In what could be classified as a ‘make or break? game, the Dragons went on the road and got a huge 20-6 victory in Royal Oak last Friday.
After the Ravens scored a touchdown on the first possession of the game (Matthew Turner blocked the extra point), the Dragons responded with what Coach Chris Bell called their ‘biggest drive of the year.?
‘Given the circumstances, there’s no doubt about it,? Bell said. ‘The character thing is our kids answering a score with a score. That’s when I knew we came to play.?
A three-yard Cortez McKinley run capped off a drive that included two third-and-long conversions.
With a 7-6 lead at the intermission, the Dragons took control on the first possession of the second half, scoring on a 39-yard Ryan Broth touchdown scamper.
That run came after five straight runs up the middle, leading to a fake handoff by Broth, who went up the sideline untouched.
‘He saw guys closing and decided on his own to make a play,? Bell said. ‘That was not scripted.?
Broth scored again on a 12-yard run early in the fourth quarter, after Royal Oak botched a snap on a punt, to cap the scoring.
With the victory, Lake Orion improved to 3-2 overall and 3-1 in OAA Red play, tied with Troy and trailing only undefeated Clarkston.
Broth finished with 83 yards rushing and 19 yards passing. McKinley added 72 yards on the ground and James Miller chipped in with 64 yards on six carries.
After their first drive of 68 yards, the Ravens mustered less than 150 yards the remainder of the game.
‘This was a must-win game for us,? Bell said. ‘We shut down their run game. The players are growing up and learning how to play fast.?
Raylen Davis led Royal Oak with 74 yards rushing, a far cry from the field day he had against West Bloomfield a week earlier. Austin Brady caught a 15-yard touchdown pass from Ravens quarterback Jeff Dennisuk, but Dennisuk’s second half was one to forget.
The Dragon defense had two fourth quarter interceptions, the first by Robby Lentz and the second, in the final minute, by Vinnie Booker. Charles Fleck also blocked a punt for LO.
Come back to www.lakeorionreview.com on Friday for our exclusive preview of the Athens game with Coach Bell.