AOTW: Complete Back: Lake Orion’s Stevenson a threat anywhere on the field
BY DAN STICKRADT
SENIOR EDITOR
dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com
LAKE ORION — While some students spend their entire school days darting between class rooms every hour, Marques Stevenson has a chance to leave campus.
The Lake Orion senior has co-op through school to clerk at the 52nd/53rd district court in Rochester Hills.
“I get a chance to clerk, learn a little bit about (the justice system),” said Stevenson, a speedy 5-foot-9, 180-pound running back. “I have an interest in going to law school.”
While Stevenson is a heady student with over a 3.8 GPA and very-goal oriented in the classroom, he also has high goals in leading Lake Orion on the football field. The three-year starter has helped the Dragons to one of its best season and school history — and a season he hopes ends up with some state championship hardware.
“We’re humble, but we know the potential this team has,” said Stevenson. “We have a chance to go very far.”
Stevenson was one of the running backs the past three years on varsity, including this season, and played in the 2008 state championship game against Rockford (a 26-14 loss).
“There are three of us that played in that game. We just saw as sophomores how the leaders led us there (to the state finals),” recalled Stevenson, who has developed into one of the state’s premier running backs with his game-breaking capabilities. “What it took to go there and how to battle. When you’re down at halftime, how do you respond? You look good when you’re up 40-0. But how do you respond when you’re down seven at halftime? Those are the teams that go deep in the playoffs.”
Stevenson, who transferred to the Lake Orion schools from Rochester after middle school, has burned up the opposition. He is the Dragons’ leading rusher this season at well over 1,000 yards, and because the Dragons have put a lot of teams away by the half or in the third quarter, his numbers could be higher if he played more minutes.
“In the past I got a chance to share (the carries) with guys like Kim Bruce. He graduated last year and I became the (top) running back,” said Stevenson. “Coach (Chris) Bell and I had a talk at the end of last season and he told me that I would be the No. 1 guy.”
By no means is Stevenson a one-trick pony, as the Dragons field numerous weapons on both sides of the football, which has led to a season where Lake Orion has remained in the Division 1 top-10 rankings.
Two years ago, Marques Stevenson got a taste of what it’s like to make a run to the final weekend of the prep football state playoffs. Now, the Lake Orion senior has goals on not only returning to the state finals, but coming away a winner.
“I know our goal is to get back to (Ford Field), but we have to take it one game at a time,” said Stevenson. “We know what it’s like to play in the state finals. We hope to get back there.”
Stevenson has had numerous games where he has eclipsed 150 or 200 yards. He rushed for 289 yards and three touchdowns in a 54-14 district finals win over Grand Blanc — just a sampling of his game-breaking capabilities.
“He’s a complete back,” said Lake Orion coach Chris Bell. “He’s very fast, he can get to the holes in a hurry, he can block when we need him to. With his speed, once he gets into the open field, he’s tough to stop.
“We’ve had some good (running backs) over the years. I think Marques is one of the best we’ve had,” added Bell. “I think this year, he’s exploded.”
Bell has coached numerous skilled athletes to the collegiate level. Stevenson should join that list later this school year. Yale and the Air force already offered, with several other schools have jumped on board the recruiting boat in recent weeks for the talented running back.
“I would love the opportunity to play in college. It has to be the right fit both academically and athletically,” said Stevenson. “I have worked hard in the off-season. Right now, I am just concentrating on one day at a time, getting ready for our next (opponent).”
The next opponent is always bigger than the last, as Lake Orion is in the midst of a another lengthy tournament run. The team has reached the Elite Eight five times in school history to go along with three appearances in the Final Four.
“The team is putting up great numbers, that’s all great. We still have to play the game,” said Stevenson. “We can talk about what we’ve done in the past. My personal motto is you’re only as good as your last play.”
No football team at Lake Orion has ever won the state championship. Stevenson and the Dragons have entertained those dreams, but those dreams can only be realized by making the final day of the season and playing at a top level.
“We haven’t won anything yet,” he said. “We have our work cut out for us.”
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Category: BWW Athlete of the Week, Lake Orion, Prep Wraps
