The Westwood Patriots are heading into the postseason with plenty of momentum after topping rival Negaunee 42-14 in West PAC football action Friday night in Ishpeming.
Taylor Dellangelo punched in a one-yard touchdown run on the game’s opening drive. Stephen Kangas recovered a fumble on the ensuing kickoff, setting up a second Dellangelo one-yard score and Westwood led 16-0 before Negaunee’s first offensive play. Erik Anderson raced seven yards into the endzone with 8:49 to play in the second quarter and Westwood would carry a 22-0 lead into halftime.
Negaunee marched into the Patriot redzone on their first offensive series of the second half but the Westwood defense forced a stop on 4th-and-3 from the Pats’ 19-yard line. Westwood then drove 83 yards down the field, capped by a three-yard rushing touchdown from Dellangelo, to take a 30-0 lead with 1:56 left in the third quarter.
Negaunee quarterback Jason Waterman connected with Alex Munson on a 40-yard touchdown pass at the 8:48 mark in the fourth quarter but one play later Anderson ripped off a 63-yard touchdown run to regain the thirty point lead.
Waterman laced a 26-yard touchdown pass to Tanner Cain to bring Negaunee within 36-14 before Kangas raced into the endzone from seven yards out in the final minute of the game.
Westwood improves to 7-2 and enters the playoffs riding a six-game winning streak while Negaunee drops to 6-3 overall. The MHSAA playoff field will be revealed on Sunday, October 27th.