After four games and a 3-1 record it has become obvious that Coach Bud Rowley’s Wildcats will have to claw and scratch their way through the Flint Metro League this season.
On Friday, the Cats? tenacious defense held off a strong Fenton team for a 10-7 win.
Fenton, led by its highly touted quarterback Tyler Hamilton, handed Oxford its only league loss last year and the teams shared the FML title.
Fenton was expected to be among the league’s best this season, too, but has now lost to Oxford, Lapeer West and Linden to fall to 1-3.
Fenton had more overall yards and first downs than Oxford but the Cat’s solid defense forced five turnovers, including four interceptions and one fumble recovery.
Two of those interceptions were key for the Wildcats. The first occurred just 10 seconds before halftime when Anthony Cappuccilli intercepted a Hamilton pass in the end zone.
The second key interception came with just 34 seconds left in the game when Matt Economou intercepted a Fenton pass on the seven-yard line.
Gabe Grifka and Gary Wurtz had the other two interceptions.
Both Grifka and Wurtz have become key parts of a rock solid Oxford defense.
Rowley told his squad that he was proud of them and admired the way they played.
‘You just battled and battled. That was a great win. A great win.?
Oxford got the first points of the game, on a 25-yard field goal by Matt Versteeg, with 56 seconds left in the first quarter.
The Cats did not score again, until 9:43 was left in the third quarter. Aaron Stuk scored from three yards out.
It was the interceptions at the end of the second quarter and at the end of the game that were key for the Wildcats.
Cappucilli’s interception in the end zone came after a 63-yard pass play put Fenton on the Wildcat’s 10-yard line. Two plays later, Cappuccilli went up to grab the ball from a Fenton receiver.
Fenton’s only TD came with 11:21 left in the fourth quarter on a three-yard run by Hamilton.
Fenton mounted a drive late in the game and got close before Economou was in front of a Fenton receiver to take the ball away at the seven-yard line.
Anthony McDugald led the Oxford runners with 49 yards. Stuk ran for 39, Grifka had 29 and Zac Miller ran for 23. Oxford had 174 yards rushing and 31 passing.
Fenton had a total of 254 yards, with 126 passing. Hamilton completed only 7 of 21 passing attempts and threw the four interceptions.
Oxford will travel to Brandon this week to take on the Blackhawks at 7 p.m.