The Huskies’ 38-26 loss to the Northwood Timberwolves in Saturday’s season finale at Sherman Field pretty well sums up a disappointing season for Michigan Tech. The Huskies have battled injuries, poor special teams play and costly turnovers all season. Those factors, along with the Huskies inability to stop the run, prevented Michigan Tech (2-8, 2-8 GLIAC) from beating Northwood (7-3, 7-3 GLIAC) on Saturday.

Northwood gained 398 rushing yards as part of a balanced run game that included five players rushing for more than 60 yards. Michigan Tech only had one runner do that, Phil Milbrath, who tallied 79 yards. Michigan Tech posted 329 yards through the air, compared to Northwood’s 154, but it was the clock management (time of possession: Northwood 33:36-26:24) and ball control (turnovers: Michigan Tech 2-1, both of Tech’s turnovers ending promising scoring drives) that clearly favored Northwood in the end.

Northwood quarterback Spencer Klukowski gave the Huskies defense all kinds of problems, racking up 88 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns, in addition to his 154 yards through the air, leading the spread offense. He gave the Timberwolves a 14-0 lead after a 16-yard rushing touchdown five minutes into the game, and a 7-yard touchdown run midway through the second quarter.

The Huskies answered just two minutes before the halftime break as Bobby Slowik caught the first of his three touchdown passes on the day from Brent Heim, capping off a 10-play, 54-yard drive. Unfortunately, Tyler Cattelino missed the extra point, and the Huskies entered the break with a manageable 14-6 deficit.

Northwood started the second half with the ball, but the Huskies defense forced an immediate three-and-out. The Huskies could not respond, though, as the Timberwolves forced them into a three-and-out of their own, only Northwood blocked Jon Mills’ punt, setting them up with prime field position at Michigan Tech’s 37-yard line. Klukowski completed a 33-yard pass that set up his third rushing touchdown of the game, a four-yard scamper that gave the visitors a 21-6 lead.

This time, Michigan Tech did respond, and it did not take long. The Huskies needed just two plays of their own to get back on the board, as Heim hooked up with freshman tight end Bryan LaChappelle for 37 yards before finding the senior Slowik over the middle for a 24-yard scoring strike. This time, Cattelino’s kick was good, and the 1,845 fans in attendance were braced for an interesting conclusion.

The frantic pace finally slowed down, as neither team scored again until the fourth quarter, when Northwood extended their lead once again, this time with a 17-yard touchdown run from Jarett Beavers not even four minutes into the quarter. The Huskies responded quickly again, as Phil Milbrath concluded a four-play, 65-yard drive with a 21-yard touchdown run, but Cattelino’s second missed extra point kept it a two-score game, 28-19.

Northwood’s Pat Sijan converted a 23-yard field goal, but Michigan Tech fought back again, as Heim and Slowik connected once again with 1:43 remaining in the game, this time with a 13-yard touchdown play, again across the middle. Unfortunately for the Huskies, the ensuing onside kick was recovered by Northwood, and Simon Cholometes earned a garbage-time touchdown to extend the final score to 38-26 in favor of the Timberwolves.

Brent Heim completed 20 of his 34 passes for 296 yards and three touchdowns, all of them to Slowik, who had his fifth 100-yard effort of the season with 125 yards on eight catches. In fitting fashion, Slowik became just the fifth Husky in Michigan Tech history to earn over 2,000 career receiving yards.

The Huskies failed to win at home this season for the first time since the 1997 Huskies, who also finished 2-8. The 13 seniors on the team tallied a 22-20 record over their four years at Michigan Tech, which also coincides with head coach Tom Kearly’s first four years leading the Huskies football program.

Check out the live blog of today’s game for minute-by-minute analysis as the game happened, and also see next week’s Lode for a brief season recap, including player and coach reactions, followed by a more in-depth look back at a tough 2009 football season in the Nov. 19 print edition.