Category: Westwood Patriots

Patriots Blank Hancock; Cruise To Homecoming Victory

The Westwood Patriots celebrated homecoming with a blowout win, rolling past Hancock 46-0 Friday night in Ishpeming.

Erik Anderson intercepted a Hancock pass on their opening possession, setting up Westwood at the Bulldog 45-yard line. Five plays later, quarterback Nathan Beckman scampered into the endzone for a five-yard touchdown run. The two-point conversation put the Pats ahead 8-0 with 9:20 left in the opening quarter.

Following a Bulldog punt, Beckman capped a seven-play, 53-yard scoring drive with a one-yard touchdown run. The two-point conversion put Westwood up 16-0 at the 5:51 mark. Garrett Mann recovered a fumble on the ensuing kickoff, giving Westwood the ball at the Bulldog 20-yard line. Two plays later, Beckman raced ten yards for his third rushing touchdown of the game. The two-point conversion gave the Pats a 24-0 advantage with 5:09 left in the opening quarter.

A five-play, 25-yard scoring drive late in the first quarter culminated with a four-yard touchdown run by Ashton Bergman. The conversion failed and Westwood led 30-0 at the 2:21 mark. The Pats opened the second quarter with a 72-yard scoring drive that spanned nine plays and ended with Beckman’s fourth rushing touchdown of the game. Westwood led 38-0 at halftime before Bergman dashed into the endzone from three yards out early in the third quarter to cap the scoring.

Beckman carried the ball 14 times for 114 yards and four touchdowns while Bergman touted the ball 24 times for 137 yards and two scores. Adam Hyttinen had the Patriots lone pass reception of the night; a 22-yard strike in the first quarter. The Patriots finished the game with 374 yards of total offense while limiting Hancock to just 38 net yards.

Westwood improves to 4-2 (3-1 West PAC-A) while Hancock drops to 2-4 (2-2) on the season. The Patriots return to action next Friday night at L’Anse, the game will be broadcast on ESPN UP and on the ESPN UP mobile app.

Westwood Football Picks Up Forfeit Victory, JV Rolls Manistique

The Westwood High School varsity and junior varsity football teams each picked up victories over Manistique this week; the Emeralds forfeited the varsity contest due to lack of available players and the Patriots JV squad cruised to a 36-6 win Thursday night in Ishpeming.

Westwood got the scoring going with 1:10 left in the first quarter as Travis Uren scampered 16 yards into the endzone, capping an 80-yard touchdown drive. Uren then converted the two-point try, giving the Pats an 8-0 lead. Westwood went up by two scores on their next possession as Luke Mariuzza capped a 90-yard drive with a one-yard touchdown plunge. The two-point conversion put Westwood up 16-0 with 7:11 left in the first half.

A promising Emerald drive stalled in the redzone when Zach Carlson came up with his second interception of the game. The Pats drove 91 yards in less than a minute, culminating in a 68-yard touchdown run by Stephen Kangus. The two-point try failed and Westwood led 22-0 at halftime.

The third quarter started with another long scoring drive as Westwood marched 85 yards down the field on their first possession, topped with a five-yard touchdown run from Uren. Following the failed two-point conversion, a botched Manistique punt gave Westwood the ball at the Emerald 32-yard line. Moments later, Mariuzza found the endzone from five yards out then carried the ball in for the extra two points on the next play. Manistique’s only score came on a 99-yard fumble return for a touchdown with 9:03 left in the fourth quarter.

The Westwood JV team is now 3-1-1 on the season while the Patriot varsity squad moves to 3-2 overall.

Westwood dominates Houghton in football season opener 42-0

By Blake Froling

The Patriots got off to a fast start at Sherman Field against the Gremlins and never looked back, winning 42-0 in the season opener.

Taylor Dellangelo broke the scoreless tie with a 33-yard touchdown run midway through the first quarter. After a Houghton three-and-out, Westwood took over and scored again, this time courtesy of a 49-yard scamper from Nathan Beckman to make it 14-0.

Just seconds into the second quarter, Ashton Bergman got in on the fun and plowed through the Gremlin defense for a 39-yard touchdown score to put Westwood up 22-0 after a two-point conversion.

Late in the second quarter, Westwood drove 76 yards down the field and Beckman punched it in from four yards out to make the score 28-0.

Houghton only had one kickoff in the entire game and it did not go well. Dellangelo received it with a running start deep in Westwood territory, picked up several blocks and took it about 85 yards for a touchdown. 36-0 Patriots.

Westwood’s second unit entered the game in the second half and picked up where the starters left off, not allowing a single Houghton point. Sophomore Garrett Mann took over for Beckman at quarterback and led Westwood to a score on his first varsity drive early in the fourth quarter, giving the Patriots their 42-0 win.

Dellangelo was our ESPN UP Player of the Game for his performances in all three phases of the game. He rushed for 184 yards and a touchdown, he returned a kickoff for a touchdown and intercepted a pass on defense.

The Westwood defense as a unit stifled Houghton all night, holding the Gremlins to 46 total yards. Quarterback George Butvilas only completed one of his eight passes for six yards.

Offensively, Westwood looked like a well-oiled machine outside of a few penalties, rushing for 452 yards. Bergman totaled 116 of those yards on just nine carries, while Beckman had 87 yards on four runs. Erik Anderson rushed seven times for 23 yards and Adam Hyttinen carried the ball seven times for 41 yards.

Beckman was 6-11 through the air for 50 yards, hitting Jacob Adriano, Chad Pohlman and Dellangelo twice each.

Westwood’s next game will be against Iron Mountain at home starting at 7 p.m.

Note: all stats are unofficial

Kickoff Show: Westwood football coach Scott Syrjala

2017: 9-2, lost in district finals

Key Losses: OL Tabin Filizetti, OL/LB Ethan Homola, WR/DB Ethan Burke, TE David Delayre

Key Returners: QB/FS Nathan Beckman, OL/DL Sam Gilles, RB/LB Ashton Bergman, OL/DL Blake Hewitt, RB Taylor Dellangelo

Westwood football is coming off its best season in program history and its first playoff win since 2009. Now in a new conference, the Patriots have the target on their backs and won’t take anyone by surprise. Head coach Scott Syrjala joined the Kickoff Show to discuss expectations for his team and give his thoughts on conference realignment.

 

WATCH: Westwood players and coaches at All-Star Game

We caught up with several players and coaches from Westwood High School at this weekend’s UP Football All-Star Game. You’ll hear from Tabin Filizetti, Ethan Burke, David Delayre, Ethan Homola, Luke Gray and Scott Syrjala!

WATCH: Blake Hewitt takes down Ishpeming

March 9 – Pandemonium swept through the Negaunee gym on Friday night.

Up 53-52 in the final seconds of the district championship game, Ishpeming’s Hart Holmgren stood at the free throw line with a chance to extend the Hematites’ lead over Westwood. He could not. Watch the rest here (video courtesy Local 3, audio from Blake Froling and Dave Boase of ESPN UP).