No. 20 Huskies Earn Decisive 28-12 Win over No. 22 Eagles
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
#22 Ashland (8-2) | 6 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 12 |
|
Michigan Tech (8-1) | 0 | 14 | 7 | 7 | 28 |
HOUGHTON, Mich. — No. 20-ranked Michigan Tech held possession for 39 minutes and controlled all phases of the game in a 28-12 victory over No. 22 Ashland in a playoff-like contest at Sherman Field today. The Huskies converted 9-of-16 third downs and held the Eagles to less than half of their season rushing average to improve to 8-1 on the year.
The win by Tech, which entered the game ranked sixth in the region, over the region's No. 7 team in Ashland should be a huge help in Tech's NCAA Playoff hopes.
"We played well for 60 minutes," said Tech coach Tom Kearly. "Offense, defense, special teams, smarts. It might be as well as we've played all season.
"Third downs were huge again for us and allowed us to control the game."
Tech made plenty of big plays in the game—including two second-half interceptions and an Ian Wienke touchdown on a tipped pass—but it was the collection of small-yardage gains or defensive stops that put this game in the win column.
Ashland (8-2, 8-2 GLIAC) struck first with a seven-yard slant pass from Travis Tarnowski to Dan Piko 2:34 with 2:34 left in the first quarter. Tanner Agen blocked the extra point (his third blocked kick of the season) to leave the score 6-0.
Two drives later, Tech got on the board with a Zack Skeels one-yard dive. Garrett Mead gave the Huskies the lead for good by making the extra point for a 7-6 score.
After an Eagles punt, the Black and Gold put together an 11-play drive that covered 74 yards and was capped by another Skeels run.
The score was 14-6 as AU worked itself into position for a Hail Mary try to end the half. Tarnowski's pass was batted by the Tech defense, but caught by Piko right at the goal line. Ben Tauchen made the tackle, and the official ruled Piko down at the one as the clock showed zeros, leaving the score 14-6 at the intermission.
Ashland took the kickoff to start the second half and scored eight plays later to pull within 14-12. The two-point conversion pass was incomplete out of the back of the endzone.
Tech answered on the next drive. Tyler Scarlett drove the Huskies 10 plays, picking up three third downs along the way. The third of those was an option play that saw Charlie Leffingwell beat the defender to the goal line. Mead's extra point made it 21-12.
Nick Brajak intercepted a pass at the AU 41 late in the quarter, setting up the Huskies in good field position. Tech was stopped on downs at the one, but got the ball back just four plays later after a punt. The insurance score came on a Scarlett pass to Wienke. The ball was tipped by Wienke, hit a defensive back and bounced right back into Wienke's hands at the five-yard line. He bowled his way into the endzone for the 28-12 margin.
A DeShawn Nelson interception at midfield stopped the next Ashland drive, and the Huskies defense held the Eagles on downs twice more to end the game.
Tech had great balance with 208 yards passing and 174 yards rushing for 382 total yards. Leffingwell finished with 112 on the ground. Scarlett completed 16-of-23 passes for 170 yards and a score.
Paul Kuoppala led the Huskies with six tackles. Nelson Wienke added five more including an 11-yard sack in the second quarter.
"This is a big win, but it doesn't mean anything if we don't get another one next week," said Kearly. "We've got to do our part and see where we go from there."
Michigan Tech, which has reached the eight-win plateau for just the eighth time in 92 seasons of football, will close out its regular season at home next week vs. Lake Erie. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. at Sherman Field, and it will be Senior Day.
