Tech ready for playoff game vs. Rams

HOUGHTON, Mich. – The next two days could be the biggest sports weekend in the history of Michigan Tech athletics. The No. 1 ranked Huskies hockey team hosts No. 9 Minnesota State tonight and tomorrow at MacInnes. Sandwiched in the middle of the hockey games is the football team’s playoff game against Angelo State.

It will be the Huskies second playoff game in school history. The first one, back in 2004 against North Dakota did not go their way. Tech’s opponent, the Rams, are red hot right now, winners of their last five games. Angelo State puts up on average 41. 7 points per game, led by their 6’5″ dual–threat quarterback Kyle Washington.

“It’s starts with their quarterback. Their quarterback was the offensive player of the year in that league. He’s their leading rusher and one of the top guys in the country in total offense, so it starts from there,” said MTU head coach Tom Kearly about Washington. “Defensively they have three or four all–league players plus a lot of people that run very well to the ball.”

“We just want to be able to get off to a fast start and be able to stop the run off the bat so we can make them one dimensional,” said Huskies defensive end Cameron Allen. “They really like to pass the ball and put up some points, so if we can just play like we’ve been playing, I think we’ll be alright.”

“It’s something that they’ve never played in before,” said MTU quarterback Tyler Scarlett about the snow in Houghton. “It’s actually supposed to be warmer tomorrow. It could feel pretty nice for us, we don’t know how it will feel for them. Any edge we can get, we will try and take advantage of.”

“We have a chance to be the first team in school history to win ten ball games, the first team in school history to win a playoff game, so there are some goals there,” added Kearly. “We’ve accomplished what we wanted to. One of our goals was to get into the national playoffs and we’ve accomplished that. Our kids have played hard and now everything’s gravy.”

Tomorrow’s game at Sherman field is set for 12 p.m. eastern time.