Florence’s Bryce Leffler (71), the team’s junior captain, hits White-Lake-Elcho’s Blake Lambert (45) just has he’s releasing the football during Thursday’s Northern Border Conference 8-player contest at Elcho. The 40-0 shutout victory over the Wolverines by the visiting Bobcats secured Florence both a conference crown and playoff berth, according to coach Kent Walstrom. (D’Nelle Kelley photo)

ELCHO, Wis. — One could say that the Florence Bobcats had a win-win-win on Thursday night.

First, the Bobcats dominated host White Lake-Elcho by scoring 24 first quarter points and coasting to a 40-0 victory in their regular-season finale. Second, Florence improved to 7-1 on the season and the 8-player Northern Border Conference title. If that wasn’t enough, the Bobcats also secured a trip to the playoffs.

Florence scored on its first drive of the game on a 47-yard run by running back Logan Schuls.

Two 10-yard touchdown runs on the Bobcats’ next two possessions by running back Joey Holmstrom gave Florence a quick, three score lead over the Wolverines (4-4).

A short touchdown pass from Bobcats’ quarterback Will Kelley to Schuls in the second quarter pushed the margin to 32-0.

Niagara’s Logan Weber (88) can’t slip the grasp of Goodman-Pembine defender Ryan Erickson (4) during Thursday night’s 8-player football clash at Niagara High School. (Dennis Mansfield/Daily News photo)

Following another in a long string of defensive stops by Florence’s defense, Schuls returned a punt 54 yards for the Bobcats final score early in the third quarter before mass substitutions by Florence.

Kelley finished the game with 92 yards on seven carries with one passing touchdown and no interceptions. Schuls added 85 yards on 10 carries and three total touchdowns.

On defense, Will Sipple recorded five tackles and a sack, and Bryce Leffler four tackles and three sacks before sitting out the second half. Kelley and Schuls had interceptions.

“Nice to record a shutout going into the playoffs, and we wanted to get our players some work and get them out of there early,” said Florence head coach Kent Walstrom. “We wanted to keep everyone healthy for the playoffs, so a running clock helped our cause.”

BADGERS 50, PATRIOTS 25

NIAGARA, Wis. — For nearly two decades, Goodman-Pembine and Niagara combined to form the Northern Elite Predators co-op football team.

But, on Thursday night at Niagara High School, the two schools met as foes in a varsity 8-player football Northern Border Conference clash. The host Badgers (2-6) topped the Patriots (1-7) 50-25 in what was the season finale for both squads.

Badger running back Aiden Colenso helped lead the way against the Patriots, carrying the ball 16 times for for 174 yards and two touchdowns. Quarterback Logan Weber added 93 passing yards and a touchdown caught by Colenso.

And, in a unique moment, Niagara offensive lineman Anthony Phillips recovered a fumble in the endzone resulting in a touchdown. In the first half, Niagara’s Braydin Pearce was seemingly headed to endzone for a long TD run before he was caught by a Patriot defender inside the 10-yard line and fumbled. The ball rolled into the endzone, where Phillips beat a Goodman-Pembine player to the ball and pounced on it for a touchdown.

At first, it seemed that Phillips was unaware he had just scored.

“I think he was just trying to get on it as quick as possible,” said Niagara coach Sean McGrath.

Christian Hedmark led the Badger defense with 15 tackles and two interceptions.

“I was pleased with how we were able to move the ball on offense and make timely stops on defense when we needed to,” McGrath added. “I was happy we were abel to send the seniors off on a high note.”

GLADIATORS 50, NORDICS 14

ONTONAGON — North Dickinson couldn’t bring home a win Friday, falling to host Ontonagon 50-14 in the Great Lakes Eight Conference-West contest.

The game is unofficially the final game for the Nordics (0-8). North Dickinson was originally slated to play conference rival Carney-Nadeau on Oct. 20 for its season finale, but Wolves canceled the remainder of its games after a season-opening loss to Lake Linden-Hubbell.

“It was a tough season for us, but our guys didn’t quick and I think we did get better as the season on,” said Nordics coach Mike Christian.

Christian applauded the effort desplayed by the three seniors on the team — Colin LaFave, Matthew Steinbrecher and Nicholas Conery — who “played their hearts out.”

It was two of the team’s younger players helping put the Nordics on the scoreboard against the Gladiators (4-4).

Wyatt Glasheen scored on a 73-yard touchdown run, with LaFave running in the two-point conversion. And quarterback Antonio Inglese scampered 35 yards for the team’s second score of the night.

A pair of freshmen led North Dickinson’s effort on defense. Christian said Porter Inglese, who was just recently called up from the JV team, led the Nordics in tackles, while Spencer Kramer had an interception.

TROJANS 1, RED DEVILS 0

CYSTAL FALLS — Forest Park improved to 7-1 on the season without even taking the field Friday night. Prior to the game, Ironwood (1-7) had announced it would be forfeiting the game between the two Great Lakes Eight Conference foes.

The Trojans are slated to face defending conference and back-to-back state champion North Central (8-0) in their season finale in Powers this coming Friday.