Ilsa Minor | Daily Press Gladstone’s Cole Potier dodges the Negaunee Miners near the 25 yard line during Saturday’s post-season game against. Potier secured a first down for the Braves before being tackled out of bounds.

GLADSTONE — Top-ranked Negaunee took advantage of a short field in crucial situations as it eliminated second-ranked Gladstone 18-12 in a Division 6 regional championship football game here Saturday.

The victory sends the Miners (12-0) to the state semifinals at Gaylord where they’ll meet Reed City Saturday at 1 p.m. The Braves finished 9-3.

“We’re just happy to come out of this one,” said Negaunee coach Paul Jacobson. “This was a great match-up. I’m just proud of these guys. Gladstone is a good football team. The guys earned this one.”

The marked the first regional title in 20 years for Negaunee, which was clinging to a 7-6 late in the third quarter when it forced Gladstone to punt into a stiff wind on this chilly afternoon.

The Miners got the ball on the Braves’ 31-yard line, then moved into the red zone before Phillip Nelson hit a 22-yard field goal for a 10-6 lead with 66 seconds left in the third.

On Gladstone’s next possession, Negaunee’s Ian Engstrom recovered a fumble on the Braves’ 35.

Ty Jacobson then tossed a 39-yard touchdown pass through the middle to Nelson for an 18-6 cushion on the next play.

The Braves weren’t quite done, however.

A five-yard pass from junior quarterback Nate Young to senior Tyler Darmogray brought them within six points with four minutes, 18 seconds left in the contest.

The Braves tried an onside kick which was recovered by Engstrom on the Miners’ 44.

Negaunee then secured its fifth straight victory over Gladstone by converting two first downs.

“We had a good onside kick,” said Braves’ coach Craig Ness. “We just didn’t get the right bounces. We had a great season. We got a chance to play for a regional championship on our home field, won our district and the Great Northern Conference. The kids earned that. They put the time in during the off-season.”

Kai Lacar gave the Miners a 7-0 lead on a 36-yard dash around right end with 1:26 remaining in the second stanza, finishing an 87-yard drive.

The Braves answered quickly. Young tossed a 34-yard screen pass to senior Cole Potier for a TD 20.4 seconds before halftime, shaving their deficit to 7-6.

Midway through the second frame, the Braves were facing a second-and-goal situation on the Miners’ five.

Young, however, was sacked for an eight-yard loss followed by two incomplete passes, forcing the Braves to turn the ball over on downs at the 13.

“We had one tipped pass,” said Ness. “We were so close. A score there would have given us a lot of momentum. We put in a couple things to protect our quarterback. We had our chances, but credit to Negaunee. They adjusted to what we were doing. They have a very good defense.”

Young, under constant duress, hit 14-of-32 aerials for 168 yards.

Junior Kaden Gibbs caught six passes for 61 despite playing with a broken wrist on one hand and a broken finger on the other. Darmogray had five receptions for 58.

Potier collected 101 yards, including 67 on the ground.

“The have a big D line,” he said. “They just have a real good team. There wasn’t much we could do. They’re well coached and very disciplined. This is the first time we’ve gotten this far since 1985. I’ve had great teammates. I’m very happy with the season. We’re not too disappointed.”

Lacar rushed 21 times for 130 yards. Nico Lukkarinen added 71 on 18 carries and Ty Jacobson was 3-of-5 passing for 82.

Lukkarinen and Drake Spickerman recorded QB sacks.

“Young is a great quarterback,” said coach Jacobson. “We could let him run around back there. Cole is a tough kid and tremendous athlete. Our defense did an excellent job. We were sometimes lucky and sometimes determined.”