Clarkston works overtime to finally dispatch Kettering
BY DAN STICKRADT
SENIOR EDITOR
dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com
LAKE ORION — Members of Clarkston’s girls soccer team may have shown up for the big dance Thursday a little tardy. The wolves had good reason.
Clarkston had to work a little overtime before knocking out Waterford Kettering, 2-1, in a Division 1 district semifinal at Lake Orion.
With the school’s prom taking place Thursday, the game was pushed up from 7 p.m. to 4 p.m. Still, the Wolves could not attend to its formal business until work on the field was done.
The Wolves controlled play throughout Thursday’s matchup, yet struggled to find the back of the net. Forced to go into two 10-minutes overtime periods, Clarkston finally found the distance needed when junior Andrea Dumais ripped a shot from inside of the penalty box off a feed from Lisa Lyons with 5:35 left in the first overtime period.
Dumais had misfired on three golden chances earlier in the game but came through in the clutch.
“She has been struggling finishing. She’s had a lot of chances on net (in recent games),” said Clarkston coach Sarah Smith. “I guess she came through when we really needed it today.”
Kettering (4-12-3) scored on its first shot of the game and only one of two of the first half. Chances were few and far between for the rest of the game, as Kettering spent most of the time on its heels.
“Clarkston has some speed and they play possession very well,” said Kettering coach Jon Cadwallader, whose team upset Lake Orion Tuesday in a first round. “I don’t think my girls came ready to play. We didn’t play the way we did against Lake Orion.”
Clarkston finally netted the equalizer with 5:26 left in the first half, when Lindsey Adams scooped up a deflection and blasted a shot from 20 yards out.
It was more of the same in the second half, where Clarkston had a 6-3 edge in shots but struggled to find the net.
“We made it difficult on ourselves,” said Smith. “There were a lot of things that affected us today. At least 10 of my girls are leaving for the prom, so there is that distraction. I think there was just a lot of mental distractions.
“I had a feeling we would come through in overtime, because too many girls gave up too much to be here,” added Smith. “I felt once we went up, we’d be fine.”
Clarkston (9-7-2) will face Rochester Adams, a 4-0 winner over Rochester Stoney Creek, for the district championship Saturday at Lake Orion beginning at 1 p.m.
It will mark the sixth time in 13 seasons that Clarkston will face Adams for a district trophy — all won by Adams. The Highlanders defeated Clarkston, 3-1, in last year’s district finals.
Smith hopes her team will be more mentally be prepared to face one of the state’s most dominant teams in Adams, state semifinalists last season.
“I think we’ll show up. Adams is a great team,” said Smith. “It doesn’t matter of who you play. It is going to be a tough game.”
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Category: Clarkston, High School, Prep Wraps
