BY WENDI REARDON PRICE
Clarkston News Sports Writer
It was a battle of blue and gold as the Wolves faced off at Oxford last Friday and prevailed with a 33-28 win.
As players and fans cleared the stands after the earlier game with incoming heavy rain and lightning on the horizon, longtime head football coach Kurt Richardson reflected on the win with one word.
“Sloppy,” he said. “There’s more injuries we just can’t afford.”
He added there was a bright spot as freshman Ethan Clark entered the game when an injury during the game prevented senior Devin Parkison from continuing in the game.

“Ethan was a pleasant surprise,” Richardson said. “It was nice to see him come around. He got in there because Devin went down. He stepped up.”
The Wolves took the lead less than four minutes into the game with a 16-yard touchdown run by Parkison and a PAT from senior Chris Acevedo as the clock marked 8:31 at Oxford.
The Wildcats tied the game with a minute remaining in the quarter off a touchdown from Matthew Pullman.
The Wolves took the lead back and held onto it as sophomore Mike DePillo made a 3-yard touchdown run on a quarterback keeper with 9:35 remaining in the first half.
Nine minutes later, junior Jack Gurn scored on a 5-yard run to put the score 21-7 as the half closed.
During the third quarter, DePillo scored on another quarterback keeper with 3:45 remaining as he made a 1-yard run into the end zone. Oxford blocked Acevedo’s PAT attempt, keeping the score at 27-7.
The Wildcats scored on their next possession as Nathan Call caught a touchdown pass to close the lead to 27-14 with 55 seconds remaining in the quarter.
Oxford scored again five minutes into the final stanza as Pullman struck again with a touchdown cutting the Wolves lead to 27-21.
Senior Nic Miller caught the kick return and the Wolves started their play on the 33-yard line. DePillo kept handing the ball to freshman Ethan Clark who drove the Wolves closer to the end zone on six plays.
His seventh play put him inside the end zone after a 20-yard touchdown run with four minutes left in the game. Clark attempted a 2-point conversion but was stopped by Oxford’s defense.
The Wildcats scored two minutes later off another run by Pullman before they took over possession again after Clarkston ran out of downs with 28 seconds remaining in the game. Calls against Oxford and an interception by junior Alec Boan closed the Wildcats’ run and the game.
DePillo went 5-for-10 for 147 yards. Senior Jeff Barnett was the leading receiver as he caught three passes for 74 yards. Clark rushed the ball 19 times for 112 yards. Acevedo went 3-for-4 on PATs.
Junior Ayden Brooks led defense with 10 tackles. Senior Dylan Erskine had eight tackles; sophomore Caleb Stalworth and freshman Cole Dellinger had six tackles each and junior Harry Skinner had five tackles.
The Wolves (2-3, 2-1 OAA Red) host their Homecoming game against Southfield (3-2, 1-2) this Friday.
“We are going to have to play a lot better than we did the first time,” said Richardson.

  Clarkston Varsity Football, Football