Kings Lose Heartbreaker to Miners – Saturday Sports Wrap

High School

Calumet’s football season ended with a narrow 20-19 loss to Negaunee in the Division Six district title game last night. The Kings scored on a 17-yard Paul Sturos run on their first possession of the game. They added a touchdown on a 25-yard pass from Sturos to Dean Loukus in the closing minutes of the second quarter, but still trailed 14-13 at halftime. A Dryden Nelson TD run gave the Copper Kings the lead in the third quarter, but the Miners recovered a fumble in the fourth quarter, and drove 80 yards for the winning score. A late Calumet drive came up just short.

Negaunee will play the winner of today’s match between Grayling and Boyne City in the regionals next week.

In other U.P. football playoff action…
• In Division Three, Marquette plays at Muskegon this afternoon.
• In Division Four, Sault Ste. Marie fell to Cadillac 34-14 last night.
• In Division Eight, Iron Mountain downed Bark River-Harris 36-16. The Mountaineers will face Johannesburg-Lewiston in the regionals next week.
• In Eight-player Division Two, North Central crushed Cedarville 55-8. The Jets will host Marion in the state semifinals next week.
• In Eight-player Division One, Pickford’s defense of their state title ended off the field. The team was quarantined by the local health department this week because one player tested positive for COVID-19. In a special school board meeting Thursday night, members voted 5-2 to defy the quarantine order, and put potentially infected players on the field against Inland Lakes. The Michigan High School Athletic Association intervened, and awarded a forfeit victory to the Bulldogs.

The sites for the football championship series have been selected. The eight-player championships will be held at Midland Community Stadium November 28th. The 11-player championships will take place at Ford Field December 4th and 5th.

WCHA

The Alaska-Anchorage hockey team will not take the ice this season. University officials announced yesterday that all of the school’s winter sports programs have been canceled. Chancellor Cathy Sandeen said the risk of COVID-19 exposure, and the difficulties of travel forced the decision. At this point, there will be nine teams competing in what could be the final season of WCHA men’s hockey. Any other teams that wish to opt out must do so by Tuesday.

Michigan Tech was scheduled to skate at Anchorage the second weekend in February. Northern Michigan was supposed to host the Seawolves the following week.

MLB

Jeimer Candelario has been named “Tiger of the Year” by members of the Detroit chapter of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America. After struggling the past two seasons, Candelario hit .297 this year, while moving from third base to first base defensively.

NFL

Tomorrow, the Lions host the Washington football team in a 1:00 game. Hear the broadcast on 99.3 The Lift. Receiver Kenny Golladay will miss the game because of a hip injury.

The Packers entertain the Jaguars in a 1:00 contest.

Packers Hall of Famer Paul Hornung has died. Hornung’s blond hair earned him the nickname “The Golden Boy” when he starred at Notre Dame in the mid-1950s. One of the most versatile players in history, during his senior year he led the Irish in He led the team in rushing, passing, scoring, kickoff and punt returns, kicking, and punting. He also excelled on defense. He played halfback and punted for the Packers, setting a number of NFL records, before an injury forced his retirement after the 1966 season. The “Golden Boy” image was tarnished when he and Alex Karras of the Detroit Lions were suspended for the 1963 season, after they admitted they had bet on football games. He redeemed himself with a lifetime of community service and philanthropy. Hornung had battled dementia for a few years. He was 84.

The Patriots host the Ravens in the Sunday night game. The Bears entertain the Vikings in the Monday night contest. Hear both games on 99.3 The Lift.

We also have a bonus college football game tonight on The Lift. The University of Michigan and the University of Wisconsin kick off at 7:30.

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