Sports photo by Jamie McClintic The Alpena Junior Varsity Football team’s defense lines up at the line of scrimmage before a play from the Meridian Mustangs. The Wildcats earned a lopsided 34-0 win on Thursday.

The Alpena Junior Varsity Football Wildcats saved their best performance of the season for the grand finale — and their home crowd loved every second of it. Under the Thursday night lights, the Wildcats stormed past the previously undefeated Meridian Mustangs with an impressive 34-0 shutout victory, closing the season in commanding fashion.

The action started fast, as Alpena kicked off to Meridian, and the Mustangs struggled to find momentum, quickly going three-and-out.

When the Wildcats took over, their offense wasted no time.

Wide Receiver MacGregor McClintic returned the punt for forty yards, then hauled in a sharp 25-yard pass from Quarterback Taryn Mullaney to move the chains. Mullaney kept it himself on the next play, driving Alpena closer to the end zone before a fumble briefly handed possession to Meridian — but fate swung right back. The Mustangs fumbled on the very next play, and Alpena recovered deep in Mustang territory. Running back Conor Kaminske capitalized instantly, punching in the first touchdown of the night. The conversion missed, but Alpena led 6-0 after one quarter.

The Wildcats stayed hot in the second. A combination of fumbles and penalties from Meridian gave Alpena extra opportunities, and they made every one count. Kaminske continued to pound the ball, while Mullaney connected on several brilliant 30-yard completions, even gaining ground himself on designed runs. With just 32 seconds left before halftime, Mullaney capped off another strong drive with a touchdown strike. The Wildcats headed into the locker room firmly in control, up 12-0.

Meridian opened the third quarter with an onside kick, momentarily reclaiming possession — but Alpena’s defense slammed the door shut. The Mustangs fumbled again, and the Wildcats turned up the heat. McClintic delivered an 18-yard return and then made one of the night’s biggest defensive plays, tackling a Mustang in their own end zone for a safety, extending Alpena’s lead to 14-0.

The momentum only built from there. On the next series, Kaminske found daylight and sprinted 40 yards to the end zone, bringing the score to 20-0.

Just seconds into the fourth quarter, the defense struck again — this time Halfback Tre Dean picked off a Meridian pass and blazed 65 yards downfield for a touchdown. The Wildcats finally connected on a conversion as Wide Receiver Austin Wilson crossed the line, making the score 28-0.

Alpena’s defense refused to let up. McClintic snagged another interception, Running Back Emerson Compeau stormed ahead for a 30-yard gain, and even after a holding penalty and a late injury timeout with an unfortunate Quarterback injury, the Wildcats finished strong. With just over two minutes left, Kaminske charged through the defense one final time, sealing the 34-0 shutout win in front of a large home crowd.

Head Coach, Jay Kurowski stated, “Tonight was a great end to the season. We were without our starting quarterback and Taryn Mullaney stepped up in a big way. Defensively, we forced several fumbles and really limited what Meridian was able to do. Tre Dean slammed the door on any comeback attempt with his interception return for a touchdown. Offensively, we were able to control the football, limit our turnovers and control the clock. Incredibly proud of our team this year, there is a lot to look forward to.”