By Teddy Rydquist

Leader Sports Writer

In what was their third consecutive road game to open the season, the Oxford Wildcats ran past the Bloomfield Hills Black Hawks, 42-21, on Sept. 13.

Seniors Drew Carpenter and Matt Pullman led the charge for the Wildcats. Carpenter finished with three touchdowns and 140 yards on 22 carries (6.4 yards per carry). Pullman, the team’s leading rusher on the night, racked up 148 yards on nine attempts (16.4 YPC).

Not wasting any time, Pullman got the scoring started with a 50-yard touchdown run less than six minutes in. A back-and-forth first quarter, the two teams were tied at 14 after 12 minutes.

Scoring three times, the Wildcats began to pull away in the second quarter. Following a 43-yard interception return by junior Jack Valvo, Oxford was able to score just before halftime when Carpenter found the end zone from seven-yards out with 0.9 seconds left in the half to extend the Wildcats’ lead to 35-21.

The only scoring in the second half was a one-yard interception return for a touchdown by senior Logan Nicks.

In addition to shutting the Black Hawks out in the second half, Oxford’s defense held Bloomfield Hills under 100 yards rushing (93). For comparison’s sake, the Wildcats finished with 396 yards on the ground.

Unfortunately, there was a scary scene for the second straight week. With 7:01 remaining in the third quarter, Bloomfield Hills quarterback Tanner Slazinski was stopped short and fumbled on an attempted quarterback sneak from one-yard out. Slazinski remained down on the field for several minutes with a neck injury and left the campus in an ambulance.

On the bright side, Bloomfield Hills Athletic Trainer John Ciecko said the immediate signs on Slazinski were positive and he was taken to the hospital largely for precautionary reasons.

“We were able to move the ball well offensively,” Black Hawks head coach Dan Loria said.

“Had a lot of success throwing the football. The final score isn’t quite indicative of how close it was.”

“Great for our kids,” said Oxford Coach Bud Rowley of the win. “Gives us a shot of excitement headed into Friday’s game.”

Friday, September 20, the Wildcats host Lake Orion in their home-opener at Wildcat Stadium at 7 p.m.

“They don’t like us, and we don’t like them very much,” Rowley said of the Dragons.

“It’s going to be a lot of fun.”

Adding to the fun is the fact that Lake Orion is undefeated. After knocking off Rochester Adams in overtime on September 13, the Dragons are 3-0.

Thriving since making the switch from quarterback to running back, Oxford will likely need another big game from Drew Carpenter vs. Lake Orion.

“Drew is a great athlete,” Rowley said. “Might be the best athlete on the team. We need all four captains – Nathan Call, D. Carpenter, Pullman and Austin Penzien – to keep producing like that. We need our seniors.”

Possessing a three-touchdown lead for the duration of the fourth quarter against Bloomfield Hills, Rowley was able to give snaps to kids that don’t normally get them.

“All the kids got to play and that’s important because the second-string guys don’t get to play much.”

The Wildcats beat Lake Orion last season, 28-7, at Lake Orion High School. Since the two schools resumed playing annually in 2010, Oxford has not beat the Dragons in consecutive years.

An opportunity to change that awaits on Friday.