SANFORD -- Suttons Bay scored on its first possession, but was held in check the remainder of the game Friday in dropping a 14-7 Division 6 pre-district to Sanford-Meridian.
"It was a tough one to lose," Norsemen coach Joe Trudeau said. "We didn't play as well as we could have played, but we played as hard as we could play."
It was defensive battle as the high-scoring Mustangs had just 154 yards in offense while Suttons Bay picked up 135.
The Norsemen struck first when David Horton tossed a 20-yard TD pass to David Pasch. Layton Korson kicked the extra point.
In the second quarter, Suttons Bay hiked the ball over the punter's head, giving Sanford-Meridian a safety. The Mustangs got good field position following the kick and converted on a 14-yard Van Nortwick TD pass.
Nortwick connected with Brandon Krause on a 29-yard scoring pass on Sanford-Meridian's first possession of the third quarter to go up 14-7.
For Suttons Bay, Clay Joupperi rushed for 73 yards and Noah Reyhl 49.
Scott Grant led the defense with 15 tackles. Aiden Keilty and Peter Bumgardner had 12 apiece.
Calumet 54
Charlevoix 13
Calumet's option offense accounted for 365 yards on the ground in a 54-13 win over Charlevoix in a Division 6 pre-district.
Ben Steber led the attack, rushing for 129 yards and three touchdowns. Leo Helminen added 96 yards and a score and quarterback Nate Sturos 95 yards and a TD in the win.
The Copper Kings (9-1) will face today's Iron Mountain-Boyne City winner in the district final.
Down 14-0, Charlevoix scored on the second play of the second quarter on a 26-yard run by Isaac Hosper.
The backbreaker for the Rayders (6-4) came later in the quarter when QB Clayton Mitchell was hit attempting to pass by Isaac Bjorn. His pass was intercepted and returned to the Charlevoix 10. Steber scored on the next play.
The Copper Kings tacked on another score before half to take a 30-7 lead.
Hosper finished with 149 yards rushing for the Rayders.
DIVISION 3
Ogemaw Heights 8
Petoskey 0
Sheldon Roberto tossed a 46-yard halfback option pass to Kyle Bellor in the third quarter and quarterback John Hughes threw for the two-point conversion as Ogemaw Heights edged Petoskey 8-0 in a Division 3 pre-district.
Ogemaw (9-1) will play today's Cadillac-Escanaba winner for the district crown. Petoskey (8-2) defeated Ogemaw 24-15 during the regular season.
Hughes rushed for 77 yards on a soggy Curtis Field to lead the Falcons, who limited Petoskey to 107 yards rushing and 119 yards in total offense.
For Petoskey, James Proctor gained 73 yards on the ground and Mike Suter 54. Suter returned to the lineup after missing three games with an injury.
Ogemaw picked up 239 yards in total offense and enjoyed better field position in the game, but committed three turnovers.
Petoskey's four second-half drives started at its own 10 (twice), 20 and 16.
DIVISION 8
St. Ignace 29
Gaylord SM 28
St. Ignace quarterback Gerrit Mortensen scrambled for several seconds, moving from one side of the field to the other before firing a pass to receiver Cole Christiansen in the back of the end zone for a two-point conversion and a 29-28 overtime victory against Gaylord St. Mary in a Division 8 playoff opener. The Saints (6-4) now travel to Johannesburg-Lewiston (9-1) to vie for the district title.
St. Mary (8-2) led 21-7 going into the fourth quarter, but the Saints scored twice with the heavy wind at their back to tie the score 21-21 and force overtime.
The Snowbirds had the ball first in overtime and pulled ahead when Justin Malczyk scored his third touchdown of the game on a four-yard run. Clay Becker's kick made it 28-21.
St. Ignace scored when Austin St. Louis went three yards following a pass interference call in the end zone against St. Mary. St. Ignace coach Marty Spencer opted to go for two points and the strategy worked when Mortensen, a three-year starter at quarterback, scrambled all over the field before throwing a perfect pass to Christiansen.
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