Traverse City Record-Eagle

Emmet County

September 19, 2009

Petoskey runs past Central

Northmen trio rush for 425 yards

FROM STAFF REPORTS

PETOSKEY -- Petoskey never punted in a 33-14 win over Traverse City Central to remain undefeated.

The Northmen (4-0, 2-0 Big North Conference) racked up 349 yards of total offense in the first half Friday, scoring all five times they touched the ball on drives of 80, 70, 67, 99 and 38 yards.

Just as Central was looking to get back into the game early in the second half, Petoskey's defense rose up for a goal-line stand, stopping the Trojans four times after Central had a first-and-goal from the 2.

Mike Suter finished off the game's opening drive that consumed 4:07 with a 3-yard run before Central tied it up 7-7 on a TD pass from Mack Sovereign to Mike Heim just over two minutes later. Sovereign was 3-for-3 passing on the drive.

The Northmen responded with another Suter touchdown -- the first quarter's third TD. But Central again answered with a 39-yard score from Sovereign to Jack Stevens early in the second to go up 14-13.

Petoskey fullback Kelsey Heinrick scored on a 63-yard run right up the middle and Anthony Bear's PAT made it 20-14.

A 41-yard pass to Stevens put Central deep in Northmen territory before a fumble recovery by Hunter Keiswetter resulted in the first defensive stop of the game. Petoskey would cash that in with a James Proctor 5-yard TD run and PAT for a 27-14 advantage. A defensive holding call negated a Heim fumble recovery to extend the Northmen drive.

Proctor scored his second TD of the day on a 10-yard jaunt with 1:10 left in the half for a 33-14 lead.

Heinrich ran for 168 yards on seven rushes, Proctor gained 150 on 21 and Suter ended with 107 yards on 24 attempts.

Ben Broad led the Trojans (1-3) with 75 yards rushing on 14 carries, while Sovereign finished 15-for-24 passing for 276 yards. Stevens caught four of Sovereign's passes for 109 yards.

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