It's the last week of the boys hockey season this week with the quarterfinals, semifinals and finals of the state tournament taking place, and there's only one conclusion Kosmo can make as he glances at the quarterfinal pairings: Oakland County is the center of the high school hockey world this year.
It's remarkable how many teams from the area are still playing.
There are four in Division 1, two of which are playing each other in Novi and Clarkston. If Lake Orion and Orchard Lake St. Mary's win their quarterfinal games, then three of the four semifinal teams on Friday will be Oakland County squads.
Wow.
In Division 2, Birmingham Brother Rice and Waterford Mott are playing each other in a quarterfinal, and the winner has a great chance of going all the way.
Of course, the team that seemingly wins the state title in Division 3 every year, Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood, is still alive and the favorite to win yet again.
Great job by all these teams and it could be a glorious weekend at Compuware Arena in Plymouth for area hockey teams.
- Waterford Our Lady of the Lakes will face its toughest test in its quest to defend its Class D state girls basketball title when it faces Marine City Cardinal Mooney in a regional semifinal on Tuesday at Auburn Hills Oakland Christian. Each team is among the state's best, but WOLL did win 2 out of the 3 previous meetings this season.