Coach Bud Rowley’s Oxford Wildcats have few secrets.
Opposing coaches know that Oxford’s Prescott Line is going to run the ball and then run the ball some more.
It’s how to stop Line that the opposing coaches and players haven’t figured out yet.
Line carried 48 times on Friday, amassing 249 yards and three touchdowns to lead the Wildcats to a 22-16 overtime win at Rochester Adams.
‘This was a great win. Awesome,? Rowley said. ‘It was a team effort from the coaches, players and fans.?
The steady rain and cold stymied any passing game that either team could have mustered and both team’s kicking games suffered, too.
The Wildcats missed two extra points, one of which was blocked. Oxford kicker John Kitchener hit one field goal of 37 yards in the first quarter but had another hit the upright just before halftime and missed a third attempt.
Adams also connected on a 47-yard field goal in the first quarter but missed an extra point.
Oxford took the lead early in the game when Tyler Hunsucker recovered a fumble and Line subsequently ran 15 yards for a TD with 2:04 left in the first quarter. Line broke four tackles on the run. Kitchener kicked the conversion to give the Cats a 10-3 lead.
The Highlanders came back with a 40-yard TD run and then scored again late in the second quarter. The extra point was no good and the Highlanders held a 16-10 advantage at halftime.
Following an Adams? punt Oxford took possession of the ball late in the third quarter on their own 35. Everything clicked on the possession as Line ran six consecutive plays that included runs of 35 and 20 yards before he scored from two-yards out to tie the game.
The Highlanders blocked the extra point to knot the game at 16-16.
Neither team could score in the final stanza and the game went to overtime.
In Michigan high school overtime play, each team gets the ball on the 10 yard line and has four plays to score.
On Oxford’s possession, who else but Line carried and scored on the third play. The extra point was no good and the Cats held a 22-16 advantage.
The Highlanders then got the ball. On the first play, Line stopped the play for a one-yard loss from his middle linebacker position. Hunsucker then tackled the ball carrier on second down after a one-yard gain.
On the third down, the Highlander QB attempted to run after looking to pass but fumbled on the three.
Oxford’s Matt Economou recovered the fumble and the Wildcats players, coaches and fans celebrated the team’s fourth win of the season.
Oxford finished with 267 yards rushing, with Line collecting 249 of those yards. Quarterback Glacier Wallington had 20 yards passing on 2-of-6. The Cat’s defense held Adams to 185 yards rushing and only one yard passing.
This Friday, the Wildcats will host Southfield at 7 p.m.