SEASON OVER: Wildcat Football Loses In Ashland

ASHLAND, Ohio---The Northern Michigan University football team hung close to the Ashland Eagles deep into the second half on Saturday in Ohio before the Eagles pulled away to post a 31-10 win in the regular season finale for both teams.

Jeff Barnett scored on three short touchdown runs and Ger’vonni Washington had 139 yards rushing on 31 carries for his eighth 100-yard rushing game of the year.

For NMU, it was a case of missed opportunities as they had two trips to the red zone but settled for one short field goal and had another blocked.

The Wildcat defense made a couple of big plays early on as Jack Reiger intercepted a pass on a tipped ball. The offense sputtered, but the Eagles fumbled, setting Northern up at the Ashland 30 yard-line.

The ‘Cats got two first downs, but could not convert on third and goal at the two yard-line. Daniel Riser kicked a 19-yard field goal to make it 3-0.

Northern’s defense also stuffed the Eagles on 4^th-and-2 at the NMU 25 as Isaac Darkangelo broke through and made the tackle.

But the ‘Cats turned it over twice in the second quarter: once on a Tyshon King fumble, and the other on a Ryan Johnson pass for Ben Loutsis that was intercepted along the sideline. The Eagles cashed in both turnovers on short touchdown runs, and they took a 14-3 lead.

The Wildcats responded as freshman quarterback Keshawn Howard broke free for a 34-yard touchdown run in the second quarter, making it a 14-10 game.

In the third quarter, the Wildcats held the Eagles to a Satchel Denton 37-yard field goal, making it 17-10, and then Northern had one of its best offensive drives of the season. Howard, King, and Sebastian Toland all ran effectively, and the Wildcats were inside the Ashland ten yard-line again.

But two runs and an incomplete pass forced fourth down, and this time, Riser’s 27-yard attempt was blocked. It was Ashland’s eighth blocked kick of the season.

From there, things went downhill for the ‘Cats, as Barnett scored on two more short runs as the Ashland offense wore down the NMU defense.

The Eagles ended up with 419 yards of offense on 75 plays. Northern had 229 yards on 55 plays, but managed only 51 yards in passing.

Howard led the ‘Cats with 87 yards on 16 carries.

Defensively, Darkangelo led the way with 12 tackles (six solo). Antonio Howard had ten tackles, while Demarious Wright and Reiger both had seven tackles.

Senior punter John Kwiecinski had four punts for 197 yards, including a 65-yard punt on his final boot in an NMU uniform.

NMU finished the season with a 1-9 record. Ashland finishes 7-4.

Click the thumbnails in the ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS box above to see photos and videos, and hear interviews with Assistant Coach Dan Fodrocy, and player spotlight interviews with seniors Latrell Giles, Ryan Knight, and Billy Tithof.