Chiefs Lead Saints in Rivalry
By David Latva

One of the longest football rivalries in northern Michigan continues this year at Saints Field, when the host St. Ignace Saints, 5- 0 on the season, and the Cheboygan Chiefs, 4-1, battle for the 51st time, with the Chiefs holding a 26-23-1 advantage.

The match-up between the Saints and Chiefs kicked off in 1952 and has carried over since, except for 1955, 1968, and from 1998 to 2002.

The two schools were members of the Huron Straits League from 1958 to 1967, and the Michigan Huron Shores Conference from 1968 to 1996. In 1997, the Saints joined the Straits Area Conference (SAC) and the Chiefs moved into the Big North Conference before Cheboygan joined the SAC for the 2002 season.

St. Ignace defeated Cheboygan 44-28 in 2003, but the Chiefs have won the last three match-ups, 55- 0 in 2004, 52-13 in 2005, and 34- 13 in 2006.

The Chiefs are led by junior quarterback Austin Blaskowski, who replaced three-year starter Brady Lafreniere after the senior suffered a broken arm. Fullback Nathan Schott carries the bulk of the load for the Cheboygan running game, along with Mike Gahn and Scott Dombroski at halfbacks.

St. Ignace has earned success this year from a total team effort on both sides of the football.

They are led by sophomore quarterback Gerrit Mortensen, running backs Kyle "Bubba" Smock, Jesse Becker, and Shawn Cowell, receivers Alec Fitzgerald, Anthony Lester, and James Peterson, and a strong defense that has allowed nine points per game. The defense is led by Derek Marshall, Nick Montie, Stefan Saffian, and James Halberg.

The Saints have qualified for the playoffs after winning five consecutive games, and the Chiefs, who defeated Marquette, Alpena, Petoskey, and Sault Ste. Marie, and lost to Gaylord, are two victories away from making the playoffs.

The kickoff is set for Friday, September 28, at 7 p.m. on Saints Field.