Todd Rose | Daily Press Gladstone’s Cole Potier (26) runs against Negaunee Friday in Negaunee during an MHSAA 11-player Football Division 6 Playoff opener.

NEGAUNEE — A second-half Gladstone Braves (4-6 overall, 1-3 conference) comeback fell short Friday night in an MHSAA 11-player Division 6 high school football playoff opener against the Negaunee Miners (8-2 overall, 4-2 conference) in Negaunee as the Miners held on to defeat the Braves 42-28.

“I’m just happy for these guys,” Miners coach Paul Jacobson said. “They’ve worked their tails off to have this opportunity tonight. I’m just proud of them and how they handled the adversity tonight and proud of different guys stepping up and making plays. But, it’s a great win for these guys, and I’m happy for them.”

The Miners put up 28 unanswered points in the first two and a half quarters of the ball game and looked to be well on their way to victory. But, just past the five minutes to go point in the third quarter, the Braves found some life through the air with four touchdowns — three of which were from over 50 yards out — coming in the final 17 minutes of play.

First, Nate Young hit Elliot Vitito — who made an otherworldy catch in coverage — for a 75-yard touchdown with 4:43 left in the third to put six on the board for the Braves and make it 28-6 as the point after attempt was no good.

But, the Miners struck back as Philip Nelson — who also had a punt return from near midfield go for a touchdown — ran an interception back on the next Braves offensive drive to make it 35-6.

The Braves kept fighting, however, as Young found John Hansen for a 70-yard effort 58 seconds into the final quarter. They followed that with another Young touchdown pass to Hunter Potier from 10 yards out with 7:11 remaining in the game, making the score 35-22.

One final Gladstone touchdown — another pass from Young to John Hansen, this one for 66 yards — came with 5:43 remaining in the game put the Brvaes within seven points of the Miners, 35-28.

Negaunee’s Brenten Belanger put the lid on the game both offensively and defensively in the closing minutes.

First, Belanger caught a pass from Gerald Johnson to score on a 21-yard connection and extend the lead to 42-28. Then, on the Braves’ final possession, Belanger picked off a Braves pass with 23 seconds left in the game.

For coach Jacobson — who said it was a team victory — numerous players made differences throughout the night.

The Miners postseason homestand continues next week as they host the Calumet Copper Kings — who defeated Menominee 35-20 Friday — next week.

Being down 28-0 and battling back to be in contention for a win in the final minutes encapsulated the Braves 2021 campaign — in which they fought injuries and other adversity — said coach Jeff Hansen.

“I think that you saw the epitome of what the 2021 Braves were,” Hansen said. “They were resilient and gritty. They were a never-quit team.

We’re a young team, so, there’s always things you can do better out there but I thought the seniors lead well and all those young players kept on playing and took their cues from the seniors that it was a no-quit playoff atmosphere. I’m just so proud of the team, of what they did tonight, of the season they had. I’m a very, very, proud coach of my guys right now.”

Coach Hansen commented that the passing attack came from necessity.

“Elliot Vitito got a good one on a heck of a play, and then John, my son, had two of them,” he said. “We were just looking for seems in between their zones to just go deep. We didn’t have the benefit of time. We couldn’t putz around and try to run the ball and set things up.

It was just time to be a gunslinger for Nate, and he was. He trusted the guys, the line did a good job of giving him time in the second half, and that gave us a great opportunity to come out and make a game of it.”

Looking back on the season, coach Hansen saw a team that embodied what it means to be a Brave.

“I think that these guys are Braves. This is what we are,” he said. “We have to be gritty and resilient and not quit because we’re a small school in a big conference with large schools. The teams that we play are always two and three divisions bigger than us, and we have to be that type of group. And if ever there was a group that epitomized what it means to be a Brave, the 2021 Braves do that for sure.

“I love my team and am so proud of the season they had and just want to thank everyone who supported us.”