(James Traynor/Mt. Pleasant Morning Sun photo) Iron Mountain defenders Colin Schneider (50), Joe Colavecchi (4), Gabe Richtig (24) and Matthew Colavecchi (14) try to stop Beal City running back Cade Block (1) during the Division 8 district final Friday in Beal City. Block ran for three scores in helping lead the Aggies to a 41-6 victory.

BEAL CITY — Though the Iron Mountain Mountaineers trailed by just seven after the first quarter, the tone of Friday night’s Division 8 district final had already been set.

Beal City held a only touchdown lead after the opening 12 minutes, but had dominated play. Except for two holding calls and two chop block penalties, the Aggies would likely have been further ahead.

And that is what happened in the second quarter once they cleaned up their play. Beal City scored three touchdowns in the second period en route to a 41-6 victory over the Mountaineers.

“We got beat by a very good football team,” Iron Mountain coach Robin Marttila said. “Give credit to Beal City. They didn’t have any weaknesses.”

The Aggies established themselves on both sides of the line of scrimmage early in the contest. By halftime, they had outgained Iron Mountain, 222-48, holding the Mountaineers (7-4) to only two first downs. Iron Mountain managed just four first downs in the game.

Meanwhile, the Aggies, running mainly out of a Wing-T with a variety of fast backs, were difficult to contain. Senior Cade Block led the way for Beal City with 115 yards on just 12 carries. Block also scored three touchdowns, all in the first half, on runs of 1, 1 and 3 yards.

On the other hand, the Mountaineers struggled to establish their running game, gaining just 43 yards on 17 carries in the first half and 79 yards on 26 carries in the game. And when junior quarterback Joe Colavecchi dropped back to pass, he was often harassed.

The back-breaking play came on just such a pass rush. On a third-and-10 from the Iron Mountain 37-yard line with just over five minutes to play in the second quarter, Colavecchi was hit from the blind side and lost control of the football. Beal City’s Matt Oswald scooped up the ball and ran it 36 yards for a score to give the Aggies a three-touchdown advantage with 5:10 to play before halftime.

“We couldn’t really get anything going,” Marttila said. “But Beal City had a lot to do with that.”

The second half was more of the same. Though Colavecchi picked off a pass on Beal City’s first possession of the third quarter, Beal City turned right around and intercepted a pass four plays later. The Aggies then drove 68 yards on eight plays before Wade Wilson scored on a 6-yard run. And after a two-point conversion, Beal City led 35-0 with 3:59 left in the third quarter and a running clock began.

After that, both teams began to substitute, and with 1:13 left in the game, freshman quarterback Ian Marttila connected with classmate Oskar Kangas on a 27-yard strike to finally put Iron Mountain on the board.

“At the end of the year, it was a good season,” Coach Marttila said. “Coming off a COVID year, we won seven games, we didn’t have any major injuries and we’re thankful we got to play football.”

The Mountaineers return many of the top players, but will graduate eight seniors — Max Jayne, Hunter Fortner, Preston Roberts, Gabe Richtig, Lucas Maxon, Tony Kralovec, Michael Talerico and Steven Treiber.

“We graduate eight seniors that we love and will miss,” Marttila said.

Iron Mountain 0 0 0 6 – 6

Beal City 7 20 8 6 – 41

1st Quarter

BC – Caleb Block 1-yard run (Hunter Miles kick), 1:07

2nd Quarter

BC – Block 1-yard run (Miles kick), 7:41

BC – Matt Oswald 36-yard fumble recovery (Miles kick), 5:10

BC – Block 6-yard run (kick blocked), 1:05

3rd Quarter

BC – Wade Wilson 3-yard run (Miles pass to Oswald), 3:59

4th Quarter

BC – Logan Pritchard 6-yard run (kick blocked), 9:11

IM – Ian Marttila 27-yard pass to Oskar Kangas (pass intercepted), 1:13

STATS

First downs: IM 4, BC 14

Total yards: IM 117, BC 339

Rushing yards: IM 79, BC 268

Passing yards: IM 38, BC 71

IM Defense Stats: Tackles: Hunter Fortner 7, Bradon Farragh 6; Interceptions: Joe Colavecchi 1, Fumble recoveries; Fulton Stroud 1.