Calumet Reaches Playoffs As Braves Drop Shootout

GLADSTONE---A season that started with so much promise for the Gladstone Braves football team ended in disappointment Friday as the Calumet Copper Kings came to town and posted a wild 47-38 victory at the Marble Athletic Field.

Robert Erkkila and Kaden Kangas both rushed for three touchdowns as the Copper Kings improved to 6-3 on the season, clinching a spot in the MHSAA state playoffs.'

Justin Jurek scored four touchdowns on the ground and scored one through the air on the game's final play in a losing effort for the Braves.

Gladstone opened the season with a 3-0 record after finishing 0-9 last season, but did not win another game, finishing 3-6.

Gladstone got the first score on Jurek's 55-yard scamper just 2:52 into the game. The Copper Kings replied with a 51-yard drive that took less than two minutes, as Kangas scored from one yard out.

Gladstone had the ball in Calumet territory when quarterback Tyler Wells got seven yards to the 44 yard-line, but got hit and the ball came loose. It appeared that Wells was down by contact, but the ruling was a fumble that was recovered by Calumet.

A few minutes later, Kangas had his second touchdown, this one from one yard out. The two-point run by quarterback Tyler Loukus made it 16-6.

Gladstone came back with a 59-yard drive early in the second quarter, capped off by a seven-yard run by Jurek. The two-point run was short, so the Braves still trailed, 16-12.

The Copper Kings then gambled on 4th-and-2 at their own 33 yard-line, and Axel Madden made them pay with a crushing hit on Loukus that caused a fumble, giving the Braves the ball.

Wells broke off a 21-yard run and Jurek scored his third touchdown from seven yards out. Matt Chenier's two-point run put Gladstone up, 20-16.

But right before halftime, Erkkila scored on a 13-yard run.

The two-point pass to Kangas gave Calumet a 24-20 lead heading into the locker room.

A fumble and a penalty on the third quarter kickoff had the Copper Kings backed up to their own ten yard-line. But Calumet put together a dominating 90-yard drive that included five plays of ten yards or more. Erkkila's 12-yard run scored the touchdown, and Erkkila added the two-point conversion to make it a 32-20 game.

In the fourth quarter, Erkkila got a 20-yard touchdown run on 3rd and 5, and then passed to Tyler Rautio for the two-point conversion, making it 40-20.

The Braves came back with a 67-yard touchdown drive that included a 20-yard pass to JV call-up Bryce Douglas, and a 26-yard pass to Jake Greenfield on 4th-and-7 at the 38.

Jurek's seven-yard run with 5:44 left made it 40-26, but the Braves missed another two-point conversion. In the contest, Gladstone had six chances at two-point conversions and made just one, leaving ten potential points on the table.

The Braves tried an on-side kick, but the Copper Kings recovered at the 50 and the Gladstone defense could not force a turnover.

Kangas scored his third touchdown of the game on 4th-and-goal from the three-yard line. That made it 47-26 with 52 seconds left in the game, after the extra point kick was made. Calumet scored six touchdowns just like the Braves did, but the Copper Kings made four two-point conversions and that PAT kick to expand on their lead.

The final ten seconds of the game were crazy good for the Braves.

First, Wells broke off for a 52-yard touchdown run. Then, Jurek's on-side kick was recovered by Owen Carlson at midfield.

On the final play of their high school careers, the Gladstone seniors made it count.

Wells rolled to the right, then he escaped two men and rolled to the left.

Wells heaved it to the left side of the field to a wide-open Jurek, who caught it at the 15 yard-line. He raced toward the end zone, picked up a nice block from Greenfield, and scored the six points as time ran out.

Gladstone did not try a conversion play.

Erkkila ended up with 167 yards on 25 carries and three touchdowns. Kangas had 75 yards on 15 carries and three touchdowns. Loukus had 77 yards on 12 touches.

Gladstone was led by Jurek's 143 rushing yards and four touchdowns. Wells had 91 yards on 15 carries and one touchdown, plus 125 passing yards and another score.

In the junior varsity game on Friday, Gladstone defeated Calumet 31-22 to finish the season 4-5. Ben Schwalbach and Owen Hanson had big games for the JV Braves.

Click the thumbnails in the ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS box to see videos and photos from both the varsity and junior varsity games, and to listen to radio replays and interviews.

Date	Time	Opponent	Score	Record

8/28	7:00 PM	Gwinn Model Towners	34 - 8 (W)	1-0

9/6	6:00 PM	Roscommon Bucks	41 - 12 (W)	2-0

9/12	7:00 PM	at Negaunee Miners	24 - 19 (W)	3-0

9/19	8:00 PM	at Menominee Maroons	6 - 49 (L)	3-1

9/26	7:00 PM	Marquette Redmen	13 - 21 (L)	3-2

10/3	7:00 PM	at Sault Ste. Marie Blue Devils	22 - 28 (L)	3-3

10/10	7:00 PM	Escanaba Eskymos	14 - 41 (L)	3-4

10/17	7:30 PM	at Kingsford Flivvers	20 - 41 (L)	3-5

10/24	7:00 PM	Calumet Copper Kings	38 - 47 (L)	3-6