The Coopersville Broncos, the defending champions of the River Cities Alliance, began their 2025 season against Ludington. The Orioles are a strong team, and they showed it on Friday as they cruised to a 40-13 victory.
Early in the first quarter, Cam Gunsell used his legs for a 1-yard quarterback keeper, giving the Orioles a 6-0 edge. Coopersville responded instantly on special teams, as Brooks Hadden fielded the kick and raced 88 yards to the end zone. With an equally unsuccessful PAT attempt, the game was knotted at six.
Ludington put together another scoring drive late in the first quarter, as Gunsell one again used his legs to find the end zone. This time, it was a 23-yard touchdown carry. Coopersville would once again answer, with Nash Devries powering across the goal line from a yard out. The Broncos got their successful PAT kick this time, giving them a 13-12 lead.
With just twenty seconds left in the second quarter, Ludington took the lead back for good. Cam Gunsell completed his hat trick with a 3-yard touchdown run. On the ensuing point after, the Orioles completed a two-point toss to take a 20-13 lead to halftime.
In the second half, it was all Ludington, as they scored 20 unanswered points. Gunsell used his legs once again, and his fourth touchdown was a 1-yard bowl across the goal line. Early in the fourth, it was a fifth rushing score for Cam Gunsell. His 4-yard keeper gave the Orioles a 20-point edge. Finally, with just over two minutes to go, Gunsell finally threw for a touchdown, pairing up with Messiah Himes on a 25-yard strike.
In the win, Gunsell finished with 8/11 passing for 116 yards and touchdown. He made a bigger impact on the ground, with 34 carries for 246 yards and five scores. On defense, Gunsell played safety and added six tackles.
Next week, Coopersville will take on West Catholic in another challenging non-league battle. Ludington will take on Mason County Central next Friday.
