The Lake Linden-Hubbell football team celebrates with the MHSAA (8-player) Division 2 Region 1 trophy Saturday at Ron Warner Athletic Field in Lake Linden after defeating the Powers-North Central Jets, 37-18. (Eddie O’Neill/Daily Mining Gazette)

LAKE LINDEN — When the Lake Linden-Hubbell Lakes ended the record-setting 41-game winning streak of the Powers-North Central Jets football team, 28-25, in September in Powers, it was a game to remember.

When the Lakes did it again on Saturday with a 37-18 victory, one could easily say that this will be a Lake Linden season to remember.

Not only did they eliminate the three-peat, 8-player state champions Saturday, but the Lakes (8-3) also won the MHSAA Region 1 trophy and are headed down south to face the Marion Eagles (10-0) in the state semifinals on Saturday.

According to Lakes coach Brett Gervais, this is the first time a Lake Linden football team (11 or 8-player) has made it to a state semifinals since 1997.

“I am so proud of these guys,” he said. “To see them step up and make the plays, and to move this program forward, is just awesome. North Central has been the premier team in our region, and for us to overcome them hasn’t been easy. It has taken a lot of hard work from these guys.”

While coach Gervais knows the backstory on all the hard work that went into Saturday’s win, the Lakes made it look easy for the fans in the stands at Ron Warner Athletic Field as they jumped out to a 12-0 lead in the first quarter. This lead included a 37-yard picture-perfect pass play from quarterback Danny Marcotte to Mason Holzberg with the less than four minutes to go in the quarter.

A Jets fumble, which opened the second quarter, resulted in another six points for the Lakes. This time Marcotte hit wide receiver Matthew Jokela for a 53-yard pass at around the 10-minute mark. It was now an 18-0 Lakes lead.

The Jets did finally get on the board with less than two minutes to go in the half. Kaden Malone found daylight and dashed in six points.

However, any momentum that was gained by North Central with that first touchdown was quickly squelched by Jokela. He took the Jets ensuing kickoff all the way across the gridiron for a 75-yard return and another six points. The Lakes capped this TD off with a two-point conversion and took a well-earned 26-6 lead into the locker room.

“While were up by 20 (at half), I told my guys that this one was far from over in the locker room,” Gervais said. “I said, ‘You guys have stirred up a hornet’s nest with a team like North Central. We cannot take our foot off the gas. They are going to come out fighting.’ In many (ways) they did, but our guys held their footing.”

Jets coach Leo Gorzinski had a similar message at halftime for his troops.

“I told them that that half is over,” he said. “We cannot go back. Let’s come out and battle, and win some respect on the football field.”

The Jets did score first on a 58-yard pass play from their quarterback Lane Gorzinski. But as was the case in the first half, the Lakes countered with another six of their own. Marcotte again connected with Jokela for his third touchdown of the day on a 14-yard pass. The two-point conversion was good.

Marcotte was 4-of-5 in passing, which included three touchdowns. He had another 94 yards running, including a touchdown, of his own.

The Lakes led 34-12 with a quarter to go.

While the Jets outscored the Lakes 6-3 in the fourth, it was far from enough to come all the way back.

“Hats off to Lake Linden. They are a quality football team,” said Gorzinski. “We made too many mistakes, and they earned this one.”