Escanaba running back Ben Johnson (2) attempts to stay on his feet while clearing the legs of a Camulet defender on Aug. 25, 2023 at Escanaba.

ESCANABA — It was 1st-and-10 for Escanaba from the Calumet 24-yard line.

In this scenario, quarterback Nolan Bink handed the ball off to running back Ben Johnson. It was a trap play to attack Camulet right up the gut.

The senior back was initially met by Copper King tacklers on either side. Both went to tackle Johnson. Both bounced off Johnson like a pogo stick smacking pavement.

Johnson springs free and makes another man miss. From there, it was a foot race to the end zone.

No one caught Johnson on the play, dashing the full 24 yards for his third rushing touchdown and fourth trip to the end zone of the game.

“Our line blocked it perfectly, and our receivers blocked really well,” Johnson recalled. “It kind of made my job easy. I made a couple of cuts and it opened up.”

Johnson’s four scores boosted the Eskymos to a 40-13 win in Friday’s season opener at Escanaba.

“After what we’ve gone through the last couple years it was super nice to get some momentum to start the year,” head coach Bailey Lamb said. “I think the kids just need to realize what they’re capable of. As long as they keep working hard and doing the right things, anything’s possible. They really showed it tonight.”

Johnson broke a 24-yard run to the house 1:49 into the second quarter. With the PAT blocked, Esky pulled ahead to a 13-0 lead.

Claiming a 19-7 lead at intermission, Esky started the second half with authority on offense, marching to the 6-yard line quickly. Johnson initially scored on the ensuing play via a toss to the right, but the play was called back due to a holding penalty. On fourth-and-goal from the four, Johnson found the end zone to give the Eskymos a 25-7 lead.

After the defense forced a crucial stop via interception, Johnson found himself wide open on a wheel route. He tallied a 52-yard receiving score to keep the offense moving like a runaway freight train.

Sophomore Nolan Bink earned his first-career passing touchdown in the first quarter, connecting with Nick Chiu on fourth-and-11 with five minutes left in the first quarter for a 35-yard score.

Bink connected with Javon Stevenson in the back of the end zone for another passing score.

Calumet earned a touchdown on its final possession of the first and second half.

“When you play an option team like that, it’s all about responsibility, doing your job and staying really disciplined,” Lamb said. “They came into practice to work to learn their job and really own that responsibility. It showed up tonight. We know the work is not done there. We got a new team next week that runs new things. We gotta get back to the drawing board and go to work.”

Esky hosts Cadillac at 7 p.m. Thursday.

“We know they’re gonna be tough. They were tough last year,” Johnson said. “They’re good. We gotta focus up this week and play hard. See what happens.”