BY NOAH PURCELL
Clarkston News Sports Writer
Despite allowing a few big plays, the Clarkston High School football team was able to make enough plays of their own to capture a 25-20 victory against West Bloomfield. The home victory evened the Wolves record at 1-1, after a season opening loss to Rochester Adams last week.
Things were bad for Clarkston when the drive that had been going so well ended in an interception with 11:02 remaining in the 4th quarter. It got worse as West Bloomfield returned the ball to the Clarkston 15 yard line, in fact the situation was best described as grave when West Bloomfield lined up on the Clarkston two yard line looking to build on a 20-19 lead.
Instead of letting things hit rock bottom the Clarkston defense stood tall and when the ensuing play was whistled dead Clarkston junior Steve McIsaac was laying on the ball he had popped loose in the goal line scrum. Clarkston then embarked on a drive that would start on their own three yard line and end when junior Mike Kittle pounded the ball into the end zone from four yards out giving Clarkston the 25-20 lead which became the final score just five minutes later.
‘This is the type of win that can bring you together as a team,? Clarkston head coach Kurt Richardson said. ‘Those kids could have quit when the ball was down there on the two, but then we got the takeaway and then make a 97-98 yard drive, that’s huge, it shows character.?
Clarkston opened the scoring in the game early when on their second drive of the day. They methodically drove down the field with an assortment of runs until senior quarterback Scott Leigh lofted an arcing fade into the waiting hands of senior Adam Briceland.
West Bloomfield answered back, connecting on a 51 yard pass play for a score that resulted in a 7-6 Clarkston lead after a missed extra point kick with 2:01 left in the 1st quarter.
The teams played each other to a stalemate for the rest of the first quarter and most of the second until the Clarkston passing game awoke late in the half. Briceland came up big again for the Wolves as his diving reception at the West Bloomfield four yard line set up a touchdown run by McIsaak.
‘We knew we had to shut down the option on defense, I think we did a pretty good job of shutting down the option, really they just had a couple of big plays against us,? said Richardson.
Richardson was no doubt referring to the kickoff after McIsaak’s touchdown run which found Clarkston defenders clutching at air as West Bloomfield running back Erick Walker picked up the ball off a bounce and scampered 90 yards to make it a 13-13 game going into the half.
‘Our special teams were terrible tonight, that’s going to be our emphasis this whole week,? said Richardson referring to the touchdown return and two blocked extra point attempts.
The second half opened with a West Bloomfield possession that seemed to take one step forward and two steps back, the drive featured a West Bloomfield fake punt run turn into a 12 yard gain and a 15 yard penalty on Clarkston, but also saw two penalties called on West Bloomfield and a fumble forced by Kittle and recovered by Clarkston on their own 28.
After the fumble recovery Clarkston plodded down the field until a 19 yard reception turned into Briceland’s second touchdown catch gave them a 19-13 lead with 3:01 left in the third quarter
The Clarkston score late in the 3rd quarter stirred something deep within the West Bloomfield squad for their option offense came alive culminating with a five yard sneak for a 20-19 lead setting up the dramatic finish to the contest.
‘We definitely stepped it up from last week, (28-7 defeat at Rochester Adams) we went into last week playing as individuals, this week everyone come together as a team,? said Kittle adding that the credit for the win should be laid upon the Clarkston offensive line.
Kittle and fellow running back Nick De Vault who made two spinning juking runs of 16 and 6 yards to set up the final touchdown helped Clarkston gain 197 total yards on the ground while ringing up 18 first downs compared to just eight for the game by West Bloomfield.
‘We were just playing power football and Stevie McIsaak was just blasting people,? said Richardson.
Clarkston quarterback Leigh went 11 for 14 for 138 yards and two touchdowns. Clarkston plays next at Farmington Hills Harrison on Friday Sept. 10.