Ishpeming, MI – The Hematites have proven time & time again this season that they will not be rattled or sluggish after traveling long distances to games. In “long travel games” this season, or games that take place after at least an hour of travel, the Hematites have beaten teams (Manistique, Calumet, Crandon, & Norway) a combined 181-20. So it should not have been surprising to see how strong the Hematites looked right out of the gate. Coach Olsen has done a tremendous job keeping his team hungry and focused all season long, and you know it won’t stop until they playoffs are over.
During the first quarter of the game, it actually seemed that the Hematites may have met an equal competitor as neither team managed to score any points. Then the second quarter rolled around and, in typical Ishpeming fashion, the Hematites started yet another route. After two quick scores, Ishpeming took a 16-0 lead into halftime and never looked back. Alex Briones led the Hematite offense, as per usual, rushing for 104-yards on eight carries for one touchdown while adding 53-yards of passing and another score. Once again, the Hematite defense shut down the opposition, holding Crandon to zero points. That is the third shut-out this season for Ishpeming, who has only allowed 26 points through six weeks this year, all points coming against Ishpeming’s second string defense.
The Hematite starting defense will have it’s work cut out for them this week if they want to keep this streak of shut-outs going, because their biggest competition is coming to the Playgrounds this Friday night: The Negaunee Miners. People are already labeling this game as the de facto MPC title game, as neither team is expected to lose another game. This game will feature two of the most explosive offenses, and dominating defenses in the entire UP. These two teams have combined for a 12-0 record and have outscored opponents a combined 500-86. If that isn’t pure dominance, I don’t know what is.
Ishpeming has been dominant right from the get-go and has maintained it all season. They’ll have a chip on their shoulder after losing their only game last season in Negaunee 20-6. Negaunee took a couple of weeks to put a complete game together, but since week three at Gladstone, they haven’t looked back, holding their last four opponents to just 14 points. This game will also feature the two most explosive players in the MPC, and the entire UP for that matter, in Ishpeming’s Alex Briones & Negaunee’s Tyler LaJoie. These two have been lighting up scoreboards and opposing teams all season long. Both are mainstays atop the MPC rushing & defensive lists, and will surely bring their A-game this Friday night. Either way you look at it, it should be a game to remember.
Be sure to join Mike Plourde & Bob Nadeau this Friday Night as the Hematites host the Negaunee Miners. You can catch it all on 98.3 WRUP or streaming live at WRUP.com. Kick-off is at 7pm EST; Pre-game is at 6:30. Go Hematites!
-Carl L. Johnson