The Lake Orion varsity wrestlers hit the mats for their first Oakland Activities Association league meet on Feb. 17, going up against perennially rivals Oxford, Clarkston and Rochester high schools.

Rochester defeated the Dragons in the first matchup of the night, 43-32.

However, senior 171-pounder Dominic Orselli, a state qualifier last year, got a major decision in his bout, outscoring his Falcon opponent 8-0. Ryder Smith, wrestling at 125 pounds, also got an impressive win, 9-1.

Lake Orion had a back-and-forth match against Oxford, losing the match by five points, 37-32, over a resilient Wolves team.

Seniors Anthony Vellucci (wrestling at 160 pounds) and Orselli both recorded major decisions over their Oxford rivals, winning 9-1 and 13-5, respectively.

Edwin Morris (285) and Ryder Smith (125) both pinned their opponents, and Judah Kinne (215) got the 6-5 victory in a tough contest.

Despite the previous two losses, the Dragons showed their fortitude and battled back to a dominant win over the Clarkston Wolves in the third match of the evening, winning 48-20.

Orselli continued his undefeated streak, winning his third match 6-0. Kinne pinned his Wolves rival, as did Hunter Swatosh (119), Cavan McIntyre and Dorian Hill (140). Ryder Smith (125) recorded a 7-1 victory. – By Jim Newell