Troy

One more to go

By Christian Davis
C & G Staff Writer

Lake Orion High passes test in semifinal; aims for championship

By Christian Davis

C & G Sports Writer

TROY — The Lake Orion High football team wasted little time in jumping all over Dearborn Fordson in a Division 1 semifinal Nov. 22 at Troy Athens.

        

On the first play from scrimmage, Lake Orion senior Jonathon Chanthakhot picked off a pass and returned it 28 yards for a score. By the time the game ended, the Dragons had a 38-0 victory.

“I’m just proud of my kids,” Lake Orion High coach Chris Bell said after the game. “They played 48 minutes of football. They played great defense. Fordson stacks people up on the line of scrimmage, but we were able to run the football; we were able to play physical football.”

Senior running back Branden Oakes made it 14-0 on the Dragons’ next possession, scoring from 2 yards out with 5:59 left in the first.

Oakes struck again late in the second with a 44-yard scamper to put the

score 21-0.

It was then senior Dan Ney’s turn to get in the action, as he ran one in from 3 yards out with 6:47 left in the third.

Senior Jeff Heath added a 26-yard field goal late in the frame, and sophomore running back Marques Stevenson had the final touchdown, taking it in from 21 yards out with 6:30 left in the game.

Next on tap is a rematch with Rockford High at 1 p.m. Nov. 29 at Ford Field in Detroit.

The Rams, 12-1 overall, and Dragons (12-1) met in week one when Rockford came out the 17-7 victors.

In other local football action:

Bloomfield Hills Lahser’s run came to an end in a Division 3 semifinal Nov. 22 at Birmingham Seahom.

The Maples fell 36-20 to Inkster High.

“We’ve been doing this since the middle of (last) November,” Lahser coach Dan Loria said. “They earned this opportunity.”

For the third straight week, the Knights found themselves in a hole early on, trailing by 20. But as they’ve done all season, they battled back.

First it was a 2-yard touchdown run by senior running back Tevin Gibson just before halftime to make it 20-7.

The Knights answered the second-half bell swinging, getting another score from Gibson with 1:38 left in the third. After senior linebacker Jason Gikas recovered a Vikings’ fumble on their next possession, the Knights offense again rose to the occasion.

This time it was senior quarterback Drew Jackson hitting senior receiver Mike Hafeli for a 23-yard score.

With junior Cody Henderson’s extra point, the score was knotted at 20 with 11:14 left in the fourth.

The Vikings then showed their resolve, scoring 16 unanswered points to end the Knights’ season.

You can reach C & G Staff Writer Christian Davis at cdavis@candgnews.com or at (586)498-1062.