Twelve of Lake Orion’s finest athletes will scatter to universities and colleges across the Midwest this fall.
Reed Losee, Derek Schrauben, Julianne Boyle, Hailey Redd, Jessica LaBond, Alyssa Mason, Ben Walker, Kane Hayes, John Hill, Pat Fehlberg, Andy Mosier and Collin McGran signed Letters of Intent, binding them to play for universities as far away Pittsburgh, PA.
Feb. 3 was national signing day for soccer and football, and late signing day for baseball.
‘I’m so proud of the athletes that we’ve had in the last few years,? said Athletic Director Bill Reiss. ‘We’re getting more and more scholarships with an academic tone to them.?
Girls? soccer coach Ken Snage said, ‘They do exceptional work in the classroom and they do exceptional work on the field ? that’s why they’re here.?
Four of Snage’s seniors signed letters. Redd, a four-year varsity player, is moving on to the University of Finley. In her career as a Dragon, she’s been all-league, all-district, all-regional, all-state and on the academic all-state team.
‘She’s been a difference maker on our team,? said her coach. ‘She’s been fantastic as a goalie and she’s demonstrated everything our program stands for. She’s a very dedicated athlete. She’s played 42 varsity games and has been fantastic.?
Boyle played center for the Dragon soccer team and will head to Oakland University.
‘She’s sensational, she’s dynamic ? I’ll tell you what, she’s everything every coach would like to have on a team,? Snage said. ‘She’s been a terrific centerman. She’s got great vision, superb speed, she makes great decisions while she’s playing and makes great decisions off the field as well.?
He added, ‘She’s represented the Dragons as well as you can represent them.?
Boyle’s made it all-league, all-district, all-regional and all-state, and was on the academic all-state team.
Labon, another girls? soccer player, will attend the University of Detroit. She went all-league, all-district and was on the academic all-state team.
‘The last two years, Jessica’s had sensational seasons for us,? said Snage. ‘She’s been a dependable defender. She’s done everything we asked her to do. She’s a smart player. She’s a ball-winner and does great things when she wins the ball and she makes good decisions?
Rounding out the Lady Dragon soccer players is Mason, another academic all-state player.
‘Most teams would love to have one good goalie, but we’ve been fortunate to have two good goalies. [Mason] has good hands, punts well and she’s really strong in the goal mouth. She’s been stellar for us. We’ve been very fortunate to have two great kids and Alyssa’s one of them. She’s never done anything than be an outstanding player and outstanding person,? said her coach.
Mason will head to Ohio Northern in the fall.
Losee, a varsity player for boys? soccer, signed with Northwestern University in Illinois. This season, he led the team with 36 goals in 18 games and contributed 27 assists. Losee was also third in Mr. Michigan Soccer balloting, 2009 Gatorade Player of the Year, and played on the national championship team.
Losee’s prowess on the field matches his academic achievements as he was a scholar athlete in Oakland Activities Association and in the state, with a 3.76 GPA.
‘That just tells you the type of kids we have here,? said Reiss, standing in for Coach Matt Paukovits at the signing event.
He added, ‘While Reed might be the motor that made our team run, the steering wheel was Derek Schrauben.?
Schrauben will attend Western Michigan University.
‘He’s an outstanding gentleman and an aggressive player,? said Reiss. ‘People have come to me and remarked at the conduct he exhibits on the field.?
He added, ‘In a reflection on Schrauben, when he separated his shoulder, we got knocked out of the playoffs because, really, he was someone that steered the ball in the direction of all our scorers and put some in himself. He’s the ultimate team player and we were missing that.?
He’s earned a 3.97 GPA in his career at Lake Orion High School.
Walker, a two-year starter as offensive tackle on the varsity football team, signed with Wayne State University.
‘He’s one of the best offensive linemen in the league,? said Head Coach Chris Bell. ‘He’s an outstanding student, as well.?
Walker earned a full ride to Wayne State.
‘I’ve been here a long time and I can easily say that this is the best book-end pair of tackles we’ve ever had,? Bell said of Walker and Belner. ‘Both of these guys are all-league players, all-area players, and two of our leaders, our team captains.?
Alongside Walker and Belner was Hill, who’s heading to Robert Morris University in Pittsburg, PA on a full ride scholarship to play football.
The defensive end was a three-year starter.
‘He had an injury that set him back as a junior, but the way he came back and played for us was great,? said Bell.
Kane ‘Candycane? Hayes, as he was known to football players two years ago, earned a new nickname: ‘Hurricane.? The team captain leads the Dragons in tackles and signed with Ferris State University. Hayes was also state champion last year in powerlifting in his weight class, setting a record for the class.
‘He’s been the heart and soul of our defense in the last several years,? Bell said.
Andy Mosier, a varsity baseball player and four-year starter, will attend Lincoln Junior College in Illinois. As a junior, he was part of the state championship-winning team.
His coach, Andy Schramek, said Mosier was one of two underclassmen selected as captain since he started coaching in Lake Orion.
‘That’s a pretty big honor for a junior,? said Schramek.
As a sophomore, Mosier was an all-league and all-district player, and was a starting catcher, which he’ll do again this year.
‘He’s also an excellent hitter,? his coach said, adding, ‘Andy’s been a four-year player for us, which is really hard to do in a school this size. The one thing that I’ve always been really proud of Andy for is that he loves baseball, he wanted to be a baseball player ? I think he wanted to be a Lake Orion baseball player from the time I met him in fifth grade.?
This year, Mosier made the decision to focus on baseball instead of football, ‘and it resulted in what’s happening today,? said Schramek of Mosier’s upcoming collegiate career.
‘I know that we’re going to see really big results out of Andy with all the sacrifices that he’s made in his life.?