Escanaba senior Nolan Bink looks to make a pass against Sault Ste. Marie on Sept. 19, 2025 at A. J. VanCitters Field in Sault Ste. Marie. (Adam Hinch/Daily Press)

ESCANABA — Special teams showed up in a big way as Escanaba improved to 4-0 with a 53-7 win over Sault Ste Marie in a Big North Conference game here Friday.

“We worked on just staying grounded as a team and not getting ahead of ourselves,” Eskymos coach Bailey Lamb said. “We talked about special teams a lot and Bryce was huge with the two punt return touchdowns and Ben had the first kick return TD since the year I graduated in 2013. And the block punt in the endzone that resulted in a safety all those things can flip a game.”

The Eskymos got on the board first with 10.13 to go in the first quarter as Nolan Bink capped off the drive with a 9-yard TD run the two-point conversion was good and the Eskymos led 8-0.

The Eskymos were back in the endzone with 1: 28 to go in the first quarter on a 12-yard TD run by junior Brody Ison. Graham Johnson connected on the extra point to extend the Eskymos lead to 15-0.

With 11:37 to go in the first half, sophomore Bryce Bichler took a punt return 51 yards to the house. The two point conversion was good, extending the Eskymo lead to 22-0.

“I have been practicing everyday on returns,” Bichler said. “That is my big role on the team and I went out and got it done.”

Late in the half the Eskymos drove down the field as Bink connected with senior Ashton Rymkos on a your-yard pass to put the Eskymos up 30-0 at halftime.

Midway through the third quarter, Bichler found his way back in the endzone. This time on a 15-yard TD run putting the Eskymos up 38-0.

With 4:12 to go in the third quarter, after a 84-yard pass from Brighton Hibbard to Caleb Klier. The Blue Devils got in the endzone on a 1-yard TD run by senior Javonte Bellamy to cut the deficit to 38-7.

On the ensuing kickoff Eskymos senior Ben Sands took the kickoff 74 yards to the house to extend the lead to 44-7.

“We have put a lot of time into our special teams,” Sands said. “I saw the whole and hit it and was able to go the distance.”

Sands stated that this season is very important to the team.

“We all want this,” Sands said. “We want to go as far as we can. We know it won’t be easy but we are ready for the challenge.”

With 10:27 to go in the game, Bichler took his second punt return to the house from 70 yards out, extending the Eskymos lead to 51-17.

“We aren’t the same team we were the last few years,” Bichler said. “We are really focused on what we are doing and take every game on the road as a business trip.”

The Eskymos capped off the scoring by blocking a punt in the endzone for a safety.

“Our kicking game was solid tonight,” Lamb said. Jordan Gagne, Jacob Prey and Keagan Braun all did a fantastic job in coverage.”

The Eskymos had 445 total yards counting return yards. Bink was 6 of 9 through the air for 62 and a TD. He also had eight carries on the ground for 71 and a TD. Brody Ison had 55 yards on 10 carries with a TD.

The Eskymos will travel to Cheboygan next Friday.