By Wendi Reardon Price
Staff Writer
wprice@mihomepaper.com
OKEMOS — The Clarkston Boys Varsity Lacrosse team continued their undefeated on the road winning streak with victories over Romeo and Okemos last week.
“Back-to-back the last two nights,” said Brian Kaminskas, head coach, following the 9-8 win over Okemos on Friday. “Two very good teams. Each one of them we won by a goal but still had good performances from both sides of the field.”
The Wolves took the lead in the first quarter 4-1 and Okemos came back to out score them in the second and third quarters, heading into the fourth quarter with an 8-7 lead.
Parker Royse scored just over a minute into the last quarter. Sean Sinclair added the game winning goal with 8:41 left in the night. Luke Darnell assisted on both goals.
Royse and Sinclair each scored two goals in the game. Darnell scored one goal and had three assists. Lucas Diton scored one goal and had two assists. Travis Bordine, Charlie Formano and Denny Wandrei each scored one goal. Robert Haracic had 19 saves in the net.
Clarkston defeated the Bulldogs at Romeo High School on Thursday, 13-12.
“Romeo is top ranked in the top ten,” Kaminskas added.
The Wolves led throughout the game, leading 13-9 in the last quarter. Bill Purdy scored three times in the final quarter, with his last goal with under a minute remaining in the game.
Darnell and Sinclair each scored three goals during the night. Diton scored two goals and had four assists. Royse had two goals and one assist. Bordine and Wandrei each had one goal and one assist. Formaro scored one goal and Jason Martindale had one assist. Haracic had 11 saves in the net.
“Over the course of the last couple of nights, Charlie has played exceptionally well,” Kaminskas said. “Sean has really come alive. He is starting to play well. Overall the guys have been consistent. We have played some tough competition late in the week and they have played quite well.”
The Wolves opened the week with an 18-9 win over Lake Orion on May 5.
“It was a good week,” said Kaminskas. “Obviously kicking off the week the way we did with Lake Orion was exciting. It was fun. It was exactly the way we wanted to play Lake Orion, but also the way you want to start your movement into the playoffs.”
The Wolves jumped to the lead in the first three minutes with four goals from Bordine, Wandrei and two from Royse. They finished the first quarter with a 6-0 after scoring two more goals from Wandrei and Sinclair.
Royse led with five goals and three assists. Wandrei scored five goals and had two assists. Sinclair scored two goals and had one assist. Darnell scored two goals. Diton scored one goal and had two assists. Bordine, Formaro and Jameson Wald each scored one goal. Brendan Weich had one assist. Horacic had 11 saves and Gage Preston had three saves.
“It was a team performance,” said Kaminskas. “Different scorers and defense was just unbelievable. They were rock solid against Lake Orion.”
The Wolves wrapped the regular season on Tuesday against Oxford.
Clarkston (13-2) hosts Davison (4-10) in the first round of the MHSAA Division 1 Boys Lacrosse Regional 3 playoffs on Thursday at 6 p.m.
“It will be a competitive game against Davison,” Kaminskas said, adding back-to-back games and the teams they have played has prepared the team. “I think playing a couple games back-to-back, playing the level of competition we are playing this close to regionals it allows us to keep a level or standard of opponent we are playing. To constantly reach just a little bit higher, a little further to win those victories.”
The winner moves on to play the Grand Blanc/Swartz Creek winner on Tuesday, May 20 at Clarkston at 7 p.m.
“Grand Blanc matches up against us quite well,” Kaminskas said, adding the Wolves could see Hartland in the regional finals on May 27. “You will see two identical teams when you see Clarkston and Hartland after we take care of business against Grand Blanc. We have strong defensive players, strong attackmen and sophomore goalies. It will be a matter of who can show up and play ball.”

  Boys Lacrosse, Clarkston Athletics