FOOTBALL: Saline Caps Season with Big Win Over Lake Orion

Another Friday, another lopsided win for the Hornets.

Saline crushed Lake Orion, 49-14, at Hornet Stadium Friday night. The Hornets finish the season with an 8-1 record. The victory would give Saline the top spot in its district if the brackets shape up the way Snooze2You forecasted (and the games in his predicted district went the way he thought they would.)

This was his forecast before Friday's games and the games went as he saw.

Saline blew the doors off another opponent Friday, scoring the game's first 35 points. Saline led 42-7 at halftime. Saline forced a punt on the Dragon's first possession of the second half and Brady Baldwin returned it for his first varsity touchdown. Saline called off the dogs.

It didn't take the Hornets long to assert their dominance. Saline's first drive started at its 36. It started with some trickery as QB Tommy Carr threw to Louis Esposito for 11 yards. Then he threw a short pass to Lincoln Keyes and he plowed forward for another first at the Dragon 37. On 3rd-and-2 from the 29, Carr handed off to Carson Cherry and ran all the way to the four-yard line.  

A few plays later, he pushed over the goal line for the touchdown. Saline led 7-0 after the kick by Kevin Huber (7-for-7).

The Hornets' special teams forced a fumble on the kickoff and recovered at the Dragons' 12.

On first down, Carr took two steps back and lofted one into the corner of the end zone. Keyes went over his defender to make the catch. Saline led 14-0.

The Dragons' first possession made it to midfield before they punted. Saline started at the 35. On 2nd-and-5, Carr threw downfield to Cruz Hanson, who  caight the ball at the 30 and rushed for another 20 or so yards down to the 10.

Carr kept the ball and ran for a four-yard touchdown. Saline led 21-0.

The Dragons' next drive went all the way down to the Saline 34. On 2nd-and-9, Dawoud Issa caught the running back from behind, grasping his jersey and taking him down, causing a fumble that was picked up by Jack Bersuder. Saline took over at the 36. Carr threw a beautiful pass up the middle where only Keyes could catch it. He did, on the run, around the 50 and ran all the way down to the 31. A holding penalty nullified a passing TD to Keyes. Saline moved down to the one-yard line on a few runs by Cherry and a penalty.  

Colton Tousa finished off the drive by punching it through the middle.

Saline led 28-0.

The Hornets were right back on the attack when, on 2nd-and-7, a high snap eluded the Dragons' QB and Issa picked up the fumble.

Saline took over at the 35. On first down, Cherry ran 11 yards for a first. On the next play, Carr connected with Gabe Iadipaolo, who nearly scored after being tripped up.

On the next play, Carr faked the hand off to Cherry and looped back and around, scoring untouched. Saline led 35-0.

The Dragons put together a solid scoring drive that ended with a passing touchdown to get on the board.  

Saline started its next drive at its 37 after a 13-yard return by Griffin Backus with 2:12 remaining. Carr tossed to Keyes, who made a great one-handed catch on first. Then Carr threw to Lucas Fidh for a first. After a broken-up play, Carr threw to Nolan Klein for nine yards. After a penalty on the Hornets, Carr got those yards back and more with a pass over the middle to Keyes.

On first-and-10 from the 18, Carr through into the end zone on the left for Klein, who made a leaping over-the-shoulder catch for his first touchdown of the season.  Saline led 42-7.

To start the second half, the Hornets forced a quick punt.

Brady Baldwin fielded the punt at Saline's 48. He was running up the middle when he ran into a group of Dragons around the Lake Orion 35. He bounced off them and spun around to the Saline sideline, turned on the jets and went the distance for six points.

Saline led 49-7.

Lake Orion cut the lead to 49-14 in the fourth quarter.

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