Westwood’s Karter Scherer, front, fights off Gladstone defender Jacob Sinclair to score a touchdown during their high school football game played Friday at Marble Athletic Field in Gladstone. (Escanaba Daily Press photo by Mitch Vosburg)

GLADSTONE — Fresh off a 36-20 road win over Hancock a week earlier, Gladstone football returned home for Parents Night on Friday.

While the Braves held strong for the first half, the final 24 minutes proved to be a nightmare in a 42-15 loss to Westwood.

“They took it to us. They wanted the game more,” Gladstone coach Craig Ness said. “I got outcoached. We got outplayed. We got out physicaled.

“We got all whatever you want to say.”

After trailing 6-0 early on, senior Austin Pepin, the Braves’ fourth quarterback already this fall, unloaded a deep pass to a wide-open Casey Alworden, who found his way to the end zone for a touchdown. It was a 51-yard strike to cap off a four-play, 64-yard drive that produced the home team’s 7-6 lead with 6:39 remaining in the first half.

The Patriots, without quarterback Ethan Marta, responded with an 11-play, 63-yard drive capped off by a pop pass two-point conversion between quarterback Tristan Miller and tight end Cody Laurila for a 14-7 Westwood lead that stood at halftime.

But Friday’s second half wasn’t for the Braves. It was all Patriots.

“So proud of these boys,” WHS coach Tyler Thomas said. “With our numbers being low, Ethan being out … it’s been a grind these last few weeks. To get a win (Friday night) on the road against a team like Gladstone feels really good.”

Westwood marched 71 yards in nine plays for a 20-7 lead early in the second half, eating away 5 1/2 minutes of valuable time.

Pepin attempted to connect with Alworden on 2nd-and-5 of the ensuing possession. His pass was tipped and caught by a Patriots defender, who took the ball to the Gladstone 5-yard line.

WHS junior Louis Salmi pounded the rock across the goaline from five yards out two plays later. Miller found Karter Scherer for the 2-point conversion as the lead ballooned to 28-7 with 4:18 left in the third.

The Braves responded on the next drive, driving to the Patriots’ 19. But four straight passes from Pepin fell incomplete with the final three attempts nearly being intercepted with around a minute left in the period.

Then the Braves’ defense came up with a crucial play on 3rd-and-24 when Nehemiah Blair intercepted Miller’s pass and put Gladstone inside the red zone at the Westwood 24. Jack Savard scored from nine yards out three plays later, while Pepin connected with Savard for the 2-point try.

Suddenly with 10:50 to go, the Braves had momentum down and were down just 13 points. If there was a time to rally, it was then.

Westwood had other ideas. It continued to grind out yards.

The Patriots marched 55 yards in 11 plays and scored again when Miller connected with Laurila from five yards out, and with a successful 2-point try the Patriots extended their lead to 36-15 with 3:55 to go.

Pepin, who hadn’t played football since his eighth-grade year up to this season, hurled a pick-6 on the next drive as the Patriots’ lead grew to 42-15.

Evan Woelffer fumbled two plays later, recovered by the Patriots. And while Westwood punted with 19 seconds remaining, the return was bobbled and scooped up by the visitors.

Westwood possessed the ball for a tick over 33 minutes in the win.

Miller finished 5 of 5 for 63 yards and a touchdown through the air and added 28 yards off six carries on the ground.

“He played exceptionally well,” Thomas said of Miller. “On the run throwing the ball he did great. For the most part he did great running the ball. I really can’t complain.”

Salmi earned 109 yards rushing off 18 carries with two touchdowns.

“He just needed some opportunities,” Thomas said of Salmi. “He needed some openings.”

Scherer added 31 yards off 10 carries and two scores.

Pepin finished 5 of 14 passing for 94 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions.

The Patriots host Negaunee for their Senior Night at 7 p.m. Friday, while the Braves host No. 1 Menominee for their homecoming game at the same time.