PLAYOFF RUN CONTINUES! Eskymos Beat Chiefs
![]() MANISTIQUE---They were supposed to lose their first district tournament game last week in Kingsford. Then, two days later, they surely would lose to the Gladstone Braves, who beat them twice during the regular season. But the Escanaba Eskymos refused to lose. ![]() But, once again, the boys refused to lose. Escanaba went on a 13-2 run in the fourth quarter to pull away from the Chiefs, 61-46, earning the Eskymos a spot in Wednesday's regional championship game. "We came with our 'man' pressure in the second half," Escanaba Coach Tracy Hudson said. "We wanted to get really physical. We gave them some looks in the first half, and we wanted to just tighten down and get into our transition game." The Eskymos got a big game from Tyler Hardwick to beat Gladstone in the district title game. This time, it was Jake Rodman who stepped up. Rodman scored 14 points, including six straight in the second quarter. Rodman also had a clutch basket "and one" with 5:10 in the fourth quarter that turned a 43-38 game into a 46-38 Eskymo lead. "One of the game plans was to get it to Sam (Taylor), get it to Jake down low," Hudson said. "We wanted to give them touches inside, and I thought that we had a good inside-outside game going tonight." Rodman, after the game, appeared to be completely drained and exhausted. ![]() Escanaba (13-10) led all night long, including 27-17 at halfime and 40-35 after three quarters. They put the game away at the foul line in the fourth quarter. "We hit our free throws in the fourth quarter, and we were patient," Hudson said. "We got in the bonus, and we wanted the kids to attack the basket." Molnar led the team with 17 points, including five free throws in the final minutes. "I feel great," Molnar said. "We've just got to play it one game at a time. That's what our coach has been telling us to do. We just got out and pushed the ball." "We saw that they were bigger, but they were a little slower than us," Molnar continued. "So, we just said, get the rebound and push! And look! Keep your head up! Look for people flying up, and that's all we did. We just pushed the ball." Sam Taylor added eight points, seven in the third quarter, for Escanaba. Cheboygan (4-17) got 12 points from Jared Proctor, and 11 points from Logan Guenther. Derek Sturvist added six points for the Chiefs. Escanaba will face Cadillac (16-8) in the regional championship game Wednesday night at Sault Ste. Marie High School. Game time is 7:00. Cadillac beat Reed City, 55-52, in Wednesday's other regional semifinal game downstate. FAN BUS TO THE SAULT: There is a fan bus being organized for students and others who want to follow the Eskymos to the Soo. The cost for a seat is $17, and the money needs to be paid at the Escanaba High School on Tuesday or Wednesday. This fan bus will leave the high school's South Parking Lot at 2:15 Wednesday afternoon, and it will return home after the championship game. You can reserve a seat in person at the school, or call 789-5595. Riders must be in the seventh grade or above. Those who are younger need to be accompanied by an adult. Click the thumbnails in the ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS box to see photos and videos, and to listen to post-game interviews. ![]() |
Date | Time | Opponent | Score | Record |
12/9 |
7:00 PM |
Negaunee Miners
|
52 - 50 (W)
|
1-0
|
12/12 |
7:00 PM |
Kingsford Flivvers
|
59 - 49 (W)
|
2-0
|
12/16 |
7:00 PM |
at Houghton Gremlins
|
105 - 69 (W)
|
3-0
|
12/19 |
7:30 PM |
Gladstone Braves
|
40 - 54 (L)
|
3-1
|
12/22 |
7:00 PM |
at Marquette Redmen
|
35 - 40 (L)
|
3-2
|
1/6 |
7:00 PM |
West Iron County Wykons
|
65 - 23 (W)
|
4-2
|
1/8 |
7:00 PM |
at Negaunee Miners
|
50 - 57 (L)
|
4-3
|
1/12 |
7:30 PM |
Menominee Maroons
|
49 - 54 (L)
|
4-4
|
1/17 |
3:00 PM |
at Sault Ste. Marie Blue Devils
|
36 - 56 (L)
|
4-5
|
1/20 |
7:00 PM |
Westwood Patriots
|
62 - 60 (W)
|
5-5
|
2/3 |
8:00 PM |
at Menominee Maroons
|
60 - 53 (W)
|
6-5
|
2/6 |
8:00 PM |
at Kingsford Flivvers
|
63 - 68 (L)
|
6-6
|
2/10 |
8:00 PM |
at Iron Mountain Mountaineers
|
37 - 56 (L)
|
6-7
|
2/13 |
7:00 PM |
Marquette Redmen
|
47 - 51 (L)
|
6-8
|
2/17 |
8:00 PM |
at West Iron County Wykons
|
59 - 37 (W)
|
7-8
|
2/20 |
7:30 PM |
Houghton Gremlins
|
77 - 61 (W)
|
8-8
|
2/24 |
7:00 PM |
Gwinn Model Towners
|
42 - 48 (L)
|
8-9
|
2/25 |
7:00 PM |
at Manistique Emeralds
|
70 - 51 (W)
|
9-9
|
2/27 |
7:30 PM |
at Gladstone Braves
|
50 - 51 (L)
|
9-10
|
3/5 |
7:00 PM |
Calumet Copper Kings
|
57 - 40 (W)
|
10-10
|
3/11 |
7:00 PM |
at Kingsford Flivvers
|
66 - 63 (W)
|
11-10
|
3/13 |
7:00 PM |
at Gladstone Braves
|
32 - 30 (W)
|
12-10
|
3/16 |
6:00 PM |
Cheboygan Chiefs
|
61 - 46 (W)
|
13-10
|
3/18 |
7:00 PM |
Cadillac Vikings
|
62 - 73 (L)
|
13-11
|