Ironmen drop third straight, but earn area’s lone playoff berth

MANCELONA — There is just one area football team that can stake a claim as the only team to make the postseason.

That honor belongs to Mancelona, which earned a spot in the postseason for the third year in a row after the pairings were announced on Sunday by the MHSAA. The Ironmen (5-3) travel to face Charlevoix on Friday in a rematch of a second-round game in last year’s playoffs — a 52-0 win for the Rayders — as well as a rematch of NMFL Leaders Division rivals from two weeks ago — a 28-20 Charlevoix victory.

Mancelona enters the postseason on the heels of three straight losses, the third being Friday’s 20-6 setback against Maple City Glen Lake.

Despite outgaining the Lakers 272-235, while also picking up more first downs (14-9), Mancelona couldn’t overcome three turnovers. It was a sloppy night in general with 16 penalties called between the two squads.

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