ESCANABA---The Escanaba Eskymos scored two defensive touchdowns and Scout Wunder scored two on the ground and the Eskymos rolled past Petoskey, 39-0, Thursday night in Escanaba. The Eskymos are now 2-0 on the season with wins over downstate teams.
The evening started with the annual Salue the Veterans program, where dozens of local veterans joined the two teams on the field. After the band played the national anthem, the boys from both Petoskey and Escanaba lined up and, one by one, they shook the hands of the veterans.
The game began poorly for the Northmen, and it only got worse from there. On the first series, running back Justin Wilson was met in the backfield by Breyden Papineau and Chris LeMire. He struggled to break away, and got crunched, fumbling the football.
LeMire scooped it up and scampered into the end zone for the Eskymo touchdown.
The Eskymos forced a short Petoskey punt, but two straight holding penalties gave quarterback Justin Popelka a 1st-and-31. No problem. He lofted one along the sidelines for 6-2 receiver Tyler Willette, and he pulled it down for a first down deep in Northmen territory.
The Eskymos turned it over, however, as Popelka tried to make something happen on a blind pitch that was recovered on the ground by Petoskey's Mitch Jaylin. They couldn't take advantage, however, as Northmen quarterback Joel Wilson fumbled the snap, got hit, and the ball bounced into the end zone. C.J. Barron recovered it for another Escanaba touchdown.
The misery for Petoskey wasn't complete, though. Another short punt gave the Eskymos good field position, and Scout Wunder broke free for a 28-yard touchdown run. Paul Carne kicked his third consecutive extra point, giving Escanaba a 21-0 lead after the first quarter.
Wunder scored again in the second quarter, from eight yards out, to cap a long drive.
Then in the third quarter, the Eskymos put the game away with a 12-play drive that ended on a short touchdown run by Logan Carroll.
Bryce Viau scored Escanaba's final touchdown.
Escanaba (2-0) continues its tour of Big North Conference teams with a home game against Gaylord next Friday night, Kickoff is set for 7:00.
Click the thumbnails in the ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS box to see photos and videos from Thursday night's game.
The game began poorly for the Northmen, and it only got worse from there. On the first series, running back Justin Wilson was met in the backfield by Breyden Papineau and Chris LeMire. He struggled to break away, and got crunched, fumbling the football.
LeMire scooped it up and scampered into the end zone for the Eskymo touchdown.
The Eskymos forced a short Petoskey punt, but two straight holding penalties gave quarterback Justin Popelka a 1st-and-31. No problem. He lofted one along the sidelines for 6-2 receiver Tyler Willette, and he pulled it down for a first down deep in Northmen territory.
The Eskymos turned it over, however, as Popelka tried to make something happen on a blind pitch that was recovered on the ground by Petoskey's Mitch Jaylin. They couldn't take advantage, however, as Northmen quarterback Joel Wilson fumbled the snap, got hit, and the ball bounced into the end zone. C.J. Barron recovered it for another Escanaba touchdown.
Wunder scored again in the second quarter, from eight yards out, to cap a long drive.
Then in the third quarter, the Eskymos put the game away with a 12-play drive that ended on a short touchdown run by Logan Carroll.
Bryce Viau scored Escanaba's final touchdown.
Escanaba (2-0) continues its tour of Big North Conference teams with a home game against Gaylord next Friday night, Kickoff is set for 7:00.
Click the thumbnails in the ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS box to see photos and videos from Thursday night's game.
