Track Regional Preview.

Written Tuesday May 10th at 8:45 PM

Track regionals start next week. Here is the early regional preview and insight coming in. This column will change.

Regional 7 at Farmington

 

FARMINGTON

BERKLEY

GROVES

SEAHOLM

WEST BLOOMFIELD

NORTH FARMINGTON

BLOOMFIELD HILLS

OAK PARK

ROYAL OAK

SOUTHFIELD ARTS AND TECH

Birmingham Brother Rice

Farmington Hills Mercy

Livonia Churchill

Livonia Franklin

Livonia Stevenson

Redford Thurston

 

BOYS PREVIEW: This is a loaded regional with a lot of strong competition. Livonia Churchill is the early favorite with the distance and just enough field events to do very well. Farmington should be Livonia Churchill's toughest challenger in the regional. The Falcons are coming off a win in the Blue/Gold league meet. Bloomfield Hills has the sprints to be in the conversation. Oak Park and West Bloomfield are wildcards. Royal Oak is another darkhorse as well. The Ravens could challenge Livonia Churchill in the distance. On paper right now Livonia Churchill looks like they are the team to beat but in a regional like this it’s anyone’s regional.

 

GIRLS PREVIEW: This regional looks to be very interesting. Could Oak Park be on upset alert??? The Knights have the hurdles, the sprints, and the distance to win this regional. Bloomfield Hills has a really good girls program and could be a player in this regional. Royal Oak is a darkhorse, they have the distance and they beat Oak Park in a dual meet earlier in the season. Seaholm is the wildcard with their distance. Farmington could also be a player especially taking the Knights to the max at the Blue/Gold meet. Oak Park is the favorite but watch for Bloomfield Hills, Royal Oak, Farmington, and Seaholm, they could give the Knights everything they can handle.

 

Regional 9 at Lapeer

 

CLARKSTON

LAKE ORION

OXFORD

ROCHESTER

ADAMS

STONEY CREEK

AVONDALE

Lapeer

Fenton

Holly

Walled Lake Northern

Waterford Kettering

Waterford Mott

White Lake Lakeland

Orchard Lake St. Mary’s

 

BOYS PREVIEW: This is a very interesting regional. The early favorite is Lake Orion whom is coming off a Red/White league title. The Dragons have a ton of balance in the sprints, relays, distance, and field events. Walled Lake Northern is a very dangerous team. The Knights have the balance especially in the distance. Adams is another scary team as well. The Highlanders are loaded in the hurdles and have just enough sprints, field events, and distance to go against the two other contenders. This regional looks to be a three team race between Lake Orion, Adams, and Walled Lake Northern. It should be very interesting to watch as mentioned.

 

GIRLS PREVIEW: This is a very interesting regional. The early favorite is Oxford and for good reason. The Wildcats have enough depth elsewhere but the throws are their strength and where they could have the biggest impact. Lake Orion is a sleeper to watch as is Adams and Walled Lake Northern. This regional could go any of four ways but Oxford is the favorite to win this regional.

 

Regional 10 at Macomb Dakota

 

TROY

TROY ATHENS

Chippewa Valley

Fraser

Macomb L’Anse Creuse

Macomb Dakota

Macomb L’Anse Creuse North

New Baltimore Anchor Bay

Port Huron

Port Huron Northern

Romeo

Sterling Heights

Sterling Heights Stevenson

Utica Eisenhower

Utica

Utica Ford II

 

BOYS PREVIEW: This could be a very interesting regional in Macomb County. There are three teams having very strong chances in Chippewa Valley, Troy, and New Baltimore Anchor Bay to win this regional. The Big Reds have the sprints and relays but the distance is the question mark surrounding Chippewa Valley. Speaking of the distance events, they could be very interesting between the Tars and the Colts. Macomb Dakota looks to be the wildcard. The Cougars have the top three throwers coming into this regional. Chippewa Valley looks to be the favorite on paper but don’t count out New Baltimore Anchor Bay or Troy. This could be a very tight regional.

 

GIRLS PREVIEW: When looking at this regional the favorite has to be Macomb Dakota for a ton of reasons. The Cougars have home field and has at competitor in the top five heading into the regional. They have balance everywhere in the lineup. New Baltimore Anchor Bay stands to be the Cougars toughest challenger in the regional. Romeo and Troy could be darkhorses to watch. Macomb Dakota stands to be the team to watch in the regional.

 

Regional 18 at Hazel Park

 

FERNDALE

FERNDALE UNIVERSITY

HARPER WOODS

Hazel Park

Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook-Kingswood

Birmingham Marian

Birmingham Detroit Country Day

Center Line

Detroit Denby

Detroit East English Prep

Harper Woods Chandler Park

Madison Heights Lamphere

St. Clair Shores South Lake

Warren Fitzgerald

Warren Regina

Warren Lincoln

 

BOYS PREVIEW: Is there anyone in this regional that can beat Birmingham Detroit Country Day??? The Yellow Jackets are favored in almost every event. Harper Woods stands to be the toughest challenger to Birmingham Detroit Country Day and even they don’t have the depth and balance to match up with the Yellow Jackets. This regional looks to be a Birmingham Detroit Country Day rout.

 

GIRLS PREVIEW: This is shaping up to be a very interesting regional. There are two teams in Birmingham Detroit Country Day and Warren Regina that have great shots to win this regional. The Yellow Jackets have the sprints while the Satellites are loaded in the distance. Madison Heights Lamphere is the wildcard. The Rams are a sleeper especially in the hurdles. This regional could come down to the field events where Ferndale could get some points in the throws. I would give a slight edge to the Yellow Jackets, just a little too much balance right now.

 

Regional 19 at Williamston

 

PONTIAC

Williamston

Corunna

Flint Powers

Flint

Fowlerville

Goodrich

Haslett

Lake Fenton

Lansing Eastern

Lansing Sexton

Linden

Brandon

Owosso

Pontiac Notre Dame Prep

St. Johns

 

BOYS PREVIEW: This is shaping up to be a very interesting regional in Ingham County. This looks like it could be a two team regional. Linden is loaded in the distance. Corunna has a very strong sprinting, throwing, and hurdle core. Flint Powers is the wildcard and could spoil some things. The Cavaliers is the early favorite because of their sprinting, throwing and hurdle core. If they can get just enough distance to neutralize the Eagles then they should win this regional.

GIRLS PREVIEW: This is shaping up to be a very interesting three team regional. Linden has the sprints to do very well in this meet. Fowlerville has a very strong hurdle program and could make some noise. Goodrich is another program to watch with them loaded in the relays. If this comes down to the field events I would give an edge to the Martians to win this regional. Goodrich is the favorite to win this regional but Fowlerville and Linden are right there in the mix.