Miners keep their playoff hopes alive with win

NEGAUNEE – If there was ever a good time to win a game, it was Thursday night for Negaunee. The Miners outscored Westwood 18-0 in the second half to beat the Patriots 27-9. Austin Johnson scored on a 80-yard kickoff return for the Miners in the first quarter. The Negaunee defense recovered two Westwood fumbles in the second half and converted them into points. With the win, Negaunee is 5-4, which keeps their playoff hopes alive.

“We put the ball on the ground twice in the first half and we just weren’t carrying out our assignments. Against a good team like this with good team like this with the skilled kids, you can’t do that,” said Miners head coach Paul Jacobson. “We answered the bell in the second half and played like we should have played.”

“At 5-4, you give yourselves a chance,” said ABC 10/CW 5 sports director Jerry Taylor about Negaunee’s chances of making the  postseason.

“It’s all you can ask for,” said Jacobson. “We hope that the football gods rain down upon us and give us one more week to play, that’s all we want right now. These guys took care of business this week, I’m proud of them, happy for them. We’ll see what happens.”

The Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA) selection show is Sunday night at 7pm on Fox Sports Detroit.

FOOTBALL

NEGAUNEE 27  Westwood 9

Ishpeming 46  GWINN 26

VOLLEYBALL

MANISTIQUE 3  Norway 2 (Manistique won the fifth set 15-4)

HOUGHTON 3  Hancock 2 (Houghton won the fifth set 15-12)

MARQUETTE 3  Kingsford 2 (Marquette won the fifth set 15-11)

Iron Mountain 3  ISHPEMING 0

BARK RIVER-HARRIS 3  Superior Central 0

NHL

DETROIT 4  Pittsburgh 3 F/OT