Harbor Beach 20, Lakers 6
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Pirates Utilize Turnovers to Stave Off Strong Laker Attack
October 17, 2025 — Week 08 — Harbor Beach, Michigan
The two top defenses in the Big Thumb Conference proved their worth on Friday, holding each other well below their offensive averages, but it was Harbor Beach that pulled away to defeat the Elkton Pigeon Bay Port Lakers, 20-6 on October 17, 2025 and improve to 8-0 on the season.
The highly anticipated matchup began with four consecutive punts before the Pirates busted open the stalemate with a Caden Bucholtz 44-yard run into the endzone halfway through the second quarter. An extra point by Skiler Kruse made it 7-0 Harbor Beach with 5:09 remaining in the first half. On the ensuing drive, Lakers started to move the ball but on the fifth play of the drive, Kade Wisenbaugh’s run ended in a turnover, with Kruse stripping and recovering the ball at the Laker 33-yard line. Harbor Beach found the endzone for the second time just 11 seconds before the half was over on a Rogan Messing two-yard dive for the score. Another Kruse point-after made it 14-0 after two quarters of play.
Lakers began the second half with the ball but could not convert on fourth down at the Harbor Beach 25-yard line, but put together a scoring drive on their next possession with a Grant Buchholtz one-yard run. Lucas Wehner’s extra point was blocked by Kruse to make it a one-possession game, 14-6 with 1:30 remaining in the third quarter. Harbor Beach responded with their own score on the next drive, Messing’s second touchdown of the night with the two-point conversion being stopped by Lakers’ defense. As a result, the Pirates went up 20-6 at the 9:04 mark in the fourth quarter.
Any last chance for Lakers to put together another score was stopped with 8:42 remaining when Ben LeVasseur’s pass was interception by Pirate Luke Bischer. Harbor Beach subsequently milked the clock, running the ball all the way down the field to the Laker 10-yard line before two kneels to finish the game.
Player of the Game: Rogan Messing
Messing led the Pirate attack with two touchdowns and 118 yards on 16 carries.
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Harbor Beach was paced by Messing’s 118 yards on 16 carries for two touchdowns. Bucholtz was held to four incomplete passes by the Laker secondary, but still finished with 47 rushing yards on two carries and a score. Lakers’ stat leader was Luke Good, who had 11 carries for 45 yards. LeVasseur was 5-11 in passing for 130 yards and one interception. Wisenbaugh and Wehner each brought in two catches for 76 and 49 yards, respectively.
With the win, Harbor Beach enters the final week of the regular season with an 8-0 record and a matchup against the defending Division 07 state champions, Millington. The Cardinals versus Pirates showdown will be the featured game on the WLEW Sports Network. Lakers have now dropped two games in a row after starting the season with a 6-0 record. The Green Machine travels to Marlette in Week 09.
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