After four straight defeats in the middle of the regular season, South Christian has found another gear in the postseason. Last week was their biggest feat yet, overcoming a 50-21 regular season defeat in a 35-28 victory over unbeaten Division 4 favorite Unity Christian.
This week, the Sailors were looking for their third straight regional championship when they took on the Whitehall Vikings. The Vikings, another strong Division 4 team played a pair of dramatic postseason games to get to Friday’s regional finals, besting Forest Hills Eastern and Big Rapids.
Many people in the area highlighted the battle between dynamic quarterbacks. Carson Vis (South Christian) and Camden Thompson (Whitehall) have been two of the best in the region this fall. To add another layer of intrigue, the pair both signed to Western Michigan to play basketball together.
Early in this game, Vis got the Sailors rolling. He paired up with Charles DeHaan on a 15-yard touchdown pass, converting a 4th down to cap off a 70-yard touchdown march. This put the Sailors ahead by seven deep into the first quarter.
Whitehall was able to respond at the close of the quarter, thanks to optimal field position. Two plays after forcing a turnover on downs, Camden Thompson found the end zone. The signal caller used his legs on a 25-yard keeper to knot the score at seven.
The second quarter only saw one scoring play, and it took place on the final play of the half. Tyler Brinks was on the receiving end of a 20-yard touchdown toss from Vis, giving the Sailors a 14-7 lead.
On the opening drive of the third quarter, Whitehall found their equalizer. Gavin Craner powered across the goal line from 2 yards out, evening the count at 14.
After missing a field goal in the third quarter, South Christian would take the lead with just under 10 minutes to play in the fourth quarter. Kasjen VanSolkema found a clearing amongst the interior scrum, and his 4-yard carry put the Sailors ahead 21-14.
On the ensuing Whitehall drive, the Sailors’ defense found a way to pad the lead. Rowan DeKam was able to strip the football, running it 25 yards to the end zone to double the South Christian advantage.
The Vikings would draw closer on another touchdown run by Thompson, this time a rather remarkable 37-yard dash to the end zone. Whitehall got back within 7 points, but they were unable to get any closer.
South Christian outgained Whitehall 333-244 in this game, and they used two key turnovers to stretch the lead even further. Carson Vis was 16/27 passing for 228 yards and two scores, while also adding 55 yards on the ground.
With this victory, South Christian advances to next Saturday’s State Semifinal. The Sailors will take on the Niles Vikings, with the winner securing a berth in the Division 4 State Championship.
