Walled Lake Western utilized a powerful running game and a stingy defense in the second half to take care of city rival Walled Lake Northern 31-16 to clinch the KLAA North Division Championship.

The “Warriors for Warriors Pink Out” tilt before a filled crowd at WL Western featured senior running back Jalen Marshall pounding the ball 18 times for 120 yards and three touchdowns behind a massive offensive line.

Western’s stout defense clamped down in the second half limiting the Knights spread offense to just one field goal to win the KLAA North Division title for the 4th year in a row. Junior linebacker Jonathon Moffett led the defense with nine tackles while Nick Rossi chipped in with six tackles.

Marshall scored his first touchdown on a 3-yard run with 5:12 left in the first quarter to give the Warriors a 7-0 lead. Quarterback Johnny Tracy’s 18-yard TD pass to Kam Ford gave Western a 14-0 margin with 1:55 left in the first quarter.

WL Northern quarterback Dylan Mosher scampered 34 yards for a touchdown to cap a 56-yard drive as the Knights trailed 14-10 with 5:57 left in the half. Jack McKenna drilled his second field goal of the half from 37-yards out with 2.8 seconds left in the half as Western held a slim 14-13 lead.

Jonathon Moffett recovered a Northern fumble early in the 3rd quarter to set up a 22-yard field goal by Zak Kempster to give Western a 17-13 margin. Special teams came up big for Western as Matt Alati blocked a Northern punt midway through the third stanza.

Cody White came on in relief at quarterback after Johnny Tracy went out with an injury. White engineered two touchdown drives in the second half before the drenching rains came late in the 4th quarter for the 31-16 victory.

“To come out with a win at this big event is a great feeling,” said White as the rain fell after the game. “We got to keep working hard and take it one game at a time.”

WL Northern quarterback Dylan Mosher had a big night with 155 yards on 14 carries. Senior Miller Carlock churned out 71 yards on 13 carries for the Knights (5-2, 2-2 KLAA).

WL Western (6-1, 4-0 KLAA) looks to wrap up an undefeated record in the KLAA North next week when they travel to Lakeland to battle the Eagles.

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