The Jets’ eight-player football team hasn’t lost a game over the last three years and very few, if any, of those games have been close.

They’ve won them all by multiple touchdowns and just three games have finished with a margin under 30 points. Most have been won by a lot more.

Their opponent in Saturday’s MHSAA Division 2 championship game, Mendon, brought a strong tradition of its own with 12 previous finals appearances.

But this is North Central’s era, and that’s no secret. So imagine what it must do to a team’s psyche when that juggernaut returns the opening kickoff and adds another touchdown before a minute runs off the clock.

With teammate Dillon Raab as the holder, North Central's Adam Mercier kicks an extra point after a touchdown in the first quarter of the MHSAA eight-player football Division 2 state championship game played against Mendon at the Superior Dome in Marquette on Saturday. Mercier was reported to have set a state record for extra points in one season during the game. (Photo courtesy Daryl T. Jarvinen)

The Jets turned that 14-0 lead into a 66-26 win for their third consecutive — and fifth total — championship Saturday at the Superior Dome. They also won a state-record 37th straight game.

“It’s gotta be part of the mystique and part of what these kids built,” NC coach Leo Gorzinski said. “You want to have a two-touchdown lead in their head before you get off that bus. When you come out there and do that, set that tone, of course it’s going to get in their mind.”

And North Central did it with standout quarterback and reigning Associated Press state Player of the Year Luke Gorzinski, playing through what the Jets suspect is an ACL injury.

It was Elijah Gorzinski who returned the opening kickoff 85 yards to put NC on the board just 11 seconds into the contest. Mendon muffed the ensuing kickoff and North Central’s kicker, Adrian Mercier, recovered. Two plays later, Lane Gorzinski caught a 14-yard Luke Gorzinski pass for a touchdown and a 14-0 Jets lead 50 seconds into the game.

And North Central didn’t let up, scoring two more touchdowns in the first quarter, one on a 36-yard run by Dillon Raab and the other a 36-yard pass from Luke Gorzinski to Lane Gorzinski to make it 28-0.

Players from North Central celebrate with the state championship trophy after defeating Mendon 66-26 in the MHSAA eight-player football Division 2 finals game played at the Superior Dome in Marquette on Saturday. (Photo courtesy Daryl T. Jarvinen)

Luke Gorzinski threw two TD passes in the second quarter, a 30-yarder to Dylan Plunger and another 20 yards to Jordan Messenger for a 41-6 lead at the half.

That opening kick return that set the tone came after North Central waited and waited for the D-1 title game to get over. The Jets went from amped up to play to visiting the concession stand for some brats.

“We were flat; they were ready to take a nap,” Coach Gorzinski said. “Once that (return) happened, it was game on from there.”

That made four TD passes in the half for Gorzinski, who is explosive getting to the edge normally, but not Saturday with his injury. Leo said he wouldn’t get it checked out before the game because he just wanted to play, but Leo fears it will be an ACL injury once diagnosed.

“Thank God they didn’t catch on for a whole half that Luke Gorzinski can’t run,” the coach said. “He never ran a single time, and they never adjusted or blitzed him. I’ll praise God for that. Because if they would have blitzed him, I would have pulled him.

“That, for me, was the single thing — we knew they had a weak pass defense.”

Gorzinski ran for one touchdown in the second half, from a yard out. He caught a 33-yard TD pass and Lane Gorzinski ran 38 yards for six.

Jacob and Lane Gorzinski picked up the slack running the ball with 132 yards and 90 yards, respectively, with both getting eight carries. Four receivers caught touchdowns — Lane Gorzinski, Plunger, Messenger and Luke Gorzinski.

“If you watch what Jacob Gorzinski did today (on the ground), that’s Luke to a ‘T,’ that’s Luke’s specialty. With Jacob Gorzinski stepping up, with Lane stepping up, with Dylan Plunger stepping up, the heart that Dillon Raab showed up there … all of them, Max Nason, Jordan Messenger, Andrew Weber,” Coach Gorzinski said.

The Jets line up on offense, led by quarterback Luke Gorzinski. Luke Gorzinski finished the day with the single yard on the ground, and only that one carry, but he was 13 of 24 passing for 207 yards and four TDs.

Jason Juno is the sports editor of the Ironwood Daily Globe. This story is available on the MHSAA website, www.mhsaa.com.