Clarkston News Sports Writer
The gridiron heroes were back on the field Monday afternoon getting ready for a familiar foe after learning during the MHSAA Football Selection Sunday they would host Lapeer on Friday in the first round of playoffs.
The Wolves opened the season with a 28-7 win over the Lightning during Battle of the Big House, giving Lapeer their first of two losses for the season.
The boys prepped with their last game of the season against Rochester Adams for a 31-14 win.
The Highlanders pushed ahead of Clarkston with 3:48 left in the first half with a touchdown from Kyle Wood, putting the score, 14-7.
The Wolves pushed back seconds later with the kick off return. Junior Michael Fluegel caught it and took off on the east edge of the field. He broke away from defense and left them trailing after him as he landed in the endzone on his 97-yard return.
“It was huge,” said Kurt Richardson, long-time head coach for Clarkston. “All the sudden they are getting momentum and kicking our butts in the first half. It was huge for us.”
From there the boys struck three more times with two touchdowns from senior quarterback JT King and Fluegel and a 36-yard field goal from senior kicker Zach Mansour.
Richardson pointed out another aspect of the game were turnovers for Rochester Adams. Senior Ryan Prisby picked up one fumble midway through the first quarter. The Wolves captured possession on another fumble minutes later and started playing on the 31-yard line.
Three plays later Fluegel put Clarkston on the 20-yard line. King held onto the ball during the next play as he finished with the Wolves’ first touchdown and with the lead with 2:06 on the clock.
“The difference in the game was them turning the ball over early,” said Richardson. “They could have been up three touchdowns on us. Those turnovers were big and allowed us to stay alive. That’s the one thing in our conference – you turn the ball over and people are going to take advantage of it.”
Fluegel was the leading rusher with 98 yards on 18 carries for 98 yards. King carried the ball 15 times for 64 yards and had two touchdown.
Mansour was 4-for-4 on PATs and had one 36-yard field goal at the beginning of the fourth quarter.
Junior Zach Scott led defense with 10 tackles, three assists and recovered a fumble.
Junior Gino Paese had seven tackles, three with loss in yards for Adams. Senior Carson Stottlemyer had five tackles and four assists and seniors Nick Stalworth and Kyle Genter had four tackles and two assists each.
As the Wolves prepare for their next test this week Richardson noted they have to get better.
“We stunk the first half, and we were pretty darn good the second half,” he shared. “We have to get off this Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde thing.”
Clarkston (7-2) hosts Lapeer (7-2) in MHSAA Football Pre-Districts this Friday at 7 p.m.

  clarkston, Varsity Football