Clarkston stays undefeated with shutout over Knights

BY WENDI REARDON PRICE
Clarkston News Sports Writer
The Wolves finished the regular season in football last Friday as 2020 OAA Red League Champions, the 17th league title in school history and eighth undefeated regular season in school history.
A big turn around from last year’s 3-6 season, which the Clarkston Varsity Football team worked hard during the off season and returners were ready to make 2020 a better year.
“The biggest thing for us is really how we came together as a brotherhood,” said junior quarterback Mike DePillo. “It is the biggest difference from this year and last year. We are playing as a team out there. We are playing with confidence.”
The players continued to work hard even when it looked like the football season had the possibility to be pushed to Spring 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The players knew what they need to do to be successful,” said senior lineman Garrett Dellinger, adding they knew they had to practice social distancing. “They know COVID. We don’t want to mess around with it. They know what they had to do and they are doing it correctly.”
Clarkston remained undefeated for the six game season with a 49-0 win over Oak Park last Friday at home.

Senior center Owen Foster and the offensive line are ready for the call to start the next play in last Friday’s game. Photo by Wendi Reardon Price

“It was a team effort,” said senior lineman Rocco Spindler, adding the last three times the Wolves played the Knights, they lost. “Coming into this game undefeated and they were 0-5, we just wanted to get after it and help us in playoffs.”
DePillo scored the first two touchdowns in the game. The first was on a 28-yard run with 12.5 seconds remaining in the first quarter. The next touchdown was on a 2-yard run six minutes into the second quarter.
The Wolves closed the first half on a 8-yard touchdown pass to senior Logan Forbes from DePillo and a 2-point conversion with one second left, 19-0.
Clarkston opened the second half with possession and started their drive on the 35-yard line. With five minutes left in the third quarter, DePillo connected a 43-yard touchdown to Forbes.
The duo would close the quarter with a 19-yard touchdown pass, putting the score 33-0.
During the fourth quarter, the Wolves finished with two more touchdowns. Junior Davis York was handed the ball and took off in a 69-yard touchdown run with eight minutes to go.
Senior Alec Boan scored on a 10-yard run with 50 seconds left in the game.
A PAT from senior Stephen Rusnak put the score at 49-0, with Rusnak going 5-for-6 on PATs for the night.
The Wolves (6-0) host Oxford (2-4) in the first round of district playoffs on Friday.
“We are playing as a whole unit,” said Spindler. “We are taking it one game at a time. One play, one drive at a time. We really just want to focus on each day and every day we are getting better. Those long drives end up being points, and those points win games.”
Kick off is 7 p.m.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.