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WAKEFIELD -- They threatened, but did not score.
The Munising Mustangs failed to convert in the red zone here on a rainy Saturday afternoon while dropping a 32-0 football decision to the Gogebic Miners.
Munising drove to the Miners' nine-yard line on its opening possession, but couldn't find the end zone against a defense that bent but didn't break in this non-conference contest at Cardinal Field.
The Mustangs put together another drive in the second stanza, but stalled on the Gogebic 20. By then they were trailing 12-0.
"We couldn't figure out the red zone which was a huge factor," Mustangs' coach Matt Mattson said. "We couldn't move the ball and dropped some passes."
Gogebic marched for 53 yards in eight plays during its first drive, gaining a 6-0 lead on a 19-yard run around left end by senior running back Henry Jenkins.
Senior quarterback Jayden Verrett fired a 60-yard touchdown pass to senior Cayden Harju for a 12-0 lead early in the second frame.
Verrett then made it 18-0 on a 15-yard keeper up the middle late in the second.
"They have a couple good athletes," Mattson said. "I thought we gave a good effort. We certainly moved the ball at times."
After the Miners took a 26-0 advantage on Verrett's six-yard pass to Jenkins, the Mustangs began another drive.
They reached the Gogebic five where they again turned the ball over on downs.
"With homecoming and everything, the kids were fired up," Gogebic coach Nick Heikkila said. "Defense was our focus. The guys showed up and did well. We kept our focus and got ready. We took our time on offense and made smart decisions."
Early in the fourth, Gogebic junior back-up QB Bryson Lynott concluded the scoring on a 10-yard aerial to Jenkins.
The Mustangs finished with 196 yards in total offense, including 129 on the ground. Junior Levi Hauler led them in rushing with 55 yards on 14 carries. Junior QB Jacob Coppock hit just 4-of-18 passes, all of them to senior Blake Tyner for 67 yards.
One of Tyner's catches was for 46 yards which enabled the Mustangs to drive deep into Gogebic territory in the third quarter.
Verrett was 8-of-12 passing for 141 yards and two TDs and Lynott was 1-of-2 for 10 yards and a TD and an interception by senior Nolan Dolaskie.
The Miners (2-4) ran for 160 of their 311 yards with Verrett gaining 67 on 19 carries.
Munising (1-5) hosts Superior Central Saturday at 7 p.m.