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The Ironmen ended that with last Friday night's thrilling 20-14 comeback win over the Snowbirds in a key Ski Valley Conference game.

Not only were the Ironmen trailing the Snowbirds late in the fourth quarter, but they had to convert a big fourth-and-six situation to keep the game-winning drive alive.

Blanco ran out of the pocket to pick up seven yards on third-and-13, before hitting fullback Kodi Balhorn with a 17-yard pass to give the Ironmen first down on the Snowbirds' 1-yard line.

The Snowbirds hung tough, keeping the Ironmen out of the end zone on three consecutive plays before Duerksen finally squeezed in on fourth down.

Mancelona used six minutes on the clock to march the 78 yards in 13 plays to Duerksen's game-winning touchdown.

But St. Mary still had time to pull the game out, with two possessions in the final minutes following the Ironmen's go-ahead score.

The second one afforded them their best opportunity to either punch the ball for a touchdown, or perhaps try a long field goal as the Snowbirds advanced the ball to the Mancelona 37 on two big pass plays from quarterback Brett Bauer to end Matthew Topp.

It was Mancelona's defense that stiffened at that point.

On second down and 10, Mike Herczak and linebacker James Johnson sacked Bauer. Duerksen finally ended the threat when he batted away a fourth-down pass.

St. Mary clung to a 14-12 lead with under six minutes left in the fourth quarter when the Ironmen started their long, time-consuming march that eventually paid off in senior running back Adam Duerksen's one-yard touchdown behind key blocks from guard Tyler Dolloway and tackle Cody Sehl.

Duerksen's score came with 4:46 remaining in the fourth, but still left the Ironmen needing a two-point conversion to secure the big league win.

No problem.

Mancelona quarterback Greg Blanco calmly surveyed the field, located receiver Trevor Hudson in the corner of the end zone and hit him with a perfect strike for the winning two-pointer.

Ironmen head coach Dave Derrer confessed afterward that he had no idea how long it had been since Mancelona defeated St. Mary's at Gaylord.

But, the length of the losing streak wasn't important. What mattered more was that the Ironmen improved their record to 2-1 overall, and 2-0 in the conference. St. Mary is now 2-1 overall and in the league.

Duerksen, shaken upÊafter being tackled following a pass receptionÊagainst Elk Rapids in the season opener,Êfinished the game with 127 yards rushing on 28 carries, and also scored a touchdown earlier in the game. Blanco completed 4-of-5 passes on the day for 92 yards.

"We knew there would be times when things wouldn't go right,"coach Derrer said, "and we would have to stay focused, and keep doing what we do.

"The kids hung in there and left it all on the field. Both of these teams tonight left everything on the field."

And that's just the kind of spirit and drive that can lead to league championships.

Next for the Ironmen is a trip to Johannesburg-Lewiston for a 7 p.m. game on Friday night.