BY WENDI REARDON PRICE
Clarkston News Sports Writer
Kickers head into the post-season this week and are ready for what comes their way.
“The girls have busted a gut,” said Clarkston Girls Varsity Soccer Head Coach Damian Huffer. “I have been really pleased with their effort. They have worked really hard. The chemistry has been really good.”
He added it’s been rough with only 16 on the roster with a 20-game schedule especially with a few injuries.
“Some of the games we have lost isn’t because the teams are that much better, it’s just because they have 18-20 fit kids,” he said. “I am rolling out one or two subs each game.”
They opened last week of the regular season with a 2-1 loss to Lake Orion, May 22.
The Dragons took the lead with two goals before Clarkston got on the board.
“We got back into it with a good cross from the corner from Caylee Ludwig,” said Huffer. “Morgan Sclesky rose headed into the crossbar. Micheala Rodriguez put the rebound in. We had quite a bit pressure the second half, but without putting it in. Another close game that could have gone either way.”
The Wolves saw Lake Orion again two days later last Thursday and tied the game, 1-1. The Dragons scored within the first minute of the second half and Clarkston changed their formation.
They tied the game with 25 minutes remaining with a goal by Callie Dickens off an assist from Sclesky.
“Then, it was up to our keeper Rachel Tanielian. She made about 2-3 quality saves to keep it 1-1,” Huffer added. “She’s been great, fantastic.”
The girls finished the week with a 1-1 tie at Oxford on Friday where the Wildcats took the lead in the first ten minutes.

Ludwig tied the game with five minutes remaining in the first half. She poised for her free kick on the 15-yard line before sending the ball over the goalie’s stretched out fingers. The ball hit the ball of the corner of the net.
Huffer added Ludwig has been on fire.
“A lot of these games teams cancel each other out especially with conditions like this. It’s about 100 degrees easily with the heat index and the turf,” Huffer said. “We are just trying to stay healthy. I finished the game with about 11-12 players. It was just a case of trying to rotate as many players as I could, trying to keep everyone as fresh as possible.”
The Wolves opened the week with the first round of the district playoffs against Walled Lake Central on Tuesday.
“It’s a game we could win, just depends on luck of the bounce and we are as organized as we can be,” Huffer said.
Clarkston lost 2-0 and Walled Lake Central moves on against Walled Lake Northern in the semifinals on Thursday, 11 a.m.
“It will be a really tough game because they have two strikers who are probably the best in the state,” Huffer said.
The district final game is Saturday at 5 p.m. All district games are at Waterford Mott. The district winner moves on to the regional semifinals at Stoney Creek on June 5, 7 p.m.

  Girls Soccer, Girls Varsity Soccer