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Moving on: Dragons roll past Avondale to reach regional finals for first time since 1988

Moving on: Dragons roll past Avondale to reach regional finals for first time since 1988

November 10, 2010 | Comments (0)

BY DAN STICKRADT SENIOR EDITOR dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com OXFORD — The term Sweet 16 has a nice ring to it when it comes to sports. It sits quite fine with Lake Orion volleyball Bob Howey and his Dragons. That’s exactly where the Dragons stand at the present time, as they downed Auburn Hills Avondale 3-1 in a […]

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Wolves hound Davison to reach regional finals

Wolves hound Davison to reach regional finals

November 10, 2010 | Comments (2)

BY DAN STICKRADT SENIOR EDITOR dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com ORTONVILLE — Part of Clarkston’s fine season has been its incredible balance offensively. Defensively, the Wolves have been underrated and sometimes just as good. Davison found that out Tuesday in its Class A regional semifinal at Ortonville Brandon. Clarkston collected 37 blocks as a team, the most the Wolves […]

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Oakland Christian advances to regional title game for 10th straight time

Oakland Christian advances to regional title game for 10th straight time

November 10, 2010 | Comments (2)

BY DAN STICKRADT SENIOR EDITOR dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com WATERFORD — After losing to Plymouth Christian in the regular season and surrendering the MIAC Blue Division crown to the Eagles, Priscilla Larned was asked the question by several of her players at Auburn Hills Oakland Christian: Will the Lancers get a second chance at Plymouth Christian? Well, Oakland […]

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Tall and Proud: Yellowjackets enjoying first district title despite season of mishaps

Tall and Proud: Yellowjackets enjoying first district title despite season of mishaps

November 9, 2010 | Comments (1)

BY DAN STICKRADT SENIOR EDITOR dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com AUBURN HILLS — Looking over the balcony at her volleyball team, Valerie Blanchette shouts the phrase “T.P.” The encouraging words stand for Tall and Proud, and are reminder to shrug off the play, stand back up and try again. That’s what the volleyball team at Auburn Hills Avondale has […]

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15-gone: Dragons end long district drought with sweep of Rochester

15-gone: Dragons end long district drought with sweep of Rochester

November 9, 2010 | Comments (3)

BY DAN STICKRADT SENIOR EDITOR dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com LAKE ORION — The last time Lake Orion won a volleyball district, most of the current players were very young. In fact, some of those sophomores and freshmen in the program weren’t even born yet. The year was 1995, and the title came in March of that year when […]

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Sizzling finishes: Handler leads state-meet performances

Sizzling finishes: Handler leads state-meet performances

November 9, 2010 | Comments (4)

BY JAY KUNDE CORRESPONDANT BROOKLYN — Something about close finishes and Brook Handler seem to go hand in hand. The last time Handler, now a senior at Rochester High, was involved in a close finish, it came in the final 100 meters of the 3,200-meter relay at Rockford High School, site of the Division 1 […]

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No. 1 stunner: Unranked Southfield Christian upsets top-ranked Oakland Christian

No. 1 stunner: Unranked Southfield Christian upsets top-ranked Oakland Christian

October 28, 2010 | Comments (1)

AUBURN HILLS — Southfield Christian didn’t have much luck against top-ranked Auburn Hills Oakland Christian during two regular season matches with the Lancers. In fact, the Eagles gave up nine goals in those two games.. Southfield Christian figured out a way to change history Wednesday.. The unranked Eagles pulled off the upset of the tournament, […]

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Lahser trips up Avondale for district title

October 25, 2010 | Comments (1)

FOWLERVILLE — Bloomfield Hills Lahser and Auburn Hills Avondale have both made long runs in the boys soccer postseason in recent years. So it was fitting that they met for the district title game Saturday at Fowlerville.. Lahser, ranked in the top 10 in the state in Division 2 the whole season, repeated as a […]

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In the O-Zone: Dragons return to prominence with league title-clinching win over Clarkston

In the O-Zone: Dragons return to prominence with league title-clinching win over Clarkston

October 24, 2010 | Comments (5)

PICKING UP STEAM: Lake Orion’s Danny Ney races towards a first down during the first quarter, well ahead of Clarkston’s Justin Baetz. NEy and the Dragons rolled to a 28-7 victroy to clinch the OAA Red Division title. Staff Photo | Dan Stickradt.

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Laser show: Troy zaps in pair in district win over Rochester

Laser show: Troy zaps in pair in district win over Rochester

October 20, 2010 | Comments (1)

ROCHESTER HILLS — There’s no such thing as style points on the soccer pitch. If there was, Troy would have defeated Rochester by a sizeable margin Monday.. Still, the Colts used a couple of lasers from long distance to oust host Rochester 2-0 in a Division 1 district opener.. The Colts, ranked third in the […]

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Best-kept secret Troy Bethany’s Woodham quietly leads Bruins to best-ever season

October 18, 2010 | Comments (2)

    TROY — Travis Woodham is not your prototypical soccer standout from Oakland County.. The talented senior, a Rochester Hills resident and senior at Troy Bethany Christian, doesn’t suit up for Vardar or the Michigan Wolves. He’s not involved in the Olympic Developmental Program and his club experience is not that extensive.. Yet, as […]

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Troy lands sixth at golf finals

Troy lands sixth at golf finals

October 17, 2010 | Comments (1)

YPSILANTI — Saturday was bittersweet for Devon Compton.. The senior golfer from Rochester Stoney Creek ended her high school career with an individual state championship, but her team came up an agonizingly three strokes shy of a state title.. Compton, a four-time state qualifier had to play an extra hole for a tiebreaker with Holt’s […]

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Kane’s venom lifts surging Adams past Rochester

Kane’s venom lifts surging Adams past Rochester

October 15, 2010 | Comments (1)

ROCHESTER HILLS — Two weeks ago, Justin Kane found an unusual growth on his right foot, the aftermath of a spider bite. The oddity has served to be quite the poison for every player that has tried to mark him on the soccer pitch.. Kane, a senior forward from Rochester Adams, has been playing with […]

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Top-ranked Troy Bethany wins fifth straight FBAC title

Top-ranked Troy Bethany wins fifth straight FBAC title

October 15, 2010 | Comments (2)

TROY — In sports there are all types of streaks. Troy Bethany Christian has put together quite a streak on the soccer pitch in recent years.. The Bruins moved their unbeaten streak inside the Fundamental Baptist Athletic Conference Red Division to 30 games Tuesday with a 7-0 blanking of visiting Rochester Hills Christian.. The win […]

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Top cat: Stoney Creek golfers seeking state title

October 14, 2010 | Comments (3)

Being tabbed as a favorite is one thing, while living up to those expectations is another.. Rochester Stoney Creek took over the No. 1 slot in the girls golf Division 1 rankings in late August. Since then, the Cougars have lived up to their billing despite playing with a target on their back for a […]

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Not down for long: Clarkston tankers using demotion as motivational factor

Not down for long: Clarkston tankers using demotion as motivational factor

October 13, 2010 | Comments (1)

CLARKSTON — Sometimes a demotion can cause anger. Clarkston’s girls swimming and diving team is simply using it as a motivational tool.. The Wolves were sent down to the OAA Blue Division this season, despite being Oakland County’s largest high school and a program that has been around more than a decade. Now Clarkston is […]

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High vertical: Wolves net fast start despite large target on their backs

High vertical: Wolves net fast start despite large target on their backs

October 13, 2010 | Comments (3)

CLARKSTON — Whenever a team enjoys success, it comes with a price. This price is a large target on the back.. Clarkston’s volleyball team must live with that in 2010.. The Wolves, who finished an impressive 43-9-2 last season, has captured five of the past seven OAA Red Division league championships (formally OAA Division I). […]

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Locked and loaded: Big guns prevail in Avondale’s 34-18 win over Groves

Locked and loaded: Big guns prevail in Avondale’s 34-18 win over Groves

October 13, 2010 | Comments (1)

AUBURN HILLS — Friday was everything but a thing a beauty for Auburn Hills Avondale. The Yellowjackets did prove that you can still win ugly.. Engaging in a game where there were more mishaps than a Chevy Chase National Lampoons Vacation film, Avondale won its fourth straight OAA Blue Division game with a 34-18 triumph […]

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