The Hudsonville Eagles and Jenison Wildcats renewed their rivalry on Friday night, and they treated the fans to another thrilling chapter. It was a back-and-forth battle throughout the evening, but in the end, a late two-point conversion gave Hudsonville a 23-22 win.
In the first half, there was just one touchdown. Carter VanManen used his legs, powering across the goal line for a 1-yard score. The Wildcats would add two points to their tally when VanManen and RJ Rathsack paired up on the conversion pass. This gave Jenison an 8-0 lead at halftime.
Hudsonville evened the score with three minutes to go in the third quarter. Trey Carr and Eli Vanderveen connected on a 33-yard touchdown strike. Carr would find Gage Robertson on the two-point try.
On the opening play of the fourth quarter, Jenison took the lead back. Caleb Dean reeled off a 9-yard run that pushed the ‘Cats in front by seven points. On their ensuing possession, Carr and Brad Raredon were scoring partners, as the duo put together a 29-yard touchdown pass.
With five minutes to play, Dean broke free once again. His 29-yard score gave Jenison a 22-15 advantage. Just fifty-three seconds of game time later, Hudsonville struck on a big play. Carr and Vanderveen were the culprits, and a 78-yard touchdown pass brought the Eagles within a point. Coach Brent Sandee rolled the dice and sent out the offense for a conversion attempt. Carr found an open Dylan Ham in the end zone for the go-ahead conversion.
Jenison had one final attempt to score, and they drove down the field. They got inside the five yard line, and with time for just one last play, Coach Rob Zeitman sent out his kicker for a game-winning attempt. Amidst the pouring rain, the Wildcats’ kick sailed wide to the right. This allowed the Eagles to escape with a one-point victory.
After tonight’s victory, Hudsonville evens their record at 2-2. They are now a perfect 2-0 in OK Red play, placing them in a tie for first place. Next week, they have a showdown with the Rockford Rams. Jenison slides to 1-3 with this defeat. The Wildcats will take on Grandville on Friday.
