Varsity football coach Kurt Richardson was understated, yet accurate in his assessment of his squad’s performance Friday, Oct. 17.
“We didn’t play very well,” he said.
The 35-0 loss to Farmington Hills Harrison was the first loss for the Wolves in 2003, and it was a big one. The Hawks scored first with 8:50 to go in the second quarter and ran up a 21-0 lead by halftime.
Fans, players and coaches knew the fight against Harrison (a 12-time state champion) would be tough, but Richardson shares the frustration at the point margin.
“I fully expected it to be closer,” he said. “We just didn’t play anywhere near our capability, for whatever reason.”
Wolves quarterback Sam Palace was limited to 46 yards passing. Scott Lyons rushed for 68 yards on 17 carries, and Ryan Kaltz caught three passes for a total of 27 yards.
On defense, Brendan Quisenberry was credited with five tackles and one sack.
With a 5-1 league record (7-1 overall), the Wolves are scheduled to travel to Lake Orion Friday. While the Dragons have lost their first-string quarterback to injury, Richardson said they are still a “power team” and Clarkston needs to be ready.
“There’s no time to pout,” the coach said. “It’s time to come back.”
While the coach prefers to look at the next game exclusively, fans will be looking ahead to the post-season. The Michigan High School Athletic Association pairings for football playoffs will be made Sunday, Oct. 26. Going into this week’s action, Clarkston has accumulated 91.75 points in the MHSAA playoff system.