Negaunee, MI- October 13th, 2017- It was a big night of football for our local community and for the listeners of Fox Sports Marquette. The Marquette Redmen (3-4) coming off a much needed win, was at Negaunee to take on the Miners (4-3) winners of four straight. This is a big time rivalry that has been played every year since 1894, but this one was special. Both these teams needed a win to keep their playoff hopes alive. If Marquette lost one more time their postseason hopes are over, if Negaunee lost it their hopes would come down to their final game next week. Out of the past 123 years of meetings between these two, I don’t know if implications have ever been higher.
The first half of this game lived up to the hype. Right off the bat we had ourselves an eventful play. Negaunee Miners star return man fumbled the opening kick and the Redmen recovered. The Miners defense would actually stop them and keep Marquette from converting the turnover into points. Negaunee on the next drive would drive 80 yards in 5 plays to get the first touchdown of the game. It was all Redmen for the rest of the half. Ethan Martyz would score two touchdowns in the half, one receiving and one on a beautiful punt return to give Marquette it’s first lead of the game.
The second half started slow for Marquette again. They went three and out on the first drive and let Negaunee drive down the field for a touchdown. The Redmen blocked the extra point which seemed to wake them up because they would score 14 unanswered points. Andrew Gale would run in those two scores, one of them being a 40 yard rush. The Miners would answer with a touchdown of their own but this time they would rush the extra point and miss it, making it still a two score game with just over 5:00 minutes to play. Negaunee was driving again when Marquette came up with a huge interception followed by another big Andrew Gale touchdown run to seal the victory. Marquette gets a big 35-19 win to keep their playoff hopes alive.
This game was very back and forth starting with the opening kick off. Once Marquette took their first lead of the game they would never give it up. Every time the Miners would come close making a comeback, someone for Marquette would come up with a big, timely play. The Redmen take on Menominee next Friday at 7:00 p.m. You can see their full schedule here and listen to the game on Fox Sports Marquette.
LISTEN LIVE – MARQUETTE REDMEN DEFEAT NEGAUNEE MINERS 35-19.mp3
