(Have photos to go with this story? Email pics to Web and Content Editor / Director of News Dan Stickradt at stickradt@michigansoccernetwork.com and dstickradt@thepremiermediagrp.com and also list photo credit as well.)
MICHIGAN SOCCER NETWORK: MSN NEWS: www.michigansoccernetwork.com/msnnews
BY DAN STICKRADT
WEB AND CONTENT EDITOR | DIRECTOR OF NEWS
MICHIGAN SOCCER NETWORK | NATIONAL SOCCER NETWORK | PREMIER MEDIA GROUP
BUSINESS LINE: (248) 525-2349
C: (248) 884-1051
TW/X: @msn_stickradt @LocalSportsFans @MiSoccerNetwork
DAVISON, Mich. – State tournament wins have been hard to come by for Lake Orion in the past decade.
Entering Tuesday’s Division 1 district semifinals at Davison against sixth-ranked Grand Blanc, the Dragons were only 4-9 in district matches over the past decade and Lake Orion had only reached the district finals one time during that span. That was in 2019, when it lost to powerhouse Rochester Adams 2-1 in the district championship match.
Well, the Dragons will be playing for the district championship this year – just the fifth time in 15 seasons – and it came with a signature win. Lake Orion upended Saginaw Valley League champion 5-3 at the Davison High School Soccer Stadium to advance to the district finals, where seventh-ranked and neighboring rival Oxford awaits.
After Oxford outlasted Clarkston 4-2 to reach the district finals for the third straight season, it was Lake Orion’s turn to steal the limelight.
The Dragons, the Oakland Activities Association-White Division winner for the first time since 2015, never trailed against mighty Grand Blanc, taking an early 2-0 lead, upping the ante to 4-1 in the second half before holding off the Bobcats in the end.
Lake Orion (11-3-2), which is having its best seasons since going 15-3-1 in 2014 and 10-3-7 in 2015, lost to host Oxford 4-0 in an OAA crossover game back on Sept. 30. The Dragons also fell to the Wildcats 2-1 in last year’s district semifinals in a district played at Lake Orion.
This time the district finals will be played at a neutral site Thursday at Davison with kickoff set for 6:45 p.m.
Drew Hyttinen scored bookend goals for the Dragons in the win over Grand Blanc – Lake Orion was also ousted by the Bobcats back in 2012 in a district final match and again in 2011 – and this time the Dragons never trailed Grand Blanc.
Matais Ballina-Loza scored the fourth goal which put Lake Orion up 4-1 and was the eventual game-winning goal.
Grand Blanc closed the gap down to 4-3 on tallies by Brayden Curtis and Dane Felts but could never net the equalizer. Lake Orion’s Hyttinen put the game away late with the Dragons’ fifth goal.
Billy Kapler and Hudson Case scored the second and third goals for the Dragons. Jack Verlinden assisted the first and fifth goals, and Ballina-Loza and Deniz Redzep also had assists for Lake Orion. Junior Brendan Zale played 65 minutes in goal and departed with the Dragons up 4-1.
Asana Lee scored the first goal for Grand Blanc (16-2-2), which was 15-0-1 in its previous 16 games and had its 16-game unbeaten streak snapped with the loss. It was the second straight year the bobcats lost in the district semifinals despite winning back-to-back SVL titles in the regular season. Lincoln Floyd added two assists for the Bobcats.
OXFORD 4, CLARKSTON 2: Oxford defeated Clarkston for the second straight time this season and fourth straight time over two seasons in this district semifinals clash at Davison Soccer Stadium.
Ryan Clark scored twice and added an assist to lead the Wildcats (13-1-5), which finished third in the OAA Red Division this season – a league that featured five state-ranked teams the whole season.
Oxford now holds a 54-16 scoring edge this season. The Wildcats are 7-1-5 against teams that were ranked at least one week or listed as honorable mention in the various divisions this season.
Clarkston picked up goals from Tyler Niemi and Brayden Cooper, as the Wolves finished a rebuilding campaign with a 10-10-1 overall record.
— All Rights Reserved, Premier Media Group / Michigan Soccer Network / National Soccer Network
(Have a story suggestion for the Premier Media Group and the Michigan Soccer Network regarding club soccer, high school varsity, amateur soccer, collegiate soccer or professional soccer involving teams, players or coaches with Michigan ties, contact Communications Specialist/Web and Content Editor/Director of News Dan Stickradt via email at stickradt@michigansoccernetwork.com or dstickradt@thepremiermediagrp.com, or call 248-884-1051 or 248-525-2349. Dan Stickradt is a 31-year veteran of the Michigan Media circles and recently joined the staff full time in March of 2024. Want to schedule a broadcast game or live show, contact PMG/MSN Director of Broadcasting Jonathan Turner for availability and pricing at jonathan@michigansoccernetwork.com and jonathan@thepremiermediagrp.com.)
(MSN will compile a random sampling of game results from around the state each day. To send in results from high school varsity, club, amateur, pre-pro, semi-pro or professional soccer, email all pertinent details to Communications Specialist / Web and Content Editor / Director of News Dan Stickradt at stickradt@michigansoccernetwork.com and dstickradt@thepremiermediagrp.com or submit information right on the correct link on the MSN website at https://www.michigansoccernetwork.com/reportascore. Please submit the competing teams, location and date of game, final score, overall and league records, goals, assists, goalkeepers and saves, standout defenders, players of the match, and any other pertinent details of the game. If there are courtesy action photos available, feel free to submit them at the above-listed emails.)
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(Have photos to go with this story? Email pics to Web and Content Editor / Director of News Dan Stickradt at stickradt@michigansoccernetwork.com and dstickradt@thepremiermediagrp.com and also list photo credit as well.)
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