BY DAN STICKRADT
dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com
CLARKSTON — After nearly 30 years as a head coach, Kurt Richardson hit a milestone even before the 2013 high school football season began. It’s a milestone that he finds is almost a distraction.
Clarkston has had five players commit to Division I schools, the most the program has ever produced at one time.
“Never. We have never had this many in one season,” admitted Richardson, who is entering his 28th season with the Wolves. “We’ve had more than one in a season a couple of times, but never five.”
Clarkston was ranked No. 1 in Division 1 for the second half of last season — and for good reason. Hailing from the OAA Red Division, Clarkston ran the tables in the regular season to go 9-0 and ended its campaign with a fine 11-1 record. The Wolves’ only loss was to perennial powerhouse Rockford in the D1 regional finals.
Two-thirds of the starting lineup is back, led by several high-level players. Richardson is quick to point out that what colleges players are headed to or what the Wolves did on the field last season does not necessarily equate into a special season this year.
“We have a long way to go,” he noted. “We have to understand that we play for the name on the front of the jersey. It’s nice to have talent, but wherever these players go doesn’t win football games. We have a lot of work to do.”
Clarkston, which has only suffered two losing seasons in the past two decades, is considered in most circles one of the top five Division 1 schools in the preseason and a legitimate threat to make a run at the state championship.
The Wolves have never made it to the final weekend, but they have come close on three occasions. In 1999, 2000, and 2009, Clarkston reached the state semifinals and held the lead inside two minutes of the fourth quarter, only to see the opposition dash away their dreams with comebacks.
In 2009, Sterling Heights Stevenson scored in the final 10 seconds to reach the state final. Richardson and Co. were left standing on the outside looking in once again. “That one stung,” Richardson recalled.
Perhaps this year’s group will get Clarkston football over the hump and to Ford Field, site of the state finals since 2003. The Wolves are led by running back Ian Eriksen, offensive lineman Nick Mattich, wide receiver-defensive back Timothy Cason, placekicker Shane Hynes, and offensive lineman David Beadle.
All five have already given verbal committments to Division I colleges. Eriksen, the state’s leading rusher last season, will head to Eastern Michigan University, Cason and Mattich have committed to Western Michigan University, Hynes sent his notice to Kent State University during the first week of practice, and Beadle announced that he will sign in November with Michigan State University.
There are several other DI or DII prospects on the roster. None of that matters to Richardson, though. He would trade all of the individual attention for a great season in 2013. In fact, he doesn’t call this year’s senior class special because “they haven’t won anything yet.”
“We have the potential to be good again. But we’re nowhere near where we need to be,” said Richardson. “Right now, we’re just trying to get better in practice and prepare for our season opener against Adams.
“There are several very good teams out there,” he continued. “Cass Tech has a great team, Detroit Catholic Central is always good, Rockford is there almost every year, and Lake Orion is in our league, and we know how good they are every year. They advanced further than we did last season.”