Negaunee’s Kai Lacar, center, looks for an opening in the middle of a pack of Ishpeming defenders during their high school football game played at Miners Field in Negaunee on Aug. 24. (Photo courtesy Cara Kamps)

UPSSA Football Polls

(1st-place votes in parentheses)

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11-player W-L Pts Pvs

1. Iron Mountain (6) 5-0 30 1

2. Menominee 5-0 24 2

3. Kingsford 4-1 15 3

4. Negaunee 4-1 12 4

5. Gladstone 4-1 9 —

Others receiving votes: None

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8-player W-L Pts Pvs

1. Pickford (3) 5-0 22 2

2. Norway (1) 4-1 17 5

3. St. Ignace (1) 5-0 16 3

4. North Central (1) 4-1 13 1

5. Lk. Linden-Hubbell 3-2 11 —

Others receiving votes: Rudyard (3-2) 6, Cedarville-DeTour (4-1) 3, Newberry (4-1) 2

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MARQUETTE — While things remained relatively quiet in the 11-player poll, one big upset turned everything on its head in eight-player high school football rankings compiled weekly during the season by the Upper Peninsula Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association.

The only change in the 11-player listing announced today was in the last position, as Gladstone, previously not garnering enough votes to break into the top five, moved into the fifth position.

The Braves, who dropped Westwood 49-8 on Friday, replaced Sault Ste. Marie, which lost 28-7 at Marquette that same day.

Negaunee remained fourth, though with more votes, after the Miners improved to 4-1 with a 49-10 win over Hancock.

Eight-player was the place to be to see fireworks, however.

It all started with Lake Linden-Hubbell’s 28-25 victory at North Central.

The Jets, who had been the U.P.’s and state’s No. 1 team, are two-time MHSAA Division 2 state champions and reportedly hadn’t lost a game since 2019.

That’s all over now. The Lakes not only moved into the rankings in fifth place with a 3-2 record, but there was no consensus for the top team either.

Previous No. 2 Pickford took over the top spot and received three of the six first-place votes.

Then the next three teams, including NC in fourth, each received a first-place choice.

Norway, which downed Bessemer 44-6 on Friday, made the biggest move, up from fifth to second. St. Ignace actually held steady at No. 3 after a 67-0 shellacking of Rogers City.

And Rudyard (3-2), Cedarville-DeTour (4-1) and Newberry (4-1) also received votes. Oddly enough, Rudyard lost, but it was to downstate power Marion 42-8 on Saturday. It actually the first time this season that Marion didn’t post a shutout while scoring in the 60s.

On Friday, Cedarville took a narrow 26-18 win over Brimley, while Newberry blanked Superior Central 48-0.

In state Associated Press rankings also released today, Negaunee resides third in Division 6, only behind a pair of undefeated squads — No. 1 Warren Michigan Collegiate, which also earned all five first-place votes, and No. 2 Almont.

Gladstone is right behind the Miners in fourth.

In Division 7, Menominee is tied for third behind unanimous No. 1 Jackson Lumen Christi and No. 2 North Muskegon.

And in Division 8, Iron Mountain is only eighth as the entire top 10 is undefeated.

In eight-player AP polls, Pickford is No. 2, St. Ignace No. 3 and Norway tied for No. 10 in Division 1, while NC is No. 5, Forest Park No. 9 and LL-H No. 11 in Division 2. The Lakes are one vote shy of the top 10.

Steve Brownlee can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 552. His email address is sbrownlee@miningjournal.net.