Courtesy Photo/Jonny Zawacki Alpena wide receiver Brady Niedzwiecki (1) is wrapped up by St. Johns defender Gabriel Cleland (6) during the second quarter of a football game, Friday on Park Family Field at Wildcat Stadium.

ALPENA — The Alpena High football team couldn’t have imagined a more disappointing finish to their season.

the Wildcats were shellacked on their home field by St. Johns on Friday 41-7, resulting in a bitter end to Senior Night and the season.

Entering Friday’s contest, St. Johns hadn’t scored more than 27 points in a game all season and only scored 77 total points.

St. Johns scored more than half of that on the Wildcats.

The Red Wings (2-7) matched that total in the first half as Alpena (2-7) had no answer for St. Johns’ offense. The Wildcats were the ones who struggled offensively and mightily.

They were held to just 20 yards in the first half and trailed 27-0 at the half.

“It was a tough way to end the year and a tough way to have our last showing,” Alpena coach Eric Mitchell said. “It’s 100% on us, St. Johns played a great game, but it’s very frustrating without a doubt.”

St. Johns quarterback Josh Pagels put on a clinic, accounting for all four Red Wing touchdowns in the first half after throwing a pair of touchdowns and adding two scores on the ground.

Alpena was forced three and out on its first three possessions and the Red Wings had no trouble moving up and down the field, using motion to throw the Wildcats off.

Pagels hurt Alpena with his arms and his legs as he accounted for 234 yards of total offense in the game.

St. Johns opened the scoring three minutes into the game as Pagels finished off an eight play drive with a 21-yard touchdown pass to Justin Goodman.

The Red Wings continued the scoring by reaching pay dirt on their next two possessions as Pagels finished off the next two drives with touchdown runs of three and two yards.

St. Johns capped off a dominant first half, scoring with 29 seconds left on a 30 yard pitch and catch from Pagels to Bailey Nobach.

“It was just dismal all the way around and that’s what was so frustrating. We had been playing well and making strides heading into this game and to go out like this is extremely frustrating and disappointing,” Mitchell said. “I don’t think we came out ready to play and I just don’t get it. It was very frustrating.”

Alpena’s most impressive drive of the game came in its opening possession of the second half.

The Wildcats took the ball 67 yards in 8:16, running 15 plays during a drive that ended in a 1 yard touchdown plunge from senior Kadyn Budnick, who finished his final game with 75 yards on 15 carries.

Alpena recovered the ensuing onside kick attempt, but failed to move the football as a personal foul penalty doomed the drive.

Alpena trailed 27-7 after three quarters.

Pagels and the Red Wings added  another score in the final quarter as Pagels finished off a huge night with his fifth score of the night with an eight-yard touchdown run with 6:56 to play.

St. Johns wasn’t done quite yet as Tyler Weber ripped off a 15-yard touchdown run with 16 seconds left to put an exclamation point on the win.

“This one is going to leave a sour taste, but for us, next year starts tomorrow. We need to live in the weight room, eat right and get everyone to jump on board,” Mitchell said. “Our JV team had a great year this year and we have talent coming in and we’re excited. We really wanted to get this one tonight and I wanted it bad. You get everyone here, everyone watching to see how fun this can be and then we do this. It’s frustrating, but the future of the program, I think is still very bright.”