Photo Credit: Michigan Tech

HOUGHTON, Mich. — The weather was perfect, and the second-largest crowd in Sherman Field history (4,027) was on hand for today’s football battle for the Miner’s Cup. Unfortunately for the home fans, it was Northern Michigan walking away with a 48-16 victory over Michigan Tech in the Upper Peninsula rivalry game.

Costly turnovers and key injuries to starting tailback Phil Milbrath (1st quarter) and quarterback Steve Short (3rd quarter) did not help the home team’s cause in falling to 0-3 on the year.

For the second straight week, Tech got off to a slow start. NMU scored on its first drive, and the Huskies turned the ball over on two straight possessions after having not turned it over it either of its first two contests of 2009.

It appeared the Wildcats were going to make it a 21-0 score early in the second quarter before a Michael Cardwell sack pushed NMU back to the 27-yard line. The ensuing 44-yard field goal attempt was missed, and the Huskies had life.

Short engineered a 72-yard drive capped by a 20-yard pass to Bryan LaChappelle with 5:16 to go in the half, making the score 14-7. The visitors answered just three minutes later, though, for a 21-7 advantage.

Tech’s Tyler Cattelino split the uprights on a 37-yard field goal with :58 remaining in the half for a 21-10 score at intermission.

Northern Michigan took possession to open the second half and was backed up on a 4th-and-14 on Tech’s 36-yard line. The Wildcats went for it and ended up completing a pass into the endzone for a 27-10 lead.

Things really went downhill for Tech two plays later as Short went down awkwardly after throwing an interception to NMU’s Zach Gauthier, who returned it for a touchdown.

Brent Heim replaced Short at quarterback and completed 7-of-13 passes for 107 yards. His first career touchdown pass came on a 17-yard route to Pat Carroll with 1:34 to play, but not before the Wildcats had scored twice more in the fourth quarter.

“Give credit to Northern Michigan,” said Tech head coach Tom Kearly. “The injuries definitely hurt us, but they played a good football game and beat us.”

Northern Michigan totaled 465 yards of total offense compared to 342 for Tech. Wildcat running back Antonio Wallace was a major part of that with 158 yards on 14 carries.

The Huskies’ leading rusher was Marvin Atkins with 37 yards on 16 rushes. Milbrath totaled 36 yards on seven carries before his injury.

Short went 8-for-20 for 121 yards and a touchdown. LaChappelle (64 yards receiving) and Bobby Slowik (69 yards) both had a team-high four catches.

Jesse Vandenberg registered a game-high 10 tackles including one for loss in the contest. Cardwell and Jacob Clark each recorded a sack.

Michigan Tech will try to regroup with another home game next week. The Huskies will host No. 1-ranked Grand Valley State in the first night game in Sherman Field history at 6 p.m.