Lake Orion High School varsity coach Chris Bell is hoping veteran players like senior Ryan Allison, who recently committed verbally to play for Michigan State University next year, and a quick defense will take the reigns to lead the Dragons to victory on the football field this season.
Besides wide receiver Allison; who is the brother of 2004 graduate Roger Allison, now playing for the University of Michigan; Lake Orion returns seniors Pat Huey (left tackle), Brian Larsen (right tackle), Ryan Kelly (wide receiver), Riley Pratt (right guard), Darren Peshl (center), and Brian Hewitt (tight end).
Also returning for the varsity squad is junior Brad Hood, who will start at quarterback. Seniors Michael Burch (left tackle) and Michael Smietana (linebacker) also return to the team, having started three or more games last season.
Also back for the Dragons are seniors Jay Sucaet (defensive lineman), and Brad Neary (tight end), who started a game last season, and Tony Scott on the defensive line.
‘We have guys with experience, and we are young in some spots,? said Bell. ‘We have fast defense. We’re still a little unsettled at running back.?
Bell said junior Andy Miller and senior Jayson Bodo, who is back after recovering from an ankle injury, will vie for that starting position.
‘He’s had a good preseason,? Bell said of Bodo. ‘We had a really good (pre-season) camp this year.?
Bell expects his team to be balanced, but he still has some questions to be answered on the field.
‘We have some offensive weapons,? he said. ‘We have a lot of kids competing for positions.?
Bell said OAA-I competition Harrison, Troy Athens and Clarkston will all be at the top.
‘Everyone had a good senior class,? he said.
Bell said he has great kids on the team this season, and that they are coming together well.
‘They are gentleman off the field,? he said. ‘They are a very tight knit group.?
Bell is also looking at three transfer students to contribute to the team this year, but he said it is too early to say too much about them, as one is still waiting to have his eligibility confirmed.
Besides Ryan Allison, who has a cousin on the team, sophomore Josh Allison (right guard); Bell looks to Kelly to come on strong.
‘He had a great camp,? Bell said of Kelly. ‘We’re very deep at wide receiver.?
As of the younger Allison, Bell thinks he could be a factor in the future.
‘He’s cut from the same mold (as Roger and Ryan),? Bell said.
For now, Bell’s focus for the team is on fundamentals.
‘Young guys have to understand the speed and intensity you practice with every day at this level,? he said.
Bell is pleased with the commitment to the program he’s seeing from his players, as well as those on the freshman and junior varsity squads who will feed into the varsity program in the years to come.
‘The coaches are doing a great job,? he said. ‘We don’t set goals in terms of wins…We’ll be fundamentally solid. We just say ‘play as hard as you can.??
Bell said Ryan Allison has been a factor in setting goals for the team.
‘He sets goals for himself, and he takes it to the next level,? Bell said. ‘He’s constantly pushing that level, maybe it’s endurance…the seniors set a standard for the work effort for the rest of the team.?
Bell also credits sophomore wide receiver David Wurst as part of that group.
‘He’s helping to set the standard,? he said.
Bell calls the elder Allison on the team a ‘tough kid,? who is learning the difference between track speed and football speed.
‘He’s learning to bring that track speed in,? he said. ‘We’ve got great speed at wide receiver?
Last season, Allison averaged over 20 yards per carry.
‘We have great balance this year among all the guys, and with our quarterback,? Bell said.