Kaden Cherkasky scored four touchdowns as Bloomfield Hills beat West Bloomfield 28-20 on Sept. 25. The win was the program's first against its rival since 2017.
Kaden Cherkasky carried 20 times for 113 yards and scored four touchdowns as Bloomfield Hills beat West Bloomfield 28-20 on Friday, Sept. 25. The result was only the second win over the rival in program history. It was the first since 2017.
Independent statewide scoreboards, including reports from Freep, Michigan's Thumb and High School On SI, listed the same final score. Bloomfield Hills never trailed.
The game was part of Week 5 in the Oakland Activities Association. The Oakland Press had identified it before kickoff as an OAA matchup between the neighboring Oakland County programs. Bloomfield Hills led from the opening whistle. West Bloomfield tied the game 14-14 in the third quarter, but could not take control.
For the regional context, the Oakland County administration is the county government for both communities. The result is separate from activities governed by the City of Farmington, the City of Farmington Hills or the Farmington Public Schools board. It remains part of the high-school sports landscape followed by Farmington Voice readers.
Coach Scott Merchant saw more in the result than a change in the record. The game gave him a clear test of his team's progress.
Cherkasky also completed 3 of 4 passes for 59 yards. Kayden Gulley added 95 rushing yards on 18 carries.
Bloomfield Hills gained 290 total yards. Its offensive line controlled the line of scrimmage for most of the night. The team committed one turnover and won the time-of-possession battle. Those advantages helped it build a 14-0 lead before West Bloomfield's offense found its rhythm.
That was the difference.
One week earlier, Bloomfield Hills lost 56-0 to Rochester Hills Stoney Creek on Sept. 18. Merchant called the victory a major rebound. His players answered with a physical rushing attack and avoided the mistakes that had hurt them in earlier chances.
West Bloomfield entered the game 1-4 overall and 0-2 in the OAA Red Division, according to the pregame context in statewide results coverage. The Lakers erased Bloomfield Hills' early advantage in the third quarter. Bloomfield Hills stayed with its plan through the final stretch.
Cherkasky connected with Gage Decker on a 30-yard pass that kept one drive alive. The play moved Bloomfield Hills into the red zone. Cherkasky then scored the go-ahead touchdown on a run. He added another touchdown before West Bloomfield made one final attempt to answer.
Bloomfield Hills finished 2-3 and remained 0-2 in the OAA Red. The win was also the program's first against an OAA Red opponent since 2022. That gave the result weight beyond the rivalry.
Merchant's view of the team rests on how it handles difficult moments. Two weeks earlier, Bloomfield Hills trailed Rochester Hills Stoney Creek 14-10 but remained within reach. The team failed to convert a fourth down. Against West Bloomfield, the players stayed with the game plan after losing a 14-point lead. They converted the late opportunity that mattered.
The matchup carries extra weight because West Bloomfield is Bloomfield Hills' next-door neighbor. West Bloomfield has usually controlled the series. Bloomfield Hills had to keep running the ball, protect possession and regain control after the tie.
That combination showed where Merchant's program stands. One win does not erase a 2-3 record or the 56-0 loss the week before. It does show that the team can answer adversity against an OAA Red opponent and a familiar rival. Bloomfield Hills earned a result that supports Merchant's claim of progress on the field.
The distinction between the communities and school systems also matters in regional reporting. The City of Farmington and City of Farmington Hills are separate municipalities. Farmington Public Schools is a separate public-school district from Bloomfield Hills Schools and the West Bloomfield School District. None of those local institutions were involved in the Sept. 25 game.
