DEFIANCE - Napoleon dominated the statistics yesterday, but it still took a third-period safety to get by Defiance 8-7.
The Wildcats gained 276 yards rushing on 50 carries to the Bulldogs' 44 on 27. Napoleon added only two yards passing (3-for-10), but Defiance had only 31 (5-of-12 with one interception).
Napoleon's Connor Pain ran for 172 yards on 25 carries, including a 65-yard scoring jaunt in the first quarter. But the Wildcats' kick failed.
In the third quarter, Ryan George scored for Defiance on a seven-yard run. And the Bulldogs' conversion was good.
The winning safety came later in the third quarter.