GLADSTONE---Survive and advance.
That's the mantra at playoff time, and that's exactly what the Gladstone Braves football team did Friday night as they opened MHSAA Division Six post-season play against the Boyne City Ramblers.
The Braves jumped off to a quick start and cruised to a 28-7 win at the Marble Athletic Field, setting up yet another Gladstone vs Negaunee playoff battle in one week's time.
The Negaunee Miners took care of business with a wild 47-34 win over the Grayling Vikings at Miner's Stadium.
It was, especially for the seniors, who now have earned themselves one final home game for their Gladstone Braves careers.
"I was nervous," Braves senior lineman Jacob Perryman admitted. "Very nervous because it could have been my last. But the show goes on!"
"It was a great team win," Braves senior wide receiver Rex Kelly said. "From the linemen driving them back, to Eli getting yards. Eli ran the ball really well tonight. Everybody played a great game. We just had to come out intense, not flat, and play our best ball. It was the Marble Athletic Field, it's my senior year, so I had to give it my all, right?"
Gladstone took the opening kickoff and drove 70 yards for the go-ahead score, with Nate Young hooking up with fellow senior Kaden Gibbs for a 31-yard pass into the red zone.
Eli Berthaume took it from there with a nine-yard touchdown that twisted around the Rambler defender. The extra point kick from Luke Inghram gave the Braves a 7-0 lead just 2:37 into a game, a lead that never seriously threatened.
After the teams exchanged punts for the rest of the first quarter, the Braves took advantage of a short one, taking over at the Boyne City 40 yard-line. A third-and-six pass to Gibbs put the Braves in business, and then the offensive line opened a massive hole for Berthaume to run through, 24 yards for another touchdown. Inghram's kick made it a 14-0 game.
The teams exchanged punts again, but this time, Gladstone gained valuable field position when Elliot Vitito crushed a 60-yard punt out the back of the Boyne City end zone.
"I think he may have the longest punt in Gladstone history," Ness said. "I remember when he was a sophomore, and people asked me if he could punt, and I said no."
The Ramblers managed one first down, but with under a minute to play in the half, Gibbs intercepted a pass. The offense then went to work on a two-minute drill that only had 54 seconds to work with. It was enough, though, with 15 seconds to spare.
Young found Gibbs for a 15-yard pass to convert another 3rd-and-6, then after a short pass to Berthaume, Young lofted a rainbow into the end zone that Casey Alworden lunged for and caught for a highlight reel 33-yard touchdown. Ingrahm's kick made it 21-0 at the half.
In the third quarter, the Braves put it away with a 45-yard drive that took 12 plays and ground down the clock. Young's 14-yard pass to Vitito set the Braves up at the six yard-line, and Berthaume scored his third touchdown of the game.
Inghram's kick made it 28-0.
The only question from there was whether the Gladstone defense would pitch another shutout. The Braves did not allow a point in the second half of the game at Calumet, did not allow a point in Escanaba, and shut out Boyne City for three quarters, making eleven straight shutout quarters.
But playoff time is about surviving, and avoiding injuries, so Ness played mostly junior varsity players in the fourth quarter.
And those younger guys gave up an 80-yard drive that included a 19-yard run by sophomore quarterback Drew Neer, followed by a 23-yard touchdown run by Ryan Spate that broke the shutout with 1:22 left in the game.
Fittingly, the game ended on an interception, with Alworden grabbing Neer's desperation heave as time expired. Boyne City ended its season with a 5-5 record, while the Braves improved to 8-2 ahead of next week's battle with the Negaunee Miners.
The Miners have eliminated the Braves from the playoffs in three conecutive years, but the Braves did beat Negaunee early in the regular season this year. The playoff game is set for next Friday night at 7:00 at the Marble Athletic Field.
"I think we need to stop their O-line," Perryman said. "We need to really, really stop their run game. They've got a strong run game, so that's the first step to taking them down."
"They're on a roll, and I think we're starting to get our feet here," Ness said. "We're playing some good football. Our game against Negaunee (in Week Two) was our best game, start to finish. If we can get back to that team that we were, it's going to be a great game next week. Win or lose, if we come out and play the best game we can, then let the cards fall."
