By Greg Chrapek
Wyoming-Kentwood News Today Contributor
greer@wktv.org

Thanks to a total team effort, the South Christian football team defeated host Forest Hills Central 55-21 and moved one step closer to its first-ever league championship in the revamped OK Gold Conference.

The Sailors put up double digits in points in all four quarters of the game against Central as they improved their record to 4-0 in the conference, 6-1 overall. South Christian can clinch the outright league championship this Friday when it hosts Zeeland East.

“We are in our third year in the new version of the OK Gold and we have not won the conference yet,” said South Christian Coach Danny Brown. “We set team goals at the beginning of the year. To get through fall camp, start the season 1-0 and from there to go 1-0 each week. We have bigger goals like winning a conference championship and getting into the post season.

“Friday night we are in position, if we win that game, to win our first conference championship in this version of the league and that’s exciting for the team and our fans. Anytime you can win some hardware it’s exciting.”

South Christian gave its fans plenty of excitement in the win against Forest Hills Central as it jumped out to a 21-0 lead in the opening quarter. Austin Burgess tallied the first points in the game scoring on a one-yard run. Burgess scored again four minutes later as he ran in from four-yards out with Hudson Kerstetter’s second extra point of the night putting the Sailors up 14-0.

The Sailors went airborne for their third score of the first quarter. That was when quarterback Houston Wildeboer connected with Brody Shilts on a 26-yard touchdown pass to up the margin to 21-0 after Kerstetter’s point after.

Sailors led 28-0 in the second quarter, until Rangers strike twice before halftime

South extended the lead to 28-0 midway through the second quarter when Wildeboer ran in for a touchdown from six-yards out.

Forest Hills Central, however, was not about to raise the white flag. The Rangers actually cut the Sailor lead in half with a pair of touchdowns in the final 1:02 of the half. Central scored at the 1:02 mark on a three-year scoring strike from Kellen Paul to Daevin Hopson. Then, with two seconds remaining in the first half, Paul fired a 21-yard touchdown pass to Miles Pell.

The Rangers seemed to have momentum heading into halftime at that point, but the South Christian special teams had other things in mind. On the ensuring kickoff and the final play of the first half, South Christian’s Easton Raak returned the kick 84 yards for a touchdown to jolt Central’s comeback hopes and send the Sailors into halftime up 35-14.

“We started really fast and that helped to set the tone for the game,” Brown said. “We went up 28-0 until they finally scored to make it 28-7. We then threw an interception which was only our second turnover of the year. They (Central) scored with two seconds left, but then we ran the kickoff back. In the second half we challenged our kids to get the first stop and then score and then stop them again and they did a real good job of answering that challenge.”

South Christian tacked on 10 points during the third period. Kyle Nakliski scored the touchdown in the third quarter on a 21-yard run. Kerstetter added the extra point and then later in the third quarter Kerstetter connected on a 42-yard field goal putting the Sailors up 45-14 heading into the final quarter.

The Sailors added 10 points in the final quarter to close out the game. Kerstetter added a 39-yard field goal, while Ky Hunderman reeled off a 48-yard touchdown run to close out the scoring.

“I thought we really played a complete game,” Brown said. “I thought our defense played really, really well. They (Central) have an ability to create explosive plays and I was proud of the way our defense executed. They held them (Central) to less points than they have been averaging.”

South Christian displayed plenty of balance on offense as it totaled 262 yards on the ground and 143 yards via air. Quarterback Houston Wildeboer completed four-of-four passes for 83 yards and a score, while Austin Burgess connected on four-of-seven passes for 60 yards.

Charlie Vermaas led the receiving corps with four receptions for 65 yards while Brody Shilts caught a pair of passes for 30 yards and a score.

Brandon Lutke was South’s leading rusher, carrying the ball five times for 52 yards, followed by Hunderman, 48 yards and a touchdown, Kyle Nakliski, 39 yards and a score, Austin Burgess, 34 yards and two touchdowns and Jesse VanderGriend, 33 yards. Wildeboer rushed for 29 yards and a touchdown.