The Big Rapids Cardinals played host to the Alma Panthers in the final game of the regular season. It was a close game, as the Panthers secured a 27-20 victory.
Midway through the first quarter, Alma took the lead. Sam Rosales aired it out, finding Harrison Seeley on a 22-yard touchdown score. Big Rapids would even the count on the ensuing drive, as Wil Strickler found Brody Sleeper for the pair’s first touchdown in the 2021 campaign, a 30-yard toss.
The teams exchanged touchdowns in the second quarter. Big Rapids struck first, as Strickler found Justin Gorczewicz on a pass across the middle that went for a 30-yard touchdown. In the final minute of the first half, Rosales found Cade Sutherland for an 8-yard score. A blocked extra point attempt left Alma down by a point, 14-13.
Neither team scored in the third quarter, leaving the count at 14-13 as the fourth quarter began. Alma would jump in front when Brendan Everdeen carried the football across the goal line from 5 yards out. Big Rapids quickly responded with a 60-yard strike with a toss from Wil Strickler to Grant Kidder. A failed conversion left Big Rapids ahead 20-19 with six minutes to go.
Alma started with the football at their own 35 yard line. They methodically marched down the field, taking sixteen plays to move down the field. The Panthers converted four third-down conversions on this drive. The fourth conversion came on a third-and-goal, when Brendan Everdeen scored from four yards out to push them in front. Landon Bethka added a two-point conversion run.
Wil Strickler finished 16/32 passing for 280 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions. Justin Gorczewicz added 17 rushing yards to lead the Cardinals. Grant Kidder paced the receivers with 116 yards.
Alma saw Brendan Everdeen lead the way with 189 rushing yards. Sam Rosales completed 7/20 passes for 89 yards, with Landon Bethka hauling in three passes for 45 yards.
Both the Cardinals and the Panthers anxiously await their fate on Selection Sunday. These two teams are on the playoff bubble, with every game across the state potentially impacting their playoff positioning.
