Kingsford Races Past Gladstone To Clinch Playoffs

KINGSFORD---The Gladstone Braves scored the first touchdown and the last touchdown of their game in Kingsford Friday night, but the Flivvers scored six times in between to beat the Braves, 43-14, at Flivver Field. The win clinched a state playoff spot for the Flivvers.

Gladstone entered the game with a slim chance of making the playoffs, and came out strong, forcing the Flivvers to punt on their first possession.

Then on offense, the Braves drove 80 yards, with quarterback Darin Johnson running for 40 yards, and then, on the next play, Johnson threw to Rudy Peterson on a screen pass that ended up in a 38-yard Gladstone touchdown.

Kingsford went on a methodical drive, however, misxing the short passing of quarterback Sawyer Perpich and the running game of Mack Hull, Trevor Roberts, and Aden Johnston.

The Flivvers convrted two 4th-and-short plays on that drive, as well as a 3rd-and-9 play. Perpich hit Hull for a nine-yard touchdown pass, and after Johnston's PAT kick, Kingsford led, 7-6.

The Braves went three-and-out, and the Flivvers went on another nice drive, with Perpich running it in from nine yards out, and all of a sudden, Kingsford had a 14-6 lead.

Then, came the turning point, from Gladstone's perspective, anyway.

With Gladstone backed up deep in its own territory, Johnson tried to scramble for a first down when he was surrounded by several Flivvers players. He continued to struggle for yardage, and the Flivvers stripped the ball, turning it over on a fumble. Braves Coach Jeff Hansen argued that Johnson's momentum was stopped and the whistle should have blown, but to no avail.

Three plays later, Kingsford (6-2) scored after a short drive on a six yard pass from Perpich to his favorite target, Luke Terrian. That happened on a third down play, and the sequense seemed to sap the energy out of the Gladstone team.

Johnston's PAT kick made it a 21-6 Flivver lead.

The Braves continued to sputter on offense, with another three-and-out, and Kingsford took advantage of favorable field position to score a fourth straight touchdown.

This time, it was an eight-yard run by Hull.

Hull, who scored five touchdowns in a win over Iron Mountain last week, scored on another touchdown before halftime (from six yards out) and it was 36-6 at the half. Then in the third quarter, Hull completed his "touchdown hat trick" with a 24-yard touchdown run. That meant the mercy rule running clock at 43-6.

Gladstone's Jeff Stenson scored on a three-yard touchdown run late in the game.

Perpich was efficient as Kingsford's quarterback, completing 15 of 19 passes for 171 yards, all of it on short, safe passes. Hull carried 12 times for 89 yards and those three touchdowns.

For the Braves, Johnson carried 17 times for 114 yards and was sacked four times. In the air, he completed four of 13 for 98 yards, one touchdown, and an interception. He fumbled twice.

Gladstone (3-5) will close the season with a home game next Friday night against Calumet. The Copper Kings are playoff-bound at 7-1. Game time is 7:00, and it will be broadcast live on WGKL-FM (105.5), WCHT-AM (600), and on-line at www.rrnsports.com.

Click the thumbnails in the ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS box above to listen to interviews with Ben Schwalbach, Kyle Egner, and Jared Kivioja...a replay of the Braves' first TD...and to see photos and video highlights taken by Nate Bellville.

MORE