The Oxford Wildcats had too many missed opportunities against the best team in the OAA White Division on Friday and lost 21-0 to the Southfield Blue Jays.
Oxford fell to 2-4 overall and 2-3 in league play in a game that saw the Wildcats come oh-so-close to the end zone twice only to see the Blue Jays march downfield on their subsequent possessions for scores.
Southfield improved to 5-0 in the OAA White.
The Wildcats moved the ball well on the ground against the best defensive front the team has faced all season. Oxford finished with 222 yards rushing to 145 for Southfield. The Blue Jays clipped the Wildcats in the air, including two touchdown passes of 88 and 19 yards and a total of 245 yards through to air to zero for Oxford.
The Wildcats nearly got on the scoreboard first in the second quarter but were stopped on three consecutive runs inside the two yard line after they marched down the field by mixing four ball carriers.
Southfield took over on downs inside the one yard line and marched 99 yards for a score. The big play in the drive was an 83 yard TD pass that came early in the second quarter.
Later in the second quarter, Oxford moved inside the Blue Jay’s five yard line. After a fumble by Oxford and a return of 15 yards out to the 20, Southfield marched 80 yards for its second TD, which came on a 19-yard pass.
In the first half, the Wildcats turned the ball over on downs four times. During the game they lost three fumbles and quarterback Glacier Wallington tossed one interception.
Ben Line led Oxford with 58 rushing yards. Wes Maskill had 47, Scott Stubenrauch had 44 and Wallington added 38 yards rushing.
Maskill and John Patrick led the defense for the Wildcats.
Oxford travels to Southfield Lathrup on Friday for a game that starts at 5:30 p.m.