ROCHESTER HILLS – The height and length advantage Stoney Creek held over Rochester Adams translated in expected ways when the two rivals met Friday night.

Toss in the benefit the Cougars had of already playing two games compared to the fact that it was the Highlanders’ season debut, and it all helped Stoney leave Adams with a 43-32 road victory in the crossover matchup.

With the win, Stoney has nine in a row over Adams, who last beat the Cougars 43-27 on Jan. 24, 2020 at Oakland University.

It would have been the second game of the year for the Highlanders, but the cancelation of Wednesday’s game with Bloomfield Hills due to the wintery conditions eliminated a chance to get some more reps in before facing one of their city rivals.

“I won’t make any excuses for our unforced turnovers and things like that we could have done better,” Adams first-year head coach Justin Howard said. “But I would have loved to have one game under our belts so we could go to the drawing board before (this). But (Stoney’s a) great team. They’re tall, they rebound, move the ball very well.”

The Cougars, on the other hand, had the fortune of already playing two games this week — both wins — against Walled Lake Northern and Lakeland before this.

“Oh yeah, it helps,” Cougars head coach Columbus Williams said. “We went out and played a tough Northern team, which gave us a gritty win. Then we went to Lakeland and had another gritty win, and it just got us prepared for the moment and got us prepared for when they had that little rush at the end. We didn’t panic. It’s just normal basketball.”

Stoney’s lead grew to as large as 16 points in the fourth, but as Williams referenced, Adams made a late push in the final 2:30 that began with a 3-pointer by senior Nora Camaj, one of just two triples in the entire game by either team.

Two more turnovers forced by Adams led to baskets by junior London Guthrie and senior Nadia Heppner and allowed the Highlanders to get it within nine points on several occasions, but the Cougars never let it get within two possessions in the final minute.

“You gotta love rivalry games,” said Williams, indicating it played a part in the fight Adams showed to make it a game late. “I think when he called a timeout, it got his girls up, especially the seniors. We’ve been blessed to knock them off the last couple years, and I know they wanted to beat us, so they gave us a good little push there.”

The reason for so few 3-pointers? Stoney is happily to utilize its frontcourt advantage (provided by Calista, Izzy and Abby Ivezaj) against most teams, and that length led to four or five shots by Adams that were blocked or altered around the perimeter.

Howard and the Highlanders won’t see too much verticality like that in the OAA Blue this season, but regardless, it provides a good test. “Early in the year, you don’t even want to talk about moral wins, but we did a lot of positive things tonight, especially (against) a team a couple of levels above us … And I think, too, trying to change the system a little bit from last year is tough on a new coach and players that are used to moving a certain way, so I’m trying to add a little bit movement to it. Just a little more practice (needed),” he said.

Senior Faith Zoldos led the Highlanders with eight points, while classmates Raegan Jerrell and Alyssa Stephens added six. Stoney Creek senior Jadelynn Freeman led all scorers with 16, and junior teammate Samantha Fulkerson added nine in the win.

Photo gallery of Rochester Adams vs. Stoney Creek in OAA girls hoops crossover action

"We've just got to keep cleaning up on our guards," Williams said. "We've got a young point guard in Samantha, teaching her the ways. She's the next one up and we've just got to keep working with her, keep getting her to identify the defenses and where we need to go with the basketball, where to go with the hot hand, just kind of get her going."

Stoney finished third in the OAA Red last season, but should contend for the title this year with the teams it finished behind last winter, Clarkston and West Bloomfield.

"Man, it's going to be tough, but I'm excited for it," Williams said. "I think we've got a good group and we'll give it a good battle this year. That's one of our goals, to win the Red."

Adams ended last year 10-11 and right in the middle of the OAA Blue standings. It figures to be a deep, competitive division again.

"I think the expectation is, if I can get the players to run the offense, simplify it a bit, we should be able to compete in the Blue this year," said Howard, who was the program's JV coach previously. "I love what I saw tonight, now we're just going back and fixing one thing at a time."

Howard's Highlanders are back in action Monday at home against Utica. The Cougars get back on the court when they travel to Goodrich next Wednesday.

BIG RAPIDS – Ferris State’s football program, built on strong play in the trenches, has a rich history with accomplished players being nominated for — and several times winning—  the Gene Upshaw Lineman of the Year Award.

Past Bulldog recipients of the prestigious award, which is given to the top lineman in NCAA Division II football, include Austin Edwards, in 2019; Dylan Pasquali, in 2021; and Caleb Murphy, in 2022.

This season, Ferris State offensive lineman Tim Anderson has become the latest Bulldog nominated for the award as one of eight 2025 national finalists, putting him on a short list for Friday’s announcement, when it was revealed that the Rochester Adams graduate was named this year’s winner.

Anderson, a 6-foot-6 senior, 305-pound senior, didn’t hesitate in his response when asked about becoming one of the final eight for the award.

“This means a lot, and I’m super thankful, but I know I wouldn’t be there without the other guys on our offensive line,” he said. “The only reason that I’ve gotten noticed is because all five guys on our offensive line are out there and playing dominant football. I hope this shows how good our offensive line is, because it’s not just me. It’s about everyone on our offensive line and everyone on our offense working together.”

That starting lineup for “The Nasty Boys,” the name that the offensive line has embraced, includes Tim’s twin, Bob Anderson, with Dayne Arnett, Jarvis Windom and Ben Przytula. Tim shared the pride he feels in the depth the unit has developed that has helped fuel the team’s scoring punch. The Bulldogs are the nation’s leading scoring offense, averaging 53.8 points and totaling 751 points this season through 14 games.

Ferris State’s offensive numbers have contributed to the announcement of Tim as a finalist for an award named in honor of the late Gene Upshaw, who was not only an All-Pro lineman for the Oakland Raiders but also later served as the executive director of the NFL Players Association for 25 years. A former standout offensive lineman at Texas A&I University (now Texas A&M Kingsville), Upshaw was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1987 in his first year of eligibility.

The Gene Upshaw Award is presented annually by the Manheim Touchdown Club.

The Bulldogs’ offensive line unit has been a big part of the Bulldogs’ offensive success.

Ferris State’s offense ranks third nationally in rushing offense, averaging 306.5 yards per game. That rushing offense also includes 63 touchdowns on 4,291 yards.

Anderson earned first-team All-Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference honors and was named the GLIAC Offensive Lineman of the Year. He further received Division II Conference Commissioners Association All-Super Region Three First-Team recognition for his gridiron play during the 2025 campaign.

Inside the Ewigleben Sports Complex walls, Anderson frequently walks past a large trophy case that includes replicas of the Gene Upshaw Award trophies won by Edwards, Pasquali and Murphy. Those honorees stand as a reminder.

“It means a lot to be in a program that has such a great history of linemen,” said Anderson, who was a decorated athlete during his prep days at Adams. “For us, being able to carry on that tradition is important. We’re thankful to be a part of it.”

During this playoff run, led by the strong line play, Ferris State scored 65 points against Northwood (Nov. 22), 56 against Ashland (Nov. 29) and 52 against Minnesota State (Dec. 6) in three wins.

The Bulldogs were scheduled to take on Newberry in the NCAA Division II National Semifinals on Saturday, Dec. 13, at Top Taggart Field.