By Journal Sports Staff

MANISTIQUE — Points after touchdowns made the difference as Negaunee survived a 24-22 scare by Manistique in a high school football game played Friday night.

Nash Hillier scored two points after all three of the Miners’ touchdowns, while the Emeralds were just as perfect on theirs but two fewer points out of a Lucas Gould 2-point pass catch and a pair of Jude Way 1-point kicks.

Manistique jumped out to a 15-0 early in the second quarter after Emeralds quarterback Schyler Andersen romped for a first-quarter TD of 51 yards out and second-quarter score of 1 yard.

Negaunee got back in the game later in the second period with QB Jason Waterman having a hand in both TDs.

Waterman ran into the end zone from 7 yards out, then threw a 25-yard scoring spiral to Tanner Cain. With both of Hillier’s 2-point runs, the Miners led 16-15 at halftime.

Negaunee built the bulge to 24-15 in the third when Lucas Nelson ran for a 3-yard TD, then Manistique answered in the fourth with Andersen scored from 2 yards out and Way added his second PAT kick.

Andersen led all rushers with 124 yards on 31 carries, though Nelson was right with him, earning 123 yards in just 13 rushes.

Andersen also threw for 113 yards, completing 5 of 7 passes, while Waterman was 2 of 3 for 32 yards as neither QB threw an interception.

As teams, Negaunee held a narrow 261-258 edge in total yards, outgaining the Emeralds 229-145 on the ground.

On Friday, Negaunee hosts Ishpeming and Manistique plays at Westwood.

Information compiled by Journal Sports Editor Steve Brownlee. His email address is sbrownlee@miningjournal.net.