DETROIT, MI-- The Ishpeming High School football team defeated Detroit Loyola 20-14 for the MHSAA Division 7 state football championship on Saturday at Ford Field in Detroit.
The Hematites last won a pair of state titles in 1975 and 1979. IHS lost by two points two years ago at Ford Field.
Ishpeming senior running back Eric Kostreva rushed in three touchdowns for the Hematites while gaining over 182 yards on the ground on 20 carries.
Kostreva put Ishpeming out front 18-14 in the fourth quarter with a 60 yard run to the Loyola 3 yard line, a run for no gain and a 3-yard TD run. Junior quarterback Alex Briones scored the two-point conversion for a six-point advantage.
Kostreva punched in a 3-yard touchdown run to cap a 12 play, 58-yard drive that spanned the first seven minutes of the second half to put IHS up 12-8. The Hematites' pass on the two-point conversion fell incomplete.
Kostreva gave IHS a 6-0 lead in the first quarter, scoring on a 55-yard touchdown run in the first quarter. The Hematites' two-point conversion run failed. The drive spanned four plays and 71 yards in 2:01.
Loyola has scored twice on fourth down with the latest coming on fourth and 3 run from the Hematites' 20 yard line at the conclusion of the third quarter. After a false start penalty, the Bulldogs failed to run in the two-point conversion.
The Bulldogs reached the end zone in the second quarter on a 28-yard pass play on fourth and 7, then used an end around to punch in the two-point conversion and cap a 13-play, 73-yard drive that ate 6:38 off the clock.
Mining Journal sports writer Steve Brownlee is at Ford Field in Detroit covering the game. Stay logged on to www.miningjournal.net for the latest on the Hematites state title.
For a Detroit Free Press story about Coach Olson, click here.