Calumet's Trent Anderson runs through a gap during the first quarter of a game against Houghton Friday at Agassiz Field in Calumet. (Kent Kraft/For the Gazette)

CALUMET — Agassiz Field hosted Calumet High School’s Homecoming game Friday night where the Copper Kings dominated the visiting Houghton Gremlins, 46-0.

Receiving the opening kickoff, the Copper Kings set the tone of the game. Trent Anderson, Copper Kings running back, only had a one-yard gain on the first play, but then ran for 15 and 12-yard gains. The Gremlins stopped Anderson after a 2-yard run, then took a timeout, and afalse start on the next play, slowing Calumet down momentarily.

Responding to the setback, Tyler Halonen, Copper Kings quarterback, kept the ball and ran for a 43-yard touchdown.

Throughout the game, if the Copper Kings had something go against them, they responded on the next few plays to push momentum back in their favor.

Down 7-0, the Gremlins had a short run from Brayden Goudge, a false start penalty, another short run from Goudge, and a short run from their quarterback Brody Donnelly before a penalty had the Gremlins looking at a fourth and 14.

Unlike the Copper Kings ability to rebound, the Gremlins were unable to overcome setbacks throughout the game, and usually had penalties or busted plays immediately after positive gains. This punt on their first possession was the start of a trend for their offense.

Ben Anderson had a double digit return on the punt for the Copper Kings, taking the ball to the Gremlins’ 49-yard-line to start the Copper Kings drive.

Anderson ripped off a 7-yard run, then Halonen had 15 and 14-yard runs.

The Gremlins called another time out and managed to stop Halonen at the line on the next play, putting the Copper Kings at fourth-and-three. Choosing to go for it, Halonen had a 4-yard run and a first down at the Gremlins 5-yard-line. He then ran the ball in for a touchdown on the next play, giving the Copper Kings a 14-0 lead.

Anderson kicked the ball off for the Copper Kings and it hooked toward the sideline. Goudge, back to field the ball for the Gremlins, watched the ball roll and take a favorable bounce for the Copper Kings, looking like it would stay in bounds as it trundled past the 10-yard-line.

Putting one foot on the out of bounds line, Goudge picked up the ball at the Gremlins 5-yard-line, thinking that would trigger a penalty. The ball never went out of bounds, however, meaning the Gremlins started their drive deep in their own territory.

A short run was followed by a false start penalty and another short run before Goudge managed to break an 8-yard run that would’ve given the Gremlins a first down. Instead, a holding penalty brought them back. Goudge passed the ball to Joel Durocher who managed 5 yards on the play, but the Gremlins were now facing fourth-and-four deep in their own territory.

Another great return from Ben Anderson had the Copper Kings starting at the Gremlins’ 33-yard-line to start the second quarter. It only took one play for the Copper Kings to find the end zone again as Halonen connected with Oskar Loukus on a 33-yard touchdown pass.

After missing the extra point, the Copper Kings looked to defend their 20-0 lead. The Gremlins started from their own 21-yard-line and Goudge broke free for an 11-yard run, but two runs for losses ended momentum.

Halonen ran the ball for 23 yards, then Trent Anderson ran for eight yards and a personal foul on the Gremlins added another fifteen yards. Anderson and Halonen traded off running duties and capped off the long drive with a two-yard touchdown run from Anderson.

On Ben Anderson’s kickoff, Durocher was back to return for the Gremlins, but the ball sailed past him. Running back to grab the ball, Durocher was subsequently brought down by the Copper Kings at the Gremlins’ 4-yard-line.

Goudge fumbled the snap on their first play, but managed to pick up the ball and run for five yards. He was tackled for a seven-yard-loss on the next play, and a fumbled snap on third down gave the offense no chance to convert. A delay of game penalty on fourth down pushed Goudge even further into their end zone for the subsequent punt.

The Copper Kings, starting on the Gremlins’ 34-yard-line, relied on Halonen and Trent Anderson to run the ball several times before Halonen threw a 16-yard pass to Erik Loukus. A holding penalty negated the touchdown and the Gremlins defense stepped up to stop Halonen and Anderson on their next two runs, bringing up a fourth-and-17 for the Copper Kings.

They still decided to go for it and Halonen tossed up a pass into the end zone, again for Loukus, but the pass fell incomplete. Instead of a turnover on downs, however, a roughing the passer penalty was called against the Gremlins, gifting the Copper Kings a first down.

While the Gremlins again stepped up their run defense, an 8-yard pass from Halonen to Ben Anderson resulted in another touchdown for the Copper Kings, now up 34-0.

Little time remained in the first half, but the Gremlins had their best field position after a decent return from Goudge saw them starting at their own 36-yard-line. A 10-yard pass from Donnelly to Sam Roth was a promising start to the drive.

There was an illegal substitution penalty on the next play, and a bungled toss from Halonen to Goudge saw the first turnover of the game as the Copper Kings Joe Halonen recovered the ball on the Gremlins’ 32-yard-line.

Under a minute remained, but the Copper Kings wanted another score. The first pass attempt by Halonen as he scrambled towards the sideline went incomplete. Then, as time ran out, Halonen connected on a 32-yard touchdown pass to Erik Loukus.

Going into halftime, the Copper Kings led 40-0.

The Gremlins received the ball to start the second half, but little had changed for their luck. Donnelly dove on a fumbled snap, had a 2-yard run and then an 8-yard loss before they punted the ball.

Oskar Loukus had a nearly 40-yard return for the Copper Kings who started at the Gremlins’ 28-yard-line. Trent Anderson had a 12-yard run, and then Sawyer Berg capped off three-play drive with a 16-yard touchdown run. The Copper Kings now led 46-0.

From there, the Gremlins continued to push, but the Copper Kings’ defense held steady to close out the shutout win.

Up next

The Copper Kings, now 4-2 on the season, will host the Hancock Bulldogs next, while the Gremlins, 2-4, continue a road trip, visiting the Gladstone Braves with both games on Friday, Oct. 10.