Norway running back Cameron Varda (1) stiff-arms a St. Ignace defender during Friday’s contest at Ronberg Field. (Sean Chase/Daily News photo)

NORWAY — Picking up a homecoming win has been a struggle for the Norway 8-player varsity football team as of late.

However, that wasn’t the case on Friday as the Knights kicked off the Great Lakes Eight Conference – East portion of its schedule with a 60-22 win over St. Ignace at Ronberg Field.

“Happy the way our kids came out,” Norway head coach Scott Popp said. “The game got a little bit out of control and with football being a game of emotions, St. Ignace got a little chippy. Which is understandable. I’m very happy with the way our kids held their composure. They showed class.”

Norway is now 4-1 on the year and 1-0 in conference action.

After struggling with injuries and illness, the Knights wanted to show they weren’t just a one-trick pony.

“We wanted to spread it around,” Popp said. “The Cole (Baij) and Owen (Baij) show, it’s well known in the U.P. … We got to show people that we have other athletes on the team, so they’re not able to double-team Owen. It opens up the game for us.”

“When you can go in at halftime and tell your second and third string kids, ‘Hey, you guys are coming out and starting the first series.’ They get excited. … They want to continue winning and scoring.”

Norway did just that with its first drive of the game. It strung together an eight-play drive, capped off with a 44-yard touchdown pass from Cole Baij to Bryce Adams. Owen Baij punched in the 2-point conversion and the Knights led 8-0.

However, the Saints weren’t going down without a fight. After having a run stuffed in the backfield, St. Ignace quarterback Caden Lester completed a pass to Jayce Peters, who scampered 48-yards to the house. A successful 2-point conversion tied things at eight.

Owen Baij took the ensuing kickoff 83-yards to the house, giving Norway a 14-8 advantage.

“Owen’s got that sneaky speed,” Popp said. “One thing I do like about Owen, when he’s receiving, he doesn’t care. He’s not going to wait for that alley to open up. As soon as he gets the ball, if he sees any type of opening he’s going to go for it, even if it closes up. As a return specialist, that’s what you have to do. You can’t wait for a block.”

St. Ignace scored on its next drive, as Lester found Evan Arnold for a 50-yard TD pass. The Saints converted the 2-point try and held a 16-14 lead.

Trailing in front of a raucous home crowd, Norway took over.

A one-yard run by Andrew Hautamaki put the Knights back ahead with three minutes to play in the first quarter. Cameron Varda added a nine-yard TD run as time expired in the opening frame and Norway held a 30-16 lead.

Varda added a 33-yard TD run in the second quarter. However, he would leave the game soon after with an injury. He ended the day with three carries for 97 yards and two TDs.

“Cam (Varda) hurt his ankle again,” Popp said. “That’s why he was limited. Hopefully we can get him healed for next week. Because as you can see, he’s hard to tackle and he’s got speed. He can hit that hole and once he does, he’s gone.”

Norway would score two more times in the first half, both on passes to senior Landon Amundson. His first touchdown came on a 34-yard pass from Cole Baij. Although it was underthrown, Amundson turned around in time and battled through the Saints’ defense for the TD.

Two minutes later, Amundson caught a pass in the middle of the field, shook a St. Ignace tackler and ended up scoring a 42-yard TD. Norway led 52-16 at that point.

“I did not know that Landon Amundson could do a little “Shake and Bake,” Popp said. “He stopped dead in his tracks and the kid froze. He broke the kid’s ankles and went right around him to score.”

Hautamaki punched in a nine-yard TD run just before halftime to give the Knights a 60-16 advantage.

Lester and Arnold connected on a 20-yard TD pass for the Saints in the fourth quarter to make it a 60-22 game.

Bryce Adams led the Norway offense with six catches for 94 yards and a TD. He also had an interception on defense.

The Knights also received contributions from Cole Baij (9 for 12, 175 yards, 3 TDs; 4 carries, 22 yards), Amundson (2 catches, 76 yards, 2 TDs), Owen Baij (4 catches, 33 yards; 1 fumble recovery), Hautamaki (10 rushes, 93 yards, 2 TDs), Keith Burcar Jr. (7 tackles) and Isaiah Spruce (6 tackles, 1 sack).

Norway heads to Munising on Friday.

“We really have to strap it up this week and have a good week of practice,” Popp said. “Munising, they’re good. We’ve scrimmaged them, we know how good they are. They’re a very physical team.”

A full gallery from the Knights’ win is available at https://www.ironmountaindailynews.com/sports/local-sports/2024/09/gallery-knights-roll-in-homecoming-against-saints/.

BADGERS 48, WOLVERINES 16

NIAGARA, Wis. — So far, the 2024 campaign has been a grind for the Niagara 8-player varsity football team. On Friday, the Badgers welcomed Elcho/White Lake to town looking to change that.

Niagara did just that as they walloped the Wolverines on homecoming to pick up a 48-16 win in Northeast Conference action.

“Big homecoming win for the Badgers,” Badgers’ head coach Philip Towns said. “We were on point in all phases of the game. The seniors really stepped up and made big play after big play. So proud of what we accomplished tonight.”

Dante Stachowicz led Niagara’s offense with three passing touchdowns. He was 6 for 10 on the night, while throwing for 108 yards and an interception. He also carried the ball four times for 24 yards.

The Badgers also received contributions from Alex Tripp (15 carries, 121 yards, 2 TDs; 4 tackles, 4 deflections), Tommy Martin (17 rushes, 165 yards, 2 TDs; 2 catches, 38 yards, 1 TD; 5 tackles, 1 for loss), Cameron Schiefelbein (3 catches, 67 yards, 2 TDs’ 5 tackles, 4 for loss), Brayden Bartles (5 tackles, 1 for loss), Owen Dunkes (8 tackles, 4 for loss) and Wyatt Dunkes (6 tackles, 4 for loss, 1 interception).

Niagara is back in action on Friday in Wabeno, Wis.

NORDICS 52, ROCKETS 0

FELCH TOWNSHIP — After a rough showing against Forest Park last week, the North Dickinson 8-player varsity football team bounced back on Friday with a 52-0 Great Lakes Eight Conference – Central win over Rapid River at James D. Priestap Memorial Field.

Nordics running back Jason Graham kicked off the scoring with a 15-yard run in the first quarter. A few minutes later, Brady Jungwirth connected with Trenton Kramer for a 42-yard TD. A successful 2-point conversion made it a 16-0 North Dickinson lead.

Trenton Kramer caught two TDs in the second quarter, one from Graham and one from Jungwirth, while Jungwirth added a 38-yard TD run and the Nordics led 36-0.

Miles Lindholm scored on a two-yard run in the third and Graham added a three-yard TD in the fourth as North Dickinson locked up the 52-0 win.

Graham led the Nordics with 101 rushing yards and two TDs on 12 carries.

North Dickinson also received contributions from Spencer Kramer (16 tackles, 1 interception), Tyler Fleming (10 tackles, 1 interception) and Graham (10 tackles, 2 sacks).

The Nordics are in Stephenson on Friday.

TROJANS 59, LAKES 6

LAKE LINDEN — Last season, Lake Linden-Hubbell ended the Forest Park 8-player varsity team’s season. The Trojans didn’t forget.

On Friday, Forest Park got its revenge over the Lakes and rolled to a 59-6 Great Lakes Eight Conference – West win.

The Trojans are 6-0 on the season and 1-0 in conference play.

Grayson Sundell (53-yard run, 17-yard run), Kevin Giuliani (35 yard catch), Dax Huuki (8-yard run), Matthew Showers (safety) each scored in the first quarter as Forest Park took a 30-0 lead.

Trent Kannich (21-yard catch), Huuki (5-yard run) and Nikolas Stephens (55-yard run) each tallied a score in the second and the Trojans’ lead grew to 52-6.

Kannich scored on a three-yard run in the third as Forest Park locked up a 59-6 win.

Sundell led the Trojans with four carries for 82 yards and two TDs.

Forest Park also received contributions from Vic Giuliani (2 for 2, 56 yards, 2 Tds; 1 carry, 4 yards), Huuki (9 carries, 80 yards, 2 TDs), Stephens (3 carries, 74 yards, 1 TD), Noah Starr (3 carries, 14 yards), Kannich (2 carries, 6 yards, 1 TD).

Stephens and Brody Starr each tallied an interception for the Trojans.

Forest Park heads to Bessemer on Saturday.

RANGERS 58, BOBCATS 20

FLORENCE, Wis. — The Wausaukee Rangers withstood a third quarter rally from the Florence 8-player varsity football team and won going away, 58-20, to remain unbeaten Friday at Robert Landry Field in Florence.

Running back Jimmy Kauzenbach scored the game’s first points for the Rangers (5-0) with eight seconds remaining in the first quarter. Senior quarterback Luke Smith ran in the two-point conversion for an 8-0 lead.

Ranger running back Andrew Lawrence’s 3 yard TD run and two-point conversion with 3:42 left in the second gave Wausaukee a 16-0 cushion at the half.

“They’re (Wausaukee) a good team, play pretty sound on both sides of the ball, and they have a big senior class of players, which always helps,” said Florence coach Kent Walstrom.

A 39 yard pass from Smith to receiver Kayden Suennen early in the third quarter upped Wausaukee’s lead to 22-0 before Florence finally scored on a Nick Nevil 37-yard touchdown run.

A botched Wausaukee center-QB exchange on a fourth and inches play from the Bobcats’ 29 yard line plus a Ranger penalty gave Florence possession at the Wausaukee seven yard line.

Senior Logan Koski’s two yard run and successful two-point conversion sliced the lead to 22-14 with just under four minutes remaining in the third quarter.

Smith was intercepted by Ely Marefke at the Ranger 42 yard line on Wausaukee’s next offensive possession, with Marefke returning the pick to the 19 yard line.

Koski’s second touchdown run, this time from 12 yards out, brought Florence to within two at 22-20 with 1:08 left in the third quarter, but the Bobcats’ two point attempt was unsuccessful, and from that point forward, Wausaukee took control of the game.

A Florence fumble recovered by the Rangers gave Wausaukee good field position at their own 40 yard line and started a scoring spree to start the 4th quarter.

The Rangers went up 36-20 on a Smith 60 yard TD run, then recovered an onside kick at Florence’s 49 yard line to steal another possession. Another long run by Smith and a 19 yard pass from Smith to Jeffrey Dunlap gave the Rangers a 42-20 lead with just under ten minutes remaining.

“We knew we were going to have our hands full containing Smith,” said Walstrom. “He just took over the game after we closed to within two. He can run and he can really throw. Very accurate.

“He looks like the best quarterback in the conference, I’d say the best offensive player in the conference we’ve seen so far. Very good player having a terrific senior season.”

An interception by the Rangers’ Suennen and a 76 yard touchdown pass from Smith to Nathaniel Kusba and a two-point conversion run by Suennen upped Wausaukee’s lead to 50-20.

“Another game like the early Ishpeming game where we couldn’t get anything going on offense and forced our defense to spend too much time on the field,” Walstrom noted.

“Proud of the fight we showed to get ourselves back in the game in the third quarter though. Just didn’t have the manpower to handle them for four quarters tonight.”

Nevil led Florence’s offense with 76 yards on 14 carries and Koski added 56 yards on 11 carries.

Linebacker Breyson Kelley finished the game with 13 tackles and a half sack for Florence. Koski at defensive end had 10 tackles and a sack and a half, Nevil at linebacker had 10 tackles, and defensive lineman Sean Cassidy and Marefke at safety recorded six tackles each.

Florence (2-3) will host Three Lakes this Friday in the Bobcats’ annual Homecoming game at Robert Landry Field.