Northern winless after difficult loss to Salem, 49-42

Walled Lake Northern found itself in a shooting match for the second straight week, only to find itself on the losing end once again.

The Knights fell at home to Plymouth Salem, 49-42, on Thursday, Aug. 30 and are now sitting at 0-2 with the start of Kensington Lakes Activities Association (KLAA) North Division play awaiting them.

Northern found itself trailing 14-0 in the first quarter after Drake Jordan scored on a 48-yard touchdown run and Jacob Deprez threw a 70-yard touchdown pass to Michael Hoover for Salem (2-0).

Knights’ quarterback Collin O’Donnell scored on a 26-yard touchdown run to put Northern on the scoreboard as it trailed 14-7.

However, Salem’s Jordan would follow with two touchdowns on a 74-yard kickoff return and a 6-yard run.

O’Donnell threw a 7-yard touchdown pass to Jake Ginster to cut Salem’s lead to 28-14 before Deprez threw a 59-yard touchdown pass to Ivan Rhoades to put the Rocks back up by 21.

O’Donnell’s second touchdown run from 9 yards out pulled Northern to within 14, but Derpez threw a 74-yard touchdown pass to Jordan to put Salem up 42-21 at halftime.

The Knights looked to start a comeback in the third quarter as Matt Finn ran 53 yards for a touchdown to pull Northern within 14.

The battered Northern defense then stepped up as Ginster intercepted a pass and returned it 34 yards for a touchdown and the Salem lead was cut to 7 after the Rocks were held scoreless in the third quarter.

But, Jordan would score his fifth touchdown of the night as he scored on a 3-yard run in the fourth quarter.

O’Donnell threw a 4-yard touchdown pass to Josh Paul, but that’s as close as Northern would get.

O’Donnell completed 16-of-23 passes for 160 yards as Northern put up 444 yards of total offense, but it was not enough.

The Knights were coming off a 56-54 heartbreaker at home to Livonia Churchill the previous week and now find themselves winless after two games.

Northern’s hopes of earning its first-ever state playoff berth will now hinge on how it competes in its KLAA North schedule, beginning on Friday, Sept. 7 when the Knights travel to Waterford Mott.