August 28, 2015. That season opening date 1,862 days from tonight seems like an eternity ago. For the Union Red Hawks football program, that day was the last time that they left the football field with a victory. Tonight, at historic Houseman Field, that streak came to an end. The Union Red Hawks outlasted the Wyoming Wolves in one of the most thrilling shootouts in recent memory, a 59-57 victory.
The Wolves started this game with a bang, as they attempted to catch Union off guard with an onside kick. Fortunately for the Red Hawks, they were able to pounce on the football and start the game with great field position. Three plays later, Tommy Stevens tossed the ball in the direction of Twanyea Smith, and after a deflection, he caught it and went forty two yards to the end zone to give Union a 6-0 edge.
On the ensuing Wyoming drive, Union had a chance to deliver a huge blow. They intercepted a pass and went 107 yards to the end zone, but the laundry on the field indicated that there was a hold on the return, negating the touchdown. After Union booted a short punt, Wyoming was able to take a 7-6 lead on a touchdown run of nine yards from Cameron Simon. The Wolves would extend their first quarter lead on a Jeremy Barber touchdown run of twenty five yards that capped off a ninety yard drive, giving Wyoming a 14-6 edge after the first twelve minutes.
Tommy Stevens led an eleven play response that resulted in a seven yard toss to Jamarion Pittman for a score, evening the score at 14. On the next Wyoming drive, they were driven back on three consecutive plays, the third play ending with their quarterback tackled in the end zone for a two-point safety. On the ensuing free kick, Pittman weaved his way through the Wolves’ defense for a fifty-five yard touchdown to put the Red Hawks ahead 22-14.
Wyoming would draw within two points on their next drive, as they were relatively unchallenged on a seventy-five yard march that was finished off by Jeremy Barber’s second touchdown of the night.
Union would respond with a pair of touchdowns that would create some separation on the scoreboard. Stevens and Pittman paired up twice, first for a fifty-seven yard strike that was also tipped before it was caught, and the second one came on a twenty yard pass with just over a minute to go in the first half. These scores gave Union a 35-20 halftime edge.
The second half started with Wyoming inching closer to Union. Jeremy Barber had his third touchdown run of the night on the Wolves’ opening drive of the second half. Union was able to shake off that touchdown and embark on a nine-play touchdown drive of their own. Pittman scored for the fifth time on the night when he ran one yard into the end zone. A two point conversion by both teams on these touchdowns made it 43-28 Red Hawks.
Wyoming would have two more scoring drives in the final five minutes of the third quarter to bring this game back to even at 43. First, Barber scored on the second play from scrimmage with a ten yard run. After a successful onside kick, Mateo Ledesma capped off a twelve-play drive with a ten yard run. Bailey Greyzck‘s extra point was the equalizer as the teams headed into the fourth quarter.
Just thirteen seconds into the final frame, Tommy Stevens ran the final yard of a forty three yard touchdown drive. Coach Don Fellows gave the sophomore the opportunity to convert the two-point conversion, and he converted with his legs on that play as well to make it 51-43 Red Hawks.
Wyoming responded with a nine-play, fifty seven yard touchdown drive that was finished off by Mateo Ledesma’s second touchdown of the night. The Wolves attempted the two-point conversion (twice after a Union penalty) and they were unsuccessful, leaving the score at 51-49 with 7:13 to go.
On perhaps the most important offensive drive for Union since 2018 (they lost a narrow game to Ottawa Hills 8-6, their only loss in the streak within two touchdowns), Tommy Stevens stepped up and led the charge. The Red Hawks’ quarterback led the team fifty seven yards in eight plays, and he ran the final three yards across the goal line. He then lined up and converted the two-point conversion as well with another keeper. This made it 59-49.
With three timeouts and a ten-point deficit, Wyoming began to make noise. They went sixty yards to the end zone, the final twelve covered by Jeremy Barber’s fifth rushing touchdown of the evening, all without using a timeout. Barber gave the Wolves a successful two-point try to bring the score to 59-57 with just twenty-five seconds to go.
After the unsuccessful onside kick, the Red Hawks needed to run out the clock with those three timeouts still a factor for Wyoming. The Wolves burned those timeouts, but in the end, Tommy Stevens was able to slide into the backfield as the clock expired to start an epic celebration for the Red Hawks program.
This streak had some real horrible figures. Union lost forty-five games, including one by forfeit due to a limited roster, by an average of 44.2 points per contest. They were shut out in 20 of those defeats, including a four-game stretch back in 2017 when they were outscored 247-0. All of that is now behind this program, which can turn a new leaf with this victory.
The 59 points scored by Union is the most they have scored since a 74-6 win over Creston back in 1992. Perhaps more impressive, the 59 points is more than the team had scored in all eighteen contests in 2018 and 2019 combined (50).
The offense on both sides was rather historic at Houseman Field. It was the first time that any at Houseman Field has topped 100 combined points since a 53-52 double overtime defeat against Mona Shores back in 2010. A football institution in Grand Rapids since 1923, Houseman Field saw another thrilling chapter added to its illustrious history on Friday night.
For Union, they hope that this will be just beginning of something fantastic to come. The Red Hawks will be back in action next Friday night when they travel to Reeths-Puffer, but for tonight, they are enjoying a win 1,862 days in the making.
