​Ann Arbor – Clarkston and South Lyon met for what was set to be a matchup of preseason heavyweights on Friday night, kicking off the 2026 high school football season in the Battle at The Big House.Clarkston came out on top 37-16, using shutdown defense and a dominant rushing attack to stifle what was expected to be a high-output South Lyon offense. Senior quarterback Alex Waszczenko and junior running back Kiernan Riddle each tallied two rushing touchdowns in the win.Both teams exchanged blows on their respective opening drives, with senior running back Ty Duffy rushing the ball in to give Clarkston the early advantage, while South Lyon answered with a jet-sweep touchdown by senior running back Tyler Newton.Clarkston went into the second half with a 17-10 edge and didn’t look back. The preseason No. 4-ranked North team put together two touchdowns on the ground in the third quarter while stuffing South Lyon’s offense with a preventing pass rush defense. Riddle was able to post the third with a 64-yard rush in the final two minutes.The second half would end up being the nail in the coffin for the season-opening victory.“We knew we had a lot of things to prune up and then work on,” Waszczenko said. “So we just came out that second half how we should have came out the first half. I give credit to our guys for turning that switch back on and winning the game, going 1-0 this week.”Clarkston would add one touchdown to its total in the fourth, while South Lyon was only able to gather one deep final second rush from within its own 30-yard line by junior running back Joe Bracali.Beyond the stat sheet, the game offered a chance for the players to get a taste of what it’s like to play on a field designed for the next level. Being the largest stadium in the U.S., Michigan Stadium simulated what a game would feel like if the players were to move on to collegiate football.“For these guys it’s a brand new experience and it’s really cool,” Clarkston head coach Justin Pintar said. “These guys were excited, the fans and the students brought an energy around this game this year that was super exciting and fun for everybody.”Waszczenko, a Ferris State commit, spoke highly of the opportunity that would tease his future playing scenery post-high school.“It’s a tremendous opportunity,” Waszczenko said. “We were so grateful and blessed to be able to play in an environment like this, with an opportunity like this, so we tried to make the most of it.”One player in particular took advantage of the bright lights amidst an unlikely opportunity. Ezekiel DeNault, a freshman linebacker, was called up to the varsity squad late because of injuries in the linebacker room. In his first varsity game he was able to gather an interception in the second quarter that would set up a Clarkston go-ahead touchdown.“We were already kind of looking at him, we looked at him in our scrimmage, and once we saw him in scrimmages against Cass Tech and St. Mar