The Zeeland West Dux are in their 20th season as a high school football program. They have been a beacon of success since the beginning, with a winning record in 19 seasons. After defeating DeWitt on Saturday, they are now making their fifth trip to Ford Field in two decades, a mark matched by very few programs in the state.
On the opening drive of the game, Zeeland West found the scoreboard. Trey Sloothaak kept the football, rumbling eight yards for a touchdown. An unsuccessful two-point conversion left the Dux with a fast 6-0 lead. Seeking some momentum, Zeeland West opted for an onside kick. The Dux were unable to recover the kick, giving the Panthers prime field position.
Neither team was able to muster any momentum in the remaining time of the first quarter, pairing fourth down stops to leave the score at 6-0 Zeeland West.
After forcing another turnover on downs, Zeeland West took over deep in their own territory. The Dux, known for their rushing attack, took to the air for their next touchdown. Sloothaak paired up with Keaton Hendricks, and the passing play went 78 yards for another Zeeland West score. They once again failed the conversion, but the Dux seized a fast 12-0 lead.
DeWitt, a team that averaged 56 points per game this season, finally found the end zone midway through the second quarter. Elliot Larner, their star quarterback, found the end zone on a short 2-yard touchdown run. The Panthers trimmed the lead to five, 12-7.
Zeeland West found their scoring strike once again, with another touchdown pass. Sloothaak and Will Skaggs linked up on a 50-yard touchdown toss, and the Dux would take their 20-7 lead to the locker room.
In the third quarter, DeWitt appeared to seize some momentum with a fumble recovery. They turned that turnover into a touchdown strike, as Larner found Abram Larner on a 24-yard scoring pass. and the Panthers were back within a score, 20-13.
Zeeland West was held out of the end zone in the third quarter, but they scored in the opening seconds of the final frame. Isaac VanderZwaag bowled across the goal line from a yard out, the lead ballooned back out to 13 points.
This Dux score was the first of several in the final quarter. DeWitt quickly countered, with Elliot Larner pairing up with Jadon Bender for an 11-yard touchdown. Once again, the Panthers were back within a touchdown, 26-20.
Keaton Hendricks was able to counteract the scoring of DeWitt, as he toted the football across the goal line. The running attack of the Dux saw the team move downfield before Hendricks ran the final 20 yards. With just under five minutes to play, Zeeland West was back ahead by 12, 32-20.
DeWitt crossed midfield, and they faced a pivotal fourth down at the ZW 42. As had been the case several times already, the Dux defense stepped up and thwarted DeWitt’s pursuit. This stop all but sealed DeWitt’s fate, as Zeeland West ultimately ran the clock out to punch their ticket to the State Championship game.
Keaton Hendricks finished with 130 all-purpose yards in this game, 72 receiving and 58 rushing. Trey Sloothaak added 42 rushing yards to his perfect 4/4 passing day that finished with 161 yards and two touchdowns. The Dux defense forced five turnovers on downs in this game, limiting a potent DeWitt offense to less than half of their season average.
With this win, Zeeland West will be back at Ford Field on Saturday afternoon to face Detroit King. The Crusaders punched their ticket to the finals with a 35-14 win over Mason. The Dux will be going for their 5th State Championship in their 5th appearance at Ford Field (2006 win over Coopersville, 2011 win over Marine City, 2013 win over DeWitt, 2015 win over Flint Powers Catholic). Detroit King has an equally impressive pedigree, as this will be their tenth trip to the State Finals and the Crusaders have a 6-3 all-time record in those contests.
