Four years previously, the Flivvers also ended the Miners’ season with a playoff win.

Before that, according to the Negaunee athletic department, the teams had not played since 1961. In all, Kingsford and Negaunee had met six times with the Flivvers winning every one of those times.

But now it’s 2023 and the Miners finally got their win. Kai Lacar ran for two touchdowns and the Negaunee defense held Kingsford to just 80 yards rushing in a 13-12 West PAC victory.

With the teams playing in the same conference now, these matchups should become a treat, as Friday night’s game was.

Negaunee's Weston Yesney runs back a kickoff during a high school football game against Kingsford played at Miners Stadium in Negaunee on Friday night. (Photo courtesy Cara Kamps)

At least for the Miners.

“Oh man, it was just a great atmosphere,” long-time NHS head coach Paul Jacobson said. “There’s a lot of tradition and history in Kingsford and a lot of history and tradition in Negaunee.

“And when you get these two teams together on the same field, whether it’s here or in Kingsford, it’s just a great night for U.P. football.”

Both of Lacar’s TDs were answers to Kingsford’s scores. After the Flivvers took a 6-0 lead with 5:35 to play in the second quarter on a 4-yard scoring run by senior Elizin Rouse, Lacar capped off an eight-play, 55 yard-drive to begin the second half with a 5-yard plunge, and then added the point-after kick to lift the Miners to a 7-6 edge with 8:14 left in the third.

That PAT proved to be the difference in the game.

Rouse and the Flivvers (3-1) answered early in the fourth quarter when the powerful tailback ran in from 10 yards, but the 2-point try failed, leaving Kingsford with a precarious 5-point lead. The Flivvers had missed the extra-point kick after their first TD.

Four minutes later, Lacar burst free from the 19-yard line with 5:36 to play. The Miners’ 2-point conversion run attempt also failed, leaving the Flivvers one score away from a win.

But that never came, and the Miners (3-1) put the victory in the record book.

Lacar was beaming after the final horn.

“It means a lot, knowing they were (the top team) in the U.P. and everyone doubted us going into this game,” he said. “Beating them just felt really good.”

The lone common opponent for the two squads coming in was Gladstone. The Flivvers beat the Braves 35-12 last week in Kingsford, while the Miners fell at Gladstone 42-14 in Week 2.

But those types of comparisons can be very misleading, and the Miners proved that to be so in this case, holding the potentially potent Kingsford offense in check throughout.

“Kingsford’s got a lot of weapons,” Jacobson said. “They have a tremendous passing game with (Gavin) Grondin and (Cardel Morton), and (Nic) Novara throws a heck of a ball. Then they come downhill with Rouse. So it’s a deadly combination and they presented a lot of challenges for us.

“We really tried to keep it simple. We’ve got a lot of young guys that are in key positions, and we just didn’t want to give up a big play and tried to keep everything in front of us.”

Certainly, the Miners did that. On the other hand, Kingsford coach Mark Novara saw a different game from his offense.

“We didn’t execute on offense like we haven’t pretty much all year,” a visibly frustrated Novara said. “We just don’t stay on blocks and let stupid stuff kill ourselves repeatedly. You know, it’s hard to watch.

“We have a good football team. We’ve just got to shape it up and we’ll see if they want to or not.”

The Flivvers did put their execution issues aside, at least temporarily, to begin the second quarter. Starting on their 26, the Flivvers got their running game going, beginning with a 14-yard run by Rouse. Then senior Alex Rittenhouse took over and gained 27 yards over six consecutive runs to move to the Negaunee 33.

Nic Novara hit Grondin on a 7-yard pass just before the Miners were whistled for pass interference in the end zone. Two plays later, Rouse put his team out front with his scoring plunge.

Meanwhile, Negaunee gained just 67 yards on offense in the first half and looked like the loss of senior lineman Mitch Paltzer to a knee injury in the first quarter hampered its attack significantly.

But the Miners got a quick spark after halftime when senior Weston Yesney returned the kickoff to near midfield. On 3rd and 3, the Flivvers were called for a personal foul that left the Miners at the Kingsford 30. Four plays later, quarterback Ty Jacobson connected with tight end Matthew Peters for an 18-yard gain to the Kingsford 5-yard line.

Lacar scored on the next play to give his team the lead.

“I really thought we played well up front,” Paul Jacobson said. “We lost a starting guard early in the game but had another senior, Derek Feys, (come in). Again, we tried to keep it simple, and I thought Kai ran downhill well and took what he was given.”

Kingsford responded well, however. The Flivvers turned to their running game and drove to the Negaunee 16 before the Miners stopped Rouse on a 4th and 2.

On the following Negaunee possession, Kingsford forced a punt, which sophomore Jack Kriegl returned deep into Miner territory. Part of the return was brought back by a penalty for blocking in the back, but the Flivvers still began near midfield.

Three plays into the drive, Novara connected with Grondin, who ran 38 yards down the sidelines to the Negaunee 5. The Flivvers were called for 12 men in the huddle, moving the ball back to the 10, but Rouse scored on the next play and Kingsford retook the lead with 9:49 left in the game.

Nevertheless, the Miners were not done. After Ty Jacobson hit Ian Engstrom with a 10-yard pass to start their game-winning drive, the Miners turned to Lacar, fellow back Hank Tincknell and their blockers to seal the deal. Lacar led the way with 41 yards rushing on the drive despite playing with a sprained ankle.

“After I got my ankle taped, it was a lot stronger, so I could just power through instead of relying on so much cutting,” Lacar said.

Kingsford was forced to turn to its passing game from there on out, and while the Flivvers did move the ball to the Negaunee 40 to set up the last play of the contest, Nic Novara’s desperation pass fell to the turf as time ran out.

“I thought (our defense) played great again,” Coach Novara said. “We gave up 13 points, we should win the game. Offensively, we’re just inept right now. Either we fix it and become a really good football team, or we’ll just be average.”

The vibes were much different around the Negaunee locker room.

“If I had to sum it up, I look at the heart our kids played with tonight,” Paul Jacobson said. “You could look at a lot of plays that were the difference in that ball game and it could have gone either way.”

Kingsford finished with 277 total yards. Novara completed 11 of 24 for 197 yards and Rouse rushed for 65 yards on 19 carries.

Negaunee gained 147 yards on 39 carries, led by Lacar’s 94 yards on 22 carries. Ty Jacobson completed 2 of 6 passes for 28 yards.

Neither team turned the ball over.

Next up for the Miners is a trip to Hancock on Friday to face the 1-3 Bulldogs. The Flivvers return home to host 1-3 Calumet the same night.

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