**ARTICLE BY MICHAEL MARKOCH**
After eight long weeks, the Zeeland East Chix are finally in the legitimate win column. The Chix came into this week’s game 1-6, with their only win coming via a forfeit against Holland. However, the tides finally turned, as a late touchdown propelled the Chix to a 25-21 over the Union Red Hawks on Friday night.
After a slow first quarter by both teams, Union struck first. Red Hawks’ running back Elijah Taylor found paydirt from a yard out to give the Red Hawks a 7-0 advantage early in the second quarter. Just over three minutes later, the Chix responded with a one-yard touchdown run of their own, but a missed extra point kept the Red Hawks in front.
With just over a minute to go in the first half, the Chix gained their first lead of the game with a 38-yard touchdown pass from Austin Keur to Noah DeWitt. The Chix entered the locker room confidently with a 12-7 edge.
The third quarter was electric. Red Hawks’ quarterback Tommy Stevens scrambled for a 10-yard touchdown to put the Red Hawks back in front, 15-12, with eight minutes to go in the third. Keur would answer with a 14-yard touchdown pass, his second of the game, to Ethan Rosenberg, but a third missed extra point left the Chix with only a three-point lead.
The Red Hawks started off this season with a dominant 3-0 start for a reason, and one last time, Stevens was able to lead his team down the field for a fourth quarter go-ahead score when Najeh Thornton punched it in to put Union in front, 21-18. It was left to the defense to finish the game for the Red Hawks, but in the end, they couldn’t hold.
With a mere 42 seconds left on the clock, Keur found Rosenberg again underneath and then Rosenberg did the rest. The junior outran the defense and went 34 yards to the end zone, delivering the final blow on what was a very quality win for Zeeland East.
Stevens got the ball back with one last opportunity for a miracle. That all went away when Stevens was sacked on third down by Asher Reimink to officially put the game on ice.
Keur completed 10-of-13 passes for 159 yards and three touchdowns. Rosenberg finished with 6 catches for 85 yards and two touchdowns. For Union, Stevens went 11-for-19 for 131 yards and threw one interception. The senior quarterback added 45 yards and a touchdown on the ground.
The Chix will enter the last week of the season at 2-6, with their final game being a road game at Wyoming. Union slides back to .500 at 4-4 and will return to Zeeland next week to take on the Dux of Zeeland West who will have a whole lot to play for.v
