Miners make a move
Negaunee rises to No. 4 in U.P. football rankings
Ishpeming’s Donovan Snyder, center, makes some moves to gain several yards early in the second half of a high school football game played against North Central at the Hematites’ field in Ishpeming on Sept. 4. (Photo courtesy of Cara Kamps)
Negaunee’s Evan DellAngelo catches a pass in the second quarter that he would run another 30 years to score a touchdown during a high school football game played against Marquette at William R. Hart Stadium in Marquette on Aug. 27. (Photo courtesy of Cara Kamps)
Ishpeming’s Dax Kakkuri, left, goes wide toward the sideline and reaches the end zone for a touchdown during a high school football game played against North Central at the Hematites’ field in Ishpeming on Friday, Sept. 4, 2026. (Photo courtesy Cara Kamps)
Ishpeming’s Donovan Snyder, center, makes some moves to gain several yards early in the second half of a high school football game played against North Central at the Hematites’ field in Ishpeming on Sept. 4. (Photo courtesy of Cara Kamps)
Negaunee’s Evan DellAngelo catches a pass in the second quarter that he would run another 30 years to score a touchdown during a high school football game played against Marquette at William R. Hart Stadium in Marquette on Aug. 27. (Photo courtesy of Cara Kamps)
Ishpeming’s Dax Kakkuri, left, goes wide toward the sideline and reaches the end zone for a touchdown during a high school football game played against North Central at the Hematites’ field in Ishpeming on Friday, Sept. 4, 2026. (Photo courtesy Cara Kamps)
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MARQUETTE -- There was only one change in the top-five voting this week for the best Upper Peninsula high school football teams by the U.P. Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association.
And it was good news for Negaunee.
The Miners moved up a spot in the 11-player voting, flip-flopping with Bark River-Harris to become the No. 4 team this week as the Broncos slipped back to No. 5.
Otherwise, all the other top-five teams remained in place, though another area squad -- L'Anse -- stopped receiving votes in the 11-player balloting.
Negaunee blanked Hancock 40-0 on Friday to prompt its reconsideration while improving to 3-2, while BR-H (4-1) took a 59-14 drubbing against Lower Peninsula powerhouse Pewamo-Westphalia the same day.
P-W is 5-0 and has outscored its opposition 231-29 this season with the Broncos the first team to break into double-digits scoring vs. the Pirates. P-W was also ranked No. 2 in the state Associated Press poll in Division 7 last week.
L'Anse (3-2) scored a 53-14 home win over Gwinn on Friday but couldn't draw the single vote it received the week before.
At the top of the 11-player rankings is Menominee (5-0), which returned to being a unanimous No. 1 after a 45-16 home victory over Houghton.
Kingsford (5-0) lost its first-place vote but is still unanimous at No. 2 after posting a 37-19 triumph over No. 3 Calumet (3-2).
In eight-player, the only area representative in the rankings is Ishpeming (4-1), which remained third after a 46-0 shutout on Friday of Bessemer/Gogebic.
Like the Maroons in 11-player, No. 1 Lake Linden-Hubbell (5-0) returned to being a unanimous selection at the top after a 44-27 home victory over North Central on Saturday.
No. 2 Pickford (5-0) lost its first-place vote but is still unanimous at No. 2 after a 46-14 beating of Newberry.
Norway (4-1) held onto No. 4, but just a single vote behind Ishpeming, after a 40-16 win over Ontonagon.
And St. Ignace (4-1) kept its No. 5 rating after winning a low-scoring -- for eight-player football -- 24-8 decision at Indian River Inland Lakes.
Additionally, Forest Park (4-1) remained on the "others receiving votes" list after a much more high-scoring 59-52 home victory over North Dickinson.
In Associated Press polls released last week, as this week's wasn't available at the time of this writing, Kingsford was No. 7 in Division 5, Calumet received votes in Division 6, Menominee No. 1 in Division 7, and BR-H No. 5 in Division 8.
In eight-player, Pickford was No. 2, Ishpeming tied for No. 8, Norway No. 10, and Forest Park and Rudyard were receiving votes in Division 1.
For Division 2, LL-H was No. 1, St. Ignace No. 9, North Dickinson No. 10 and North Central was receiving votes.
In games scheduled this week for area teams, at 7 p.m. EDT Friday are Negaunee at Westwood, Marquette at Alpena, Ontonagon at Ishpeming, Gwinn at Iron Mountain, L'Anse at BR-H, and Indian River Inland Lakes at Newberry.
On Saturday, Superior Central hosts Calumet Copper Island Academy at noon, while Munising is at Bessemer/Gogebic at 3:30 p.m. EDT.
Another game, West Iron County at Manistique, was canceled after the Wykons suspended their season last week.
Story contents based on an email received from the U.P. Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association. Journal Sports Editor Steve Brownlee's email address is sbrownlee@miningjournal.net.