It’s time to head up Telegraph Road with Frank for the next team in the Schedule Analysis series. Flat Rock was the biggest surprise last season. Will the schedule allow for the success to continue?
Schedule:
Aug 23 @ Garden City
Aug 30 Riverview
Sept 7 Milan
Sept 14 @ SMCC
Sept 21 Grosse Ile
Sept 28 @ Airport
Oct 5 @ Jefferson
Oct 12 @ New Boston Huron
Oct 19 Ann Arbor Huron
Gut Check Game: Riverview. The Rams were a surprise last season, as they ended a 27-year playoff drought by going 7-2. They also handed Riverview their only regular season loss. The Pirates will be looking for revenge in Week 2. Special mention for a Week 4 trip to SMCC, as the Rams stunned the Falcons 14-12 last season. Flat Rock has not won at Navarre Field since 1998.
Trap Game: at Jefferson. The Rams survived a scare against the Bears last season, as they squeaked out a 28-26 victory at home. Now they must venture to Marc Cisco Field in Week 7 to face a hungry Bears team looking to avenge a heartbreaker.
Snoozer: Flat Rock has not one, but TWO games that qualify as snoozers. Refer to the Bedford and Dundee analyses for info on Ann Arbor Huron. Garden City isn’t any better, as The Cougars went 0-9 last year, with three losses coming via forfeit. Need I say more?
Non-con Challenge: When both non-conference foes went a combined 0-18 last season, and have a combine 42 game losing streak, there is no challenge.
Notable: The Rams will play three straight road games in Weeks 6-8. Milan and Grosse Ile have similar quirks in the schedule.
Final Analysis: Buck Reaume’s squad managed to “find a way” to reach the playoffs for the first time since 1990 last season. Will they be able to do it again? A stretch from Weeks 4-8, where they will play four of five on the road will likely be the deciding factor in whether a return to the postseason is in the cards.
Thoughts from Chris: We should know by mid-September where the Rams stack up. Coach Reaume’s team has a brutal 3 game stretch against possibly the 3 best teams in the league to start Huron League play. Both Garden City (opener) and Ann Arbor Huron (closer) will be better than last season.
Thoughts from Gary: The Rams are another wildcard for me. We will know what they are made of early, as the top half of the schedule sets up to be quite tough. If Flat Rock can come out of their first four at 2-2 or better, they will have put themselves in good shape to have a winning season.
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I love south east Michigan football and try to catch every team once. Flat Rock was fun to watch last year, I hope they can repeat the success they had and start a new winning tradition. On paper, Flat Rock should struggle a bit replacing some of their seniors from last year but I am not ready to count them out yet.
Aug 23 @ Garden City- WIN
Aug 30 Riverview- WIN in a tight game, Rams find a a way to beat the Bucs again
Sept 7 Milan- LOSS
Sept 14 @ SMCC- LOSS, hard time picking this one, I have heard SMCC numbers are lower than expected, if they aren't 100%, I can see the Rams making it back to back wins
Sept 21 Grosse Ile- WIN - close game on paper , going with the home team
Sept 28 @ Airport- WIN - if the Rams can play defense, they win
Oct 5 @ Jefferson- WIN- could be the upset special game though, Jefferson should have won last year, a young Bears squad is more experienced and at home so you never know
Oct 12 @ New Boston Huron- WIN - if the Rams are healthy, they win and qualify for the playoffs again.
Oct 19 Ann Arbor Huron- WIN- My Dundee friends say that Ann Arbor Huron is much better than their record shows. I also watched the week 9 game last year between these two programs and I will give AA Huron credit, they have some playmakers but they need more discipline.
I would just hope to avoid Rouge.
Lets hope for another good year, and a better showing in the playoffs! That was an awful way to end the season. Rematch this year, perhaps?
I'll tell you this. If FR turns it around and is a perennial playoff contender like Huron is now then I will give props to the staff and admin over there.. they have to prove it this year. When you have the most talented team and 27 seniors you should make the playoffs in the HL.. We will see what the future holds .
Frank, that would be a great movie!
Lets not get ahead of ourselves.. if it is continued then its 30 for 30 worthy.
Sounds like a “30 for 30”
What if I told you that just finding a way would be enough for a team to reach success?
Find A Way...a 30 for 30 film on Flat Rock Football, directed by Billy Corben.
I was at that game
I played in the 1998 game. It was a great experience because we were already down our two top running backs for the season and beating SMCC seemed like something we would never be able to do, especially considering how Jefferson beat the snot out of us two weeks prior. We had some big mental hurdles to jump before we would believe in ourselves.
But Sophomore sensation Tommy Oestrike led us at QB and Joey Caladino made spectacular catches all season breaking school records for reception yards. I almost screwed up that game when SMCC executed a perfect onside kick directly at me that took a nasty bounce right at the last second and went over my head, which they recovered. Fortunately the "Green Wave" defense held on in the closing minutes to preserve the victory!
I'm excited to see the Rams seem to have turned the corner. If Coach Reaume and the team ever want to get some high altitude training here in Colorado, I can put them up in our gym and they can practice on our field. ;P Going to Denver isn't quite like Michigan going to Rome, but it is a start!
In 1998 SMCC played at FR.. FR was solid that year up 28-6 at half and hung on to win 34-28 at the old FR field. The historical website has the score wrong.