By Randy Gregory, Michigan Sports Radio
Photo courtesy of Miles Postema
For the second consecutive week Rockford never made use of their punter as the rolled to a 49-14 triumph over Grand Haven at Carlson/Munger Stadium on Friday, October 18. The contest was a little bit of a slog for the Rams in the first half as they went to the locker room holding a narrow 21-14 edge. But the second half was all Rockford as they outscored the Buccaneers 28 to 0 to set the running clock in motion with just under five minutes remaining in the game. The primary catalyst for Rockford was a running game that gobbled up vast swatches of yards seemingly at will. Senior running back Isaac Poot racked up 119 yards on only nine carries, junior quarterback Brayden Daniels added 67 on nine carries as well and senior running back Tommy Becker chipped in with 55 yards on just five attempts.
Daniels was also highly effective in the passing game for the Rams as he was 7 of 9 for 95 yards and a touchdown. For the third consecutive week the Ram special teams were indeed special as Jax Eichbauer blocked a punt to set up one Ram TD and Poot ran a kickoff back for 81 yards before falling just short of a TD on a desperation shoestring tackle. That return was also a precursor to another Rockford TD. The only negative to the game was the propensity of Rockford to allow several chunk plays to a fairly solid Buccaneer passing attack in the opening half.
“I thought Brayden had a very good game today,” said Rockford coach Brent Cummings. “He is a junior and a first-year starter and it is not unusual to see quarterbacks in that position going through occasional peaks and valleys. He threw for one touchdown and ran for three more to showcase his ability to do both. And Isaac (Poot) is a tremendously talented football player who does so many things for us. He is always in great condition and really prides himself on every facet of his game.
Rockford received the opening kickoff and used less than three minutes to take a 7-0 lead on a Poot two-yard run. Chase Vogt made the first three extra points for Rockford and Jack Ahonen made all four of his attempts in the second half. The Rams quickly made it a 14-0 game after Eichbauer blocked the punt and sophomore Wyatt Colston recovered at the Buc 10-yard line. On the first play from scrimmage after the block, Rockford ran a beautifully executed drag route from senior tight end Blake Linsley for the score. Daniels took the snap and rolled right with seemingly the entire Ram offense. But Linsley emerged from the back totally uncovered and Daniels floated the easiest TD pass of the year to the wide open Linsley on the left side.
The Bucs answered with one of their big plays on a 57-yard TD pass that made it a 14-7 game with :48 seconds to play in the first quarter. That set the stage for Poot to gather in the ensuing kickoff at the Rockford one. Poot started up field and made a sharp cut to the right and nearly broke it for the score before being tripped up at the Grand Haven 17. After an encroachment penalty on Grand Haven, it was again Daniels doing the honors from 12-yards out to make it a 21-7 game with 32 seconds still to play in the opening quarter.
Rockford appeared poised to add another quick TD after Poot ripped off a 51-yard run to set them up deep in the Gand Haven end at the 17. But the only miscue of the night for the Ram offense (fumble) gave the ball back to the visitors and they ran off a 12-play 82-yard drive to make it a 21-14 contest just before the half,
“We have been successful defensively in getting kids in position to make plays, ” said Cummings. “But now we have to make them defensively if we want to get where we want to go. We are getting there and everyone is putting forth a tremendous effort but we just need to do a better job of finishing the play. You have to also give some credit to Grand Haven for the plays some of their receivers just came up with some great catches.””
The second half saw a determined Ram team grab ahold of the contest and impose their will for the balance of the game. Becker ran one in from two yards out and Daniels added an 11-yard burst of his own to make it 35-14bwith eight minutes still to play in the third quarter. Poot again scored from a yard out with less than one minute to play in the third stanza to make it 42-7. The scoring for the contest was capped off by another Daniels TD that made it 49-14 with 4:57 to play in the contest and set the running clock in motion.
Mikey DeKuiper lad the Ram receivers with three catches for 38 yards and Lucas Pitsch added 39 yards on a pair of receptions. Colston led the defensive effort with 17 tackles and he was joined in double figures by Luke Ahern with 10. Logan Haglund, Corbin Starkey and Andrew Hambleton added 6, 5 and five respectively.
The win mover Rockford to 6-2 on the season overall and 4-2 in OK Red play. The Bucs fell to 2-6 and 1-5 on the season. Rockford ends the regular season next week with a trip to East Kentwood to take on a 5-3 Falcon squad. Both teams are shoo ins for a playoff berth but the winner will almost certainly be awarded a home game to kick the post season off. Kick off is slated for 7:00 P.M. on Friday, October 25.
