Novi's Wildcats couldn't contain visiting Walled Lake Western Thursday night at Wildcat Stadium as the hosts lost their second consecutive football game in the young season, 50-25.
Novi coach Todd Pennycuff, starting his second season as coach of the Wildcats, said following the game, "We made too many mental mistakes. Western pounded us up the middle and we have to fix that. They are a good team, however."
Cam Vieoux, a 6-4 senior, and Bent Zdebski, a 210 pound senior fullback and son of the Walled Lake coach, each scored two touchdowns to lead the Warriors to a one-sided victory on a warm, humid night.
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Following an exchange of punts in the first period, Western ran off a 73-yard drive as Zdebski scored from four yards out. Jason Gamble caught a pass for the two-point conversion to give Walled Lake an 8-0 advantage with 4:24 left in the opening quarter.
Vieoux took a nine-yard pass from CJ Mcgorisk and Kyle Bambard booted the extra point for an early 15-0 second quarter lead for the Warriors.
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Vieoux caught a 37-yard pass from Mcgorisk for his second touchdown and Bambard added the point after as Western increased its lead to 22-0.
Novi got on the scoreboard with just over a minute left in the first half. Derek Cingel caught a pass from just five yards out and Zach Masserant kicked the extra point as the Wildcats trailed, 22-7.
Michael Jocz scored with just five seconds left in the first half and Masserant added the extra point as Novi pulled to 22-13 at intermission.
Western scored early in the second half as Jordan Audritsh intercepted a pass and sped 46 yards down the right side of the field as the Warriors upped their lead to 29-13.
Bambard added a 32-yard field goal late in the third quarter as Western's lead went to 32-13.
Jocz took a four-yard pass from quarterback Derek Ince as Novi rallied to 32-19.
The Novi defense stiffened and held Western near midfield, but Bambard came in a booted a 42-yard field goal which had plenty of distance for a 35-19 Warrior lead.
Zdebski went over from three yards out as Walled Lake Western led 43-19 midway through the final quarter.
Ince scored from one-yard out as Novi fought back, but trailed 43-25.
However, Bambard scored and kicked another extra point as Western completed the rout with less than a minute left to play.
Western is now 2-0, winning its opener last week 51-14, while Novi was defeated 24-12 by Chelsea.
The statistics showed Western outgaining Novi, 208-76 on the ground, although the Wildcats did have an edge in passing, 166-115.
Novi's junior varsity also lost to Western, 37-14, in a game played Wednesday night.
