Graphos, Demers Lead Emeralds Past Gwinn, 24-16
Click the thumbnails to see photos and videos, and hear interviews with Manistique Coach Todd Kangas and quarterback Parker Graphos. MANISTIQUE---The Manistique High School football team took a 16-0 first quarter lead and held on to beat the Gwinn Model Towners, 24-16, Thursday night in Manistique. Parker Graphos had two touchdown runs and intercepted a pass, and Wyatt Demers intercepted two passes. The Model Towners committed five turnovers, but stayed close because the Gwinn defense stopped the Emerald offense three different times inside the ten yard-line. "We had a lot of open holes, and we were able to capitalize on mistakes," Graphos said. "We had a lot of interceptions and we capitalized on them and put points on the board. Our confidence is definitely going to be up after this one." "That was a good team that we just played and just beat. So, I think we're ready for next week." Graphos broke free for a 42-yard touchdown run on the Emeralds' first posession, and he ran in the two-point conversion. When Gwinn got the ball back. defensive pressure on quarterback Carl Peterson led to a bad throw and an interception by Wyatt Demers. Demers too it to the house 58 yards for a pick-six touchdown. The two-point run made it 16-0. On Gwinn's next posession, Demers got another interception and returned it deep into Model Towner territory. The Emeralds had four plays from the four yard-line to try to buld a 20-0 lead but the Gwinn defense stiffened. The goal line stand kept Gwinn in the game. It stayed that way deep into the fourth quarter. The Emeralds had a chance to put the game away, but were stuffed inside the Gwinn ten yard-line after a Graphos touchdown was called back on an illegal motion penalty. But the Manistique defensive pressure on Peterson came through as he tried to engineer another 96-yard drive to try to tie the game. Peterson got pressured by Nick Thayer blitzing from his right, and as Thayer closed in on a sack in the end zone for a safety, Peterson made a desperate throw that was intercepted by Alex Noble at the two yard-line. Two plays later, Graphos pounded it in with 1:29 to play. Gwinn still did not give up. They overcame a 4th-and-26 situation with a couple of Manistique penalties, and then got on the board on a determined touchdown run by Conner Dupras. He broke several tackes and a spin move got Dupras in the end zone with 9.7 seconds left. Gwinn needed the two-point play to stay alive and got it, but the chance for a miracle ended when Manistique's Cale Dykes recovered the on-side kick. Manistique went to a knee. Manistique (1-1) travels to West Iron County next week. Gwinn (0-2) visits L'Anse. |