Boys State Quarterfinal and Girls State Semifinal Preview.

Written Thursday March 16th at 11:35 AM

Here is my insight and early previews of the State Quarterfinals for Boys with both games being played at Lake Orion on Tuesday and the Girls being played at Michigan State on Friday and Saturday.

Here they are.

Boys State Quarterfinals

FERNDALE vs Goodrich

The Eagles have played a very tough non conference schedule and not to mention playing in the Red is never an easy task which it has shown. Ferndale is reaping the rewards of playing that brutal schedule and their play has shown it in the postseason. Coach Juan Rickman has done a really good job navigating through the early dark waters of the season. The Eagles have won 13 of their last 14 games behind the play of their proven experience players in Chris Williams, Cameron Reed, Trenton Ruth, and Caleb Renfroe. They have played really well and played alongside proven scorers in Jason Drake and Treyvon Lewis from last two seasons when they went to the Breslin Center in back to back years. Ferndale has been scoring in bunches lately which is what Rickman wants. The Eagles haven’t really needed to go elsewhere, they have been at Hazel Park in both rounds of the postseason. Goodrich is a solid team. They beat Croswell-Lexington 56-39 in the regional finals in Imlay City. The Martians or the Eagles have not seen any common opponents this season. It should be a very interesting game to say the least.

ADAMS vs Grand Blanc 

 

The Highlanders have been riding on cloud nine. They earned their first regional crown in school history with a 58-48 win over Clarkston. Coach Jared Thomas has done a remarkable job in three years with this program. Adams looks to continue riding that postseason success from football, girls golf, and boys soccer with a very tough matchup against Grand Blanc. The Highlanders have relied on Brady Prieskorn, Peter Kardasis, and William Gee. Kardasis was huge in the regionals against both Milford and Clarkston. He had 27 points against the Wolves. Prieskorn has had his moments in the postseason as well. As mentioned, the Bobcats bring a ton of proven postseason experience with RJ Taylor, Bryce O’Mara, and Tae Boyd. Coach Tory Jackson has done a really good job in his first year with Grand Blanc. The Bobcats really struggled against Mount Pleasant in the regional final winning 54-53 in overtime. Oxford is the common opponent for both of these teams. Experience favors Grand Blanc but Adams is playing with nothing to lose and everything to gain and that’s a good sign for Thomas and company.

Girls State Semifinals

WEST BLOOMFIELD vs Plymouth Salem

The Lakers bounced back from their disastrous regional against Rochester and Lake Orion with a 64-32 blowout of Flint Carman Ainsworth in the State quarterfinals. West Bloomfield sees a Plymouth Salem team that has faced an odd road with upsets of Canton, Saline, and Riverview. The Rocks won their first regional crown in 33 years by beating Dexter 40-23. Plymouth Salem has two really good players and Shahd Bakkar and Madison Morson. Morson had 17 points against Dexter in their win. I don’t think the Rocks have seen a team that is as talented and as athletic as West Bloomfield, even though they could compare them to Wayne Memorial. The Lakers have Sydney Hendrix, Kendall Hendrix, Destiny Washington, and both Davis sisters Summer and Indya. It should be a very interesting matchup but proven experience favors Coach Darrel McAllister and West Bloomfield in this matchup on Friday afternoon. The winner gets either Rockford or Detroit Renaissance which if it's the Lakers it will be a very tough matchup on Saturday afternoon.