It took a 62-yard run to wake up Clarkston’s gridiron heroes last Friday night at Lake Orion High School in their 42-7 win.
The long touchdown run didn’t come from Clarkston but Dragons? Matt Krause three minutes into the game.
‘It woke us up,? said Kurt Richardson, long-time head coach for the Clarkston Varsity Football team. ‘That kid could beat us by himself.?
But he didn’t. Instead the Wolves came back to score on a 1-yard run by Nolan Eriksen a minute later.
The tie broke with 5:50 left in the first quarter when quarterback DJ Zezula connected a 4-yard touchdown pass to Austin Egler.
‘They came out and smacked us in the mouth a little bit with that run,? Zezula said. ‘We didn’t take it to heart at all. Our offense kept rolling and doing what we do and it went well. I think it hurt them a little bit. It helped us fuel the fire.?
The fire kept raging as the Wolves scored two more touchdowns in the second quarter with a 1-yard touchdown by Centrus Williams, Jr. with 7:46 on the clock. Next, Zezula scored on a keeper as he snuck into the endzone on a 5-yard run with 36 seconds to go.
Eriksen opened the second half with a 1-yard run to put the score 35-7.
While the clock counted down the seconds in the third quarter Zezula connected a 69-yard touchdown pass to Egler. He kept close to the edge of the field, breaking away from Orion’s defense until he reached the endzone and putting the lead 42-7.
‘I was happy with the kids,? Richardson said. ‘We didn’t make stupid mistakes and that’s what we have been doing. We didn’t put the ball on the ground.?
Zezula was 10-for-13 for passing for 228 yards and two touchdowns. Egler had four receptions for 132 yards and two touchdowns.
‘Egler had a phenomenal game,? Richardson added. ‘It was a breakout game for him. We have to give them the ball more.
‘Everytime I targeted him with the ball he came out big,? Zezula smiled.
Shane Holler caught three passes for 48 yards. Eriksen was the leading rusher with 11 carries for 87 yards and two touchdowns. Alex Kessman was 6-for-6 on PATs.
‘DJ was phenomenal tonight but it all started with the guys up front,? Richardson said. ‘I don’t think they got to him all night. It’s huge. Our offense was outstanding.?
Carter Linton led defense with five tackles and two assists plus a tackle for a loss.
Merrick Canada, Jack Selke, Jack McKillop and Will Scarlett had four tackles and also assisted on plays. McKillop had five assists, Canada had four assists, Selke had two assists and Scarlett had one assist.
The win clinched their fourth OAA Red league title for the boys against Lake Orion as they went undefeated in the league.
‘Coach put it in our heads, and I couldn’t agree more, to just throw the records out the window coming in this game,? Zezula said. ‘For big games it’s whoever can control the atmosphere and play the best to their ability – that’s whoever is going to come out on top.?
The Wolves (8-0, 7-0 OAA Red) head to Farmington Hills Harrison (7-1) in a OAA crossover game on Friday night.
‘We got a taste of them in the summer with 7-on-7,? Zezula explained. ‘They are fast. We have to play fast. We have to be fast. We have to execute.?
‘It will be a fun match up,? Richardson added.
The Wolves will find out on Sunday who they face in the first round of playoffs and whoever they take on Richardson added for the post-season they need to play like they did against Orion.
Kick off at Harrison is 7 p.m. The school is located at 29995 West Twelve Mile Road in Farmington Hills.