Dragons lose five game heart breaker to the Wolves yet again but we could be in store for another repeat of last season

Written Thursday October 18th, at 11:30 PM

The Dragons and Wolves played like no other volleyball match on Thursday night. One had to win and one had to lose.

October volleyball is when teams are made and both teams showed up ready to play and also add that the Red championship was on the line.

The Dragons couldn't get by the Wolves in an action packed five game set (25-20, 11-25, 23-25, 25-21, 16-18) in a wild and crazy atmosphere on Senior Night in Clarkston. The way both teams played tonight would have made former Extreme Championship Wrestling broadcast announcer Joey Styles say "Oh my God."

This the second time in two years that the Wolves beat the Dragons for the Red and sixth in a row overall for Clarkston.

This match had a little bit of everything, rising from the state semifinal match up in Battle Creek and also last season’s match at Lake Orion.

The first match went to Lake Orion 25-20, starting what was going to be a street fight, just like the last two previous meetings in Lake Orion and Battle Creek. What didn't help the Dragons was when they lost Hannah Murdock for the match is with an unknown injury.

The second match was a blowout, as the Wolves just took the Dragons behind the woodshed and beat them 25-11. This match was very similar to the state semifinals match up in Battle Creek where Clarkston blew Lake Orion out.

The third match went down to the wire, neck and neck and kill after kill but Clarkston survived 25-23 to get a 2-1 lead on their arch rivals.

The fourth match went to Lake Orion 25-21. The Dragons started up 11-3 early but never count the Wolves out. Clarkston tied Lake Orion 21-21 before the Dragons forced the fifth set.

The fifth match went to Clarkston in a match very similar to last season when the Wolves beat the Dragons in Lake Orion 18-16. It was a back and forth battle between both teams and it ended up being the Wolves day to shine on its home court.

The Dragons had big contributions in defeat from Sophie Murdock 11 kills, Tess Marshall, 22 kills and 22 digs, and Sabrina Cottrell had 30 assists.

The Wolves had huge contributions from Rachel Dickerson’s 23 kills but little known Sarah Bullen was huge (29 kills, including the game winning tap in the fifth game) and Brianna Frakes 45 assists for Clarkston.

This is a big win for Clarkston, however let’s remember that last season the Wolves won the Red by beating Lake Orion in five games at Lake Orion but the Dragons got the last laugh in the state semifinals (four games in Battle Creek). So all hope is not lost for the Dragons, yes a goal of a league championship was lost tonight but a State Championship is not, remember there are still some players that were on the team that went to the State Finals. For the Wolves the same remains there are still some players who were on the state semifinal team that lost to Lake Orion.

Both Lake Orion and Clarkston are on a collision course to the District finals at Romeo and it could very well be the same as last season, Clarkston players, coaches, and fans don't want to hear about it while Lake Orion, coaches, players, and fans would love a repeat of last season. The Dragons will play Oxford in the district semifinals while the Wolves will play Rochester Adams in the pre-district and then the host Romeo Bulldogs in the district semifinals before the district final Saturday morning.

Playoff atmosphere is back, here we go again.