BY WENDI REARDON PRICE
Clarkston News Sports Writer
The Wolves knocked one opponent out of the running for playoffs and head to Davison to take on the Cardinals on their home turf this Friday as they play for the MHSAA Football District final.
“It will be a challenge,” said Kurt Richardson, long-time head coach. “They have a great running back and a very good quarterback.”
The gridiron heroes earned the spot after defeating Lapeer for the second time this season this time to the tune of 45-21 in the pre-district game last Friday.
Though both teams had grown from the season opener game 10 weeks ago the Wolves noticed a few things Lapeer brought back again.
“They did some of the things the same and hurt us on some of the same things – same against them,” Richardson said.
Junior running back Michael Fluegel opened the scoring off a 32-yard run six minutes into the game, finishing a 86-yard drive in nine plays.
Lapeer didn’t hold onto the ball long in their next possession long as junior Wolf Tieler Houston caught their pass on their third down and had a 30-yard interception return, his third in the last two games.
With four minutes remaining in the quarter senior kicker Zach Mansour scored on a 29-yard field goal, putting the score 10-0.
The Wolves next score came three minutes into the second quarter when senior quarterback JT King connected a 46-yard pass to senior Tyler Retford.
King found Retford again with 2:16 left in the first half to put the score up to 24-0.
“We were pretty good until the last two minutes and then we let down and let them in,” Richardson admitted.
Before the half closed Lapeer scored with 45 seconds remaining.
“You have to give it to their kids down 24-0, they kept scrapping,” said Richardson. “They could have thrown in the towel and it could have been 40-0. They kept scrapping and came back. They gave us everything we could handle.”
King was 10-for-18 in passing for 159 yards and two touchdowns, both to Retford. Senior Ryan Prisby caught six of the passes for 84 yards.
Fluegel was the leading rusher with 173 yards on 27 carries with two touchdowns. King carried the ball 15 times for 149 yards and one touchdown. Mansour was 5-for-5 on on PATs with one field goal.
Houston led defense with six tackles, four assists and one interception. Junior Zach Scott had five tackles and one tackle for a loss of one yard; senior Jack Buchmann had five tackles and one assist; Fluegel had five tackles, one assist and one interception; and senior Nick Stalworth had four tackles and four assists.
The Wolves play at Davison High School on Friday, 1250 N. Oak Road.

  clarkston, Football, Varsity Football