×

Gladiators top Nordics

Ontonagon’s Boreseth runs for five touchdowns

(Rand Hruska photo) North Dickinson’s Wyatt Glasheen (22) runs behind a blocker in the first quarter of a Great Lakes 8 Conference West Division game versus Ontonagon Friday night at James D. Priestap Memorial Field in Felch. Glasheen scored the Nordics’ first-half touchdown on a 4-yard run.

FELCH TOWNSHIP — Ontonagon quarterback Jaden Boreseth ran for five scores and rushed for over 300 yards as the visiting Gladiators powered past North Dickinson 54-14 in a Great Lakes 8 Conference West Division game at James D. Priestap Memorial Field Friday night.

Boreseth, a Ewen-Trout Creek senior, was also an All-U.P. and All-State selection in basketball the past two seasons. He found the edge of the Nordics defense on the first play from scrimmage in each of the Gladiators’ first two possessions, and scored on touchdown runs of 68 and 67 yards, respectively, which gave Ontonagon an early 16-0 lead.

The Nordics put together a nice drive on their ensuing possession. The drive was capped off by a 4-yard touchdown run by Wyatt Glasheen, who also ran in the 2-point conversion.

After that, Ontonagon scored every time they had the ball to roll to a convincing victory.

“They (ND) were giving us the edge most of the night, and on our first two plays from scrimmage, we executed very well, with great tight end blocks,” said Ontonagon head coach Tyler Thomas.

The Nordics added a Maximus Mattson touchdown on a 19-yard quarterback draw late in the game. Mattson was 12-25 for 144 yards in the passing department and had a team-high four tackles on defense.

Collin Lafave had 126 total yards of offense for the Nordics, with 85 of them through the air. Nathan Graham, who also had four tackles for ND, had two interceptions, with the first of them a sensational play, ripping the ball away from the Gladiators receiver who was 6 to 8 inches taller than him.

Nordics head coach Mike Christian was absent from the game due to illness. His assistant coach Christopher Mattson filled the head coach role in the game.

“The boys were very patient and cooperative this week as we got ready to play without coach Mike,” said Mattson. “The kids played hard through four quarters, against a team that size-wise is much bigger and more physical than us. I am very proud of them.”

Luke Strasser and Caden Besonen each had an interception for Ontonagon, while teammate Steve Graff rushed for a pair of touchdowns. The Gladiators improve to 3-1 on the season.

“Steve Graff had a great game for us again tonight as well as Jaden (Boreseth),” Thomas added. “We have a group of guys who love to play football, and all eight guys who were out there on both sides of the ball, were very efficient tonight.”

The Nordics, who slip to 0-4, will remain home for two more weeks, first hosting Lake Linden-Hubbell on Friday night for Homecoming, before welcoming defending Division 2 state champion North Central on Oct. 1.

“Ontonagon has tremendous skill players. With a dual threat quarterback like Boreseth, it’s hard to completely prepare for that to a certain degree,” Mattson added. “That team is really really good, and he’s the real deal.”

Ontonagon 22 20 12 0 –54

N. Dickinson 8 0 0 6 — 14

1st Quarter

O – Jaden Boreseth 68 yard Run, (Steve Graff Run), 11:43

O – Boreseth 67 yard Run, (Graff Run), 9:35

ND – Wyatt Glasheen 4-yard Run, (W. Glasheen Run), 7:01

O – Steve Graff 20 yard Run (Pass failed), 4:29

2nd Quarter

O – Boreseth 75 yard Run, (Run failed), 11:16

O – Eric Abramson 77 yard Run, (Run failed), 7:43

O – Boreseth 60 yard Run, (Boreseth to Abramson), 7:17

3rd Quarter

O – Graff 21 yard Run, (Pass failed), 10:22

O – Boreseth 43 yard Run, (Pass failed), 5:36

4th Quarter

ND – Maximus Mattson 19 yard Run, (Conversion failed), 2:41

Newsletter

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *
   

Starting at $4.62/week.

Subscribe Today