The regular season ended with another loss for the Clarkston High School varsity football team, but now it’s time for the “second season.”
Lake Orion handed the Wolves their second loss on Friday, Oct. 24, with a score of 21-7.
The Dragons hit pay dirt on the first possession of the game, then added touchdowns in the second and fourth quarters. Clarkston scored their lone TD in the fourth quarter via a run by quarterback Sam Palace.
“It was a very physical game,” coach Kurt Richardson said, giving credit to the Dragons. “They played really well.”
With the exception of “a couple big plays,” however, the coach believes the Wolves played well, also.
Palace went 16 for 35 in the passing department (with one interception), netting 152 yards. He also ran the ball 12 times for a total of 25 yards on the game.
Ryan Kaltz caught seven passes for 43 yards, with Aaron Powell grabbing six for 71 yards.
Brendan Quisenberry made seven tackles (including one for a two-yard Dragon loss) and was credited with one assist, while Steven Chenet registering four tackles, three assists and one interception.
Even with their record dropping to 7-2 for the regular season, the Wolves easily qualified for the post-season Michigan High School Athletic Association playoffs, earning 85 playoff points and ranking as the number one seed in Region 2, District 1.
Their first round match is Walled Lake Central, with Clarkston to host the game at 7:30 p.m. Friday.
The Vikings also sport a 7-2 record, and gathered 83.111 playoff points. Richardson expects a tough contest against a “well-coached team” with a standout quarterback and receiver.
“There’s no more tomorrows” in the post-season, and Richardson believes his charges know that reality. Attitude was good in Monday’s practice, he said, and he believes the last two losses will not cause a big mental problem. While, “we’re kind of banged up, like everybody,” he believes all starters will be available Friday.
“We’ve got to get our confidence back,” Richardson said. “They know they’re a good football team.”
If victorious in Friday’s “pre-district” game, the MHSAA system will call for Clarkston to host the actual district championship game Nov. 7 or Nov. 8, with the opponent being the winner of Friday’s matchup between Lake Orion and Flint Carman-Ainsworth.