BY NORM MCKEE
Special to The Review
The Lake Orion varsity football team entered their game with Farmington Hills Harrison on Oct. 7 ranked fourth in Division I, hoping to claim their sixth, playoff-clinching win of the season.
However, the Dragons will have to wait another week for any celebration, as Harrison won the game, 14-10.
Harrison put together a 70-yard plus march, eating up nearly five minutes of the fourth quarter to come from behind to win.
Dragon senior Joe Nowicki was the heart and soul of the Lake Orion team, as the speedster ran for 166 yards on 20 carries, in addition to a catch for 26 yards.
Nowicki also played defensive back, holding Harrison’s passing game in check.
The Dragons opened up the scoring in the first quarter when sophomore Chris Lum found Mike Tuzik for a 53-yard scoring strike.
Dylan Van Fossen’s extra point gave the Dragons a 7-0 lead.
Harrison answered the Dragons in the second quarter, with a one-yard quarterback keeper to tie the game.
Van Fossen put the Dragons back on top before intermission, with a 23-yard field goal into a stiff breeze.
Harrison opened the fourth quarter deep in their own territory, abandoning the pass, and sticking to the run.
Eating up nearly five minutes off the clock, Harrison capped their drive with an eight-yard scoring run and a 14-10 advantage.
Lake Orion’s next possession would end with three consecutive quarterback sacks.
The Dragons failed to capitalize on two trips into the red zone, including a first and goal at the seven-yard line, where Orion was called for a questionable personal foul.
The foul moved the ball back to the 22-yard line.
The Dragon defense turned in another strong game, holding Harrison to their lowest point total of the season.
The defense was led by Zak Clouse, Jake Gaudard and Dan Sanderson, with eight, seven and five tackles, respectively.
Lum finished the night six of 10 for 120 yards and a touchdown, while Brad Hood completed three of 12 for 26 yards.
Dragon running back Andy Miller found the Harrison defensive line tough, gaining just 29 yards on 16 carries.
The Dragons return home for their final two regular season games, starting with a date with Troy Athens on Friday.
Lake Orion closes out the regular season hosting Clarkston on Oct. 21, and needs just one more win to qualify for their fifth consecutive playoff appearance.