BY NORM MCKEE
Special to The Review
For those who missed the double overtime thriller on Oct. 21 between the Lake Orion and Clarkston varsity football teams, there will be a repeat this Friday at Dragon Stadium.
On Nov. 4, the two teams will face off again as they battle for the district title. The Dragons defeated Romeo, 14-12, on Oct. 28 in their opening playoff game.
Clarkston defeated first-seed Utica Eisenhower, 38-7, in the first round. Lake Orion and Clarkston are seeded third and fourth, respectively, in their district.
In the first meeting of the season between the two teams, The Dragons earned homefield advantage for the rematch by winning, 27-21.
Against Romeo, Lake Orion stalled the second-seeded Bulldogs behind a dominating performance by junior Josh Allison, who collected 13 tackles, two sacks and blocked a key extra point attempt.
The Dragons opened the scoring less than three minutes into the contest, as quarterback Brad Hood connected with David Wurst for a 40-yard scoring pass.
Dylan VanFossen’s extra point put the team up, 7-0.
Lake Orion’s defense held the Bulldogs in check until the offense was able to cap off a late second quarter scoring drive with a three-yard, Andy Miller-touchdown.
VanFossen’s kick put the Dragons up, 14-0, at the half.
The second part of the game appeared to be a repeat of the first, with both teams? defenses dominating play, until midway through the third quarter when Romeo connected on a 48-yard pass to score.
Allison managed to slip through the line to block the extra point, leaving the Dragons up 14-6.
Both teams exchanged possessions until the final two minutes of the game, when Romeo’s passing game came alive.
The Bulldogs marched to the Dragons? four-yard line, with just 40 second remaining, and scored on a diving catch by tight-end Doug Sharples to close the Dragons? lead, 14-12.
Romeo’s two-point conversion attempt failed, and their attempted on-side kick was covered by the Dragons, allowing them to run out the clock.
On the night, Hood completed three passes for 95 yards and a TD, including two to Wurst for 35 yards and a TD, and one to Joe Nowicki, for 42 yards.
Nowicki carried seven times for 52 yards, Aaron Allen eight times for 47 yards, and Miller ran 11 times for 40 yards and a TD.
Cortez McKinley had nine rushes for 34 yards.
The Dragons? defense managed to hold Romeo to just 28 rushing yards. In addition to Allison’s performance, Scott Avery had seven tackles and three sacks.
Shaun Vernon had eight tackles, Nick Dunstan had six, and Andrew Pugh recorded seven tackles and a sack.
Defensive back Troy Anderlie had his second interception in as many games, as well as three tackles.