Southeast Michigan football teams look to bounce back
Metro Detroit will feature solid teams and impressive individuals this fall
Tom Markowski / The Detroit News
In the 2008 high school football season, teams from Michigan's west side dominated play in the eight state championship games at Ford Field. Teams from the Grand Rapids/Muskegon area took home trophies like they were making a run at a garage sale.
Four Muskegon County schools and three from the Grand Rapids area won titles. Throw in Traverse City St. Francis, and teams from southeast Michigan were hugging a big goose egg.
The 2009 season, however, will evolve as a golden opportunity for teams in these parts to even the score. Squads from Lake Orion, Sterling Heights Stevenson, Orchard Lake St. Mary's and Inkster, to name a few, are expected to contend for state titles
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Here's an early look at how the four areas -- Detroit, East, North and West -- in Metro Detroit are shaping up:
Detroit
1. Southeastern: Southeastern is the new king in the city. Coach Donshell English returns a handful of Division I prospects including defensive end/outside linebacker William Gholston, lineman Johnathan Hankins and quarterback Edward Thomas. Southeastern did not lose to a Detroit Public School League team last season, winning all 10 games.
2. Crockett: After Southeastern, nothing is for certain in the PSL, but Crockett does return Tony Lippett at quarterback/defensive back. Lippett likely will play receiver in college and coach Rod Oden just might use Lippett as a receiver this season. Ashton Gaines will be a junior and is already one of the league's top receivers. Oden's teams always play physical and that quality is very important in this league.
3. Renaissance: Losing two players who signed with Michigan State is a tough blow but coach Antonio Watts had a young team last year. Experience, on the field and on the sidelines, will go a long way in a Division 2, with Cody and Henry Ford having new coaches.
4. King: King was down last season and the Crusaders took their lumps. But like Renaissance, they were a young team. Watch for King to go about its business, and if it can win two of its first three, it will go into the league season with some momentum.
5. Southwestern: Coach Tony Blankenship had only 20 players last season and won nine games. Give Blankenship a little bit of talent and he'll get the most out of it. A favorable schedule could land Southwestern in the state playoffs for a third consecutive season.
TOP THREE PLAYMAKERS
1. William Gholston, Southeastern: When a defensive end/outside linebacker can dominate the way Gholston can, you know you have a special player.
2. Dior Mathis, Cass Tech: Mathis, the fastest player in the city, will make his presence known whether he's returning kicks or playing cornerback.
3. Mylan Hicks, Renaissance: Hicks, recruited as a defensive back, could be a factor at running back as well.
East
1. Sterling Heights Stevenson: Tough call here. With Stevenson, Warren DeLaSalle and Macomb Dakota, Macomb County has three of the state's top teams. Stevenson is the only one that returns its quarterback, however. Jason Fracassa is listed generously at 5-foot-9 but is an outstanding high school quarterback -- and he's a winner.
2. Warren DeLaSalle: Last season the Pilots reached the Division 2 final for the second time in three years, and this team could be even better. The reason is experience on the line of scrimmage. DeLaSalle also will add a few transfers, including a couple from Sterling Heights, including receiver Patrick Harris. Defensive tackles Steve O'Shell and Matt Privett are two of the Catholic League's top defensive players.
3. Macomb Dakota: The Cougars lost a couple of all-conference linemen but the core returns. Dakota's offense wasn't up to specs last season. Look for more consistency in 2009.
4. Romeo: The Bulldogs scored 391 points last season, easily the most in school history. With running back Ben Brown and the county's top kicker, Robbie Flinn, back, scoring should not be a problem.
5. Warren Mott: Coach Tom Milanov has done well with this program. Lacking the big offensive linemen Dakota boasts, Mott runs the spread to loosen defenses. Mott returns quarterback Ben Filimon and its top three receivers, including C.J. Olanyian.
TOP THREE PLAYMAKERS
1. Jason Fracassa, Stevenson: Easy call. No player brings more excitement than Fracassa.
2. Ben Brown, Romeo: At 6-1 and 215 pounds, Brown is a load to bring down and has the speed to break long runs.
3. Austin Gray, Warren Fitzgerald: The best linebacker in the county, Gray makes plays all over the field.
North
1. Lake Orion: Somewhat of an easy choice -- the Dragons reached the Division 1 final and return last season's best freshman quarterback in Sean Charette. Also back is one of Oakland County's top running backs in Kim Bruce. With two starting receivers returning, look for Charette to throw more.
2. Orchard Lake St. Mary's: Of the 32 linemen on the roster last season, 22 return. This bodes well for Robert Bolden, one of the state's best quarterbacks.
3. Clarkston: Coach Kurt Richardson needs to shore up a defense that allowed 178 points in the first five games last season. Offensively the Wolves, with Tyler Scarlett back at quarterback, can match St. Mary's in efficiency.
4. Birmingham Brother Rice: Coach Al Fracassa returns just one offensive lineman so there's work to be done. But he has the county's top receiver in Kevonte Martin-Manley and Frankie Popp is back at quarterback.
5. Detroit Catholic Central: The Shamrocks return their backfield, led by one of the top fullbacks in the area in Niko Palazeti. This team has a handful of all-Catholic players back and will be formidable.
TOP THREE PLAYMAKERS
1. Robert Bolden, Orchard Lake St. Mary's: Bolden throws well in the pocket and on the run, and he can make the big play out of seemingly nothing.
2. Tyler Scarlett, Clarkston: The best pass/run quarterback in the county.
3. Jason Ray, Detroit Country Day: Athletic and physical, this linebacker is a difference-maker and will also handle some of the kicking chores.
West
1. Canton: The Chiefs return so many good players, including quarterback Kevin Delapaz (11 TD passes, no interceptions), and a candidate for an all-name team, tight end Dakota Dark-Bird. "I'm excited," coach Tim Baechler said. "We had our four-day camp and I liked what I saw. We'll be a lot more athletic on defense."
2. Inkster: Devin Gardner. That's all you need to know. He's the state's best quarterback and he can beat you with the run or the pass. Receiver Jonathan Taylor is one of the best around. Add four returning offensive linemen and this team is loaded.
3. Dearborn Fordson: The Tractors will always be in the mix, even if they haven't been to a state final since 1993. Receiver Baquer Sayed is one of the best and he has his quarterback (Ali Baidoun) back, too. Fordson must replace its running backs, but that position has never been a problem for this program.
4. Livonia Stevenson: So much of the 
5. Dearborn: Nores Fradi is one of the state's top linebackers and the defense must carry Dearborn in the early part of the season. The first third of the schedule is favorable, giving the offense time to develop.
TOP THREE PLAYMAKERS
1. Devin Gardner, Inkster: Plays like Vince Young and has his big-play capabilities at this level.
2. Austin White, Livonia Stevenson: One of the most dynamic running backs the last four years or so. He's a good receiver out of the backfield, too.
3. Aaron Bailey, Woodhaven: Bailey, listed as a running back, is also used as a punt and kickoff returner. Bailey finished seventh in the Division 1 100-meter dash and sixth in the 200.
