The Week Ahead: Big Week For Birmingham Area Football Teams

Are you ready for some football? What about cross country or swimming? Here's a look ahead at the big games ahead this week in Birmingham?

Football

Groves

The game of the week will be at this Friday when it welcomes Avondale at 7 p.m.

Both teams are 4-1 overall, but the Falcons have a half-game lead right now in the division because the Yellow Jackets have already played their lone out of conference game.

Whichever team wins this weekend will have a straight shot at the Oakland Activities Association Blue division title.

Groves has four games in a row, the longest winning streak the school has had in seven years, and has as many wins this season as it has had in the last two years combined.

Seaholm

Across the way at , the Maples have a must win-game of its own. They are coming off a tough 29-26 loss to Avondale and will host a 2-3 Hazel Park team at 7 p.m. Friday for the school’s homecoming game.

A loss would hurt the school’s playoff chances with games against Berkley and Groves still on the schedule.

Two problems that continue to plague Seaholm are its inability to run the ball on offense and not being consistent enough on defense. The Maples will have to try and slow down a solid Vikings running game this weekend if they want to pick up a win. 

Brother Rice

Brother Rice will try to help its coach reach a huge milestone on Friday when it visits Orchard Lake St. Mary’s at 7 p.m. in a Catholic League Central game. Warriors' head coach Al Fracassa will be looking for his 400th win.

Fracassa has been the football coach at the school since 1969.

His team will have to beat an Eaglets team that is 4-1 and on a three-game winning streak. Their offense has really been on a roll, scoring over 30 points in three straight games and over 40 twice.

On the schedule:

• FRIDAY: Brother Rice v. Orchard Lake St. Mary's (away; 7 p.m.)
• FRIDAY: Seaholm v. Hazel Park (home; 7 p.m.)
• FRIDAY: Groves v. Avondale (home; 7 p.m.)

Cross Country

Groves, Seaholm

Groves and Seaholm will compete in the second of three OAA Jamboree competitions on Tuesday.

The Maples are in the OAA Red, so they will run at Oxford Hills at 4:30 p.m. while the Falcons are in the OAA Blue and will run at Oakland Community College Orchard Ridge at 4:30 p.m.

Seaholm ran well at the first Red Jamboree event, scoring four top ten finishers at the varsity level. Aubrey Wilberding finished in fourth place (19:19) and her sister Aubrey Wilberding was right behind her in fifth place (19:26). Jack Howard was sixth (16:55) on the boys side and Zack Demko was eighth (16:59).

Both schools will run this weekend at tournaments as well. Groves will run at the Hanson’s Invitational at 9:30 a.m. Saturday. The race will take place at Delia Park in Sterling Heights.

The Maples will participate in the Coaching Legends Classic on Saturday at Huron Meadows in Brighton. The varsity races start at 10:30 a.m. for the girls and 11 a.m. for the boys. Roeper and Detroit Country Day will also be among the 30 teams participating at the tournament.

On the schedule:

• TUESDAY: Groves v. OAA Jamboree (Oakland Community College Orchard Ridge; 4:30 p.m.)
• TUESDAY: Seaholm v. OAA Jamboree (Oxford Hills; 4:30 p.m.)
• SATURDAY: Groves v. Hanson's Invitational (Delia Park; 9:30 a.m.)
• SATURDAY: Seaholm v. Coaching Legends Classic (Huron Meadows; 10:30 a.m.)

Swimming

Groves

The Groves girls varsity swimming and diving team will compete this weekend at the Oakland County Championships this weekend. The meet is at Lake Orion on Friday and Saturday.

The diving events are start at 6 p.m. on Friday and the swimming events are scheduled for Saturday morning. The top six individuals and top three relay teams will get awards for each of the events. 

On the schedule:

• FRIDAY, SATURDAY: Groves v. Oakland County Championships (Lake Orion; 6 p.m. Friday, Saturday morning)