Gladiators' comeback falls short, Witt piles up over 300 yards

ONTONAGON - In a game loaded with offensive fireworks, Ontonagon made a fierce comeback, but Crystal Falls Forest Park held on for a 52-38 win in a Western Eight Conference battle with playoff implications for both teams.

"The game was what we expected," Forest Park coach Dave Graf said. "It was hard-hitting, good physical football on both sides. I never thought we'd score 90 points. I thought we'd score four or five each (touchdowns). Ontonagon nearly came back on us. Jake Witt is the real deal. They got him the ball and he caused havoc with us. I wish he'd play college football instead of college basketball."

(Witt has already committed to play basketball at Michigan Tech.)

Ontonagon coach Ben Mayer said the game went about as he expected, too.

"I knew Crystal Falls-Forest Park was a very physical team and I thought it would be high-scoring, I expected it to be up there." Mayer said. "I give a lot of credit to our team as the kids fought back and came back when they had us.

"I think that's the most passing I've done in one game. We've been working on our passing game for a couple of weeks, especially with Jake (Witt). We've been moving him around in practice and trying to get him in the flow of the game. He had a great game and Dusty (Howard) did a great job of running our offense. He throws the ball well and he hasn't played much. He was a defensive tackle before."

Forest Park came out running a ground and pound offense, especially concentrating on running the off-tackle holes. By halftime, the Trojans had built up a 30-12 lead and looked to be in full control of the game.

Ontonagon's two scores came on 62 and 63 yard touchdown bombs on a fly pattern straight down the sideline and a crossing pattern in which Witt bounced off tacklers in the secondary.

But the Gladiators got a big crowd wound up in third quarter by out-scoring Forest Park 20-0 and taking a 32-30 lead.

After Henry Menigoz recovered a Trojan fumble, Jaden Weisinger sprinted around the left end and into the west end zone. Howard's pass to Adam Domitrovich pulled Ontonagon to within 10 points at 30-20.

After another fumble recovery, Howard rifled a 26 yard pass to Domitrovich and then connected with Witt on the third of his five TD catches from 25 yards out and 5:07 left in the quarter

Howard hooked up one more time with Witt from 15 yards out and the Gladiators grabbed the lead at 32-30.

Forest Park regained the lead by scoring three fourth quarter touchdowns and Ontonagon got another 23 yard touchdown pass from Howard to Witt.

Witt had a stop-and-watch game catching 16 passes for 345 yards, while Howard was 18-37 in the pass-fest for 395 yards.

Forest Park chose to run the ball and Connor Bortolini was a workhorse with 35 carries for 181 yards.

Both teams came into the game with 4-2 records knowing the winner would almost surely qualify for the MHSAA 8-man playoffs with five victories. Forest Park looks to have won a playoff berth, but the Gladiators (4-3) would probably still get in by beating a 2-5 Carney Nadeau team on Friday in Ewen-Trout Creek.

Forest Park (5-2) hosts North Dickinson (1-6) next Friday.

CFFP 16 14 0 22 - 52

ONTONAGON 6 6 20 6 - 38

First Quarter

CFFP - Connor Bortolini 6 run (Bortolini run)

ONT - Jacob Witt 63 pass from Dustin Howard (run failed)

CFFP - Peter Ropiak 7 pass from Tommy Peltoma (run failed)

Second Quarter

CFFP - Calvin Post 3 run (Jonah Logan 3 pass from Peltoma

ONT - Witt 62 pass from Howard (run failed)

CFFP - Logan 10 pass from Peltoma (pass fail)

Third Quarter

ONT - Jaden Weisinger 32 run (Domitrovich pass from Howard)

ONT - Witt 25 pass from Howard (pass failed)

ONT -Witt 15 pass from Howard (pass failed)

Fourth Quarter

CFFP - Bortolini 15 pass from Peltoma (Post run)

CFFP - Evan Hedtke 39 run (run fail)

ONT - Witt 23 pass from Howard ( run failed )

CFFP - Peltoma 2 run (Ropiak pass from Peltoma)