NORWAY — Top-ranked Norway kept its perfect record intact here Friday night in a 60-32 football triumph over the third-ranked Gogebic Miners in an eight-player, Division 1 regional opener.

Norway, which improved to 10-0, hosts Pickford (9-1) in a regional final this weekend. Gogebic finished 8-2.

Gogebic got within 36-26 on a 32-yard interception return by junior defensive back Jayden Verrett early in the third quarter.

The Miners, however, didn’t have an answer for senior quarterback Owen Baij, who scored on a 20-yard touchdown run around left end for a 44-26 cushion midway through the third, then added a score on a 65-yard dash along the left sideline for a 52-26 advantage late in the third.

“We have a lot of leaders,” Norway coach Andy Medina said. “Owen is a quiet kid who leads by example. We have a very good crop of seniors who’ve been in a lot of playoff games. Many of these guys have been in the playoffs for three years.”

This marked the first playoff appearance in 11 years for Gogebic, which trimmed its deficit to 52-32 on Verrett’s QB sneak with 9:55 remaining in the contest.

“The guys gave it everything they had,” Gogebic coach Nick Heikkila said. “We asked them to empty their tanks and they did.”

Norway finished the scoring on Baij’s 64-yard aerial to junior Kaleb LaPine just 61 seconds later.

The Knights marched 55 yards on six plays in their opening drive, gaining an 8-0 lead on Baij’s one-yard run up the middle just 2:15 into the contest.

They made it 16-0 just 62 seconds later when senior Chase Moraska recovered a fumble in the Miners’ end zone.

Gogebic got on the board midway through the opening frame on Verrett’s 51-yard dash along the right sideline midway through the first stanza.

Norway took a 22-6 lead on Baij’s 10-yard run up the middle with 1:40 remaining in the opening frame.

Gogebic shaved its deficit to 22-12 on Verrett’s 85-yard dash on a kickoff return 15 seconds later.

The Miners then successfully executed an onside kick recovered by senior running back Owen Miljevich, giving them possession on Norway’s 43-yard line.

Early in the second stanza, senior Matthew Switzer brought the Miners within 22-20 on a one-yard run up the middle.

“They had some momentum,” Medina said. “I think their guys got a little nervous at first, although they have some good players. Number four (Verrett) in fact is a very good football player.”

Norway answered midway through the second, gaining a 28-20 cushion on Baij’s 31-yard TD pass through the middle to senior Josh Schiltz.

The Knights extended their lead to 36-20 on Baij’s 64-yard bomb to LaPine 1:17 before halftime.

Norway collected 490 yards in total offense, including 367 on the ground. Baij ran 22 times for 258 yards and four TDs and threw for three scores.

The Miners finished with 302 yards. Verrett, who scored four TDs, rushed 31 times for 226.

“Jayden is definitely a playmaker for us,” Heikkila said. “You give him a sliver of space and he makes good things happen. We’ll miss our seniors, but we have a pretty good crew coming back. They (Norway) have upperclassmen who know how to get it done. I think whoever wins this regional is going to win it all.”