Godwin Heights secures a 16-12 victory over Calvin Christian in the season finale. (WKTV)
By Zach Fanko, WKTV Contributor
With several players leaving the game due to injury, including star QB Jamarion Collins, Godwin Heights found a way to hold on for a 16-12 victory over Calvin Christian on Friday night.
Collins injured his ankle in last week’s loss to Belding and he started the game despite being less than 100 percent.
“He didn’t practice really all week,” Godwin coach Brandon Kimble said. “I had him go through yesterday’s walk-through and I would say he was about 70-80 percent.”
Led by their senior leader, the Wolverines jumped out to a 16-0 first quarter lead, but the Squires fought their way back into the game with two touchdowns of their own to make it 16-12 at the half.
That’s when things took a turn for the worse for Godwin as Collins was unable to finish the game with his injury, as well as its starting tackle, tight end and halfback.
From then on, the Wolverines’ defense took over in the second half with three interceptions, including what would end up being the game-winning pick by safety Jace Reid-Anderson.
Johnny Horrell and Miguel Ocampo also secured interceptions for Godwin.
“We were really limping to the finish line tonight,” Kimble said. “Sometimes you have to win ugly, but it doesn’t make it any less sweeter.
“Proud of our guys and happy we could get the win for our seniors.”
Godwin Heights finishes the season at 4-5 overall, and 3-3 in the OK Silver, while Calvin Christian finishes 4-5 and 1-5 in the OK Silver.
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Grandville topped East Kentwood in a battle of two playoff-bound teams on Friday. (WKTV/Nathan Piers)
By Zach Fanko, WKTV Contributor
With both teams firmly in the Division 1 playoffs heading into the regular season finale, Grandville’s defense stood tall in the second half to deliver a 34-21 victory over East Kentwood at Falcon Stadium Friday night.
The Falcons jumped ahead 7-6 on an Elisee Kanda 5-yard TD run in the first quarter and later tied up the game at 14-14 with a 22-yard strike from QB Ben Cash to J’Kari Couch at the 6:56 mark in the second quarter.
The Bulldogs later seized a 20-14 lead before halftime and never relinquished it with 24 consecutive points.
Self-inflicted mistakes played a major part in the loss for East Kentwood, according to Coach Tony Kimbrough.
“We were trying to do too much offensively tonight,” Kimbrough said. “Have to be able to execute the little things and unfortunately we put ourselves into third and long quite a bit.”
Cash led the Falcons with 141 yards through the air, as well as 93 yards on the ground. Stellan Bowman led the defense with 17 tackles.
East Kentwood looks to be back in the playoffs after a 2-7 season in 2021. (WKTV/Nathan Piers)
Despite the loss, East Kentwood (5-4, 4-3 OK Red) looks to have all but clinched a playoff spot, according to the MHSAA playoff points standings and a rematch with Grandville (7-2, 5-2 OK Red) is a strong possibility.
“That seems to be the most likely from what I’ve heard,” Kimbrough said when asked about the possible rematch with Grandville. “We’re going to look at the film of tonight and fix those mistakes.”
Getting back to the playoffs was a goal for the Falcons after a 2-7 season in 2021.
“To win five games with the strength of our conference and schedule, I’m very proud of what this team has accomplished.”
“The announcement of the qualifiers and first-round pairings for both the 11 and 8-player playoffs will take place at 6 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 23, on the “Selection Sunday Show” on Bally Sports Detroit and its website. The playoff qualifiers and pairings will be posted to the MHSAA Website following the Selection Sunday Show,” according to the MHSAA.
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With a 56-22 win over host Forest Hills Eastern Friday, South Christian continued checking off the boxes of its flawless football season.
Going undefeated at 9-0 during the regular season campaign, check. The Sailors last went undefeated in the regular season in 2004.
Winning the OK Gold conference outright, check. The Sailors finished 7-0 atop the conference, one game ahead of rival Grand Rapids Catholic Central, and the first time since 2014.
Reaching the playoffs again, check. And this time as the No.1 seed in Division 4 earning three-straight home games. Last year the Sailors reached a D-4 regional final.
“Until you’re a part of something like this season it’s really hard to explain,” South Christian Coach Danny Brown said. “Before the game we knew we had a chance to accomplish something to talk about the rest of our lives.
“It was a pretty special night with a pretty special group. You want to be playing your best football at the end of the season and this was our best, but now we’re starting a whole new season at 0-0.
South Christian Quarterback Jake DeHaan earlier this season. (Courtesy, Eric Walstra)
South Christian quarterback Jake DeHaan had a “career night,” according to Brown. DeHaan had eight touchdowns agains Forest Hills Eastern, six through the air and two on the ground.
He completed 21 of 28 passes for 348 yards with no interceptions and rushed 12 times for 87 yards.
On DeHaan’s shoulders, the Sailors jumped out to a 21-0 lead to end the first quarter and a 42-7 halftime margin.
“The first half offensively and defensively we were just clicking on all cylinders,” said Brown, whose team had 580 yards overall. “It was crazy, unbelievable execution tonight. Hands down it was our best offensive game of the year.”
Carson Vis had 10 receptions for 169 yards and four TDs, while Seth Ritsema caught three passes for 110 yards and two touchdowns. Ritsema also led with five tackles, while Cam VanSolkema and Austin Tiesma added four apiece.
Forest Hills Eastern quarterback Brendan Thompson completed 8 of 20 passes for 230 yards and one TD to Jake Heemstra (80 yards).
Bryson Kuzdzal led the Hawks with 9 rushes for 47 yards and two TDs.
Hawks playoff bound as well
Forest Hills Eastern dropped to 6-3 overall, 4-3 in the Gold, but is most likely playoff bound in Division 4.
“The announcement of the qualifiers and first-round pairings for both the 11 and 8-player playoffs will take place at 6 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 23, on the “Selection Sunday Show” on Bally Sports Detroit and its website. The playoff qualifiers and pairings will be posted to the MHSAA Website following the Selection Sunday Show.” (MHSAA.)
Quarterback Jake DeHaan and the Sailors on offense against Forest Hills Eastern. (WKTV/Nathan Piers)
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South Christian Quarterback Jake DeHaan has led the Sailors to 8-0 with one regular season game left. South Christian hopes to make a deep playoff run in Division 4, where they are currently ranked No. 2 in the state. (Courtesy, Eric Walstra)
By Geoff Kimmerly, MHSAA.com senior editor
Here is a list of Michigan High School Athletic Association football playing schools, displaying their win-loss records and playoff averages through the eighth week of the season.
Schools on this list are divided by division and ordered by playoff average. The top 32 teams by playoff average in each 11-player division and top 16 teams by playoff average in each 8-player division will qualify for the MHSAA Football Playoffs beginning Oct. 28. Divisions were determined prior to the start of the season, and the lists below include not only teams currently positioned to potentially qualify, but also the next eight teams in each division. (Forfeits confirmed for this week already have been added and are reflected in win-loss records and playoff points below.)
To review a list of all football playoff schools, individual school playoff point details and to report errors, visit the Football Playoff Point Summary page.
The announcement of the qualifiers and first-round pairings for both the 11 and 8-player playoffs will take place at 6 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 23, on the “Selection Sunday Show” on Bally Sports Detroit and its website. The playoff qualifiers and pairings will be posted to the MHSAA Website following the Selection Sunday Show.
East Kentwood defeated Jenison 16-0 during the WKTV Game of the Week on Sept. 16. The Falcons are 5-3 heading into the final regular season game and are still alive in the Division 1 playoff hunt, ranked 24th out of the 32 teams that will qualify in that division. (WKTV/Nathan Piers)
1. Colon, 8-0, 36.625 2. Marion, 8-0, 34.857 3. Climax-Scotts, 7-1, 34.250 4. Powers North Central, 8-0, 33.958 5. Peck, 7-1, 32.375 6. Au Gres-Sims, 7-1, 31.625 6. Morrice, 7-1, 31.625 8. Crystal Falls Forest Park, 7-1, 30.458 9. Mendon, 6-2, 30.000 10. Posen, 7-1, 29.875 11. Gaylord St. Mary, 6-2, 28.929 12. Central Lake, 6-2, 28.500 13. Lake Linden-Hubbell, 5-3, 25.708 14. Cedarville, 5-3, 25.536 15. Camden-Frontier, 4-4, 25.250 16. Stephenson, 5-3, 24.958 17. Kinde North Huron, 5-3, 24.625 18. Bay City All Saints, 4-4, 23.000 19. Athens, 4-4, 22.625 20. Pittsford, 4-4, 22.250 21. Wyoming Tri-unity Christian, 4-4, 21.875 22. Mio, 3-5, 21.750 23. Atlanta, 3-5, 21.375 24. New Haven Merritt Academy, 4-4, 21.125
The MHSAA is a private, not-for-profit corporation of voluntary membership by more than 1,500 public and private senior high schools and junior high/middle schools which exists to develop common rules for athletic eligibility and competition. No government funds or tax dollars support the MHSAA, which was the first such association nationally to not accept membership dues or tournament entry fees from schools. Member schools which enforce these rules are permitted to participate in MHSAA tournaments, which attract more than 1.3 million spectators each year.
Tri-unity and Godfrey-Lee lit up the scoreboard on Friday night, as the Defenders scored 22 unanswered points in the second half to pull away for a 50-30 win.
The Legends, seeking their first win of the season, trailed 24-16 at the half and later found themselves down 38-30 before a kickoff return touchdown pushed the Tri-unity lead to double digits for good.
“Had a chance to go up in the first half,” Lee coach Lamar Marshall said. “Ended up throwing an interception into the end zone.
“A couple of drive killers were really the difference in the game.”
Braiden Luurtsema scores one of his three rushing touchdowns. (WKTV)
Braiden Luurtsema and Vergel Heath combined for five rushing touchdowns for the Defenders.
Lee celebrated senior night for its lone senior Elijah Beckwith, who gave the Legends a stirring speech before the game.
“We decided to do something different and let Elijah give the pre-game speech,” Marshall said. “He really lit a fire under our team and they played hard the entire game.”
Beckwith also scored a 65-yard receiving touchdown where he proceeded to break multiple tackles on the way to the end zone.
Anthony Blok added two passing touchdowns and a rushing one to lead Lee.
Tri-unity (4-4) closes the season at home against Gobles.
Lee (0-8) hosts Fennville in its season finale.
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Belding defeated host Godwin Heights 34-14 on Friday to improve to 7-1 overall, while Godwin Heights fell to 3-5.
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The Wolverines huddle up during a 34-14 loss to Belding Friday. (WKTV/Nathan Piers)
(WKTV/Nathan Piers)
(WKTV/Nathan Piers)
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Needing a win to improve its playoff chances, East Kentwood pulled away late in the fourth quarter to put away Hudsonville 29-20 at Falcon Stadium.
The Falcons jumped ahead 6-0 in the first quarter on an Elisee Kandee touchdown run that was set up by a J’Kari Couch 40-yard run.
Kandee returned to the end zone once again in the first half, this time on defense with a Pick-6. East Kentwood carried a 22-14 advantage at the half.
Despite being in a solid position to qualify for the 32-team playoff field (the Falcons are ranked No. 23 in playoff points for Division 1 according to MHSAA.com), East Kentwood coach Tony Kimbrough spoke about the importance of playing with a sense of urgency.
The crowd at Falcon Stadium takes in a game between East Kentwood and Hudsonville. (WKTV/Nathan Piers)
“We feel like we control our own destiny in terms of the playoffs,” Kimbrough said. “We treated tonight’s game as a playoff game and I think our effort reflected that.”
The Eagles pulled within two in the third quarter on a Trey Carr touchdown pass, his second TD of the night.
However, the Falcons responded with a touchdown of their own as QB Ben Cash kept it himself for a 14-yard scamper to push the EK lead to 29-20 with 9:20 left the final stanza. A fumble on a punt return would later seal Hudsonville’s fate.
The Falcons defense lines up against Hudsonville’s offensive unit. (WKTV/Nathan Piers)
“Didn’t play our best football tonight,” Hudsonville coach Brent Sandee said. “Had some turnovers and penalties at key moments in the game.
“The effort was certainly there, but we lacked the execution at times tonight.”
Cash finished with 119 yards through the air with a passing TD, as well as 38 rushing yards and a score. Kandee added 56 yards on the ground. Meanwhile, linebacker Stellan Bowman finished the game with 12 tackles.
East Kentwood (5-3, 4-2 OK Red) now looks ahead to its senior night game next Friday with Grandville (6-2, 4-2 OK Red), as both teams jockey for playoff positioning.
Hudsonville (2-6, 2-4 OK Red) hosts Grand Haven (1-7, 0-6 OK Red) next Friday.
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The wins keep coming and the pressure keeps mounting for the South Christian football team, which knocked off Kenowa Hills 37-7 Friday to stay undefeated at 8-0.
The Sailors have a chance to go undefeated in the regular season for the first time since 2004 with a win at Forest Hills Eastern next Friday, and hope to stand alone atop the OK Gold for the first time since 2014.
They are currently 6-0 in the conference, one win ahead of Grand Rapids Catholic Central with a 36-34 win over them earlier this year.
“An undefeated regular season would be really cool,” said South Christian Coach Danny Brown, whose team reached a Division 4 regional final last year. “We’re playing a really good Forest Hills Eastern (4-2, 6-2 overall) team that is well coached with good players next Friday.
“We want to roll into the playoffs on a good note.”
Jake DeHaan stands tall again
Once again, quarterback Jake DeHaan led the way for the Sailors, completing 15 of 23 passes for 230 yards and a touchdown throw to Carson Vis. DeHaan added 51 yards on the ground with two more TDs.
“He threw the ball really well,” Brown said. “He was taking what the defense was giving him. We ran a lot of swing passes to our running backs, and our receivers did an awesome job of blocking downfield this week.”
(Image Courtesy of South Christian)
Cayden Dykema led the Sailors with 6 tackles, while Sawyer TenHaaf added 5.
“We played really good on defense tonight,” Brown said. “We were flying around everywhere and good at the point of attack. We did a good job of putting pressure on the quarterback and made it tough on them.
“The kids seem to answer the bell every week.”
Nate Brinks “all over the place”
Brown said Nate Brinks had a great game as well, rushing 10 times for 50 yards and a TD and five receptions for 72 yards, plus handling all the kicking duties.
“He kicked a field goal and nearly puts every kickoff into the end zone,” Brown said. “He had a lot of touches today; was all over the place.”
Seth Ritsema had four catches for 99 yards.
Kenowa Hills Coach Rory Zegunis said the Sailors are very impressive.
“They are as advertised, that’s for sure,” said Zegunis, whose team fell to 1-7 overall. “I was super impressed with their defense. They are big, strong and fast. It’s hard to find a place to attack them.
“And offensively, the quarterback is so dynamic. He can throw, he can run, he’s just a smart kid back there and is dangerous.
“With a team like that, I was overall happy with how our defense played. We just couldn’t do anything on offense.”
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National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum’s vintage Grand Rapids Griffins Bobblehead. (Courtesy, National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum)
The bobblehead is part of the American Hockey League Vintage Bobbleheads collection that the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum is releasing in conjunction with the start of the 2022-23 AHL season, which begins Oct. 14. This marks the first vintage bobblehead series featuring every AHL team, and each bobblehead is officially licensed by the AHL.
Standing on a circular ice-like base bearing the team’s name, the smiling Grand Rapids Griffins bobblehead is suited up in a black jersey featuring the team logo and holding a hockey stick. Each bobblehead is individually numbered to 500, and they are only available through the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum’s Online Store. The bobbleheads, which are expected to ship in November, are $30 each plus a flat-rate shipping charge of $8 per order. A set featuring all 32 bobbleheads is $900.
Grand Rapids Griffins kick off season at home
Founded in 1996, the Grand Rapids Griffins started play as a member of the now-defunct International Hockey League before moving to the AHL in 2001. The team is currently an affiliate of the NHL’s Detroit Red Wings and were an affiliate of the Ottawa Senators from 1999-2002. The Griffins opened as the third IHL affiliate in Grand Rapids history, after the Grand Rapids Rockets of the 1950s and the Grand Rapids Owls of the late 1970s. The Griffins won Calder Cup titles in the 2012-13 and 2016-17 seasons. In 2021-22, they finished seventh in the Central Division.
“We’re excited to be working with the AHL to release the first collection of vintage bobbleheads featuring every American Hockey League team,” National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum co-founder and CEO Phil Sklar said. “Van Andel Arena is one of the best venues in the AHL and the Griffins are sure to give the fans of hockey-loving Grand Rapids plenty of excitement in 2022-23.”
The Grand Rapids Griffins start its 72-game season at home this weekend with tonight’s 7 p.m. game against the San Diego Gulls. They plan the Gulls again at 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 15. The team then plans the Milwaukee Admirals at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 19, before heading out on the road for two weeks.
At age 9, East Kentwood golf standout Elise Fennell figured out she was talented.
“I was playing Jr. PGA with boys four years older than me and beating them,” said Fennell, a junior at EK and All-State golfer two years straight.
As a freshman, Fennell finished tied for fourth place at the Division 1 state finals with a score of 74, followed by a seventh-place finish last year with a two-round score of 148 (74-74).
Her determination shined through early on as well.
“My first few words as a baby were ‘no help,’ when I was around 6 months old,” said Fennell, whose favorite food is chicken quesadillas. “I also would always play different sports with my neighbors and would always try my absolute best to beat them.”
Watching golf with dad as a youngster
Fennell said her interest grew while watching golf on TV with her dad, Josh.
“I wanted to try it, so my dad bought me a three-club set,” explained Fennell, whose favorite movie is Shrek. “I was 6 when he bought the set and I got hooked a few months after that. I would hit, and if I didn’t pass my dad’s shot I would pick up and go to his ball.
“I learned how to swing the club just by watching on TV for the most part. I watched and learned from Tiger (Woods) the most.”
Her best golf accomplishment?
Winning the GAM (Golf Association of Michigan) 15 and Under Stroke Play in 2019.
EK golf standout Elise Fennell. (Courtesy, Josh Fennell)
“It was my first GAM win and my first big tournament win.”
EK Coach Mike Ketelaar said though her demeanor is “extremely calm, relaxed and sort of laissez-faire, Elise is the fiercest and most prepared competitor I have ever coached.
“She is truly a complete player,” continued Ketelaar, who’s coached the EK boys and girls golf teams for five years. “This season, she shot 69 twice and 70 twice, and in my opinion, she did not play her “A-game” on those occasions. I am excited to watch her continue striving towards her full potential.”
Her state finals expectations?
“To put up two very solid rounds at the state finals,” Fennell said. “Ideally, I would like to shoot somewhere around 69 or 70 for both rounds and see what happens.
East Kentwood golfer Elise Fennell was OK Red All Conference for a third-straight year. (Courtesy, Mike Ketelaar)
“I think I am very capable of winning this year, but I know there are some amazing players that’ll be there as well.”
Ketelaar said she is no different from most elite players.
“She wants to compete at the highest level, perform her best, and win the state finals as an individual.”
This year’s MHSAA State Finals are Friday and Saturday, Oct. 14 and 15 at the Bedford Valley Golf Course in Battle Creek.
Fennell, who has a GPA of 3.99, would like to play college golf and major in engineering, but is undecided where.
Fennell was OK Red All Conference for a third-straight year, and teammate Camryn Kolzow was honorable mention.
“Elise is undoubtedly the leader of EK’s team,” Ketelaar said. “Elise would probably not refer to herself as a leader, nor desire the role, as most elite high school athletes typically do. Elise leads by her example.
“Players on the team are very aware Elise is one of the best players in Michigan, and they pay attention to Elise and her game.”
East Kentwood players receive instruction from their coach during a previous game this season. (WKTV)
By Zach Fanko, WKTV Contributor
Points were at a premium in this match-up, as East Kentwood kept its playoff hopes alive with a 14-6 victory over West Ottawa.
Following a scoreless first quarter, the Falcons found the scoreboard as quarterback Casey Joppie connected with Nate Cobbs on a 14-yard scoring strike. East Kentwood clung to a slim 7-6 lead at the half.
With 3:53 left in the third quarter, running back Ben Cash punched it in from 2 yards out for a 14-6 advantage. The Falcons defense, led by linebacker Stellan Bowman with 15 tackles, held on to the lead with a scoreless final quarter.
Bowman also forced two fumbles, added a sack, as well as 78 rushing yards. East Kentwood Coach Tony Kimbrough had high praise for his star linebacker.
“He’s the best linebacker in the state,” Kimbrough said. “Show me another guy that plays with the passion he has for the game.
“Nobody loves the game more than he does and it’s infectious. Makes everyone around him better football players.”
The biggest takeaway for the Panthers tonight was the missed opportunities offensively, according to Coach Pat Collins.
“Had some short fields, but just couldn’t convert on those opportunities,” Collins said. “Got to examine what went wrong for us tonight.
“A lot of losing moments. A lot of winning moments, too. We will look at those and improve.”
Despite an inconsistent performance from the offense, Kimbrough was pleased to get back into the winning column.
“You take the wins any way you can get them in this league,” Kimbrough said. “A lot of talent in this league and the coaching is outstanding.”
With this crucial win, East Kentwood (4-3, 3-2 OK Red) turns its attention to a home date with Hudsonville (2-5, 2-3 OK Red) next Friday.
West Ottawa (3-4, 1-4 OK Red) travels to Caledonia for next Friday’s game.
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After losing in heartbreaking fashion in back-to-back weeks, Godwin Heights pulled away in the second half of its 35-6 rivalry win over Kelloggsville.
“We ran the ball really well last week and if not for a fumble at the goal line may have won that game,” Godwin Heights coach Brandon Kimble said. “We wanted to show our running backs that we trusted them to carry us.
“Wanted to establish that ground game and really light a fire under our offensive line.”
Both defenses dominated the first stanza and the game remained scoreless after 12 minutes of play. The Wolverines broke the scoreless tie with a 6-yard touchdown run by senior quarterback Jamarion Collins, a drive set up by the first of two Jeff Zalaya interceptions.
Godwin Heights QB Jamarion Collins scans downfield against Kelloggsville. The Wolverines defeated the Rockets 35-6. (WKTV)
Clinging to an 8-0 lead at the half, Godwin broke the game open on an 8-yard touchdown run by David Gill and later a 10-yard touchdown pass by Collins to Johnny Horrel for a 22-0 advantage heading into the final quarter.
Collins scored another touchdown in the fourth quarter, this time a 10-yard strike to Jace Reid-Anderson after a forced fumble by Gill set up the Wolverines within scoring distance. Gill once again found the end zone, his second rushing score, on a 10-yard run to push the lead to 35-0.
The Rockets staved off the shutout in the final minute of play on a 54-yard touchdown pass from Jeremie Collins to Brendan Tuinstra.
“Their defensive front was stout,” Kelloggsville coach Brandon Branch said. “Our offensive line played tough, but unfortunately just couldn’t get that push up front we needed.
“Been a tough season with a lot of injuries. Had 15 seniors to start the season and we had four play tonight. Had a lot of underclassmen step up tonight which was good to see.”
With the win, Godwin Heights improves to 3-4 (2-2 OK Silver) and is hoping to carry the momentum from this game into the final two weeks of the season.
“They’re all big games this time of the year,” Kimble said. “And when you play another Wyoming school that just makes it that much bigger.”
The Wolverines host Belding (6-1) next week on Senior night and if history serves right should be a tight contest after Godwin’s tight win a year ago.
Kelloggsville (1-6, 1-3 OK Silver) hosts Comstock Park next Friday night.
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Eau Claire defeated visiting Godfrey-Lee 64-18 in 8-player football Friday night.
Eau Claire’s Damarrion Travis had two rushing touchdowns and an interception for a TD, while Landon Baskin had two TDs in the air and one on the ground and Ryder Williams added two TD receptions.
“They’re a young football team and play hard,” said Eau Claire Coach Earl Koch of the Legends. “And we just ran the ball and rammed it down the middle.”
Anthony Blok had one TD pass and one on the ground for Godfrey-Lee (0-7 overall), while running back Elijah Beckwith added one TD reception and one on the ground.
“We’ve got a lot of first-year guys and are building from the ground up,” said Godfrey-Lee Coach Lamar Marshall. “No one is quitting because of the losses.
“Every player has a great attitude about the season.”
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With Wayland more than doubling the offensive minutes of South Christian, Sailors’ coach Danny Brown was happy to get the win and fight through some adversity in a 21-14 home victory and stay undefeated.
“Wins are hard to come by, and sometimes you don’t win the way you want to,” said Brown, whose team improved to 7-0 overall, 5-0 in the conference. “It was nice to be able to handle that adversity tonight and come out and find a way to win when things aren’t going your way.
“For us, it’s a learning moment to understand that when you get a big win like last week, the target gets bigger on your back.”
Last week, South Christian ended Grand Rapids Catholic Central’s 42-game winning streak with a 36-34 roller-coaster victory.
(Image Courtesy of South Christian)
This time, they edged Wayland, which definitely controlled the clock with 34 minutes on offense, compared to 14 for the Sailors.
“They ate up a ton of the clock,” Brown said. “They were physical, and their running back ran really well. A ton of credit to Wayland. They were really tough.
“Their main offensive scheme tonight was a little bit different than what we were used to. Once we kind of settled in then we made it a little bit tougher on them, and thankfully our kids found a way to pull it out.”
Wayland tied the game at 7-all right before halftime on a Maverick Daley TD run, and then went ahead 14-7 on a run by Dustin Loomans after an 8-minute drive in the third quarter.
South Christian scored about 1-1/2 minutes later to knot the game up at 14 on a Jake DeHaan 13-yard run, and then sealed the game at 21-14 on another DeHaan run, this time from 43 yards out.
DeHaan completed 9 of 16 passes for 102 yards and one touchdown. He also had 14 carries for 135 yards on the ground and two touchdowns.
South Christian stopped a Wayland drive with an interception in the fourth quarter, and held off the Wildcats the rest of the way.
“The fourth quarter wasn’t perfect, but we got them to turn the ball over,” Brown said.
Cam Post led South Christian with 9.5 tackles, while Cayden Dykema had 8.5.
Big game for Maverick Daley
Wayland’s Maverick Daley had 29 carries for 141 yards and one touchdown.
“He is kind of the glue behind our offense,” said Wayland Coach Tim Gibson, whose team fell to 4-3 overall, 2-3 in the OK Gold. “He gets better the more carries he gets. He had a great game.”
Wayland’s Elijah Dollarhide and Hudson Biondo had four tackles apiece.
Gibson said if his team could play sound defense against the Sailors, then they would hang in there, and they did just that.
“I’m proud of the way our kids played; I like our team quite a bit,” Gibson continued. “They played hard tonight and did a lot of great things on the football field. We just didn’t do quite enough.
“In the end, they just made a couple more plays than we did. They’re a very good football team.”
Last Friday, South Christian beat Catholic Central 36-34. (WKTV/Nathan Piers)
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South Christian ended Grand Rapids Catholic Central’s 42-game winning streak with a 36-34 roller-coaster victory on its home turf at East Kentwood’s Falcon Stadium.
If you’re a high school football fan, this game had everything you want.
It was a battle of two No.-1 ranked teams in the state; South Christian sits atop the state in Division 4, while Grand Rapids Catholic Central is on top in Division 5.
Both teams were unbeaten at 5-0 entering the contest, and Catholic Central had a 42-game winning streak on the line, all the way back to the 2019 season. To top it off, the Cougars have won five state titles in the last six years.
South Christian quarterback Jake DeHaan led his team by scoring four different ways: rushing, passing, receiving and a Pick 6.
“He was Superman for us tonight; he was unbelievable,” said South Christian Coach Danny Brown, whose Sailors improved to 6-0 overall. “We’re glad he’s on our side. You count on your great players to step up in big moments and he did.
“He said, ‘Coach, put the ball in my hands, I want to win it for us tonight. What a heck of a performance.”
South Christian quarterback Jake DeHaan helped the Sailors beat Grand Rapids Catholic Central. (WKTV)
DeHaan completed 19 of 28 passes for 168 yards and one TD and had 19 carries for 181 yards and another TD.
Catholic Central quarterback Connor Wolf completed 26 of 42 passes for 335 yards and three TDs and had 17 carries for 105 yards and two TDs.
South Christian led 7-6 at the half and the game was knotted at 14 to end the third quarter, and then the real roller coaster ride began in the fourth in a back and forth battle.
After trading touchdowns to reach 21-all, South Christian’s Jackson Haik returned a kickoff 93 yards to give the Sailors a 28-21 lead with 4:59 remaining.
The Cougars punched another score in on the ground from nine yards out with 1:52 left in the game. After a blocked kick, South Christian led 28-27.
The fans enjoyed the game between two top-ranked unbeaten teams in South Christian and Grand Rapids Catholic Central. (WKTV/Nathan Piers)
DeHaan scored on an 83-yard run with 1:30 remaining to give the Sailors a 36-27 lead, but Catholic Central had one more drive in them as Wolf threw a 27-yard TD pass to J. Williams to end the scoring.
“I feel exhausted, but I have a little energy because we won,” Brown said. “It was a fun game to be a part of.
“We still have three more games and want to win our conference; you have to keep your focus. It was a great program win against an unbelievable football team, but it can’t just be about beating Catholic Central. We have other things we have to chase.”
Seth Ritsema led South Christian with seven tackles and had a 32-yard TD catch as well.
South Christian quarterback Jake DeHaan lines up behind his team in the third quarter. (WKTV/Nathan Piers)
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Sparta (3-3) defeated Godwin Heights (2-4) 25-16 in OK Silver action on Friday night.
Sparta defeated Godwin Heights 25-16 in the WKTV Game of the Week. (WKTV/Nathan Piers)
(WKTV/Nathan Piers)
(WKTV/Nathan Piers)
WKTV Game of the Week
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Bridgman defeated Godfrey-Lee 56-0 on Friday night. (WKTV)
By: Zach Fanko, WKTV Contributing Writer
Bridgman quarterback Reid Haskins spent plenty of time in the end zone Friday night as the No. 6 team in 8-player Division 1 football ran away from Godfrey-Lee 56-0.
The Bees’ signal-caller found success both through the air and on the ground with 142 passing yards and 3 touchdowns, as well as 223 yards rushing and 4 touchdowns.
“You know Reid really doesn’t get as much credit for his passing,” Bridgman coach Aaron Locke said. “Very shifty runner, but he was efficient throwing the football tonight.”
Adding to the rushing total was Clark Smith with 76 yards and a touchdown on just four carries, while Wade Haskins made some big catches with three receptions for 109 yards and a touchdown.
Despite being ranked as a top-10 team in the Associated Press high school rankings, Bridgman (6-0) is ineligible for the 8-player state playoffs as their enrollment is deemed too high for MHSAA 8-player guidelines.
With that said, the Bees are aiming to finish the regular season before playing another 8-player school Northpointe Christian who finds themselves ineligible for the playoffs. The two schools have scheduled a “bowl game” of sorts to showcase their student athletes.
“We can only control what we can control unfortunately,” Locke said. “We are enjoying the success our student athletes have earned so far this season.”
The Bees face Lawrence for their homecoming game next week. Meanwhile Godfrey-Lee (0-6) travels to Eau Claire.
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East Kentwood falls to 3-3 on the season following tonight’s 29-0 loss to Caledonia. (WKTV/Nathan Piers)
By Zach Fanko, WKTV Contributing Writer
After falling to No.-4 ranked Rockford a week ago, East Kentwood received another stiff test with a visit to No. 2 Caledonia as the Fighting Scots remained undefeated with a 29-0 shutout.
Playing in front of a full house of standing-room-only fans, many of whom were in town for Calapalooza as well as the homecoming game, Caledonia coach Derek Pennington said his team felt the support from the community.
“It really was electric tonight,” Pennington said. “Standing room only and I’m just really proud of the way this community comes together to support our team.”
The Falcons fought hard defensively and contained a Caledonia offensive attack that had averaged 48.2 points per game in their five previous games. The physicality of East Kentwood’s defense stood out to Pennington.
“That defense was the best we have seen all season,” Pennington said. “Just a very physical defense and we hurt ourselves by not finishing a couple drives.”
Division 1 offers for Townsend
The Scots leaned on running back Brock Townsend, who accounted for over 200 yards on the ground. The junior halfback has Division 1 offers from Central Michigan, Toledo and Western Michigan.
For East Kentwood, it was a game of missed opportunities, according to Coach Tony Kimbrough.
“We moved the ball, but couldn’t sustain or finish our drives tonight,” Kimbrough said. “Had some key drops as well as some penalties stall some drives.”
With the loss tonight the Falcons drop to 3-3 (2-2 OK Red) as they look to regroup and make a push for the playoffs. Next up for the Falcons is West Ottawa.
“We probably just played the two toughest teams on our schedule,” Kimbrough said. “But in this conference you can’t overlook anyone and it doesn’t get any easier.”
Unbeaten Caledonia (6-0, 4-0 OK Red) travels to Grand Haven for next week’s game.
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Sturgis running back Jacob Thompson scored six touchdowns to lead Sturgis to a 56-0 win over visiting Kelloggsville Friday.
Thompson had 11 carries for 317 yards, a 29-yard average per carry, and also returned the opening kickoff 77 yards for the first score of the game.
“He carried us the whole way,” said Sturgis Coach Chance Stewart, whose team improved to 4-2 overall. “We only threw the ball six times.
“The guys did a great job; our offensive line paved the way for us. And a big credit to our defense.”
Kelloggsville Coach Brandon Branch said Thompson is “just that good.”
“He had a night,” said Branch, whose Rockets fell to 1-5 overall. “We had a lot of missed tackles because he was just that tough to tackle; he was very elusive.
“We knew what we were getting into.”
Sophomore Brock Fergison led Sturgis with 10 tackles.
Brendon Tuinstra led Kelloggsville with 105 yards on 13 carries.
“Brendon had a good night,” Branch said.
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Home field makes all the difference for Kelloggsville in 36-21 win over Calvin Christian. (WKTV)
By Zach Fanko, WKTV Contributing Writer
Friday night’s 36-21 win over Calvin Christian was more than just Kelloggsville’s first win of the season.
It was the first time the Rockets had celebrated a victory on their new home turf installed in 2019.
Both teams came out firing offensively as each team scored on each of its three drives in the first half. Kelloggsville carried a slim 22-21 lead into the locker room.
And then the Rockets’ defense took over in the second half.
“Our defense just got after it in the second half,” Kelloggsville coach Brandon Branch said. “We really shut down what Calvin was trying to do in bend, but don’t break fashion.
“They got some yards, but we kept them off the scoreboard.”
Brendan Tuinstra came up with a key interception in the second half and had 60 rushing yards and two touchdowns. While quarterback Jeremy Tsoumou, filling in for injured starter Zach Zerfas, completed 8 of 9 passes for 208 yards and three TDs.
Wide receiver Cam Townsend was the beneficiary of Tsoumou’s efficient night with six receptions for 190 yards and two TDs.
Despite not being available to play, Zerfas contributed with a couple of his own play calls in the win.
“We needed a first down in the third quarter and Zach said if we run a quick hitch it will be open,” Branch said. “Sure enough, it was open. Great call by our quarterback.”
Later on, Branch described the Rockets first win at home in nearly four years and on that new turf as “cathartic.”
“I actually took the guys after out on the field and took a picture in front of the scoreboard,” Branch said. “Definitely going to hang this one up in the office.”
Kelloggsville (1-4) will travel to Sturgis next Friday night.
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The Lee Legends team at practice prior to a Sept. 1, 2021 game. (WKTV)
By Zach Fanko, WKTV Contributing Writer
Despite a solid day on offense, Godfrey-Lee fell short against host Lawrence, 66-40 on Friday.
(Image courtesy of Godfrey-Lee)
Elijah Beckwith had five touchdowns, including three on the ground, a kickoff return and a 76-yard TD reception. He had 17 carries for 205 yards.
Quarterback Anthony Blok passed for 194 yards and two TDs.
“Blok is coming around in his first year as the starter,” said Godfrey-Lee Coach Lamar Marshall, whose team dropped to 0-5 overall. “He’s getting his IQ of the offense.”
Marshall said the game was a big improvement, noting that the Legends had zero turnovers.
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Godwin Heights falls to 2-3 after Friday night’s loss to Shepherd. (WKTV)
By Zach Fanko, WKTV Contributing Writer
After falling behind by two touchdowns at the half, Godwin Heights comeback attempt fell short by the narrowest of margins in a 21-20 defeat at the hands of Shepherd.
The Bluejays soared to a 14-0 lead in the first quarter behind the support of their homecoming crowd. Shepherd later led 21-7 at the break.
Godwin Heights coach Brandon Kimble explained the importance of playing a full four quarters.
“I think we came out a bit sluggish in the first half,” Kimble said. “Unfortunately, we have struggled to put together a complete game this season.”
Once again it was senior quarterback Jamarion Collins who led the Wolverines as he found pay dirt twice on the ground. Trailing 21-14 in the fourth quarter, Godwin Heights Jeff Zalaya punched in a rushing score of his own to bring the Wolverines within a single point. However, a missed extra point proved to be the difference.
Godwin Heights’ defense rose to the challenge with a fourth and inches stop to turn the Bluejays over on downs, but a holding call on the Wolverines final drive stalled any chance at completing the comeback.
Jamarion Collins scored two rushing touchdowns in Godwin Heights loss to Shepherd. (WKTV)
It was a valiant effort by Godwin’s defense as it kept Shepherd off the scoreboard in the final 30 minutes.
“Execution made all the difference between the first and second half,” Kimble said. “Started reading our keys and following our assignments. Played really aggressive in that second half.
“If we play the entire game how we played in the second half, I have no doubt we win this game.”
Godwin Heights (2-3, 1-1 OK Silver) hosts OK Silver foe Sparta (2-3, 1-1 OK Silver) for homecoming next Friday.
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With its game last week against Grand Haven forfeited, Rockford made use of extra time in preparation for East Kentwood in a 41-20 victory over the Falcons.
The Rams clung to a 7-0 lead after one quarter and were still ahead 14-7 when disaster struck East Kentwood before halftime in the form of a special teams mistake. The Falcons lined up for a punt late in the first half, but instead were unable to get the punt off and failed to convert on fourth down.
“You can’t give up short field and especially to one of the best teams in the state,” East Kentwood coach Tony Kimbrough said. “You do that and they will make you pay for it.”
The Falcons did indeed pay for their mistake as Rockford converted the short field into a touchdown and a 20-7 lead at the break.
East Kentwood players receive instruction from their coach during Friday night’s game against Rockford. (WKTV/Nathan Piers)
Using a combination of exotic blitzes and different fronts, the Rams defense was able to shut down East Kentwood’s offense in the second half and build a decisive lead.
“Defensively we were solid all night long,” Rockford coach Brent Cummings said. “Pretty proud of our defensive line and linebackers. We wanted to attack their size with our team speed.”
It is often said that football is a “game of inches” and for East Kentwood it was the “little things” that prevented them from winning tonight, according to Kimbrough.
“We were battling early on and it was very close,” Kimbrough said. “You make a little mistake here and there and it can really make the difference. We have to be more technically sound.”
Ben Cash led the Falcons offensively with 74 rushing yards and a touchdown, as well as Elisee Kanda with 54 rushing yards and two scores. Stellan Bowman had 12 tackles and two sacks on defense.
East Kentwood (3-2, 2-1 OK Red) faces another stiff test as it travels to unbeaten Caledonia (5-0, 3-0 OK Red) next Friday. Meanwhile, Rockford (5-0, 3-0) clashes with Grandville (4-1, 2-1 OK Red).
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Reeths-Puffer quarterback rushes into the end zone during a win over Wyoming Friday. (WKTV/Nathan Piers)
By Cris Greer, WKTV Managing Editor
Muskegon Reeths-Puffer beat Wyoming 55-7 in the WKTV Game of the Week Friday.
The Rockets led 8-0 to end the first quarter and 29-7 at halftime.
Reeths-Puffer improved to 4-1 overall, while Wyoming fell to 0-5.
Reeths-Puffer beat Wyoming 55-7 Friday in the WKTV Game of the Week. (WKTV/Nathan Piers)
WKTV Game of the Week
Our Game of the Week airs every Friday night on WKTV Comcast Channel 25 & AT&T U-Verse Channel 99 at 11 p.m. with a rebroadcast on Saturday at 11 a.m. If you don’t have cable, visit our website at WKTV.org to watch the livestream. Watch at home on your Smart TV in brilliant HD.
The Wyoming Wolves huddle up during a 55-7 loss to Reeths-Puffer. (WKTV/Nathan Piers)
Quarterback Jake DeHaan threw three touchdown passes and ran one in for the Sailors. (WKTV)
By Cris Greer, WKTV Managing Editor
South Christian continued rolling this season, this time with a 43-2 victory over host Thornapple Kellogg on Friday.
The Sailors scored 23 points in the second quarter to grab a commanding 30-0 halftime lead.
“We scored a lot of points in a hurry in the second quarter to grab that lead,” said South Christian coach Danny Brown, whose Sailors improved to 5-0 overall.
Senior quarterback Jake DeHaan passed for three touchdowns and rushed for one in the win.
“He was just throwing the ball right on the money tonight,” Brown said. “He was reading the mismatches we had and just putting the ball where it needed to be.
“You could see it this week in practice; he was throwing the ball great all week. Jake has been very efficient this year.”
DeHaan completed 12 of 15 passes for 174 yards. Carson Vis had nine receptions for 117 yards and three touchdowns. Both Nate Brinks and Sam Baar had one TD apiece.
“We’re really good up front and have some strong kids and controlled the line of scrimmage,” Brown said. “Our defense set us up to have a lot of short fields and we just executed in those situations.”
Strong “D”
The Sailors held TK to 33 yards passing and 107 rushing.
“Our defense was really good,” Brown added.
Cam Post led South Christian with seven tackles, followed by Cayden Dykema, six and Sawyer TenHaaf, four.
Cam Post led South Christian with seven tackles, while Cayden Dykema chipped in six. (WKTV)
TK Coach Jeff Dock said he was expecting a tough game from the Sailors.
“They were undefeated coming in so we knew they were going be a great opponent,” said Dock, whose team fell to 2-3 overall. “Coach Brown does a great job with his team.
“They’re really big upfront and their skill kids are big and they’re super athletic. And their quarterback is very quick and accurate.”
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Godwin Heights defeats OK Silver foe Comstock Park 45-14 on Friday night. (WKTV)
By Zach Fanko, WKTV Contributing Writer
After two consecutive losses, Godwin Heights got back to winning in a 45-14 triumph over Comstock Park in OK Silver action on Friday night.
The Wolverines jumped out to an 18-0 advantage in the first quarter and never looked back as senior quarterback Jamarion Collins featured his versatility with three touchdowns as well as nine tackles, three for a loss, at safety.
Godwin Heights coach Brandon Kimble spoke glowingly about his quarterback.
“I might be biased as his coach, but I definitely believe Jamarion is one of the best athletes on this side of the state. If not the entire state,” Kimble said. “He can do it all. He played an amazing game at safety.
Jamarion Collins scored three touchdowns and recorded nine tackles in 45-14 win over Comstock Park. (WKTV)
“Probably had the biggest hit of the night. Just laid a kid out on a crossing route.”
In addition to Collins, Elijah True also had himself a game with two long touchdowns. One of which came on an 80-yard kickoff return and a 65-yard run.
For the Wolverines, it was about getting back to playing a complete four quarters. Something Kimble felt they failed to do in their two previous losses to Grand Rapids Union and Hopkins.
“We lost a couple games from a standpoint of execution and not executing to the standard that we have the ability to do,” Kimble said. “We just want to keep stacking good practices on good practices, so that way we will get into games and be effective.”
Next on the schedule for Godwin Heights (2-2, 1-1 OK Silver) is a trip to non-league opponent Shepherd (2-2) who defeated Beaverton 34-20 on Friday night. It will be the first time both schools have met.
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St. Joseph Our Lady of the Lake Catholic leaned on turnovers to beat visiting Godfrey-Lee 34-6 on Thursday night.
The Legends turned over the ball six times on the first six drives in the loss.
(Image Courtesy of Godfrey-Lee)
Anthony Blok had a 63-yard TD run for Godfrey-Lee and teammate Elijah Beckwith had 14 carries for 59 yards.
“We couldn’t get much going; it was just a rough game for us,” said Legends coach Lamar Marshall, whose team dropped to 0-4 overall. “Our defense is finally clicking and getting on the same page.”
Sophomore Sebastian Garcia led Lee with 12 tackles.
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East Kentwood’s defense delivered another shutout, its second in as many games, as the Falcons halted Jenison’s offense in a 16-0 homecoming victory.
The Falcons clung to a 3-0 lead for most of the first half before Stellan Bowman broke through for a rushing score with just 54 seconds left in the half to put East Kentwood up 10-0 at the break.
Bowman had a stellar game on both sides of the ball with 96 total yards and a rushing score, as well as 15 tackles and a sack on defense.
Quarterback Casey Joppie connected with J’Kari Couch on a touchdown late in the fourth quarter to put the game out of reach, finishing with 189 yards through the air on 13 of 28 passing.
Falcons coach Tony Kimbrough praised the defense after the game.
“Our defense won us that game tonight,” Kimbrough said. “We never got clicking on offense and give Jenison credit. Their game plan was to take away our run game and make our quarterback beat them.
“I thought our quarterback played well and we didn’t help him out, but our defense made plays when we needed it.”
East Kentwood players huddle around their coaches during a break in the action. (WKTV/Nathan Piers)
Other contributors on defense for East Kentwood included Braylon Cox with 10 tackles and a forced fumble, as well as Elisee Kanda with 6 tackles and 2 forced fumbles (1 fumble recovery). Jamari Ross and Mekhi Copes each had an interception.
Despite the inconsistencies on offense, the Falcons improved to 3-1 (2-0 OK Red) on the season with a matchup with undefeated Rockford (3-0, 1-0 OK Red) looming.
“Big one next week, we’re going to see what we’re made of,” Kimbrough said. “Any time East Kentwood and Rockford get together it’s going to be a battle.”
With a close loss to Muskegon (3-1, 2-0 OK Green) and a win over Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice (2-2) on their resume, East Kentwood is hoping those experiences will help them in this crucial stretch of games.
“We’re battle-tested and 2-7 (last year’s record) is our motivation,” Kimbrough said. “All offseason has been about improving on that record and through four games we have already surpassed that.”
WKTV Game of the Week
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South Christian QB Jake DeHaan completed 8 of 15 passes for 115 yards and two touchdowns and rushed three times for 78 yards. (WKTV)
By Cris Greer, WKTV Managing Editor
One minute into the game, senior quarterback Jake DeHaan threw a 76-yard touchdown pass to sophomore brother Charlie DeHaan to give South Christian the early lead in a 28-6 win over Cedar Springs Friday.
DeHaan completed 8 of 15 passes for 115 yards and two touchdowns and had three rushes for 78 yards.
It was his brother Charlie’s first TD as a wide receiver on varsity for the Sailors. DeHaan filled in for the injured Jake Vermaas.
Despite South Christian’s big play to start the game, coach Danny Brown said his team didn’t get the explosive plays it had in the first three weeks.
“It was kind of a grind-it-out game for us,” said Brown, whose Sailors improved to 4-0 overall. “We had to execute at a high level. I’m just really proud of the kids. It was a hard fought battle.”
“Senior Nate Brinks really carried us in the run game,” continued Brown, whose running back had 15 carries for 102 yards and two TDs. “Our offense was humming along in the first half. We were converting and making plays.”
The Sailors led 21-6 at halftime.
Brown had much to say about Cedar Springs performance.
“They are probably one of the best 0-4 teams in the state,” Brown said. “They’ve played a lot of really good teams. Hands down, they have a phenomenal football program and good coaches.
“We knew it was going to be a fight. We just made enough plays and played phenomenal defense.”
Senior Cayden Dykema led South Christian with 13 tackles, followed by junior Ben Mulder, 6.5, and senior Cam Post, 6.
“Cayden is unbelievable on defense,” Brown said. “He was all over the place.”
Senior Cayden Dykema led South Christian with 13 tackles in the victory. (WKTV)
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Hopkins senior Zander Hitzler rushed for three touchdowns behind a strong offensive line to help the Vikings knock off visiting Kelloggsville 48-8 Friday.
Hitzler rushed 10 times for 123 yards, including a 53-yard run in the first quarter to give Hopkins an early 6-0 lead.
“I’m very proud of our offensive line,” said Hopkins coach Cody Francis, whose team improved to 3-1 overall. “Our big boys up front do their work for me every night.
“Kelloggsville made some great plays as a team, but penalties hurt them. I give coach Branch a lot of credit. They were making drives and are a very capable team.”
Big second quarter seals game for Hopkins
Hopkins scored 22 points in the second quarter to grab a 28-8 halftime lead behind the play of quarterback Miles Gibson and receivers Landon Klinge and Charles Benting.
Gibson was 4 of 5 passing for 76 yards and two TDs and two interceptions overall, including a 20-yard pass to Klinge and a 28-yard pass to Benting in the second quarter.
Hitzler led Hopkins with five tackles, followed by Caleb Bonga, four tackles, one assist and a sack, and Tristen Perry, two tackles, five assists and two sacks.
Kelloggsville QB Zach Zerfas completed 11 of 27 passes for 150 yards and one touchdown. Camron Townsend caught 11 passes for 149 yards and one touchdown.
DeMarreon Rodriquez led the Rockets with six tackles, while Jeremie Tsoumou had five tackles with one interception.
Kelloggsville coach Brandon Branch pointed out his team’s stalled drives inside the 10-yard line in the second quarter.
“If we scored on those, the ballgame looks a little bit different going into the half,” said Branch, whose Rockets dropped to 0-4 overall. “Our guys played hard; I thought we improved this week.
“I want our team to stay with it — to keep buying in and keep working hard and we’ll figure it out. We have a lot of good players, and have to get them all on the same page working hard at the same time.”
WKTV Game of the Week
Our Game of the Week airs every Friday night on WKTV Comcast Channel 25 & AT&T U-Verse Channel 99 at 11 p.m. with a rebroadcast on Saturday at 11 a.m. If you don’t have cable, visit our website at WKTV.org to watch the livestream. Watch at home on your Smart TV in brilliant HD.
The Sailors beat Ottawa Hills 51-12 Friday at East Kentwood’s stadium. (WKTV/Ty Marzean)
By Cris Greer, WKTV Managing Editor
A solid ground game combined with sparkling special teams play kept South Christian undefeated with a 51-12 win over Ottawa Hills Friday at East Kentwood’s stadium.
“Special teams definitely played a big outcome in the game; that was what sparked our scoring,” said South Christian coach Danny Brown, whose team improved to 3-0 overall, 1-0 in the OK Gold. “The special teams made a difference.
“We started the game with a kickoff return by Charlie Schreur, so that was huge.”
A quick score
Schreur ran 70 yards to pay dirt to give the Sailors a 7-0 lead immediately. Schreur scored two TDs in the win.
Soon after, South Christian’s Cam VanSolkema blocked a punt that Ben Mulder recovered in the end zone for a TD.
(Image courtesy of South Christian)
The Sailors tallied 356 yards in total offense as senior Nate Brinks led with 62 yards rushing and two TDs.
Quarterback Jake DeHaan was 12 of 17 for 177 yards passing.
Brown was very happy with his team’s defensive performance.
“Our defense was great; flying to the ball,” he said. “They played well at the line of scrimmage, getting a lot of guys to the ball.”
Ottawa Hills coach Christian Verley said South Christian is solid and technically sound, but his special teams broke down.
“If we don’t give up 25 points on special teams it’s a different game; that is unacceptable,” said Verley, whose team fell to 0-3 overall. “If we can clean up those things it’s really a solid game.”
Ottawa Hills junior quarterback Tyreez Buchanan was 5 for 12 for 36 yards passing and one TD and rushed 12 times for 68 yards. Junior Willie Duke had 36 yards receiving.
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We are always looking for great football game photos to post with our WKTV Journal stories on Friday nights. Please email your cool game night football pix to greer@wktv.org
WKTV Game of the Week
Our Game of the Week airs every Friday night on WKTV Comcast Channel 25 & AT&T U-Verse Channel 99 at 11 p.m. with a rebroadcast on Saturday at 11 a.m. If you don’t have cable, visit our website at WKTV.org to watch the livestream. Watch at home on your Smart TV in brilliant HD.
Kelloggsville quarterback Zach Zerfas threw for 81 yards and a touchdown. (WKTV)
By: Zach Fanko, WKTV Contributing Writer
Belding stayed among the ranks of the unbeaten after its 63-6 win over Kelloggsville Friday.
Injuries taking their toll on Kelloggsville
The Rockets came into Friday dealing with a rash of injuries which prompted the need for inexperienced players to step up. Kelloggsville coach Brandon Branch was proud of the way his team fought despite the adversity stacked against them.
“We had some key guys out tonight and had to have some inexperienced guys step up,” Branch said. “I commend our guys for getting back up and continuing to play hard.”
The Black Knights were very physical, according to Branch.
“If there’s one thing that Belding does, they hit you right in the mouth,” Branch said. “Definitely a learning experience for our players. We have to be able to take those hits and hit right back.”
Quarterback Zach Zerfas was 9 for 15 for 81 yards and a touchdown. Wideout Cam Townsend had three receptions for 27 yards and a touchdown.
Belding (3-0) takes on Grandville Calvin Christian next Friday, while Kelloggsville (0-3) travels to Hopkins.
Send us your live game photos
We are always looking for great football game photos to post with our WKTV Journal stories on Friday nights. Please email your cool game night football pix to greer@wktv.org
WKTV Game of the Week
Our Game of the Week airs every Friday night on WKTV Comcast Channel 25 & AT&T U-Verse Channel 99 at 11 p.m. with a rebroadcast on Saturday at 11 a.m. If you don’t have cable, visit our website at WKTV.org to watch the livestream. Watch at home on your Smart TV in brilliant HD.
An explosive second quarter helps Hopkins beat Godwin Heights on Friday. (WKTV)
By Cris Greer, WKTV Managing Editor
Nearly everything was decided right before the half as Hopkins outscored Godwin Heights 20-0 in the second quarter to grab a 42-20 OK Silver win on Friday.
“Scoring 20 points in the second quarter was huge for us,” said Hopkins coach Cody Francis, whose Vikings improved to 2-1 overall. “We ran the ball well and did a good job on the offensive line.
“I’m very proud of the kids. Godwin always has great athletes and are well coached. To win 42-20 was huge, and it’s always great to get your first win in conference play.”
Long pick 6 helps Hopkins in second quarter
Senior safety Zander Hitzler had a 94-yard pick 6 run in the middle of that second-quarter scoring spree, giving Hopkins a 14-6 edge.
Godwin Heights coach Brandon Kimble said the second quarter lost the game for the Wolverines.
“For us, we have to execute for four quarters,” said Kimble, whose team fell to 1-2 overall. “That one quarter got us. We made some mental breakdowns and that’s what opened the game up.
“We have to coach the boys up; it’s our responsibility. We’ll get better and keep fighting.”
Quarterback Jamarion Collins leads Wolverines
Senior quarterback Jamarion Collins, who had seven TDs in the first two weeks, had one TD pass against Hopkins.
“We play well when he plays well,” Kimble said. “He ran and threw the ball well for us tonight. He had another great game.”
Godwin Heights senior QB Jamarion Collins had one touchdown pass. (WKTV)
Send us your live game photos
We are always looking for great football game photos to post with our WKTV Journal stories on Friday nights. Please email your cool game night football pix to greer@wktv.org
WKTV Game of the Week
Our Game of the Week airs every Friday night on WKTV Comcast Channel 25 & AT&T U-Verse Channel 99 at 11 p.m. with a rebroadcast on Saturday at 11 a.m. If you don’t have cable, visit our website at WKTV.org to watch the livestream. Watch at home on your Smart TV in brilliant HD.
Wide receiver Razah Townsend had 45 receiving yards and a touchdown in a 42-0 win over Grand Haven. (WKTV)
By: Zach Fanko, WKTV Contributing Writer
After losing a tight game with Muskegon in Week 1, East Kentwood bounced back with two consecutive wins after an impressive 42-0 victory over Grand Haven on Friday night.
Dominant defense puts clamps on Bucs offense
The Falcons put a stranglehold on Grand Haven’s offensive unit with just 55 total yards allowed. The Buccaneers had just two first downs. East Kentwood coach Tony Kimbrough explained the importance of preventing the big play opportunities.
“It starts with our defensive coordinator, coach [Houston] Glass does a great job of scheming teams,” Kimbrough said. “We watched the film and saw big play after big play. So we went into this game saying we need to eliminate some of those.”
“We were able to contain their quarterback who really is quick and electric, but you’re not going to outrun us side to side.
Bowman enjoying success at new position
Halfback Stellan Bowman saw plenty of green grass in front of him all night, running for 194 yards on just 9 carries and 4 touchdowns. Bowman, who also plays linebacker for the Falcons, made the switch to running back this off season after Kimbrough watched him play rugby last spring.
“I didn’t know he could run like that until I went to a rugby game,” Kimbrough said. “Nobody could tackle him and I went up to him after the game and said you’re playing running back next year.”
Other standouts for East Kentwood on offense included wide receiver Razah Townsend with 45 receiving yards and a touchdown, as well as quarterback Casey Joppie who had 133 yards and a touchdown on 9 of 17 passing.
Homecoming next week for East Kentwood
East Kentwood (2-1, 1-0 OK Red) welcomes Jenison (1-2, 0-1 OK Red) to Falcon Stadium for a homecoming game next Friday. Meanwhile Grand Haven (1-2, 0-1 OK Red) takes on undefeated Rockford (3-0).
Send us your live game photos
We are always looking for great football game photos to post with our WKTV Journal stories on Friday nights. Please email your cool game night football pix to greer@admin
WKTV Game of the Week
Our Game of the Week airs every Friday night on WKTV Comcast Channel 25 & AT&T U-Verse Channel 99 at 11 p.m. with a rebroadcast on Saturday at 11 a.m. If you don’t have cable, visit our website at WKTV.org to watch the livestream. Watch at home on your Smart TV in brilliant HD.
Godfrey-Lee coach Lamar Marshall said his team’s 66-6 loss to visiting New Buffalo on Friday was filled with mental mistakes and drive killers, but his athletes fought hard until the end.
(Image courtesy of Godfrey-Lee)
“We had some drive killers — stalled in the red zone four times, dropped four touchdown passes, fumbled in the red zone once,” said Marshall, whose Legends dropped to 0-3 this season in 8-player football. “We beat ourselves tonight. We need to clean up the mental errors.
“Making the short tackle kind of killed us tonight. New Buffalo had a really good night rushing.”
Elijah Beckwith, who went down with a hamstring injury in the game, led with nine carries for 76 yards and one touchdown for the Legends. He had the lone score in the second quarter on a 69-yard TD run just before halftime.
No penalties
“We didn’t have one penalty today so that was a plus,” Marshall said. “My boys fought until the end. There was no letdown.
“We encouraged each other and fought hard, but we were a little overmanned today.”
Send us your live game photos
We are always looking for great football game photos to post with our WKTV Journal stories on Friday nights. Please email your cool game night football pix to greer@wktv.org
WKTV Game of the Week
Our Game of the Week airs every Friday night on WKTV Comcast Channel 25 & AT&T U-Verse Channel 99 at 11 p.m. with a rebroadcast on Saturday at 11 a.m. If you don’t have cable, visit our website at WKTV.org to watch the livestream. Watch at home on your Smart TV in brilliant HD.
