Houghton’s Kyle Primeau carries the ball up field during a game Thursday as Kingsford’s Gage Gendron (32) is held back by several Gremlins at Alumni Field in Houghton. (Eddie O’Neill/Daily Mining Gazette)

HOUGHTON — The Houghton Gremlins struggled to put a complete game together against the Kingsford Flivvers in their home opener on Thursday, and it led to a 34-0 shutout. For the Gremlins, it was their second loss of the season in as many games (0-2), and it was the second win for Kingsford (2-0).

The Gremlins were defeated in their first game of the season a week ago 56-6 by Iron Mountain. Add to that a 34-0 loss and the Gremlins have been outscored 90-6 over the course of two games.

Not to worry, however, according to Gremlins’ head coach Tim Driscoll. In short, the boys from Houghton are a work of progress, and they made a lot of progress from Week One to Two.

“It was a frustrating loss, but a lot of good things occurred on the field tonight,” he said. “I thought our defense made the most improvements from our Iron Mountain game. There were some real bright spots in our defense.

“Offensively we forced them into man coverage but that is where we need to beat them, and we did not do well in that.”

After a 50-plus-yard kickoff return by Kingsford to open the game, the Flivvers quarterback Nic Novara hit wide receiver Cardel Morton in the end zone for an 18-yard touchdown pass with just under two minutes in the first quarter. The extra point was good.

They added another six to that at the start of the second. This time it was Elizin Rouse who ran it in for six points, making it a 13-0 game.

Five minutes later, after a failed fourth down attempt by the Gremlins, they were forced to punt. The Flivvers’ Jack Kriegel received the punt around mid-field and juked left and dodged right and made his way into the endzone for six.

That seemingly knocked the wind out of the sails of the Gremlins as they were stuck on the field in defensive mode too long. Kingsford was winning the war of attrition.

Another pass play by Novara to wide receiver Michael Floriano at the 3:40 mark in the second made it 27-0, and that is how it stood heading into the locker rooms.

“I told the guys at half time that we needed to run some screens and pass plays to get on the scoreboard,” added Driscoll. “However, we did not execute.”

Meanwhile the Flivvers added another seven in the third and kept the Gremlins out of the endzone. Over the course of two games and eight quarters of football this season, Kingsford has not allowed a touchdown.

“I am proud of that fact,” said Flivvers coach Mark Novara. “That is a good and improved Houghton team, and we were able to shut them down. However, we made too many mistakes, and we have to clean that up if we want to win bigger games moving forward this season.”

UP NEXT

The Gremlins will travel to McAfee Field to face the Hancock Bulldogs on Friday, Sept. 8, at 7 p.m.