Defending their title! — The Lake Orion High School boys varsity soccer team cheers and raises the coveted Dragon Trophy for the second year in a row after winning the Dragon Boat Showdown on Saturday during the Dragon on the Lake festival. The Orion Art Center started the Dragon Boat Showdown three years ago, getting area high school sports teams and clubs to race one another in the spirit of friendly competition, said Amy Cole, president of the Orion Art Center Board of Directors. Several area teams use the race as a team-building opportunity while having a lot of fun on the lake. Photo by Jim Newell.  

Clarkston swim and dive takes second place

By Jim Newell
Managing Editor
LAKE ORION — The Lake Orion High School soccer players already have a championship trophy before school even starts, repeating as champions in the third annual Dragon on the Lake high school Dragon Boat races on Saturday.

The Clarkston High School girls swim and dive team – the only girls team in the race – finished in second place overall, and were the best dressed team at the races.

Dragon Boat races are a signature event of the Dragon on the Lake festival. Teams of up to 20 rowers and a drummer race 300 meters on Lake Orion, paddling as fast as they can to the finish line near Green’s Park.

The Lake Orion varsity soccer team won the final race with a time of 1:44.5 minutes, raising the coveted Dragon Boat Showdown trophy for the second time. The trophy will be displayed at Lake Orion High School until next year’s races.

The Clarkston swim and dive team finished the final race with a time of 1:59.24 minutes, improving their time each race throughout the day. The Lake Orion freshmen football team finished in third place with a time of 2:01.56 minutes.

The race, the brainchild of Orion Art Center Board of Directors President Amy Cole, featured qualifying heats between the Clarkston girls swim and dive team and the Lake Orion varsity football, JV football, freshmen football and soccer teams.

“We believe heavily in community and we’re so happy to have our third year of the high school showdown,” Cole said. “The spirit of today is friendly, respectful competition.”

The races are designed to bring local high school teams together for team-building and to support local charities. Cole hopes to grow the race each year and invites teams from Lake Orion, Rochester, Clarkston and Oxford to participate.

The nonprofit Orion Art Center hosts the Dragon on the Lake festival each August to raise funds to support its operations and give back to the community.

Online: orionartcenter.org.