Warren Collegiate is top rated team in Div. 6
ALMONT — One win down, three more to go and the fourth-rated Almont Raiders will be heading to Ford Field.
First, though, Almont will have to get past top-rated Warren Michigan Collegiate in a Division 6, Region 4, District 1 championship battle it hosts this Friday keep their postseason path going. That matchup lists a 7 p.m. starting time.
Warren Michigan Collegiate, the Charter School Conference Gold Division champions, enters the fray fresh off a convincing 60-0 victory over visiting Clawson last Saturday afternoon.
Almont’s Matthew Bacholzky carries the ball in Saturday’s game versus Clintondale.
Before that, Warren Michigan Collegiate won all nine of its games. That run included a 36-7 road victory over non-league foe Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central; a 44-0 triumph over non-conference counterpart Detroit Loyola at home; a 26-20 win against non-league adversary Detroit Country Day; a 40-0 road victory over conference rival Romulus Summit Academy North; a 44-16 triumph against league foe Detroit Edison; a forfeit win over conference counterpart Detroit Leadership Academy; a 42-0 victory against league adversary Detroit Voyageur College Prep at home; a 36-6 triumph over visiting conference foe Harper Woods Chandler Park; and a 50-14 road win over non-league counterpart Warren Lincoln.
Almont, the Blue Water Area Conference Champion, is coming off a 35-8 victory over Clintondale.
That game was contested at Richmond High School.
Prior to that, Almont had triumphed in eight of nine gridiron clashes. That stretch included a 39-0 win against visiting non-league counterpart Marysville; a 49-0 road victory over league adversary Algonac; a 58-0 triumph against visiting conference rival Imlay City; a 29-22 road win over league foe North Branch; a 13-12 victory over visiting conference counterpart Armada; a 30-20 triumph over visiting conference adversary Cros-Lex; a 42-7 road win against league rival Richmond; a 47-19 road victory over conference foe Yale; and a 21-7 loss to non-league adversary West Branch Ogemaw
Leusby knows the next challenge his team faces is a formidable one.
“Warren Michigan Collegiate is very athletic, physical, fast and well coached,” Almont Coach James Leusby commented. “Their defense flies around, is tough up front and has speed on the edges,” he noted.
“We will need to match their intensity and physicality if we hope to upset them on friday. We must control the tempo of the game. On offense, we will need to execute and put long scoring drives together, and on defense we will need to find a way to slow down their high powered offense and try and create turnovers.”
Leusby is leaning toward Chase Davedowski (quarterback), Brent Corneau (tight end), Cole Walton (split end), Matthew Bacholzky (running back), Chase Battani (running back), Jacob Fuller (running back), Luke Winkler (running back), Isaiah Bankston (line), Dylan Taylor (line), Gavin Szymanski (line) and Noah Campbell as his likely offensive starters.
He projects Corneau (line), Gordon Stolecki (line), Liam Szymanski (line), Josh Figurski (line), Lucas Mantini (defensive back), Bacholzky (defensive back), Winkler (defensive back), Cohen Ferqueron (linebacker), Ayden Ferqueron (linebacker), Battani (linebacker), Fuller (linebacker).
The victor of Friday’s game will meet the survivor of a confrontation between Ecorse (8-1) and Detroit Edison (7-3).
Kevin Kissane has been covering high school sports for the Tri-City Times since 1985. When not standing on a field or court with his camera and notepad, he enjoys golf, travel and family. Kevin is a 1980 graduate of Capac High School, and is also a grad of St. Clair Community College and earned a degree in journalism from Central Michigan University.
