The Miners (6-3) travel to take on the Grayling Vikings (6-3) at 4 p.m. in the MHSAA Division 6 Region 1 championship game. Grayling earned the right to host the game with more playoff points, 26.667 to 22.000.

So far in the playoffs, Negaunee has defeated Gladstone 28-14, Westwood 42-14 and Calumet 20-19, all on the road.

With a win in regionals, Negaunee’s next opponent in the semifinals would be the winner of Region 2. That regional final game takes place at the same time as Negaunee’s with Montrose (8-1) at Montague (9-0).

The other semifinals are Michigan Center (6-1) at Constantine (8-1), which will be held at 3 p.m. Dec. 15, and Clinton (8-1) at Warren Michigan Collegiate (9-0), to be held at 7 p.m. Dec. 16.

Negaunee's Nash Hillier, second from left, spins through a hole created by teammates Finn Helppi, left, and Lukas Nelson, third from left, at Gladstone on Oct. 30 during the first round of the MHSAA Division 6 high school football playoffs. (Escanaba Daily Press photo by Justin St. Ours)

The MHSAA previously announced the semifinals would be held the following week on Monday and Tuesday, Dec. 21-22, with the state championship games on Monday and Tuesday, Dec. 28-29, at Ford Field in Detroit.

Two other Upper Peninsula teams are also still alive in the playoffs, each with their next games on Tuesday, Dec. 15. In 11-player, Iron Mountain (8-1) hosts Johannesburg-Lewiston (9-0) in a Division 8 regional final at 7 p.m. EST, while in 8-player, North Central (9-0) hosts Marion (8-1) in a state semifinal at 2 p.m. EST.

The 8-player state championship games are scheduled for Monday or Tuesday, Dec. 21-22, outdoors at the Midland Community Stadium. The games were changed this fall from the indoor setting of the Superior Dome in Marquette.

Information was obtained from Negaunee High School and the MHSAA website at www.mhsaa.com.

Information compiled by Journal Sports Editor Steve Brownlee. His email address is sbrownlee@miningjournal.net.