West Bloomfield Preview.

Written Monday September 21st at 1:30 PM

The Dragons sit at 2-2 but this could be it's toughest test yet to date as Orion will travel to the Swamp to take on the 4-0 West Bloomfield Lakers on the road Friday night.

It was the Lakers that humialted the Dragons 39-0 last season on it's homecoming a season ago. One of the reasons why Orion missed the playoffs for the first time since 2000.

Orion will have to deal with the hostile fans that West Bloomfield has but also they must deal with a very talented Lakers team and that starts with the head of the snake in quarterback/wide receiver and Michigan State recruit Tristan Jackson whom led West Bloomfield to its first playoff appearance since 2008 in which they finished 7-2 before losing to Walled Lake Central 11-7 in the district finals last season.

West Bloomfield is a READ OPTION team, in which they like to read the defensive end and see what he does. The offense having either Jackson handling the ball through a spread formation which makes it hard for opposing defenses to pressure. The quarterback will either run with the football, give it to the running back on a jet, or throw the football. They will throw a lot of bubble screens trying to get their athletes in space.

Jackson is an all around athlete and is a Mr Michigan football candidate. He will throw the football but loves to run the ball. Jackson knows how to get out of trouble and use his athleticism to his advantage. He will play receiver at times like he did in the 2013 season when he was hurt but came back late in the season and that's where he will be when he gets to East Lansing.

Usually Brandon Williams whom is the backup to Jackson will be the quarterback throwing the ball to Jackson when he plays wide receiver but Jackson will usually play quarterback for coach Ronald Bellamy's team.

Jackson will have some weapons to throw too in wide receivers Evan Foster whom is heading to Bowling Green and Navon Mosley whom is heading to Purdue. Also they will have wide receiver Gervon Winn whom replaced Obbie Jackson and running back DeVian Johnson whom took over for Michael King. Both Obbie and King graduated. Also West Bloomfield has a solid offensive line led by left tackle Jake Phillips and Anthony Kay. They do have an experienced line as well to protect Jackson or Williams if back there which Orion expect him to be there for a few plays.

Johnson ran a 36 yard touchdown off a read option and caught a ten yard touchdown against Troy Athens. Jackson was responsible for three of those touchdowns against the Red Hawks in their 28-17 victory. He caught one from Williams from 20 yards out and threw one to Winn and Johnson respectably. Jackson was responsible for all five touchdowns. He threw for one from 45 yards to Mosley but ran for four of them in their 35-21 win over Clarkston.

Defensively West Bloomfield is very good but has allowed 38 points in the last two weeks against two very good teams in Clarkston and Troy Athens. They have a very good defensive lineman in Theo Majete. Majete played very well next to Eddy Wilson whom made an impact on the game last season. He should getting college offers soon. Wilson is now at Purdue. Also Jordan Swestian is a very good linebacker and then you have Mosley, Justin Clark whom is heading to Toledo, and Foster whom are in the secondary that is very solid.

The Lakers have a good kicker and good special teams as well whom is being looked at by Division One schools in Ari Goldberg. Goldberg is a solid kicker. West Bloomfield also has Nick O' Sea whom can also kick as well.

This will be a tough game for the Dragons as the Lakers are very good, athletic, and balanced but last season Orion did not have a few players whom didn't play in that game last season but West Bloomfield did limit Matt Krause to 60 yards on the ground so we'll see what happens.