Dragons Gear up to Pit Speed vs. Speed Against Cass Tech in State Semifinals

Speed vs. speed. That's the what the prep football pundits are saying about Saturday's matchup between the Lake Orion Dragons and defending state champions the Cass Tech Technicians.

The game is at 1 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 17, at Troy Athens High School. Follow Patch for coverage. Look for highlights from the game next week on ONTV News on Comcast Channel 10 and AT&T Channel 99.  Visit www.orionONTV.org for more information.

Lake Orion defeated Cass Tech, 24-21, in the same semifinal matchup at Troy Athens two years ago.

Can they repeat?

If Lake Orion wins tomorrow, the Dragons will play in the Division 1 state final on Saturday, Nov. 24, at 1 p.m. at Ford Field.

Here's the early buzz on the game:

From The Detroit News (Matt Bishop, Tom Markowski, and Rod Beard picked Cass; Dave Goricki picks Lake Orion.)

"Lake Orion's offense relies on speed on the perimeter and FB Jacob Miller's power running. Cass Tech, the defending champion, has strength on the defensive line and speed in the secondary."

From the "Son of Swami" in the Free Press, who picks Lake Orion:

"The Cass Tech coaches were overjoyed to read that SOS picked the Technicians to lose to Saline last week, and they were virtually begging him to pick them to lose this week. Always happy to oblige. Lake O’Ryan 29, Momma Cass 20."

From Michigan Prep Zone:

"Not many teams around the state can compete with the speed Cass Tech puts on display, but there are members of that track team that are key components of Lake Orion’s football team, most notably junior slotbacks and track sprint standouts Zak Arnold and Corey Ester."

Kosmo blog in the Oakland Press:

"Nobody has been able to stop Lake Orion's diverse and powerful running attack, but the Dragons haven't run up against a defense as big and as fast as Cass Tech. If Lake Orion can run the ball, it can control the tempo of the game, the clock and thus keep Cass Tech's offensive playmakers on the bench."