'FINALLY OUR TURN': Braves Take Down Miners

Click the thumbnails to see photos and videos take by Brad Landis. Click the AUDIO buttons to hear the radio replay of the game.

GLADSTONE---The Gladstone Braves football team ended four years of playoff frustration by beating the Negaunee Miners, 28-14, Friday night, at the Marble Athletic Field.

The Braves took down the defending Division Six state runners-up, while also beating the Miners team that had ended their season the 2020, 2021, and 2022 playoffs.

This time, the Braves won in a methodical way, relying on senior quarterback Nate Young to run an efficient offense, using a "new" target in senior Johnny Soderman, and riding a defense that held the Miners offense to just 13 yards of total offense in the entire second half.

That formula sends the Braves into the Division Six regional final next Friday night downstate in Kingsley. The Stags rolled over Manistee, 37-18, in Friday night's district final there.

There was no score in this one until Young connected with Soderman on shovel pass that he took 20 yards for the touchdown, and after Luke Ingrham's extra point kick, it was 7-0.

The Miners responded with a big drive that included a huge third-and-long conversion. They tied the game on a one-yard run by James Thomsen, plus Kai Lacar's extra point kick.

That happened with 1:14 left in the first half, so the Braves didn't have much time to work with. They didn't need much time, as Young drove his team downfield and tossed a five-yard touchdown pass to Casey Alworden. Inghram's kick made it 14-7 at halftime.

Gladstone got the ball first to start the second half, after starting the game (as usual) on defense. That strategy paid off as Gladstone used half of the third quarter with a drive that saw a lot of Eli Betrhaume runs. He punched it in from five yards out, Inghram was true again on the extra point, and the Braves had a 21-7 lead.

And hoping that the defense would shut the door, which it did, with a three-and-out.

Early in the fourth quarter, Young threw a bullet to Soderman for a 16-yard touchdown that effectively put the game out of reach. Inghram made his fourth straight PAT kick, and it was a 28-7 Gladstone lead. Soderman became a "new" target this time only because teams have been guarding Kaden Gibbs, Elliot Vitito, and and even Berthaume out of the backfield, so heavily.

Soderman came through with a career high eight catches, 92 yards, and two toucdowns.

The Miners stayed alive briefly when Lacar took the ensuing kickoff 65 yards to the Braves five yard-line. Lacar scored three plays later, and he kicked the PAT, to make it 28-14.

But Gladstone just kept bleeding the clock, with Berthaume and Young both running the ball, and stayinh in-bounds. And when the clock ran out, it was Gladstone's time to shine.

Young completed 17-of-26 passes for 190 yards and three touchdowns, and no interceptions. Young also rushed five times for 46 yards. Berthaume carried 25 times for 90 yards and a touchdown as the Braves piled up 317 yards of total offense.

For Negaunee (7-3), the offense could muster just 118 yards of total offense, and only 13 in the entire second half. Lacar finished with 81 yards rushing on 22 carries. Ty Jacobson completed three-of-six pass attempts for 36 yards, all three of them to Ian Engstrom.

Gladstone improves to 8-2 on the season and will face the 8-2 Kingsley Stags next Friday night. Kickoff is set for 7:00 and it will be broadcast live on FM-93.5, AM-600, and on-line at www.rrnsports.com.