QBs take different paths to region finals
The quarterbacks in Oakland County left in the playoffs all took different paths to their jobs. Some of those paths intersected.
As sophomores, West Bloomfield’s Alex Short and North Farmington’s Jacob Bousamra were both at Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood and on the Cranes 6- 4, 2018 playoff squad.
Short (6- 4, 220) started under center and Bousamra (6-3, 200) played on defense. When Short arrived at West Bloomfield, he waited in the wings behind Ohiobound C. J. Harris in 2019.
Bousamra, on the other hand, hit the ground running for North Farmington, exploding onto the scene in the OAA last fall and sparking the Raiders to an undefeated regular season and OAA Blue Division championship.
These days, Short is triggering the offense for West Bloomfield (81), the area’s No. 1 team, getting ready to tangle with Romeo (5- 4) in the Division 1 regionals upon the playoffs resuming this Saturday. Short has tossed 16 touchdowns.
“Alex’s progress at the position has been nice to see,” West Bloomfield head coach Ron Bellamy said. “He’s really found his rhythm and turned into an excellent leader for us.”
Bousamra was at it again this season, picking apart secondaries to the tune of 1,350 yards and 15 touchdowns for the 7-2 North Farmington Raiders, currently on their longest run in the playoffs since the 1970s. North Farmington travels to Traverse City Central (8-1) for a Division 2 regional showdown on Saturday.
“He makes all the throws, does all the little things and has really blown our whole coaching staff away with the way he’s performed the last two years,” North Farmington head coach Jon Herstein said. “We’ve asked a lot of Jacob, put a good deal of responsibility on his shoulder and he’s delivered in every way possible.”
Oak Park’s out- of- nowhere three-game win streak is in great part because of the standout play
of senior signal caller James Burnley.
As a junior, Burnley (63, 195) won the job in camp before getting injured prior to the season opener. After some early growing pains, Burnely is one of the area’s true sleeper stars.
“Once he got acclimated and began to receive the support we needed to provide him, James has been excellent and instrumental in us getting this far in the playoffs” Oak Park’s Hall of Fame coach Greg Carter said of Burnley’s development being a key to the Knights’ recent hot-play.
Moving up to the OAA Red from the OAA White, Carter’s Knights struggled and went winless in the regular season, but birthed a playoff bid because of the expanded COVID-19- related playoff format. Making the most of the opportunity, Oak Park (3- 6) pulled upsets over Grosse Pointe South, Detroit U-D Jesuit and Wyandotte on its way to a Division 2 regional matchup with Livonia Churchill on the road Saturday.
“I think the best is yet to come from James Burnley,” Carter said. “The tangibles and intangibles are all there. He’s smart, he’s accurate, he’s got a quick, smooth release. There’s a lot to like about him in this playoff run and as a college recruit in general.”
Birmingham Detroit Country Day junior Brandon Mann might have the most upside of any field general in the county right now.
Mann (6- 3, 200) split snaps with Ahlon Mitchell (Army) last year on a Yellowjackets club that advanced into the Division 4 state finals.
His dynamic dual-threat skill set has a number of Division I college programs sniffing in his direction. Country Day (6-2) plays North Branch (9- 0) on the road in a Division 4 regional matchup.
Novi Detroit Catholic Central junior Declan Byle won the job mid- season last year and is probably the most improved quarterback in the county. Byle (6-2, 180) has thrown for 20 touchdowns and Catholic Central is 9- 0.
The Shamrocks have defending Division 1 champion Davison (9- 0) in the regionals.
From the small- school ranks, Clarkston Everest Collegiate’s Giovanni Mastromatteo is one of the most exciting players in the Catholic League regardless of school size, leading his Mountaineers to a third straight CHSL lower- division title this season.
Mastromat teo ( 6- 0, 170) has been wowing the masses with his wizardry inside the pocket and out as the Mountaineers quarterback for the last three years.
A four-year starter, Mastromatteo lined up at wide receiver as a freshman on a team that made a regional run.
Everest (9- 0) faces Summerfield (9- 0) in the Division 8 regionals Saturday at the Legacy Center in Brighton.