Taking a tumble
Hematites fall out of U.P. football top 5 with loss
Ishpeming’s Kian Gauthier, center with ball, finds a hole for yardage before he gets tackled by North Central’s Pryar LaBonte, front left, during their high school football game played at the Hematites’ field in Ishpeming on Sept. 4. (Photo courtesy of Cara Kamps)
Negaunee’s Evan DellAngelo, left, catches a pass in the end zone for a touchdown while defended by Marquette’s William Bradley during their high school football game played at William R. Hart Stadium in Marquette on Aug. 27. (Photo courtesy of Cara Kamps)
Negaunee’s Evan DellAngelo, right, catches this pass in the first quarter from quarterback Kyle Waterman on the run and sprints another 30 yards to the end zone for the first touchdown while chased by Marquette’s Brody Clements, left, during their high school football game played at William R. Hart Stadium in Marquette on Thursday, Aug. 27, 2026. (Photo courtesy Cara Kamps)
Ishpeming’s Kian Gauthier, center with ball, finds a hole for yardage before he gets tackled by North Central’s Pryar LaBonte, front left, during their high school football game played at the Hematites’ field in Ishpeming on Sept. 4. (Photo courtesy of Cara Kamps)
Negaunee’s Evan DellAngelo, left, catches a pass in the end zone for a touchdown while defended by Marquette’s William Bradley during their high school football game played at William R. Hart Stadium in Marquette on Aug. 27. (Photo courtesy of Cara Kamps)
Negaunee’s Evan DellAngelo, right, catches this pass in the first quarter from quarterback Kyle Waterman on the run and sprints another 30 yards to the end zone for the first touchdown while chased by Marquette’s Brody Clements, left, during their high school football game played at William R. Hart Stadium in Marquette on Thursday, Aug. 27, 2026. (Photo courtesy Cara Kamps)
Trending
MARQUETTE -- While there was only the tiniest of movement in the 11-player rankings, there were some monumental changes following the first two teams in eight-player in the weekly Upper Peninsula high school football polls.
Released Tuesday by the U.P. Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association, Ishpeming took the brunt of the churning going on in eight-player ratings.
After losing 26-22 on Friday to rather lightly regarded Ontonagon, which entered the game with a 1-4 record, the Hematites slipped to 4-2 and fell not only out of the No. 3 position, but right out of the top five, though they're still receiving two votes.
The top two teams remained unanimous. Lake Linden-Hubbell (6-0) is No. 1 after dispatching Rapid River 58-16, while Pickford (5-1) No. 2 despite falling to Lower Peninsula powerhouse Portland St. Patrick 28-18.
Pickford gave St. Patrick (6-0) easily its toughest game this season with the downstate team's next closest result a 49-14 beating of Breckenridge.
No. 3 Forest Park (5-1) in effect switched positions with Ishpeming as the Trojans were an "others receiving votes" team last week before dispatching former No. 4 Norway 34-26.
No. 4 St. Ignace (5-1) jumped up a spot from No. 5 with a 68-0 pounding of downstate Bellaire, while Norway (4-2) fell a spot to No. 5.
In 11-player, Negaunee (4-2) dropped Westwood 36-14, also on Friday, but lost a bit of ground, falling from fourth place alone into a tie for fourth with Bark River-Harris (5-1), which took down L'Anse 46-18.
Menominee (6-0) continues its reign as unanimous No. 1 following a 43-6 wringing out of Gladstone, while Kingsford (6-0) is just as unanimous at No. 2 with a 35-6 knockout of Hancock.
Calumet (4-2) continued at No. 3 with a 34-13 melting down of Houghton.
Looking at The Associated Press' statewide polls in 11-player from last week, as this week's weren't available by this story's writing, Menominee continued as No. 1 in Division 7 with just one more overall voting point and one more first-place vote than Pewamo-Westphalia, which was also 5-0 at the time.
Kingsford was the largest school ranked, No. 6 in Division 5, while BR-H tied for 10th in Division 8.
In eight-player, Pickford was No. 2 in Division 1 behind unanimous top team Blanchard Montabella, which was 4-1.
Ishpeming was No. 5, Norway No. 9, and Forest Park and Rudyard each were receiving votes in D-1.
For Division 2, LL-H was No. 2, just one first-place vote and three total voting points behind No. 1 Mendon (5-0).
St. Ignace was No. 9 and North Dickinson in the receiving votes category. Portland St. Patrick was also No. 6 in Division 2.
In games this week involving area teams, every one of them starting at 7 p.m. EDT Friday, Superior Central is at Munising, Manistique at Gwinn, Menominee at Negaunee, Gaylord at Marquette, Westwood at Kingsford, Ishpeming at Ironwood, Cedarville at Newberry and L'Anse at Iron Mountain.
Story contents based on email received from the U.P. Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association. Journal Sports Editor Steve Brownlee's email address is sbrownlee@miningjournal.net.