| JV Sets Sail on the Vikings, 20-6 |
 John Haynes September 6, 2009 The Novi JV football team survived three turn overs and an active Walled Lake Central quarterback to outperform their Viking opponents in the second game of the season, stretching their record to 2-0. The Cats established their presence and ability to move the ball on the first series of the game, driving almost the length of the field, only to fumble the ball on the Viking seven yard line. The Novi defense stepped up early to stop the first Viking drive. For the day, over seventeen Wildcats were involved in stops for the defense. Leading Novi tacklers were Chris Diacono, Adam Haynes, Lance Lilla, Derek Poppenger, Andrew Bell, Nick Abboud, Derek Cingel, Alejandro Albuerne, Derek Edwards, Justin Brooke and Jimmy Eloff. The Cats were the first to reach the end zone. Good blocking at the line and downfield led the running of Eloff and Alex Davis before Derek Ince punched in the quarterback sneak for the first score. On the following Vikings drive, the quarterback worried the defense with options and sweeps, running on two of three plays before the defense finally yielded after three plays from the one yard line. After a Haynes kickoff return to the Viking 35 yard line, the offense fumbled the ball over to the Vikings. The defense stepped up to force a three and out punt by Walled Lake. Haynes picked up the offensive pace again on two long gains before Eloff finished the drive with a 7 yard run, taking a 12-6 lead to half time. Haynes was the leading rusher for the Cats with 94 yards on 10 carries for the day. On the Cat’s second possession of the second half, the offense marched 70 yards behind well executed blocking, producing almost 4.5 yards per play before Ince ran in the last four yards. A well executed two point conversion on a roll out right pass play from Ince to Haynes capped off the Novi scoring for the day at 20. The defense kept a lid on the Walled Lake second half offense, forcing both Viking drives to a turnover on downs. A Brooks kick off recovery on the Novi kick off allowed Novi to run the offense until the clock ran out with the Wildcats on top 20-6. |
