The Wayland varsity football team regained some of its offensive chops Friday night, but still lost 38-20 at Kenowa Hills.

It was the Wildcats’ 17th consecutive defeat on the gridiron, going back to the middle of the 2018 season when they defeated Forest Hills Eastern.

The Wildcats stopped Kenowa on downs and moved the ball from their own 39 to just 18 yards away from the end zone on six carries for 40 yards from Caden Dole. But on fourth down at the 21, the Knights came up with an interception and returned it to the ‘Cats 35. QB Andrew Bradley took it in from 23 yards out four plays later. They led 8-0 at the end of the period.

It was Caden Dole left, Caden Dole right and Caden Dole up the gut, and with the aid of a roughing the passer penalty, the Wildcats answered with an 11-yard TD scamper by Ian Thompson.

But Kenowa answered quickly with a 75-yard TD gallop by Ethan Ogden on its first play from scrimmage in the seies and Cadin Rose added the PAT to put the home team up 16-7.

Kenowa Hills took advantage of a good punt return by Isaiah Idrisiak to the 30 set up the third score by the Knights, with Rose hauling the football 24 yards into the end zone and prompting a 22-7 advantage.

Wayland got back on the scoreboard in its ensuing drive of 68 yards, with Dole being the rushing workhorse and QB Justin Holtz scoring from nine years out with just 50 seconds left until halftime, with Kenowa nursing a 22-14 lead.

The Knights struck back in the third quarter with a new-found passing game. On third down and 14, Bradley hit Ogden with a 27-yard aerial to the 14 and he hooked up with Rose for a TD pass two plays later. Rose added the conversion and it was 30-14.

Wayland drove 53 yards after a second Kenowa onside kick attempt, with Dole chewing up most of the rushing yardage. Holtz took it in on a one-yard sneak. Dole gained more than 100 yards on the ground for the evening.

Wayland trailed only 30-20 early in the fourth period, but Kenowa quarterback Andrew Bradley scored on a 20-yard scramble and a two-point conversion widened the gap to the final count. The Wildcats put together a valiant offensive drive from their own 30, featuring a variety of passes from  Holtz to Tim Wierckz, Dustin Simmons and Brady Dobry. The drive was saved by a fourth down 15-yard personal foul penalty on the Knights.

Wayland was able to get the football down inside the 20, but Idrisiak came up an interception and followed up with another pick with just over a minute remaining on the clock.

The 20 points was a huge improvement over the shutout they suffered the week before in a 35-0 loss to Forest Hills Eastern.

Wayland will complete the regular season next Friday evening with a combination homecoming parents’ night contest against Ottawa Hills.

Meanwhile, Martin remains at 3-0 for the season overall, idled for the last weeks versus Marcellus and Lawrence because of the Covid-19 crisis. A middle school staff member and a high school junior were announced Friday as being quarantined, and the school will not be back in session at least until Oct. 27.