The sun shined onto Clarkston High School’s football field on Monday as the gridiron heroes prepared for a new week of practice.
The Clarkston Boys Varsity Football team had two days off after the win over Troy Athens on Friday, 42-6, and are working for more.
“We are making strides,” said Kurt Richardson, head coach. “Defensively we played pretty good. D.J. Zezula progressed quite a bit. The kids stepped up.”
Zezula put the Wolves on the scoreboard on his quarterback keeper and ran 1-yard into the endzone after the game opened. A PAT from kicker Shane Hynes put the boys, 7-0.
The Red Hawks added to the board with two field goals – one in the first quarter and another in the next quarter to put the score.
Running back Ian Eriksen struck next with a 3-yard touchdown to put more distance in the score. Another 1-yard run by Zezula into the endzone marked the end of the first half with the Wolves up 21-6.
Eriksen scored two more times with a 5-yard touchdown in the third quarter and a 7-yard touchdown in the final quarter.
The final score was from Cyree Merritt off a 5-yard touchdown pass from Zezula, putting the Wolves 42-6.
Eriksen was the leading rusher. He rushed the ball 22 times for 164 yards. Caine Watlington rushed for 62 yards. Hynes was 6-for-6 for PATs.
“Zezula, Watlington and Eriksen were good again,” Richardson said. “Defensively Alex Dicea was good again and Reid Kaminski had a very good game.”
Dicea and Kaminski both had one interception each which led to touchdowns after the Wolves took over possession.
Chris Calvano was the leading tackler with seven tackles and Dicea had six tackles.
The Wolves improved to 4-0, 3-0 OAA Red, holding onto second place. Troy Athens went down to 0-4.
Richardson added the team has to work on their consistency when asked if the Wolves played at the traditional Clarkston level or down to the Red Hawks’ level of play.
“They did a bit of both,” he admitted.
Clarkston heads to Stoney Creek this Friday to play the new foe as they joined the OAA Red this fall.
“It will be a new experience,” said Richardson. “They can’t let down. We have to keep making strides every week.”
The Cougars are 2-2, 1-2 OAA Red after their 42-7 loss to Lake Orion last Friday.
“We are expecting to see one of the best teams in the county,” Stoney Creek Head Coach Brad Zube. He has seen the Wolves since he lives in Clarkston and coached Pontiac for two years.
“I have prepped the boys at how big Clarkston is and how well coached they are,” he added. “Coach Richardson is a great guy and does a great job. We are just try to gear them up and ready for the challenge.”
He added the loss to Orion prepped them in a positive way to see the level of play they need to be at as they take on Clarkston
“It bruised our egos but in the long run it will help,” said Zube. “Right now we our finding our identities.”
The game starts at 7 p.m. at 575 E. Tienken Road in Rochester.