Friday, September 18, 2026
NORTHVILLE — Novi spent 11 plays and more than four minutes driving 80 yards to cut Northville’s lead to 21-7 early in the second quarter Friday night. The Wildcats never got a chance to build on the touchdown. Jackson DeFore returned the ensuing kickoff 89 yards, the first of two scoring returns that helped the Mustangs beat Novi 52-7 at Tom Holzer Stadium.
Northville had put the Wildcats in a hole almost from the start. Novi’s opening possession ended on downs at its own 39, and Cole Boring scored on a 9-yard run five plays later. Danny O’Neil added a 24-yard touchdown run on Northville’s next possession. With a minute left in the first quarter, Braylon Brown found O’Neil for a 62-yard score and a 21-0 lead.
Novi’s response began at its own 20. Cody Walker found Johnny Woytowich for 15 yards to overcome a second-and-12, then connected with him again for 23 yards into Northville territory. The drive survived a fumble recovered by Aidan Cook and a sack that left the Wildcats facing third-and-25 at the Mustangs’ 45.
Walker delivered the play Novi needed, hitting Dante Darling for 40 yards to the 5. Two plays later, Cook ran in from there. Jack Williams made the extra point, and with 8:55 remaining in the half, Novi had turned its longest drive of the night into a touchdown.
DeFore’s return made it 28-7 just 11 seconds later. Northville then recovered an onside kick at the Novi 47, denying the Wildcats another possession. O’Neil capped the ensuing six-play drive with a 5-yard touchdown run, pushing the lead to 35-7 with 6:52 left before halftime.
Novi’s defense made one more play before the break. On fourth down, Alex Abler intercepted a Greyson Harris pass at the Novi 14 and returned it 38 yards to the Northville 48. But the half ended before the Wildcats could run an offensive play.
DeFore struck again on the opening kickoff of the second half, returning it 96 yards to make it 42-7. Trent Jackson-McGowan brought the next kickoff back 54 yards to the Northville 36, but a holding penalty moved Novi back to its own 30. That possession ended in a punt. Northville added a 14-yard touchdown pass to Ethan Ceccarini and a 42-yard Alex Baird field goal in the fourth quarter.
Walker finished 15-of-22 passing for 133 yards without an interception. Woytowich caught five passes for 63 yards, while Darling had three for 47. Abler led Novi’s defense with 13 tackles to go with his interception; Caleb Thampan added six tackles.
Novi finished with 139 yards of offense, including one net rushing yard. Northville gained 322 yards, but the sharpest difference came on special teams: DeFore’s two returns accounted for 14 points, and the onside-kick recovery set up seven more before Novi could answer its own touchdown.