North Central QB Jake Gorzinski runs toward the end zone against Ontonagon in Friday. Gorzinski ran for a 60-yard TD on the play — the first play of the game. (Mitch Vosburg/Daily Press photo)

POWERS — Behind 562 rushing yards, North Central football extended its historic winning streak to 41 games with a 70-34 win over Ontonagon on Friday at home.

“These guys just run hard,” Jets coach Leo Gorzinski said. “They have hearts of gold. They’re strong kids. They are athletic kids. It’s just in their DNA. They love the game and they just want to play hard.”

At the break, Ontonagon thought they smelled blood in the water. The energy of the opposition was high. By no means did the Gladiators think they were out of this game. And after striking on a 44-yard pass on the second play of the half, the Gladiators seemed to have captured momentum.

“On our end of it, this was the first time that they faced adversity down here in a long, long time,” Leo Gorzinski said. “They came over at halftime and regrouped, took a breath and realized that this is still a game of football, and we’re pretty good at the game of football. Let’s get back to just being us.”

After an unsuccessful two-point try, North Central led 38-28. After a holding call backed the home team to its own 12, the Jets had enough. Lane Gorzinski ran for three first downs, and on the seventh play of the drive, Jake Gorzinski ran in from 22-yards out for a score. After a QB sneak was stuffed on the two-point try, North Central led 44-28.

North Central extinguished the Gladiators on a fourth-and-15. The Jets immediately moved down the field, and Lane Gorzinski worked his magic once again.

After running toward the opposing sideline, the junior circled backward and dashed back toward the home bleachers. Lane Gorzinski then cut back toward the Ontonagon sideline, gained more yards and cut back again toward the Jets’ sideline. It was a 34-yard carry, but the junior easily ventured more than 60 yards on the play to place the Jets at the Gladiators’ 16-yard line.

Jake Gorzinski scampered for a TD to go up 50-28. Max Nasom’s kickoff bounced past two Ontonagon players and safely into the Jets’ hands for a first-and-10 from the Gladiator’s 31-yard line. North Central scored two plays later when Lane Gorzinski dragged a defender holding on to his ankle like a toddler would to his favorite toy to the 2-yard line, extending the ball over the goal line for a touchdown to give the Jets a 56-28 lead.

After the Gladiators scored to pull within 22, Luke Gorzinski took the direct snap to the right side of the field, running 80 yards for a touchdown, and with a successful two-point try, North Central extended its lead to 64-34 with 11:32 left. Jordan Walters added a 19-yard touchdown for the final blow, giving North Central a 70-34 lead and applying a running clock.

The game ended with 7:22 remaining after a Gladiators player sustained an injury and was stretchered off the field.

Luke Gorzinski finished with 297 yards rushing with three touchdowns on 12 carries and added 78 yards and a touchdown receiving off four receptions. He also added 10 total tackles and a sack on defense. Jake Gorzinski tallied 186 yards rushing and four touchdowns on 17 carries while finishing 5-of-7 for 92 yards and a pair of touchdowns through the air. He also finished with 10 total tackles and earned an interception.

Aidyn Burton finished with a team-leading 16 total tackles and added a sack.

North Central outgained the Gladiators 660-430 in total yards and out-rushed them 562-109.

Yet, after things appeared to become bleak at the half, the Jets found a way to prevail.

“You got to find out what your kids are made of when that happens,” Leo Gorzinski said. “There’s obviously some technical stuff that we have to fix and clean up but that’s what practice is for. But you never know a kid’s true heart until they’re tested. They were tested, and they responded.”

The Jets host Lake Linden-Hubbell at 7 p.m. EDT on Friday.