It was an ultimate rubber-match at Zeeland Stadium Friday night in the MHSAA DIII, Region 10 title game between Zeeland West and Forest Hill Central. After the Rangers earned a state semifinal win over the Dux last year on their march to capturing the 2023 state title, the Dux would answer back with a 28-7 win in week six over FHC.

The third installment in the past two seasons between the now conference rivals would deliver a regional championship crown the winner. And, it would eb the homesteading Dux that would ride a perfect 5 for 5 mark scoring TDs in the red zone to capture a 36-20 regional-title-winning effort.

The Rangers would start off hot, as after winning the toss and deferring the kick return to the second half, they would immediately force a turnover on downs and get to start in West territory for their first drive. The Rangers would ride the legs of the junior QB Nick Williams in the power and zone read run game all the way down the field, before he would punch it in from one yard out with 7:13 remaining in the 1st quarter to take a 7-0 FHC lead.

Zeeland West would answer with a signature long drive out of their power T offense, eventually plunging into the end zone on the next drive with senior fullback Keaton Hendricks on a. shifty 9 yard tun = their 2 point try would fail, keeping an FHC lead – now 7-6.

The Rangers would get shut out of the end zone on 3rd and goal and turn to senior kicker Andrew Moeller for the first of a couple field goal attempts in the evening, this time he was able to knock it through from 21 yards out to give FHC a 4-point 10-6 lead with four minutes left in the half.

The Dux would drive for the bulk of the remainder of the half, before they would take to the air for their lone completion of the ball game, as senior QB Trey Sloothaak would find senior RB Isaac VanderZwaag for an acrobatic TD grab from 16 yards out. They would fall incomplete on another Sloothaak to VanderZwaag pass on the two point try, giving a 12-10 halftime edge for the homestanding Dux.

FHC would take the ball to begin the second half and immediately the game would see maybe it’s most important play, as VanderZwaag would leap up from linebacker to pick off Williams and immediately turn possession back in the Dux favor. And ZW would not be denied as they took the good mid-field starting position and turned it into a Keaton Hendricks TD run from 12 yards out just a little over two minutes into the half to take a 20-10 lead after Hendricks would also add a 2point conversion on the ground.

The Rangers would turn to the leg of Moeller again on the next drive, as this time the senior would hit from 28 yards to close the ZW lead to seven heading to the final quarter, 20-13.

West would strike a minute-and-a-half into the fourth quarter, as junior Jonah Leslie would power into the end zone from two yards out, Sloothaak would then find VanderZwaag on a. 2 point try pass to stretch the advantage to 15 – 28-13.

FHC would again drive down the field with a mix of acrobatic deep shot passes and the run game before senior running back Micah meadow would score from a yard out on only his second offensive touch of the night, the good XP from Moeller made it 28-20.

FHC would then come up with an expertly executed onside kick from Elijah Like that would bounce off the crowding West hands team and get jumped on by a pile of white FHC jerseys – giving the Rangers there ball back immediately with over six minutes to go, now down only one score. The West defense, however, would be up tot he task, coming up with a stuffing 4th-and-short stop on the running QB Williams to turn the ball back over to the offense.

With about five minutes left, the ZW offense would grind down the field the way that they can do better than almost any other team in the state, before it would be the legs of QB Sloothaak getting the edge on a 9 yard bootleg keeper to put the icing score on the board with 1:16 remaining. Leslie added a 2 point conversion run to reach a 36-20 total in favor of the Dux.

Sophomore CB Brandon Holman would pick off a deep shot from Williams on the ensuing drive, and Slothaak would kneel out the final 38 seconds to deliver a 36-20 regional title win for Zeeland West.

 

KEY STAT LEADERS

ZEELAND WEST – 36

QB – Sr – Trey Sloothaak: 1 completion, 16 yards – 1 Pass TD / 8 carries, 32 yards – 1 Rush TD

FB – Sr  -Keaton Hendricks: 18 carries, 115 yards – 2 Rush TD

RB – Jr – Jonah Leslie: 14 carries, 66 yards – 1 Rush TD

RB – Sr – Isaac VanderZwaag: 8 carries, 54 yards / 1 reception, 16 yards – 1 rec. TD

Defense: Brandon Holman + Isaac VanderZwaag – 1 INT Each

 

FHC – 20

QB – Jr – Nick Williams: 25 carries, 73 yards – 1 Rush TD / 14 completions, 194 yards

RB – Sr – Micah Meadow: 2 carries, 10 yards – 1 Rush TD

WR – Sr – Brendan Cargill: 6 receptions, 67 yards

TE – Sr – Seder Middaugh: 3 receptions, 46 yards

K – Sr – Andrew Moeller: 2/2 FG (21, 28)