By Jim Newell
Managing Editor
ORION TWP. — No one expected Lake Orion to win against Clarkston on the soccer pitch. After all, the Wolves are the number ranked team in the state and the Dragons are third in the OAA White division.
But Lake Orion must not have gotten the memo, because despite the 2-1 loss, the Dragons came out like playoff contenders, challenging Clarkston throughout the game.
“They’re the number one team in the state, undefeated, well coached, a pretty complete team. A very good attacking team, obviously,” said Chris Corteg, head coach for Lake Orion. “We had to play conservative and counterattack and catch them on the break and we did a couple of times. It could have been us one nil at halftime but their keeper made a very good save.”
Clarkston, as it has done in the past, held strong on defense and eased into the game, not always looking like the top-ranked team.
After a back-and-forth battle for most of the first half, Clarkston broke through the Dragon defense with 13:06 left in the half for the best scoring chance so far.
Lake Orion sophomore goalie Brendan Zale made a tremendous diving save, pushing the shot to his left to keep the Dragons in the game.
The Lake Orion defense kept the Dragons in the game, especially in the second half when Clarkston kept the home team on their own half of the field for a significant amount of playing time. Lake Orion did have some scoring chances in the second half, and the Dragons showed that they were quick on the counterattack and a threat that the Wolves could not ignore when pressing for the lead.
Lake Orion senior Calvin Maes and junior Broden Janzcarek stood out on a Dragon defense that turned away the Wolves offense for much of the game.
Lake Orion senior forward Ezekiel Bargas had several scoring opportunities but was not able to find the back of the net.
The first half ended tied at double-O’s, but it didn’t take Clarkston long to get on the board in the second half. Less than four minutes in, the Wolves’ Brendan Gerard slotted a shot past Zale to put Clarkston up 1-0 with more than 36 minutes left in the game.
“We’re a young team, and it showed. They have some bigger, faster, stronger guys and there were a lot of 50-50 balls and I can’t say that we won the majority of them,” Corteg said.
Lake Orion was determined after the Clarkston goal to even the game, with the Dragon defense holding off the Clarkston attack and the midfield and forwards counterattacking and looking for the tying goal.
Less than seven minutes after Clarkston took the lead, Lake Orion junior Matias Ballina-Loza tied the game after a throw in that a Dragon forward passed across the goal onto Ballina-Loza’s foot.
For the next nine minutes Clarkston kept Lake Orion on its heels as the Wolves’ offense continued to press for another goal. Clarkston’s Sebi Roy took a pass to the right side of the field deep in Dragon territory behind the Dragon defense. Zale came out of net to challenge and Roy was able to put a shot past the keeper into the back of the net, giving the Wolves the 2-1 lead.
“We tied it up but late (in the game) they got a goal and went ahead,” Corteg said. “No shame. The kids worked very hard, very disciplined. It was probably our most complete game of the season. Our defense played very well, and our keeper did well.”
That’s all it would take for a Clarkston victory. Despite Lake Orion’s at times effective counterattack – and the Wolves’ continued offensive pressure – the Dragons were not able to find the back of the net.
With the loss to Clarkston, Lake Orion now falls to 6-6 overall, 2-2 in the OAA White.
The Dragons were scheduled to play Birmingham Groves (3-3-1, 1-2 OAA White) on Tuesday after press time. Lake Orion’s next home game is a non-league game at 7 p.m. Thursday against Lapeer (5-3-3 overall).
The Dragons play Oxford, the no. 4-ranked team in the state, at 7 p.m. on Sept. 27 at Oxford.
Clarkston takes on Birmingham Seaholm (3-4-3, 0-3-1 OAA Red) away at 7 p.m. on Thursday..