Davison Index

Lapeer County Lions open season





 

 

By Chris Dungey
INDEX Contributor

ALMONT — A fresh brand of football came to the area last Saturday when the Lapeer County Lions opened their North American Football League preseason at Almont High School against the Lenawee County Crusaders. The Lions took the field in their black and gold uniforms for the first time before struggling to an 18-6 win. Nearly 200 sweltering fans looked on in the humid, near 90-degree heat. Luckily, the home team’s roster of 60 players that includes Davison graduates and former Genesee County Patriots Jeff Tody and Andy Tvorik, was large enough that coach Dan Pilgrim was able to substitute freely.
The Lions will play a 10-game schedule in the Central Lakes Division of the Great Lakes Region, Northern Conference. The on-field product appeared to be still very much a work-in-progress as penalties and at least five fumbles allowed the Crusaders to stay in the game late into the fourth quarter.
“We thought it would be rough, like any first game,” said offensive coach Jeff Simpson. “But it shouldn’t have been that rough. The dumb penalties killed us.”
Two touchdowns, including a punt return by Imlay City alum Angel Pizzaro and a sweep with Brad Jackman (Imlay City) carrying, were called back for infractions. But, the Lions’ running game was successful on three other occasions. Adiano Bonfiglio (Capac) scored with 7:47 remaining in the opening quarter on a slot-back around play. Quarterback Robert Callahan (Flint Central), one of three hopefuls to take snaps, scored on a three-yard keeper with 2:55 left in the opening half. Justin Sortor (Imlay City) got the majority of reps after Callahan turned his ankle. Chance Garner, another former Flint Central signal caller rounded out the tandem. Cody Halasz, fullback from Cass City and SVSU, ran over several tacklers on a long touchdown ramble to put the game out of reach :52 seconds before the final gun. None of the Lions’ PAT tries, whether kicked by North Branch grad Matt Butterfield or by rushing attempts, were successful.
The only Crusader score came early in the last quarter on the long return of a Lions’ fumble. The Lenawee County squad would get the ball three more times, only to be stifled by a Lapeer defense which blanketed receivers, swarmed to the ball, and the quarterback.
“All the credit has to go to (defensive coach) Doug Palmer’s defense,” Pilgrim noted. “We’ve got a lot of work to do on the penalties and taking care of the football. We intended on trying a little of everything on our PATs. Tommy Schutz may kick a few next week and we’ll let Butterfield try some field goals.”
Defensive standouts who caught Pilgrim’s attention included linebackers Kenny Yelle (Lapeer West), David Hibbert (Capac), Rob Purgatori (Rochester, Adrian College), and cornerback Angel Pizzaro. Ken McNeil (Brandon) caught two balls at wide receiver. Lapeer County Lions resume their fine-tuning on Saturday against the Detroit Diesel. Kick-off is at 7 p.m. at Almont’s varsity field.


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