By Brad D. Bates
C & G Sports Writer

LAKE ORION — It may have taken 47 minutes of back-and-forth football, but Lake Orion High got it done.

After the first three quarters of the game featured four turnovers, a blocked kick and plenty of physical play from the Dragons and Utica Eisenhower, it was Lake Orion (9-1) still alive in the playoffs after a 7-0 Division 1 pre-district win Oct. 31 at home.

“Early on, we felt like we were controlling the game,” Lake Orion coach Chris Bell said. “But turnovers, penalties — things you can’t do and win football games — we did, and we got away with it. In the playoffs, if you get out with a win, it was a good thing. I don’t care what it looks like.”

Eisenhower was on the receiving end of the game’s first turnover, as junior Tony Zerafa recovered a fumble on Ike’s 11-yard line with 6:18 to play in the first quarter.

“The turnover in the beginning of the game was huge,” Bell said. “We were controlling the game, and then we gave them some life. You can’t do that in the playoffs.”

The Eagles then drove to the Dragons’ 25-yard line, where Lake Orion senior Eric Knoblock recovered an Eisenhower fumble at 1:35 in the first.

The Dragons then drove the ball to the Eisenhower 32, but a defensive stop by junior Jack Sauber on fourth down at the 8:35 mark of the second quarter ended the drive. The Dragons came right back, though, when Lake Orion senior Charles Fleck intercepted a pass at 8:29.

The teams traded stops to end the first half, and Eisenhower stopped the Dragons’ opening drive of the second half when senior Kale Wilson recovered a fumble he forced following a quarterback sack 7:59.

On the ensuing drive, the Eagles attempted a 35-yard field goal at 3:36 in the third quarter, but Dragons senior John Chanthakhot blocked the kick to keep the score knotted 0-0. The Eagles missed a 42-yard field goal attempt on their next possession at 10:20 in the fourth quarter

The defenses again traded stops before the Dragons drove from their own 31 to the Eagles’ 19, where senior running back Branden Oakes rushed for a 19-yard score at 1:04 and a 7-0 Lake Orion lead.

“It doesn’t get better than this,” Oakes said. “We wanted this game, and I was going to do whatever it took to get in the end zone. Playoff games, this is what I play football for.”

Dragons senior linebacker Evan Gros sealed the win with an interception at the Eagles’ 5 with 50 seconds to play.

Lake Orion hosts Romeo High (8-2) in a district championship at 7 p.m. Nov. 7.

You can reach Sports Writer Brad D. Bates at bbates@candgnews.com or at (586) 498-1029.