When the Lake Orion grapplers returned from break to face a couple of the state’s best teams last week it was evident that the holidays were over.
The Dragons fell to both Howell and Clarkston, but know that the two matches will only make them stronger.
‘No one, and I mean no one, has a tougher schedule than ours here in Michigan and it will pay off as we get to the end of our schedule and make our way towards winning a district and regional title,? said Coach Doug Kline.
‘It will also pay off in the individual tournament and these guys are going to be battle tested.?
Howell topped Lake Orion 36-16 last Friday night on Dragon Alumni Night, winning five straight matches (from 130 pounds through 152 pounds), including two overtime wins, to turn an early deficit into a huge lead.
A.J. Pratt fell 9-7 in overtime at 130 pounds, the same score that Jake Arnold lost by in OT at 140.
Kline said the tough one- and two-point losses are something that has the coaching staff perplexed.
‘I wish it were as easy as working harder,? he said. ‘Hopefully that is all it is and not character flaws in the wrestlers. It is obvious, however, that we are not in very good shape, and that is going to change.?
On Jan. 3, the Dragons returned from the holiday break and fell to OAA I rival Clarkston to absorb their first league loss of the season, 36-23.
The match was the highlight of a nine-team meet at Troy High, with six of the OAA I teams in the mix.
Kline, whose team placed second at the county meet behind the Wolves in December, said his squad learned a bit more about a foe that they’re likely to see again before season’s end.
‘Our goal has got to be the regionals,? he said. ‘We’ll see them again there.?
‘It’s like I said at the county meet, we’re losing matches by one point or two points,? the coach added.
Kline was surprised his team lost in spite of the fact that they won all three of the meet’s marquee matches.
Jake Varilek held off Colton Tweed for a 2-1 win at 152 pounds, Evan Gros topped Tommy Ellsworth 7-3 at 189 pounds, and Allen Sigler bested Bryant Craft 4-3 in extra time at 160 pounds.
‘I’m so happy for Allen because he lost to (Craft) 1-0 at the county,? Kline said. ‘He really wanted to win that thing.?
Sigler scored an escape and then held off Craft in the final 30 seconds of overtime for the victory. The result was the opposite of their first meeting, when Craft scored the winning escape point.
The Sigler win pulled the Dragons? deficit to 27-20, but Clarkston won two of the final three matches to hold off LO.
The Dragons had a 14-3 lead early in the match, thanks to wins by Jake Pratt, Josh Romeo and Doug Mack, at 103 pounds, 112 pounds and 119 pounds, respectively.
However, the Wolves scored 24 unanswered points by winning the next five matches, including pins by Alex Popp on Pratt at 130 pounds and Evan King on Devon Grzadzinski in a battle of relative varsity newcomers at 145 pounds.
‘At 130, (Pratt) had to overcome an unsportsmanlike penalty, and at 140, Jake Arnold wrestled his heart out,? Kline said.
Arnold lost 10-9 to Clarkston’s Eric Butterfield, who scored a point in the final seconds of the match to win.
‘We wrestled hard,? Kline said of his team. ?’Orion Tough? is something that’s been used a lot at our school and it’s become our motto.?
The coaching staff at Clarkston, was glad to clear a big league hurdle in Lake Orion, but knows state titles are not won in January.
‘They’ll come out just as hungry the next time, if not more,? Assistant Coach Derek Moscovic said of rival LO.
The Dragons, meanwhile, will continue their tough schedule this weekend at the Adrian tournament, where they could face Howell again, along with a slew of other top teams.