Dragons and Wolves Volleyball rivalry is one of the best kept secrets in the state

Written Saturday September 7th, at 6:15 PM

In one of the best volleyball areas in Oakland County the best kept secret rivalry is Lake Orion and Clarkston.

Sure there is a huge rivalry in football, baseball, softball, track, and basketball between the two schools but these two programs have established one of the best rivalries in volleyball.

Both teams do respect each other and have played on currently AAU volleyball teams like the Oakland Stars among others but there is a history between these two intense rivals and yet I can't describe more about the rivalry than this especially with how intense the last two seasons have been.

In 2011, Lake Orion and Clarkston battled for the Red at Lake Orion but in a tough five game series the Wolves found a way to win at Lake Orion that gave the Wolves the Red but it won’t be the last time these two would meet. The Dragons and Wolves were separated in the bracket with Clarkston going north while Lake Orion went south. Clarkston had to beat Plymouth Canton in the quarterfinals while Lake Orion beat Macomb Dakota and Birmingham Marian before meeting each other in Battle Creek in the state semifinals where the Dragons beat the Wolves in four games. Lake Orion would move to the state finals before losing to Rockford.

In 2012, the Dragons and Wolves had a five game classic at Clarkston with the Wolves ending up winning the Red while Lake Orion finished second. Lake Orion and Clarkston met again in the district finals at Romeo with the game going five again but Clarkston moved on to the regional and sent Lake Orion home for the winter.

This season both the Dragons and Wolves are expected to contend in the Red and could be major threats to end Macomb Dakota’s reign as State Champions in the playoffs. So far both the Dragons and Wolves have met a couple of times, including meeting in the finals at Grand Blanc where Lake Orion won in three sets over Clarkston.

Clarkston under long time coach Kelly Avernall features Taylor Dellinger whom came back from Alabama along with Oakland University bound Katie Chadwell and Briana Frakes.

Lake Orion under second year coach Ross Talbott is loaded with experience and youth. The Dragons are led by Hannah Murdock and have Tess Marshall, Rachel Giwa, and Ally Shinouskis to carry the load.

The regular season matchup this season is at Lake Orion while the district is at Clarkston with Rochester Adams, Stoney Creek, Rochester, and Oxford. Should be some fireworks this November at the Wolves Den.