Maroons Season Ends Against Tough Norsemen

The Menominee Maroons had a season of mostly highs. There were blowouts and huge games that saw the Maroons cruise to a host of victories. But last Saturday when playing for the regional title the Maroons found themselves, stranded by a tough North Muskegon Norsemen squad, who took the win 23-0.

“We picked a bad day to have a boat load of mistakes,” said Menominee head coach Chad Brandt. “Against a good football team you can’t take away your opportunities and give them opportunities, that’s just football 101. You have to do the little things and take care of yourself.”

The Maroons all season long have been a team that played a very clean and disciplined brand of football, but Saturday afternoon things got a little loose and what is normally a mistake free squad saw mistakes and errors add up and close the window on their chance to move down the playoff trail.

“Proud of the team and guys we have,” said Brandt. “I couldn’t be prouder of what we laid out there. There was never a lack of effort. They were always here and ready to play hard. We thank our seniors and everything they have given to Maroon football. This is just a tough one to swallow at home.”

It’s rare when a team pulls out a victory when they lose the turnover battle and against the Norsemen that type of victory stayed rare. Menominee lost the ball 5 times over the course of the competition, losing three fumbles and two interceptions. North Muskegon on the other hand never turned the ball over and dug in to stop any chances of a Maroon rally.

That total offensive yards readout stayed pretty close all game long as the Maroons ended the day with 105 rush yards and 129 passing yards for a 245 yard day. The Norsemen ended with slightly more than the Maroons, adding up 179 rushing yards while moving the ball down field through the air on a 119 yard passing day.

Menominee took the game’s opening kickoff and drove all the way down field on a nine play drive. That ninth play was a fourth and inches attempt on the four yard line that failed to break the line of scrimmage for a turnover on downs.

Menominee’s defense dug in on the ensuing drive and helped to keep the Norsemen backed up in their own territory, eventually forcing the punt from the 11 yard line.

After a Menominee three and out the Norsemen were able to get themselves into scoring position and broke free on a second down rush by Hunter Wilder who carried for the 19 yard TD with 7:27 left in the half. After the extra point kick the Norsemen led 7-0.

Menominee looked as if they were ready to respond and drive across midfield, completing a big 11 yard third down pass from Tanner Theuerkauf to Nathan Komp. But on the ensuing play a fumble came loose and was scooped up by the Norsemen, giving North Muskegon the ball on their own 35 yard line.

Menominee’s defense sprang to life on the ensuing drive and forced the Norsemen to a fourth and two attempt which was stopped cold in its tracks by Nathan Nelson and company for a turnover on downs.

After the turnover on downs Menominee had 1:15 seconds left to do something before the half. Unfortunately for the Maroons time ran low and a final play interception ended the first half rally attempt.

North Muskegon was set to receive the second half kickoff and after doing so was held to a punt after six plays. The punt saw another unfortunate moment for the Maroons as the punt was muffed and the Norsemen recovered to regain control of the ball on the 36 yard line of Menominee.

The Norsemen’s next drive would end in the games second score. That drive was nearly stopped when Dylan Beal nearly intercepted a pass near the end zone. But he was unable to reel it in and two plays later the Norsemen elected to go for a field goal, which sailed though the uprights for a 10-0 lead.

After the kick off Menominee had another hiccup as the first play of the drive saw a fumble that was recovered by the Norsemen for possession on the 37 yard line of Menominee.

Wilder ended the short drive on a 16 yard rush and the 16-0 lead. On the extra point attempt the Maroons swarmed the backfield causing the place holder to go down on a tackle.

Near the beginning of the fourth quarter the Norsemen drove downfield on an eight play drive which was finished strong on a Wilder five yard rush and a 23-0 lead.

Menominee had one final possession before the end of the game which ended in a turnover on downs.

On the day Menominee’s Theuerkauf rushed for 44 yards on 12 carries while Clayton Miller posted 30 yards on seven carries. Isaiah Odom finished with 32 yards on six carries.

Theuerkauf passed his way to 129 yards on a 14 of 25 performance. He had two interceptions on the day. Komp pulled in six of Theuerkauf’s passes for 47 yards while Cole Cooper brought down two for 46 yards. Blake Paasch caught three for 16 yards while Kaiden Bell caught one for nine yards.

North Muskegon’s Cullen Bartos rushed his way to 83 yards and one TD on 16 carries while Wilder ended the day with 67 yards and two TDs on 12 carries. Landen Grimm posted 26 yards on three attempts.

Through the air North Muskegon’s Bryce Colbert added up 119 yards in a 12 of 18 showing. Blake Martin caught a majority of the passes, pulling in 15 for 56 yards. Bartos caught 2 for 24 yards.

“It was always fun to coach this team,” said Brandt. “They always came to play and get better. I couldn’t have asked for more than that. Players coming here and wanting to compete and wanting to always get better as a football team.”