Alpena’s football team will take its first victory of the season on the road Thursday, when the Wildcats visit Cadillac for a 7 p.m. game. Alpena enters the matchup with a 1-0 record after defeating Boyne City, while Cadillac is 0-1 following a 29-22 loss to Portland.
The game is scheduled during the Labor Day weekend period, when high school players are balancing football preparation with the approaching start of school. The column reflects on Labor Day as a federal holiday intended to honor American workers and connects that theme to athletes who have spent at least a month preparing for the season. Some players, it notes, have endured demanding practices for as many as four years.
The Thursday schedule also gives players a brief break before the holiday weekend and the continuation of practices and school activities. For Alpena, the immediate task is determining whether the Wildcats can reproduce the complete performance that finally delivered an opening win after several seasons in which that result had been a goal.
Alpena’s opener featured production on both sides
The Wildcats began their opener with a long, controlled scoring drive. Alpena used 11 plays to travel 62 yards, ending the possession when Andrew Szymoniak scored on a 21-yard run. That touchdown gave Alpena a 6-0 lead, which held until the middle of the third quarter.
Szymoniak continued to drive the offense after the opening score. He added touchdown runs of 23 yards, 45 yards and one yard, finishing the night with 169 rushing yards. The performance was supported by improved play from Alpena’s interior offensive line, which created openings for the running backs against Boyne City’s defense.
Alpena’s defense also kept the Wildcats in control when Boyne City moved into scoring territory. Xavier Szymoniak and Brody Misiak recovered fumbles in the red zone, ending two threats by the Ramblers. Zach Orban then secured the victory by intercepting a pass on Boyne City’s final possession.
Eli Werth, Chad Eaves and Tre Dean were also credited with making important defensive plays. The column described Alpena as playing an error-free game, giving the Wildcats a strong foundation for their first conference challenge.
Cadillac quarterback leads a dangerous offense
Cadillac’s record does not fully describe the challenge awaiting Alpena. The Vikings lost their opener at home to Portland, identified in the column as a perennial powerhouse, but quarterback Dom Wing directed an offense capable of producing explosive plays.
Wing completed 12 passes for 204 yards. He connected with Ivan Metzger on a 26-yard touchdown pass and later found Metzger again on a 65-yard scoring play. Wing also ran for 34 yards and a touchdown, including a five-yard scoring run.
Dave Nobles and Metzger were Cadillac’s primary receiving targets. Nobles contributed on defense as well, recording eight tackles. Eli Wilson stopped two Portland drives with a fumble recovery and a sack, while linebackers Ryan Koch and Kameron Cade finished with 10 and eight tackles, respectively.
The Cadillac offense is expected to use the running game and short passes to draw the defense forward before attempting deeper throws. That approach places particular pressure on Alpena’s defensive backs and linebackers, who will need to prevent the big plays that have troubled the Wildcats in previous meetings with Cadillac.
Cadillac also enters the game looking to respond after its opening defeat. The source column’s prediction gives the Vikings a 28-24 victory, but that forecast is an opinion from the preview rather than a confirmed result.
Hillman faces Mio after difficult opener
Three other Thursday games involving area teams are included in the preview. Mio, 1-0, will travel to Hillman, where the Tigers are 0-1. Hillman opened with a 46-8 loss to Inland Lakes and is relying on senior leaders Eli Schultz, Eddie Prue and Richard Savone to guide a roster containing 17 underclassmen.
Prue completed 12 pass attempts for 80 yards in the loss, with Cameron Nowak accounting for 62 receiving yards. Nowak, a junior, also plays wide receiver and safety. Mio opened its season by defeating Atlanta while holding the Huskies scoreless.
Quarterback Logan Fox led Mio with eight completions on 12 attempts for 221 yards and three touchdown passes. He also ran for two touchdowns on six carries. Landen Fritz led the Thunderbolts with 127 receiving yards, while Garrett Fox had 96. Mio’s defense received contributions from Atreyu Burden, who led the team in tackles and intercepted a pass, and Garrison Kann, who also recorded an interception. The preview projects Mio to win 42-21.
Inland Lakes visits Onaway
Inland Lakes, also 1-0, will visit Onaway, which is 0-1. Onaway struggled to move the ball during the first half of its opener against Rogers City, producing too many three-and-out possessions and placing additional pressure on its defense.
The Cardinals did show improvement after halftime. Kayson Jarvis scored on a short run, and Zach Schmoldt added two touchdowns, including one on a 19-yard run. Jackson Hartvigson and Phineas Benson were identified as defensive leaders.
Inland Lakes enters with a senior-heavy group led by quarterback Landon Fenstermaker. Fenstermaker threw two touchdown passes against Hillman and also used his legs effectively. Alyx Willis scored twice, including on a 27-yard run, while Collin Maves contributed a 66-yard rushing play. Landen Perkins and Tanner Howard caught touchdown passes. The source predicts an Inland Lakes win, 32-18.
Young Alcona team hosts Pellston
Pellston and Alcona are both 0-1 heading into their 7 p.m. meeting. Pellston chose to remain independent rather than join the new Bridge Alliance Conference. The Hornets are led by three-year starting quarterback and middle linebacker Brett Bonter, with Sam O’Neil also playing on both sides of the ball. Pistol Edwards anchors the offensive line, while Josiah DeLong and Hunter Brandt are expected to share backfield duties.
Alcona has three seniors on its roster. Zachary Hall plays cornerback and wide receiver, and Nathan Geddert anchors both lines as an offensive center and defensive end. Central Lake forced six interceptions in Alcona’s opener, including one returned for a touchdown, and converted the other turnovers into points.
The preview gives Alcona a narrow 14-6 advantage over Pellston. Across the schedule, the Alpena-Cadillac game is the most direct test of whether the Wildcats’ opening-night progress can carry into a more demanding matchup.