Experience is a key to the Dragons’ success

By Jim Newell
Managing Editor
jnewell@mihomepaper.com
ORION TWP. — The Lake Orion High School varsity football team had a phenomenal season last year, going undefeated in the regular season and winning their first playoff game before losing to Clarkston in the district final.
The team finished 10-1, winning the Oakland Activities Association Red division title. And while the Dragons have lost some key players to graduation, the squad still has a lot of experience, size and determination heading into the 2024 season.
“We’re excited. We returned 11 starters from last year. There’s a lot of experience and size on the offensive line. In the entire secondary, we’ve got real skilled kids coming back, and we’ve got a great DB (defensive back) group,” head coach Chris Bell said. “These guys work hard and do everything necessary to give them the opportunity to compete in probably the best league in the state of Michigan.”
Bell knows the OAA Red is a tough division and his team will need to stay focused to repeat last year’s 5-0 record in the division to win another title.
“Our goal is to compete for the OAA Red championship where every game is a war, and we’d like to play great football at the end of the year to give us a chance at the state playoffs,” Bell said. “Playing great teams in this league just makes you better. If you play great teams in this league and get to the playoffs you’re going to be battle-tested.
Bell is in his 22nd year as head coach of the Dragons (1998-2016, 2022-present) and has a 163-61 record at Lake Orion.
Lake Orion will run a spread offense again this year. Among the team’s strengths on offense, Bell lists several returning starters.
“We are big and experienced up on the offensive line. We return several skill players on offense,” Bell said.
The Dragons return seven leading starters on offense: senior T.R. Hill at quarterback, seniors Brennan Eliason, Jacob Escobido and Landon Morris on the offensive line, senior slot receivers Jackson Vasquez and Jamari Cooper and junior Ryan Rocheleau at wide receiver/tight end.
Lake Orion has key spots to fill after graduating several pivotal players: linebacker Kaydon Degraffenried, a two-year starting linebacker and captain for the Dragons; linebacker Joey DeBrincat, who was named co-defensive player of the year for Lake Orion; Raymond Payne, three-year varsity wide receiver for Lake Orion; and Billy Roberson, three year varsity running back, team captain, record holder in rushing yards for the Dragons and an All-State Dream Team honoree last year. Roberson rushed for 1,421 yards and 21 touchdowns and averaged seven yards per carry in the first 10 games of the season last year.
On defense, the Dragons have three experienced defensive backs in seniors Trey Pochmara, Austin Cahn and A.J. Leitz. Senior Brendan Nepchuk is back on the defensive line, and senior Payton McIntyre returns at linebacker. Senior Will Hoffman returns at kicker/punter.
“Defensively, we return three out of four (players) in the secondary. We return our linebacker and we have two defensive linemen who saw extensive playing time,” Bell said. “We also return our all-state kicker in Will Hoffman.”
This season, there will be some crossover games between the OAA Red and the OAA White teams.
Bell said that while the teams in the OAA are competitors you have to respect the teams and what they bring to the field.
In the OAA Red coaches preseason coaches’ poll on Aug. 9, Lake Orion received two first place votes and West Bloomfield received one. Clarkston, Oxford and Rochester Adams round out the Red division, the highest division in the conference.
Lake Orion’s assistant coaches are Brad Fischer, Mike Heath, John Blackstock, Russ Purdy, D.J. Reid, Brian Gannon, Eric Jennings, Corey Bell, Rob Karagosian, Doug Babcock, Taylor McCarty and Jeff Heath.
Lake Orion starts the season off on the road against Northville (10-2 last year) at 7 p.m. Aug. 29, then travels to Stoney Creek (3-6 in 2023) on Sept. 6. The Dragons’ first home game is 7 p.m. Sept. 13 versus Troy High School (5-4 last year).