Dragon Football Head Coach Chris Bell likes the fact that his football team hadn’t ‘lost a homecoming game in over 20 years.?
Homecoming this season was no different as the Dragons extended their winning streak and record to 6-0 with a 42-7 win over Rochester. The win clinches Lake Orion’s spot in the state playoffs.
The Dragons bore down on the Falcons early in the game and scored a quick 13 points to put Rochester on the rebound. The Falcons responded with seven points of their own, but Lake Orion answered with two more touchdowns – one off an interception. While Rochester’s defense looked better than any other team in the OAA Red Division this season, the Dragons still managed to pick it apart well enough to secure yet another dominating victory.
‘We opened the game with a great drive – we worked for it but we went 72 yards with four plays for our first touchdown,? said Bell. ‘We quickly got a turnover, so really we couldn’t have opened the game any better. They ended up scoring to make it 13-7, but then we answered and made it 21-7, followed by an interception that led to another touchdown.?
On the offense, the Dragons managed 87 yards passing and 223 rushing – a total of 310 total yards while holding Rochester to under 200 yard total and just 84 rushing.
Senior starting quarterback Derek Delaura threw for 87 yards to senior Jeremy King (12 yards) and junior Corey Ester (75 yards.)
Senior Jacob Miller led the running attack with 116 yards and two touchdowns, followed by Ester with 62 yards (two touchdowns), junior Chris Leigh with 17 yards (one touchdown) and senior Zach Arnold with 12 yards.
Bell said his team played great offensively, especially early on, but admitted they had more plays than usual get shutdown in the middle of the game. He attributed this to Rochester’s tough defense giving the Dragons some of their first good competition and added it revealed some of Lake Orion’s weaknesses.
‘We had a bad turnover, some penalties and we just need to make our assignments,? he said. ‘Defensively we missed some tackles but it’s all fundamental stuff. We were finally in a decent game and that stuff becomes more evident, so we’re happy to have that game. Rochester is a good team.?
Up next for the Dragons will be the Pontiac Phoenixes at Wisner Stadium in Pontiac at 2 p.m. on Saturday. The game will be homecoming for Pontiac, so Bell expects a good game.
‘They have a very good athletic quarterback who can run and throw,? he said. We’ll have to keep him in check but their defense can run so we’ll also have to do a good job of staying on our blocks. It should be a good football game.?