Area sports find high notes in 2021

Student-athletes began their 2021-2022 Fall and Winter seasons on time as the COVID pandemic was going on. Here are some highlights from the second half of 2021.
July 6
Big hits at softball camp: Young athletes threw, hit and ran around the diamond during different obstacles on the last day of Clarkston Softball Camp. It was one of the camps which returned after being cancelled the 2020 summer.
August 4
Nail-biting championship baseball finish against Lake Orion: The Independence Township Parks, Recreation and Seniors Boys 15- to 18-year-old baseball team won the championship against Lake Orion in a nail-biting game.
August 11
Back to work: The fall season kicked off on Monday, August 9 with Clarkston Varsity Football holding their first practice at 8 a.m. at the high school stadium.
August 25
Success with annual Rush for Food: Athletes from the Clarkston Football program, Clarkston Cheer and Dance teams, and Clarkston Chiefs, collected nearly 7,000 pounds of food during the 24th Annual Rush for Food.
September 1
Wolves start on right foot at Big House: Fans roared as running back Ethan Clark made an 11-yard run into the end zone with five minutes left in the Clarkston Varsity Football’s Battle at the Big House game against Davison. The Wolves won their season opener,29-26.

Michael Hein makes a run in Clarkston Varsity Football’s season opener against Davison. File photo by Larry Wright

Clarkston Volleyball bringing energy to the court: Clarkston Varsity Volleyball had a busy week which began going 2-1 at the Oxford Quad.
Winning streak in first week: Clarkston Boys Varsity Soccer rule Lapeer as they shut out three teams during the Lightning Cup with a 3-0 win over Waterford Mott; 5-0 win over West Bloomfield; and 5-0 win over Lakeview.
September 15
Wolves’ running game downs Stoney Creek on gridiron: Clarkston Varsity Football won the OAA Red League game over Stoney Creek, 34-13, which started on a 65-yard touchdown run from Ethan Clark nine seconds into the game.
Fifth-place finish for CHS golfers: The Clarkston Girls Varsity Golf team finished in fifth place out of 24 teams during the 14th Annual Farmington Invite with a 340 total.
Riders are district champions: The Clarkston Equestrian Team had a combined total of 411 points from three district meets in the Michigan Interscholastic Horsemanship Association finishing as District 11, C Division Grand Champion.
September 22
Complete team victory in home opener against Southfield: Clarkston Varsity Football dominated the field in their home opener against Southfield Arts & Technology for their fourth win, 56-27.
Record-breaking performance in pool: Madison Verbeke celebrated senior night with Clarkston Girls Swim and Dive as she broke the diving record with a 248.6 score.
October 6
Kickers claim victory in second half on Youth Night: Senior Dylan Walker scored with 10:53 remaining in the Clarkston Boys Varsity Soccer game against Grosse Pointe North to win the game 3-2.
Runners take top spots at invite: Andrew Sesti was the top racer at the Hanson’s Invitational, finishing in the time of 16:36.9 for first place with Clarkston Boys Cross Country as the team finished in second. Joey Taverna finished in second place and Bryce Nowik finished in ninth. The girls team finished in first place with Alexandra Brigham leading in second place.
October 13
Wolves down Lake Orion in gridiron battle: Clarkston Varsity Football went into the second half against Lake Orion fired up to take a 50-22 win in their rivalry home game.
Everest leads in CHSL Jamboree for first-place finish: The Everest Girls Cross Country team claimed the Catholic High School League for the third year in a row after winning the third and final CHSL Cardinal Division Jamboree.
October 20
Wolves’ spikers get redemption with victory over Seaholm: After losing to Birmingham Seaholm during the Power Series, the Clarkston Varsity Volleyball came back and defeated them, 3-1.
Mountaineers off to Prep Bowl: The Everest Collegiate Football team secured their seat at the Catholic High School Prep Bowl with their win over Royal Oak Shrine, 27-13, and winning the league.
October 27
Two shutouts to district championship title: The Wolves celebrated through the rain and wind as they won the MHSAA Boys Soccer Division 1 District 12 Championship with a 5-0 win over Oxford and 8-0 win over Davison.
November 3
Third time’s a charm for Everest soccer team: Clarkston Everest Collegiate Boys Soccer won their third consecutive regional championship with two shutouts.
November 10
Everest Collegiate finishes season in soccer state final: Clarkston Everest Collegiate Boys Varsity Soccer rewrote school history as they advanced for the first time to the MHSAA Division 4 Boys Soccer State Final. They won the semifinal game over Allen Park Inter-City Baptist, 1-0.
Divers break records, Wolves second in league meet: Madison Verbeke and Zoe Paxton broke the 11-dive school record at Clarkston High School during the Girls Swim and Dive OAA Blue Division League Meet. Verbeke finished in first place in the 1-meter diving event scoring 447.7 and Paxton took second place with 394. The Wolves finished in second place in the meet with 461 points.
Cross country wraps up season with finals at MIS: Alexandra Brigham finished in 25th place during the MHSAA Division 1 Girls Cross Country State Final for Clarkston High School. Joey Taverna finished in 34th place in the boys race.
Mountaineers climb higher in playoffs: Clarkston Everest Collegiate Football claimed their back-to-back district championship with a 46-0 win over Rochester Hills Lutheran Northwest.
November 24
Hockey opens with .500 showing: Clarkston Varsity Hockey shut out Stoney Creek, 8-0, and opened the season with a 3-2 loss to Birmingham United.
Football for a Cure nets $3K: Clarkston and Lake Orion communities raised $2,879 during the 12th Annual Football for a Cure game, Oct. 8.
December 1
Icers gain OT win in tournament: Clarkston Varsity Hockey opened the 2021 Thanksgiving Tourney at Cranbrook with a 3-2 overtime win over Detroit Country Day.
~Compiled by Wendi Reardon Price

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