Alpena football looks to clean up mistakes against Gaylord in Valor Night matchup

Alpena will look to steady its football season Friday night when the 1-2 Wildcats host the 1-2 Gaylord Blue Devils at 7 p.m. The game, identified in the source report as Valor Night, gives Alpena an opportunity to reach the .500 mark and restore momentum after a promising opening win was followed by two losses.

The Wildcats began the season with a victory over Boyne City, a result that appeared to offer the start of the turnaround Alpena had hoped for. The next two games, however, raised new concerns. The source report points to penalties and miscues as central reasons for Alpena’s early struggles, with mistakes repeatedly preventing the team from making the most of its opportunities.

Escanaba created problems for Alpena’s defense

Escanaba exposed those issues in the most recent game. The Eskymos found openings in the Alpena defense throughout the first half and built a 21-6 lead before halftime. Quarterback Alex Ison was the primary source of the damage, rushing for 139 yards and three touchdowns during the opening half.

Ison added another touchdown run after the break and finished with 172 rushing yards. His performance gave Escanaba control early and left Alpena with little margin for the offensive mistakes that followed.

Alpena did have significant production on the ground. Halfback Andrew Szymoniak scored on touchdown runs of 64 and 11 yards and finished with 162 yards on 27 carries. Brody Misiak also contributed 56 yards on five touches, providing another effective option in the backfield.

The problem was sustaining that production. The Wildcats had too many three-and-out possessions, according to the report, which made it difficult to keep pressure on Escanaba or give the defense enough support. Once Escanaba recognized Alpena’s offensive formations, the Eskymos were able to make stops, and the game became difficult for the Wildcats to turn around.

Gaylord presents a dual-threat challenge

Gaylord brings a different kind of test with quarterback Calvin Cosby. The Blue Devils’ quarterback is described as an accurate passer who also can make defenders miss when he runs. The report suggests Cosby accounts for at least 75% of Gaylord’s offense when he has time to operate, making him the central focus of Alpena’s defensive plan.

Alpena will need to contain Cosby’s rushing ability while putting pressure on him as a passer. Allowing him time could let Gaylord use both sides of his game, while a defense that focuses only on the run could give him opportunities to throw with the consistency noted in the scouting discussion.

The teams’ results against Escanaba offer an uneven comparison. Gaylord completed a second-half comeback against the Eskymos before later unraveling against Cadillac. Alpena, meanwhile, missed opportunities against Escanaba but had moved the ball against the Vikings. Those results do not determine Friday’s outcome, but they provide context for why the Wildcats can view the matchup as competitive.

Wildcats need balance and cleaner execution

The source analysis calls for Alpena to use a mixture of passing and rushing plays. A one-dimensional offensive approach would allow Gaylord’s defense to anticipate what is coming, while a more balanced attack could create room for the Wildcats’ backs and give Alpena ways to challenge the Blue Devils downfield.

That balance will matter particularly if Alpena falls behind or faces a defense prepared for its preferred formations. The Wildcats showed against Escanaba that they can produce explosive rushing plays, but they also showed how quickly stalled possessions can shift control to the opponent. Avoiding penalties, finishing drives and preventing repeated three-and-outs will be essential if Alpena is to stay in the game.

Defensively, the priority is keeping Cosby from turning broken plays into large gains. The report frames the contest as a question of which team will overcome its miscues first. For Alpena, that means maintaining discipline in its assignments and finding a way to make Gaylord work for every completion and rushing attempt.

Last season’s result adds urgency

Friday’s game also carries the memory of Gaylord’s 41-0 shutout victory over Alpena last season. That result gives the Wildcats an additional reason to seek a strong performance, even as both teams enter this meeting with 1-2 records.

Gaylord is still pursuing another Big North Conference championship, while Alpena is trying to move back into the conference race. A victory would put either team at 2-2. For the Wildcats, it would also show that the Boyne City win can be followed by a sustained response rather than another setback.

Valor Night is expected to add to the atmosphere surrounding Alpena’s home game. The report identifies the occasion as another incentive for the Wildcats, who will be trying to correct the errors that contributed to the Escanaba loss and produce a more complete performance.

Columnist uses injury as football lesson

The football discussion was introduced through a personal account from the columnist, who was helping remove a dock and boat hoists with his wife over Labor Day weekend. After removing two protective plastic pieces from the dock supports, they encountered several pieces that would not come loose.

The columnist then stepped into the water and tried to bring his right leg over the dock. His leg gave out, ending his attempt to help. He described being in recovery, using ice, keeping the leg elevated, staying off the injured leg and taking pain medication. The account states that there was no structural damage.

That experience became a comparison for football execution. A player may complete a play correctly during practice, but the speed of a game and the effect of adrenaline can change the result. A block may not be executed the same way, or a player may use a stutter step rather than running through the play. In Alpena’s case, the report’s larger point is that small decisions and mistakes can determine whether an opportunity succeeds.

The published prediction favors Alpena, 24-20. That forecast is the columnist’s opinion, not a reported result. The Wildcats’ actual task is to eliminate the penalties and miscues that have defined their first three games, protect against Cosby’s dual-threat ability and make enough plays on both sides of the ball to turn Friday’s opportunity into a win.