Devils look to get back on track, have versatile QB

By JASON JUNO

sports@yourdailyglobe.com

Ironwood — Ironwood has a small roster and a new quarterback. But they’re also a motivated team ready to take on a challenging schedule.

The Red Devils have just 18 players on the roster and they are working on transitioning Nick Miskovich from receiver to quarterback.

Coach Kevin Lane is excited about Miskovich’s potential at the quarterback spot as the Red Devils get ready to start the season with a Thursday home game against Munising at 5 p.m. He also thinks the team can get past any limitations from their low numbers.

“They’re physical, they’re pretty quick, they’ve got a really good back that we’re going to keep a good eye on,” Lane said. “But they’re in the same boat we are — super low numbers and just a desire to get back on track here. They had a 3-6 season just like we did as well.”

Staying healthy will obviously be important this year for Ironwood.

“Our guys are super motivated to take care of their bodies, to work hard at practice to make sure they’re in good shape, make sure their bodies are ready to go,” Lane said. “Most of them played the full game, both sides of the ball and special teams, so they’re mentally prepared for that.”

Miskovich, a 6-3, 175 junior, has done well picking up the new position; he played quarterback in junior high also.

“He came in with a pretty good idea and really just has done a great job just doing what we ask of him so no concerns there,” Lane said.

And they like what he brings to their offense.

“He’s super versatile, defenses really have to worry about him,” Lane said. “He throws the ball really well, but he also has that breakaway speed where he can make a guy miss. So he’s a dual threat quarterback, which is huge and something we really keyed in on this year.”

They’ll miss his abilities and height at the wide receiver position, though, where he earned First Team All-U.P. honors.

“Many times if we were in trouble, we’d just throw him the ball and he’d go up and make a play,” Lane said. “The receivers we have now have really stepped up. Very impressed with how they’ve handled practices and getting better. Super confident in those guys as well now.”

Junior Brendan McCullough (6-2, 180) and senior Landon Buerger (6-0, 175) both played there last year and will again this season. Junior Eli Ruotsala (5-11, 165) wasn’t starting at the beginning of last year, but he took over a spot and was an important piece for the Devils late in the year. They moved senior Evan Oja (6-1, 160) to receiver and he’ll get some time there. He has good hands and has improved at route running.

Junior Ethan Gallo (5-7, 190) will be running back.

“Very impressed with him at our scrimmage,” Lane said. “He ran really hard, has very good vision for holes, so very excited to see him go to work on Thursday. Then we have Connor Sikonia, who’s a sophomore. He’ll be taking a few snaps as well to give Ethan a blow every now and then.”

Junior Madden Sommer (5-11, 180) will start at center after playing the position on the JV team last year before playing some guard on the varsity team late in the season. Senior Sol Lagalo (6-0, 180) will be the right guard. Ironwood lost him before the scrimmage last year to a dislocated knee. As of Tuesday, a battle continued for the left guard spot between senior John Moos (6-0, 185) and senior Gage Mullikin (5-10, 170).

Lane said they have confidence in that offensive line.

Defensively, Sommer will play the nose and Logalo and Sikonia (6-0, 200) will be the ends. Gallo, McCullough and Oja will be linebackers with Buerger, Ruotsala and Miskovich rotating the two secondary spots.

“I think all-around (defensively) we’re pretty solid,” Lane said. “Very impressed with our outside backers with their contain job at the scrimmage, just making sure no one gets outside of them. Our secondary, we’ve had them around for a few years now, a lot of confidence in them as well.”

Other Red Devils include: Senior Zach Smithson (6-6, 380) and freshmen Reid Johnson (6-0, 145), Caleb Sprague (5-3, 115), Brayden Orlich (5-9, 140), Tru Lagalo (5-5, 115), Isacc Hofstede (5-10, 175) and Landon Johnson (6-0, 170).

Another division of the Great Lakes Eight Conference was added and the West division now consists of Ironwood, Gogebic, Ontonagon, Lake Linden-Hubbell, Crystal Falls Forest Park and North Central. There’s still some good teams in there and Ironwood picked up some good competition to play non-conference, including Munising this week and Norway coming to town on Sept. 20.

“It’s still pretty tough, even the couple games we picked up,” Lane said. “Eight-man football is good, it’s tough. It’s what we want. Getting in the playoffs, you’re prepared for those downstate teams — good problem to have.”

Lane said Ironwood’s expectations are pretty high.

“We had each guy set some personal goals and have some team goals and they were all very similar — getting in that winning column, getting above. 500, getting a shot at making the playoffs,” he said. “So our expectations are high.”

Ironwood has a short week after the scrimmage to go over that film and get good practices in.

Monday’s was a tough one with the extreme heat, but the “kids did a great job there as well staying focused, staying determined.”