One goal was achieved by the Oxford Wildcats last week and another remains this Friday when Coach Bud Rowley’s squad travels to Linden.
The Wildcats clinched a state playoff berth with its sixth win of the season, a 35-7 drubbing of Swartz Creek.
The blustery evening against the Dragons was also senior night, which meant it was the last home game of the regular season for the team’s seniors.
On Friday, those seniors will lead Oxford in the team’s quest for the Flint Metro League title when they take on the undefeated Linden Eagles in a 7 p.m. game.
A victory by Oxford will give the Wildcats a share of the FML title. A Linden win will give the Eagles the outright championship and a perfect regular season.
The scenario with Linden is a familiar one. Last season, the Cats could have gained a share of the league title when they faced Linden, also in the final game of the season, but lost in triple overtime on a disputed play.
The match-up this year will pit the league’s best offense in Linden versus the league’s top defense in Oxford.
The past two years the teams have gone into double and triple overtimes. Each time the outcome was decided on an extra point kick and the visiting team won both times.
Linden’s high-powered offense is averaging about 49 points per game while the Oxford defense has averaged giving up fewer than eight points per contest in seven league games.
Oxford’s offense has averaged 27.6 points in seven league games while Linden’s defense has given up an average of slightly under 21 points per game.
Rowley said his team has been playing well lately and everyone is looking forward to the game.
‘One goal is accomplished and we have another one facing us,? he said. ‘Now, we have to take care of things but we’re fine.?
If victories over Swartz Creek can be used as a measuring stick, Linden barely squeaked by the Dragons several weeks ago by a score of 44-41.
The Wildcats amassed 415 total yards, including 390 rushing to beat Swartz Creek 35-7.
Vinnie Ives enjoyed his best rushing game of the season with 260 yards and three TDs on 19 carries. Two of his scores came on runs of 71 and 72 yards. The third was on a five yard run.
Oxford scored first in the game, on its opening play, when Zach Line took off on a 58-yard run. Swartz Creek tied the score late in the first quarter but Oxford ran off the next 28 points to crush the Dragons. Oxford QB Jeremy Bukoski scored the Cat’s other TD, on a one-yard plunge while Don Pohl kicked all five extra points.
Rowley said at the beginning of the season that making the playoffs and winning the league title were two of the team’s goals.
In the past four weeks the team has improved and the offense has averaged 36.2 points per game while defensively the team has given up only 8.3 points per game.
Commenting on the Linden game, Rowley would only say, ‘We’re fine. We can play.?