Copper Kings race to big victory
By Brandon Veale, DMG Sports EditorArticle Photos
Fact Box
L'Anse0 6 015 - 21
Calumet34 13 200 - 67
First quarter
CAL - Dylan Lund, 5 run (kick failed), 8:36
CAL - Ben Steber, 20 catch from Nathan Sturos (Jasper Boernsen kick), 8:23
CAL - Brad Anderson, 5 run (Boernsen kick), 5:28
CAL - Lund, 6 run (Boernsen kick), 3:38
CAL - Sturos, 21 run (Boernsen kick), 1:30
Second quarter
CAL - Anderson, 14 run (Boernsen kick), 10:53
CAL - Kyle Tikkanen, 2 run (kick failed), 4:40
LAN - Dan Perrault, 9 run (pass failed), 1:33
Third quarter
CAL - Anderson, 12 run (Boernsen kick), 9:45
CAL - Peter Helminen, 37 interception return (Boernsen kick), 6:15
CAL - Tikkanen, 24 run (kick failed), 1:30
Fourth quarter
LAN - Perrault, 8 run (Charlie Johnson kick), 8:46
LAN - Tony Vassallo, 1 run (Vassalo-Tom Wiideman conversion pass), :34
Statistics
Total offense - L'Anse 247 (135 rush, 112 pass); Calumet 422 (386 rush, 36 pass). First downs - L'Anse 12, Calumet 17. Passing - L'Anse, Jared Spencer, 7-for-21, 101 yds., 2 INTs; Calumet, Sturos, 3-for-3, 36 yds, 1 TD; Rushing - L'Anse, Perrault, 21-94. Calumet, Anderson 8-119, Lund 9-106, Tikkanen 9-91. Receiving - L'Anse, Alex Tarvainen 5-55, Dennis Anderson, 3-56; Calumet, Matthew Rastello 1-20, James Parisot 1-10, James Loukus 1-6.
CALUMET - A group of Calumet seniors decided to celebrate their final game at Agassiz Field by eating a few blades of grass.
After chewing up yardage all night, it seemed natural that they literally chewed up the yard.
The Copper Kings exploded out of the starting gate, scoring five first-quarter touchdowns in a 67-21 WestPAC conference rout.
After a penalty-filled home defeat to West Iron County last week, the Copper Kings (5-2, 4-1 WestPAC) went back to the drawing board and came back with what coach John Croze called their best performance of the year.
"We had a lot of pent-up feelings from our week of practice. I think a lot of things were bursting out of us and it just came out like a waterfall," Calumet coach John Croze said.
The Copper Kings swept down the field nearly unopposed on the game's first drive - a 10-play, 69-yard effort ending in a 5-yard score by Dylan Lund 3:24 into the game.
After Jasper Boernsen kicked off through the end zone, the Purple Hornets (3-4, 2-3 WestPAC) fumbled on the first play from scrimmage. Calumet responded immediately, as Nathan Sturos hit Ben Steber with a deep pass in the back of the end zone on the only play of the drive.
L'Anse went three-and-out, and on the first play of Calumet's drive Lund rambled 58 yards to the L'Anse 16. Brad Anderson punched it in for his first of three TDs four plays later.
After another three-and-out, a long punt return set up a 6-yard Lund TD run, and an Alex Loukus interception put the Copper Kings in position for a 21-yard quarterback keeper, converted by Sturos.
"We got down and it just kind of snowballed on us," L'Anse coach Mark Leaf said.
The Copper Kings dominated the line of scrimmage, with the offensive line paving the way for 386 rushing yards. Anderson had a game-high 119 on eight carries, while Lund had 106 and Kyle Tikkanen 91.
"They work really well together," Croze said of the linemen. "They've been doing a great job all year long and keep getting better every week."
On the other side of the ball, the Purple Hornets couldn't get running back Dan Perrault or their passing attack going until it was too late.
Perrault finished with 94 yards on 21 carries, but had only 51 yards on 14 tries in the first half. Jared Spencer was 7-for-21 for 101 yards and was intercepted twice, with one returned for a touchdown by Peter Helminen.
The Copper Kings travel to Ironwood Friday in search of their all-important sixth win. The Purple Hornets, now forced to the fringes of playoff contention, must win their last two games Friday at Stephenson and at home in Week 9 against Rapid River, to have a chance.
Brandon Veale can be reached at bveale@mininggazette.com
