Pickford celebrates 75 years of high school football as season kicks off

Week 1 of high school football wrapped up Saturday with most area teams having a successful opening game.

On Thursday, Pickford Panthers welcomed in the Snowbirds from Gaylord St. Mary. Snowbirds were no match as the Panthers dominated them winning 40-22 in an 8-man match up. Before the game, there was a brief celebration of 75 years of Panther football. Two members of that original 1948 team, Jim Rutledge and Fred Rowen, were present and participated in the coin toss at mid-field to start the game.

There were a handful of games Friday with the Sault Blue Devils hosting the St. Clair Shores Lake Shore Shorians (suburb of Detroit). Blue Devils made a statement in this one, blowing out the Shorians 49-0.  

Other results from Friday:

• St. Ignace Saints travelled to Suttons Bay and left with a 48-6 blasting of the Norsemen.  This is the first year for the Saints playing in 8-man football.
• Cedarville/Detour Islanders made the trip to Superior Central and came back home with a 40-0 win in 8-man football.
• Brimley Bay made the venture west down M-28 to play the Newberry Indians in an 8-man battle.  This was a high scoring affair with over110 points scored!  The final in this one....72-42 with Newberry coming out on top.
• The Munising Mustangs were a thorn in the back of many last year....including the Rudyard Bulldogs.  The Bulldogs got revenge beating the Mustangs Friday evening in Munising with a score of 47-6 in another 8-man game.
• There was one local game on Saturday with the Rapid River Rockets visiting the Eagles of Engadine.   Engadine struggled in this one losing 42-14.