Norway’s Ian Popp (1) looks upfield for running room after catching a short pass from quarterback Cole Baij (24) during Thursday’s 8-player football clash with the visiting Ironwood Red Devils. Popp thrilled the home Knights fans by sprinting by Ironwood defenders on his way to a 76-yard touchdown and helping Norway to a dominating 42-6 win. (Dennis Mansfield/Daily News photo)

NORWAY — As kickoff neared Thursday for Norway’s home opener against Ironwood, the temperature stood in the 80s with a bright, almost blinding, sunshine pouring down on Ronberg Field.

Yes, this was the U.P. on the first day of September, 2022. But the conditions felt more like mid-July and both the Knights and the Red Devils started the game as if they were getting up from a nap.

“I wasn’t too happy with how we started off,” Norway coach Scott Popp said after his Knights sent Ironwood home with a 42-6 loss. “We were drowsy, everybody kind of was. There are not too many games you’re going to play in 85-degree weather with no clouds in the sky. Not up here.

“It took a series or two, but we finally started getting back into our grove and played the way we should be playing.”

After going three-and-out on their first series and holding Ironwood without a first down, the Knights got their kickstart from their special teams when senior speedster Tyler Neuens burst free for a 59-yard punt return touchdown. Sophomore quarterback Cole Baij ran in for the 2-point conversion and the Knights took an 8-0 at the 8:25 mark of the opening quarter.

Three plays later, Neuens picked off a pass from Ironwood senior Cody Dabb, setting his team up on the Red Devils’ 37-yard line. Shortly after, Neuens busted out for an 18-yard run to the Ironwood 14. Baij then connected with junior Wyatt Spade for a touchdown and added another 2-point run to increase the lead to 16-0 with 4:51 still to play in the first quarter.

Neuens followed with a 1-yard touchdown run, putting the Knights up 24-0 heading into the second quarter.

Neuens later added a 4-yard scoring run and a 62-yard kickoff return for a touchdown to cap off his first four-touchdown night of his career. After missing about half of his junior season with a broken collarbone, Neuens had brought back his blazing speed and big-play capability.

Neuens was asked whether he feels differently this fall.

“I feel more confident now being one of the older kids,” Neuens said.

His coach certainly has confidence in the 6-foot, 150-pounder.

“He’s a huge weapon,” Popp said. “Losing him with that broken collarbone, that could have been a change-around in our season last year. So I knew what we had in him coming into this season. I was pretty excited; I knew he had the speed.”

Baij hit junior Ian Popp with a 76-yard strike to increase Norway’s lead to 30-0 with 4:14 to play before halftime.

Neuens’ second rushing TD pushed Norway’s advantage to 36-0 with 5:11 left in the third quarter, leading to a running clock.

Dabb, the Red Devils’ long bright spot in the game, got his team on the scoreboard with a 16-yard run at the start of the third quarter, but Neuens returned the ensuing kickoff for a touchdown to end the scoring.

Norway finished with 206 yards of total offense, while holding Ironwood to 149. Neuens rushed five times for 70 yards and Baij completed 4 of 11 passes for 107 yards.

The Knights will take their 2-0 record into an interesting matchup with 2-0 Lake Linden-Hubble on Sept. 9 in Norway. The Lakes defeated Carney-Nadeau 44-24 in the opening week and then knocked off North Dickinson 75-6 on Thursday night.

With the Lakes coming to town next, followed by trip to Crystal Falls to face Forest Park in Week 4, Popp knows his team can’t stay pat.

“After two (games), I’m happy,” he said. “I would be happier if we keep moving forward and not just stay where we’re at. Every day we need to progress and I think these kids will.”