FOOTBALL PLAYOFFS ROUNDUP: Top-seeded Clarkston takes down Oxford; Grand Blanc topples Lake Orion; Troy continues grand turnaround
CLARKSTON — It didn’t come easy, but Clarkston’s first playoff game since losing in the 2018 Division 1 state finals finally arrived Friday night and the Wolves prevailed with a 21-7 victory over visiting Oxford.
Clarkston defeated Oxford 35-14 during Week 2 of the regular season.
The unbeaten Wolves (7-0) tied the game on Davis York’s 16-yard run.
Clarkston converted again just before the half’s junior quarterback Mike DePillo found Logan Forbes for a 10-yard touchdown pass.
The Wolves scored a final touchdown after recovering a punt on the Wildcats’ 14-yard line. DePillo later scored on a 2-yard run to cap the scoring.
Defensively, Clarkston stopped Oxford inside the red zone twice in the contest.
Oxford (2-5) took a 7-0 lead on its first series. Sophomore Tate Myre scored on a 1-yard run to end a 12-play, 71-yard, time-consuming drive.
That awoke a sleeping giant, as the Wolves scored 21 unanswered points. Oxford could not score again.
The Wildcats also missed a 30-yard field goal in the second quarter with the game tied at 7-7.
Clarkston will host Grand Blanc in the district semifinals at 7 p.m. Friday. Rochester Adams will visit defending D-1 state champion Davison in the other district semifinal.
MORE DIVISION 1
GRAND BLANC 28, LAKE ORION 14: Lake Orion scored first, but host Grand Blanc had the last laugh in this D-1 pre-district contest Friday to win its first postseason game since 2012.
The Bobcats (5-2) were listed a s honorable mention in the final regular season D-1 Associated Press polls.
Grand Blanc scored in a multitude of ways after falling into a 14-0 deficit.
Deniis Underwood scored on a 5-yard run and Ty Brotebeck hit Jonah Meleski with a 15-yard touchdown pas to tie the score at 14-14. Dylan Hertzberg hit two field goals, one in the second quarter to give his team a 17-14 lead at the half, and the other in the third quarter.
The Bobcats also scored on Cross Dobbs’ 77-yard run following a fake punt and ensuring two-point conversion run.
Lake Orion, which led 14-0 in the first quarter finished the shortened season 3-3.
TROY 29, BLOOMFIELD HILLS 14: What a difference a year makes.
After going winless in 2019 and 2-16 over the previous two seasons, the Colts pulled a reversal and climbed above five-hundred Friday with this 15-point win over Bloomfield Hills in a Division 1 pre-district.
The two were originally scheduled to play an OAA Blue Division contest back in August, but the game was cancelled due to the lockdown.
Troy (4-3) will visit state-ranked West Bloomfield Friday for its district semifinals clash.
SOUTHFIELD A&T 62, TROY ATHENS 7: The Warriors scored early and often in recording this D-1 pre-district win over the Red Hawks.
Southfield will visit Sterling Heights Stevenson next week in the district semifinals.
ROCHESTER STONEY CREEK: The Cougars picked up a first-round bye.
Stoney Creek will host 2018 state champion Clinton Township Chippewa Valley next Friday at 7 p.m. in the district semifinals.
DIVISION 2
BIRMINGHAM GROVES 36, AUBURN HILLS AVONDALE 0: Groves received little resistance from short-handed Avondale Friday and recorded this Division 2 pre-district road win.
Groves advance to the D-2 district semifinals and will visit arch-rival Birmingham Seaholm.
WALLED LAKE WESTERN 14, WATERFORD MOTT 13: The Warriors outscored Mott 14-7 in the first half, then held on for the one-points in Friday over the Corsairs.
Previously, Western defeated Mott 45-21 back on Week 2 of the regular season.
Al Schram scooped up a fumble at midfield and Thomas Young scored on a 5-yard run seven plays later for a 7-0 lead.
The Warriors pushed the lead to 14-0 when Zach Trainor hit Cameron Kinaia with a 21-yard touchdown pass. Ada Lampela connected on both crucial first-half extra points.
Xaion Styles cut into Western’s lead before the half with a 5-yard touchdown run.
Mott (2-3) closed the deficit when Jaylen Varice hauled in a 31-yard touchdown pass from Jack Beno. The Corsairs missed the extra point with 8:49 left that proved to be costly.
Walled Lake Western will visit South Lyon next weekend in the district semifinals.
NORTH FARMINGTON 40, WATERFORD KETTERING 13: The Raiders cruised to this lopsided pre-district win over the Captains.
North Farmington (4-3) will play at Fenton (7-0) next Friday in the district semifinals.
DIVISION 4
ORTONVILLE BRANDON 57, ST. CLAIR 0: Brandon rebounded from a Week 6 loss to Fenton and to pound visiting St. Clair Friday in this Division 4 pre-district contest.
The Blackhawks opened with a 12-0 lead after the first quarter and followed that up with a 31-point outburst in the second period for a 43-0 halftime advantage and never looked back.
Brandon scored a touchdown in both the third and fourth quarters to cap the scoring.
Junior quarterback Micah Miller completed 8-of-11 passes for 191 yards and two touchdowns while he rushed for another touchdown during the first-half explosion
Jawon Slater and Brayton MacQueen scored two touchdowns apiece for Brandon. Slater scored his two on the ground, while MacQueen had one receding score and another one rushing the football.
Holden Ackerman got into the scoring act with a rushing TD and Drew Hickmott hauled in a 20-yard scoring toss from Miller.
Peyton Gulledge, an All-State player last season, led the the Blackhawks defensively with eight tackles and one fumble recovery. Alex Griffiths recorded a sack and snared an interception, Mike Nolan recovered a fumble and MacQueen picked up six tackles in the victory.
Neighboring Goodrich will visit Brandon at 7 p.m. next Friday in the district semifinals.
PONTIAC NOTRE DAME PREP 59, HAZEL PARK 0: Note Dame Prep moved to 6-1 and advance to the district semifinals with this rout Friday night.
The Irish will host last year’s stater runner-up, Birmingham Detroit Country Day, in the second round next weekend.
Hazel Park finishes 1-6.
DIVISION 8
CLARKSTON EVEREST COLLEGIATE 41, ROCHESTER HILLS LUTHERAN NORTHWEST 0: The CHSL Intersectional Division 2 and Bishop Conference champions continued their winning ways Saturday afternoon.
Everest Collegaite, the top seed in its district, will host Sterling Heights Parkway Christian next weekend in the district semifinals.
ROYAL OAK SHRINE CATHOLIC 41, WATERFORD OUR LADY OF THE LAKES 6: Shrine picked up little resistance in recording this pre-district victory over Shrine.
Shrine will play at Oakland Christian next weekend.
AUBURN HILLS OAKLAND CHRISTIAN 2, MT. CLEMENS 0: The Lancers picked up the pre-district win Friday after Mt. Clemens opted to forfeit the game.
Oakland Christian (6-1) will host Royal Oak Shrine Catholic (5-2) in a district semifinal clash at the Auburn Hills Community Center Stadium next Friday.
(Varsity coaching staffs can report scores to NorthOaklandSports via email to results@northoaklandsports.com or to senior editor Dan stickradt at dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com)
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