This of course is the district round of the state tournament for volleyball teams around the state, and upon glancing at the schedule, Kosmo finds it a little curious as to when games are scheduled. For starters, teams will play one match during a night and then come home, as opposed to being like baseball/softball and just doing the district in one day. This would make a lot more sense for the semifinal/final rounds, not necessarily the first round games. Second, why are so many district finals scheduled for Friday night? This makes absolutely NO sense. When the whole season change lawsuit was going on, it was argued by volleyball honks (most notably the lawsuits brought on by the two mothers) that it was discriminating against female athletes and volleyball players by having them play in the winter instead of the more traditional fall season. Yet here we are in the fall and these volleyball players have to compete with a football playoff night on Friday. Heck, the same holds true for those playing volleyball district finals on Saturday afternoon because of all the football going on. Yeah, that's SO much less discrimination going on, wink-wink. For the record, please detect Kosmo's sarcasm. It's ridiculous and it's too bad the volleyball players won't be getting much attention this week, or at least as much as they could be getting in the winter.

We're headed towards the second week of the state football playoffs, and Kosmo can't remember when there's been a week of better matchups in the state playoffs. Seriously, in the past decade and maybe even longer, Kosmo can't remember a better slate of games involving Oakland County teams. Here's a breakdown of some of those while rating them by a number of stars. 5 is the highest and 1 is the lowest, although a "1" doesn't exist this week. Novi Detroit Catholic Central at Walled Lake Northern(5 stars) - Ben Franklin probably wouldn't be able to produce the kind of electricity that'll be over at Northern on Friday. Not only do the Knights get to play their second ever home game, but they do so against one of the state's gold standards. Can Collin O'Donnell & Co. put up the amount of points they have all season against Anthony Darkangelo and that CC defense? Kosmo can't wait to find out. Southfield at Oak Park (5 stars) - A rematch of an overtime game earlier this year at Southfield, which Oak Park won. This promises to be just as good if not better. It'll be like a NASCAR race to with all the speed on the field. Birmingham Detroit Country Day at Pontiac Notre Dame Prep (5 stars) - This will be a Saturday night game and one Kosmo has been looking forward to all year. Finally, these teams will clash in the playoffs. They've without question been the top Division 4 programs in the county over the past few years and each has a stellar junior running back. Country Day has Richie Wilson, while Notre Dame Prep has Jermaih Johnson. Grand Blanc at Clarkston (4.5 stars) - Clarkston has a big offensive line and a star running back in Ian Eriksen. Kosmo has heard through the grapevine that Grand Blanc has multiple Division I college players and a good defensive line. Something has got to give. Utica Eisenhower at Lake Orion (4.5 stars)- One of Oakland County's best every year against one of Macomb County's best ever year. Does Kosmo need to say any more? Auburn Hills Avondale at Orchard Lake St. Mary's (3.5 stars) - A wonderful matchup between two high-powered offenses, although St. Mary's has an advantage in defense despite the fact Avondale's defensive unit is much improved. It won't be 71-44 like it was a couple of years ago. St. Mary's should win though.

One week of the state playoffs down, four more to go. For those who live to play another week, congrats and enjoy another week of football. For those who saw their seasons end, congrats on a good season and hopefully you can go farther next year. And to those who made Kosmo's 3 star selections, enjoy your well-deserved recognition. The NHL may still be in a lockout, but here are Kosmo's 3 stars for Friday. Third star Brian Walker, Birmingham Brother Rice — It sure can't be much fun to get in the way of this Mack Truck when he's running right. He certainly was doing that against Port Huron on Friday, as he ran for 201 yards and three touchdowns on 22 carries in a 47-26 win. Second star Michael Johnson, Auburn Hills Avondale - Johnson has struggled with some injuries all season long, but is getting healthy at the perfect time. He ran for 176 yards on 22 carries for the Yellow Jackets in a 21-19 win over Bloomfield Hills Lahser and maybe gives Avondale a fighting chance against St. Mary's next week. First star Kyle Bambard, Walled Lake Western - This kid is the definition of CLUTCH. Despite the fact the Warriors trailed late against Farmington, he helped Western convert a pair of fourth downs, including a 25-yard touchdown pass to Nik Heglin that ended up being the game-winning score. Bambard led the offense all game against a tough defense and kicked a big 43-yard field goal as well. No doubt, the ultimate warrior for the Warriors.

And then there were 22. That's how many Oakland County teams qualified for the state football playoffs, so Kosmo can't wait to see which ones will be at Ford Field, because there usually are a lot of county teams. But before Kosmo worries about the state finals, he'll focus on the first round this weekend. Here are the questions Kosmo is asking most as the first round commences. Can Lahser rebound in its rematch against Avondale? - Two weeks ago, Lahser played at Avondale in what amounted to a game for second place in the OAA Blue, and it was won 37-20 by Avondale. Well, these teams happened to draw each other in the same location on Friday, and rematches usually aren't the same. But all that might depend on the health of Lahser running back Nate Emery. He was bothered by an ankle during the first meeting, but if he's recovered, Lahser is a different team. It might still not be enough to overtake a talented Avondale team, but the game would be a lot closer at the very least. How neat is the Catholic Central-Hartland matchup? - Very neat, and Kosmo can't wait to see what happens. You have a school that's not used to football success in Hartland that's had a dream season at 8-1. It's rare when Hartland gets to play a home, so the whole community will be rocking for this one. Then you have perennial power Catholic Central, which barely got in at 5-4 but always is battle-tested. Kosmo is looking forward to seeing what wins out, playoff excitement or playoff experience. Can Southfield beat Detroit Martin Luther King again? - This is the definition of a toss-up. It was certainly like that in the season opener between the teams, when Southfield won in overtime by a point after MLK missed an extra point. This will be a wonderful 4:30 matinee at Southfield. Can Farmington rebound after two straight lopsided losses? - The Falcons got blown out the last two weeks against Harrison and Lake Orion, and it's not good to have such bad momentum going into the state playoffs. It's also not good to have such negative momentum going into a playoff game against Walled Lake Western at Western, so we'll see if the Falcons can get it together. Why are Farmington Hills Harrison and Birmingham Brother Rice headed so far north for their first round games? - Not even your all-knowing one can make sense of that. Harrison will play at Fenton while Brother Rice will play at Port Huron. And Division 2 happens to be the Division with the most Oakland County teams also. Go figure.

We're down to the final eight in the Division 1 state boys soccer tournament, and by a show of hands, how many felt the last three Oakland County teams remaining would be Novi, Birmingham Groves and Walled Lake Central? Yes, not many hands have been raised, Kosmo knows. In fact, it's shocking that no team from the mighty OAA Red is left standing, but that's more of a product of those teams being lumped into the same district than them being overrated or anything silly like that. However, that is definitely the case now despite the fact that all three were under the radar for most of the season. Novi is ALWAYS good, but even the Wildcats didn't return a lot going into this season. However, the Wildcats and head coach Brian O'Leary just keep getting it done. Don Nakashima has been quite a striker and Nick Oakley continues to get it done in the clutch. Birmingham Groves returned a lot of players going into this season, but it didn't even win its own league, the OAA White. However, the Falcons got by a good Berkley team in districts before beating Macomb L'Anse Creuse North on Tuesday in a regional final. A trip to the state semifinals is definitely doable with a game against Utica Ford on tap on Thursday in the regional final. Finally, there's Kosmo's old buddy, Ike the Vike. The Vikings didn't have a great regular season, but are right there now following an overtime win over Traverse City Central in a regional final on Thursday. Beat Grand Blanc on Thursday at Troy, and the Vikings are right there in the state semifinals. Who would've thunk it? Then again, that can be said for all three teams going into Thursday.

Sunday was one of the most exciting days of the season, as the pairings were announced for the upcoming high school football playoffs. Hard to believe the regular season is already over, but Kosmo can't wait for the most exciting time of year to begin. As for the selection show postmortem, Kosmo has 3 random thoughts. Bad geography in Division 2 - Kosmo is a little confused by a region within the Division 2 playoffs. In one game, you have Farmington Hills Harrison traveling way north to face Fenton in the first round. At the same time, you have Oxford coming south to face Birmingham Seaholm. Wouldn't it make more sense to have Harrison play Seaholm, especially with Farmington and Walled Lake Western on the other side of the district? Isn't it better to have Oxford face Fenton? Kosmo is no Rand McNally, but it seems like Oxford and Fenton are little closer to each other on the state map. Very odd indeed. Not a good draw for Shrine/South Lyon East - The K-Man was happy to see that Royal Oak Shrine made the Division 7 state playoffs as a 5-4 team, and that South Lyon East qualified for the first time ever in Division 3 as a 5-4 squad. The bad news for both is who they'll play. Shrine drew unbeaten Loyola, which beat Shrine handily during the regular season, while East has to play at Orchard Lake St. Mary's. Ouch. Hold your enthusiasm, Clarkston-Lake Orion fans - Kosmo was as intrigued as anyone to see that the Wolves and Dragons were on the opposite side of the bracket for once and would meet in the state championship game if they both kept winning. The problem is that's not going to happen. There are too many obstacles for that dream scenario to take place. Sorry to burst the bubbles of those fine communities, but Kosmo has to call it like he sees it.

Well Kosmo isn't sure where the time has gone, but the regular season for high school football teams is over. For those who will be playing in the playoffs, best of luck. For those who aren't, start getting ready for next season and hopefully you can experience the postseason next year. There were a lot of great performances in Week 9, but here are the ones that jumped out most to Kosmo in his weekly 3 stars. Third star Alex Spurlock, Waterford Kettering - It was great to see the Captains end the season on a winning note, and a big reason was Spurlcck, who ran for 152 yards and a touchdown in a win over Dearborn Edsel Ford. Second star Justin Losey, Troy - What a senior leader this young man was all year long and especially against Oxford. Despite the fact the Colts fell short and likely won't be in the playoffs, Losey nearly single-handedly carried his team to victory with almost 200 all-purpose yards. First star Ian Eriksen, Clarkston - Kosmo would love to find somebody different for his first star every week, he really would. But it's a little hard when Eriksen just keeps putting up incredible numbers. He ran for 292 yards and four touchdowns in win over Oak Park to continue what has to be an all-state season.

Well, we've finally arrived. It's the last weekend of the high school football season, and whether or not you play or coach for a team going to the postseason, Kosmo hopes it's been a great two-plus months since practice started in early August. As for Week 9 itself, here's what Kosmo is looking at the most. Will Catholic Central make the playoffs if it doesn't beat St. Mary's on Saturday? Good question. Kosmo thought the Shamrocks would still be in good shape even if they finished at 5-4, but maybe not. Since one of their wins was against a Canadian team, their point total might not be enough, so it is a must-win against St. Mary's. Can Rochester end its hex against Rochester Adams? - It's been 16 years since Rochester beat Adams, and the Falcons need to win at Adams in order to qualify for the playoffs. Adams is 3-5 and won't be in the postseason for the first time in 15 years, but Adams has been playing better and as always, has a tremendous coaching staff that'll not want to see Rochester make the playoffs. This will be a tremendous game. Can Bloomfield Hills Lahser's defense rebound? - It'll have to if the Knights want to get to six wins. Lahser has allowed 35 points or more in its last two games and Hazel Park is a team that can score. Don't be surprised if the Vikings knock Lahser out of the playoff picture. Will Stoney Creek be able to contend with Southfield's speed and an unusual start time? - The Cougars are on fire right now, but unfortunately have to make a trip to Southfield, which has speed galore and plays well at 4 p.m. That's not a start time Stoney Creek or many other teams are used to.

There are 10 teams in Oakland County that are 5-3 and in need of a win this weekend to automatically qualify for the playoffs, but making the playoffs isn't everything to Kosmo. Unfortunately, many teams make the playoffs, but everyone knows it's going to be a short run for them and that a blowout loss might be on the horizon in the first couple weeks of the postseason. That doesn't diminish the playoff accomplishment, especially of programs that weren't expected to go that far, but Kosmo wants to concentrate on the teams that really could win if they qualify. Here are those squads. Novi Detroit Catholic Central - Yes, this is a no-brainer, Kosmo knows. The Shamrocks eery year make noise once they get into the playoffs. CC needs to beat Orchard Lake St. Mary's for a second straight week on Saturday in the Prep Bowl, but even if it doesn't, 5-4 could be good enough with the schedule it has played. Southfield - If not for a couple of comeback wins over Detroit Martin Luther King and Farmington Hills Harrison, the Bluejays wouldn't even be in position to make the playofs. But thanks to those wins, Southfield is 5-3 going into a home game against fellow 5-3 team Stoney Creek. Southfield has a lot of talented players and playoff experience, so if it gets in, watch out fellow Division 2 playoff teams. Stoney Creek - There hasn't been a team that's been a more pleasant surprise than the Cougars, who are maybe the hottest team in the county and can clinch a postseason spot with a win at Southfield. Teams on a roll are never easy outs in the playoffs, especially ones that are getting healthier because the Cougars got their starting quarterback back from injury last week against Rochester. If Stoney can find a way against Southfield, Kosmo would hate to be a playoff opponent of the Cougars. Lakeland - The Eagles haven't played well the last two weeks, but if they can beat 5-3 Milford on Friday, they could be a dangerous playoff team. Good coaching staffs and powerful running games are usually recipes for playoff success, and Lakeland has both. Farmington Hills Harrison - Just too much talent and great coaching to beat easily in the playoffs. Enough said. Oxford - Tough kids who are used to playing in big games, whether it's football or wrestling, and a legendary coach in Bud Rowley would make Oxford a candidate for a deep playoff run.

Boy, is it ever nice to have the playoffs back, isn't it? The first night of the boys soccer state tournament was Monday, and it produced surprising upsets, shootouts and even overtime games. And to think, there's still a couple more weeks of the playoffs to go to witness more excitement. Of all the things that jumped out at Kosmo on Monday's first night, it was the success public schools had against private schools, in particular Catholic League opponents. Berkley shocked CHSL champion Birmingham Brother Rice, 5-4, and Novi topped Novi Detroit Catholic Central, 1-0. Bloomfield Hills Lahser also knocked off Orchard Lake St. Mary's, although that was a lot closer than people expected since it went into a shootout. Add the fact that Clawson nearly beat Birminngham Detroit Country Day - Country Day pulled out a 3-2 win in overtime - and Monday was a great day for public school soccer programs. Hopefully the games tonight and the rest of the week will produce the same drama. One thing for sure though is that it'll be hard to top the success all of our public schools had against private school opponents on Monday.

There's only one more week of the regular season left, so Kosmo hopes those players and teams that won't be in the postseason relish this final week of practice with their friends and teammates before the offseason starts. But there still are many teams either in the postseason and with a chance to get there, which almost makes Week 9 like the first week of the playoffs. Before looking ahead to Week 9 though, Kosmo wants to look back at the teams that made the biggest impression on your seer in Week 8. Novi Detroit Catholic Central - Kosmo knew the Shamrocks would be a desperate team at Orchard Lake St. Mary's, but he still didn't think they could score on the Eaglets or stop their vaunted running game. Well,, CC did both in a surprising rout. The only problem is they have to face St. Mary's again in the Prep Bowl on Saturday. Oxford - It's never an easy thing to go up to Oxford and play, a fact unbeaten Oak Park found out first hand in a 14-12 Oxford win on Friday. The Wildcats' defense did an outstanding job slowing down a speedy Oak Park offense and now have a shot at the playoffs. Oxford will host Troy in a game of 5-3 teams on Friday. Farmington Hills Harrison - Kosmo knew Harrison was close given some late losses it suffered, but he didn't even expect such a destruction of Farmington on Friday. The K-Man thought Farmington would be primed and ready to eliminate Harrison from the playoff picture, but instead, it was Harrison that was the more fired-up team. Looks like the Hawks will be in the playoffs after all. Is Brother Rice on the horizon in the playoffs again? Walled Lake Western - Admittedly, the K-Man didn't see the Warriors beating a good Grand Blanc team, but that's exactly what they did, winning 40-29 at Grand Blanc to clinch a playoff spot. A tremendous performance by the Road Warriors. Stoney Creek - So much for the Cougars being distracted with all that went on last week. The Cougars stayed focused and pummeled city rival Rochester at home to improve to 5-3 and set up a matchup at 5-3 Southfield on Friday. A great job players and coaches all around at Stoney Creek.

The penultimate week of the regular season still has some games left, but it'll be hard for Saturday's games to top all what took place on Friday. Whether it was rivalry games, statements made (Catholic Central and Stoney Creek in particular with their brilliant performances) and outstanding individual efforts, it turned to be a hot night despite the cold weather. The NHL may still be in a lockout, but Kosmo is still here to compensate and offer his 3 stars. Third star Sean Scullen, Stoney Creek - This actually could be given to many Cougars for their performance in a 35-14 win over city rival Rochester, such as Joe Cox and Justin Allor, but Scullen in particular ran for 97 yards on 14 and caught a touchdown pass to help Stoney Creek keep its playoff hopes alive. The Cougars might be the hottest team in the county right now. Second star Lorenzo Collins, Farmington Hills Harrison - Boy was Kosmo wrong about this game. He thought Farmington was primed and ready to knock Harrison out of the playoffs, but instead, Harrison rose to the occasion in 48-13 destruction to improve to 5-3. Collins was a big reason why, rushing for 137 yards and three touchdowns on 19 carries. First star Anthony Darkangelo, Novi Detroit Catholic Central - Is there anything that Darkangelo can't do? In addition to lead a stifling Shamrocks defense, he helped torch what's been an untorchable defense in Orchard Lake St. Mary's. Darkangelo ran for 150 yards and three touchdowns and also threw an 80-yard TD pass on a halfback option. Can a college coach please offer this kid a scholarship?

Week 8 of the regular seaosn has arrived, and that means it's rivalry week around Oakland County. Yes Kosmo admits that sounds funny too. But regardless, it's reality with so many rivalry games taking place this week due to league crossover games in Week 9. Here are the developments that Kosmo is watching most for Week 8. How distracted will Stoney Creek be? - Needles to say, it's been a week full of distractions for the Cougars in the wake of the incident with West Bloomfield last week. What people might not know is that the Cougars have a good shot at the playoffs with a 4-3 records. Stoney Creek hosts Rochester in not only a rivalry game, but a game that has HUGE playoff implications. If the Cougars can stay focused, they can continue their playoff quest. Can Novi Detroit Catholic Central score against Orchard Lake St. Mary's? - The 4-3 Shamrocks will be a desperate team needing two wins to automatically qualify for the state playoffs, although their brutal schedule could mean a 5-4 record will be good enough. Still, nobody has been able to figure out this St. Mary's defense, so we'll see if Anthony Darkangelo & Co. can do so. Which quarterback in the Clarkston-Lake Orion game will play better? - This could be the key as to who wins this game. Eeah team will run the ball well like they always do. The key will be which QB can keep the opposing defense the most honest and make plays in the passing game. Indeed, it could be a night for Lake Orion QB Derek Delaura and Clarkston QB D.J. Zezula to break out. Can Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett stop RH Lutheran Northwest QB Nathan Drews? - Not many teams in the MIAC have been able to, and Liggett knows it will have to at least slow down Drews if it is to win at Northwest in what is the MIAC championship game. How much more motivated will Farmington be against Harrison this year knowing it could be Harrison's fourth loss? - Very motivated. I'm sure that's been a topic of discussion at some point among Farmington's players. Not only can the Falcons get what's historically a rare win against Harrison, but it can get double-satisfaction in knocking the Hawks out of the playoff picture.

Right about now, it's probably a fever pitch around Lake Orion and Clarkston in anticipation of the annual football game between the schools on Friday. Not only is it a battle for first in the OAA Red (as always), but it's a game between the No. 1 and No. 2 teams in the state in Division 1, which doesn't happen often. Kosmo is glad there's a lot of excitement and he's sure the seemingly millions of fans and media that will be in attendance will enjoy it. Kosmo can't wait to see what happens also, but he does want to temper things a little bit. This is only a regular season game, folks. The teams likely will meet again in the state playoffs with bigger stakes on the line than just a league title or a game between No. 1 and No. 2 in the state. When they meet in the playoffs, they won't be No. 1 and No.2 in the state, but that game will be far more important than the No. 1 vs. No. 2 matchup on Friday. Again, go ahead and enjoy the atmosphere on Friday. But just realize that the more important game likely is on the horizon, and if it isn't, that means one or both have lost early in the playoffs. If that happens, then these teams really aren't the top two teams in the state after all.

Kosmo is usually one of the biggest defenders of kids, and that is the case again despite the fact that one committed a heinous act. As has been talked about throughout the state, a West Bloomfield player punched a Stoney Creek assistant coach after a 50-28 Stoney Creek win last Friday over the Lakers. Obviously, the player should be punished and the school district according to its statement will. However, please don't make this kid out to be some sort of criminal. He made a big mistake, but anyone who is all over him should look themselves in the mirror and ask if they have ever made errors in their lives? Of course, the answer is yes. As long as the kid learns something from this experience, everything will be OK. Like the K-Man said, don't make the kid out to be a criminal. - People probably already know that time flies, but we've already arrived at the point of the fall where boys tennis and girls golf teams are going to have their regional tournaments. Some are being held today, but most will be held on Thursday. The state finals are being held next week, so already it's getting down to the fun time of year for a couple of fall sports. Where has the time gone.

With each and every week, the playoff picture gets a little more clear and in focus. There are only two more weeks of the regular season, and as of now, two traditional powers might be in some playoff trouble. Both Farmington Hills Harrison and Novi Detroit Catholic Central are 4-3 following losses this past week, which means the two have to win out to earn the six wins to automatically qualify for the playoffs. That won't be an easy task, given Harrison plays at 6-1 Farmington on Friday while Catholic Central plays at 6-1 Orchard Lake St. Mary's. Of the two, Catholic Central probably has the best chance to make the postseason because with its brutal schedule, getting to five wins will probably be good enough to earn a playoff spot. Kosmo isn't so sure about Harrison, although the Hawks have lost to quality teams in Oak Park, Southfield and Oxford. The playoff forecast for each team will be really into focus in the next two weeks. For the sake of these state powers, Kosmo hopes 5-4 will be good enough to get in the playoffs, because he has his doubts they can get to 6-3.

Yes, Kosmo already came up with 3 stars for Friday night's football action, but why not have a little bonus round? Here are his 3 stars for Saturday's prep action around Oakland County, which isn't limited to football this time. Third star Mollie Pulte, Birmingham Marian swimming - At the Oakland County girls swimming and diving meet, Pulte broke a 16-year old record in the 100 freestyle event, winning it in a time of 51.42. Kosmo would drown in the pool after one second in there, so there's no question Pulte has your seer's full admiration. Second star Brian Kettle, Milford boys cross country - The Mavericks won yet another county cross country title on Saturday, and leading the way was Kettle, who won the event in a time of 15:46. Kosmo couldn't run more than five seconds without falling flat on his face, so the K-Man has a lot of respect for someone who can run like the wind such as Kettle can. First star Brian Walker, Birmingham Brother Rice football - Always a talented player, Walker took a major step forward as a football player in terms of his leadership in a 20-14 win over Novi Detroit Catholic Central. With his team trailing at halftime, 14-3, Walker promised a great performance in the second half and he delivered, finishing the game with 198 yards rushing and a touchdown on 28 carries. Brother Rice may have found another great leader as a result.

For those who braved the cold and wet weather on Friday, hope you don't catch a cold soon. Even if you do, it was probably worth it to see all the great team and individual efforts on the first night of Week 7. Here are the three that caught Kosmo's eye the most as he presents his 3 stars for Friday. Third star Stephen Guenther, Birmingham Seaholm - Well, it looks like the Maples can make plays in the passing game after all. What a tremendous performance by the senior, who passed for 206 yards and three touchdowns and ran for another touchdown in a 35-33 win over Lahser that all but wrapped up the OAA Blue title. Great job, Mr. Guenther. Second star C.J. Borglin, Rochester Adams - It's been a nightmare season for Adams, but the Highlanders finally got a reason to celebrate with a 34-20 upset of Southfield. Borglin was a big reason, catching five passes for 122 yards and two touchdowns, impressive numbers for a wideout. First star Ian Eriksen, Clarkston - Just when Kosmo thinks Eriksen can't do anymore, he goes out and eclipses the 1,000 mark in tremendous fashion, rushing for 295 yards and four touchdowns in a 28-0 win over Troy. Eriksen had TD runs of 95, 83 and 62 yards. Wow. Get ready, Lake Orion. Eriksen is coming to your house next week.

Week 7 of the football season is upon us, which means colors are changing on the trees and the playoffs are near. This might be the most important week of the season, so Kosmo has plenty on his mind as this weekend's action arrives. Here are his key things to watch this weekend. Will Oak Park go unbeaten in the OAA White? - Some of Kosmo's spies feel that the Knights can't go unbeaten in this tough league, but your seer says 'Why not?' If Oak Park can win at home against Harrison today, a probability, all that would remain is a road game on the blue turf at Oxford next week. Will the OAA Blue race be all but over tonight? - It could be, believe it or not. The league has shaped into a three-horse race, but will be a one-horse race if Seaholm wins at Lahser tonight. The Maples beat the other contender, Avondale, last week and would all but sew up the league championship having beat its other two rivals. If Lahser wins, then let chaos reign. Can Hazel Park keep up its improbable playoff run? - The Knights have been one of the county's biggest surprises this season at 4-2, and they are eyeing a playoff spot. They'll have to beat a Berkley team that's better than its 2-4 record, but Hazel Park has risen to the challenge all season and would be in a great position for the playoffs if they can do so again. Oops, Kosmo forgot one thing. - In his forecast that ran in the Oakland Press on Friday, Kosmo forgot to forecast the Lake Orion-Pontiac game on Saturday afternoon at Pontiac (2 p.m.). Sorry fans of the Dragons and Phoenix and Kosmo hopes it's a festive atmosphere for homecoming for Pontiac. Pick: Lake Orion by 21.

One of Kosmo's favorite football games of the year will take place this Friday when Walled Lake Western and Walled Lake Central play their annual game. There are few rivalries like it around the area, and it should be a fun atmosphere at Central. The only problem is that maybe for the first time ever, the game will be upstaged by what's taking place over at Lakeland between the host Eagles and the other high school in Walled Lake. It's like Michigan-Ohio State being upstaged by MSU-Penn State or any other game, as the KLAA North title will not be decided by the outcome at Central, but instead the outcome at Lakeland. Walled Lake Northern enters on fire with a 3-0 record in the KLAA North, while Lakeland is right behind at 2-1. Each team has already played Central and Western, so the winner of this game will all but lock up the KLAA North title. Oh, and did Kosmo mention these schools are located just two miles a part on Bogie Lake Road? No doubt, this will be the most meaningful Battle of Bogie Lake ever. It's so meaningful that it's taking precedence over what is annually one of the county's best rivalry games. - Congrats to Troy Athens for winning the OAA Red boys soccer title on Tuesday. Despite not returning as many starters as other teams, it's a credit to Todd Heugh and his team that the Red Hawks were able to win what's usually the toughest league in Oakland County.

Well, the calendar has already struck October, so I guess the days of people wearing shorts and being warm and cozy at football games are about over. However, the chilliness in the air must mean the playoffs are around the corner, which also means this is the time of the year where great team performances become even more magnified. As for those teams that made the biggest statements this past week, here's what caught Kosmo's eye the most. Orchard Lake St. Mary's - Seriously, has a team had a better two weeks than than the Eaglets have had? St. Mary's can officially be called the king of the state champions since the Eaglets knocked off defending Division 1 state champion Detroit Cass Tech last week before beating defending Division 2 state champion Brother Rice on Saturday. The defense was dominant in both games. The Eaglets might be the best team in the state period now. Southfield - Kosmo was wondering what sort of effect the comeback win over Harrison last week would have, and evidently the Bluejays rode that tidal wave of emotion beautifully. It's never easy to beat Oxford, let alone crush the Wildcats, but that's exactly what Southfield did in a 49-7 victory at home. The Bluejays have the look of a really dangerous team right now. Royal Oak - Well how about this for a heartwarming story. The Ravens have have gone through a lot of misery the past five years, but they finally were rewarded for some hard work and perseverence by earning an 18-13 win over Ferndale in what was just their second win in five years. As Kosmo wrote about on Friday night, the Ravens had every right to celebrate. The kids and coaches deserved it. Birmingham Seaholm - Kosmo thought the matchup between Seaholm and Avondale on Friday was about as even as could be, but Seaholm obviously proved Kosmo wrong by showing it was the superior team. The Maples defense was stellar in shutting down a high-powered Avondale offense and the Seaholm offense did plenty of good work also. It should be a fun showdown on Friday at Lahser.