The Houghton Gremlins Eli Heathman (58) and Rueben Mensah (75) are all smiles as they pose with the Copper Bowl along with their teammates on Friday at McAfee Field in Hancock.

HANCOCK- The Copper Bowl is staying at Houghton High School for the fourth year in a row. On Friday, the Gremlins kept the Bulldogs in the doghouse with a 43-8 win in this 71-year historic rivalry.

“I am so proud of these kids,” said Houghton coach Tim Driscoll.

These guys gave it their all to win a rivalry game in a definitive manner. They prepared well and worked hard all week, and it paid off.”

The Gremlins (4-5) scored early and often posting a 22-0 lead after the first quarter.

Houghton’s Jay Halonen put the Gremlins on the scoreboard first with a scamper into the endzone. The two-point conversion was good and it was 8-0 at around the 6:30 mark.

Brayden Goudge followed suit with another six points for the Gremlins less than two minutes later. Add two-points and the score now was 16-0.

Nathan Erva top off the Gremlins’ first with a six-point run, and the Bulldogs (1-8) were now in a 22-0 hole after one.

“I was disappointed,” noted Hancock coach Jeff Hauswirth. I was hoping that we would have done better while at home and in front of a lot of alumni and friends. We laid an egg.”

The second quarter was much the same with the Gremlins scoring 14 and shutting the Bulldogs out.

Houghton’s two touchdowns in the second came courtesy of Halonen and Tim Brown. Both found daylight for big runs into the endzones.

The Gremlins led 36-0 at half.

“The game ball goes to the seniors,” added Driscoll. “They and our line drove the ball well and made very few mistakes.”

The Gremlins added salt to the wound with an unanswered seven points in the third. It came by way of a 55-yard pass play to Jace DeForge with less the four minutes to go in the quarter.

However, the Bulldogs avoided the shutout with eight points of their own in the fourth. With less than three minutes to go in the game, Hancock’s Cody Turner ran in for six and a two-point conversion made this one 43-8 final.

“Our struggle this season has been consistency and numbers,” added Hauswirth. “We lack the players to do things right. However, I am grateful for the kids who stuck this season out. They worked hard and showed up every Monday despite some tough losses on Friday. I certainly learned a lot and am eager to see what next year brings.”

Friday’s Copper Bowl concluded the regular season for both Houghton and Hancock’s football teams.