The Lakes’ Mason Holzberg shows some emotion after stopping a Gladiators running back from gaining any yardage during a game Saturday at Warner Athletic Field. (Eddie O’Neill/Daily Mining Gazette)

LAKE LINDEN — The Lake Linden-Hubbell Lakes closed out their regular season with a convincing 50-26 win over the Ontonagon Gladiators in eight-person football Saturday at Warner Field. The matchup was very much a tale of two offenses.

On the one side were the Lakes (6-3), and they chose to run the ball to the tune of 435 rushing yards out of their 503 total yards.

Their opponents from Ontonagon (4-5) took to the air to the tune of 378 passing yards out of 400 total yards. It was a stark contrast with the ground attack ultimately winning the battle with ease.

“We were able to find their holes and run the ball well once we got going,” said Lakes coach Brett Gervais.

After trading possessions for most of the first quarter, the Lakes were finally able to get on the scoreboard with a Matthew Jokela run for nine yards and a touchdown with just less than three minutes to go.

In the second, the Gladiators would score twice and take a 14-6 lead with pass plays in the end zone from sophomore quarterback Austin Gordon to Easton LaGault and Bryce Buzzo.

Buzzo would lead the Gladiators with 13 receptions and an impressive 258 yards. LaGault followed with 58 total receiving yards.

“Our passing game has been strong all year,” said Gladiators coach Tyler Thomas. “We have a really good quarterback in Austin (Gordon). He sees the field well and we have some good athletes who can catch the ball.”

He added that poor defense lost the game for them on Saturday.

“We missed tackles and really lacked aggression on defense,” he said.

That was evident in Ontonagon’s short-lived lead. The Lakes dominated the rest of the second quarter with three touchdowns of their own.

First it was quarterback Danny Marcotte who dashed and dodged his way to a 70-yard end-zone score at the 5:50 mark.

Then James Milkey did even better with a 94-yard punt return touchdown and with one second on the clock Marcotte connected with Gabe Popko for a 9-yard pass to make it a 26-14 Lakes lead at half.

Lake Linden kept the offensive momentum going in the third and fourth, scoring three more times.

In the third, Marcotte hit Popko for a second touchdown pass. As well Marcotte snuck in for a 1-yard score for his second score of the day with less than 30 seconds remaining in the third.

The Lakes were 4-3 in two-point conversions. Neither team attempted a field goal or extra-point kick attempt.

At the start of the fourth, it was a 42-20 Lakes lead and while Ontonagon scored in the third and the fourth, it was a little too late.

With the loss, the Gladiators’ season comes to an end.

While there is always room for improvement, Thomas said he was pleased with the performance of his five seniors this season.

“They grew a lot from when we first began and gave it their all today,” he said. “I am very proud of them.”

On the other side of the field, the Lakes are looking forward to seeing if they will have another week of play when postseason selections are announced.