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Charlevoix 0 7 6 0 - 13

Calumet 14 24 8 8 - 54

First quarter

CAL - Ben Steber 36 run (run failed), 10:32

CAL - Steber 1 run (Steber run), 7:07

Second quarter

CVX - Isaac Hosper 26 run (Casey Helstrom kick), 11:34

CAL - Steber 10 run (Nate Sturos run), 9:15

CAL - Leo Helminen 40 run (Steber run), 6:32

CAL - Sturos 4 run (Steber run), :26

Third quarter

CVX - Helstrom 41 run (pass failed), 3:50

CAL - Kyle Tikkanen 5 run (Helminen run), 2:13

Fourth quarter

CAL - Isaac Bjorn 1 run (Helminen run), 11:58

Statistics

Total offense - Charlevoix 385 (221 rush, 164 pass), Calumet 397 (365 rush, 32 pass); First downs - Charlevoix 15, Calumet 15; Rushing - CVX, Hosper 12-149, 1 TD; Helstrom 2-43, 1 TD; Clayton Mitchell 17-19, John Boss 2-18, JT Lawrence 2-(-8); CAL, Steber, 9-129, 3 TDs; Helminen 10-96 1 TD, Sturos 13-95, 1 TD, Tikkanen 4-27, Wyatt Behm 3-15; Passing - CVX, Mitchell 8-20-94-2 INTs, Helstrom 5-10-70; CAL, Sturos 3-8-32-1 INT; Receiving - CVX, Alex Foster 8-78, Lawrence 3-50, Coby Herriman 1-33, Hosper 1-3.

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CALUMET - For Calumet's option offense, every option was a good option Friday.

The Copper Kings racked up 365 rushing yards and scored all seven of their touchdowns on the ground in a 54-13 rout of Charlevoix in a Division 6 pre-district game at Agassiz Field.

"There was a lot of room. The line did a heck of a job blocking. They (Charlevoix) have some big linemen, but we just got the better end of the deal," Calumet running back Ben Steber said.

Steber had the Kings' first three scores, while Leo Helminen, Nate Sturos, Kyle Tikkanen and even all-U.P. Dream Team defensive lineman Isaac Bjorn had touchdown runs.

"It's nice being at home and the kids were ready to come out flying and flying, they did," Calumet coach John Croze said.

It was the first time the Copper Kings had hosted downstate opposition at Agassiz Field and they were unkind hosts right out of the gate. Calumet scored on its fifth play from scrimmage as Sturos took off down the left side and pitched to Steber downfield for a 36-yard touchdown just 1:28 in.

Charlevoix's first drive ended in a turnover on downs near midfield and after a series of body blows with the option game, Steber scored on a 1-yard 4:53 into the game.

"It all starts with the offensive line," Croze said. "They did one heck of a job, opening holes and picking up linebackers. The most impressive thing is how the guys on the end like Nels Anderson and Alex Loukus stuck with their blocks."

The quick early strikes forced Charlevoix to the air on an unseasonably warm evening, and it began to turn things around. After stopping Calumet for the first time late in the quarter, the Rayders put together a 9-play, 79-yard touchdown drive ending on a 26-yard run by fullback Isaac Hosper on the second play of the second quarter.

Calumet went 3-and-out on the next drive, and it looked like the Rayders had momentum until quarterback Clayton Mitchell was hit by Bjorn while throwing a second-down pass. The wobbling ball landed in the arms of Chris Coy, who returned it to the Rayder 10.

"Coy's interception, a couple fumbles, it gets some momentum going on the offensive side when we make big plays like that," Calumet's All-U.P. center and defensive lineman Kevin Lasanen said.

Steber cruised into the end zone on the next play and the rout was on.

"We weren't able to run the ball as we wanted because we were trying to get back into the game," Charlevoix coach Don Jess said.

The passing game was effective in stretches, accumulating 164 yards, but Charlevoix completed only 13 of 36 throws, with five passes batted down at the line.

After the Rayders barely failed on their third straight fourth-down conversion, Leo Helminen added a dazzling 40-yard touchdown run in which he broke two tackles, juked out a third defender and nearly tripped himself up at the 10-yard line before scoring.

Sturos added a fifth Calumet touchdown, from four yards out, with 26 seconds left to make it 38-7 Kings at halftime.

"Their kids wanted it more than ours tonight, and I give them all the credit," Jess said.

A 41-yard Casey Helstrom TD run midway through the third helped stave off the running clock until Bjorn rumbled in on the first play of the fourth quarter to end the scoring.

Bjorn's run was icing on the cake in a great defensive performance. In addition to triggering the key interception, Bjorn forced a fumble.

Steber finished with 129 yards despite sitting out most of the second half. Helminen added 96 yards on 10 carries and Sturos 95 yards on 13 carries.

For Charlevoix, Hosper had a team-best 149 yards on 12 carries.

Calumet will face the winner of Saturday's Boyne City-Iron Mountain game in the district final next weekend at Agassiz Field.

Brandon Veale can be reached at bveale@mininggazette.com.