Photo Credit: Lou Murray
The eighth week of the high school football season is filled with tension. Conference titles are on the line, teams face pivotal matchups to qualify for the postseason, and several schools celebrate Senior Night. Our team at Michigan Sports Radio was on the ground, covering games across the area. Final scores, stats, key notes and links to full-game articles can be found below:
Adrian Lenawee Christian 42 Concord 0: The Cougars blanked the Hornets in the final SCAA-White contest for both teams. ALC got a strong passing game from JT Reatherford, who threw for five scores. Reatherford rushed for the sixth touchdown, a 10-yard carry. Four of the passing touchdowns from Reatherford found the open arms of Brenner Powers. ALC (4-4) has a tall task against Mendon if they have any playoff hopes remaining.
Belding 62 Godwin Heights 26: The Black Knights won their seventh straight game to set up an epic OK Silver title match next Friday against Hopkins. This win over the Wolverines was highlighted by Codey Manley, who took consecutive kickoff returns for touchdowns. Manley scored on 88 and 92-yard returns, as Belding improved their season scoring average to 45.9 points per game.
Byron Center 17 Muskegon 14: The Big Reds drove the length of the field in the closing seconds, but their fourth down and goal attempt was unsuccessful, leaving Byron Center a surprising winner. The Bulldogs are now 7-1 on the season, while Muskegon (3-4) is likely to miss the playoffs for the first time since 1999, unless they defeat Cincinnati Moeller and recieve some serious help.
Cedar Springs 56 Allendale 6: The Red Hawks improve to 7-1, and more importantly 4-1 in the RCA, after thrashing Allendale. Cedar Springs scored the first 42 points in this game, turning 41 carries into 370 rushing yards and six scores. This win sets up an epic showdown with Coopersville this week, with several conference title implications on the line.
Central Montcalm 62 White Cloud 6
Centreville 16 Muskegon Catholic Central 8: For the first time since 2018, and just the third time since 2005, the Crusaders will fail to miss the postseason. MCC needed two wins and some help to qualify for the playoffs, and they were unable to overcome the strong Bulldogs’ defense. This was the fourth loss for Muskegon Catholic (1-6) by eight points or less this season. The Crusaders offense failed to score a point, with the lone touchdown coming on a 94-yard fumble recovery. MCC had just 98 yards of total offense in this loss, while they gave up 265 rushing yards on 55 carries.
Climax-Scotts 46 Mendon 44: The Panthers and Hornets played a thrilling SCAA-Red battle on Friday with the outright title on the line. Climax-Scotts jumped ahead early, 16-8, before the teams exchanged touchdowns throughout the night. With about 4:30 to play, Ryder Gorham found Brayden Crites on a 15-yard touchdown pass to give Mendon a 44-38 lead. Climax-Scotts got a short touchdown run by Leo Bagwell, who completed the game-winning octopus on a short conversion run and delivered the Panthers the conference title. Owen Gorham had 201 rushing yards in defeat, while Climax-Scotts had a pair of rushers (Logan Gilbert and Bagwell) to eclipse the century mark.
Decatur 18 Hopkins 0
East Grand Rapids 31 Grand Rapids Catholic Central 28
East Kentwood 31 Jenison 7
Elk Rapids 24 Harbor Springs 0
Forest Hills Central 35 Wyoming 12: The Rangers move to 6-2 with a win over Wyoming (1-7). Nick Williams was 12/19 passing for 175 yards and three touchdowns. Blake Telizon threw just one pass and that went for an 11-yard touchdown. Brendan Cargill was a favorite target with four catches for 48 yards and two scores, but Seder Middaugh and Matt Sexton also hauled in touchdowns. Middaugh chipped in five tackles defensives, but Bryson Jenkins led the Rangers defense with six.
Forest Hills Eastern 48 Wayland 28: The Hawks took down the Wildcats in their OK White finale. FHE (6-2) raced out to a 28-0 lead in this game with some explosive plays. Jackson Arnold scored the first two touchdowns, a 13-yard catch from Brendan Thompson and a 49-yard carry. Near the end of the first quarter, the Hawks blocked a field goal that Garrett Johns scooped up and ran 24 yards for a score. Max Ferrick finished the night with 161 rushing yards and two scores, while Thompson contributed three touchdowns (two passing and one rushing). Wayland (4-4) is on the playoff bubble heading into their Week 9 battle with Hastings.
Forest Hills Northern 49 GR Union 13
Fulton 56 Muskegon Heights 0: The Tigers suffered their fifth straight defeat on the field (a forfeit win against Baldwin sandwiched in between) to slide to 3-5. This was the first time they have been shutout all season. Muskegon Heights concludes their 2024 season against Fennville next Friday. Fulton, meanwhile, improves to 7-1 on the year and has their sights set on the playoffs.
Gobles 47 Bridgman 28: The Tigers avenged one of their two defeats in 2023, improving to 8-0 for the first time since 2006. Gobles will look to wrap up their perfect regular season next week when they take on the Twin City Sharks.
Grand Rapids Sacred Heart 42 Wyoming Lee 14: The Falcons improve to 8-0 by taking down Wyoming Lee. This was the second win of the season for Sacred Heart against the Legends, the last one a 41-18 victory. Quarterback William Hyland showed his dual-threat abilities once again, passing and rushing for a score. Andy Chapin and Oliver Wurm each added a pair of scores for the victors. Kenny Power and Rob Blouw were two Falcons who anchored another strong defensive attack.
Grant 35 Chippewa Hills 12
Hart 48 Hesperia 6
Hastings 73 Coldwater 45
Holland 27 Fruitport 23
Hudsonville 35 Caledonia 13: For the first time since 2016, Hudsonville has captured a conference title. This win over Caledonia gives the Eagles their 15th league title in school history, and its first outright crown since they won the 2004 OK Red Metro. Hudsonville has now won seven straight games, and will wrap up their regular season against West Ottawa. Caledonia (4-4) has a small glimmer of hope to get into the playoffs, but they need to defeat Grandville next Friday and get some help across the state in other contests.
Kalamazoo United 35 Parchment 13
Kenowa Hills 48 Greenville 24
Kent City 46 Morley Stanwood 6
Lowell 35 Sparta 14
Ludington 66 Orchard View 12
Manistee 65 Montague 32
Marcellus 36 Bangor 6
Martin 63 Fennville 6
Mason County Central 56 Shelby 26
Middleville 37 Ottawa Hills 20
Mona Shores 40 Reeths-Puffer 0
Newaygo 53 Lakewood 36
Newberry 36 Rudyard 29
Northpointe Christian 38 Calvin Christian 0
Northview 35 Holland Christian 20: The Wildcats of Northview are now a stunning 8-0, as well as outright OK Black champions. This is the fifth conference championship in the 63-year history of the program (1966, 1968, 1969, 1970, 2024), and the first time since their 24-game winning streak between 1969-70 that the Wildcats have started 8-0 (both 1969 and 1970). They will look to join the 1969 and 1970 teams with perfect regular seasons next week against FHN.
Oakridge 24 Ravenna 0
Reed City 52 Tri-County 6: The Coyotes thrashed the Vikings in CSAA action. Reed City scored the first 35 points in this game to seize control from Tri-County. Andrew Kiaunis and Landen Jackson each accounted for multiple touchdowns for Reed City, who improves to 6-2 with this victory. Tri-County falls to 5-3 with this defeat, and they will play Ludington next Friday.
Rockford 49 Grand Haven 14
Spring Lake 62 GR Christian 28
Stevensville Lakeshore 62 Gull Lake 20
Stockbridge 33 Maple Valley 21
Unity Christian 56 Zeeland East 14: The ‘Saders secured an outright OK Gold title with a win over the Chix. Unity Christian raced out to a 42-0 lead behind three touchdowns (two rushing and one receiving) from Isaac Stienstra. Jackson DeHoop finished 2/2 passing for 84 yards and a touchdown, while adding 76 rushing yards and another score. In the first half alone, Unity Christian had 341 total yards of offense, 237 on the ground. Next week, the 8-0 Unity team will face Pontiac Notre Dame Prep, while 4-4 Zeeland East takes on Hamilton looking to secure a postseason berth.
West Catholic 54 Hamilton 14: The Falcons secure an outright league title with this blowout win of Hamilton.
Whitehall 47 Fremont 6: A week after Fremont scored 64 points in a defeat, the Packers were held to just six points in this week’s loss to Whitehall. Camden Thompson contributed five touchdowns in the victory, with 140 rushing yards and 95 passing yards. Nathan Betz matched Thompson’s 140 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 11 carries. In defeat, Karter Frens had 104 rushing yards for Fremont, scoring the Packers’ lone touchdown.
