By Joe St. Henry
Review Staff Writer
A three-touchdown outburst in the third quarter propelled Lake Orion to a rout of rival Oxford, 36-0, returning the coveted Double-O trophy back into the Dragons? claws last Friday.
Junior running back Keith Fields? stellar season continued, as he rushed for 233 yards and three touchdowns to lead Lake Orion’s offense.
The Dragon defense, meanwhile, kept Oxford off the scoreboard, including a crucial fourth down stop at their own seven-yard line at the end of the first half.
Lake Orion only allowed Oxford 234 total yards and limited the Wildcats to convert only 3 of 14 third-down plays. The win evened the Dragons? season record to 2-2.
‘We really played well in all phases of the game,? said Coach Chris Bell. ‘A lot of questions were answered for us about this team.?
Lake Orion’s coaches knew Oxford’s offense wanted to play physical and run the football. The Dragons? turned the tide on the Wildcats, however, showing their own physical prowess in the trenches and ability to move the ball on the ground from the beginning.
‘Offensively, we did a great job up front, opening holes for the running game,? Bell said.
After recovering an Oxford fumble on its first series, Lake Orion scored on its first offensive play when Fields followed his blocks and broke free for a 55-yard score less than three minutes into the game.
The Dragons? quick strike offense hit again in the second quarter when sophomore quarterback Caden Prieskorn completed a 35-yard touchdown pass to senior wide receiver Jaylen Wiggins.
‘We use Jaylen as often as we can ? carrying the ball, our best deep threat, returning punts as a cover cornerback on defense,? Bell said. ‘The challenge is to keep him fresh.?
Oxford’s best chance to get back into the game disappeared when the Wildcats tried to catch Lake Orion off-guard on a no-huddle, fourth and two play inside the Dragons? ten-yard line with time running out in the half. But the defense stopped Oxford short and Lake Orion led at the break, 14-0.
‘Our defense has grown very comfortable in short-yardage situations,? Bell said. ‘We’ve learned to play hard and that obviously was a big stop. If Oxford scores, we have a new ball game.?
The contest turned into an official rout when Lake Orion scored on all three of its third-quarter possessions. This included two more touchdown runs by Fields, plus a 23-yard dash to the end zone for junior running back Chris Wilson, his first varsity touchdown. Senior kicker Luke Bevilacqua finished the scoring in the fourth quarter with a 33-yard field goal, to make the final score 36-0.
‘Every game is important, but this was a rivalry game,? Bell said. ‘It was nice for our seniors to bring the Double-O trophy back where it belongs.?
This week, Lake Orion travels to West Bloomfield for arguably its toughest game of the season. The Lakers are undefeated, having beaten two-time state champion Clarkston and league upstart Troy Athens in consecutive weeks. They are currently ranked tenth in the state.
The Dragons lost big to the Lakers last season and, much like last week, Coach Bell says his team is looking for some revenge with a win on the road.
Bell says the keys to a Dragon victory will be to limit the Lakers? big-play offense. ‘Teams are able to keep them in check and then they run off a 60-yard gain,? he said. ‘We can’t let that happen.?
On offense, the head coach said Lake Orion must avoid turnovers and make every drive count with points. His blossoming offensive line will be facing a formidable defensive front.
‘This will be the best defensive line we’ve faced all year,? Bell said. ‘But our offensive line is the best they will face. It will be another physical battle.?