Photo Credit: Michigan Tech

HOUGHTON, Mich. — Michigan Tech’s Bobby Slowik caught eight passes for 125 yards and three touchdowns, but it was not enough in a 38-26 loss to Northwood today in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football season finale for both teams.  The Timberwolves (7-3, 7-3 GLIAC) racked up nearly 400 yards of rushing to defeat the Huskies (2-8, 2-8) in front of 1,845 fans at Sherman Field.

Tech accumulated 434 yards of total offense, but hurt itself with two turnovers deep into Northwood territory. Meanwhile, the Huskies’ defense could not slow down Northwood’s option attack nor its quarterback. Spencer Klukowski accounted for 88 yards and three touchdowns rushing and added 154 yards passing in the contest as part of 552 yards of total offense.

"This is similar to what happened all year to us," said Kearly. "We gave up too many long plays, and we squandered points in the red zone. They're a good team, and you can't do that if you want to win."

Tech worked the game’s opening drive into the red zone, but a Tyler Cattelino field goal attempt was blocked. Two plays later, Northwood scored as Klukowski scampered 16 yards into the end zone. The run was set up by a 64-yard pass from Klukowski to Antoine Carr on the T’wolves’ first play from scrimmage. The rest of the first quarter was a battle for field position, as the next five drives in the quarter resulted in punts.

Klukowski made the score 14-0 at the 8:03 mark of the second quarter when he plunged into the endzone from one yard out. The Huskies answered this score with a 10-play drive capped by a 10-yard Brent Heim-to-Slowik pass play. Cattelino, however, missed the extra point, leaving the score 14-6 heading into halftime.

Northwood would extend its lead to 21-6 early in the third quarter after a blocked punt set up a short field. Tech answered immediately with a 37-yard pass to Bryan LaChappelle and a 24-yard strike to Slowik for his second TD of the day. The extra point made it 21-13.

Tech’s defense held NU on downs, then had the ball first-and-10 at the T’wolves 11 on the ensuing drive. Heim’s pass to Steve Worthy, which would have put the Huskies within a conversion of tying, bounced into the air and was intercepted.

Defensive end Todd Storm breathed life into the Huskies’ faithful late in the third quarter as he sacked Klukowski and forced a fumble that Tech recovered. Two big offensive plays later, Phil Milbrath fumbled at the end of a nice run at the Northwood 27 to again keep the hosts eight points behind.

Northwood converted the Tech fumble into a touchdown for a 28-13 advantage with 11:45 to play. Milbrath’s 21-yard run again answered the score, but the point after was missed, leaving it a two-possession game at 28-19.

The T’wolves added a field goal with 6:45 to play for a 31-19 spread. Slowik’s third TD reception of the game made the score 31-26 and kept Tech’s hopes alive with 1:43 to play. The on-side kick was recovered by Northwood, who added a 31-yard touchdown run to ice the win.

Heim completed 20-of-34 passes for 296 yards and three touchdowns. All three scores went to Slowik, who finished his career as only the fifth player in school history to surpass 2,000 receiving yards (2,089).

Milbrath rushed 11 times for 79 yards and caught four passes for 80 more in the game. LaChappelle wrapped up a stellar rookie campaign with 82 yards on four catches in the game.

Jesse Vandenberg tallied a game-high 11 tackles to lead the Tech defense. Senior David Carmody returned from injury to post eight tackles in his final game as a Husky.

Michigan Tech wrapped up its season with a 2-8 record. The senior class finishes with a four-year record of 22-20.