By Colin Baumgartner
Review Editor
Nothing can compete with the lore of the track. Over time, seconds are removed from times in the 200 and 400, feet are added to the high jump and long jump, and stories are embellished accordingly.
But history doesn’t lie ? and it’s pretty kind to Lake Orion track stars over the years. Among the school records are eight individual state championships and a few more All-State performances.
The most decorated Dragon track star is three-time 800 state champ Ashley Patten, who set the school mark in 2001 (the middle of her three championship seasons) with a time of 2:11.7.
Patten’s name is affiliated with six school records, including an Oakland County meet record in the 300 hurdles.
Karen Chastain set an all-time county best mark and won a state title in the discus in 1996 (140?2?). Ten years later, Alexandria Hartley also took home a discus state championship.
On the boys? side, titlists include Cortland Keteyian in the 800, Cliff Dwelle in the 1600 and Anthony Luebert in the discus.
Dwelle’s time of 4:12.9 in 1987 set a state record (which has since been broken). He was also All-State that season in the 3200.
Other All-State performers include Jim Drake in 1958, for the 200, and Nick Stout in 2001, for the 300 hurdles.
A full list of school records is available in this week’s print edition.
The Review thanks Mike Hatch for supplying the updated statistics.

When Drew Maynard put up 48 points against Pontiac Central earlier this year, many Dragon fans witnessed a record, but probably not the record they thought.
The 48 points was a building record and a team record since the inception of the three-point line. Prior to the three-point shot, however, two Lake Orion players topped that number. Greg Miller did so back at the old high school (now the CERC Building) in 1975 against Troy Athens. And Nick Neira set the still-standing school record, by scoring 50 points at Madison Heights Madison back in 1958.
Those high scoring efforts comprise some of the great individual efforts that are remembered in Part II of our ongoing series on Dragon sports records. This entry is split into two parts (look for track & field specific records next week).
Earlier this year, Jake Varilek joined exclusive company as an individual state title winner in wrestling, when he claimed the Division I title at 152 pounds. The only other Dragon to claim such honors? Mike Calcaterra, who won the 185-pound championship in 1995.
In football, perhaps no one can match the resume of Jeff Naylor, who led the state in yards and touchdowns (with 1,800 and 27, respectively) in 1976. That year the team played in nine games, going 8-1.
He teamed with Greg Miller and Steve Roberts (yes, that Steve Roberts) to lead the Dragons to an Oakland A league title the year before, and Naylor also starred on two league-winning track teams. (Thanks to Mike Hatch for the info).
Naylor’s yardage total was outdone by Dennis Mahan, who rushed for 1,895 in 1995, including a 374-yard effort that season against Adams. Mahan scored 26 TDs that season.
Luke Denver’s 59 passing attempts and 38 completions in a playoff game against Grand Blanc back in 1999 are both MHSAA playoff records. Darren Tooley holds most of the other team passing records.
Neira and Jim Drake were leaders of the 1957 squad that won the mythical state title (more on that in a future story).
In baseball, Joe Barnes went out on top last year by winning a state championship and capturing several individual records along the way. Among his accomplishments, he is the program leader in hits, doubles, triples, runs and grand slams. Nate Recknagel is the career average leader (.437), while Ryan Goleski is the Dragon home run king (21).
Randy Frye has the most wins (23), with Josh Deeg only nine behind. Tom Stauffer is the all-time leader in strikeouts (219) and ERA (1.16).