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THREE DECADES IN THE MAKING: Eskymos Roll
 ALMA, Mich.---The last time the Escanaba Eskymos played in the third round of the state football playoffs, Ronald Reagan was the President of the United States. That was 1981, the year that the Eskymos won their only state championship. Now, 35 years later, the 2016 version of the Eskymos are still playing football. The boys captured a district championship on Saturday, and advanced to the state's Final Eight in Division Four, with a 31-13 victory over the Alma Panthers in Lower Michigan.  The Eskymos jumped to a 17-0 lead in the first quarter and never looked back. Their first drive started at their own 20 yard-line and it ended on a 25-yard field goal by Addam Claes. Later in the quarter, quarterback Justin Popelka hooked up with Tyler Willette for a 58-yard touchdown. Then on the next-to-last play of the first quarter, junior Logan Carroll nroke free for a 49-yard touchdown run, making it a 17-0 game. Alma (9-2) closed to within 17-7 in the second quarter when quarterback Drew Humm tossed a 16-yard touchdown to Brandon Huff. But the Eskymos got those points back before halftime when Popelka threw a ten-yard touchdown pass to Brett Stalboerger. The Eskymos capped their scoring after Willette intercepted a pass and Popelka broke loose for a 70-yard touchdown scamper along the sidelines, making it a 31-7 game. Alma scored a touchdown on the final play of the game to close the scoring.  |
