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9/28/03 The final score will
show Novi 17-15, but this game had more twists and turns than an Agatha
Christie novel. However, when Novi elected to defend the south goal in
the 4th quarter, I took one look at the flag blowing and somehow you
just knew that on this evening the autumn wind would become a Wildcat. Novi has been on the
receiving end of costly turnovers in every game this season, but to
their credit they have taken advantage of every one of them. So, when
South Lyon fumbled a punt on their own 10 yard-line with just 3 minutes
to go in the half, even though they were nursing a 6-3 lead, the tide
was about to turn and Novi would never look back.
Past is prologue… Simply put, make a mistake against the
Wildcats and you’ll surely pay. Novi scored 2 plays
later making it 10-6 as they headed into halftime. The ability to step
on their opponent's neck when they are down has made the Novi Wildcats a
truly formidable team, and the margin of error against them is ever so
slim. Miss an extra point,
it almost certainly will come back to haunt you. Go for it on 4th-and-1
and get stopped? The Cats are liable to come back with a 95-yard drive
to take a 17-6 lead. The game wasn’t
decided until the final seconds as South Lyon fought valiantly, but the
last year or so has proven that when you get into the ring with the Novi
Wildcats, you’d better pack a lunch. There’s something about the
resiliency of this team in the late rounds of a fight. They can deliver
a punch, but they can also take one and counter with the best of
combinations. For everyone in
attendance, this game was a classic given its KVC implications and the
historic rivalry between these two outstanding football traditions. Add
to that the fact both squads were undefeated, and something had to give. In fact, I bet John
Facenda could probably sum it up best as he once said, “To describe
today’s action would be to drain the list of superlatives.” As everyone exited
the field at the end of the game, the rain that had been predicted
finally started to fall, and you couldn’t help but thank the
weatherman under your breath for cooperating so nicely. So, with 4 weeks to
go in the regular season, it would appear the wind is at our backs…
But as you know, Cats were never meant to be domesticated, so if you
think they’ll simply coast, well… That’d be a costly
mistake. ___________________________________
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