The Muskegon Catholic Crusaders have been one of the best teams in Division 6 all season long. On Friday night, they welcomed the Harrison Hornets to town in the district semifinals. After pitching a fifth consecutive shutout on defense, the Crusaders advanced to the district finals with a 28-0 victory.
Muskegon Catholic Central got out to a strong start by scoring a touchdown in the first quarter. Joseph Waller was able to slip through the Hornets defense for a twenty-three yard touchdown. This gave the Crusaders an early 7-0 edge.
In the second quarter, Muskegon Catholic Central continued to extend their lead. Max Price and Dane Rutz connected for a twenty-one yard score just two minutes into the quarter. Before halftime, Price used his legs for a one-yard touchdown. The Crusaders took their 21-0 lead to the locker room.
The second half saw limited scoring, as MCC only scored once. Tommy Kartes plunged across the goal line with just over eight minutes to play to secure the victory for the Crusaders.
MCC won the rushing battle 236-157. Joseph Waller led the way with 112 yards on twelve carries. The Crusaders also won the passing yardage contest 75-7, giving them a 311-164 total yardage advantage. Defensively, Muskegon Catholic Central also came up with two huge turnovers.
Dane Rutz is tonight’s Redi Rental Crusader of the Game. He caught two passes for 42 yards and a touchdown, in addition to 32 rushing yards on the offensive side of the football. Defensively, he had two tackles and a fumble recovery.
Next week, Muskegon Catholic Central will host another playoff game. They will look to win the district title with a victory over either Montague or Clare. These two undefeated teams will square off on Saturday afternoon.
