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CADILLAC -- Andrew Szymoniak ripped off a pair of long touchdown runs in the second half, but penalties, mistakes and Cadillac's ground game were too much for the Alpena Wildcats to overcome in a 34-21 Big North Conference loss Thursday night.
The Vikings scored five rushing touchdowns and turned a blocked punt into points at home. Alpena drops to 1-1 overall and 0-1 in the Big North. Cadillac improves to 1-0 in conference play.
The Wildcats will try to rebound on Friday when they visit Escanaba for a 7 p.m. league game. The Eskymos are 0-2 after losses to Kingsford and Gaylord.
Alpena started fast on Thursday, as Gavin Ross intercepted a Cadillac pass after Brody Misiak tipped the ball, and the Wildcats took over at the Vikings' 32-yard line.
"We started the game great with the interception, the defense did a great job sniffing that play out," Alpena coach DJ Szymoniak said. "Brody Misiak did a great job dropping into coverage, tipping the ball and Gavin Ross made a play and got the interception."
Misiak capped the short drive with a 3-yard run up the middle, and the extra point made it 7-0.
Cadillac answered immediately.
Starting at its own 25, Ian Metzger found a lane off right tackle and scored from 17 yards out. The extra point tied the game at 7-7 with 8:12 left in the first quarter.
Ross returned the ensuing kickoff and Alpena started at its own 45 yard line, but the offense went three-and-out and punted.
Later in the quarter, the Wildcats turned the ball over on a fumbled toss and failed to convert on fourth-and-23. Cadillac took over with 3:38 remaining. Domenic Wing finished the drive with an 11-yard run, and the extra point put the Vikings ahead 14-7 with 1:13 left in the first quarter.
That score held through a quiet second quarter. The teams traded possessions and went to halftime with Cadillac leading 14-7.
Trouble found Alpena again to open the third quarter.
The Wildcats started at their own 33 and on third-and-5, quarterback Eion Eades slipped, creating fourth-and-14. Cadillac blocked the punt and recovered at the Alpena 20. Wing scored on a quarterback keeper, and the extra point stretched the lead to 21-7.
After both teams punted, Alpena took over at its 34. On third-and-1 from the Alpena 42, Szymoniak lined up in the wildcat formation and broke free for a 58-yard touchdown. The extra point cut the deficit to 21-14.
MacGregor McClintic then prevented a Cadillac kick-return touchdown, forcing the runner out of bounds at the 8-yard line. The Vikings still drove the field. Metzger scored on a 12-yard run to make it 28-14 at the end of the third quarter.
Alpena answered again. On second-and-16 from the Cadillac 45, Szymoniak broke loose for a 45-yard touchdown run. The kick was good, and the Wildcats trailed 28-21 with 7:57 left in the fourth quarter.
Cadillac sealed it on the next possession, which started at the Vikings' 38. David Nobles scored on a 1-yard run with 2:08 remaining for the 34-21 final.
Szymoniak's two long scoring runs accounted for Alpena's only second-half points and kept the Wildcats within reach until late. Misiak supplied the opening score after the Ross interception, one of the few early breaks Alpena converted.
The rest of the night stacked up the other way. Cadillac repeatedly answered Alpena scores with rushing drives, and the blocked punt set up Wing's second touchdown.
"It was a battle back and forth," DJ Szymoniak said. "Between the penalties and the mental errors it compounded and became too much to overcome."
He said the locker room response still gave him something to build on before the trip to Escanaba.
"The biggest thing is the kids didn't stop fighting," he said. "They know we are going to make mistakes. Nobody plays mistake-free football."