Tom Markowski
October 9, 2010
Reprinted with permission of The Detroit News
Northville — Coach Matt Ladach learned something about his Northville team Friday — it has character.
Locked in a 7-7 tie early in the second quarter, Northville scored the next 20 points then held off Novi for a 27-14 victory.
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With the triumph, Northville clinched the Kensington Lakes Activities Association Central Division title.
Northville, 5-0 in the division, is 7-0 for the first time since 1961, when it finished 9-0. It will host No. 2 Canton (7-0) next Friday in a KLAA crossover.
“We found out our boys aren’t going to give up,” Ladach said. “They fought until the end. When we play Novi it doesn’t matter what the records are. They (Novi) moved the ball effectively in the first half. Our defense came up big for us. Coach Darrel Schumacher (defensive coordinator) does a great job of getting his players ready.”
Jonathon Alandt returned the opening kickoff for Northville 85 yards to the Novi 7-yard line. On fourth-and-1 Jeff Gertley scored on a keeper to give Northville a 7-0 lead.
“I didn’t think they’d catch me,” Alandt said. “I was really pumped up on that one. We came out and punched them in the mouth. We pounded it in and I'm really happy we did.”
Novi (4-3, 4-1) answered with an 80-yard drive capped by Zach Mohr’s 32-yard touchdown run to tie it 7-7.
Northville scored on its two second-quarter possessions to take a 20-7 halftime lead. Alandt’s 2-yard touchdown run completed a 69-yard drive and, on a third-and-goal, Gertley (7 for 12, 93 yards; 19 carries, 88 yards) passed 11 yards to Trei Walton for a touchdown, the latter coming with 59 seconds left.
Alandt’s second touchdown reception from Gertley, from 11 yards out, gave Northville a 27-7 lead with 2:54 remaining in the third quarter.
Novi pulled to within 27-14 on a 32-yard touchdown pass from Derek Ince to Derek Kim with 6:36 remaining.
“We’re not a throwing team,” Novi coach Todd Pennycuff said. “When we’re forced to throw it, it puts us at a disadvantage. We’ve continued to struggle with turnovers. I can't tell you why. And they don’t turn it over.”