fter celebrating a pair of state championships last spring, Lake Orion High School was shutout this time around. But that doesn’t mean it wasn’t a successful 2008.
A pair of regional qualifying teams, boys? golf and softball, head the list, with the softball squad winning their first district since 2005, before falling to Troy over the weekend.
Golfer Cameron Beeler will return after pacing the team this spring. He and the team could take a major leap next season, given the improvements in ?08.
Eight track stars made the trek to Rockford High School two weeks ago for the state championship meet, including a sophomore (Chiara Allen) who placed, and a freshman (Alexandria Johnson) who qualified in two individual events and two relays.
Meanwhile, a slew of seniors (Niklas Rippon, Cara Booker, Allie Hock, Cortney Kimmel and Christine Norton) finished their careers on a high note.
On the baseball diamond, a team getting national recognition (on four different high school rankings, climbing as high as 13th on one), finished with a school record 27 victories, and an OAA I title.
It was the first outright league championship in six years and sends the squad’s seniors out as winners of league, district, regional and state titles.
Meanwhile, five players (Josh Deeg, Connor Mielock, Mike Musary, Drew Ordakowski and Brandon Riggsbee) made the All-League team.
A youthful soccer team advanced to a district final for the second straight year and lost just one non-league contest all year.
Under a new coach, the girls? tennis squad showed promise as the season progressed and should be able to overcome the loss of a few key seniors next year.
And, for the second straight year, lacrosse picked up steam in the community, this time with the addition of an LOHS girls? program.
Both the boys? and girls? teams played in the postseason for the first time and both will return some varsity talent while adding to it from their successful JV teams next spring. By then, it has an opportunity to supplant the other spring sports as the biggest in the school. The attendance figures don’t lie.

One of my very first assignments at this newspaper was covering an early-season boys? basketball game in December of 2005.
I don’t remember what team the Dragons played, or what the score was, but I do remember Jim Manzo.
The Lake Orion coach was rarely seated for more than 10 seconds, constantly communicating with his players on the floor and the bench, calling plays, working the officials and doing everything else you’d expect from a coach. Only, he did all those things seemingly simultaneously.
His intensity on the bench and calm demeanor off of it is something I now put in the group labeled ‘Dragon Pride.? I always considered him the charter member.
Manzo resigned over a week ago, thanking the administration, longtime assistants Dave Tooley and Jesse Heck, video coordinator Eric Jennings and a slew of others for their efforts.
Manzo leaves after 10 years at the helm, at the age of 38, one he acknowledges as a starting-point for most coaches.
‘I just realized how much time I’m away from home,? Manzo said, noting pre-season and post-season commitments and summer camps take up lots of time, in addition to in-season duties.
‘It wasn’t a knee-jerk decision to us losing (in districts),? he added, saying it was a decision he’d been mulling for some time.
The winners here are Manzo’s wife Sarah, the principal at Webber Elementary, and sons Kobe and Kade. But it’s hard to consider the Lake Orion basketball program anything but a winner as well.
Manzo leaves after guiding the team to their first ever back-to-back-to-back league championships. They were co-champions of the OAA II this season, with a 10-2 league mark ? which earned him coach of the year honors.
‘That first one was so special just because we worked so hard to get to that level,? Manzo said of the 2005-06 campaign, where his team went 9-3 to win the OAA III.
That season was validated the next year by their 12-0 record, after moving up to the OAA II.
Their recent three-year run was hard-earned after the team’s struggles in the year prior, where they won just three games.
‘We had a period there where we won seven games in two years,? Manzo noted.
In fact, the team hadn’t won a league title since 1988, back when Manzo was running the point for the GOAL champs.
He thought then, that the position of coach at Lake Orion was a dream job. He still does, but he wants to help his sons accomplish some of their dreams first.
‘I think I’m leaving on good terms,? Manzo said, cautioning that he might not be done with coaching. ‘If something comes up in the future, I’d be open to it.?
‘Hopefully it’s an attractive job,? he added of the position he’s vacating.
Actually, because of him, it’s probably now a dream job for lots of coaches.

Last week, we looked at 15 athletes who were ‘the best? that Lake Orion had to offer in 2007. Now it’s time to see who might join some of those stars on next year’s list.
In case you’re wondering, half of my ‘Next up? list from last year graduated to the ‘Best of? list this season. Will some of these athletes be next?
Chiara Allen: Might have been the most valuable member of the girls? track squad last season as a freshman, where she qualified for states in the 100m hurdles.
Lisa Bandico: Someone will have to replace three-time All-Stater Allie Hock on the cross country team next year. Bandico, a freshman, was 32nd at the state meet among runners that will not graduate.
Jessica Bays: It’s not often that a freshman holds down a starting position all season long, which Bays did last season at first base for the softball squad, improving mightily as the season progressed.
Vinnie Booker/Andy Mosier: Coach Andy Schramek said these two will play key roles on the LO baseball squad this season. He’s the reigning Coach of the Year, so I’ll take his word for it.
Cameron Beeler/Andy Bogus: This duo had a solid summer and fall on the links playing on the Top 50 Junior Tour. Hopefully it carries over to a successful spring for the LOHS boys? squad.
Jeff Chattaway: Led a state championship team in home runs last year, but with guys like Barnes, Deeg, Mielock and Tonyan on his team, Chattaway got overlooked. Not this year.
Anthony Fields: An easy pick for this list. He’s done some nice things as a sophomore while running the point for Coach Jim Manzo’s hoops squad. How his decision-making skills develop over the next few months could play the biggest role in LO’s attempt to dethrone Clarkston at districts.
Chrissie Forrest: Now a two-time state placer, she continued to get better as a sophomore this season and will be relied on to score points in the distance swims next year.
Evan Gros: Could have been on last week’s list. The junior 189-pound wrestler should make it three straight state finals trips this March, and his football skills aren’t too shabby either.
Jeff Heath: Was solid in the secondary, and then late in the season as a kicker, on the football squad this fall. Now he’s seeing key minutes on the basketball team ? and hitting some big shots, too.
Emily Loerch: Was the top swimmer on Darin Abbasse’s squad this past fall, but she makes this list as a skier, where she hopes to improve on her 21st place finish in the giant slalom at states last year ? and lead her team to another top-10 finish.
Corbin Rainey: Freshman forward looks like the real deal on the ice. His presence on the team’s second line gives Coach Pat Cherry two legitimate scoring lines for the first time in his tenure.
Alicia Roth: As a junior, the libero was called on to do a lot for the OAA II champion volleyball squad. As a senior, she’ll have to do even more, as the team moves up to the OAA I next season.
Petar Simic: Along with Drew Fritsch, he’s the best freshman swimmer Coach Paul Fairman has had in ‘years.? Simic was a winner in four events in just his second high school meet.
Blake Skamiera: The freshman is poised to form a dynamic one-two scoring punch with sophomore Reed Losee on the soccer field for years to come.
The entire girls? basketball squad: Hey, they’re 7-0 and playing some great team ball. Watch out.

It’s back. The ‘Best of? list returns as we take a look at the (expanded) 15 top athletes at Lake Orion High School in 2007.
Six of the following athletes made the list last year, while six others moved up from last year’s ‘Next up? list (return next week for that list).
Keep in mind that a few sports (such as girls? hoops) will not be represented in this year’s lists simply because there was no season held in 2007?
Joe Barnes: This list is alphabetical, but he’d be at the top, regardless. A three-sport athlete whose final play, a slide into home, will never be forgotten.
Ryan Broth: There probably aren’t many, if any, athletes in Lake Orion history that could change positions and lead a team to the playoffs in the absence of their All-State quarterback.
Josh Deeg: Ace of the state champion pitching staff went 9-0 as a junior, including a complete game in the title game. Could end Dragon career as leader in innings pitched and wins.
Brandon Figurski/Ricky Forrest: Duo won state titles in diving and 500-free, respectively, setting plenty of team records along the way. Figurski was a repeat winner, while Forrest is now swimming at MSU.
Britney Hamilton/Darby Peters: Another duo, this one will be forever linked because of their role in winning a state championship. It’s only fitting that they are together on this list, since they tied for fifth individually last year, too.
Allie Hock: Made her school-record third straight All-State team by finishing 28th overall at the cross country state meet. She also led the girls? squad to a 13th place finish in their first trip to states as a team.
Reed Losee: Didn’t score 19 goals like he did his freshman year, but as a sophomore, he still led the team in scoring and to a near upset of eventual state runner-up Clarkston in a district final.
Chris Lum: An elbow injury prevented a repeat All-State performance, but he showed his courage as a leader in the team’s district-title win over Clarkston, and will no doubt get a chance to play somewhere next season, too.
Drew Maynard: One of the state’s top players, he led the Dragon cagers to their second straight league title with an undefeated OAA II mark. He’ll play collegiately at Oakland University, but has plans to win a district crown first.
Connor Mielock: Less than a week after appearing in a sling (with a wrist injury), he threw a complete-game shutout to help the Dragons top Brighton in the state semifinals. Didn’t give up a run in two postseason starts.
Ethan Ruhland: It’s not often that a lineman makes a top ‘athletes? list, but Ruhland is an exception because of his agility, even at 6?5? and around 275 pounds. The anchor of the Dragon O-line will play for MSU next season.
Jason Stross: Goalkeeper made 37 saves in the quarterfinals last year, keeping LO in their game against East Kentwood. Leading the team again this year as a junior.
Ross Tonyan: Hard to determine what sport to include him for? Baseball, where he was a sure-handed shortstop, or basketball, where he was a sure-handed point guard.
Jake Varilek: Recently signed the first wrestling scholarship in school history. Meanwhile, he hopes to improve on fourth-place finish at states in March and lead team to Battle Creek for the first time since 1990.
Ryan Ziolko: He improved by three seconds, but fell nine spots at states (27th this year). But the two-time All-State selection led his team to an eighth place finish, and they should be even better next year.

Working for a community paper, it’s my job to take national stories and make them local.
So that’s what I set out to do last night after learning about the Tigers? blockbuster trade, talking with dozens of Orion-based baseball fans.
It took several hours, two meals, a basketball game, and too many text messages and phone calls to count, but I finally found someone against the trade (which was expected to be finalized today).
And that guy is kind of a goober.
In case you were born under a rock, just awoke from a coma or ? like me ? are so giddy with excitement that the only thing you can do in the 24 hours prior to the Wednesday posting of each issue of The Review is hit the refresh button on your computer screen (maybe not), the Detroit Tigers acquired two All-Stars for a package of six players, including the organizations top two prospects.
Miguel Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis are now Tigers, at the expense of Andrew Miller, Cameron Maybin, Mike Rabelo and others.
Of the 50 some people I have spoken with, about 2.5 of them dislike the deal. That’s five-percent or, in other terms, a number worse than the approval rating for both our president and our governor. That’s hard to find.
Essentially, I don’t need to tell you why I like the deal, because the research shows that you like it, too. But if you’re one of the five-percent, please read on?
Make no mistake about it, Maybin and Miller, two of the most prized prospects in all of professional baseball, are a steep price to pay. But, in my book, Cabrera is without a doubt equal to the price of both of them.
In case you have never seen him play, Cabrera is one of the top-10 hitters in all of Major League Baseball (and that’s a conservative estimate). He hit 34 home runs last year (which would have led Detroit), while batting a ho-hum .320.
When it comes to third basemen in the game, Cabrera is the second-best behind a guy on the verge of a $300 million contract with the Yankees. And, by the way, the 24-year-old Cabrera’s numbers compare quite favorably at his age to A-Rod’s. Go look it up. He also has won a World Series.
If you think I’m overstating his abilities, consider this: Magglio Ordonez had one of the greatest offensive seasons in Tiger history last year, it not the greatest. The likelihood is that Cabrera’s arrival will move Maggs down one spot in the batting order. Enough said.
As for Willis, as one Orion insider said. He didn’t have control issues when he was Miller’s age because he was too busy winning the World Series.
The current Detroit brass hopes that Willis will return to form as the third or fourth arm in Detroit’s rotation, a spot he flourished in when Florida won it all back in 2003. His catcher that season was Pudge Rodriguez, a fact that shouldn’t be overlooked.
He, meanwhile, is only 25, and just two years removed from nearly winning the Cy Young Award ? so it’s not like the team completely mortgaged their future to acquire the two young Marlins.
Sure Maybin and Miller could be great someday, and some hate this trade for that reason alone. Here’s the thing, Cabrera and Willis are already great.
There’s no limit to how much you can spend or how you spend it in the economics of baseball. The elite teams all know this ? and so do the Tigers. This moves makes them not just one of the elite teams, but the prohibitive favorite to win the World Series next year.
Most people leave Detroit to head to Florida this time of year, but in baseball just the opposite appears true. The Tigers will now have five players on their roster, along with Manager Jim Leyland, who won a World Series at some point with the Marlins.
Now they must do it all again with Florida-North.

Think it’s merely a coincidence that the return of Lake Orion quarterback Chris Lum has resulted in three straight wins for the Dragons, all in elimination games?
Probably not. But if you ask the man himself, you’ll get a different answer.
‘I had great protection all night,? Lum said after last Friday’s 30-27 win over Clarkston. ‘It all starts with the offensive line. They gave me plenty of time in the pocket to see receivers and see windows come open.?
Injuries have plagued Lake Orion all season. First Lum, which also took Ryan Broth from the receiver position, and then tailback Cortez McKinley. But there has been one constant: The O-line.
Led by Michigan State recruit Ethan Ruhland, the unit includes fellow co-captains Spencer Murphy and Taylor Phillips, meaning half of the team’s six captains take up residence in the offensive trenches.
And their All-State quarterback isn’t the only one who appreciates what they do.
‘Lum was outstanding,? Clarkston Coach Kurt Richardson said after the game. ‘But as good as he was, his offensive line was probably even better. I don’t think we got a hand on him all night long. You can’t defend that kid if he’s given that much time.?
Once Lum was done gushing about his offensive line, he moved on to Ryan Broth, his replacement at QB for six weeks.
Broth got booted from that position when Lum came back, but is still on the field for every offensive play, scored all four of Lake Orion’s touchdowns against the Wolves, and has been called the team’s MVP by Coach Chris Bell.
For his part, however, the senior wideout-turned-quarterback-turned-wideout said his position has never changed.
‘I don’t think my role is any different,? Broth said. ‘I’m still going to be a leader.?
Perhaps the biggest moments in Lake Orion’s two playoff wins have come on defense, when they stopped Romeo three-and-out to set up the winning drive and when they stopped Clarkston at the end of Friday’s contest.
That unit, by the way, features a pair of All-OAA players in defensive back Charles Fleck and linebacker Marc Huffman, among a talented young group that has gotten better in every game.
So sure, give Lum his due for the resurgence of Dragon football. Just don’t stop there.

Last year it seemed nothing could go wrong through 10 weeks for the Lake Orion football team. They hadn’t lost, there were no injuries to deal with and they were the top-ranked team in the state.
This year it seemed nothing could go right for the Lake Orion football team. In addition to some early season losses, they lost their All-State quarterback to injury, then their starting tailback and a place in the rankings were a distant memory.
But here we are, headed into week 11 of this season and the Dragons find themselves in the exact same position as a year ago ? getting ready to play Clarkston in a district final.
For all the credit we gave the team last year, I think this season has actually been the more impressive one.
Win or lose this week, they deserve credit for being on the field.
Though the Dragons will be on the road this week, I received an essay from LOHS junior’Chelsea Kniep last week on what it means to ‘Bleed Green.?
The essay is about a home game, but I think Clarkston can easily be turned into Dragon Stadium #2.
Go get ’em Dragons:
Question: Would you return to your hometown to begin your adult life? Why?
What It Means to Bleed Green
It’s Friday night, and a majority of the student body is voluntarily caged within a fenced-in area. At a steady pace, Dragon Stadium transforms into a confined space of constant motion and noise. Greens and whites combine into a sea of color that is unanimously understood as Dragon pride. The familiar staccato beat of the drum line pulses through my head, in sync with my heartbeat. I look around, and everything seems to be in slow-motion; smiling faces, clapping hands, and blaring saxophones surround me. Standing in the bleachers, complete with school spirited attire, I chant along with the cheerleaders and paint-up boys (a group of senior boys who paint letters on their chests in order to spell ‘Dragons? when read from left to right). Everyone in the stands is unique, but with matching words coming out of our mouths, we are united in that instant. I am in Lake Orion, and I am home.
Anticipation for this moment has been building up all day. It starts when you put on your green and white clothing in the morning, and doesn’t stop until long into the night. The marching band blares the fight song after school, giving everyone in the building goosebumps as we wait impatiently for 7 p.m.
Friday and football are synonymous. The pair eliminates the phrase, ‘are you going to the game??, since the answer is obvious. Everybody in the stadium has one unanimous goal: victory. The crisp sound of the announcer’s fluid voice pours out the speakers; the game is about to start.
Everyone is suddenly still as our nation’s anthem is played over the speaker, a thousand eyes on the flag. Our hearts burst with pride for our school and our country. As the final notes of the song are played the crowd erupts in cheer, preparing themselves for the upcoming kickoff. The cheerleaders lead the crowd as they flip, jump and shout.
An entire community gathers in one spot; the young and the old, friends and enemies, rich and poor, because they all have one thing in common: they are Dragon fans. After the game, we join the football players as they chant the school song to us. With every word, my heart fills increasingly with pride and feelings of pure happiness.
Watching and being a part of all this has done something to me. It has changed me and molded me into the person I am today. The aspects of their hometown community fuse together and seep into your soul, leaving a feeling of warmth, safety, and comfort. School pride gives you structure, confidence and something to be passionate about. Being a Dragon gives you a title, and each person in Lake Orion has this to fall back on when they feel they don’t belong anywhere else. Who wouldn’t want that?
All of this and more is why I would be more than content living in Lake Orion for a majority of my adult life. I want my kids to be as lucky as I am to live in this community. I would always be at peace knowing that they are in a good place. The small town comfort is unbeatable, which is why I am in love with this town. I will be a Dragon forever, regardless of my geographical residence, because this town has left an impact on me. Wherever life takes me, I will forever bleed green.
— Chelsea Kneip
LOHS class of 2009

‘From Lake Orion’s 21-19 setback at the hands of Clarkston last Friday.
1) Lake Orion is close. If Clarkston is the second-ranked team in Division I, Lake Orion is a top-10 team, even without their starting quarterback and tailback. The Dragons gave Clarkston their biggest scare to date, and, had they scored on their opening possession (after a fumble recovery) they might have even pulled the upset.
2) Week eight must go. The atmosphere of this game was nothing close to either meeting a year ago. Sure, this wasn’t a showdown of unbeaten teams or a playoff game, but it was Clarkston and Lake Orion. I blame the schedule. There’s no reason this game shouldn’t be the last one on both team’s schedule. Heck, Clarkston doesn’t even play a league game next week. But the Dragons do?
3) The playoffs start early. Lake Orion hosts West Bloomfield on Friday in what amounts to a playoff game between a pair of 5-3 teams. I’ll say it now (and probably again in the game-day preview at www.lakeorionreview.com): If the Dragons play as well as they did against Clarkston, they’ll be playing again next week. Maybe even at Clarkston?
4) The Dragons want another chance. Lake Orion knows a rematch wouldn’t be much different. The Dragons know they were close without their All-State quarterback, and they might have Chris Lum back for the playoffs. They also know that they now have to earn that chance. Wow, they seem to know a lot.
5) Rivalries are only skin-deep. Clarkston’s Athletic Boosters donated the proceeds of their 50-50 raffle to the Schrauger Family Fund. The two schools might be rivals on the playing field, but they are neighbors off of it. For one night, at least, Clarkston was the better in both categories.

Can you name the mascot of the sixth-ranked team in college football’s AP Top-25 poll?
Any guesses?
I’ll give you a clue? The school is South Florida.
Still nothing?
Or perhaps you’re still in disbelief that the sixth best college football team is said to be South Florida.
There’s something strange going on in the pro and college football world right now, to say the least.
Perhaps that is why many fans of the Detroit Lions are tentative to jump back on a bandwagon that they’ve been dumped from repeatedly over the years.
Teams at all levels across the country are winning with wacky spread offenses and things of the like.
It’s a far cry from the smash-mouth attitude of yesteryear.
Winning team’s this season can’t even run the ball (the 3-1 Lions are second-worst as a team in the NFL, and only the 4-0 Packers are worse).
Can teams really continue to win without the one element that most coaches and expert say is most vital to a successful team?
Or, maybe there’s really something to this just being a strange year ? and maybe we should just enjoy it.
After a quarter of the season, the Lions are on pace for a 12-4 season.
That’s right, I said 12-4, not 4-12.
It won’t hold up, but it’s surely better than what we’ve grown accustomed to around here.
And that’s no bull (which just happens to be the USF mascot).
***
A few people out there have asked for my take on the baseball postseason, so I thought I’d just throw it out there.
It’s unfortunate that the Tigers won’t be part of the fray this October, but that doesn’t mean that there isn’t some baseball worth watching.
Here are some players to keep an eye on in each league, followed by my (likely not to come to fruition) picks?
American League
Position player to watch: Alex Rodriguez, Yankees.
Sorry, I’m not taking much of a leap here. A-Rod carried the Yanks during the regular season and he’ll have to reverse his postseason tendencies from the last few seasons. He has hit less than .100 (4-for-41) in his past last 12 playoff games, as New York hasn’t won a playoff series since losing four straight to Boston in the 2004 ALCS (remember that one?).
Pitcher to watch: C.C. Sabathia, Indians
The big lefty will be the key to Cleveland’s series against New York. He’s scheduled to pitch twice in the series, games one and (if necessary) five. My guess is he’ll have to win twice for the Indians to have a chance.
I think the Yankees win that series in four games and the Angels top Boston (in what will be the best of the divisional series battles) in five games.
The Bronx Bombers will then advance in six games to the World Series.
National League
Position player to watch: Alfonso Soriano, Cubs
Soriano hit 14 home runs in the month of September. If he can carry that momentum into the playoffs (which is no easy task), I think the Cubs become the favorites in the National League. (I know, it sounds almost as crazy as the Lions being 3-1).
Pitcher to watch: Cole Hamels, Phillies
Hamels is the best young pitcher in baseball. That’s right, on my list he even comes in ahead of our beloved Justin Verlander. And, you probably know nothing about him. He led Philadelphia, which had a dramatic surge to edge the choking Mets for the NL East crown, with 15 wins, in spite of being injured for most of the last month. If not for that injury, Hamels would be right alongside Jake Peavy and Brandon Webb in Cy Young discussions. He fits the mold of John Lackey (Angels) and Josh Beckett (then Marlins, now Red Sox), as young pitchers ready to emerge in the postseason. And Philly has the NL’s best lineup to boot.
Therefore, it should be no surprise that I like the Cubs (over Arizona in four) and Phillies (over Colorado in five) in the opening round.
I think the Cubs/Phillies could be an epic series. If they meet, it’ll go seven, and I’ll take the Cubbies. But that won’t matter in the end, as the Yankees will win it all in five games.
So, in the end, it’s too bad the Tigers missed out, because no one wants to see New York win.

After years of going to more Tigers games than I can count, we decided to make things official this year.
I went in on some season tickets with a few buddies.
Sure, the games have been fun to attend, but even more interesting to report on are the inner-workings of Comerica Park?
The phrase ‘cold beer? is a lie, regardless of the temperature outside.
The length of the line in the men’s room is directly proportional to the importance of the at-bat you are missing.
A stadium conspiracy calls for each seat to be filthy before the gates are opened, so that the ushers can use their equally filthy rags to earn a tip.
The person sitting in front of you is 6-foot-5. The person sitting in front of your friend is 5-foot-6.
When you not only know the vendors by their names, but also by their dates of birth, you have purchased too many overpriced beverages.
Dashing Donut is on steroids.
At least half of the annoying people in your section will also be in your row, and they’ll always need to get by you during the biggest pitch of every inning.
The drunkest person in the stadium must try unsuccessfully to start the wave at least five times.
If your feet don’t stick to the ground, be afraid.
Parking isn’t that expensive, when compared to what you spend inside the stadium.
Any season ticket holder will purchase their tickets one year too late.
Let’s hope not anyway.
***
From the democracy at its finest file, fashion designer Marc Ecko, who recently spent over $750,000 to buy Barry Bonds record-breaking 756th home run, is asking for help from the public.
Ecko has posted a website www.vote756.com that allows fans to do one of three things: ‘Bestow it? (give the ball directly to the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY); ‘Brand it? (burn an asterisk into the ball with a branding iron, then send it to Cooperstown); or ‘Banish it? (put it on a rocket and send it away).
Voting ends at midnight on Sept. 25.

An All-State performer.
A captain.
A hard worker.
A good student.
The list could go on to describe Lake Orion quarterback Chris Lum, but that gives you a pretty good idea why he was the team’s most valuable player heading into this season.
Early indications are that an injury to his non-throwing arm last week (both a break and a dislocation, requiring surgery the night of the game) will cost the All-State senior at least the remainder of the regular season.
Members of the Dragon coaching staff lauded Lum for his practice habits, saying he is the type of player that was first to arrive and last to leave.
Being the most prepared might just be what made Lum better than most, if not all, across the state at his position last season.
But, you can’t prepare for fluke injuries.
So, just 75 days removed from celebrating a championship with his baseball teammates, Lum’s football season (certainly his most preferred sport) likely came to an end.
The team, meanwhile, will have to move on without their field general.
Coach Chris Bell said the team will not use the injury as an excuse, and he wouldn’t use it last week for the loss against Troy.
Sometimes, injuries such as Lum’s can become a rallying point for a team, and there is no doubt the Dragon coaching staff is preaching that to the players.
With Bell at the helm, it’s hard to believe anyone will be feeling sorry for themselves, even Lum (who will put his ‘hard work? mentality towards coming back for a possible playoff run).
There are now two paths this Dragon football season can follow — and neither is what many expected just a couple weeks ago.
Here’s hoping for that ‘rallying call? outcome. I’d imagine that outcome, and another trip to the playoffs, is the expectation within the Dragon locker room, too.
One thing’s for sure, like in Ann Arbor right now, it’s a new season at Lake Orion.