46 | DECEMBER 19 • 2019 

sports HIGHlights

brought to you in partnership with 

NMLS#2289

quick hits
BY STEVE STEIN 

Billy Slobin and Doug Lemberg helped 

the North Farmington High School foot-

ball team reach heights this season the 

Raiders hadn’
t reached in decades.

Slobin and Lemberg were two of the 

former Farmington Hills Harrison High 

School assistant football coaches who 

took their talents to North Farmington 

after Harrison closed at the end of the 

2018-19 school year.

Slobin continued as a volunteer 

strength and conditioning coach. 

Lemberg, a North Farmington graduate, 

continued as the outside linebackers 

coach.

North Farmington finished 9-1, los-

ing only 34-21 to University of Detroit 

Jesuit on Nov. 2 in a playoff opener.

The Raiders went undefeated in the 

regular season for the first time since 

1978, outscoring their opponents 372-

95. That was the most points scored 

during the regular season in program 

history and the least allowed since 

1989.

North Farmington won the Oakland 

Activities Association Blue Division 

championship with a 6-0 record 

that included a 13-9 win over rival 

Farmington in Week 8.

Both teams were undefeated com-

ing into the game.

North Farmington was a combined 

5-22 the previous three seasons 

(2016-18) including 0-9 in 2016 and 

had made only one playoff appearance 

in 13 years. That was in 2013.

The Raiders are still looking for their 

first playoff win since 1978.

Harrison is arguably the most suc-

cessful high school football program in 

the state.

Under John Herrington, the team’
s 

only coach, the Hawks piled up a 

state-record 443 victories and 13 state 

championships starting in 1970. They 

were 93-21 in playoff games.

Herrington was a volunteer coach at 

North Farmington this fall. Jon Herstein, 

his former longtime assistant coach, 

was the head coach. 

CONTRIBUTED

Doug Lemberg 
and Billy Slobin

 
Young Jews 
Making Moves:
Will Bloomberg
W

ill Bloomberg, a high school 
senior at Frankel Jewish 
Academy (FJA), has always 
been a leader both on and off the 
athletic field. Now, he is combining 
his leadership abilities and love of 
sports and channeling them toward a 
charitable cause.
Bloomberg, 17, has been the captain 
of the varsity soccer team since his 
sophomore year and plays varsity 
basketball for FJA. Bloomberg was also 
named “All-Catholic” by the Catholic 
High School League for the 2018-2019 
season for both soccer and basketball.
“Ever since I was young, I’
ve been 
a leader,” Bloomberg says. “When I 
started playing sports here, I developed 
my leadership skills even more. Being 
a captain of athletes who are older than 

you is a challenge, but it allowed me to 
show who I really am as an athlete and 
as a person.”
Since Bloomberg’
s athletic career has 
been a positive impact on his personal 
growth, he decided he wanted to 
give back to the community through 
sports. With the help of friends Tal 
Rubin, Alex Aisner and Rafi Iframov, 
Bloomberg started his own charity 
basketball three-on-three league.
In the charity’
s inaugural season 
this year, Bloomberg and his friends 
welcomed 36 students from different 
high schools and raised more than 
$400. The event took place this 
past March at Friendship Circle of 
Michigan.
The money raised goes to benefiting 
Friendship Circle and Friends of 
the Israel Defense Forces (FIDF). 
Bloomberg and his friends felt strongly 
about choosing the FIDF as their 
charity of choice because of their love 
for Israel.
“My experiences with Jewish day 
school and Jewish camps have shown 
me how Judaism can shape someone, 
and how important religion and 
tradition are in supporting your 
passions,” Bloomberg says.
“Learning about Judaism in school 

CORRIE COLF STAFF WRITER

PHOTOS COURTESY OF WILL BLOOMBERG

Will Bloomberg of 
Farmington Hills is 
committed to strengthening 
his community through
his devotion to sports.

continued on page 48