TIm Smith
September 23, 2010
Reprinted with permission of the Novi News
For the first half Friday, Salem hung tough against Novi in a KLAA Central football game at Plymouth-Canton Educational Park's JV field.
It was just a 7-6 Novi lead at the break, although the Wildcats' points were gift-wrapped.
Instead of Novi attempting a 43-yard field goal with the game scoreless, an encroachment call kept the Wildcats on the march. Senior Brady Sheldon then ran it in from 5 yards out.
Salem (0-4, 0-2) came right back to score and make it 7-6. But the second half was something else altogether, much to the dismay of Rocks head coach Kurt Britnell.
The Wildcats outscored his team 28-6 over the final two quarters, giving Novi (2-2, 2-0) a 35-12 win.
“We did OK score-wise (in the first half),” Britnell said. “But we're making the same mistakes we did in Week 1.
“It's just awful, terrible. Our guys aren't getting better.”
Novi head coach Todd Pennycuff wasn't sure his squad came to play, either. And he let his team know at halftime.
“We told them, ‘Hey, you're going to have to punch people in the mouth or be punched,'” Pennycuff said. “Our kids came out and had a couple breaks and the floodgates opened in our favor and we're fortunate to get out of here with a victory.”
Trailing just by a point, Salem started the second half with possession inside its own 15-yard line, but couldn't move the football.
Senior Ethan Walsh — who did have a 60-yard punt during the game — dropped back to kick, but Novi's pesky Derek Cingel got in front of the ball and it bounced into the end zone.
Both Brady Sheldon and Alex King were there for Novi, and King finally fell on it for the six points.
“I rolled over it and missed it.” Sheldon said. “But my friend (King) was there. My teammate, my best friend got it.”
Pennycuff said the play pumped up the team.
“There's no question about it, that was a game-changer,” Pennycuff said. “That changed the whole momentum, got the sideline going and got our kids thinking, ‘Hey, we're going to be all right.'”
Salem responded, for the time being, with the big play by Morton and up-the-middle surge by Houston finishing the drive.
FINISHING UP
But the Rocks' bid to tie the game with a two-point conversion didn't hit paydirt and the Wildcats took over.
Novi senior tailback Dominic Sabo (15 carries, 118 yards) made it a 21-12 game with a 6-yard carry through the line. A tackle-breaking 36-yard run by senior Zach Mohr set up that TD.
When Novi did have some adversity, fumbling the ball to Salem's Brian Aquier in the late stages of the third, the Rocks could not cash in.
The Wildcats then finished off the job with touchdown runs of 58 and 63 yards by Sabo and Sheldon during the final eight minutes of the game.
Of no help to Britnell was Novi winning the battle of the trenches. The Wildcats outgained Salem 354-221, with the Rocks managing just 81 yards rushing (all by Houston).