Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
HOMECOMING ROYALTY from Bessemer and Wakefield-Marenisco high schools take ride at halftime of Saturday's Gogebic Miners football game in Wakefield. From left, in front, are Wakefield-Marenisco homecoming queen Carlee Yon and Bessemer homecoming queen Kailyn Fingeroos; and in back, Wakefield-Marenisco homecoming king Hayden Makela and Bessemer homecoming king Jaakob Fyle.
By P.J. GLISSON
Wakefield - The sky was gray during Saturday's game between the Gogebic Miners and the Manistique Emeralds, but rain never interfered with the considerable spirit present during the homecoming celebration at the Wakefield-Marenisco K-12 School.
Although the Emeralds won the game 12-0, moods were upbeat despite the added masks worn by many in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Co-op members - who are led by head coach Nick Heikkila - are using the athletic field in Wakefield as their home base for the first time this year.
In the past two years that the co-op existed, the home base was in the Ironwood and Bessemer school districts. Lane said that throughout the co-op's growth he has enjoyed "a pretty good relationship" with the Ironwood and Bessemer athletic directors.
Band members also work cooperatively among the three districts. During halftime, Wakefield-Marenisco Music Director Isaac Boehnlein directed students from his own school, as well as from A.D. Johnston Junior and Senior High School in Bessemer and from Luther L. Wright K-12 School in Ironwood.
Boehnlein said the combination of students had just practiced together for the first time on Saturday morning, just before the game began at 1 p.m. In fact, he added, "Their first time playing as a group is today."
Nobody in the appreciative crowd would have guessed. "They sound excellent!" said Lane, who is also one of Wakefield-Marenisco's two head teachers.
Another feature of halftime was a ride around the athletic field track by homecoming kings and queens from two of the co-op schools. Queen Carlee Yon and King Hayden Makela of Wakefield-Marenisco were joined by Bessemer's Queen Kailyn Fingeroos and King Jaakob Fyle.
Brandon Makela, the second of Wakefield-Marenisco's head teachers, drove the truck, and the group received many loud cheers as they passed their hometown stands.
After his truck duty, Makela joined Adam Mackey and Sam Fontecchio, both of Ironwood, in a freshly-built press box directly behind the stands.
The guys were comfortable in their new nest, from which they had a bird's eye view of the game that Fontecchio was reporting via loudspeaker. "It's heated," he emphasized of the climate-controlled environment.
"We're just happy that the kids are playing football," said Makela in reference to the state having first announced that this year's football season would be skipped because of the pandemic.
As the game progressed, members of the crowd made themselves comfortable, not only in the stands, but also upon the surrounding lawn.
Crisp temperatures were no match for blankets spread on the grass or wrapped from head to foot around some viewers. In addition, sweatshirts and hats were sold from a table on the sidelines.
More warmth was available from the busy concessions stand in the way of chili, nachos, hotdogs, coffee and hot chocolate.
In relation to profits earned, Michelle Wasielewski said, "Most of the funds go for scholarships for seniors."
But she added that they also hosted a recent dinner for the Miners. Julie Hautala, who also was working in the stand, said that the boosters also help to support any athletic expense not covered by other funds.
According to Wakefield-Marenisco Superintendent Jason Gustafson, other homecoming activities had been held throughout the week leading up to the game.
Ironwood's homecoming will take place this week.
