By Wendi Reardon Price
Staff Writer
wprice@mihomepaper.com
CLARKSTON — The Wolves were victorious in their home opener against Oxford Varsity Football last Friday, 23-15.
“Tonight was a great OAA Red battle,” said Clarkston Varsity Football Head Coach Justin Pintar. “Two teams that play hard and compete, and play the right way. Hats off to Oxford, they gave us everything we could handle.”
Pintar said the Wolves knew going into the game they would have to be ready for everyone and not just a few key players especially with a group with 24 returning seniors.
“They play really hard. Their safeties and corners can tackle and that makes a huge difference in the run,” Pintar said. “Some teams if you can get past the front six or seven, the defensive backs don’t want to tackle. Those guys do. Those guys play hard and they’re coached up well, so it’s not necessarily one guy when you play Oxford they’re just a good balance team that you know you’ve got to be able to execute.”

The Wolves opened with control of the ball and finished the drive with a 49-yard field goal made by junior kicker Aidan O’Neill with 5:49 in the first quarter, 3-0.
Oxford was the next to score with 31.9 seconds remaining in the second quarter with a 52-yard touchdown run from senior Owen Pavlock. A PAT from senior Drew Cady put the Wildcats up 7-3.
Clarkston took control of the score six minutes into the second half. Sophomore Alex Waszczenko handed the ball to junior running back Griffin Boman, who took off and finished a 65-yard run in the end zone for a touchdown. O’Neill’s PAT attempt was a success and the Wolves took a 10-7 lead.
The Wolves built onto their lead with a 7-yard touchdown run from junior running back Lukas Boman, five seconds into the fourth quarter. A PAT from O’Neill put Clarkston up 17-7.
With 1:54 left in the game, senior wide receiver Brady Beck scored on a 5-yard touchdown run. Oxford blocked O’Neill’s PAT, putting the Wolves up 23-7.
Pavlock caught the kickoff return for the Wildcats and returned it for a 98-yard touchdown run. A 2-point conversion completed by Cady closed the gap, 23-15.
The Wildcats (1-2, 0-1 OAA Red) host Lake Orion (3-0) this Friday as the Wolves (2-1, 1-0 OAA Red) head to Rochester Adams (3-0, 1-0).
Kick off is at 7 p.m