Kingsford senior Gavin Grondin (1) shoots down the right side of the line for a long gain with Negaunee’s Matthew Urvilla (22) in pursuit on Friday at Fliver Field. (Photo by Terry Reich)
KINGSFORD — Last season, Kingsford and Negaunee met on the football field for the first time in 29 years, with the Miners coming away with a tough 13-12 win at Negaunee.
The Miners were excited to beat the Flivers for the first time in team history.
On Friday night, the two teams faced off again, this time on Homecoming Night at Fliver Field, with the Flivers emerging victorious in a hard-fought battle, defeating Negaunee, 29-27.
After a battle of the two top teams in the state, the Frivers, ranked No. 8 in AP Division 5, remain undefeated and atop the West PAC Copper Division standings, while the Miners, ranked No. 4 in AP Division 6, are 3-1 and one game back in the conference standings.
While everything seemed clear, the game was not. The Flivers led 29-8 midway through the third quarter, but the Miners stormed back with three straight touchdowns, including two on interception returns, to put a dent in the Flivers and their supporters.
Kingsford’s Thomas Maynard (6) catches a pass as Negaunee’s Weston Yesney (21) tries to give chase at Fliver Field on Friday. (Photo by Terry Reich)
It all ended well for Kingsford senior star Mason Tappy.
“I’m very excited.” “We came out strong,” the linebacker said, “and we took a little step back in the second half but we held on.”
“They were the toughest team we’ve played this year, but we hung in there for (injured junior lineman Wyatt) Shippey and were able to turn it around.”
Tappy and other seniors led the team, with fullback Trenton VanOss scoring two touchdowns, quarterback Nick Novara connecting with Thomas Maynard on a 22-yard pass for a score and Gavin Grondin returning a kickoff 86 yards for another score.
“We stressed all week that we have to play.” “It was a great game,” Fliver coach Mark Novara said.
“Last year I wasn’t able to do that and we lost. This year I definitely wasn’t able to do that and I managed to get the ‘victory’.”
It wasn’t easy by any means, but midway through the third quarter, Kingsford appeared to have the game under its control. Van Oss opened the scoring with a 1-yard run at the 3:33 mark of the first quarter, and after Brock Bonovets’ 11-yard scamper put Negaunee up 8-7, Flivers exploded for three straight touchdowns.
Grondin took the kickoff after Negaunee’s score and drove through the middle of the Miners’ defense for a touchdown, then took a pass from Nick Novara and dove over the corner for Negaunee’s two-point conversion.
Trailing 15-8, the Frivers thwarted a Negaunee fourth down attempt at their own 35-yard line, with senior linebacker Blake Flaminio leading Kingsford’s tacklers on what ended up being the deciding play.
Four plays later, Novara passed to Maynard on a seam route and Sid Olson’s point-after put Kingsford up 22-8 at the end of the half.
On the first drive of the second half, the Flivers faced a fourth-down-14 situation at their own 39 and appeared to be thwarted, but Novara called special teams coach Joe Krieg to fake a punt, which was perfectly called and perfectly executed.
Punter Jack Kriegle’s pass found Grondin, who was free up the middle, and he gained 19 yards to the Negaunee 42-yard line.
Five plays later, Van Oss ran it in from 10 yards out and the Flivers were leading 29-8 and looking to have the upper hand.
Kriegle’s passing showed his versatility: The junior started at tailback, split as a wideout, took the direct snap for running yards during several possessions, played safety and also did kick return and punting.
“He’s a phenomenal athlete.” “You put him under center and I think he’ll do well,” Novara said of Kriegl.
“He’s one of those guys, and the more ways we can get the ball to him, the better we are.”
Forced to punt on their ensuing drive, the Miners looked like they were going to lose for good, but then they turned the tide of the game when a charging pass rusher hit the arm of Nick Novara as he dropped back to throw a pass. Senior linebacker Hank Tincknell caught the flapping pass and returned it for a touchdown, putting Negaunee back in the game with 3:59 left in the third quarter.
“We were up by three and we thought we were doing pretty good, but then we had some turnovers and they got back in the game pretty quickly.” Novara said. “The pass (defense) got slack and we had a couple of guys coming off the edge and the ball got in the air.”
The Miners forced Fliver to punt on their next attempt and then just three plays later senior quarterback Ty Jacobson threw a 46-yard touchdown pass to senior wide receiver Brady Mager to put Negaunee up 29-20 on the final play of the third quarter, further closing the gap.
Just four plays later, senior defensive back Ian Engstrom intercepted a pass and ran 36 yards for another touchdown to put the Miners within two points with 9:39 left in the game.
The Miners then forced a punt and drove 35 yards to their own 46 with under four minutes left, but Tappy made the crucial play on fourth down and 2-yards, breaking through a double team and sacking Jacobson to preserve their fourth straight win since the start of the 2024 season.
“Obviously, it was fourth down and this is what we needed to do to win the game.” Tappy said. “And you bring everything you’ve got.”
After his team’s win, Novara spoke about the twists and turns and the lessons he learned.
“A valuable lesson, isn’t it?” “We’re still a work in progress,” Novara began. “We need to get better and better and make sure we don’t do anything to hurt ourselves.”
“We have a great football team, but we’re not good enough to play at a high level and beat good teams.”
And what was his final coaching tip to his players before they begin preparations for their next game on Friday, Sept. 27, at Calumet (2-2)?
“Don’t feel complacent.”
