IRON MOUNTAIN, MI — October 22, 2026 — Negaunee High School Football hit the road for its final away game of the regular season, traveling 68 miles southwest to face the Iron Mountain Mountaineers! Coming off a strong 38-8 win over the Houghton Gremlins last week, the Miners were fired up and hoping to secure another victory as they looked ahead to the playoffs. With the regular season winding down, every play mattered. The Miners were looking to carry their momentum into the postseason, but Iron Mountain had other plans. What started as a difficult night for Negaunee turned into a determined comeback attempt that had fans watching until the very end.
Carl Johnson and Brad Saatio were on the call, bringing every moment of the action live to listeners on Sunny 101.9!
First Half
Iron Mountain drew first blood, taking an early 7-0 lead. The Miners’ offense needed to find its rhythm, spot the openings in the Mountaineers’ defense, and take advantage of every opportunity. It was time to light the fire in those cleats and start mining for some gold!
Kyle Waterman kept looking for opportunities to move the ball downfield, while Cole Prusi worked to make a connection in the passing game. Negaunee’s defensive line pushed forward, trying to gain ground and keep Iron Mountain from extending its lead.
Unfortunately, the Mountaineers continued finding openings in the Miners’ defense. Iron Mountain extended its advantage to 14-0, then pushed the score to 21-0. Negaunee was facing its biggest uphill battle of the season, and the Miners needed something to spark a turnaround.
And that spark came from Kyle Waterman!
On the Miners’ final drive of the first half, Waterman took matters into his own hands. He ran the ball from the 40-yard line down to the 12 before finishing the drive with a touchdown! The Miners finally got on the board, cutting the deficit to 21-8 and giving Negaunee a much-needed boost heading into halftime.
It was a tough first half, but Waterman had given the Miners a reason to believe. There was still football left to play, and Negaunee wasn’t ready to call it a night.
Second Half
The Miners came out looking to close the gap, but the opening opportunities proved frustrating. Waterman helped move the ball into the red zone, only for a fumble and an incomplete pass to keep Negaunee from finding the end zone.
With the Miners still trailing by 13, the offense needed to get on the same page and turn its opportunities into points.
Then Negaunee caught a break when Cole Prusi recovered a fumble by Iron Mountain, giving the Miners possession in Mountaineer territory. With plenty of time remaining, Negaunee had a chance to make a serious push.
And that’s exactly what they did!
Waterman connected with Mason Sweener, who took off down the field like a bullet and found the end zone for a huge Negaunee touchdown! The two-point conversion attempt was unsuccessful, but the Miners had pulled within 21-14.
Suddenly, victory felt a whole lot closer. One more touchdown and a successful two-point conversion could put Negaunee in front. The fire was finally flaring under those cleats, and the Miners were finding their rhythm.
With less than five minutes remaining, the tension was building. Negaunee needed to keep control of the ball and capitalize on every opportunity. Iron Mountain fought to hold onto its lead, but the Miners continued pushing forward.
Then Evan DeAngelo made a big move! Breaking a tackle, DeAngelo powered his way into the end zone for another Negaunee touchdown. The Miners had pulled within one point of the Mountaineers, turning what had looked like a runaway game into a nail-biter!
What a comeback!
With time winding down in the fourth quarter, Negaunee continued fighting for a chance to take the lead. The Miners still had two timeouts available with about two minutes remaining, and every second counted. They had battled back from a 21-0 deficit and put themselves within striking distance of a victory.
Unfortunately, Negaunee couldn’t find the final play it needed against Iron Mountain’s defense. Despite the late push, the Miners came up just short of completing the comeback.
Final Score
The Miners’ final road game of the regular season was a battle from start to finish. After falling behind 21-0, Negaunee fought its way back with touchdowns from Kyle Waterman, Mason Sweener, and Evan DeAngelo, bringing the game within a single point of Negaunee 20-21 Iron Mountain.
Although the comeback fell short, Negaunee showed plenty of heart and determination. The Miners refused to give up, kept fighting through the final minutes, and showed just how quickly a game can change when the offense finds its rhythm.
Now, the big question remains: Will Negaunee High School Football make the playoffs?
Full Broadcast
Want to relive the action and catch the plays you might have missed? Listen to the full broadcast on Yoopertube Audio Archives where you can also find broadcasts for all the previous games this season!
Up Next
The regular season is almost in the books, but the Miners’ season may not be over just yet!
We’ll find out Sunday whether Negaunee earns a spot in the playoff bracket, so keep an eye out for the announcement. The Miners have fought hard all season, and fans will be waiting to see if they get another chance to hit the field.
GO MINERS!
