Negaunee’s David Juchemich returns an interception with Hancock’s quarterback Ben Keranen angling for a tackle during a game Friday at McAfee Field in Hancock. (Kent Kraft/For the Gazette)

HANCOCK — McAfee Field hosted a large contingent of Negaunee cheerleaders, students, family, and fans who were treated to a strong performance from the Miners football team as they soundly defeated the Hancock Bulldogs, 44-0.

As play began, the Bulldogs took the field for their only kickoff of the night which the Miners returned to their 37-yard line. Miners’ quarterback Owen Cardinal ran for nine yards on the first offensive play of the game. He then handed off to running back Broc Bonovetz for a short gain, then completed a pass to wide receiver Evan DellAngelo for a gain of more than twenty yards. Bonovetz then ripped off a run for a double-digit gain.

Running back Vince Tincknell got in on the action with a seven-yard run, taking the ball to the Hancock 10-yard line. On the next play, Tincknell ran in for a touchdown. Bonovetz subsequently ran the ball in to make the two-point conversion good, and the Miners were quickly up 8-0.

The Bulldogs had a short return on the ensuing kickoff and started at their own 27. Runs by Trent Pietila and Ben Keranen only made it back to the line of scrimmage. Keranen connected with Crew Caserio for a 2-yard pass, but fourth down and eight was looming over the Bulldogs. They punted the ball to the waiting DellAngelo.

Fielding the punt at his own 36-yard line, Dell Angelo reversed across the field and ran for a thirty-two-yard return. Hancock was called for their only penalty of the game during this return, a facemask, taking the ball another fifteen yards further. The Miners started their drive on the Bulldogs’ 17-yard line.

Mason Swenor ran for a five-yard gain to start the Miners’ drive. Bonovetz could only make it back to the line of scrimmage on his run, and the Miners had their first penalty of the game with a false start on the next play. DellAngelo then had a seventeen-yard run straight into the end zone.

The play was called back on a holding penalty, negating the touchdown. Handing off to DellAngelo once more, he almost broke free again, but was stopped after eighteen yards, bringing up a fourth-and-two for the Miners. They called a timeout to plan the next play.

Bonovetz broke through the Bulldogs defense, all the way to the end zone with a nine-yard run. He also converted the two-point play, bringing the lead to 16-0.

After a short return on the kickoff, the Bulldogs started on their own 21-yard line. Keranen started the drive with a five-yard pass to Redik Randell. Crew Caserio carried the ball for no gain, but then Keranen had a 6-yard run to pick up a first down.

On the next play, Keranen was sacked by the Miners’ Braylon Hakkarainen. Pietila ran for two yards on second down, but third down saw Keranen brought down in the backfield once again. Houghton was forced to punt once more with DellAngelo waiting for the Miners.

This time, DellAngelo made it past all the Bulldogs and returned the punt for 35 yards and a touchdown. A two-point conversion by Swenor saw the score balloon to 24-0.

A short return from Randell on the kickoff ensued, and Hancock started from their own 28-yard line. Keranen ran for about three yards, and Caserio advanced the ball another yard on second down. The two paired up on third down, Keranen passing to Caserio, for a long thirty-three-yard gain.

The Bulldogs started going backwards five yards over the next two plays with staunch defensive tackles from the Miners. Keranen passed the ball to Pietila for a short 4-yard gain on third down, not enough to convert on its own, but a personal foul against the Miners changed it all.

Now on their opponents’ 22-yard line, the Bulldogs tried their running game again. No gain on their first play, and then a fumble from Randell on the second. The Miners recovered the ball on their own 12.

The Bulldogs’ defense stepped up this time, stopping Swenor at the line on first down. Second down saw Cardinal throw to DellAngelo, but the ball fell incomplete. DellAngelo was tackled for a loss on third down, and the Miners were forced to punt the ball deep in their own end zone.

Caserio had a double digit return on the punt for the Bulldogs, giving them their best starting position of the game on the Miners’ 40-yard line. Taking the ball again on first down, Caserio had a 3-yard gain. Pietila was stuffed at the line on second down, and Keranen threw up a pass on third down.

Back on defense for the Miners, David Juchemich grabbed Keranen’s pass out of the air for an interception, and ran the ball down to the Bulldogs’ 19-yard line before being tackled by Keranen, atoning for his turnover.

On the very next play, Cardinal threw the ball to DellAngelo for a touchdown. Once again, the play was reversed by a Miner penalty, holding this time. When play resumed, Cardinal kept the ball and ran for nineteen yards. Bonovetz then had a 5-yard gain before Cardinal kept the ball again, running the ball seven yards for a touchdown.

The Bulldogs made it into the backfield and sacked Cardinal on the two-point attempt, so the score went to 30-0.

With no return on the kickoff, the Bulldogs started their next drive at their own 30-yard line. Keranen tried a run, but lost the football, fumbling on the first play of the drive. The Miners’ Derek McEachern dove onto the ball, recovering the fumble for Negaunee.

Swenor put on a one-man show, running for fourteen yards, then five yards, before giving Waylon Harvala the chance to run on the next play. Back to Swenor, he ran the ball in for an 11-yard touchdown and the two-point conversion, giving his team a 38-0 lead.

Caserio had a 13-yard return on the kickoff, and the Bulldogs put together a few good offensive plays including a pass from Keranen for thirteen yards. They made it to midfield, but time ran out in the half before they could make any more progress.

In their first drive of the second half, the Bulldogs could not recapture that momentum despite an early 7-yard pass from Keranen to Forest LaCourt. They had a three-and-out, and punted to Negaunee.

DellAngelo was waiting for the punt, but the Bulldogs had him covered this time and tackled him for a 1-yard loss. Starting from their own 24, the Miners put together a long drive of ten runs, all for a positive gain including a 28-yard run from Swenor and an 8-yard touchdown run from Tincknell. Cardinal’s pass was incomplete on the two-point attempt, so the Miners lead was 44-0.

With a short return on the kickoff, the Bulldogs started their penultimate drive on their own 31-yard line. Pietila was tackled in the backfield for a short loss on his first down run. Keranen threw a pass up to Caserio that fell incomplete, but the Miners were called for a personal foul, driving the ball down fifteen yards for a Bulldog first down.

Keranen tried another pass to Caserio, again incomplete. Again, the Miners were called for a penalty, this time pass interference, which led to another Bulldog first down. Randell was stuffed at the line on the final play of the third quarter.

As the final quarter got underway, the Bulldogs had another chance at scoring. Caserio ran the ball for twelve yards. Randell ran the ball next, and the Miners were flagged for a facemask penalty, driving the ball still further down field.

An incomplete pass from Keranen was followed by an offside penalty against the Miners. On the next play, Keranen connected with LaCourt for an 8-yard gain, deep into the Miners territory, before he fumbled the ball and the Miners recovered on their own 7-yard line.

The Miners could never get a drive going on their possession and were plagued with still more penalties including a false start and two illegal motions. On fourth down and 12, they punted the ball.

The Bulldogs had good field position, starting the drive on the Miners’ 45-yard line, but had made no gain after three downs. On fourth-and-10, Cole Prusi on the Miners’ defense sacked Keranen, leading to a turnover on downs.

Negaunee had yet another penalty, a false start, before stalling out on their drive. Their inability to convert on a fourth down and nine was of no real consequence as it was the last play of the game. The scoreboard displayed their dominant 44-0 victory.

Up next

The Bulldogs will seek their first win on the road against the Kingsford Flivvers, and the Negaunee Miners return home to face the visiting Westwood Patriots with both games on Friday, Oct. 3.