SAULT STE. MARIE — Sometimes, there’s just not an answer on a play sheet for a team that’s bigger and stronger.
When the Petoskey football team headed north to Sault Ste. Marie for a non-conference game Friday night, the Northmen knew heading in they would be undersized on both sides of the ball once again.
And after a night of trying to block players that well outsized them and tackle backs bigger than some of their own linemen, Petoskey just didn’t have an answer for the Blue Devils, falling in a 21-0 final.
It comes as a second straight week that the Northmen have failed to put points on the board, marking the first time since 1991 that that’s happened for Petoskey.
The loss drops them to 2-6 overall on the season, while the Blue Devils snapped a three-game skid to get to 5-4 overall.
Things started on a negative note for the Northmen right off the bat, picking up a holding call on the first play of the game, then they fumbled for a 16-yard loss that backed them up on their own two-yard line. On the very next play, the Blue Devils pulled in a takeaway on a deep interception.
The Sault then scored on its next possession with a 45-yard touchdown run, then Sault quarterback Callen Campbell made it a 13-0 game with 10:38 left in the half on a one-yard keeper.
The Northmen defense later picked up a big defensive stop with the Sault driving once again, though the offense couldn’t find points out of it, making it a 13-0 deficit at the half.
In the second half, Ryver Ryckeghem put the Sault on the board again on a short run, capping a 65-yard drive out of the half, then the two-point play was converted to make it 21-0.
Petoskey’s best chance at points came on a double-pass late in the third, with Joe McCarthy hitting Trevor Swiss in the backfield, then Swiss delivering a strike to Seth Marek, who took the ball 63 yards down to the Sault seven.
Just a couple of plays later, however, the Blue Devils took it back, intercepting the Northmen in the endzone.
Another Northmen drive inside the red zone later ended in a fumble, making for a three-turnover night for Petoskey.
Playing for pride now with the playoffs out of reach, Petoskey will next head to Marquette on Friday, Oct. 21. The Sault will close out the regular season with a matchup against Benzie Central.