BY NORM MCKEE
Special to The Review
Lake Orion struck quickly and held off Macomb Dakota until the fourth quarter, when the cougars scored twice to defeat the Dragons and take the varsity football regional title on Nov. 11.
The Cougars won, 27-13. Lake Orion stalled a game-opening Dakota drive, when Joe Nowicki intercepted a Cougar pass and returned it to the Dakota 24-yard line.
On Orion’s first play from scrimmage, Brad Hood hit David Wurst for a 24-yard scoring pass, and a 7-0 Dragon lead.
The Dragons held off the Cougars until midway through the second quarter, when Dakota scored on a two-yard run.
However, Nowicki blocked the extra point, giving the Dragons a 7-6 advantage.
On Orion’s ensuing possession, Hood found Wurst again, this time for a 75-yard scoring strike.
The extra point sailed wide right, and the Dragons held on to a 13-6 halftime advantage.
With 2:48 remaining in the third quarter, Dakota tied the game at 13 on a five-yard run.
The score remained tied until, with 6:38 left in the game, the Cougars scored on another five-yard run, to go up 20-13.
As time ran down in the fourth, the Dragons turned the ball over on downs in their territory.
After Dakota picked up a first down with just 2:08 left to play and no time-outs left, the Dragons opted to let the Cougars score for 18 yards out, going up 27-13, in hopes of getting a quick score and an on-side kick.
But such wasn’t the case, as Lake Orion turned the ball over on downs.
Hood finished the night completing 11 passes for 211 yards and two scores. Wurst hauled in five catches for 149 yards, with two TDs.
Nowicki picked up 170 all-purpose yards, forced a fumble, had an interception and a blocked extra point.