PLAYOFF BOUND: Gladstone Stays Unbeaten, 13-0

GLADSTONE---When the Michigan High School Athletic Association announces its field of 256 football playoff teams on Selection Sunday, the Gladstone Braves will be among them. For the first time since 2008, the Braves are playoff bound following a tough 13-0 win over the Sault Ste. Marie Blue Devils Friday night in Gladstone.

The Braves won their Homecoming Game for the second straight year, but this time, it was a defensive battle that was scoreless untilo the final quarter.

Darin Johnson's 75-yard touchdown run broke the tie early in the fourth quarter, and Owen Hanson's short to0uchdown run late in the game sealed the victory.

The real story was the Gladstone defense, which stopped the Blue Devils twice inside the Gladstone ten yard line in the first quarter.

And in the fourth quarter, the Braves got two pass interceptions, both of them by Johnson.

First-year senior football player Lucas Weinert was named the 2017 Homecoming King.

The win sent the Braves to a 6-0 record, and set up a huge game next Friday night against the 5-1 Escanaba Eskymos, who ripped Menominee, 42-21, Friday in Menominee. The game will be broadcast live on WGKL-FM (105.5), WCHT-AM (600), and on-line at www.rrnsports.com next Friday night.

Click the thumbnails in the ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS box above to see photos taken by Brenda Crow, videos taken by Scott Balenger. You can also click the AUDIO buttons and to listen to radio replays, plus interviews with Christian Creten, Owen Hanson, Alex Bowman, Jeff Stenson, and Hansen.