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ALPENA - The Valor Game at Wildcat Stadium had the setting, the crowd and a back-and-forth fight worthy of a night built around service and remembrance. What it did not have was the result Alpena wanted.
Gaylord left town with a 30-22 Big North Conference victory Friday night, handing the Wildcats their third straight league loss and dropping Alpena to 1-3 overall and 0-3 in the conference. The Blue Devils improved to 2-2 and 2-1 in the Big North.
The evening was framed as more than a conference home game. Friday coincided with National POW/MIA Recognition Day, and Alpena's annual Valor Game honored missing service members, veterans and first responders.
On the field, the teams traded punches from the start. The first quarter ended 0-0.
Alpena's defense set an early tone in the second quarter. On Gaylord's first possession of the period, facing third-and-11, Zac Orban came off the quarterback's blind side for a sack that forced a punt.
The Wildcats finally broke through later in the half. Andrew Szymoniak broke free for a 48-yard run down to the Gaylord 27. On third-and-3 of the same drive, Szymoniak finished it himself, scoring on a 20-yard run. The two-point conversion was good, and Alpena led 8-0.
Gaylord answered immediately. The Blue Devils scored on the ensuing possession and converted the two-point try to tie the game 8-8 with 28 seconds left in the half. That is how the teams went to the locker room.
Alpena received the second-half kickoff and wasted little time. Early in the drive, Szymoniak found open air again, this time for a 50-yard burst that put the Wildcats at first-and-10 on the Gaylord 14. On the next snap, quarterback Cash Moughon completed a pass to Greyson Srebnik, who broke a tackle and crossed the goal line as the crowd roared in approval. A delay-of-game penalty pushed the two-point try back; Alpena kicked the extra point instead. It was 15-8 Alpena with 11:06 left in the third quarter.
Szymoniak piled up about 111 rushing yards on four carries in that stretch, with the long runs of 48 and 50 yards setting the tone.
Once again, Gaylord came right back. The Blue Devils scored on a wide-receiver screen to Pierce Barraw. A neutral-zone penalty on Alpena during the extra-point attempt gave Gaylord a chance to go for two, and the Blue Devils converted. Gaylord led 16-15.
The teams exchanged blows the rest of the third quarter. Gaylord took that one-point edge into the fourth.
Alpena's first possession of the final period ended with Moughon punching in a quarterback sneak. The extra-point kick was good. The Wildcats led 22-16 with 10:53 remaining.
Gaylord needed one play to flip it again. Cosby outmuscled Alpena defenders for a 27-yard touchdown. The extra point made it 23-22 Gaylord with 9:41 left.
Alpena was forced to punt on its next series. The punt was deflected, and Gaylord took over at the Alpena 22. The Blue Devils finished the short field with a 19-yard touchdown run. The extra point stretched the lead to 30-22 with 6:24 to play.
Alpena started its next drive at its own 12. On fourth down the Wildcats converted a fake punt, with Moughon picking up the first down. The drive stalled late. Facing fourth-and-6 with 1:44 remaining, Moughon's completion to Szymoniak came up short of the sticks. Turnover on downs with 1:37 left.
Gaylord lined up in victory formation and ran out the clock.
The Wildcats had their chances in a game that featured four lead changes after the first quarter and never got away from either sideline. Alpena's next home date is Friday against Flint Powers Catholic.