Friday, August 29, 2014

Mistakes, Bad Officiating, and Penalties doom Dragons against Clinton Township Chippewa Valley.

Written Friday August 29th, at 12:30 PM.

The first game of the football season started on Thursday night. Things looked promising for the Dragons but the second half especially the third quarter hurt this team in Clinton Township.

Lake Orion fell 38-35 to the Big Reds in "The Valley" Thursday night.

The Dragons defense struggled all night and could not overcome wide receivers Stefan Claiborne and Sean Bunting. Bunting, a division one recruit scored two touchdowns and Claiborne also had two touchdowns as well.

Chippewa Valley scored first on a wildcat touchdown by running back Tony Taylor for a 7-0 Big Reds lead after a catch by Bunting who beat cornerback/running back Keith Fields on good coverage.

Chippewa Valley however could not stop Matt Krause. Krause was a monster, he had 410 yards and four touchdowns. He had runs of 94, 93, 77, and a one yard touchdown run as well.

Krause scored a 94 yard touchdown early tying the score 7-7. The Dragons defense would then get another stop and then Krause struck again from 93 yards out making the score 14-7. Lake Orion would then get another stop forcing a punt and then Krause ran one deep to the one yard line and cashed it in to make the score 21-7 Orion.

The Big Reds struck as Claiborne caught his first touchdown off good coverage from Fields making the score 21-14 Dragons.

Chippewa Valley would get a field goal with a minute left in the second quarter making the score 21-17 Dragons.

Lake Orion had a 28-17 lead at the half and their final touchdown of the half came when quarterback Cameron Kotsich found Jaylen Wiggins for a 28 yard touchdown to close the half.

The Dragons thought they had a 35-17 lead after Krause scored a touchdown of a kickoff return but a penalty from the Macomb Area Conference officiating crew called the penalty back and the Dragons were forced deep back into their own side of the field and were forced to punt.

Chippewa Valley would then strike again after an off sides penalty against defensive lineman Justin Cathers, Claiborne got his second touchdown of the night off a slant pass making the score 28-24 Lake Orion.

The play of the game was when the Dragons led 28-24, Krause could not get that push for a first down and Lake Orion turned the ball on downs and on the next play the Big Reds scored a touchdown on a reverse wide receiver pass to tight end Kyle Fuller for a wide open touchdown giving Chippewa Valley their first lead of the night at 31-28.

The Big Reds would score another touchdown late to Bunting in the fourth quarter on a fourth down play making the score 38-28 Chippewa Valley.

Krause would then strike again going 77 yards to pay dirt making the score 38-35 Chippewa Valley. The Dragons would get one more stop and one more shot with a minute left.

The final play of the game however resulted in Bunting picking off Kotisch closing the game out.

The officiating was questionable especially with the penalty calls against the Dragons, (Holding, Illegal block in the face, offsides etc.) Lake Orion had 18 penalties while Chippewa Valley only had two penalties.

These two teams will meet again next season in Lake Orion.

The Dragons fall to 0-1 on the season and will travel to Troy Athens (1-0) to take on the Red Hawks who beat Macomb L'Anse Creuse North 34-31 on Thursday night.

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