Amazon Prep Kickoff Classic | August 26, 2017 | 17:18

It was a battle of top-flight quarterbacks Saturday at the Xenith Prep Kickoff Classic game between Oak Park and Utica Eisenhower at Wayne State's Tom Adams Field.

Elusive Oak Par junior D'Wan Mathis is dangerous with his arm and feet. Meanwhile, Ike's Max Wittwer could boast the same resume in a contest between perennial playoff participants.

Oak Park's offense had a difficult time getting untracked for most of the first half while the veteran Wittwer was in mid-season form as the Eagles soared to a 24-7 victory.

Ike (1-0)  improved to 2-0 in the Classic, riding the arm and legs of Wittwer, who completed 8 of 12 passes for 128 yards and one passing and one rushing TD.

"That's the key for any team early in the season,'' said Eagles Coach Chris Smith. "He (Wittwer) made the right decisions, but he made some mistakes, too. First game….He was outstanding.''

Ike struck first on a 17-yard run by Assad Bujaidar, who went in untouched after a pitch from Wittwer with 8:29 left in the first quarter for a 7-0 lead.

Taking advantage of a holding penalty on fourth down, Ike made it 14-0 on a 16-yard scamper by Wittwer with 5:50 left in the first half.

A 37-yard pass-run from Mathis to Kolby Mack got the Knights offense untracked.

Mathis connected with Gary Gayle for a 16-yard TD pass with 49.9 seconds left in the first half to trim the deficit to 14-7 at halftime.

Ike's Jack Kemmerling came up with an interception the Oak Park 35 to give the Eagles great field position on their second drive of the third quarter.

Bujaidar turned the miscue into a 28-yard field goal as the Eagles extended their lead to 17-7 with 7:22 left in the third quarter.

Oak Park's offensive line and Goldsmith started to assert itself late in the third quarter, driving to the Ike five to start the final 12 minutes and trailing by 10.

Diving at the two Mathis fumbled and Ike's Alec Schmidt recovered at the two-yard line to kill the drive.

"You have to make those plays in big games,'' said Smith. "The turnovers, those usually wins tough games like this.

"We're building this team. I thought I saw a lot of toughness out there today. I wasn't sure until we stepped out on the field. I thought our kids really played a tough game. This Oak Park team was very physical. Up front they are as good an offensive and defensive line as we're going to see.''

Completing two big third down passes of 13 and 17 yards on the drive, Wittwer went for it all and caught a streaking Ian Kennelly down the right sideline for a 61-yard score with 5:41 left to give the winners a 24-7 cushion.

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