FOOTBALL: Lake Orion’s speed burns up Rochester
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BY DAN STICKRADT
SENIOR EDITOR
dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com
Twitter: @LocalSportsFans
ROCHESTER HILLS — Speed is one thing a coach can’t always simulate in practice. Rochester found that out Friday against Lake Orion.
Behind its tri-fecta of All-State track sprinters, Zak Arnold, Corey Ester and Chris Leigh, the Dragons burned up the football field to post a 41-20 OAA Red Division victory over the host Falcons to remain in a second-place tie in the eight-school division with two league games to go.
Lake Orion (5-1, 4-1) outscored Rochester 22-3 in the second half, as the helpless Falcons could not contain Lake Orion’s superior speed.
Leigh finished with eight carries for 144 yards and four touchdowns, Ester added 10 carries for 84 yards and caught two passes for 49 more yards, and Arnold had five carries for 70 yards, but together they combined for multiple big plays to help the Dragons pull away and collect 421 rushing yards and 491 yards of total offense.
BURNING’ RUBBER: Lake Orion’s Corey Ester drags Rochester’s Joe Iannetta through the line of scrimmage during Friday’s OAA Red Division clash. Photo | Ken Swart, Swart Photography
“The three of us have been here longer than anyone else and we know that we have to do our part,” said Ester. “We are trying to make it back to the playoffs and we need to step up.”
After Rochester (3-3, 2-3) pulled to within 26-20 late in the third quarter on a 32-yard field goal by sophomore Luke Deel, the Dragons clamped down on the Falcons, who punted away twice, fumbled the ball away and handed the ball over on downs after trailing by only a touchdown.
“We knew coming in that we were at a severe disadvantage in the speed category,” said Rochester coach Erik Vernon. “They made some big plays. We had to stop big plays and we didn’t do it. That’s to Lake Orion’s credit. They are a good team.”
Lake Orion’s blocking schemes allowed the Dragons’ talented backfield to break free on numerous occasions, which doomed Rochester’s upset bid.
“We did a much better job of blocking on the perimeter, and the way that they were playing us, we did a much better job executing,” said Lake Orion coach Chris Bell. “You put the ball in their hands and they get some space, they can move. They played very, very well.”
Up by just six, Lake Orion’s Ester pushed the lead back up to 34-20 with 11:14 left in the contest on a 3-yard sprint, followed by Joshua Bay’s two-yard reception catch from Connor Grant. Leigh capped the scoring with 2:37 remaining when he scampered home with a 17-yard touchdown run.
“We are just trying to get better and better and we had guys step up and make plays on both sides of the football tonight,” added Bell.
After leading 19-17 at half, it was Leigh who helped Lake Orion keep its distance on a fourth-and-one play, rolling free for a 29-yard TD run after breaking a tackle near the line of scrimmage and racing to pay dirt with 7:45 left in the third.
Deel’s ensuing field goal was close as the Falcons would get. Rochester is now backed up against the wall, knowing it must win out during the final three weeks to guarantee a postseason berth.
“We just have to take it one game at a time, keep getting better and better and hope for the best,” said Vernon. “We know what we have to do.”
Lake Orion countered first when Leigh plowed through from 3 yards out with 8:21 left in first quarter. Arnold had a 52-yard sprint in the drive to help set up the score.
Rochester countered with a 2-yard run from Vince Piacentini with 5:55 remaining in the first quarter. The six-play drive was aided by a 61-yard pass play from Kevin Byrd to Demetrius Magee, who finished with five catches for 120 yards.
Three drives later, it was the speedy Leigh who broke loose for a 76-yard TD sprint with 8:14 left in the second frame, although the extra point was missed, leaving the Dragons with just a 13-7 lead.
Ester’s 42-yard punt return down to the Falcons’ 18 set up Lake Orion’s next score, a 21-yard fade pass from Grant to Bays with 5:25 left in the half, good for a 19-7 advantage as the conversion pass failed.
Rochester countered with an 80-yard, 10-play drive that ended when Magee hauled in a 23-yard dart from Byrd down the middle of the field with just 1:04 left in the half.
After recovering a fumble, Rochester closed to within 19-17 at the end of the half when Deel drilled a 24-yard field goal.
Byrd finished the night 17-for-32 passing for 253 yards, although the Falcons’ receivers dropped eight passes on the night. Piacentini added 95 rushing yards on 19 carries for Rochester.
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FOR MORE FOOTBALL COVERAGE: http://northoaklandsports.com/?s=Football&x=12&y=12
Have photos or video of this event that you wish to share? E-mail pertinent information to www.northoaklandsports.com Senior Editor Dan Stickradt at dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com or e-mail results@northoaklandsports.com.
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