The last two seasons, East Grand Rapids and Orchard Lake St. Mary's have squared off. The first time, it was in the state title game, a classic 5-OT contest, which went down as one of the best championship games in state history.
Last year, the rematch was highly anticipated, but the Pioneers came into Orchard Lake and ran away with it, in a 42-17 victory.
Now it is their turn to host the fast developing rivalry as OLSM is set to make the trek over to the west side of the state. Here are some of the prospects in the game we will be looking at.
Robert Bolden, Sr. QB, OLSM
The Penn State commitment had a very strong summer, performing well at several camps, including the Elite 11, where he was considered one of the best quarterbacks in attendance. Coming off a junior year where he did not throw a high volume of passes, this year should be an opportunity for him to show in game situations, the talent he has shown elsewhere. Bolden has been the starter for the last two losses to EGR and you can bet he will bring his best tonight.
Earnest Thomas, Sr. SS, OLSM
A hard hitting UCLA commit, Thomas will be one of the leaders on defense for the Eaglets. I'm not certain how often EGR will put the ball in the air, but they do have some big, athletic targets and I want to see how Thomas does in coverage against them. He is excellent in run support and tonight we will get a chance to see him in space.
James Ross, Soph. LB, OLSM
I was very impressed by Ross at camps this summer. He is a great athlete and has good football instincts. Watching tape of his younger days, you can see that he finds the ball well and is a big hitter. He is poised to become one of the top players in the state, but it all starts tonight in his first varsity contest. Is he ready for the jump up in competition?
Colin Voss, Sr. TE/DE, EGR
Voss is a 6-8, 235-lb kid who could play either side of the ball in college. However, he has several offers for basketball and that looks like the route he will go. However, he has a lot of potential in football as well and we will keep a close eye on him tonight.