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ALPENA - The Alpena Wildcats spent Friday night trading scores with the team at the top of the Big North Conference and walked off Wildcat Stadium a step short.
Marquette beat Alpena 34-21 in a Big North Conference game that was tied in the second quarter and still within one score deep into the fourth. The Sentinels improved to 4-2 overall and 4-0 in the league. Alpena fell to 1-5 and 0-4.
Both teams punted on their opening possessions. Marquette broke the scoreless start on its second drive when Landen Faccio ran in an 11-yard touchdown. The extra point was good and the Sentinels led 7-0 with 4:52 left in the first quarter.
Alpena needed one play to answer. Starting at its own 22, Cash Moughon found a seam, shed tacklers, and went 78 yards for a touchdown. Andrew Szymoniak's extra point was good. Twenty-one seconds after Marquette had taken the lead, the game was 7-7.
The Sentinels started the next series at their 42. The drive reached fourth-and-9, an offsides penalty moved the sticks to fourth-and-4, and Marquette converted. Faccio scored again on a second-and-goal run, the kick was good, and Marquette led 14-7 with 2:13 left in the quarter. The first period ended that way, with the conference leader in front and Alpena matching it score for score.
Alpena opened the second quarter facing fourth-and-1 and kept the offense on the field for a fake punt. A penalty was called on the play, but the Wildcats still came away with the first down at the Marquette 43. From there the Wildcats continued moving the ball on third-and-9 when Moughon completed a pass to Greyson Srebnik. On fourth-and-2, Moughon kept the ball himself and picked up another first down. He then found Gavin Ross, who was tackled at the 5. On second-and-goal from the 10, Moughon hit Brody Misiak for the touchdown. Szymoniak kicked the extra point, and with 7:25 left in the half it was 14-14.
The tying score came on a seven-yard catch and closed a 12-play drive.
Marquette answered before the break. Winston Leonard and the Sentinels went 13 plays and finished with a 16-yard touchdown pass from Leonard to Brody Clements. The extra point missed. Marquette led 20-14 with 48 seconds left in the half, and that was the score at intermission.
Alpena's first possession of the second half stalled deep in Sentinels territory. The Wildcats had to punt from the Marquette 12, and the Sentinels took over at their 48 after the Wildcats failed to convert on fourth down. Marquette turned that field position into a touchdown pass to Blackburn. The extra point was no good. With 4:35 left in the third quarter, Marquette led 26-14.
Alpena put together another march and was at the door when the third quarter ended, facing second-and-goal at the 10.
Szymoniak scored on the second-and-goal run to open the fourth, an 11-yard carry that capped a 10-play drive. The extra point was good, and with 11:55 left Alpena trailed 26-21.
Marquette's next drive began at its 25 and reached fourth-and-7 at the Alpena 27. Ross made the tackle that turned the Sentinels away, and Alpena took over with 7:44 remaining. The chance did not last. Moughon was sacked on third-and-9, and Alpena punted. Marquette started at its 35.
The Sentinels faced fourth-and-10 with 1:42 left. Leonard threw a 21-yard pass to Clements on a post route, and Clements was tackled at the 3. Faccio scored his third touchdown of the night on the next play. Marquette converted the two-point try, and the lead was 34-21.
Moughon finished with 280 yards of total offense: 120 rushing yards and a touchdown on nine carries, plus 13 completions in 21 attempts for 160 yards, a touchdown and an interception in the final seconds. Szymoniak, Misiak, Srebnik, and Ross each had a hand in the drives that kept Alpena within a score of a team that had won three in a row coming in.
The loss drops the Wildcats to five straight, but Friday was another night they stayed in the fight against a team expected to pull away. Alpena plays at home again Friday against Petoskey in a Big North Conference game and Cancer-Awareness Night.
Kickoff is at 7 p.m. at Wildcat Stadium.
Josh Jambor can be reached at jjambor@thealpenanews.com.