three state championship contenders. Their lone win came from a dominant performance against defending state-champion Harper Woods, while they just had a one-score game against Clarkston. I am incredibly interested to see how Oxford finishes the season, and I hope they earn a playoff spot. If they want to earn a playoff spot, they absolutely have to defeat at least one OAA Red opponent. In order to find success during this game, I'd love to see big games from some of their stars. Quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='1148730' first='Jack' last='Hendrix'] is coming off of an impressive performance against Clarkston, where he threw a couple of incredibly impressive passes. On the other hand, running back [player_tooltip player_id='602107' first='Luke' last='Johnson'] is always a threat to break a big run. Finally, K/P [player_tooltip player_id='899642' first='Drew' last='Cady'] is one of the best special teamers in Michigan and I'd love to see him pin Lake Orion back or hit a big field goal. Oxford will have to play well to defeat Lake Orion, but I think this team has a chance. </p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Clarkston (2-1) @ Adams (3-0)</h2>   <p>Both of these teams are frontrunners to win the OAA Red. This game will have major implications for the league, and it may dictate playoff seeding. </p>   <p>Clarkston is one of the most consistent teams in Michigan. You'll rarely see an off day from the Wolves, and they're in just about every game they play. Dating back to last season, Clarkston went 6-6 on the year but had an incredibly impressive playoff upset against undefeated Lake Orion. Never count Clarkston out. Now, there will be a number of players that will have a significant effect on this game. ATH [player_tooltip player_id='1316908' first='Griffin' last='Boman'] will need to play well on both sides of the ball. Against Adams' Veer offense, Griffin and the rest of the defense need to react fast and make sure the ball carrier goes down on first contact. Offensively, Griffin needs to make the most of his carries, and he'll play a big part in making sure the offense stays on the field. Likewise, young quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='1317918' first='Alex' last='Waszczenko'] needs to have a mistake-free game. I was incredibly impressed with the Adams defense as they faced West Bloomfield, and I hope that Alex is able to make smart, calculated decisions to keep drives alive. If Clarkston takes care of the ball and if they earn a few first downs per drive, they have a good shot. If they go 3-and-out a number of times, Adams will just run out the clock.</p>   <p>I watched the Rochester Adams offense work to perfection last week. The Veer offense can drive teams mad, and that's exactly what happened to West Bloomfield. Now, against a familiar opponent, Adams needs to find another way to win. Of course, [player_tooltip player_id='566987' first='Ryland' last='Watters'] will play a major role in this game on both sides of the ball. Offensively, he needs to keep making smart decisions while earning those tough ground yards. Defensively, Ryland has an opportunity to make plenty of stops when Clarkston tries to push the ball to the outside. Guys like Liam Kania also need to have great defensive days- Clarkston is a team that prides itself on winning at the line of scrimmage, and Adams needs to force a few early stops to gain the advantage. </p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Stoney Creek (1-2) @ Harper Woods (1-2)</h2>   <p>This matchup is a doozy. On one hand, the jury is still out on Stoney Creek. Through three weeks, they've lost big to two of the best teams in Oakland County, Lake Orion and Groves, while winning against a historically OK Cousino program. As for Harper Woods, something is not working. They came into the season with one of the most talented rosters in Michigan but have failed to remotely compete against Oxford and Detroit Catholic Central. </p>   <p>Stoney Creek should view this as a prime opportunity to gain playoff points. In order for them to win against such a talented offense, their defensive leaders need to have a good game. Senior Linebacker [player_tooltip player_id='1295594' first='Brandon' last='Dobos'] Jr is coming off a pretty nice game against Groves, where he proved to be an excellent run-stopper. On Friday, he needs to stay disciplined, shed blocks, and be the between-the-tackles enforcer that I know he can be. He's also shown an ability to rush the passer, and I'd love to see that as well. Furthermore, linemen like [player_tooltip player_id='1148703' first='Brody' last='Rummler'] and [player_tooltip player_id='899499' first='Spencer' last='Beckeman'] have a great opportunity to help get the run game going. The Harper Woods defensive front is good, but they haven't been playing up to par thus far. If Stoney Creek can run behind their big offensive line and sustain a few good drives, they have a great chance at victory. </p>   <p>What's the issue with Harper Woods? I honestly don't know what to think except that they must be experiencing some disconnect or critical injuries. I don't see 2024 highlights from some of their star players, so health could possibly be an issue. Anyway, Harper Woods still needs to find a way to get back on track. Offensively, they have to find a way to spread the ball between their playmakers. [player_tooltip player_id='1167239' first='Deandre' last='Bidden'] and [player_tooltip player_id='547739' first='Dakota' last='Guerrant'] should be able to make plays downfield, but I'd expect those deep shots to be set up by a balanced run game from the offensive line and backs like [player_tooltip player_id='899525' first='Colby' last='Bailey'] and [player_tooltip player_id='603737' first='Donald' last='Adams']. Defensively, Harper Woods needs to force some turnovers and gain some sort of early momentum. JaJuan Jones and [player_tooltip player_id='603738' first='Jevon' last='Jones Jr'] come to mind as defenders who could have a big impact on Friday's game. </p>   <p></p>

This is the first week of the season where I won't be making the trip down to Metro Detroit to watch a football game. Although I won't be driving down, it doesn't mean that there aren't some incredibly crucial games this weekend. This weekend in the OAA features a few matchups with major playoff implications. All three of these games could go either way, and we could very well see a few of these teams at Ford Field come November. Here's a quick breakdown of some of the biggest week 4 games in the OAA!